When to start an alt?

PapaGhosty · August 2016

I have aspirations for at least two new toons, mostly to become self sufficient in crafting. I'm around champ 90 on my first, and I'm starting to have a real hard time to find the specific gear I need to fit my build (mostly at the mercy of guild stores). But having a whole mess of champion points would make grinding up a new toon much less painful. Where would you strike a balance?

wayfarerx · August 2016

I started my first alt as soon as I got my main out of the Wailing Prison.

Danikat · August 2016

I'm probably the wrong person to answer this since (like Wayfarerx) I made my first alt very early on but I don't think there is a wrong time to do it.

I've definitely found it useful to have one character dedicated to crafting. I was originally going to learn 2 crafts on each character but I found I was very reluctant to put points into crafting when there were so many other things I could do with it. But then I found being unable to craft my own gear frustrating. Plus this way I only need to get each motif once.

PapaGhosty · August 2016

I considered "retiring" my first after leveling so far, then respecing everything to crafting. I'm torn because I've gotten pretty attached to my stamblade

SolarCat02 · August 2016

Make your alt now. If it's for crafting, you don't need to play it right away, while still setting yourself up for success.

Your alt can start horse training ASAP for example. Speed helps a lot, as does inventory space for a crafter. It takes 4 months total to max both, so sooner is better here.

Your alt can also start deconstructing things your main picks up and doesn't want to keep. This will raise crafting levels, even before you start leveling your character.

Research! The sooner you start researching traits, the better. You can already research one at a time when you start a character. If you play the alt occasionally (I recommend storyline quests, as you get skill points from those too) you can put skill points down to increase faster research times as your character levels their crafting. Respecs are also very cheap if you don't have a lot of skill points, so you don't have to worry about paying for a respec to make the character more playable when you are ready, or even to respec each crafting skill individually if you want to craft a quick set now and haven't put in time to get enough skill points to do all at once.

In this way, you can set yourself up with a good foundation for your crafter with only minimal playtime taken away from your main and the CP hunt. And your crafter will be ready when you are.

newtinmpls · August 2016

Start when you have an idea for the character (die-hard RPer and alt-o-holic here).

If you are looking to have a "crafter", then have that as that character's backstory.

You will need lots o skill points; to level you will need to plug a few into some main skill; the easiest is to do a Templar, and have BoL (can't recall what skill it starts as - Breath of Live is a morph) and resto staff, because folks will be more likely to grind with you if you can help them out in some way (i.e. heal them) plus if you take .... err I'm sure it's not actually called "pointy sticks" but its the first skill on one of the Templar bars that morphs to a magicka "heal as you attack" and regardless of ultimate aim (i.e. even if you are going to be a Redguard Stamplar) it will keep you (mostly) alive while grinding.

Go skyshard hunting, there are usually a few folks out there - and between all the skyshards and a few quests, and some grinding you should be okay.

Nestor · August 2016

PapaGhosty wrote: »

I have aspirations for at least two new toons, mostly to become self sufficient in crafting. I'm around champ 90 on my first, and I'm starting to have a real hard time to find the specific gear I need to fit my build (mostly at the mercy of guild stores). But having a whole mess of champion points would make grinding up a new toon much less painful. Where would you strike a balance?

Once you get a character to have 150 or so Skill Points, you have enough points to make a Crafter that is somewhat deadly so you can get to all the crafting stations and farm without getting killed. 122 points for all crafting skills but Keen Eye, and the other 30 or so points is for basic combat skills. So, if your going to make a character a Master Crafter, that is your goal.

You can make your Alt before this or after this.

@PapaGhosty If your on the PC/NA let me know and we can work out something where you send me mats and I make you some sweet gear.

voreo · August 2016

Ill wait till i have Training on at least all my research and probably One Tamriel before i make an alt.

I really hope they're planning to do a lot of QoL with One Tamriel... make most of the achievements account bound for example.

I don't really like the idea of having to grind out Tamriel Hero again. Alts should be fun

That and AP to some extent being account wide. at least your skill line / rank ... not necessarily AP itself

(This way your grind is preserved but if you were on a different faction you cant get a ton of siege, etc)

k9mouse · August 2016

If one want to play a different class, race, faction, or build. Play an alt until one's main feels fun again or if the main has a very large bounty; one can use an alt until the bounty goes away. I made my 4 chars during early access, then I made 2 more alts for pack mules (later I did level and make a build for them with armor). When the 4 char slots went in the crown store, I made 4 more alts. I am almost done leveling them (thank the 8!). Alts can be useful, but sometimes I want to play my main instead, but my alts need work also. grr Hard to say when is the "best" time to make an alt.

Daveheart · August 2016

As @SolarCat02 suggested, start now or add soon as possible. You don't even really have to work on leveling at all, but start your research timers and feed your horse.

DeadlyRecluse · August 2016

Make them early to train their riding skill.

When to play them? Depends. I'd recommend prioritizing getting to cp160 and gearing up, then playing alts when you are out of enlightenment or your preferred activity isn't really available.

jaye63 · August 2016

PapaGhosty wrote: »

I have aspirations for at least two new toons, mostly to become self sufficient in crafting. I'm around champ 90 on my first, and I'm starting to have a real hard time to find the specific gear I need to fit my build (mostly at the mercy of guild stores). But having a whole mess of champion points would make grinding up a new toon much less painful. Where would you strike a balance?

Gear: Do the raids.
Alt: I run several characters at the same time so tht I dont get bored with doing lowby stuff over again. I get 10 lvs and switch toons.Also because in this way I can keep fluent on how to play each class. But it's up to you.

PapaGhosty · August 2016

Solid tips. I started working on a new DK last night. Starting my research definitely seems like a good idea.
Also, having fun with the class so far. I guess that's the important part.

Arundo · August 2016

I started or well restarted my Templar this week been level 21 for ages. I kind of went for the old content but quests turned grey so I figured lets do the DLC's first and when One Tamriel hits I can get all the old content which scales and so gives me good XP for my champion points.