Unlocking Inscriptions - Guild Wars Forums

Sedna · Oct 07, 2008, 01:57 PM // 13:57

Unlocking important/common inscriptions is something everyone probably have already done, but not for me.

I am mostly a PvE player, but do play a tiny bit of RA and stuff occasionally. It all began when I was doing random farming here and there in Elona with my Monk. I identified some gold/purple drops and on the top left of my screen showed "Inscription Unlocked: Let the Memory Live Again - 8%". I didn't look too much into it, as I assumed that I had already unlocked most of the common inscriptions for weapons, including 15^50, 15/-5, 15/-10 etc. (I farmed LB/SS points with my Warrior and opened every chest on the way in The Sulphurous Wastes; besides, I have Wisdom Track 3.) So this happened for perhaps several other mods, but I never paid attention.

The problem surfaced when today I created a new PvP character and had to create weapons. When I opened the weapon creation panel, I was stunned to see that I do not even have the maximum "Strength and Honour" inscription unlocked. I did not know what went wrong here, because I never bought any inscriptions to use, and all the inscriptions I have were self-found. I scrolled down and saw a 13% "Guided by Fate", 10% "To the pain", and 8% "Let the Memory Live Again" Inscriptions. I racked my brains but still cannot find any logical explanation for this incredible phenomena. I checked my storage and lying in front of me were 15^50, 15/-10, 15% While Enchanted, 10% HSR, 15e/-1 etc, from my salvaged golds.

Has anyone out there, too, faced something similar to this? How to I solve this other than spending B. Faction to unlock whatever is needed? Will finding more golds to identify unlock everything else?

Shasgaliel · Oct 07, 2008, 02:02 PM // 14:02

Unfortunately it happened to me as well. I had to spent nice deal of B. factions to unlock the stuff I had already in several copies in the inventory found in various continents. It seems this unlocking does not work always as it should - it is not triggered properly.

Belicosos Finos · Oct 07, 2008, 02:23 PM // 14:23

In PVP in order to use the max inscriptions you need to have the lower ones unlocked as well... Its the same with runes. You could go out and get a Superier Vigor drop, but you wouldn't be able to use it as a PVP option until minor vigor and major vigor had been unlocked as well.

Apart from getting lucky with drops, theres not really any other option than using Balthazar faction to unlock the missing bits.

sigshane · Oct 07, 2008, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Okay, so this is an issue that affects PvP, and not PvE, right?

Just checking...

Yawgmoth · Oct 07, 2008, 02:38 PM // 14:38

It's a bug. It just randomly happens. It has also happened to me, ~2 weeks after NF release, when I had already unlocked almost all (both nonmax and max ones), the unlocks just got reset. It fixed itself shortly after and all unlocks magically returned, I can't remember what I did exactly, got another 1 unlock or reroll a pvp char or something else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belicosos Finos

In PVP in order to use the max inscriptions you need to have the lower ones unlocked as well

That's not true unless a hidden update changed something. Unlocking a max one, be it a mod/inscription/or rune was always enough to use it, without the need of unlocking lesser ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NassauBob

Okay, so this is an issue that affects PvP, and not PvE, right?

Just checking...

How would *unlocking* of mods affect PvE?

Belicosos Finos · Oct 07, 2008, 02:50 PM // 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yawgmoth

That's not true unless a hidden update changed something. Unlocking a max one, be it a mod/inscription/or rune was always enough to use it, without the need of unlocking lesser ones.

Then I guess I was mistaken... as I've had everything unlocked for a while, I had to go by my vague recollection of what happened when I unlocked runes and inscriptions via PVE and what was available for use in PVP

Striken7 · Oct 07, 2008, 03:43 PM // 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yawgmoth

That's not true unless a hidden update changed something. Unlocking a max one, be it a mod/inscription/or rune was always enough to use it, without the need of unlocking lesser ones.

No, actually it has always been true that you must unlock all lesser runes before you can use previously unlocked Superior Runes. The same goes for all mods/inscriptions/etc.

Sol It Ai Re · Oct 07, 2008, 04:04 PM // 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striken7

No, actually it has always been true that you must unlock all lesser runes before you can use previously unlocked Superior Runes. The same goes for all mods/inscriptions/etc.

That's not the case at all. If you are unlocking runes using balth faction via the priest, then you have to unlock first minor, then major, then superior. But if you get a gold drop, and ID a sup rune, it automatically unlocks the whole set (at least, you can definitely use the superior rune in PVP - whether or not you can also use the minor and major without IDing them also I'm not sure).

Same with mods - that's like saying if you unlock 15^50 you can't use it until you've also unlocked 14^50, 13^50, 12^50 etc, which would be ridiculous. If you unlock the best, you can use the best.

Sedna · Oct 07, 2008, 04:09 PM // 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striken7

No, actually it has always been true that you must unlock all lesser runes before you can use previously unlocked Superior Runes. The same goes for all mods/inscriptions/etc.

So if I am able to use a 14^50 inscription does that mean that I have unlocked everything up till that level? (If so, I have unlocked 15^50, so if everything below that is unlocked, why can't i use the max mod?) I also just "unlocked" a wand wrapping of quickening 9% (I have unlocked 10% in the past), but still I cannot use a 10% wand wrapping.

Sol It Ai Re · Oct 07, 2008, 04:41 PM // 16:41

I don't know why yours is doing that, I've never had such an issue. I went on a gold IDing rampage purely for that purpose because I didn't PVP much so rarely had any faction to use to unlock stuff, and I made a point of checking every time it said I unlocked something! From my experience, if I unlocked 15^50, 20% enchantments, 20/20 etc it has always meant that I can use that mod plus everything up to that level. Perhaps it is a bug like other people have mentioned

kupp · Oct 07, 2008, 05:52 PM // 17:52

edit: Belicosos Finos' post pretty much explained me this, assuming he's right. Only now I've read his post.

MoriaOrc · Oct 08, 2008, 02:37 AM // 02:37

(This should probably be in Q&A or bugs)

To clarify, since there's a lot of confusion here:

- To unlock a rune with balth faction, you must unlock all lower levels of the same type of rune. To unlock major, you must have unlocked minor already, and to unlock superior you need major and minor unlocked.
- If you identify a rune in PvE that you have not unlocked, that level of that rune is unlocked. This is true even if the "unlock lower levels" requirement for a balth faction unlock. In this way, it is possible to unlock a superior or major without the minor rune unlocked.
- When you identify a weapon with a PvP mod (this excludes slayer mods, for example) of any kind (including an inscription), if you have not unlocked a better version of that mod then the level of the mod you just IDed will unlock (ex: I have Strength and Honor 11^50% and I ID a weapon with Strength and Honor 14^50%, my Strength and Honor PvP unlock will upgrade to 14^50%)
- When unlocking mods with balth faction, if you have not unlocked any level of the mod (either with balth or in PvE), then your first 1000 pts unlock the lowest level of the mod (such as Str&H 10^50%. If you have unlocked the mod at any level (either by buying the lowest level with balth faction, or identifying a weapon with the mod at any level), you will unlock the max level version of the mod (Str&H 15^50%).
- There is a bug where for an weird reason you will rarely lose some of the inscription unlocks you had previously unlocked. I had this happen to me once, and I just re-bought the inscriptions with balth faction. Some people have had them come back by waiting a little while. This is the bug you experienced. Either wait and hope they come back, or start re-unlocking them in PvE or PvP. AFAIK, it only happens once per account and only affects inscriptions.

Hope this helps.

Sedna · Oct 08, 2008, 05:54 AM // 05:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoriaOrc

*snip*
- There is a bug where for an weird reason you will rarely lose some of the inscription unlocks you had previously unlocked. I had this happen to me once, and I just re-bought the inscriptions with balth faction. Some people have had them come back by waiting a little while. This is the bug you experienced. Either wait and hope they come back, or start re-unlocking them in PvE or PvP. AFAIK, it only happens once per account and only affects inscriptions.
*snip*

Regarding the bolded part, I disagree, as I do have a wand wrapping of quickening 10% in my storage (which means it was salvaged from something I had identified previously), but I am unable to create a PvP weapon with that max mod.

LicensedLuny · Oct 09, 2008, 03:34 AM // 03:34

I've had this sort of thing happen once or twice. I had 10% furious spearheads unlocked on my account. I ID'ed a drop I got in PvE that had an 8% furious spearhead and got the message it had been unlocked. I checked with the Priest and found I no longer had 10% furious unlocked - it was replaced with 8%.

So it's not just inscriptions.

Given the explanations about unlocking with faction requiring you to start low and work up, it seems like this is a bug with the software not setting all the steps of a mod as unlocked when you get a perfect unlock from a max drop ID.

Oh, and I mentioned the situation with the spearhead on the official wiki back in Feb. '08 to the Misc. bugs page, so it has been around for a while.

ALF71BE · Oct 09, 2008, 03:44 AM // 03:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoriaOrc

- If you identify a rune in PvE that you have not unlocked, that level of that rune is unlocked. This is true even if the "unlock lower levels" requirement for a balth faction unlock. In this way, it is possible to unlock a superior or major without the minor rune unlocked.

I can confirm that. For near 6-7 months I had superior vigor unlocked, though never I had for that time a Major Vigor drop or even Minor.

And I'm also of the opinion it only happens once per account (the bug) as I can only recall happenning it once and since then I've got many purples and golds with less than perfect mods and it didn't affected my PvP equipment creation window.

Sol It Ai Re · Oct 09, 2008, 03:23 PM // 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sedna

Regarding the bolded part, I disagree, as I do have a wand wrapping of quickening 10% in my storage (which means it was salvaged from something I had identified previously), but I am unable to create a PvP weapon with that max mod.

He said AFAIK - means "as far as I know" :-)

Quaker · Oct 09, 2008, 04:14 PM // 16:14

I know nothing about PvP, but I was wondering if it made any difference if you actually took the mod/inscription out of storage and put it in the PvP character's inventory?

S_Serpent · Oct 16, 2008, 09:31 AM // 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belicosos Finos

In PVP in order to use the max inscriptions you need to have the lower ones unlocked as well... Its the same with runes. You could go out and get a Superier Vigor drop, but you wouldn't be able to use it as a PVP option until minor vigor and major vigor had been unlocked as well.

Apart from getting lucky with drops, theres not really any other option than using Balthazar faction to unlock the missing bits.

I can confirm this on my account, as what happened to me is exactly the same.
didn't have the major vigor for exp but had a sup vigor drop so it only give me the sup once I gotten major vigor unlock.

Not sure this is intentional or not however.

Oct 07, 2008, 01:57 PM // 13:57	#1
Sedna Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Singapore Guild: Veritas Invictus [TRUE]	Unlocking Inscriptions Unlocking important/common inscriptions is something everyone probably have already done, but not for me. I am mostly a PvE player, but do play a tiny bit of RA and stuff occasionally. It all began when I was doing random farming here and there in Elona with my Monk. I identified some gold/purple drops and on the top left of my screen showed "Inscription Unlocked: Let the Memory Live Again - 8%". I didn't look too much into it, as I assumed that I had already unlocked most of the common inscriptions for weapons, including 15^50, 15/-5, 15/-10 etc. (I farmed LB/SS points with my Warrior and opened every chest on the way in The Sulphurous Wastes; besides, I have Wisdom Track 3.) So this happened for perhaps several other mods, but I never paid attention. The problem surfaced when today I created a new PvP character and had to create weapons. When I opened the weapon creation panel, I was stunned to see that I do not even have the maximum "Strength and Honour" inscription unlocked. I did not know what went wrong here, because I never bought any inscriptions to use, and all the inscriptions I have were self-found. I scrolled down and saw a 13% "Guided by Fate", 10% "To the pain", and 8% "Let the Memory Live Again" Inscriptions. I racked my brains but still cannot find any logical explanation for this incredible phenomena. I checked my storage and lying in front of me were 15^50, 15/-10, 15% While Enchanted, 10% HSR, 15e/-1 etc, from my salvaged golds. Has anyone out there, too, faced something similar to this? How to I solve this other than spending B. Faction to unlock whatever is needed? Will finding more golds to identify unlock everything else? Last edited by Sedna; Oct 07, 2008 at 02:04 PM // 14:04..

Oct 07, 2008, 02:35 PM // 14:35	#4
sigshane Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Augusta, GA Profession: R/	Unlocking inscriptions Okay, so this is an issue that affects PvP, and not PvE, right? Just checking...

Oct 07, 2008, 05:52 PM // 17:52	#11
kupp Jungle Guide Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The Shiverpeaks Guild: [KISS] Profession: W/	edit: Belicosos Finos' post pretty much explained me this, assuming he's right. Only now I've read his post. Last edited by kupp; Oct 07, 2008 at 06:27 PM // 18:27..

Oct 09, 2008, 03:34 AM // 03:34	#14
LicensedLuny Badly Influenced Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Buying Humps! (No kidding! Check my buy thread) Guild: Hello Kitty Krewe [HKK] Forever!-ish	I've had this sort of thing happen once or twice. I had 10% furious spearheads unlocked on my account. I ID'ed a drop I got in PvE that had an 8% furious spearhead and got the message it had been unlocked. I checked with the Priest and found I no longer had 10% furious unlocked - it was replaced with 8%. So it's not just inscriptions. Given the explanations about unlocking with faction requiring you to start low and work up, it seems like this is a bug with the software not setting all the steps of a mod as unlocked when you get a perfect unlock from a max drop ID. Oh, and I mentioned the situation with the spearhead on the official wiki back in Feb. '08 to the Misc. bugs page, so it has been around for a while. Last edited by LicensedLuny; Oct 09, 2008 at 03:39 AM // 03:39..

Oct 07, 2008, 02:02 PM // 14:02	#2
Shasgaliel Jungle Guide Join Date: Apr 2008 Guild: [bomb]	Unfortunately it happened to me as well. I had to spent nice deal of B. factions to unlock the stuff I had already in several copies in the inventory found in various continents. It seems this unlocking does not work always as it should - it is not triggered properly.

Oct 07, 2008, 02:23 PM // 14:23	#3
Belicosos Finos Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: UK Guild: Heros of the Rose [HotR] Profession: W/	In PVP in order to use the max inscriptions you need to have the lower ones unlocked as well... Its the same with runes. You could go out and get a Superier Vigor drop, but you wouldn't be able to use it as a PVP option until minor vigor and major vigor had been unlocked as well. Apart from getting lucky with drops, theres not really any other option than using Balthazar faction to unlock the missing bits.

Oct 07, 2008, 04:41 PM // 16:41	#10
Sol It Ai Re Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Dec 2006 Guild: NeMo Profession: Mo/	I don't know why yours is doing that, I've never had such an issue. I went on a gold IDing rampage purely for that purpose because I didn't PVP much so rarely had any faction to use to unlock stuff, and I made a point of checking every time it said I unlocked something! From my experience, if I unlocked 15^50, 20% enchantments, 20/20 etc it has always meant that I can use that mod plus everything up to that level. Perhaps it is a bug like other people have mentioned

Oct 08, 2008, 02:37 AM // 02:37	#12
MoriaOrc Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Feb 2007	(This should probably be in Q&A or bugs) To clarify, since there's a lot of confusion here: - To unlock a rune with balth faction, you must unlock all lower levels of the same type of rune. To unlock major, you must have unlocked minor already, and to unlock superior you need major and minor unlocked. - If you identify a rune in PvE that you have not unlocked, that level of that rune is unlocked. This is true even if the "unlock lower levels" requirement for a balth faction unlock. In this way, it is possible to unlock a superior or major without the minor rune unlocked. - When you identify a weapon with a PvP mod (this excludes slayer mods, for example) of any kind (including an inscription), if you have not unlocked a better version of that mod then the level of the mod you just IDed will unlock (ex: I have Strength and Honor 11^50% and I ID a weapon with Strength and Honor 14^50%, my Strength and Honor PvP unlock will upgrade to 14^50%) - When unlocking mods with balth faction, if you have not unlocked any level of the mod (either with balth or in PvE), then your first 1000 pts unlock the lowest level of the mod (such as Str&H 10^50%. If you have unlocked the mod at any level (either by buying the lowest level with balth faction, or identifying a weapon with the mod at any level), you will unlock the max level version of the mod (Str&H 15^50%). - There is a bug where for an weird reason you will rarely lose some of the inscription unlocks you had previously unlocked. I had this happen to me once, and I just re-bought the inscriptions with balth faction. Some people have had them come back by waiting a little while. This is the bug you experienced. Either wait and hope they come back, or start re-unlocking them in PvE or PvP. AFAIK, it only happens once per account and only affects inscriptions. Hope this helps.

Oct 09, 2008, 04:14 PM // 16:14	#17
Quaker Hell's Protector Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Guild: Brothers Disgruntled	I know nothing about PvP, but I was wondering if it made any difference if you actually took the mod/inscription out of storage and put it in the PvP character's inventory?