Given how long it takes to get the Archaeologist's Map, it seems an oversight that it only functions as a permanent Traveler's Map with the added function of a return conditional upon not having left the safe zone you went to. As there is now a preponderance of Traveler's Maps from traditional gameplay, let alone the extended Oasis event, its permanent function is no longer terribly special, especially when paired with a 6 hour cooldown, twice that of the normal map. The return function is powerful, but not as powerful as maybe it was on release, especially given that if you step outside the safe zone you teleported to it becomes useless.

It might be worth revamping the Archaeologist's Map to be more relevant in current times. The Upgraded Compass has remained relevant because it can teleport 4 people from anywhere in the game to your location and replaces an expensive item that expires. The potions are incredibly useful as they both save you billions of silver over time and reduce a 250 LT burden per 100 potions to a static 50 LT burden for infinite potions. The Merchant's Ring's +5% back on all marketplace transactions, as well, is incredibly powerful. But the map imitates an incredibly common item that is generally in stock with half its cooldown and is paired with a return ability that, while very useful in the past, has lost some of its purpose with how commonplace maids are.

--- Improvement and alternate ---v

When deciding to pursue the map, some sites lead me to believe that it allowed universal teleportation to major cities/towns and back, which would be a power fitting how long and arduous an item it is to get.

If that sounds overpowered, at least being able to teleport 1 additional region's worth of cities, towns, and safe zones away would make the map more worth the time it takes to make.

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As it stands now, the map serves as an additional town teleport for me when I don't use them all that often in the first place. Maybe its return function would be more relevant if I was in a hard to reach place like Aakman, Hystria, Kratuga, or Sycraia Abyss, but because I play a Sage entering any of those places is trivial after two relatively easy questlines, a benefit shared by any Sage main or any person who tags a Sage when they go to Hystria, Aakman, Kratuga, or Sycraia Abyss.

Possibly I'm just disenfranchised with the map after receiving it, but any treasure item should really provide a powerful boost in exchange for the time and dedication it takes to get it. It shouldn't be something you can get at half the cooldown for 1 silver off an event vendor or 550k silver off marketplace.

--- Smaller, more universal improvements ---v

Also, two other small additions, which probably apply to all treasure items:

  1) Don't make treasure items able to be sold to vendors. I know the lock item option is there for a reason, but if you can lose a treasure item because you were tired and accidentally vendored it for 1 million silver and logged off, something is seriously wrong.

  2) A fancier animation within your inventory and in the world would make it feel more special to have assembled a treasure item. One of my guildies pointed this out when I was streaming assembling it. I put the pieces in their shape, clicked the plus button, and my guy did the little hop you do when you get a hard or sharp and it was done. Bit of an anticlimax.