How is crafting inspiration handled now?

Saynna · December 2015

I was wondering how to get the most inspiration from deconstructing. If I decon something within the craft's passive level (IE metalworking, woodworking, potency improvement)? For example if my metalworking was 1/10 would I get more for deconstructing a level 1-14 weapon/armor than I would v16 armor? I'm not sure if I'm just remembering wrong, but I think I read somewhere a month or two they changed it so that you couldn't just haul over high leveled stuff for an alt to decon down for high inspiration gains and that it was capped.

wayfarerx · December 2015

There may be a cap, but you still get loads of inspiration for deconning high-level gear on characters with low-level crafting skills.

I've been grinding up the crafting skills on my alts so that they can all find top-tier mats in Orsinium/Cyrodiil. Most recently I had a level 31 enchanter and a level 4 enchanter working together to do the leapfrog-leveling strategy. The lvl 31 started crafting glyphs and sending them over to the lvl 4 to decon. At first those tier-7 glyphs would each provide almost half a rank to the lvl 4 enchanter on decon. By the time the lvl 31 alt was up to lvl 40, the lvl 4 alt had also shot up to 40.

SpAEkus · December 2015

Here's all the latest numbers, including penalties for all crafts.

Still penalties, both Inspiration and materials return, for not being within a few craft levels of the material you are decon, as well as for decon your own crafted items.

Craft Decon Data as of Patch 2.2.8

Nestor · December 2015

Saynna wrote: »

I think I read somewhere a month or two they changed it so that you couldn't just haul over high leveled stuff for an alt to decon down for high inspiration gains and that it was capped.

Even with the Penalties, it is more efficient over all to just feed your low levels the loot your high levels acquire. Basically because you get the most experience and Champ Points defeating near VR level mobs. And, your not going to go out and loot Leveling items when you are VR Ranks with any mobs below level 46 anyway, so you might as well get the most benefit on the character that is farming the mob loot. It also seems that the amount of loot you get for VR mobs falls off when the mobs are more than 5 VR Ranks below you, but RNG could have some impact on that.

Now, if you want to hone the process as tightly as possible, you could use your high level to make items that are at the appropriate level for your low level to decon. But you still have to find the materials to make the stuff, make it, then transfer it through the bank etc etc etc.

So, in my mind, just feed the low levels the high level stuff your getting anyway and decon like mad until you level your crafting to where you want it.

Saynna · December 2015

Thank you for the awesome feedback guys

Pomaikai · January 2016

Don't forget that the inspiration gain from Intricate armor and weapons increases based upon its color.

So, white intricate items give you a 280% increase in inspiration, greens give you 285%, and blues give you a 290% inspiration bonus. I'm unsure as to what the purple and gold increases are, but if they keep to the pattern, then purple should be 295% and gold a whopping 300% inspiration bonus.

Therefore, if you're trying to power level your weapon and armor crafting, finding green and blue intricates to deconstruct will absolutely get you to L50 faster.