Better to craft my own equipment at level 15? I'm still a newbie!

keto3000 · April 2014

I'd appreciate any help on this. I'm still a newbie to gaming, so my questions may seem simplistic. I am a lvl 15 solo PvE still in Auridon completing quests, etc. I love crafting and have tried my hand now at crafting armor, equipment, etc and my crafting skills have started to level up.

QUESTION: I crafted a WHITE Iron Girdle (HVY ARMOR) ARM 29/ LVL 14/ VAL11. I just found a GREEN Iron Girdle- ARM29/ LVL14/VAL 11

Do I keep the white one I made and work on eventually leveling up/improving it? Or, trash it and use the GREEN one that I found in PvE?

I love the idea of crafting my own armor, weapons, etc but not sure if I'm selling myself short by not using "better gear" when i find it instead?

Suggestions?

SirAndy · April 2014

If you can't improve your white item yet (you need tempers to improve items) then by all means use the dropped green item instead.
Don't "trash" your white item, sell it for gold.

I start making my own items early, at level 8 i made my first full set of green armor that was better than anything i could find in loot. Since then, i've been replacing the set every two levels.
All you need is a steady supply of tempers for improving (found by deconstructing and refining loot/mats).

You also want to start researching traits as early as possible so all your crafted items will have useful traits.
;-)

Abeille · April 2014

I've been crafting my own gear, potions and food since the very beginning and I do not regret it. Sometimes you will find better gear, sometimes you won't, but crafting means that you will always have exactly what you want.

Good luck!

huntgod_ESO · April 2014

Well you will be using for about an hour or two, so it's not really that big a choice.

Always where whatever has the preferable stat line, regardless of quality. If a white has better stats then a green or blue piece, I wear the white.

elvigy01 · April 2014

In that specific case, I would continue to wear the white since it has exactly the same stats as the green.

Personally, I'd deconstruct the green to get a temper (honing stone). Then save up the honing stones to make better gear down the road.

UrQuan · April 2014

I like to craft my own gear and replace it every 2 to 4 levels (depending on how fast I level). That's partly because I like my gear to be the right style (my Imperial wears Imperial gear, my Argonian wears Argonian gear, etc), and partly because I like to be able to choose my traits, crafted sets, and enchantments. Of course, if I find some better gear part way through when I'm not planning on crafting for another level or two, I may wear it if I don't have to give up a crafted set bonus to do so.

Blackhorne · April 2014

In general, crafted gear will be better than found gear of the same level and quality.

As your example shows, you can craft lower-quality gear that's equal to or better than higher-quality gear of the same level.

Of course, traits, enchants, and set bonuses complicate the equation, but all else being equal, there's no inherent reason to choose a green over a white -- on the contrary, if you have the materials, the white item has more improvement potential than the green one.

Salsadoom · April 2014

Upgrade the one you made, you should have the tempers for it.

poodlemasterb16_ESO · April 2014

I just did a named set, Deathwind, the 2 trait beginner station, for my son. He's at level 34. and all 3 pieces were quite a bit better than what he found around. I did turn em' all green. I have hirelings, quite a few actually.

I better go make a set for my witch.

keto3000 · April 2014

Thanks all of you! I have started researching traits, so now I understand that and it makes sense to pay attention to the stats on each of my armor/weapons pieces. I am deconstructing stuff, but, finding tempers are still rare for me! I'm really enjoying the whole concept of crafting my own stuff. Great learning! I don't know if I'm quite competent enough for PVP yet, but should I try to join a guild so I have a p,lace to sell my stuff as I trade it out? SirAndy mentions to sell my stuff for gold?

Daverios · April 2014

Crafted is better as others have said and is easy to do.

If you would like a lvl 16 set let me know ingame. Name is same. I can make ya sone set peices and some cheap research ables to get ya started. Would only charge for the upgrade mats or you can shoot me some greens to deconstruct for them.

Chalybos · April 2014

poodlemasterb16_ESO wrote: »

I just did a named set, Deathwind, the 2 trait beginner station, for my son. He's at level 34. and all 3 pieces were quite a bit better than what he found around. I did turn em' all green. I have hirelings, quite a few actually.

I better go make a set for my witch.

Don't let her hear you call her that.

Chalybos · April 2014

Yes, join a couple of trade guilds to sell some stuff.

Food4Thought · April 2014

I found that while leveling crafting is better. As a level 15, you likely won't come across helms, belts, or sholder pads unless they were crafted by another player.

So why pay someone to do something you can do yourself?

Craft what you need and walk away with a full set of armor instead of a few pieces that were hit or miss in loot drops or quest rewards.

And the sad reality of the game is you will outlevel gear faster than it decays until you hit VR level. So why keep gear that is a level blue and three levels lower than the level white you can craft now.

And as for upgrading gear to a high tier level ... I usually don't do it. I stick with white while leveling. Unless you got a bank full of tempers I simply don't think you want to waste them on something you will toss two levels later. Save them for when they matter at end game.

keto3000 · May 2014

Food4Thought wrote: »

I found that while leveling crafting is better. As a level 15, you likely won't come across helms, belts, or sholder pads unless they were crafted by another player.

So why pay someone to do something you can do yourself?

Craft what you need and walk away with a full set of armor instead of a few pieces that were hit or miss in loot drops or quest rewards.

And the sad reality of the game is you will outlevel gear faster than it decays until you hit VR level. So why keep gear that is a level blue and three levels lower than the level white you can craft now.

And as for upgrading gear to a high tier level ... I usually don't do it. I stick with white while leveling. Unless you got a bank full of tempers I simply don't think you want to waste them on something you will toss two levels later. Save them for when they matter at end game.

Thank you, this makes a lot of sense even to my noob mind!

I am following your advice and just joined a guild. I sold a few crafted items already... fun! Cheers

keto3000 · May 2014

TY, very kind offer! I might contact you for some advice on my Altmer Sorcerer build... been following a Master build that someone posted, but not really sure if its the right way to go!

Daverios wrote: »

Crafted is better as others have said and is easy to do.

If you would like a lvl 16 set let me know ingame. Name is same. I can make ya sone set peices and some cheap research ables to get ya started. Would only charge for the upgrade mats or you can shoot me some greens to deconstruct for them.

poodlemasterb16_ESO · May 2014

Chalybos wrote: »

poodlemasterb16_ESO wrote: »

I just did a named set, Deathwind, the 2 trait beginner station, for my son. He's at level 34. and all 3 pieces were quite a bit better than what he found around. I did turn em' all green. I have hirelings, quite a few actually.

I better go make a set for my witch.

Don't let her hear you call her that.

Serafina, The Red Witch, has no problem being what she is.

My first female ever. I made a her because I wanted a pure sorcerer, all power and smack. As she is female she is a bit delicate and does not like stuff on her nice shoes. I can't actually do that as guy. She is punching about 4 to 6 levels above her own and I am very pleased with this one.