Blacksmith's and Jeweller's plans - Where Do They Drop?der=0>

**krovak** · 03-09-2012, 09:03

I am now at almost 9000 elite kills and have spent tens of hours running aroud acts I and II Inferno with ~220% MF including NV and I am still getting only a handful of useless (read: 4 affix armor) blacksmith plans (some of them I already found 4x). So far I have seen no jeweller's plan and no exalted grand plan at all. My question is - do I have to progress to Act III or IV to have a chance of getting something better?

The odds of finding ilvl 60-63 weapons and armor in the respective acts has been officially posted, but I don't know anything about the other interesting drops. Thanks in advance for any helpful input

**SnickerSnack** · 03-09-2012, 09:34

I found an Exalted Fine Dread Shield plan (5 affixes) in act two. I've also found a few 4 affix plans in act 1 and one in act 2. I haven't found any jeweler plans, but I do have a bnet friend who has 'access' (whatever that means) to at least five 6 affix plans (all weapons). I will ask where they dropped, but he may have bought them on the AH (especially since they are all weapons).

I have over 1000 exquisite essences and around 400 iridescent tears, so I may do a big batch of crafting soon.

**DZJB** · 03-09-2012, 10:02

I've found 2 Exalted Fine plans (one weapon and one armour), and the rest are also 4 stat ones. One of these in Act I, another in Act II.

The 6 stat and jeweller ones just have a much lower drop rate I think. My guess is they aren't bound to Acts, just lower drop rates.

**Eric Xanthu** · 03-09-2012, 11:22

I never saw jeweler plans or 6-prop plans until I started farming Act 3. I skipped Act 2 as a farming spot, so they might drop there. I farmed Act 1 steadily for 2 months--I'm comfortable claiming they cannot drop in Act 1.

Sadly, I found 2 of each in my first week of farming Act 3, and thought this was the shape of things to come. Not exactly.

I also am trying to find better plan drops (tested Act 4 a bit to no success) because the payouts are amazing on the AH or you set yourself up to make the best stuff in the game. I liken the plan drops to rune hunting from D2...I think figuring out the numbers could lead to great things.

**krovak** · 03-09-2012, 13:15

Originally Posted by Eric Xanthu

I never saw jeweler plans or 6-prop plans until I started farming Act 3. I skipped Act 2 as a farming spot, so they might drop there.

That was my impression as well. I have searched through other forums and found another indication of the same:

Originally Posted by kestegs

....There is also the fact that the high level plans only drop in act 3/4.

The remaining question that still somehow bothers me is.. Does MF affect the drop rates of plans?

**DZJB** · 03-09-2012, 14:19

Interesting. Another motivation to start farming Act III.

**SincereX13** · 03-09-2012, 14:26

I will just add to the confirmation that I don't think they can drop in act I. I have found only 4 stat plans in Act I and I have found many many of them but nothing other than them.

**Eric Xanthu** · 03-09-2012, 14:47

I think we've still got a ways to go before we understand the drop mechanics. I've heard--maybe on this board?--that drop mechanics are the reverse of D2. First you check quality modified by MF, then you roll item type. I suspect, however, that plans work like gems and potions, and have a separate drop category (in which case it would work very much like D2).

How would MF affect plan drops? My strong suspicion is that it works like runes and nothing affects it. They are way too valuable to do anything to plump up the odds. If MF affected them, I think it would be something like 4-prop = blue, 5-prop = yellow, 6-prop = legendary. In that case, MF would weed out 4 props in favor of 5-6. But again, that seems a little wonky. And it's not clear how that would work for jewel plans. If MF actually gave you better odds of radiant star over flawless star...the market ramifications would be enormous. No, I think you're out there Zod-hunting.

Given how the game runs, I'm not sure we'll ever have the same mechanics-knowledge we had of D2. Too bad.

**Painman** · 03-09-2012, 14:49

There was some discussion re: plans either here in the General forum or on Bnet forums, and some folks claimed to have found jeweler's plans in A2. At least the flawless star variety, IIRC.

I've never seen one drop anywhere.

**krovak** · 03-09-2012, 16:18

Just found a exalted orbit stones plan and exalted fine doomcaster plan in "The Ruins Level 2". Both dropped during the same run, 3 minutes from each other. The good news is that a 5-affix weapon plans can drop in Act 2. It is also good that ilvl 61-62 weapons can get strong elemental damage affixes in 1.04