Balancing - Overview of Mining in Skyblock: Current Issues and Suggested Improvements (2024)

Overview of Mining in Skyblock: Current Issues and Suggested Improvements

Mining is one of the most updated skill in Skyblock, yet many longstanding issues remain. Addressing these areas could enhance the overall mining experience. Below, I outline the key issues and propose solutions.

1. Powder Grinding​

Issue:
Currently, powder grinding is overly cantered around CH (Crystal Hollows) chests, which outperform mining mithril or gemstones in terms of powder gain. This method also provides both gemstone and mithril powder simultaneously, with the exception of using goblin eggs for mithril powder.

Proposed Solutions:

• Buff Gemstone Powder Gains: Increase the amount of gemstone powder earned from mining gemstones so that it surpasses CH powder grinding for gemstone powder specifically.
• Buff Mithril Powder Gains: Similarly, increase mithril powder earned from mithril mining to outshine CH powder grinding for mithril powder.
• Balance CH Powder Grinding: Keep CH powder grinding as the most efficient method for gaining both powders simultaneously, but ensure it doesn’t outcompete methods focused on individual powder types.
• Introduce Glacite Powder: Add Glacite Powder to CH chests, accessible only after unlocking the Glacite Tunnels, to provide a new progression path and diversify powder grinding.

2. Refined Minerals and Glossy Gemstones​

Issue:
Refined Minerals are excessively common, whereas Glossies are far too rare.

Proposed Solutions:

• Remove Cobblestone as an Ore: Eliminating cobblestone as a minable ore will reduce the oversupply of Refined Minerals.
• Increase Glossy Drop Rates: Implement a drop rate system for Glossies tied to the strength of the mined block (e.g., n * Block Strength), where n represents the likelihood of a Glossy drop. This adjustment would balance Glossy gains across different gem types.

3. Mining Fiesta Skyblock XP Event​

Issue:
The current design of the Mining Fiesta Skyblock XP task is flawed, as it emphasizes mining cobblestone—an unengaging and repetitive activity—while rewarding almost no progress for mining more valuable resources like Gemstones & Glacite.

Proposed Solutions:

• Remove Cobblestone as an Ore: Like the above issue, removing cobblestone as a valid ore for this event would shift the focus to more meaningful mining activities.
• Revise Ore Count Calculation: Use a formula based on block strength (e.g., n * Block Strength, with n being a value set by the admins) to determine ore progress during the event. For example, with n = 0.1, mining Glacite could count as 600 ores.
• Include Refined Minerals/Glossies: Award Refined Minerals and Glossies as part of the ores mined during the event, perhaps assigning ores broken progression (e.g., 10k ores for Glossies and 100 ores for Refined Minerals).

lolitsDEAD said:

1. Powder Grinding

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i feel like, it would be best for the game if crystal hollows was the best for gemstone powder, dwarv mines for mithrill powder and tunnels for glacite powder, putting all 3 (or even 2 like it already is) powder types into 1 grind is kinda stupid
what if you could grind big gemstones (the ones that you put into crystal nucleus) into powder, in a new npc, and every gemstone grinded for powder would be around 10k gemstone powder, without any buffs, i feel like powder grinding rn is just the stupidest thing to exists, and it should be tied to other parts of the game, maybe buff the drop rate of other items like goblin eggs, precursor relics, or sludge juice and leave it be
as for mithrill powder, the best way to grind mithrill powder should be to just mine mithrill, clearly that was the first intend since mithrill collection is at a million, which is wayyy more than an average player will get while doing base mining progression, mining mithrill should make about 300-400k mithrill powder an hour without any buffs
thats my opinion on the topic

As for glacite powder, i think its fine, doing commisions is also best way to explore glacite tunnels in general and be introduced to the new mechanic (mineshafts) what could be done is nerf commision powder and put it into corpses, and into the mobs in tunnels when they get added, maybe also some into new seacreaturio

R3Xu said:

wtf i said that

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Hey Zato

R3Xu said:

i feel like, it would be best for the game if crystal hollows was the best for gemstone powder, dwarv mines for mithrill powder and tunnels for glacite powder, putting all 3 (or even 2 like it already is) powder types into 1 grind is kinda stupid

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Ye, it feels weird like that. It also forces people who have maxed powders before new powder updates to grind out overflow in other powder types.

R3Xu said:

what if you could grind big gemstones (the ones that you put into crystal nucleus) into powder, in a new npc, and every gemstone grinded for powder would be around 10k gemstone powder, without any buffs, i feel like powder grinding rn is just the stupidest thing to exists, and it should be tied to other parts of the game, maybe buff the drop rate of other items like goblin eggs, precursor relics, or sludge juice and leave it be

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The grinding if big gemstones is actually a really cool idea. I guess there could be a powder grinder for mining items, in the same way the essence salvager exists.

R3Xu said:

as for mithrill powder, the best way to grind mithrill powder should be to just mine mithrill, clearly that was the first intend since mithrill collection is at a million, which is wayyy more than an average player will get while doing base mining progression, mining mithrill should make about 300-400k mithrill powder an hour without any buffs
thats my opinion on the topic

See Also

Changelog/2024/August 6

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Idk about 300-400k powder, but it should definitely be higher.

Thanks for the response btw

lolitsDEAD said:

Remove Cobblestone as an Ore:

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I oppose this if it completely removes mining fortune proccing on cobblestones, which will be a disaster to earlygamers and bingo players.
It will be fine if it ONLY removes SBXP counting and/or refined mineral drops from cobbles.

wbxshiori said:

I oppose this if it completely removes mining fortune proccing on cobblestones, which will be a disaster to earlygamers and bingo players.
It will be fine if it ONLY removes SBXP counting and/or refined mineral drops from cobbles.

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It would have far less of an impact than one would think. Max Non-ore fortune peaks at 600, which is 1/4 of max fortune.
However, it’s also far cheaper and easier to obtain, which would make it easier for early game players to use (as snail makes up most of that fortune).

I’d say it would probably end up 2-4xing the price of cobble, which seems perfectly fine when you consider how you don’t need much for most items (apart from super compactors at 71680 cobble per). Ironically it may also positively impact the minions profits.

This would really only end up making it slightly more expensive for cobble crafts, but cobblestone shouldn’t be classified as an ore and more non-ore fortune should be added. I do agree with bingo players though, but they could quite easily just adjust the bingo tasks to account for it.

lolitsDEAD said:

It would have far less of an impact than one would think. Max Non-ore fortune peaks at 600, which is 1/4 of max fortune.
However, it’s also far cheaper and easier to obtain, which would make it easier for early game players to use (as snail makes up most of that fortune).

I’d say it would probably end up 2-4xing the price of cobble, which seems perfectly fine when you consider how you don’t need much for most items (apart from super compactors at 71680 cobble per). Ironically it may also positively impact the minions profits.

This would really only end up making it slightly more expensive for cobble crafts, but cobblestone shouldn’t be classified as an ore and more non-ore fortune should be added. I do agree with bingo players though, but they could quite easily just adjust the bingo tasks to account for it.

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Unfortunately, you seem not considering the need of those people.

• 1/4 fortune means that the prices of Compactors can go up to 3x-4x as well, which is neither "perfectly fine" nor "slightly more expensive", also fatal to setting up minions.
• Earlygamers have no access to non-ore fortune, what your idea bring to them is nothing but a downside.
• For bingo, it is not only about the goals - it will take way longer to get minions which need a compactor ready to work.
• Your post is only about reducing the unbalanced SBXP and overproduced Refined Minerals, you really don't need any nerfs beyond those.

Admin already made cobble grinding less painful, please don't bring the pain back, thanks.

R3Xu said:

i feel like, it would be best for the game if crystal hollows was the best for gemstone powder, dwarv mines for mithrill powder and tunnels for glacite powder, putting all 3 (or even 2 like it already is) powder types into 1 grind is kinda stupid

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that would be insane ngl

also like half of the mithril passives need an overhaul because they are either bad or completely dysfunctional (basically every one on the right that isnt quickforge)

and lonesome miner should work in dwarven mines ... there is nothing with enough health that you cant just one shot it even at range other than bal and corleone ... bal litterally gains nothing from lonesome miner because its hit based and corleone you actively dont want to one shot because you share it with other groups of people so you all get loot ... meanwhile in dwarven mines you actually have something worth using it on (ghosts)

now look at the glacite passives ... theres only like 2 bad passive and everything else has a use for something meaningful