Twyvva — February 2nd, 2007, 09:02 PM
Recently, I have noted that several beginning crafters often ask what are these skills thingies and which ones should I be skilling up.
Now before I start getting all technical and wordy, I am going be presuming you are an intelligent and resourceful crafter and have perused Thorsen's most excellent crafting guide stuckied above (in the Crafting guide topic) or @ http://www.crimsonwind.net/dload.php?ac ... file_id=15
(also other crafting guides can be found in the stucky topic which I haven't checked out yet).
There are 3 main skills associated with both refining & finishing tasks:
Station Skill: for actions not dealing with either a tool or a utility. Also it acts as a check skill against complications popping up.
Utilities Skill: Your primary progress & quality movement skill. Of course each use requires expends a utility in the stack which is loaded into table.
Tools Skill: Also moves both progress and quality (once you get appropiate skill level). Tool(s) also aren't loaded into table and can be changed out for more effective versions.
Okay. For the purposes of this discussion, coming right out and saying from level 1- 7ish. It doesn't really matter. Let all the skills raise as they might. You will probably have high Utility with tools somewhat behind and fairly low station. Once you get to about lvl 7, lock Utility and start bringing up the other two skills to match or exceed Utility. From lvl 7 to about 12ish your best bet is to keep the 3 skills fairly close.
Once you start getting better tools and clothes (small digression, main towns & cities once again have a quality crafting equipment vendor where better than starting tools & clothes can be bought), its time to decided on how you really want to craft. Play style is going be beyond the scope of this tip, but here are some thoughts:
Station- I want to repeat THIS is the check skill for complications. It will not stop all complications (especially if the RND dislikes you). Also some recipes seem to have a complications that will always show up. For those that want to keep complications minimal (there is always going be a chance), you will want to keep this maximized (or higher with appropiate clothes).
Utility- Currently (In My Humble Opinion) this best skill to let slide once you hit amatuer level. Utilites don't have an effectiveness rating. What this means is that they do a fixed amount movement. While at lower levels, this is pretty good. Scaling it doesn't do well. (Note: expect to see in a few months the return of other utilities with better fixed effectiveness or possibly an effectiveness rating).
Tools- Tools do have an effectiveness rating and in the coming months will be easier to get better tools at lower levels (as current top crafters upgrade/sell off their tools). Also as you get higher levels some really nifty actions for tools open up.
Well, thats it in a nutshell.
**** Added Section 3-28-2007 ****
Seems relevant to help decide about skills:
When dealing with complications, Station Skill will first act before any other by the complication check. Once you have a complication, first decide if it needs to be removed. If it does need to be removed, you will have a choice of at least 1 remedy and usually more as you gain skill.
(Note all remedies will have Problem Solving attribute + a Skill (+ Tool effectiveness if Tool Skill based)).
Cost & Effectiveness: So far (apprentice level tailor), I have seen only two levels of remedies. 35 AP for Moderate Level Effectiveness and 50 AP for High Level of Effectiveness. I do imagine that there is a Low Level effectiveness rememdy for 20 something AP.
So what does Effectiveness mean? As with tools, its the possible amount of progress against the complication. Currently, you cannot consistantly 1-shot a complication with a moderate effectiveness remedy. (I am going qualify this with doing WO of near current crafting level and with most (near) balance types of build. A specialized skill build might be able to consistantly 1-shot complications with a moderate effectiveness remedy based on the specialized skills/attribute).
High Effectiveness will usually at least progress halfway to 1-shoting a complication. Moderate effectiveness depending on skill will normally progress 1/3 to 3/4ths thru a complication (if your skill is high can do about 9/10ths thru complication).
*** Note: 1-shot(ting) a complication is removing a complication with just 1 use of a remedy.
Station: Station Remedies will normally be of Moderate Effectiveness with some High Effectiveness. Depending on build, you will get a station remedy to a complication about 1/3rd to 2/3rds of the time.
Utility: Probably the Premier Remedy Skill. Even if low skill, you will see utility based remedies at least 1/2 to 2/3rds of the time. Usually will offer High Effectiveness remedies (at 2 utility cost). Of course, if you don't have the utility asked for already loaded into table you cannot choose this option.
Tools: The King of Moderate Effectiveness Remedies. Not sure if I have ever seen a High Effectiveness tool-based remedy. Once you start getting two remedies per complication, they will usually be 1- High Utility based remedy and 1-Moderate Tool based remedy. Note: Once again, you will never consistantly 1-shot complication with moderate effectiveness (with noted qualifications). But you can consistantly two-shot almost all complications with a moderate to high tool skill build.