So how does "hiring" a crafter work? What sort of fee's are you expecting to pay etc.

thatnorthernmonkey · September 2016

Yeah I would love to have a certain set crafted for a low level char for PvP (no CP campaign) maybe once every 10 levels. It's 8 trait full set of heavy impen, but I've never actually enlisted a crafter before. So a couple questions:

- How much are you generally looking to "tip" a crafter for something like an 8 trait 5-set if you include all mats? I imagine gear level is irrelevant if you include mats etc.
- How does the transaction go? Do you just trade them the mats and they trade you the gear back for gold?
- C.O.D question: can you pay a C.O.D without taking the attachments, so you can use the mailbox as temp. storage? Or do you have to take the attachments when you pay a C.O.D?

Any info appreciated

AntMan100673 · September 2016

If mats are provided I craft for free and just let them decide how much if anything they want to tip, most people seem to tip me 10k so 2k per piece though quite often I get tipped mats, motifs etc instead of / as well as gold. If you're after an awkward set to get (imperial city) then expect to have to pay a crafter rather than someone to be willing to do it for a possible tip.

Sometimes people either trade or mail me the mats & tip and I trade or mail them the gear, other times I just get the mats and they give me a tip after I give them the gear.

I've not used COD but I wouldn't have thought so, you can use normal mail as temporary storage as it lasts 30 days.

Bryanonymous · September 2016

Every player will have their own terms.

anitajoneb17_ESO · September 2016

Yes, every player have their own terms.

As a rule of thumb, I craft for free for guildies and I charge fees for everyone else. My fee is 10K per travel. That is, if you want 2x Julianos and 2x Torug, that will be 20K, if you want 4x Julianos, that will be 10K.
If I'm already at the crafting station and you're there and ask me to craft for you, that will be free since there's no travel involved.

Another rule of thumb is : provide all mats and do not ask me to help, buy, trade, sell you any of mine. Also, know what you want and don't ask me to do your theorycrafting.

Pandorii · September 2016

=D Lots of great answer already. Here are my two cents.

Crafters spend a lot of in-game time and in-game money to be able to do what they do. They'll also be spending in-game time to go out of their way to help someone make something. Value their time and tip them generously.

Some will have their own fee (I charge 3k per piece and do it free for guild members). Others will politely say 'what ever you think is enough.' Be generous to those. =D

The best way to be kind to a crafter is to provide them mats to the T. Don't give them extra unless it's part of the tip. It'll go into their crafting bag, mix on their own, and get lost in the abyss. This means that you should also include trait gems and style gems. They shouldn't be overlooked no matter how cheap and easy to get. It's a sign of respect. Figure out how many mats you need and what sets/weights you want beforehand. They'd be happy to consult, but it's another cut on their time. Many don't like to do it.

Preaching aside, I've seen all to many people in text chat or voice chat ask 'is anyone a master crafter?' or 'can someone make x for me?' This isn't a great tactic to draw in a crafter. Specific requests are better. For example, there's a larger population of 9 trait light armor crafters than there are 9 trait clothcrafters and 9 trait everything crafters. If you pitch it with 'looking for someone who can craft 9 traits on medium head and shoulders. i have mats and willing to pay 3k' you'll get a quicker bite. The previous requests look like they're from people looking for charity. =D

anitajoneb17_ESO · September 2016

Pandorii wrote: »

The best way to be kind to a crafter is to provide them mats to the T. Don't give them extra unless it's part of the tip. It'll go into their crafting bag, mix on their own, and get lost in the abyss. This means that you should also include trait gems and style gems. They shouldn't be overlooked no matter how cheap and easy to get. It's a sign of respect. Figure out how many mats you need and what sets/weights you want beforehand. They'd be happy to consult, but it's another cut on their time. Many don't like to do it.

Quoted for truth and emphasis. Cannot be repeated enough.

Lieblingsjunge · September 2016

If people provide mats I usually do it for free. If they don't. I do it for free anyway, if I have the materials. Unless I know that I'll need it myself in the nearest future.
I've had people tipping me 10k for a single piece crafted. I've had people asking me to craft an entire set of Kagrenac's and they tipped me nada.

I usually do it to help out. I don't expect anything in return.

Articulemort · September 2016

It really depends on the crafter. Just ask up front and be honest. For instance, I know some crafters who charge 10k per piece of TBS even if you supply the mats, just for their knowledge.

Also, never expect a crafter to cut you any types of deals, most crafters I know charge full trader price for every single mat needed, so yes it can get quite pricey quick. It's always best to supply your own mats, it definitely makes things easier on both parties.

altemriel · September 2016

fortunately my crafter guildies only want the mats, or the price of the mats in gold

thatnorthernmonkey · September 2016

Some brilliant advice (and I hope other newbies browsing the forums learned something like I did). I love @anitajoneb17_ESO way of doing things (10k per travel) and also some examples of per piece. Personally (and I hope this doesn't look like shopping around as I will do this in-game rather than on forums) I will pay 10k a piece every 10 levels and I'd have every mat required calculated and ready. Just happy to see it isn't something really obscene like 100k tip per set craft (though with a 5-pc 8 trait I wouldn't be aggrieved to see those prices, a lot of time invested so i'd just wait to CP 160).

Thanks guys, it's a baseline as to how to approach it all at the very least

ELDARTHVADER · September 2016

i charge 20K when mats are provided for full set including (5 piece set & 4 piece set including weapons). but for guild and group members i craft free set (only on Sat) and all mat must be provided.

i get random PM on XboX/EOS to building sets

i charge 20K because it on the spot deal and i have to stop my gaming to provide the set. 20K is fair when you think about the time it has taken to get research done! no joke.

but i would not pay more then 20K if you supplying all mats.

PM here or
XbOx1 EL Darth Vader

if you need help or would like to join my crafting guild hit me up.

undefeatdgaul · September 2016

Just join a guild and get it free. Or find somebody who isn't greedy and get it free. What faction/ server/ platform are you?

altemriel · September 2016

if there is a crafter that has fee that seems too high for you, find an another one! there are plenty of them!

My crafters do it only for the mats, or for the price of the mats, no fees

!!

DannyLV702 · September 2016

Lmfao I often tell people that I'll do it for free as long as they provide all mats. I don't think they understand the word ALL. I usually like to help and provide some of my own material, like upgrade mats. People don't understand that it costs. I never get tipped.

Stopnaggin · September 2016

As en example I have a guy that is a 9 trait all motif crafter. He charged me 20k for all medium TBS, 2 daggers, 1 2h maul and a bow. This guy is very reasonable, I can only imagine how much gold he spent getting all the motifs plus time spent researching. 20k was a great price for all that I received.

Suter1972 · September 2016

Im kinda doing it the other way. When I was low level I couldn’t find any gear in the guild stores so struggled till someone kindly offered to make me something that changed my game.

Ive since started making 4 trait stuff in basic green (sometimes blue), keeping them at levels below 50 and sticking them on guild stores in starter areas for virtually nothing. I always stick a trait stone in there too in case someone is levelling up research. Strangely, they sell like hot cakes so Ive started to make big donations to the guild with the money raised, so making a few gps for the guild at the same time

Sweetpea704 · September 2016

Advice from an honest crafter -

1. If you're not sure what to tip, a good place to start is to look at what crafted gear is going for in guild traders.
2. Respect the fact that it has taken me a year of research to become an 8 or 9 trait crafter. It has cost me hours and hours of gameplay and/or hundreds of thousands of gold to get all the motifs. Therefore, respect the time of your crafter and provide the exact number of needed mats, with your requirements, in a mail.
3. If you want to be top priority or you want me to make Armor Master or Clever Alchemist, you better have a history of tipping me. That is just honesty. I will probably be too "busy" otherwise.
4. Your crafter is doing you a favor. Don't expect them to leave a big battle in Cyro to make your gear. I usually promise it in 24 hours, but have it done way before that.
5. If you don't tell me what style of gear you want, don't be surprised when I make it Argonian.

Be specific. Also, provide expensive style materials. Most crafters have plenty of the basics.
6. I sell set gear in my shops. I charge about 1,200-1,500 for low level gear (blue), depending on style and set. I usually tip about 1000 per item when someone makes research for me.

fioskal · September 2016

I generally just craft for guildies, and how much I charge depends on how easy it is for me.

I supply the mats? I charge cost of mats plus an additional 1-2k per item for time spent farming/searching traders (assuming cp160).

They supply the mats? If they mail me the gear and want me to mail it back (most of the time), I ask for a hundred gold or so to cover mail fees. If they come to the station (and don't make me wait lol) I'll usually craft it for free.

I of course appreciate tips and most people I craft for send me one without having to ask for em (but, then again, these are guildies that I know and have played with in the past).

I've also been known to make gear for newer players just because I like helping them out with getting started. But if they've been around a while... yeah no, their mats or I charge them at least the cost of mats.

If it's a random person I don't know asking me to craft, it kinda varies. If it's someone with all the mats that happens to be there and can't craft something? No problem. If it's a full order? Yeah I'll charge a little extra, but no more than 1-2k per item generally.

Getting the TinyDog Crafting Calculator addon has also changed my life, so much easier to see what mats I'm going to need and if the person wanting gear has it, it's soooo easy for them to send me exactly what they want without missing trait, style, whatever info. Such a time saver.

psychotic13 · October 2016

AntMan100673 wrote: »

If mats are provided I craft for free and just let them decide how much if anything they want to tip, most people seem to tip me 10k so 2k per piece though quite often I get tipped mats, motifs etc instead of / as well as gold. If you're after an awkward set to get (imperial city) then expect to have to pay a crafter rather than someone to be willing to do it for a possible tip.

Sometimes people either trade or mail me the mats & tip and I trade or mail them the gear, other times I just get the mats and they give me a tip after I give them the gear.

I've not used COD but I wouldn't have thought so, you can use normal mail as temporary storage as it lasts 30 days.

Antman crafts a lot of my gear, he always offers to do it for free but I appreciate him going out of his way to do me a favour so I always make sure he's payed in gold mats. Besides I know some of these motifs can be a grind or very expensive so it's mutually beneficial.

Pay them enough they won't mind next time you ask is my philosophy!

TheDarkRuler · October 2016

I can tell you how my terms are...

1st: Write me a PM with Traits, Style and slot of the desired item.
2nd: Attach the materials needed or the MM-equivalent of gold + a small fee for the crafting itself (normally 5000 if cp160)
3rd: I craft and give it to them