Garland obsolete in RoG?

[Devon Aster]

I've noticed that with all the new changes, mechanics, and things to play with that my usage of the Garland has plummeted.  It used to be that it was one of the first things I made when exploring.  After the installation of the DLC, I've made... one.  That was in the first map I played.  All of my flowers now go to making Pretty Parasols, which I can make with just a few more resources, to keep the rain and sun off, while also boosting my sanity.  For hats, I find myself prioritizing a Cat Cap as my starter headgear for its warmth and rain resistance, which works for both the Spring and Autumn start.  Once summer hits, I swap it for the Ice Cube or a Straw Hat.  In winter, I'll keep it until I can craft either a Winter Hat or a Beefolo Hat.

 

The issue I see with the Garland is that, compared to other early game items that have been introduced, it offers almost no benefit. The sanity boost is a poor trade-off for no rain or heat resistance.  And once it becomes wet even that is lost since the sanity drain from wearing a wet item is more than the innate sanity boost from wearing the Garland.

 

I'm not certain what can be done to make the Garland relevant again in RoG.  If I were to play a map in the orginal game, I'd probably go back to my standard strategy of making one in the first few days.  In RoG, I just don't see any incentive to do so and I'm actually a little sad about that

[Maximum124]

You know now that you mention it the garland does seem not that great in the DLC, looking back on my playtime I've just been making garlands because I like how they look and not because my sanity was low. (I also like setting the flowers to more or lots, so its not like I'm going to run out)

 

And when I did find my sanity dropping I just used mushrooms or a top hat. At least for me when sanity becomes a big issue is when I have enough silk for a top hat, and you can make a shovel pretty quick for the mushrooms.

 

So yeah I can see where you're coming from, maybe they should make the recipe cheaper at least? I mean the parasol only takes 6 flowers when the garland is twice that. Maybe something like 5 flowers and 1-2 grass. At least in RoG.

[rezecib]

Hmm, I've mostly been playing Wigfrid, for whom garlands (and any sanity items) are pretty worthless, since she can just leech sanity off of spiders or eyeplants.

 

But I think garlands are still useful for an Autumn start. For a Spring start, they're pretty useless. And past the first ten days, garlands were never much use anyway. So I think it's okay. Garland for Autumn, pretty parasol for Spring.

[_Q_]

Maybe some buff for garland sanity restoration and removal or deacresing sanity gain from picking flowers.

[Silentdarkness1]

Perhaps making it rainproof would help.

[justjasper]

I like making them to put on pigs :3

 

Maybe they could do something with the garland and the full moon? Like it becomes an evil garland and... something. Something fun.

[WillPwn4Food]

I've always thought garlands were useless. Their sanity boost just isn't worth it

[An Artifact]

I, Garland, will knock you all down!

 

Sorry, I just had to.

[Devon Aster]

So yeah I can see where you're coming from, maybe they should make the recipe cheaper at least? I mean the parasol only takes 6 flowers when the garland is twice that. Maybe something like 5 flowers and 1-2 grass. At least in RoG.

You've reminded me... that was one of the reasons I started making Parasols exclusively.  Flowers can be kind of spread out, so picking up 6 takes less time.  Since I'm usually picking up twigs and grass along with them, it's just easier to make a Parasol instead of a Garland.

 

But I think garlands are still useful for an Autumn start. For a Spring start, they're pretty useless. And past the first ten days, garlands were never much use anyway. So I think it's okay. Garland for Autumn, pretty parasol for Spring.

Yeah, if I were to start making them again, it probably would only be in that situation.  I have occasionally made them in the past after the early days when I didn't need the big boost of a Top Hat.  But, at least for now, the wetness mechanic keeps me looking for something more substantial.

 

I don't know that a cheaper recipe would be very much incentive to make them.  It seems it would need to be super cheap to make it worth using the flowers for it instead of a Parasol.  As others have suggested, maybe a buff or a repurposing of the item to give it a more interesting usage.  Maybe it could attract butterflies or bees for easier catching, like the Feather Hat does for birds?

[brummbar7]

Ya, I definitely don't use the garland as much, since the parasol protects from wet and provides sanity on top of that.  If I find myself low on sanity in the early game for some reason, I'll sometimes make a garland if I happen on enough flowers.  But in spring straw hat is more useful, much less all the other rain-defeating headgear.  And like all items I barely use, I wish garland would get moved to the end of the crafting list.

[Doomfan64]

Never played RoG, but I still find it somehow satisfying to craft that first garland. Maybe lower the amount of petals needed, or reduce rot time of petals so you can stockpile them more.