False... I often well Tier IV items @ level 5 to 8+ and have had only 1 side drop. Currently level 8 and welling Tier IV's and have had 4 consecutive side drops of two(2) ... and I did NOT go to town because all 3 items have + Max Life:

Mythical iron polearm, Damage: 62 to 167, +57% Enhanced Effect, +298 Max Life, +395 Max Mana, +2 Magic Luck, -1% Mana Consumption
Legendary bronze plate mail, Physical Defense: 10 to 32, Magical Defense: 0 to 3, +6% Enhanced Effect, +15 Dexterity, +164 Max Life, +1 Extra Equipment Slots, +1 to 11 Mana per Kill, +3% Mana Syphon, +1% Earth Mastery
Arcane wild heal III, Heals: 3 to 35, +11 Dexterity, +227 Max Life, +1 Critical Strike, +1% Damage Return, +1 Jubilance, +1% Earth Mastery



False: Again I have encountered 3-7 side drops after I have gone to town to shrine and kill off the Well monster. This happened when using my higher level character(s) even welling three(3) tiers below the character level... example level 54 welling level 20 items (Tier VII).
____________

At OP, the main thing is as they stated:

Put on your ML Gear.
Drop item into the Well.
Switch to Attack gear and kill monster.

My advice is to just Well items that are no more than three(3) Tiers below your level. Example, you are level 55, so you want to Well Tier XI+.

Note: This is NOT a rule of thumb, I have been level 72 and welled Tier X items and still got 3+ side drops.

I hope you do your own experimentation for yourself and come up with something that satisfies you, also, I well for prof points, so I try to keep within three(3) tiers of my level maximum.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 02:20am

Here is an update:

Dropped a Tier V into the Well @ level 9.16 (level 9), and only got 4 side drops:

Main Drop: Rare wild heal V, Heals: 5 to 59, +2% Parry, +3% Ice Mastery
#1: Magical heartwood staff, Damage: 29 to 79, +1 to 9 Mana per Kill
#2: Magical steel dagger, Damage: 30 to 52, +1% Glancing Blow
#3: Magical bronze plate mail, Physical Defense: 10 to 30, Magical Defense: 0 to 3, +1% Glancing Blow
#4: Magical fire IV, Spell Damage: 13 to 36, +87 Max Life

This is the logs from game: https://prnt.sc/i4LFRQVbClO8

As you can see, I went from level 9.16 to level 9.23 ... it looks impressive, but in a full group, you gain faster experience, if you are a solo'er, you can whistle to gain more experience, but you lose prof points... factors normal players don't take into account.

Goodluck and play the game your way, I only posted some variables for you to choose from for you.

Update #2:

Again, level 9.23 I dropped a Tier V (level 10) Earth Charm into the well, I went to town to shrine, I got three(3) side drops as you can see in this PrntScrn: https://prnt.sc/wXshxUhodd2G

Main Drop: Mystical earth V, Spell Damage: 23 to 41, +2 Vitality, +1% Heal Mastery, +4% Lightning Mastery
#1: Magical ice III, Spell Damage: 17 to 20, +1% Wind Mastery
#2: Rare fire VI, Spell Damage: 20 to 55, +3% Heal Mastery, +4% Ice Mastery
#3: Magical pine staff, Damage: 9 to 26, +1 Dexterity

As you can see, there are falsehoods in previous comments, YET, they are NOT without some merit, especially when you are welling at level 1 and dropping in Tier III items into a well, or even level 3-5 and welling Tier III items... you can get up to 7 side drops, but the higher level you are, it seems that the side drops can diminish, so you have to find the diminishing return as you continue welling.

EDIT: started @ level 9.23, the image shows you that I went to level 9.31. And I gained the full maximum prof points of 10.

EDIT #2: Here is a novel question for both Solo and Group. The driver uses ML gear, thus the spawned monsters and dropped items should be influenced, so as a solo'er, you spawn the monsters and switch to damage gear and clear the wave gaining the benefits of ML gear, where as in a group, the driver can just keep the ML gear on, and leave the killing to others!

Does this work? I don't know, but group runs would be more beneficial for drops if the driver only use ML gear and the other 4 kill.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 03:23am

Could not EDIT previous post.

I did one "Whistle" and a Tier IV lightning dropped and I put it into the well (since the only Whites I have are Tier VI) and these are the results:

I did not go to town, the side drops are three(3) as you can see: https://prnt.sc/wiGFYFYODK1R

Main Drop: Magical lightning IV, Spell Damage: 4 to 46, +1 to 8 Life per Kill
#1: Mystical tanned leather armor, Physical Defense: 5 to 15, Magical Defense: 3 to 13, +1% Magical Damage Reduction, +2% Mana Syphon, +2% Lightning Mastery
#2: Magical woolen robe, Physical Defense: 0 to 5, Magical Defense: 6 to 20, +100 Max Life
#3: Magical iron axe, Damage: 30 to 37, +3% Critical Flux

My current level is: 9.57, I will whistle to find more whites that are in range until I achieve level 15 and drop them into the well at that Tier (VI) range.

EDIT: gained maximum of 10 prof points.

EDIT#2: currently level 9.80 and going to well a Tier III Club I got from whistling: https://prnt.sc/Vasc4KxqDiDM

Outcome?: https://prnt.sc/2y3NO6JvMX0d ... hopefully all prnt.sc images don't drop off previously.

So, three(3) side drops and I went from 9.80 (lvl) to 9.89 (lvl)

Main Drop: Rare elm club, Damage: 9 to 43, +58 Max Mana, +1% Power Shot
#1: Magical lightning III, Spell Damage: 3 to 34, +1% Mana Syphon
#2: Mystical iron dagger, Damage: 22 to 38, +3% Armor Pierce, +3% Physical Damage Reduction, +4% Fire Mastery
#3: Magical copper dagger, Damage: 11 to 19, +2% Earth Mastery.

Again, proving a point of what can happen with side drops and I didn't go to town during it.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 04:00am

Update: Level 10.02 found 2x Tier III Axes as shown in this image: https://prnt.sc/wVQ0St-FbgAc ... now I will well them and post the outcome:

+9 to prof gain. 2 side drops and Level 10.11% (gain 0.09%) : https://prnt.sc/Jxlgt3OzE8pF

As you can see, there is no point me picking up the drops or posting them.

Now for the second Tier III Axe:

+4 to prof gain. 5 side drops and level 10.20% (gain of 0.09%) : https://prnt.sc/1uzbYAtOmgs9

All items are junk, and I do not need to post them. My inventory is still the same.

EDIT: 10.51 going to Well a Tier III Staff: https://prnt.sc/o4dR9k5r6qaB

3 Side drops: https://prnt.sc/q3LC_r8ZXla6
Level 10.62 (gain 0.11)
3 Side Drops all junk, maybe 1 shrine (main drop).

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 04:25am

Agree with this.

Good for you, at least I am posting the outcomes while I am welling to prove it wrong, let us see how this scenario comes out:

https://prnt.sc/KLUSZhQxtjmF

Found a Tier III White Fire Charm and currently level 11.09. The outcome is this:

+10 prof points
+2 Side drops
+0.10 experience gain (now 11.19 level)

Side drops was a bust for this item, but the prof gain was more significant to the previous test in my other post as well as the experience gain. Yet, the previous welled item had 5 side drops. This indicates that there is NO benefit welling within your level range... HOWEVER... there maybe some truth in larger groups welling... I would not know.

Hopefully I find another Tier III item at my current level and see if the side drops diminish or increase.

EDIT: Hopefully the Well does not disappear for these two(2) items: Tier V Fire and Tier IV Axe, I will drop the Tier IV Axe first since I am only level 11.44 as seen here: https://prnt.sc/kQWGdrQUemRM

Four(4) side drops
Gained 0.11 experience (level 11.55)
+10 Prof Points
https://prnt.sc/2MB0rq8Tb0fT
All junk items, will use one for shrine.

Okay, now I will drop the Tier V (level 10) Fire charm into the Well (I will most likely have to shrine during this.) https://prnt.sc/iVE6_1OsCVdX

I shrined once: https://prnt.sc/REHYxvxeLB9x
1 Side drop
+10 Prof gain
+ 0.07 experience gain (level 11.62)
Both junk items.

Previously I had shrined during welling and still got nice side drops, this one shows crap side drops, again, it does not prove anything. UNLESS... you well items at your level and DON'T go to town, whereas, you still gain a decent side drop if one(1) tier below your level. Speculation here, needs more testing, and since I am Hardcore, I won't take the risk, so for Softcore players, they can test for themselves.

EDIT #?: The well has died, so will continue this at a later stage.

Oh, if people took a look at the gear I was using even at level 10... you will notice they were the same items I posted earlier: Level 5 Polearm, Tier III armor and Tier III Wild Heal in main slot. Nothing great other than +Max Life with + Stat or EE weapon (Heavy)... thus using a Normal weapon may give you different results. Note: I did not switch to my level 10 items either.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 05:00am

sorry i dont keep logs of my 14 years of playing the game to make a post with different colors to make it hard for other users to read.
I'll just make short and simple posts out of my experience of the game. If people will trust it or not its up to them.

14 years of playing and in that time there have been many updates that changed a lot of things.
As for colors used in my posts... the first had 3, most of the others none excluding one(1) that had red... it is not harder to read.

Yes, it is true that people trust it or not, as I stated in my initial post;



Just takes time to get to that part of the wall.
____________

Oh, found another Well @ level 5, so let me see if there is any difference for this one:

https://prnt.sc/2E9aqR0xmbvq

+10 Prof Gain
+4 Side drops
All Junk
Exp... forgot to take note of it when I put in the Tier III Scale.

Tier III Focus in well
+10 Prof Gain
+1 Side drop
Both Junk
5.19? to 5.27 Level (gain +0.08)

Tier III Fire in Well
+10 Prof Gain
+1 Side drop
Both Junk
5.27 - 5.38 (gain 0.11)

Tier III Focus in well
+9 Prof Gain
+4 Side drop
All Junk
5.38 - 5.46 (gain 0.08)

Tier III Club in well
+10 Prof Gain
+3 Side drop
All Junk
5.46 - 5.55 (gain 0.09)

Tier III Chain in well
+10 Prof gain
+5 Side drop
All Junk
5.55 - 5.68 (gain 0.13)

Tier III Wind in well
+10 Prof gain
+2 Side drop
Both Junk
5.68 - 5.77 (gain 0.09)

Tier III Wind in well
+10 Prof gain
+5 Side drop
All Junk (Mythical + Angelic Tier III for shrine purpose)
5.77 - 5.86 (gain 0.09)

Tier III Lightning in well
+9 Prof Gain
+2 Side drop
All Junk
5.86 - 5.95 (gain 0.09)

Tier III Focus in well
+10 Prof gain
+3 Side drop
All Junk
5.95 - 6.05 (gain 0.10)

Tier IV Padded Robe in well
+10 Prof gain
+4 Side drop (Angelic Tier III for shrine)
All Junk
6.05 - 6.14 (gain 0.09)

Tier IV Chain in well
+10 Prof gain
+3 Side drop
All Junk
6.14 - 6.24 (gain 0.10)

Tier IV Club in well
+10 Prof gain
+2 Side drop
All Junk
6.24 - 6.33 (gain 0.09)

Tier IV Club in well
+10 Prof gain
+4 Side drop
All Junk
6.33 - 6.42 (gain 0.09)

Tier IV Dagger in well
+10 Prof gain
+4 Side drop
All Junk
6.42 - 6.50 (gain 0.08)

Tier IV Staff in well (had to shrine once)
+10 Prof gain
+2 Side Drop (Mythical Tier V for shrine later)
All Junk
6.50 - 6.60 (gain 0.10)

Tier IV Staff in well
+10 Prof gain
+6 Side drop
All Junk
6.60 - 6.71 (gain 0.11)

Tier IV Leather in well
+10 Prof gain
+3 Side drop
All Junk for regular players, but a side drop is decent for a Hardcore beginner;

Angelic bronze chain mail
Physical Defense: 10 to 25
Magical Defense: 0 to 6
+6 Dexterity
+222 Max Life
+77 Max Mana
+2% Glancing Blow

6.71 - 6.78 (gain 0.07)

Tier IV Plate in Well (had to shrine once)
+10 Prof Gain
+2 Side Drops
All Junk, but Legendary Tier IV side drop to put on MP @ 1fg for HC market.
6.78 - 6.87 (gain 0.09)

Tier IV Plate in well
+7 Prof Gain (fast kill in 9 attacks)
+3 Side drops
All Junk
6.87 - 6.94 (gain 0.07)

Tier IV Lightning in well
+10 Prof gain
+6 Side drops
All Junk (side drop for for shrine later Tier IV Mythical)
6.94 - 7.02 (gain 0.08)

... well died... this is an example of keeping within Level range and item Tier dropped into the Well and side drops and/or towning for shrine. There is no real proof of what was stated in some of the posts, so OP, have fun and test for yourself.

Have fun and good luck.

This post was edited by izParagonzi on Aug 24 2022 08:41am

Ok I have a few questions as well

What about when you are exploring and you spawn in EP's. If you are wearing ML gear beforehand do they spawn in with a better roll? Or is it all based on when you kill the EP?

Also if you are to well a XIV item what is everyones opinion on the optimal level to well the item, I am assuming 55? or is it lower?

One last question, is there an added bonus in welling items if the party has more than one player and everyone is wearing ML?

Thanks!

- Jordan