Crafting Writs - Full Time Job?

Aelthwyn · March 2016

I try to do Alchemy and Provisioning writs every day on my characters, and then stop by the stables to train on the way back with what I’ve earned.

I chose those two crafts because it’s easy (and not too space-consuming because they stack) to make up a batch of the needed potions and foods ahead of time so I don’t need to go to a crafting station every time and can just grab the writ and zip by the bank for any materials I’m not already holding in my bag. I’ve got my characters based in Shornhelm, Elden Root, and Stormhold, and except for two characters, I turn everything in at Daggerfall&Shornhelm, Vulkhel Guard&Elden Root, and Davon’s Watch&Stormhold - so I don’t have too many different locations to go to. Shornhelm and Stormhold have stables close to the wayshrine, for AD the stable is right next to the Vulkhel Guard wayshrine. The Writ boards are pretty close to the bank in Elden Root and Stormhold, and only a bit farther if you cut through ally-ways in Shornhelm. I’ve done my best to streamline the whole process.

I’ve timed my craft writ runs a few times and it takes about 6-8 minutes per character including loading screens, depositing reward materials in the bank after turning writs in, and listing un-needed recipes for sale in my guild store - but not counting doing any surveys. Thus to complete them on 8 characters it takes 48 minutes to a little over an hour. That’s a fair chunk of play-time devoted just to running errands. (And I have 24 characters so it takes me around 3 hours before I’m done with business and ready to play). This is not intended as a complaint, but simply providing information for other crafters. This time estimate is for just two writs with at most one wayshrine-travel-stop, and no actual craft station visit involved. Add in time for actually crafting equipment or glyphs and it’s going to take a lot longer to fulfill these.

As far as rewards go, I’ve noticed that my level 12 character needs to complete two writs to get enough for horse training (earning around 220 per writ), while the next up at level 16 can afford it after just one writ (earning about 330). My level 37 character gets about 500 per writ, and at Veteran 3 it’s somewhere around 650 I think. Obviously it’s most lucrative to do writs on higher level characters, but the ingredients and surveys you get from rewards for Alchemy and Provisioning are still worth getting so I have less need of farming for them.

Anyway, I thought I’d share my information and slight tips, and wanted to ask other crafters how long it typically takes them to do their writs and what they’ve done to make it go faster.

bryanhaas · March 2016

Aelthwyn wrote: »

I try to do Alchemy and Provisioning writs every day on my characters, and then stop by the stables to train on the way back with what I’ve earned.

I chose those two crafts because it’s easy (and not too space-consuming because they stack) to make up a batch of the needed potions and foods ahead of time so I don’t need to go to a crafting station every time and can just grab the writ and zip by the bank for any materials I’m not already holding in my bag. I’ve got my characters based in Shornhelm, Elden Root, and Stormhold, and except for two characters, I turn everything in at Daggerfall&Shornhelm, Vulkhel Guard&Elden Root, and Davon’s Watch&Stormhold - so I don’t have too many different locations to go to. Shornhelm and Stormhold have stables close to the wayshrine, for AD the stable is right next to the Vulkhel Guard wayshrine. The Writ boards are pretty close to the bank in Elden Root and Stormhold, and only a bit farther if you cut through ally-ways in Shornhelm. I’ve done my best to streamline the whole process.

I’ve timed my craft writ runs a few times and it takes about 6-8 minutes per character including loading screens, depositing reward materials in the bank after turning writs in, and listing un-needed recipes for sale in my guild store - but not counting doing any surveys. Thus to complete them on 8 characters it takes 48 minutes to a little over an hour. That’s a fair chunk of play-time devoted just to running errands. (And I have 24 characters so it takes me around 3 hours before I’m done with business and ready to play). This is not intended as a complaint, but simply providing information for other crafters. This time estimate is for just two writs with at most one wayshrine-travel-stop, and no actual craft station visit involved. Add in time for actually crafting equipment or glyphs and it’s going to take a lot longer to fulfill these.

As far as rewards go, I’ve noticed that my level 12 character needs to complete two writs to get enough for horse training (earning around 220 per writ), while the next up at level 16 can afford it after just one writ (earning about 330). My level 37 character gets about 500 per writ, and at Veteran 3 it’s somewhere around 650 I think. Obviously it’s most lucrative to do writs on higher level characters, but the ingredients and surveys you get from rewards for Alchemy and Provisioning are still worth getting so I have less need of farming for them.

Anyway, I thought I’d share my information and slight tips, and wanted to ask other crafters how long it typically takes them to do their writs and what they’ve done to make it go faster.

At 10/10 Blacksmith, woodworking, enchanting and clothier are much more lucrative. I get a couple glass frags and gold tempers each week from just one char.

HebrewHatchet · March 2016

I do all 6 max level writs on 4 characters and it takes about 25 minutes per day plus about an hour and a half once a week to open coffers, use my surveys, buy next week's materials, craft next week's potions and foods (if necessary), and deposit my rewards. I think you should revise your system to squeeze some more efficiency out. You don't need to open your coffers and clear out your bags daily. Also, if you print out a map and plan a route, you can knock out about 30 surveys in a little over an hour.

I'm on console, so printing out a map is the best I can do

Aelthwyn · March 2016

HebrewHatchet wrote: »

You don't need to open your coffers and clear out your bags daily. Also, if you print out a map and plan a route, you can knock out about 30 surveys in a little over an hour.

I have already worked out the absolute shortest path between writ-board bank wayshrine and drop off points in the cities I’m in. I don’t have max horse speed upgrades yet, and don’t have rapid maneuver on all my characters since I don’t really do PVP and haven’t bothered to go to cyrodil on all of them yet. So I’m sure that would make some difference in time.

But I do like your idea of opening the reward packages from a week all at once instead of each day. Occasionally I don’t bother to open them, and don’t bother stopping by the stables either, and in those cases it takes 4 minutes per character instead of 6.

bryanhaas · March 2016

Aelthwyn wrote: »

HebrewHatchet wrote: »

You don't need to open your coffers and clear out your bags daily. Also, if you print out a map and plan a route, you can knock out about 30 surveys in a little over an hour.

I have already worked out the absolute shortest path between writ-board bank wayshrine and drop off points in the cities I’m in. I don’t have max horse speed upgrades yet, and don’t have rapid maneuver on all my characters since I don’t really do PVP and haven’t bothered to go to cyrodil on all of them yet. So I’m sure that would make some difference in time.

But I do like your idea of opening the reward packages from a week all at once instead of each day. Occasionally I don’t bother to open them, and don’t bother stopping by the stables either, and in those cases it takes 4 minutes per character instead of 6.

I do mostly the same as well, basically once I am out of VR16 mats open the containers and do surveys. It is nice finding one survey and then just relogging to get another and another and another.

Aelthwyn · March 2016

bryanhaas wrote: »

I do mostly the same as well, basically once I am out of VR16 mats open the containers and do surveys. It is nice finding one survey and then just relogging to get another and another and another.

When I have several, I try to work out the minimum distance I need to go away from the site for it to respawn things. I don’t log out, I just run back a ways out of sight, take out the next survey, then go back. Seems like it might be faster than waiting for loading screens.

Duiwel · March 2016

I don't know these feels OP I don't do writs, I am not a "dailies" kind of guy.

I would rather grind a bunch of stuff, PvP or something I enjoy.

I make money in other ways and can just buy those legendary tempers with said gold.

Jimboo84 · March 2016

Duiwel wrote: »

I don't know these feels OP I don't do writs, I am not a "dailies" kind of guy.

I would rather grind a bunch of stuff, PvP or something I enjoy.

I make money in other ways and can just buy those legendary tempers with said gold.

I like you. It's guys like you I earn lot of money from and don't know what to do with my money

Nestor · March 2016

Aelthwyn wrote: »

Anyway, I thought I’d share my information and slight tips, and wanted to ask other crafters how long it typically takes them to do their writs and what they’ve done to make it go faster.

Do the Writs every other day.

Grab the writs one day, but don't do them. Wait until the next day, turn the first day's writs in and then grab the next batch and do those. Can save a lot of log in and banking time. And, this lets you grab your hireling emails each day.

Nestor · March 2016

bryanhaas wrote: »

I do mostly the same as well, basically once I am out of VR16 mats open the containers and do surveys. It is nice finding one survey and then just relogging to get another and another and another.

Just go far enough away from the Survey location so that you can't see it, then go back and the next survey spawns. I have even been close enough to see the area around the survey but not the survey location itself and had it spawn on the next survey.

bryanhaas · March 2016

Aelthwyn wrote: »

bryanhaas wrote: »

I do mostly the same as well, basically once I am out of VR16 mats open the containers and do surveys. It is nice finding one survey and then just relogging to get another and another and another.

When I have several, I try to work out the minimum distance I need to go away from the site for it to respawn things. I don’t log out, I just run back a ways out of sight, take out the next survey, then go back. Seems like it might be faster than waiting for loading screens.

I have tried that but sometimes lose track of where it was and takes me longer so relogging for me anyways is simpler.