As an avid fisherman from previous expansion, I was excited to fish in TWW and discover the new fishing achievements and equipment.
And to say it was a huge disappointment would be an understatement.
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Mereldar Derby Fishing Weekly - was fun activity to do for 1 hour every Saturday, netting you around 35 Derby Marks each week to use as you please, however after the recent hotfix it awards only 3! Derby Marks and total around 13-15 per week, because you can complete the fishing with an alt again for another 3 Derby Marks. Absolutely disgusting change, requiring at least 3 times more time per week to get the same amount of Derby Marks as before, and requires you to level fishing on alts, craft equipment etc. which is a huge time and gold loss.
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Algari weaverline - The new specific fishing enchant tool, which costs 100 Acuity to craft (which as fisherman you have no way to receive in any shape or form). The idea of it seems cool, to receive buffs for you fishing pool while you fish. However, the implementation of it is horrendous. For the total amount of 7 hours spent fishing in pools, not afk fishing at a single spot I have yet to receive 1 thread of any kind directly from fishing. The drop rate is abysmal and the only way to receive one is from the Meraldar Derby Marks.
To level both to 100, which is the max it would require 2000 Derby Marks, which at current rate of 15 per week would be 133 weeks on one character to max out the achievement.
- Fish discrepancy in price and mechanics - The demand for fish in cooking is skewed towards only certain fish and this is in direct correlation with the profitability of the profession. The requirement for Kaheti Slum Shark in the cheapest to make feast will always skew the price of it to be higher, than some of the harder fish to find, which is an oversight of the fishing mechanics. Trying to find Queen Lurefish or Awakened Coelacanth and the corresponding costs of them are in no way balanced to their rarity compared to the Kaheti Slum Shark .It is often more expensive to throw the fish back in the water for the perception, catch rate buffs than to just afk catch green fish for 20 gold.