A few (big) questions about crafting.

[Brer Fox]

Woodworking sources are junx to say the least, and I just have a few questions that I need answered really badly.

1. About skills needed to complete a synth. Say there is a bow that says skills needed woodworking 31/bonecraft 31. Does that mean I have to have a skill of at least 31 in boneworking, as well as my 31 in woodworking to complete the synthesis? Or is that just saying I need that skill to make all of the components (as in they assume your making all of the ingredients and not buying then on the AH.)

2. Does crafting something close to your level advance your skills further than crafting something much higher. For example, I'm at woodworking 15, and when I craft a holly pole (level 16) I get VERY regular skill-ups of +.1 and +.2, but when I craft maple sugar (level 21) I get rare skill-ups of .1. Even crafting stuff that's level 9 and such gives me as good skill ups as the harder synths. That doesn't make any sense, rewarding you for doing simpler synths? Which leads to my third question...

3. Do certain recipes advance your skill more, for example, crossbow bolts are really easy to make, and are a higher level, but they rarely EVER advance my skills, but when I make a bow that uses a whole lot of expensive ingredients, I get good ups. But then I keep hearing that maple sugar is the golden elixer of woodworking. Whatever.

If you answer these questions, I will give you me gold. Pleases. It's for a starving ranger for gossakes ^ ^

[Echo]

Re: A few (big) questions about crafting.

Originally posted by Brer Fox
[B]Woodworking sources are junx to say the least, and I just have a few questions that I need answered really badly.

1. About skills needed to complete a synth. Say there is a bow that says skills needed woodworking 31/bonecraft 31. Does that mean I have to have a skill of at least 31 in boneworking, as well as my 31 in woodworking to complete the synthesis? Or is that just saying I need that skill to make all of the components (as in they assume your making all of the ingredients and not buying then on the AH.)

It depends on what source gives you those levels. Some of them are very dubious. From what I've seen (with Weaving 54 and Goldsmithing 25), if a weaving recipe calls for, say, silver thread, I can make it, as long as I can make the components. (I don't -have- to make the silver ingot, but if I don't have the skill to do so, I doubt I could make the thread.)

2. Does crafting something close to your level advance your skills further than crafting something much higher. For example, I'm at woodworking 15, and when I craft a holly pole (level 16) I get VERY regular skill-ups of +.1 and +.2, but when I craft maple sugar (level 21) I get rare skill-ups of .1. Even crafting stuff that's level 9 and such gives me as good skill ups as the harder synths. That doesn't make any sense, rewarding you for doing simpler synths? Which leads to my third question...

Again, I'm not sure where you're getting your numbers. The Gamefaqs recipe list is very odd on numbering and has no relation to what I've seen, nor what ffrecipe.com says.

I get the best gains from making things 8 or so levels above me with advanced support. (9-10 levels are doable, but usually blow up.. I only do them if it's cheap. ) Things below your level won't raise you.

It's not the 'level to use this item' level that matters, it's your crafting level and the skill cap of that item. (Much like raising weapon skills... unless you're -waay- behind on your weapon skills, you won't get improvements fighting easy stuff.)

Talk to the 'Advanced' support guy for the recipes that will give you the best gains.

3. Do certain recipes advance your skill more, for example, crossbow bolts are really easy to make, and are a higher level, but they rarely EVER advance my skills, but when I make a bow that uses a whole lot of expensive ingredients, I get good ups. But then I keep hearing that maple sugar is the golden elixer of woodworking. Whatever.

There are certain 'powerlevel' recipes in some guilds. For example, in Weaving, there is the 'fletching' lines. It's trivial to get a stack of bird or yaggie feathers and air crystals for a chance to get 6 gains cheaply. Sometimes the resulting process even makes something useful (getting the first few levels in tanning with sheepskins -> wool, say), sometimes it makes junk that no one wants (insect fletchings anyone?). The things you want to focus on for pure skill gains are things that are either cheap to make (so you don't care if they blow up) or things that have a resale value (so you can finance your craft). Since cooks would want maple sugar, it may have a good resale value and/or be cheap to make.

[neighbortaru]

woah. echo, that totally changes my understanding of how crafting works. Me wants more info :spin: