Enhancement Maximizers

So i had this thought occur to me last night as I got a Kinetic Combat recipe I'll never use because it's not at the cap for that set.

A new type of special item to go with the Enhancement Converters and Enhancement Catalysts, the Enhancement Maximizer. It would drop at about the same rate as Enhancement Converters, but also be purchasable for modest amount of merits. (like 2 to 5)

Its function would be simple. It could be used on an already crafted Enhancement (not really usable on TOs, DOs, or SOs, just IOs, both generic and those in a set) to increase it's level to either the maximum currently usable by your character, or the maximum for that set.

In other words, i could craft and use the Level 25 Kinetic Combat IO, and when I'm high enough level, I can use a Maximizer to upgrade it to it's max level, as opposed to having to hunt down the same recipe again.

It would really be nice to have IO Recipes be something other than vendor trash before 50, don't you think? It'd also be nice if the IO Sets only dropped at the 5-level increments that generic IOs do, as it would reduce a lot of clutter in general.

/signed, for certain values of signed.

I'm all for either Converters (where it totally makes sense for them to have this ability) or Catalysts (where it makes no sense, but they totally need to have some use) to be able to change the level of a recipe.

I don't think it should be "only up"; I think it should be "up or down", maybe +/- 5 per catalyst; you choose "up" or "down", and it randomly rolls how far to move the recipe.

...so, yeah, signed. Ish.

Can it go the other way? What about a minimizer? I can see plenty use for that, and then I can boost it!

I was actually thinking about this earlier, but in a slightly different direction. What if there were a way to make crafted IO's into attuned IO's? This would have a couple effects:

Low level IO's would be more valuable, as they could become attuned, gaining the "level-less within their range" aspect of attuned IO's.

To balance, These enhancements would become account bound and immune to boosting like store-bought attuned enhancements are. So 'Natural' crafted IO's would be good for boosting, low-level IO's could become attuned for those who want to hang onto them and still get good use.

The attunement converters could be gated so as to not allow overlap from those who don't have the IO license to bypass that limitation.

Thinking out loud:

Gah! I'm so sick and tired of more JUNK! I mean...Catalysts, Boosters, Converters, Unslotters...now maximizers and minimaizers? Oy...

Not that I dislike the idea, but not only is it getting annoying spending my earnings (Paragon Points, merits or incarnate stuff) on getting nice stuff like this, waiting for the chance for it to drop can get frustrating too.

As an alternate idea, I'd love it if crafting were an actual skill to build up, just like in MMOs...currently, the only carrot to build the crafting skill (through badges) is the portable crafting table. But you know what would make me want to get those badges on more characters? If we could *do* more with crafting in general.

Rather than waiting for a specialty drop to give you the ability to increase or lower the level of an invention enhancement, how about making that an ability unlocked through a crafting badge? After working to unlock the crafting table, make a badge for converting a certain amount of enhancements too and the payoff is an accolade crafting power that grants you the skill of lowering or increasing levels on enhancements. Maybe the parts required to do that are simply basic IOs of the same enhancement types and proper level...so if you want to increase the level of a lvl 23 Kinetic Combat Acc/Dmg, you need the badge + a lvl 25 basic dmg IO and acc IO. Lower a LotG rech bonus IO? Just the IO and basic def IOs of the proper level.

Basically, crafters with experience should have the freedom of altering levels of IOs rather than waiting for a rare drop.

I like that Idea! lets say you bought a Mako Acc/Dam at lvl 42 and want to up it to lvl 50 then use the Enhancement Maximizer to bring it to lvl 50 complete.

I like the idea, and been hoping for it ever since I saw Converters..

I'd also like it to go either way though, and ya probably cost more than 1 "Maximizer" for large gaps.

I know I'd get a ton of use out of lowering the level of some IO's out there.. I'm one of those screwballs who begins to build IO sets in the mid/late 20s, so I could get a lot of leverage out them. Since sometimes lower level IOs are hard to come buy, where as there are usually lots of "level capped" ones.

I personally don't see the use in minimizing, but I don't get that much into the number crunching and what not.

The suggestion of making it an alternate use for the Converters would also be great. So that when you use a Converter you can choose to make into another set, or raise/lower the level. I'm not sure how much is the right amount to move it up or down, probably 3 or 5.

I know we already have a lot of loot types, but the recipes you never use because they're halfway in between the caps are among the worst since they are almost NEVER used...right up there with those taunting temp power recipe drops...

I have no idea why, reading just the title, I get an image of Enzyte Bob pushing these.

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