Leather Crafting a Pain

Lazrael

So I have worked on all crafting in all fields, and so far I feel like finding materials for leather crafting the the most prohibitive, due to spawn and drop rates compared to other fields that are based purely on node spawns. Anyone's else feel like this is a bit of am issue? Not a major issue, but something worth addressing at some point?

Kng_Ayumayuma

In the real world leather come from animals, but when you kill one you do get hide. I can kill a string of animals in ESO and not get squat.

This is a fantasy world so maybe we could have a leather bush?

Woolenthreads

It was my perception that Leather drops on critters of L26 upwards. Hide on L16 to L25. To test that go to Rivenspire and kill critters on the south-west side (L24-25) and then critters on the East (L26+). My perception might be wrong of course

Lazrael

That's all I'm saying, I think it should at least drop off of creatures every time. I have over 300 iron in my bank, but. I'm constantly running out of medium armor resources because the drops and places to acquire supplies is so inconsistent. All of my characters rely on iron and only four rely on leather/hide.

Gisgo

Uhm not really, my leatherworking is two or three levels behind my blacksmithing.
Kill bears, wolves, crabs and you wont have such a problem.

Enchanting now, thats a chore.

apterous

ever heard of item exctraction?

Lazrael

Really? Been killing things left and right and almost never even get a usable drop. Item extraction works to an extent, but really shouldn't be a solution against over all harvesting. I mean I am glad if some folks have gotten good drops, but I usually get nothing in the way of mats for killing animal mobs and the like.

Woolenthreads

I was finding the same thing for a couple of my characters. I came to the conclusion that critter kills (specifically creatures as opposed to npc kills) only regularly drop materials if you hit them in the head. I know that sounds crazy but it seems to work I chop at their bodies, nada, whack their heads, 70% chance of material drop. I only worked this out because my Templar generally charges up to the Alits and "Aedric Spears" them in the face with a regular drop whereas my DK had been whacking at wolves with nothing dropping. There's probably some other actual mechanic at work because I can't see the rationale in a game of requiring head damage only for material drops.

It'd be nice to have someone else test the theorem because I can't help but wonder if I'm just deluding myself on this subject . Also I do wonder whether "stealth" kills get a drop on non-critter animals like deer, because I never get anything on them.

Celless

The drawback about leather gathering is that it goes against your repair bill. I've found that I've come across more of the cloth materials than I do the leather just in the course of adventuring.

It's come to the point that no matter how serious faced I am about saving a town and releasing some undead soul, if I see a pack of mudcrabs, wolves, or skeevers, they get my full attention.

Lazrael

Exactly, and then after doing so you don't usually get much in the way of resources. They at least need to make it so the drop rate is a guarantied 1:1, and make drop locations abundant enough that locations don't become completely over farmed.

IceDread

Lazrael wrote: »

So I have worked on all crafting in all fields, and so far I feel like finding materials for leather crafting the the most prohibitive, due to spawn and drop rates compared to other fields that are based purely on node spawns. Anyone's else feel like this is a bit of am issue? Not a major issue, but something worth addressing at some point?

To lvl it, just do some light armor as well... not a problem then.

Lazrael

IceDread wrote: »

Lazrael wrote: »

So I have worked on all crafting in all fields, and so far I feel like finding materials for leather crafting the the most prohibitive, due to spawn and drop rates compared to other fields that are based purely on node spawns. Anyone's else feel like this is a bit of am issue? Not a major issue, but something worth addressing at some point?

To lvl it, just do some light armor as well... not a problem then.

Fair point.

silent6999

I completely agree that the drop rate for medium armor crafting resources is a little lacking compared to the other two, but the fact that the crafting skill includes both light an medium makes up for the ability to level it. Would love to see a little bump in the drop rate for leather crafting resources so I don't have to slaughter every animal I see just to craft a new set of armor.

scabrous_ftz

I agree that the drop rate for leather-type resources is sub par.
But, on a divergent note, why do the Devs think it makes sense for crabs to drop this? The outer part of a crab's body is made of chitin, not dermis & epidermis, because crabs are arthropods, not vertebrates.
By the game's rationale, spiders should have an equal chance of dropping leather resources as crabs.

SexyVette07

Leather is the cheapest material to buy of the crafting trades. If you really need it, buy it. Deconstructing should yield more than enough to make what you need though.

Most of the time, people are selling leather for so cheap that they are basically giving it away...

huntgod_ESO

You can create light armor as well and it is plentiful, though I've never had trouble with accumulating enough leather to craft something if needed. I primarily leveled on cloth gear.

Are people really not doing that? Why wouldn't you harvest the plentiful cloth and use it, though the bulk of materials for me has always come from deconstructing, not gathering.

AlexDougherty

Lazrael wrote: »

So I have worked on all crafting in all fields, and so far I feel like finding materials for leather crafting the the most prohibitive, due to spawn and drop rates compared to other fields that are based purely on node spawns. Anyone's else feel like this is a bit of am issue? Not a major issue, but something worth addressing at some point?

A bit of a problem, but not much.

For the materials, just deconstruct anything you are no longer wearing, put it in the bank if you aren't going to craft immediately. Don't forget to research any traits you want to imbue your gear with.

For the levels, process jute and deconstruct light armour, this will keep your crafting level up high enough.

gunsofdeschain

I've never had any issue with leather. I'm 48 clothing. I get enough mats just de-constructing loot, I barely bother going after animals just for the mats. In fact, I doubt I ever hunted beasts for their skin, since around level 35ish.

Lazrael

It does seem to be dropping a bit more often as of late.

kelebra

Clothing is super easy to level, however, for actually getting leather mats, I get most of my mats from deconstructing leather gear I get from quests or drops.

BrassRazoo

You do actually get a Leather Bush later on .. Ironweed and I think there is another as well.