Crafting while leveling. Should I improve gear?

Bloodgharm · June 2015

So I'm having a dilemma trying to decide if I should improve the gear I craft while leveling. It just seems like I'm wasting improvement materials as I'm crafting new gear sets every 10 levels or so. Should I just craft white rarity gear? Is there a difference? I know improving just raises the effective level and changes the look of the gear slightly, but I feel like I should just save up my improvement mats for when I get to higher levels. Somebody please advise.

Mertirillon · June 2015

In my opinion, as long as you are investing in the crafting skill lines it wouldn't hurt to improve up to green rarity whenever you make an item you plan to use longer than a level or two. Green rarity improvement mats become quite abundant as you go. For example I'm just over level thirty and I craft a lot of medium armor and swords, and I deconstruct everything I come across, I currently have over 50 honing stones and about 30 hemming. The ones you want to save for later are the blue, purple, and gold improvement materials, they are a lot rarer. I have 1 or 2 purple material and less than 10 blue, and haven't found a single gold yet.

usrevenge · June 2015

green is the most i'd do for leveling until you hit vet ranks which take much longer to level.

I just hit vet rank 1 not to long ago, made me some set piece gear and improved to green, didn't cost much resources and pretty decent stuff.

if you are level 20 or something though, you will be constantly finding new and better stuff since you are gaining levels rather quickly.

IMO only make something if you have something that is super weak, i remember i was level 24 and still had like level 12 shoulders because none dropped for me, so i ended up making something to wear as a place holder.

danovic · June 2015

you can save a lot of money by not repairing your armor just sell it and make new armor as it wears out. stick with green armor. and go to armor sets as soon as you get a few items researched. there are good 2 traits sets.

Bloodgharm · June 2015

Mertirillon wrote: »

In my opinion, as long as you are investing in the crafting skill lines it wouldn't hurt to improve up to green rarity whenever you make an item you plan to use longer than a level or two. Green rarity improvement mats become quite abundant as you go. For example I'm just over level thirty and I craft a lot of medium armor and swords, and I deconstruct everything I come across, I currently have over 50 honing stones and about 30 hemming. The ones you want to save for later are the blue, purple, and gold improvement materials, they are a lot rarer. I have 1 or 2 purple material and less than 10 blue, and haven't found a single gold yet.

You really have that many improvement mats? Lucky you. However I'd probably have that many if I didn't use mine for crafting set gear. I'm level 25 now and just crafted a set of ashen grip. I also previously crafted a set at level 14 too. And I'll probably craft another set in about 10 levels again. I guess if I place some skill points into my improvement passives, it'll take less mats to improve my gear. I never go over green rarity, but I could easily craft every couple levels if I just stuck with white. Right now I'm leveling blacksmithing, clothing, and woodworking, so it's getting kinda tough juggling the three, but I want to be able to craft all of my gear (it's just so satisfying).

Bloodgharm · June 2015

danovic wrote: »

you can save a lot of money by not repairing your armor just sell it and make new armor as it wears out. stick with green armor. and go to armor sets as soon as you get a few items researched. there are good 2 traits sets.

Yeah, I'm able to craft full 2 trait sets atm. I always stick with green rarity and I craft a new set every 10 levels or so (once at 14 and now at 25). Should I keep going with green rarity? Can I just craft white gear every 3-5 levels? I want to be able to save my improvement mats for when I really need them. I'm just now getting enough skill points to put into my improvement passives though, so it'll take less mats to improve.

CaptainObvious · June 2015

Improving should just depend on where you are with your item booster count. First character through, I kept things at green. Now that I have max level crafters and am overflowing with boosters, my non-14s go to blue.

Basically treat your leveling gear like you are going to grow out of it soon. If you do need to boost something higher, then you can always hand it down to an alt.

Bloodgharm · June 2015

CaptainObvious wrote: »

Improving should just depend on where you are with your item booster count. First character through, I kept things at green. Now that I have max level crafters and am overflowing with boosters, my non-14s go to blue.

Basically treat your leveling gear like you are going to grow out of it soon. If you do need to boost something higher, then you can always hand it down to an alt.

Yeah, this is my first toon, so I'm sticking with green. I won't try to go with blue until I get into vet ranks. Hopefully by then, I'll have a plethora of blue improvement mats.

danovic · June 2015

Bloodgharm wrote: »

danovic wrote: »

you can save a lot of money by not repairing your armor just sell it and make new armor as it wears out. stick with green armor. and go to armor sets as soon as you get a few items researched. there are good 2 traits sets.

Yeah, I'm able to craft full 2 trait sets atm. I always stick with green rarity and I craft a new set every 10 levels or so (once at 14 and now at 25). Should I keep going with green rarity? Can I just craft white gear every 3-5 levels? I want to be able to save my improvement mats for when I really need them. I'm just now getting enough skill points to put into my improvement passives though, so it'll take less mats to improve.

I made new white set every level as old set wore out green when I could deconstructed everything for mats. Basicly white is same level stats if you not struggling with fight you don't need past white. Each armor improvement up basically lets you over level armor a green set at 10 has stats for 11 gear blue for 12 and so on at worse i wore the same gear until I started dieing then made new gear.

[Deleted User] · June 2015

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newtinmpls · June 2015

Bloodgharm wrote: »

So I'm having a dilemma trying to decide if I should improve the gear I craft while leveling. It just seems like I'm wasting improvement materials as I'm crafting new gear sets every 10 levels or so.

I had to laugh hysterically at your question.

Back in the old days when I didn't know how to play well (and never actually moved around while in melee), new armor was the only thing that kept me alive. New set - at least to major pieces blue - every darn level.

That being said, if what you are doing works for you, keep doing it.

I have fun making new armor sets every ... four levels or so. Mix and match styles, and mostly improve to blue. That works for me. And I deconstruct so much I'm never short of mats for new armors.

The other thing to consider is do you make armor for friends or set bits to sell? I often do, and I feel that it's only polite (and sells MUCH better) to make them at least green. So as a result I'm often short of hemming. But that's life.