Changes

Okay, now, what have I learned about Sparkly Chests?

==Basic Backgound==

However, if the first item dropped is not the intended quality (which happens about 85% of the time) then the code finishes the sequence of four picks, upgrading them as possible, and picks a second batch of another four items to drop. The same rules apply to this second batch of picks –they will be upgraded to Uniques or Sets, as possible. If the first item dropped from the second batch is of the intended quality then the second batch terminates the sequence. If the first item of the 2nd batch is not the intended quality, the chest then goes into a consolation prize mode and starts dropping items 4 at a time with quality magic or lower. Anywhere from 4 to 44 more items can then drop. Except for one very rare case, no item after the first 8 will be upgraded to the intended quality, and MF does not affect the subsequent drops.

At the top level of logic in Cases A and B, are these very important pick odds:

* Equipment (armor,weapons) Frequency = 10

* Good (Gems, rings, amulets, jewels, charms) Frequency = 2

* Junk Frequency = 15

* “No Drop” Frequency = 2- 100 (depends on number of players).

“Equipment” and “Good” are categories that can drop the intended qualities of Unique or Set. Without the “No Drop” factor, Equipment and Good will be picked 12 out of 42 times; but including the “No Drop” factor means that “Equipment” and “Good” will only be picked 12 out of 44-142 times.

For most of the rest of the guide, I will assume that the Sparkly Chests are opened at players7 or players8 (i.e., simulating four players), either because you’re playing at that level, or because you’ve shifted up to that level before opening the chest.

Given Case A or B (at 2% and 5% probability, respectively), the code picks one of the above categories. In 10 of 55 it picks equipment, in 2 of 55 it picks “Good,” in the other 43 of 55 cases it picks ‘Gold,” “No Drop” or Junk and will not drop a unique/set.

So that’s the methodology, as simply as I can explain it. I’ve put together a large spreadsheet and have calculated the probability of every Sparkly Chest in the game calling every TC, and then I’ve figured out which Uniques and Set items are upgradeable from base items by which Chests. So, lets get to some results.

First, let me remind everyone that not all chests that sparkle are “Sparkly Chests.” Some sparkling chests are “Quest Chests.” These are chests that yield Quest items and they have different rules for dropping items. Quest Chests include, among others, the Maggot Lair chest, The Spider Cavern Chest, the Kurast Lvl 2 chest, the Ruined Temple chest (Lam Esen’s Tome), etc. True “Sparkly Chests” do not yield a quest item.

Below is a list of the Sparkly Chests in Normal difficulty and the average number of uniques/sets dropped each time you open the chest. “No-drop” odds used in these calculations are those for 4 players (players7 mode), it is also assumed that if the first four picks are all “No Drop” that the sequence diverts into another case sequence and no Unique items are dropped at all. It was further assumed that the character opening the chest has a clvl equal to or higher then the area level

[[Image:Sparkly-chests02.jpg|frame|center]]

Act 3 and Act 5 Nightmare Sparkly Chests offer the best odds of getting an S/U to drop. Here are the Nightmare Sparkly Chests:

[[Image:Sparkly-chests03.jpg|frame|center]]

[[Image:Sparkly-chests04.jpg|frame|center]]

Below is a list of the Sparkly Chests and the average number of uniques dropped each time a Case A drop is picked (odds, 1;50). “No-drop” odds used in these calculations are those for 4 players (players7 mode), it is also assumed that if the first four picks are all “No Drop” that the sequence diverts into another case sequence and no Unique items are dropped at all. It was further assumed that the character opening the chest has a clvl equal to or greater then the items that can drop.

[[Image:Sparkly-chests05.jpg|frame|center]]

Case A Drop @ 4 players