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Crafting - Traits

Rebelweasel
Rebelweasel
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Armor Trait Gems

Trait = Gem = Trait Properties
Divines = Sapphire = increases Mundus Stone effects
Exploration = Garnet = Increase exploration experience gained
Impenetrable = Diamond = Increase resistance to Critical hits
Infused = Bloodstone = Increase armor enchantment effect
Reinforced = Sardonyx = Increases total Armor and Spell Resistance
Sturdy = Quartz = chance to avoid decay when defeated
Training = Emerald = Increase armor skill line experience with this armor type
Well-Fitted = Almandine = Reduces the cost of Sprinting

Weapon Trait Gems

Trait = Gem = Trait Properties
Charged = Amethyst = Increases enchantment charges
Defending = Turquoise = Increases total Armor and Spell Resistance
Infused = Jade = Increase weapon enchantment effect
Powered = Chysolite = Reduces the cooldown of weapon enchantments
Precise = Ruby = Increase Weapon and Spell Critical values
Sharpened = Fire Opal = Increase Armor and Spell Penetration
Training = Carnelian = Increase weapon skill line experience with this weapon type
Weighted = Citrine = Increase weapon attack speed



What is a Trait?
A Trait is a special property added to a crafted item which makes that item do nifty things. Traits exist on weapons, armor, and jewelry. The kinds of Traits you can get are different, depending on what kind of item it's on. For instance, there is a set of Traits specific to armor, and a different set of Traits that apply to weapons. Some Traits might seem the same between item types, but they will take gemstones which are unique for that item's version of the trait. Traits are calculated by a percentage value, such as "increases weapon attack speed by 20%" The percentage value of a Trait is increased with increased improvement quality of the item. For example, here is how Traits increase when you improve a bow with the Charged trait:
  • White - increased charges by 21%
  • Green - increased charges by 27%
  • Blue - increased charges by 33%
  • Purple - increased charges by 39%

Traits are not the same thing as an Enchant. You can have both Traits and Enchants on an item. Naturally, Enchantments are put on the item after it's already been crafted. A personal note: Trait Crafting might be considered to be Advanced Crafting. It's not hard to do or understand, but it has enough complexity and time-commitment to separate out the hard core crafters from the casual crafters. There is nothing wrong with the concept of ignoring all this, only learning to craft basic level items to help yourself and friends to gear up reasonably nice, and leaving it at that! I think the concept behind this complexity is to help our ESO community value and treasure the true Craft Masters that spend the time and effort to tackle this particular small mountain.


Who Uses Traits?
Crafters who use Traits are:
  • Blacksmith
  • Clothier
  • Woodworker


How do I Learn to Craft Traits?
You must research an item, in order to unlock a trait for that item. For example, if you want to craft a bow with Precision Trait on it, you must first find a bow that already has the Precision Trait and then research it at the appropriate crafting table. Researching an item to learn its Trait will destroy that item. You have to unlock each trait for each item separately. So that means you really research # of items x 8 traits!!
  • Blacksmithing = 112 research traits
  • Clothier = 112 research traits
  • Woodworking = 48 research traits
The lesser items for Woodworker is because they have only 6 craft items while the other two smith crafts have 14 each. This is not the reason why I specialize in Woodworking.... I promise! ;)

Research has a cooldown timer which varies per item based on how many traits you've already unlocked. The first time you research an item it takes 6 hours before it completes the Trait unlock. The time for each item after that doubles.
  • Item 1 = 6 hours
  • Item 2 = 12 hours
  • Item 3 = 1 day
  • Item 4 = 2 days
  • Item 5 = 4 days
  • Item 6 = 8 days
  • Item 7 = 16 days
  • Item 8 = 32 days

At first, you can only research one item at a time for your craft. This means if you craft bows, staffs, and shields and you research a bow, you won't be able to research a staff and a shield at the same time. There is a skill you can spend skill points in that decrease research times and increase # of items you can research:
  • Blacksmithing - Metallurgy
  • Clothier - Stitching
  • Woodworker - Carpentry
These skills have 3 ranks available, and they seem to be the same for all three smith crafts:
  • Rank 1 - Requires craft rank 8 - Research time reduced by 5%, Research 2 traits simultaneously
  • Rank 2 - Requires craft rank 18 - Research time reduced by 10%, Research 2 traits simultaneously
  • Rank 3 - Requires craft rank ? - Research time reduced by 20%, Research 3 traits simultanously.
* these figures might not be accurate, I'm still trying to personally verify them to be certain! I have not been able to get the unlock requirement craft level for rank 3 :(

Here's some interesting mathematics that @JSylvan worked out. If you level up enough to maximize this skill in your craft, you reduce the research time needed for 8 traits per item from a total of 1,530 hours (63.75 days) to 1,224 hours (51 days)

Want to see something really scary?
1 item, all 8 traits = 63.75 days
14 items, all 8 traits = 892.5 days
:o

Finally, if you work in two separate crafts, you can research an item from each craft at the same time. For instance, you can research something from Blacksmithing and Woodworking at the same time if you want to. You can research the trait from an item crafted by another player. Many thanks to Elder Moot for all the mathematics assistance in this section!


How do I Get a Trait on an Item?
Items dropped in the world can sometimes have a Trait already attached to it. Otherwise, a Trait can only be applied to an item during the process of creating it in the crafting system. Adding traits to crafted items might be considered either Intermediate or Advanced level crafting, not because it is difficult, but because
it takes a commitment of time into researching traits. Another aspect of advanced crafting is the special set-bonus crafting benches. Traits affect your ability to craft the set-bonus gear, because you are required to have 2 (or more) traits learned on the specific item you want to craft. For instance if you want to make a Death's Wind style axe, you need to have unlocked 2 traits on the axes before you can craft it. The number of traits required to craft set-bonus gear goes up as you get to higher leveled set-bonus benches. For example the Magnus' Gift set-bonus gear shown in the ESO Blacksmithing Walkthrough video requires that you have 4 traits unlocked. You can add a trait to a crafted set-bonus item when you craft it.


What are Trait Gems?
Traits are applied to items with a Trait Gem during the craft process. You do not have to craft an item with a trait, it is optional. Adding a Trait to an item only costs you one Trait Gem, unless you are crafting a set, which requires a Trait Gem for each of the traits added. There is a gem unique to each type of Trait.


How do I Get Gem Traits?
Gem Traits are a semi rare loot item found in loot containers such as barrels, crates, trunks, bookshelves, nightstands, etc. You have a chance to get a trait gemstone when you refine raw materials. You also can get Trait Gems by deconstructing an item. You will always get the Trait Gem that matches the trait on an item you deconstruct. So for instance if you deconstruct a bow with Charged, you should have a chance to get Amethyst. To clarify, you don't always get a gem when you deconstruct, but if you do it will be the one for the trait already on the item you tear down.

Your chances of getting a trait gem are higher based on how you try to do it. For instance the % chance of a trait gem for refinement of raw materials is approximately 10%. It seems to vary a bit based on which raw material you refine--Iron ore versus Maple wood versus Jute/Rawhide Scraps. You have a higher % chance of a trait gem from deconstructing a white traited item. Then the % chance for getting a trait gem goes up when you deconstruct a green traited item, and so on. I am still in the process of getting good percent values in my tests for these item drops. Sadly I was hoarding all my greens for researching :)

Q&A
Can I research an item with a trait crafted by another player?
Yes you can!

I see 10 traits on things. There are Ornate and Intricate traits?
Yes! These traits are not craftable. I believe this is because both of them give you a special gain within the game mechanic. One gives you extra gold when you sell to a vendor, one gives you extra IP when you deconstruct it. Imagine how this could be exploited if we could craft them ourselves!

Does the Intricate trait work?
The Intricate trait is supposed to give you extra Inspiration Points (IP) when you deconstruct it. As of our last research, done by @McLeod25 and @Mordraig, they compared IP gains from three versions of a duplicate item. Wearing the Intricate item did not boost IP gain when you deconstructed either a world dropped or player crafted item. But deconstructing the Intricate item did give you more IP than if you'd deconstructed a non-intricate version of the same item.

zE9Qf05.png
Champion Cat-Herder for
Elder Moot Guild

  • Yoshua
    Yoshua
    Can I have one of my second characters deconstruct my daggers for full xp or does it have to be another account?
  • Rebelweasel
    Rebelweasel
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    Your alt's crafted item will give you the full Inspiration Boost. The only problem with this is that when you get up to level 5 Blacksmithing, your Inspiration amount that you need to fill up gets noticeably bigger, and to compensate for it, you'd be best off if you started Steel as soon as possible to get the best bang for your buck. So using your alt after Blacksmithing level 5 becomes a problem if you don't spend the skill point in your alt to unlock the Blacksmithing.
    Champion Cat-Herder for
    Elder Moot Guild

  • Yoshua
    Yoshua
    Thanks, Contemplating having my alt also black smith and having one do weapons and one do armors to reduce the research time for having traits :)
  • CheesyDaedra
    CheesyDaedra
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    I didn't know researching times double, oh god I've been researching way too much.
    Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick, it's a very delicate state of mind.
  • Snake3yes
    Snake3yes
    Soul Shriven
    Finally I understand! Brilliant little guide thanks very much!
    Erador Suttonius - Sorcerer
    The Forsaken
    Ebonheart Pact
  • B_Mo
    B_Mo
    Soul Shriven
    This guide is AWESOME!!! Thanks!
    I was wondering, is there a general consensus on what Armor traits or weapon traits are rare or most sought after? Are there particular armor/weapon traits that I shouldn't deconstruct because I could sell them to people for their research? I noticed that the "Precise" weapon trait seems to be in demand. Any others?
  • chriss23
    chriss23
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    Thank you for your easy to read comprehensive guide to traits! I am new to the serious business of crafting and have struggled to understand it all. This is clearly set out and a great help to us new players!
  • Mansome
    Mansome
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    I didn't know researching times double, oh god I've been researching way too much.
    just research the sucky stuff last.

  • Sihnfahl
    Sihnfahl
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    B_Mo wrote: »
    rare or most sought after?
    None of them are really 'rare'. It's just random what you get, which is why you hit up the guild store for the items with the traits you're missing.
    Are there particular armor/weapon traits that I shouldn't deconstruct because I could sell them to people for their research?
    Most research occurs on lower level items. If someone is destroying a level 48 axe to get the 'weighted' trait, they're doing it wrong. More valuable to sell that and pick up a level 16 axe with weighted.
    I noticed that the "Precise" weapon trait seems to be in demand. Any others?
    Sharpened.

  • ghakajin
    ghakajin
    Armor Trait Gems


    At first, you can only research one item at a time for your craft. This means if you craft bows, staffs, and shields and you research a bow, you won't be able to research a staff and a shield at the same time. There is a skill you can spend skill points in that decrease research times and increase # of items you can research:
    • Blacksmithing - Metallurgy
    • Clothier - Stitching
    • Woodworker - Carpentry
    These skills have 3 ranks available, and they seem to be the same for all three smith crafts:
    • Rank 1 - Requires craft rank 8 - Research time reduced by 5%, Research 2 traits simultaneously
    • Rank 2 - Requires craft rank 18 - Research time reduced by 10%, Research 2 traits simultaneously
    • Rank 3 - Requires craft rank 32 - Research time reduced by 20%, Research 3 traits simultanously.
    * these figures might not be accurate, I'm still trying to personally verify them to be certain! I have not been able to get the unlock requirement craft level for rank 3 :(

    Rank 3 requires 32 in the respective crafting discipline
  • mumok
    mumok
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    What is the exact effect that Weighted has on a destro staff?
  • Sordidfairytale
    Sordidfairytale
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    "Training = Emerald = Increase armor skill line experience with this armor type"

    Since you can place this trait gem on a shield, exactly which armor type does it increase? Which category of armor does a Shield belong to? Or does this translate into an increase in the weapon skill line for Sword and Shield?

    Forgive me if this has already been asked and addressed.
    The Vegemite Knight

    "if the skeleton kills you, your dps is too low." ~STEVIL

    The Elder World of WarScrollCraft Online ~joaaocaampos
  • Mountainrunnin3
    Can you apply multiple traites to one piece of armor?
  • katkat42
    katkat42
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    Can you apply multiple traites to one piece of armor?

    Nope. You get one trait per item, decided when the item is created. You can also have one enchantment per item at a time, but you can swap out enchantments (usually).
    Stonehenge ROCKS!
  • AlexDougherty
    AlexDougherty
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    katkat42 wrote: »
    Can you apply multiple traites to one piece of armor?

    Nope. You get one trait per item, decided when the item is created. You can also have one enchantment per item at a time, but you can swap out enchantments (usually).

    One enchantment at a time unless it's a dropped item with two enchants, which disappear if you apply a new enchantment.
    People believe what they either want to be true or what they are afraid is true!
    Wizard's first rule
    Passion rules reason
    Wizard's third rule
    Mind what people Do, not what they say, for actions betray a lie.
    Wizard's fifth rule
    Willfully turning aside from the truth is treason to one's self
    Wizard's tenth rule
  • raiderpb
    raiderpb
    Soul Shriven
    How are traits calculated?
    i.e. on Divine on 7 white armor pieces (+3.5%) with The Theif (5% crit)

    (5x3.5%)x7+5=6.225%
    or
    5x(3.5x7)%+5=6.225%
    or
    5x103.5%x103.5%x103.5%... =6.36%
    or
    5+3.5x7=29.5%
  • stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
    stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
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    It is worth mentioning that with all points spent in the research skill, you can research three items in parallel, cutting the total time to learn 8 traits on 14 items for a single character to "only" a few months instead of more than two years.

    This guide also needs an update to cover the ninth trait, "Nirnhoned".
    Edited by stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO on April 21, 2015 10:07PM
  • stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
    stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
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    raiderpb wrote: »
    How are traits calculated?
    ...

    All damage and cost reductions are multiplicative since a fairly recent update. This creates a reasonable system of diminishing returns, and you can never reach zero. Seven items, each with a "10% reduction" to, say, the stamina cost of sprinting, will yield a reduction of 0.9 to the 7th power, 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 x 0.9 = 0.478 (52.2% reduction) which is considerably less than what an additive system would have given (7 x 10 = 70% reduction).
  • raiderpb
    raiderpb
    Soul Shriven
    So in the case of an increase such as in my example the calculation would be:
    5x103.5%x103.5%x103.5%... =6.36%

    Thank you.
  • VanyelMohr
    VanyelMohr
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    I feel dense. I can't wrap my mind around the "reduces the cooldown of weapon enchantments" trait. Right now, I have a destruction staff with a 220 frost damage enchantment. How does the cooldown reduction benefit me? As far as I can tell, the 220 frost damage has no cooldown, so this trait would be useless in this circumstance. I ask because I consistently get drops with this damage/trait combination. Is there a benefit in this situation that I'm missing or are drops with this enchantment/trait combination just useless?
    Edited by VanyelMohr on May 11, 2015 5:50AM
  • RavenSworn
    RavenSworn
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    i think there is an internal cd that we do not know of. i dont proc the frost damage ( which in effect will freeze the target ) all that often so this trait would be useful... somewhat.

    overall though, its not a good trait.
    Ingame: RavenSworn, Pc / NA.


    Of Wolf and Raven
    Solo / Casual guild for beginners and new players wanting to join the game. Pst me for invite!
  • stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
    stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
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    raiderpb wrote: »
    So in the case of an increase such as in my example the calculation would be:
    5x103.5%x103.5%x103.5%... =6.36%

    Thank you.

    What? I don't even understand your notation. It makes no mathematical sense.
    The patch notes only mentions that resistances (reductions of damage) are multiplicative. I don't know whether damage increases are multiplicative or additive, but I'd guess they are still additive, or it would be better than before, and we can't have that, can we?

    Multiplicative increase
    7 items with 3.5% increase each would be 1.035 ^ 7 = 1.272, or 27.2%.
    A 5% Mundus stone on top of that would make it 1.05 times better, 1.272 * 1.05 = 1.336, or 33.6%.

    Additive increase
    7 items with 3.5% increase each would be 7*3.5% = 24.5%.
    A 5% Mundus stone on top of that would increase it to 24.5%+5% = 29.5%.
  • RBLeipzig
    RBLeipzig
    Thank you very much for this detailed guide that will help me to start !
  • Texecutioner187
    Texecutioner187
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    Can I take parts of this guide and use it in my Journey to Master Crafter handbook that I am making?
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