Crafting and Inventory Management

VoxPatriam · December 2015

As a longtime TES player, I've been needing to "relearn" how to handle my inventory. Slots vs weighted is a hard switch, especially when I have nowhere to store the goodies I want to keep. Unless I want a mule. I finally created one today, just to hold on to trophies and my pledge of Mara scroll. I'm not using the bank to transfer items between my playable alts because it breaks immersion for me.

That said, crafting drives me NUTS. I have 4 slots left. Refine some rough maple. Now I have 3 slots left since I had no sanded maple in my pack at first. Try to refine the next 10 and it tells me I need an additional slot before I can continue. WHAT? That's absolutely insane. Maybe I can understand it on deconstructing, since you can get a couple different things. But refining? When it specifically is making something I already have? So I go research some items to clear slots, and go back to refine. Yep...I only got sanded maple. Which added to the stack I had anyway. I do not understand this system at all.

Crafting should work like chests/completing quests. You see what you can grab/salvage and if you don't have enough space, you can't do it. Not "oh, just have a random 4 slots open but when you deconstruct no usable items were found". If I only have 2 slots open but am only going to get an ingot, why do the other 3 slots even matter? I spend so much time running back and forth which is horrible when banks are not right outside/next to crafting stations. Bank->Refine->Research->Bank->Deconstruct->Bank->Deconstruct, etc. I won't even get started on the fact that doing the crafting writs is also horrible since nothing created seems to stack, even if they are identical (glyphs, weapons, etc). I get them not stacking if they're different (styles/traits/condition) but, if not, they should.

Inventory management is already a mini-puzzle (and not a fun one) as it is. Trying to manage it and still craft is infuriating.

BabeestorGor · December 2015

When refining you had a chance of getting resins and/or trait gems as well. I'd guess thats why it wouldn't let you refine. Otherwise we'd get people complaining about how they lost things because they didn't have enough space and why did the game let them refine stuff in that case.

You seem to be running a very tight inventory. How do you ever manage to adventure if you are that short of space?

Ourorboros · December 2015

We're all playing the same game here. Inventory is tight, but MUCH better than at release. Space has already had 3 upgrades. Struggle or adapt is what you're faced with.

VoxPatriam · December 2015

Ahh, BabeestorGor, I didn't mean you'd lose the items. I meant that it'd say "sanded maple, resin, garnet" (or something like that) and if you tried to take it, it'd ding at you to say you were full so you could exit without actually refining. Same as with quests that award items. If you can't take the items, you can't complete it so you have to adjust your inventory and go back. Or, at the very least, only require x number of spaces if you are actually going to get x number of items, not just on the off chance you might.

I do have a kind of tight inventory, at least when I return to town. I played the welcome back weekend...a long time ago (back in April I think, I'm not sure how long). Queue to finally getting the game...I did not realize at the time that bank space was shared by account and had no idea how any of the crafting worked at that time so I was dumping everything in there (lots of Provisioning items especially). I'm in the process of getting them out of there. It's still a bit tough though, mostly because I have 3 characters to try out different factions and classes and they specialize in different things. (My wood elf is working on clothing and woodworking, my Nord on blacksmithing, my Breton on enchanting). I've considering purchasing a bank upgrade but I've read nothing but problems about it. I am slowly leveling my riding skill for carrying capacity. Have thus far held off on a pack upgrade because I'm not sure which character I'll play as a main. I switch between them regularly. They're all level 9-10 right now.

You seem to be doing great, looking at your different characters and professions. I'd love some tips if you have any.

NBrookus · December 2015

I'm not sure what problems you've heard about bank upgrades, but I'll at 220 now (it maxes at 240) and haven't had any issues. That and bag upgrades are really a necessity, not a luxury, if you craft.

VoxPatriam · December 2015

NBrookus - that the banks were bugged and resetting back to 60. People with stuff in slots 61-x lost anything in those slots. Is that an old bug? Seems that it comes up every time I look into inventory management tips.

BabeestorGor · December 2015

heaven13 wrote: »

Ahh, BabeestorGor, I didn't mean you'd lose the items. I meant that it'd say "sanded maple, resin, garnet" (or something like that) and if you tried to take it, it'd ding at you to say you were full so you could exit without actually refining. Same as with quests that award items. If you can't take the items, you can't complete it so you have to adjust your inventory and go back. Or, at the very least, only require x number of spaces if you are actually going to get x number of items, not just on the off chance you might.

I do have a kind of tight inventory, at least when I return to town. I played the welcome back weekend...a long time ago (back in April I think, I'm not sure how long). Queue to finally getting the game...I did not realize at the time that bank space was shared by account and had no idea how any of the crafting worked at that time so I was dumping everything in there (lots of Provisioning items especially). I'm in the process of getting them out of there. It's still a bit tough though, mostly because I have 3 characters to try out different factions and classes and they specialize in different things. (My wood elf is working on clothing and woodworking, my Nord on blacksmithing, my Breton on enchanting). I've considering purchasing a bank upgrade but I've read nothing but problems about it. I am slowly leveling my riding skill for carrying capacity. Have thus far held off on a pack upgrade because I'm not sure which character I'll play as a main. I switch between them regularly. They're all level 9-10 right now.

You seem to be doing great, looking at your different characters and professions. I'd love some tips if you have any.

Create some mules to store things. I had 2 early on but when I got a decent amount of bank/bag space I was able to get rid of 1 of them.

If you are doing alchemy and provisioning writs make up stuff for them in job lots and only keep what you need for the writs in your bank. Keep the rest on your mules.

Buy that bank space, the only problem I've had with it is there isn't enough of it and its expensive.

If you can get a decent trading guild to sell stuff through, if you can't be fairly ruthless about getting rid of stuff for whatever you can get for it rather than hoarding it. I'm a bit obsessive about collecting things and hoarding stuff was my biggest problem early on.

Hope that helps

gbsteve · December 2015

I had some issues with space since I'm a hoarder and craft everything. Provisioning ingredients used to be the worst. Then alchemy. My first priority was upgrading my bank and inventory....bank is around 130 and inventory 122. Don't forget to do your daily inventory upgrade at the stables (1 space for 250 a day).

Probably the biggest help for me (since I don't use mules) was realizing that I need to just keep the common provisioning items in my inventory instead of banking them. If you pick up 5 or 6 flour or lotus or something, what's the point in banking them if you're just going to see more on your next run? So I started banking the less common stuff I see (enchantment items except Ta, rare ore, trait gems, etc).

Maybe you know that stuff already and have tried it but it's helped my inventory issues some.

What's really bothering me now are the collectibles (twitching hand, hagraven feather, etc). I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to do with them and they're taking about 5-10 spaces now. Some just say sell 'em as trash but they've got to be for something.

Nestor · December 2015

Roll some Mule Characters, buy them the first two bag upgrades (2400 for 20 more slots) and use them to store stuff. Cheapest storage in the game.

VoxPatriam · December 2015

gbsteve wrote: »

I had some issues with space since I'm a hoarder and craft everything. Provisioning ingredients used to be the worst. Then alchemy. My first priority was upgrading my bank and inventory....bank is around 130 and inventory 122. Don't forget to do your daily inventory upgrade at the stables (1 space for 250 a day).

Probably the biggest help for me (since I don't use mules) was realizing that I need to just keep the common provisioning items in my inventory instead of banking them. If you pick up 5 or 6 flour or lotus or something, what's the point in banking them if you're just going to see more on your next run? So I started banking the less common stuff I see (enchantment items except Ta, rare ore, trait gems, etc).

Maybe you know that stuff already and have tried it but it's helped my inventory issues some.

What's really bothering me now are the collectibles (twitching hand, hagraven feather, etc). I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to do with them and they're taking about 5-10 spaces now. Some just say sell 'em as trash but they've got to be for something.

Thanks for the advice. I just started pulling out the provisioning ingredients. I'm harvesting alchemy items now to "taste" to learn the rudimentary effect. Guess I'll destroy the rest and the provisioning items I have on me that I can't currently use.

I did get one mule just for my trophies. I'm not going to pass items back and forth because it just feels...wrong to me. I don't know. I did it with a weapon for one character and ended up immediately transferring it back because I hated the idea that they would use items they hadn't found/purchased. A mule for trophies is a little different I suppose. Haha!

Ilsabet · December 2015

gbsteve wrote: »

What's really bothering me now are the collectibles (twitching hand, hagraven feather, etc). I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to do with them and they're taking about 5-10 spaces now. Some just say sell 'em as trash but they've got to be for something.

Those are monster trophies that count toward achievements if you get a bunch of them. They register for the achievement as soon as you loot them, so you're safe to sell them.

heaven13 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I just started pulling out the provisioning ingredients. I'm harvesting alchemy items now to "taste" to learn the rudimentary effect. Guess I'll destroy the rest and the provisioning items I have on me that I can't currently use.

Don't destroy them if you can join a trade guild and sell them. Some of those ingredients can bring in some good coin.

Nestor · December 2015

heaven13 wrote: »

I did get one mule just for my trophies. I'm not going to pass items back and forth because it just feels...wrong to me. I don't know. I did it with a weapon for one character and ended up immediately transferring it back because I hated the idea that they would use items they hadn't found/purchased. A mule for trophies is a little different I suppose. Haha!

I felt that way when I first started playing about not using a Mule, but I soon got over it. Now, I have 4 Mains, 2 pure mules (they are L4 and are parked next to the bank) and two Mules I am leveling, but more for Hireling Points than anything else.

One mule holds all the Provisioning Ingredients backstock in stacks of 200 (one stack of each mostly)
One Mule holds all the Alchemy Ingredients backstock like above
One Mule holds the set items I want to have around
One Mule Holds all my Equipment Crafting Mats

One of my mains, the enchanter, holds all the enchanting runes
One of my mains, a Woodworker and Clothier holds all the Refined Materials and Tempers for that line
One of my mains, a Blacksmither, holds all the refined metal and tempers for that line
One of my mains has 170 slots but holds only what she needs which is 8 items and goes out and farms mobs for loot for the others to decon.

In the bank, with 240 slots, I hold all the Trait and Style mats, all the raw mats, all the working provisioning and alchemy ingredients, soul gems, repair kits and that takes up pretty much 180 slots. The other 60 are for transferring to other characters.

I plan on retiring at least one of my mules to make a new character slot, but I have been saying that for more than year now.

VoxPatriam · December 2015

Ilsabet wrote: »

Don't destroy them if you can join a trade guild and sell them. Some of those ingredients can bring in some good coin.

Guilds are scary! Kind of, maybe.

I am new to MMOs so the concept of a guild and finding one among all the players is daunting. Especially since I'm new to the game and don't really know what I can offer if someone asks. Lots of low level common items? Is that a pro?

Ilsabet · December 2015

heaven13 wrote: »

Ilsabet wrote: »

Don't destroy them if you can join a trade guild and sell them. Some of those ingredients can bring in some good coin.

Guilds are scary! Kind of, maybe.

I am new to MMOs so the concept of a guild and finding one among all the players is daunting. Especially since I'm new to the game and don't really know what I can offer if someone asks. Lots of low level common items? Is that a pro?

Oops, didn't see this until now.

When I was a new player (which was about two months ago) I had similar worries about joining unknown guilds. I didn't want to just join a random guild that I knew nothing about, and I didn't want to have to ask other players about their guilds and then have it turn awkward if I decided I didn't want to join. So I did my window shopping in the guild recruitment section of the forum until I found some guilds that looked like they would be a good fit for me. Posted in the threads asking for an invite, got invited within a few days, and found that they were all nice communities where I could list whatever stuff I wanted to sell and get answers to my newbie questions. Maybe I got lucky, but at least I know that there are nice trading guilds out there that are welcoming to newer or lower-level players.

As far as the stuff you're selling, a decent amount of low-level stuff can indeed sell in guild stores. I sell a lot of recipes and motif books, and people will buy gear for researching traits. Low-level raw materials and certain types of alchemy ingredients also sell well. You'll sort of get a feel for what things do and don't sell (for example, I found that food and drinks I find in the wild aren't really worth picking up, while the crafted food and drinks that people need for provisioning writs are good to stock), and if you're on PC the Master Merchant addon is invaluable for guidance on pricing (but it only works if you're already in one or more guilds).

So if you haven't already, check out the guild section of the forum and see if anything looks good to you.

Waffennacht · December 2015

Guilds are great, trading guilds have like no interaction with each other but allow you to make big bucks selling

PvP guilds are always active, some members can be intense though...
PvE very similar to PvP but usually give a lot more room for learning (PvP guilds are for elitz pretty much)

RP guilds are probably the most laid back (unless you break character then look the heck out!) Lol

Usually I pick guilds based on activities and guild traders, my favorite has no trader but always has people on.

As for your room issue... remember to buy a horse and train his inventory for more room, buy at least 2 bank upgrades and 2 personal upgrades very much worth the price.

I noticed u don't like mules, so u prob wont like the guild bank idea either... (maybe mail it to another character?)

Outside of the buying space and gettin a horse I cannot think of much non other character using ways.

Jayne_Doe · December 2015

heaven13 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I just started pulling out the provisioning ingredients. I'm harvesting alchemy items now to "taste" to learn the rudimentary effect. Guess I'll destroy the rest and the provisioning items I have on me that I can't currently use.

I did get one mule just for my trophies. I'm not going to pass items back and forth because it just feels...wrong to me. I don't know. I did it with a weapon for one character and ended up immediately transferring it back because I hated the idea that they would use items they hadn't found/purchased. A mule for trophies is a little different I suppose. Haha!

You could consider your bank a sort-of mini cross-faction guild that all your characters belong to. They share items with each other and help each other out. I dunno - for me, I just think of them as helping each other out; they're part of a small close-knit community of adventurers.

I still like having my characters self-sufficient, so they all learn the crafts that they use, but at some point, you have to have one dedicated equipment crafter, as it would be extremely time-consuming and expensive for everyone to learn all 9 traits on all the gear that they use, not to mention the rare motifs that are broken up into chapters. Thus, your characters will have to learn to share if you want to give the materials to the one who is able to craft it. You're really gimping your characters if you're not willing to share the maple you collected on one character with the other who can actually use it.

Nestor · December 2015

heaven13 wrote: »

Guilds are scary! Kind of, maybe.

I am new to MMOs so the concept of a guild and finding one among all the players is daunting. Especially since I'm new to the game and don't really know what I can offer if someone asks. Lots of low level common items? Is that a pro?

Most guilds just want you to help out other members in some way shape or form. Can be something as simple as running a dungeon with someone who needs help or crafting something for someone who needs it etc. Some just want wit and banter, some just want people in the guild.

I avoided guilds for the for the first few months of playing, and I have to say that after joining one, I realized how much better they make the game. Now I am an Officer in my main guild. Why did I join it, because it was a casual guild with no requirements other than being helpful and nice to other guild members. I think you will find about 50% of the guilds are just like that. The other 50% are more structured and may have more requirements like some trade guilds need you to sell a certain amount each week, or a PvP guild may want you to show up to battles etc. Some of those make sense, some of them do not.

But, you can join 5 guilds, and drop them at any time, so there is no downside to trying a guild out. If you don't like them, drop them. There is a Guild Recruitment section for each platform and server on these boards. Peruse them and find one that sounds like something you want to join. Join up and try them out.

NBrookus · December 2015

I didn't think I needed a guild either. But the first guild I joined (same one as @Nestor) made the game a much friendlier place. And helping out other guildies is as rewarding as getting help.

I'm now in 5 and honestly I could use a couple more slots!

YES, even as a new player you can help. For example, many players level alts and want your excess lower level mats. Low level provisioning recipes can be hard to find, but if you have one you can make foods for other players to turn in writs. And leveling enchanting goes much faster with two players of the same level swapping glyphs.

Ourorboros · December 2015

You wanted some specific advice. Below is what I posted in a similar thread. The short version is to prioritize what you keep, and to use mules.

Levels 1-50 are pretty easy, so you don't really need the extra buff from crafted foods and potions. Learn every recipe you find, but don't worry about crafting anything until you have expanded your bag. There are 50 provisioning items, so saving all those really puts a pinch on inventory. You can level provisioning and alchemy both in an hour if you have the mats, and learned recipes at each level. Do these around level 50 or higher...you'll be fine without them until then, using drops. Save all the flowers you find on a mule. Make sure you gather mushrooms, as these are best to use for leveling Alchemy since they are pretty much useless for pots and you won't waste 'good' flowers on training. Also, gather no more than a stack of each solvent and save them on a mule. When you're ready, you can pull what you need from the mule to easily leavel both those crafts to 50. Enchanting, on the other hand, you should start immediately. It does take the longest, so you don't want to wait until vet levels to start. You can level this to 50 by doing nothing more than deconning every glyph you find (minus any you might use). It helps A LOT if you can get higher level glyphs to decon. And you can jump the last few levels by waiting to start learning the various runes...there is a HUGE boost from learning them.

For the Equipment crafts, the bag space hogs are trait and style stones. First, don't save what you won't use. If you don't like Argonian or Orc styles, don't save those stones. Same applies to traits. Don't save quartz, etc. No one uses Sturdy on crafted items. If you plan to craft, then refine raw mats for the tempers, and save them on an alt. If you aren't going to craft, collect the mats and sell them....raw mats sell well as they can be refined for tempers. Decon all equipment you get from loot, except ornate...sell those. Gear yourself with drops or rewards...good enough til higher levels. You don't have to spend a skill point to level all 3 crafts to 50....just decon everything.

As for bag space, save/earn gold and buy the upgrades as soon as you can. You really should not be spending gold on anything else. Be sure to train you capacity riding skill every day...you can do this even if you don't have a mount (though I'm not sure if you can use the capacity w/o a mount). Don't buy from vendors, don't repair armor...replace it with drops or rewards.

Trait research is very important if you will be crafting, but you don't need to save every item with a trait you don't know. At most save items for the next open research slot and MAYBE the one after. You can fill your bag with items waiting for research, but the truth is you will either find the item again, or can easily buy the item or have some one craft it for you either cheap or free, Nirnhone being the one exception.

My own journey to master of all crafts on one character would have been much easier if I had followed this advice.

VoxPatriam · December 2015

Thank you everyone for the advice. I seem to be doing some of this already (deconning everything if I can't either research it right away or won't use it likes staves for my two handed Nord). I did join a brand new guild the other day but it's only got maybe 10 members at the moment so no trading yet.

I appreciate all the advice you've shared and will definitely work on the different methods to enhance my experience even more. There was one guild I saw that I was kind of interested in. Maybe I will give it a shot.