How do you keep crafting lvl on par w/ char. lvl?

SevenKingdoms · December 2015

Despite breaking down every item I've come across, researching as often as possible, and doing crafting writs, my character's level has still long surpassed my crafting level (both my character and crafting are at beginner levels -- I should be flying through these levels). I can't even craft basic armor that matches my level. What am I not doing to keep my crafting somewhat on par with my character?

Deconstructing, researching, and writs obviously aren't the way to level crafting.

bryanhaas · December 2015

SevenKingdoms wrote: »

Despite breaking down every item I've come across, researching as often as possible, and doing crafting writs, my character's level has still long surpassed my crafting level (both my character and crafting are at beginner levels -- I should be flying through these levels). I can't even craft basic armor that matches my level. What am I not doing to keep my crafting somewhat on par with my character?

Deconstructing, researching, and writs obviously aren't the way to level crafting.

When doing writs my crafting surpasses my level fairly quickly. Are you grinding to get to VR 16 as fast as possible?

wayfarerx · December 2015

Gather materials as you go, refine said materials, use those refined materials to craft a bunch of daggers/bows/belts and trade them with another player or an alt, then finally deconstruct the items you traded for. Rinse and repeat. Easily the fastest way to level crafting skills that I've found.

SevenKingdoms · December 2015

bryanhaas wrote: »

When doing writs my crafting surpasses my level fairly quickly. Are you grinding to get to VR 16 as fast as possible?

I can only do one writ for each trade a day, and even then it doesn't give a complete level. Researching also takes 12-24 hours after the first trait, which the XP gain from that length of time isn't substantial, and any items I loot from enemies to deconstruct give virtually no XP. My character acquires a few levels within that day. Right now, it's probably a 4:1 character to crafting level increase, and that's only casual questing, including reading books, listening to dialogue, etc.

No, I'm not grinding for endgame content. I just quest until my bag fills. That's when I return to bank the items, and deconstruct all the items with no traits. Unless some friends start playing again, I think "endgame" will really be end of the game.

Number_51 · December 2015

So, you said "deconstruct all the items with no traits", are those items also zero value, white items? I've noticed I'm picking up a lot more zero value items then I used to. Maybe it just seems that way, maybe it's Wrothgar... whatever. But I don't think you get much, if any, inspiration from them. Deconstruct that traited green and blue trash as well.

Count_Dracula · December 2015

Having one high level character collect the mats and having your low level crafter deconstruct is the quickest way to do it solo. Other ways involve help from high level crafters. But, the best way is to just start crafting and figure it out as you go.

Peel_Ya_Cap_517 · December 2015

Yea, you need to deconstruct items that are green/blue/purple to improve your level more quickly

bryanhaas · December 2015

SevenKingdoms wrote: »

bryanhaas wrote: »

When doing writs my crafting surpasses my level fairly quickly. Are you grinding to get to VR 16 as fast as possible?

I can only do one writ for each trade a day, and even then it doesn't give a complete level. Researching also takes 12-24 hours after the first trait, which the XP gain from that length of time isn't substantial, and any items I loot from enemies to deconstruct give virtually no XP. My character acquires a few levels within that day. Right now, it's probably a 4:1 character to crafting level increase, and that's only casual questing, including reading books, listening to dialogue, etc.

No, I'm not grinding for endgame content. I just quest until my bag fills. That's when I return to bank the items, and deconstruct all the items with no traits. Unless some friends start playing again, I think "endgame" will really be end of the game.

When I was leveling I never really had a problem but I usually juggle a few characters, one thing to try is go to the hollow city and decon everything (nothing is stolen there) I topped off my crafting doing that. The other option is to run multiple characters that way you can do a few writs a day and also slow down your character leveling and increase your skill line leveling (in comparison). If you need people to play with list platform, server and alliance someone should send you an invite.

Nestor · December 2015

While it is easy to over level your crafting, it is also very easy to level your crafting with your character. I will say that if your goal is to level your character as quickly as possible, your not going to keep your crafting on level unless you grind public dungeons.

The other thing you can do is bag crafting, other than Trait Research until you hit VR Ranks. You don't need crafted items while leveling. Heck you barely need armor while leveling. Once you reach VR Ranks, then leveling crafting is just a few Public Dungeon Runs and deconning mob loot. You could even do this grinding on Coldharbor zombies in the L40's.

Also, if your deconning stolen items, launder them first, you will get 10 times the Inspiration from the Laundered Items, about on par with mob loot. Don't even bother deconning 0 Value items, stolen or not, they give you nothing in return.

Mike0987 · December 2015

Deconstructing colored items for me was the fastest way. Also, if you steal items to deconstruct the ones without a price associated to them you hardly gain on (steal something worth stealing).

Count_Dracula · December 2015

Mike0987 wrote: »

Deconstructing colored items for me was the fastest way. Also, if you steal items to deconstruct the ones without a price associated to them you hardly gain on (steal something worth stealing).

Stealing Items was how I leveled my first crafter, good point.

SevenKingdoms · December 2015

Mike0987 wrote: »

Deconstructing colored items for me was the fastest way. Also, if you steal items to deconstruct the ones without a price associated to them you hardly gain on (steal something worth stealing).

How do you know what to steal? I tried stealing items, and they gave me no XP. I can take two identical items, one stolen and one not, and somehow my character can't learn anything from the stolen item. Makes no sense whatsoever.

I think maybe a patch broke their crafting system somewhere along the line. My character shouldn't be outpacing my crafting skill this much, since you have to learn to craft a new material every few levels just to stay equipped with basic gear. Hopefully they fix it soon.

Nestor · December 2015

SevenKingdoms wrote: »

How do you know what to steal? I tried stealing items, and they gave me no XP. I can take two identical items, one stolen and one not, and somehow my character can't learn anything from the stolen item. Makes no sense whatsoever.

As I stated above, you need to Launder the stolen items to get full Inspiration from Decon and Mats back. Still, the 0 value items will not give you any mats and bupkiss for Inspiration, does not matter if they are stolen, laundered or whatever. In other words, don't pick up 0 value equipment and if you have any, just destroy it rather than dealing with it.

bryanhaas · December 2015

Nestor wrote: »

SevenKingdoms wrote: »

How do you know what to steal? I tried stealing items, and they gave me no XP. I can take two identical items, one stolen and one not, and somehow my character can't learn anything from the stolen item. Makes no sense whatsoever.

As I stated above, you need to Launder the stolen items to get full Inspiration from Decon and Mats back. Still, the 0 value items will not give you any mats and bupkiss for Inspiration, does not matter if they are stolen, laundered or whatever. In other words, don't pick up 0 value equipment and if you have any, just destroy it rather than dealing with it.

Is that a recent change? I remember deconning every time I visited the hollow city to get my crafting to 50, yeah it was slow and I did not get any mats usually out of it but it did advance my leveling and the items spawn fairly quickly.

Number_51 · December 2015

bryanhaas wrote: »

Nestor wrote: »

SevenKingdoms wrote: »

How do you know what to steal? I tried stealing items, and they gave me no XP. I can take two identical items, one stolen and one not, and somehow my character can't learn anything from the stolen item. Makes no sense whatsoever.

As I stated above, you need to Launder the stolen items to get full Inspiration from Decon and Mats back. Still, the 0 value items will not give you any mats and bupkiss for Inspiration, does not matter if they are stolen, laundered or whatever. In other words, don't pick up 0 value equipment and if you have any, just destroy it rather than dealing with it.

Is that a recent change? I remember deconning every time I visited the hollow city to get my crafting to 50, yeah it was slow and I did not get any mats usually out of it but it did advance my leveling and the items spawn fairly quickly.

One of the updates before Orsinium changed the stolen item inspiration. Felt very lucky to already have my main at level 50 for everything, but it was a pain leveling an alt (who was already in the high 40s in all 3 crafts) until I figured out you had to launder items. Zero value stuff, to my knowledge, has never worked on console at least. Hollow city never got me much inspiration (you do get a very small amount I think), and I learned quickly after console launch that stealing all the free armor and weapons off the ships in Bal Foyen and Vulkhel Guard was pointless.

Nestor · December 2015

Number_51 wrote: »

Zero value stuff, to my knowledge, has never worked on console at least.

Never on any platform. Been this way since they introduced them.

Originally the 0 value items were World Items that could be interacted with rather than having a weapon or armor static like we had at launch. In other words, just like the Thieves Refuges are now. Somehow, they made their way into containers for non legerdemain looting. Now, most Legerdemain containers have valued armor or weapons in them. But it seems I am still pulling 0 value stolen items on my crime sprees, just don't pay attention to where I get them.

A typical VR Ranked Mob Loot item will give 8000 to 12000 Inspiration on decon, more so if it's Intricate.
A Stolen Item with value will give about 1200 if it's still marked stolen and little to no mats
Same Stolen item with Value will give about 12,000 if it's laundered (figure 10 times more than if marked stolen)* and normal amount of mats
A 0 Value Item will give about 1200 Inspiration and no mats. Does not matter if it's laundered or not.

*Verified by Testing two identical items that were stolen from the same place, only one was marked stolen and one was laundered.