[Feedback] Kryptis Skyscale Skin - A New Look - P.S. Not Worth 300g [Merged]

[Tearthy Flame.1463]

I'm exhausted... Obtaining the Kryptis Skyscale Skin was extremely tedious and an epic gold sink, in total it was around 300g in materials. Yet I'm most likely including the cost of the Skyscale you obtain from, A New Friend. Overall a very expensive skin and has a lot of repetitive tasks. I'm too fuzzy on the details to list the exact material amounts off the top of my head. But it's important to note you'll need a lot of materials from Rift Hunting, grinding other special currencies, and 20 (of each) Spiritwood & Deldrimor Steel. Have 5 Charged Quartz as well or gamble for them from Winter's Day Presents. Ecto's and other material.

I ran into a minor issue with Jungle Wurm enemies not giving me Wurm Meat, my only sources were the Triple Trouble Wurms and Great Jungle Wurm (90+ Meat), it is also possible to get some from the Champion Toxic Wurm Queen in Battle for Lion's Arch (Season 1) instance (10+ Meat). [An issue as of Aug 24th] P.S. I strongly disliked running around SotO multiple times to loot about 100 Minor Arcane Chests, that took several hours to complete getting 8-25 to fill 1,000 in the achievement... I did not have the Greater Arcane Treasures Mastery at this time, but you should get it.
Edit: A way to locate chests as you explore the maps: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Treasure_Hunter_Protocol_1 There's a level 2 & 3 version.

There's a lot of other tedious details about A New Look, it is extremely repetitive for one. But the end reward, Kryptis Skyscale, is another one of my complaints... It's weird that it doesn't have a tail but also a unique aspect of the design, It stands out in that way but it would look really nice with a tail.
What's truly underwhelming about this mount skin is -there's no visual affects, foot falls, fire, unique idol feeding treat. It doesn't have any of those really beautiful Kryptis visuals you see from Rifts and Skill Affects. Nor any unique mounting or wing trails. It's so visually boring. [Post Edit: The skin does have 4 dye channels but it mind as well only be 3, the 4th dye channel only dyes a dot in the center of the head, I'd like to see any new visuals be dyable and tied to this dye channel.]
I'd really like to see Anet revisit this mount skin and give it beautiful visuals, because the A New Look collection is awful to complete and not very fun.

I recommend holding off on this skin, it's very cool but has a lot of underwhelming aspects to its design, mostly 'cause it feels like a gemstore skin you'd pick for 1,200 gems or a lucky gamble for 400 gems. It is not worth 300g for how annoying the collection is to complete -the quality isn't there to make it worth it. Get the new Owl Griffon Skin from the Wizard's Vault (1,000 AA), that's super worth it and will only take your time to complete objectives.

-----

[Contains Spoilers]
Additional Edit, intended to be an informative post, not a step by step guide:
Subjects & Items may be missing leave a comment for correction.*
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/A_New_Look (Unfinished as of posting*) https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/A_New_Friend (Aditional Link for Previous Achievement)

OP Comment: I thought I’d return to this post too expound and add information about Lyhr and SotO Provisioner Venders. (As of this posting these wiki pages are unfinished, Wiki Editors will update these over time.)

Lyhr:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Common_Kryptis_Motivation (recommended)

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Charged_Quartz_Crystal

 https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Amalgamated_Kryptis_Essence

 https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Case_of_Captured_Lightning

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Pouch_of_Stardust

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sample_of_Kryptis_Corruption

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sample_of_Kryptis_Possession

2              Purchase the analytical charm from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower.

This #2 step requires the player to buy an “Analytical Charm” x1 Amalgamated Kryptis Essence, x200 Ecto, x20 Spiritwood Planks, and 5 Charged Quartz Crystal. (You can gamble for Charged Quartz from Winter’s Day Presents or Trick or Treat Bags. There’s a random chance to obtain Charged from Quartz Nodes.)

--- Further in the Collection ---

7              Purchase an anodized medicinal cauldron from Lyhr.

This #7 step requires the player to buy an “Anodized Medicinal Cauldron” x1 Amalgamated Kryptis Essence, x3 Case of Captured Lightning, x3 Pouch of Stardust, x20 Deldrimor Steel Ingots.

8              Collect a sample of possession from the Cosmic Observatory Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower.               

9              Collect a sample of corruption from the Temple of Febe Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower.

If you decide to purchase #8 & #9 steps, this will cost you more Essence of, x50 Greed & x50 Triumph. I don’t remember the other items I apologize.

 

Provisioner:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skywatch_Archipelago

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Amnytas

Posted Again: (Check Provisioner Venders under, Sold By)

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Case_of_Captured_Lightning

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Pouch_of_Stardust

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Common_Kryptis_Motivation (recommended)

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/A_New_Look

10           Complete Skyscale Medicine Masker. (Jungle Wurm MEAT step) ERROR*
This #10 step requires you to use Skyscale Saddle Materials: Provisioner Tokens in x3 amounts (x30 maybe more), x250 Static Charge, x375 Essence of Despair, and x500* Stardust (all quantities may very).
                Important Correction: [I included the material cost of https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skyscale_Saddle_Materials Achievement from A New Friend. I'll leave in the error and note the correction here. My brain gone goofed. I'm leaving in the Saddle's included cost for a overall total of "Grind" for the OG owners of Skyscales.]


Conclusion of Total Mats & Time Gates:
A New Friend, additional cost; 15-80g* and/or Piece of Skyscale Food 12 days (if crafted 12 Charged Quartz Crystal).
1 in-game hour for A New Look to unlock after completion of A New Friend.
x2 Amalgamated Kryptis Essence (crafted)
x300* Ecto (40+ if crafted Spiritwood plank & Deldrimor Steel ingot & 20 days)
x5 Charged Quartz Crystal (125 Quartz Crystal & 5 days)
x3 Case of Captured Light (750 Static Charge or Skywatch Archipelago Meta 3 days)
x1,000* Static Charge
x3 Pouch of Stardust (750 Pinches of Stardust or Amnytas Meta 3 days)
x1,250* Pinches of Stardust
x875* Essence of Despair (Motivation & Rift Weekly Recommended)
x250* Essence of Greed (Motivation & Rift Weekly Recommended)
x150* Essence of Triumph (Motivation & Rift Weekly Recommended)
x20 Spiritwood Plank (if crafted 20 days)
x20 Deldrimor Steel Ingot (if crafted 20 days)
x30* Provisioner Tokens (Material, Gold, and Time Gate, amounts are random)
N/A comment for missing Data.*
Noting error of "Skyscale Saddle Materials" inclusion into total amount*

Thanks for reading, hopefully this helps with understanding the tedious grind for Kryptis Skyscale Skin & Mini.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Tearthy Flame.1463
Adding my thoughts about the Dye Channels. -New Edit: Adding expounding information and Wiki Links. Other Edits*. Correction for the inclusion of Skyscale Saddle Materials*.

[Linken.6345]

Did you try the ice wurms in the cave by bear cub race just outside lions arch near the priory base?

[rottenbanana.2170]

If you'd like to possess the Skin on Day 3 of release, then yes, you'll be tired, exhausted with a lighter wallet ! There's a reason why its called an 'Achievement' and not a 'Fix'.  🙂 Should have taken your time with it !  Im following Caffeinated Dad's advice and taking my time .. So far : 'stuck' in the Archipelago, just unlocked a 'New Friend' - i intend to finish the Season 4 achievements and get my Skyscale that way whilst continuing with the SOTO story in parallel. Will get skin last. I play when I have time and as long as I feel like it, at my own pace, on my own terms.  I dont force myself. So far im enjoying the process and the expansion. 

That being said, Does anyone know if the skin is only meant for people who already have the Skyscale (ie through season 4 chievos)  ? I dont have the skyscale. So can I just do 'A New Friend' and get the skyscale AND the skin ?

Edited August 26, 2023 by rottenbanana.2170

[Linken.6345]

11 minutes ago, rottenbanana.2170 said:

If you'd like to possess the Skin on Day 3 of release, then yes, you'll be tired, exhausted with a lighter wallet ! There's a reason why its called an 'Achievement' and not a 'Fix'.  🙂 Should have taken your time with it !  Im following Caffeinated Dad's advice and taking my time .. So far : 'stuck' in the Archipelago, just unlocked a 'New Friend' - i intend to finish the Season 4 achievements and get my Skyscale that way whilst continuing with the SOTO story in parallel. Will get skin last. I play when I have time and as long as I feel like it, at my own pace, on my own terms.  I dont force myself. So far im enjoying the process and the expansion. 

That being said, Does anyone know if the skin is only meant for people who already have the Skyscale (ie through season 4 chievos)  ? I dont have the skyscale. So can I just do 'A New Friend' and get the skyscale AND the skin ?

Yes you can just do the new one and then skin since the collection since it is tied to the new skyscale method not the old one.

[FrancisN.9276]

Somehow this Kryptis skyscale skin looks remarkably similar to a flying cockroach 😥

[LeiserTot.3648]

i really like this skin with one exception, it really needs a tail

 

[Mongori.9467]

So if I already have the fully mastered "old" skyscale the whole "A new friend" collection only gives me the kryptic skin, right? (Assuming I will complete the new mastery anyways)

 

[LeiserTot.3648]

5 minutes ago, Mongori.9467 said:

So if I already have the fully mastered "old" skyscale the whole "A new friend" collection only gives me the kryptic skin, right? (Assuming I will complete the new mastery anyways)

 

a new friend gives you access to the achievement which provides the new skin

for the actual skin you'll need to do the followup achievement

you don't get anything else from the achievement, given i didn't miss something

[Player.2475]

20 minutes ago, LeiserTot.3648 said:

a new friend gives you access to the achievement which provides the new skin

for the actual skin you'll need to do the followup achievement

you don't get anything else from the achievement, given i didn't miss something

The achievement also gives you 300 AA as a Special objective this season in the Wizard's Vault.

[Zok.4956]

31 minutes ago, LeiserTot.3648 said:

39 minutes ago, Mongori.9467 said:

So if I already have the fully mastered "old" skyscale the whole "A new friend" collection only gives me the kryptic skin, right? (Assuming I will complete the new mastery anyways)

 

a new friend gives you access to the achievement which provides the new skin

for the actual skin you'll need to do the followup achievement

Because "A New Look" does not unlock without "A new friend":
Do owners of the "old" skyscale have to do all the steps for "A new friend" and pay the same gold (i.e. basically pay for two skyscales), or are there any reliefs?

 

[LeiserTot.3648]

6 hours ago, Zok.4956 said:

Because "A New Look" does not unlock without "A new friend":
Do owners of the "old" skyscale have to do all the steps for "A new friend" and pay the same gold (i.e. basically pay for two skyscales), or are there any reliefs?

 

no reliefs but the new skyscale is not nearly as humongous as the old one

it's ~35g in total (cheaper if you craft yourself) and rest are either click-here-go-there type of achievements or acc-bound stuff you have to farm yourself, easily doable in one or two days

[Tearthy Flame.1463]

@FrancisN.9276 I like to think of it as a Necromancer Minion.

[hugo.4705]

The Kryptis skyscale is featured on the Secret Obscure page it is like an easy obtainable reward, put under spotlight, I am sorry, you ask the players to do first "A new Friend" Collection that already ruin player of gold coins and then, for the second collection "A new Look" you make an outrageous total gold sink! I am sorry I feel the need to do a shout out to warn about how bad and camming that collection is! Here are the steps you should do to get your demon skyscale:

1	Talk to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free)
2	Purchase the   analytical charm from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. (1 Amalgamated kryptis essence (Ton of tiers essence + 50 ectos, understand 10g on tp) + 200 ectos + 20 asccended spiritwood planks)!!!!! Yes that one already steal from you like 80+ gold coins!!!! If buying from TP!!!      -----200 ectos = 40g,   + 50 ectos = 10g     +  20 spiritwood = 85g   ----->>>>>  TOTAL ~ 140 GOLD
3	Complete the Skyscale Target Practice adventure. (free)
4	Defeat 20 Kryptis turrets with your skyscale's   Fireball.  (free)
5	Spend 30 continuous seconds being carried by a ley line while mounted on your skyscale. (free)
6	Bring the collected data back to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free)
7	Purchase an   anodized medicinal cauldron from Lyhr. (1 Amalgamated kryptis essence AGAIN + Encased light + pouch of stardust + 20 delrimor ingot) So understand, again, around 60g easy plus ton of map currencies removed from you!!!!         --------- 50 ectos = 10g     +    20 deldrimor ingot  = 100g     ------->  ~ 110 GOLD
8	Collect a   sample of possession from the Cosmic Observatory Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. Cause I don't want to do mission guess what? Ton of kryptis essence and 10 icy lodestone. Ok That one may be the step the less expensive. 5 Gold...
9	Collect a   sample of corruption from the Temple of Febe Strike Mission, or purchase a sample from Lyhr in the Wizard's Tower. Same if I buy, 10 corrupted lodestone, it is like 10 Gold, it is okay.
10	Complete https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/5/58/Skies_of_Tyria.png/20px-Skies_of_Tyria.png Skyscale Medicine Masker.  (250 wurm meat to collect on wurms) (free)
11	Bring the collected medical supplies back to Skyscale Trainer Dyanne at the Beacon of Ages. (free)
12	Administer the medicine to the skyscale and consult Dyanne. (free)
13	Complete https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/thumb/5/58/Skies_of_Tyria.png/20px-Skies_of_Tyria.png Arcane Osmogrifier. (1000 fragments to loot from arcane chests (free but long)
14	Use the arcane osmogrifier with the Heart of the Obscure on the sick skyscale near Skyscale Trainer Dyanne. (free)   So in total, like 140 G + 110 G + 15 G ---> 265 Gold  ---> ~700 Gems for Gold to gems conversion currently. Or like 1100 gems if the opposite way.   I am highly disappointed by the cost, and can't understand what happened in Dev mind during the making of Secret of the Obscure. The expansion is a pain in my soul, between the astral ward armors that are highly expensive, and now the skyscale?!!!!!! What the point if players aren't even able to earn easily the rewards and for not a lot of gold? I just lost 50g already to do a new friend, and you expect me to put 265g for a skin? It is like the gold required for commander tag!!!!! I thought lesson were learnt from previous expansion, it seems not:!!!!!  Rewards out of reach? Are you serious? Locking away like this kryptis skyscale skin and astral ward armor skins? What the points if I can't even have expansion related skins and rewards? Wanna know? I would have preferred the Kryptis skyscale to be available in Wizard Vault instead of that useless shiny Griffon skin!!!

[Taclism.2406]

"ThE DeVs"
Market prices are player controled => Every time there's a new (mount) collection, that's obvious flipping material. I paid 4 silver for the turtle's 250 strawberry, 2 days later it was 4 silver PER strawberry.
Fill your material bank if you don't wanna suffer from those price variation, prevents most issues in the first place.

[DanAlcedo.3281]

Sometimes I can't wrap my head around how people can think 265g is alot of money. 

But I suppose for a new player thats alot because they don't know how to make gold yet. 

The month before SotO, I made over 500g just by casually playing around. Didn't even farm or anything. And I didn't even cash in on everything I could. 

 

[Randulf.7614]

265g for a skin seems reasonable? Especially how easy it is to get gold from the vault

Also, you can farm the mats. You can’t really blame the devs when the players set the mat prices. This seems like complaining that using the TP as a shortcut is costing money. Well yes, as it should.

How much actual liquid gold does it cost? Assuming you farm and craft your own materials?

 

[Trejgon.9367]

20 minutes ago, DanAlcedo.3281 said:

Sometimes I can't wrap my head around how people can think 265g is alot of money. 

But I suppose for a new player thats alot because they don't know how to make gold yet. 

The month before SotO, I made over 500g just by casually playing around. Didn't even farm or anything. And I didn't even cash in on everything I could. 

 

I mean I have personally made like 250g (alot of it just from wizards vault alone) within first week of SotO and I was not doing anything sweaty for it to get gems to buy the new outfit.

So even assuming the estimates by OP are perfectly accurate (dunno haven't got quite there yet to try to got for a skin, still no egg to even do new friend) I would say that it is still very fair for a mount skin.

[PzTnT.7198]

I kind of wish it had some unique animations at that cost. Like some kind of different food being tossed to it and unique fire/fireballs as with some of the gem store skins.

[Krexen.9057]

It's pretty lackluster for the grind required.

[jason.1083]

3 hours ago, Randulf.7614 said:

265g for a skin seems reasonable? Especially how easy it is to get gold from the vault

Also, you can farm the mats. You can’t really blame the devs when the players set the mat prices. This seems like complaining that using the TP as a shortcut is costing money. Well yes, as it should.

How much actual liquid gold does it cost? Assuming you farm and craft your own materials?

 

Exactly, 265 gold id very reasonable, I used to buy my outfits at that price, and this is a unique mount skin, if it was on gemstore it would cost 2000 gems which is 700 gold. 

So indeed this is very reasonable, I understand new players won't see it that way, but honestly most of us where that way.

New players can always seek advice on how to get gold, most people will be more than happy to provide it. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by jason.1083

[Ashantara.8731]

I find it incomprehensible how having a personal issue with one aspect of a release makes some people deem the whole expansion a flop. What gives?

[LeSavage.1359]

Well... skyscale skins are 1,6 - 2k gems in gemstore 575g - 718g right now, so 300 g with some work, even if its boring is kinda worth it, isnt it? Also its model is actually a lot better then others, which bassicaly are just fatter or thinner models with added small details, while kryptis looks a lot different. I might b*tch about collection later cuz im about to start it 😄

Edited August 31, 2023 by LeSavage.1359

[Rose.2593]

300 gold currently coverts to 840 gems, so its cheaper than what your saying its worth, so that's good?, and well done for unlocking in a week then? 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Rose.2593

[Sticky.2653]

7 hours ago, hugo.4705 said:

Wanna know? I would have preferred the Kryptis skyscale to be available in Wizard Vault instead of that useless shiny Griffon skin!!!

I am absolutely loving that Griffon Skin.  It was the first thing I bought with AA.  This from someone who has not used my Griffon in years.  The new skin motivated me to finally knock the dust and cobwebs off of it and actually learn to fly it.  Thank you Anet.

Having the Kryptis Skyscale skin available for AA would be a win.

[enigmatic.3576]

What would the total cost be if players bought the materials to craft ascended materials instead?  How about if they farmed the materials themselves?  Maybe those are questions that the OP should look into.