Alchemy, since you can make end game food with 14 provisioning (Orsinium DLC food)

With that said, you can max out all crafting skills on one character and still have a lot of skill points to be viable in combat.

Alchemy if I had to choose, simply because it is insanely easy to level compared to other professions imo.

I say max them both out, on at least one character, but you will any ways on all as they are two of the easiest ones to max out, but either way, you want the Medicinal Use passive for Alchemy by the time your character gets to end game.

Both level very fast if you have the ingredients. I haven’t timed it but I’ve maxed both of those on several of my characters in just one or two crafting sessions, so like… an hour or so maybe? It goes especially fast if you have skill points to spend along the way to increase the level of food or potion you are making, but even making level 15 food/drink and level 10 potions with clear water it moves pretty quick.

As far as which is your priority I’d say it depends on how often you rely on potions in battle. Provisioning gives you a nice boost that you don’t have to think about very often, but then again having a good potion on hand can be a real life-saver.

One factor for you may be that provisioning has more ingredients than alchemy, so if space is an issue for you, you may consider that.

BUT..alchemy is on my to do list....

Vigarr wrote: »

Thanks all around for the insight.

ContraTempo wrote: »

I need more info before I can decide. Why am I being forced to make such an unnatural choice?

ha it seems like both trades would require a ton of materials so I figured it would be best to focus on one...after reading the posts here, I may just work on both.

It I had to go into combat with one or the other I would choose provisions. A big boost to stats or recovery of all resources lets you perform way beyond your level, so I would go with that. But with no potions to save your butt you better do a fine job of managing your (enhanced) resources.

Also, provisioning is easy, easy to level. Just get some recipes you can make, fine which give your the most XP, then make a bunch of that until you can spend a skill point for the next level of Recipe Improvement or Recipe Quality. Spend the skill point, then find another recipe that requires that level. Make a bunch of that. Rinse, repeat. If you have piles of mats, lots of recipes, and plenty of skill points to spend you can get to LvL 50 in less than 30 minutes. IF you have all those resources ready to go.

OTOH, provisioning take tons of mats. If you have a craft bag start looting every crate, barrel, bag, and sack you see. All of them. There are zillions of ingredients and you need a bunch of whatever you end up using.

If you want to see a good plan for leveling Alchemy, go here. It will tell you what to do and how much of each thing you will need. Good info.
http://www.sunshine-daydream.us/ESO/alchemy.html

BTW, the reasons to work on only one of provisioning or alchemy are:

• You are buying rather than farming ingredients and have limited gold.
• You don't have enough skill points to level both.
• You don't subscribe so you don't have a craft bag. If so you have my sympathy. Before craft bags I had an alchemy mule and a provisioning mule who had maxed those skills and other than that just held mats in their inventory. It was ugly, ugly but it worked. You kludge when you must. :'(

Other than that there is no reason not to do both. If you have the skill points and the mats or gold, max them both today.

Easier/quicker than alchemy. Maxed provisioning in the first week iiirc. Skill points also reduce the amount of purples you need for food. Don't need purples for alchemy.

It would be more financially viable to purchase drink over potions, but given my builds sustain so well I use 32 potions over 2 months...

Out of thetwo craft, it's the only one that has a difference in combat efficiency (100% potion uptime)

I'd say alchemy and enchanting are the only two crafting skills in the game that are not faceroll easy to master. The trait crafting system is a joke. Mix that in with deconstruction to level your skills and it makes for the most shallow crafting sysytem I've seen in any game to date.