Motifs, Recipes, Research, etc. on alt crafter characters.

MonkLoHan · September 2018

I curious to know everyone's process for managing multiple characters who craft and complete writs.

My main character is also my crafter who has learned just about every provisioning recipe, many motifs, level 50 and maxed perks on all crafting skills (except for jewelry). When I find motif books/pages or recipes that she already knows, I usually just stash it in the bank. Now, my bank is FULL of all types of things she already knows. Im now torn between just selling them off in the guild store, or having one of my other NINE characters start learning them. But I dont know if I need two or more characters who can craft Psijic Ambrosia, Dubious Camoran, Daedric armor, Witchmothers, etc.

So really, my question is, should I sell these items in the Guild store, or just have an alt alt who also knows how to craft these items? How do you guys/gals handle this?

db0ssman · September 2018

I personally only have my main crafter learn everything and then I have my alts just learn enough to be able to do the daily writs (so basically the recipes you need for provisioning and some of the racial styles so I can use different types of style mats for whatever is cheapest). I can't think of a single reason to have the alts research traits or learn different motifs etc etc.

Gundug · September 2018

I run 30 crafters doing 7 daily crafting writs a day. I have one character who knows almost all the motifs, some who know a mixed bag of motifs, and some who know nothing beyong the basic motifs. I have not been able to determine any significant difference in the quality or frequency of master writ drops between any of them. Same with recipe knowledge.

Aside from that consideration, there really isn’t any advantage beyond what db0ssman mentioned in having the alt characters learn some.

SpAEkus · September 2018

so basically the recipes you need for provisioning

Just checking, they don't have to make Provisioning themselves, same with Alchemy, you can just have main premake and give to them or bank it and use Lazy Writ if PC to auto-grab at writ time (use banker assistant if avail).

ghastley · September 2018

Have your alts do the research, because that's just a start and wait process they can do alongside their daily writs, which are an income source. And build them up on their passives, so they become eligible for the master writs, and increase the flow of those.
Learning motifs on the alts is harder to call. I think on balance, I'd give the duplicates to them, so their chances of master writs get raised, but there's little point in doing master writs on more than one character. The exception is maybe the consumables, where I tend to let the character that gets the writ do it. You're trading the market value of the motif chapter (in gold)against the increase in writs (and vouchers).

That's all from a pure crafting viewpoint. If your alts are to provide DPS/Tank/Healer options, then that probably takes precedence.

fioskal · September 2018

My main learns absolutely everything.

My alts get maxed crafting/passives, all research, all motifs worth under 10k a chapter, any purple provisioning recipes I happen to pick up (except the one really expensive one that goes for like 20k), and no furnishing recipes.

DaveMoeDee · September 2018

I have all 15 characters learn green recipes I find. They don't really sell for anything, so might as well just learn them. Same with green furniture stuff. I have a main provisioner and a main crafter that both get all provisioning recipes. Due to master writs, I now also have the x4 passive skills on my main crafter so the main provisioner is not longer necessary.

I sell extra purple provisioning recipes after those 2 have them. I also sell blue and better furniture recipes, so long as the value is at least 500g. Less than 500g doesn't feel worth a guild store slot.

My understanding is that master writs are based on achievements. There isn't much point in having alts learn motifs if knowing them doesn't help getting master writs unless you learn enough to get another achievement. Might as well just sell motif pages. Sell duplicate pages and you can even use the proceeds to buy the pages your main crafter is missing.

Jayne_Doe · September 2018

ZOS did say that motif knowledge improved chances of getting a master writ, but it's not much of an improvement. I notice little difference in drop rate for my main, who knows everything (well, before Dragon Bones, she new all motifs) and the ones who only know the basic motifs and the event motifs (outside of Worm Cult).

I have had them all do the research, though, as that factors into MW chances and is much easier/cheaper to attain than motif completion on alts.

So, I would sell them if I were you.

As for recipes, I had set a goal a long time ago that all my characters would learn the recipes - don't know why, but I make sure all my alts know a recipe before I sell it. But, there really isn't any reason to do so. If you're wanting to get more provisioning MWs from alts, only purple/gold recipes count in improving your odds. Also, I haven't bothered having my alts learn the ambrosia recipe, although I might hang on to any fragments now since prices on those have gone down quite a bit on XB. Also, I haven't bothered having my main learn either of the aetherial ambrosia recipes.

So, it really is up to you whether you want to sell the duplicates or have alts learn them. The only reason to have alts learn them is to improve MW drop chances, but the improvement isn't that much. Just having more alts doing top tier writs is better, although you'll use up more top tier mats.