Feedback Update: Woodcutting Rebalance

September 30th, 2009

Welcome all to this week's feedback update! Last week, the woodcutting skill underwent a big change to rebalance it. Now it's time to balance it some more with all of your lovely criticism. First on our hit list, Ivy. Introduced last week, we've decided to make a few alterations to the plant. There are now two varieties of ivy: normal ivy and choking ivy. Regular ivy can be found throughout the f2p world and is a available to free players as well as members. It requires 65 Woodcutting, gives less experience than the old ivy and doesn't give any birds' nests. A new regular ivy has been added - it can be found growing on the side of Draynor Manor. Then, at level 70, members can cut down choking ivy. This plant gives the same experience as old ivy and birds' nests can also be found in it.

Last week, we also introduced another new method of training woodcutting at higher levels: Sawmill training. We've added a brand new reward system to make woodcutting even better. For every 100xp you gain, you will get one point. A new NPC called Jack will keep track of these points and tell you how many you have. These points can then be used for various helpful Woodcutting, Firemaking and Construction rewards like sharpened axes and crystal saw recharges. And finally, the torches we added to the Haunted Wood last week can now be made by players. You'll need 47 Firemaking, 52 Prayer, 45 Woodcutting, some bark and a tinderbox to light the torch. The torch will act as a light source and can be used to restore 10 prayer points every 20 minutes. That's all - bye for now!

Regular and Choking Ivy
Following the update, ivy was divided into two separate plants: regular and choking ivy. Regular ivy can be found in all the original ivy growing spots withing the free to play world as well as on the wall of Draynor Manor. It requires 65 Woodcutting, gives slightly less experience and never contains any birds' nests. Choking ivy is darker in appearance and slightly larger than its free relative. It can only be found in the original locations of ivy in member's places. It gives the same experience as the old ivy and birds' nests may be found in it but it now requires 70 Woodcutting. Due to the increase in level, nests are a bit more common in this ivy than the old variety.

Sawmill Rewards
Sawmill training now has another incentive other than fast experience - a set of Woodcutting, Firemaking, Farming and Construction-themed rewards. Every time you get 100xp, you get a Reward Point. These points are virtual and are kept track of by a new NPC called Lumberjack Jack in the sawmill. The rewards are displayed in the table below:

Haunted Woods Torches
If a player obtains a piece of tree bark when cutting down a hollow tree they can now make their own torches. This requires 52 Prayer and 45 woodcutting. Using a tinderbox and 47 Firemaking will grant players both Firemaking and prayer experience, restore 10 prayer points and provide a light source.