| Originally Posted by kamalii |
There are a couple alternatives here. Keep in mind that if silk prices get too high, you can always desynth black capes (around 10k each) and yield 2 silk threads. I'm not sure if that is a viable option, since I don't know the prices on your server. Its getting close on mine.
I only offerred gold thread if you are duel skilling. Gold in the 40s is very very expensive to level in and of itself, and is quite a loss most of the time. And as long as you skill within 5 levels on the right moon, you rarely lose. In addition, I made about 10k/synth on this, since gold thread was not something people like to make. Besides, my mule is a high level goldsmither, so I am kind of imune to losing ingots now (except the orich ones - those still hurt).
You can avoid silk thread, depending on wool prices with Field Hose (earth+linen cloth+wool thread+2x wool cloth). The price on that may be cheaper since silk is rising to much. |
Speaking of dual-skilling and gold thread- since the GS cap of Gold Thread is 41, we actually have options...with a little practice. (It's good to work on GS/Smithing anyway, as some of our high-end synths use em both).
Brass ingots to 9. Silver Thread will get you to 12 GS. Brass hairpins, 17 (save on supplies, desynth these and remake for more skillups). Silver ingots 20(ore at guild shop = 300 or so on best day, so approx 1600 cost per ingot-AH em or save em)/Sabiki Rigs 21(copper from ore ingots cheap, from Yagudo necklaces cheaper- cotton thread not tough). Silver Hairpins and Thief's Tools to 28. Hiraishin 31/Silver rings 32. Spark daggers, 38. Grats, you're now within the "sweet spot" for skillups with Gold Thread. You're also able to refine mithril, too. If you want to, you can also continue up to 41 with mithril ingots, 49 with silver bangles.
Most of the GS/Smithing work can be easily done in Bastok- just sit there and mine, mine, mine in Zerhun between low-cost days at the Goldsmith's guild for silver ore. You'll be able to end up with 20+ smithing skill and the aforementioned GS work while you're at it. Sell off the occasional bit of darksteel ore as you get them (I usually end up with 1-2 a day spent mining) and you'll be doing fine as far as keeping your cash flow up. Stacks of iron/brass ingots don't hurt the pocket either. You'll just develop a strange lust for fire crystals.
But even 20ish GS is nice. Silver thread sells fairly nicely on the AH, at least where I am.
Again, though- it's worth it to study and learn dual-skill recipes as you go. You -will- want those secondaries to level up along the way, and sometimes it's profitable making those multiskill items, since fewer people do them. I was a happy camper making bronze beds, for example. Silver thread treated me just fine. Making your own gold thread is handy at the top, too- and the GS skill is needed for a lot of Errant gear. Ditto Leatherworking- there's good reasons some of the lower-level new stuff (Noct gear/Trader's) has leatherworking secondaries. It's to give people reasons to up that skill for when that high-end stuff demands the skill to make. And Smithing for that matter.
When you hit that "wall" at the silk road level, consider taking some time to polish your secondary skills. If nothing else, it feels really nice leveling up with .2 and .3 gains again.