Tradeskills for brand new player a bit of a reach??

[Kalg]

<p>Greetings all,</p><p> I have recently started EQ2 a short time ago, and decided I might as well try out the crafting system. I will first off say that I am generally not a huge fan of crafting in MMO's as the crafted gear is generally rarely worth the time or effort...and frankly...its not as entertaining as questing, exploring, or hunting (personal opinion...I realize there are literally hundreds of folks that think crafting in these games is fantastic).</p><p>I will say that the crafting system in EQ2, as opposed to previous MMO's I have played, is actually quite valuable and engaging. Having the ability to upgrade your spells (or spell-like abilities) through the system is really quite a nice change versus just paying a trainer to upgrade. However upon reaching lvl 20 (in both my character and my crafting) it is beginning to occur to me, that much like other games, you end up requiring mats that you are barely at level to harvest to keep your crafting up to the level of your character. This is not a new thing in MMO's, but one that I always was somewhat annoyed with. Seems Crafting is designed for the rich (can afford to simply buy mats off the broker from higher level characters) or for an alt (has the higher level main feeding him mats). </p><p> I am not really surprised by this, I am perhaps wondering though if this is the general trend for crafting in EQ2, and in the end if I wouldn't be just better off selling most of the harvested goods (assuming there is a large enough market for them) and using the cash to upgrade my spells as I get them, rather than several levels later when I finally get my crafting caught up to (or near) my character level? Anyways, thanks in advance for any info, opinions or flames <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </p>

[Dagorgil]

<p>It really just depends on WHAT tradeskill you go for.  Woodworkers, Carpenters, and Provisioners will always have materials to use, because there is an over-abundance of wood and bushes in all zones for the simple fact that everyone else is running around looking for roots, pelts, and ore.</p><p>I usually don't have any problem finding the mats I need, it just takes a little bit of work later on. (I.E.  Find a zone that is out of the way from where everyone else travels and harvest everything and anything, making sure you get the spawns you want first.)  It also depends on what kind of Scholar you ended up becoming... Sage, Alchemist, or Jewelcrafter.  Honestly, I have never run out of materials for my Alchemist, because I usually get more loam than ore anyways. (And I'm always looking for ore, no matter what tier my tradeskill is... alts.. I hate 'em.)</p><p>As far as harvesting materials that you are barely at a level for... Well...  Truthfully, it should be that way.  You want to always keep your tradeskill level at least 5-10 levels above your adventure level.  This will allow you to upgrade your armor/spells/weapons/etc as you level instead of after they are no longer of any use.  (I get around this by harvesting with a character that's already passed that level, and make use of the shared bank.  Cheating, I know, but still...)</p>

[Rijacki]

In every zone there are places you can harvest with.. umm.. -some- safety even with everything 10+ levels above you, but only if you're patient, observant, and cautious.  You do need to be smarter about how you harvest than the level capped adventurer, but it IS possible.  There are times I harvest with my lower level adventurers (who have crafting levels higher than adventure) just for the thrill, again, of that kind of harvesting.  I've gone out and harvested in zones people swear are impossible.  Sometimes I do suffer a death or three because I didn't notice how close thus and so was, but repair costs for a lower level character are waaaaaay cheaper than for a level capped with legendary or fabled (raid repair costs for my dirge are 30+g with armor at 20% or less , harvest repair costs for my 20 coercer are about a silver with armor at 20% or less).  I feel more accomplished counting my stacks with my coercer than I do harvesting around greys. So... is crafting only for those with a high level character?  Nope, not at all.  Yes, it is -easier- to craft if you have the money of a higher level who makes good money and/or can harvest around greys.  (and I wouldn't recommend tinkering for a new player.. trying to get that many loams with a low level crafter would be... difficult.  not impossible)

[Calthine]

Back in the Olde Days no one had high level characters!  On my server was a notorious Provisioner named BakerJoe who maximized his XP Debt harvesting Lavastorm and point beyond.  And back then the max was like 250%, and you couldn't "sleep off" debt.  There were still level restrictions and access quests for the higher level zones.  That was *really* challenging. Harvesting does get more challenging as you get higher in the game, but it's certainly doable - my main has been harvesting well above her adventure level since her mid-30's.  And if you're a pure crafter (meaning you don't really adventure), what's a little death?  Mostly inconvenience.  Shoot, sometimes death even gets you closer to where you want to harvest, lol.

[Rijacki]

shhhh I didn't want to mention death as travel, but it can help to get back to the start of an area your clear cutting or on to a new area for a change of scenery.

[Illmarr]

<p>Let's take for example Thundering Steppes, since you're just hitting level 20. Since you're both an adventurer and a crafter there's nothing wrong with clearing mobs in order to get nodes you want to harvest. </p><p>For Thundering Steppes, there are three points of entry, the Docks, the gate in the Southeast corner of Antonica near the Gnollslayer Keep, and the cave in south Antonica near the Gnolls (I think it's behind a waterfall, but it's been a loooong time since using it)</p><p>From the docks, just proceed up the Dead River. Stick to on wall, running high along it and either kill or sprint away from whatever may aggro on you. These skeletons will be in the 21-24 range. Once you cross under Bridgekeep, you'll start to see nodes of all varieties spawning all over the riverbed. Watch the movement of the skeletons and kill what you need to, then go out and harvest your resources.</p><p>From the main Antonica entrance, follow the road past a couple of guard towers until you open up to the wide plains where the griffon's fly just past Thundermist Village. While here, be sure and climb the griffon tower and hail the griffon trainer up there to get the quest that will allow you to use the griffons there (Quest calls for gathering an egg and bringing it back to any griffon trainer within a set time once you get the egg.) Plenty of nodes to harvest along this huge area, just let yourself roam and keep your eyes open.</p><p>The other Antonica entrance brings you into Thundering Steppes in the Northeast corner of the griffon area.</p><p>If you have EoF, Butcherblock is the same way really. Not the quantity of nodes, but there are still plenty to be had, and mobs in the low 20s ranges at both the GFay zoneline and the top of the ramp that leads up from the docks.</p><p>For later levels, Enchanted Lands has 99% aggro free harvesting in the area to the right as you leave the docks. Zek has so many quests at the zone in you'll gladly kill orcs to clear the way to the nodes you want to harvest. mobs start at 31. most players can kill with reasonable safety untwinked at 29</p><p>Next level, Rivervale has a cone of aggro-free harvesting save a sometimes up wandering ghost dog stretching out from the entrance. Feerrott is just silly with nodes and the mobs are fairly easy upper 30s guarding the harvests you'll use for leveling 40-50 </p>

[Finora]

<p>To the OP, it's honestly not that bad harvesting higher than your level.</p><p>Back when my main was only in her 20's I was already in my 40s as a provisioner (that was pre-expansions). Sometimes when the higher level guildmates wanted high level food they'd occassionally give me raws, but mostly I gathered them myself.</p><p>Took it even a step further with my sage and armorer alts, they were in their teens harvesting in t5 zones like Feerrott and Rivervale and such. It can certainly be done, I actually rather enjoyed it and still do it with my lower level characters sometimes despite the fact I could do it much faster with my level 70. I've even had level 20somethings harvesting in Bonemire =).</p>

[Rijacki]

For Thundering Steppes, the absolute safest place to harvest is Coldwind Cove (or Point or whatever the last part of the name is).  The Griffon egg quest (to be able to fly around on the griffons) is the hard part, but it's not that hard to dodge the lions and bears, really.  1. Enter Thundering Steppes and get to the Thundermist village griffon tower:     a. From the docks - go down the sand to the road that goes off to the right.  Turn left on the road at the tower. Continue down that road (dodge the occassional wandering bear and kept to the left when passing gnolls) until you see the griffon tower.      b. From Antonica gates - follow the road around, take any forks, until you come to the griffon tower.  As for the other way, dodge the bears and gnolls). 2. Get the Griffon Egg quest:     a. Talk to the guy at the top of the tower.     b. Go down the road away from the tower and opposite of the direction you came from (not sure of the compass direction and I'm at work so I can't check). Dodge the bears that occasionally wander around that road.     c. When the short valley opens up, to the -left- of the road is a shallow dirt depression.  You'll see lions cavorting there, avoid them.  You might see a griffon flying near or around there, avoid it.     d. In the dirt depression, look for a collection of small white-ish rock looking things (labeled griffon eggs), harvest them without getting too close to lions or griffons.     e. Run back to the griffon tower, you'll have a timer set for getting back with the egg.     f. If you die after harvesting the egg, you will end up in Thundermist village.  Even with dying, you'll still have -lots- of time to get to the griffon tamer if you didn't wait around after harvesting the egg. 3. Take the griffon to Coldwind Cove (or Point or something like that.. look for COLD in the name). 4. Go up the hill to the area beside the griffon tower and harvest around the centaurs and the totally non-agro other critters.  Do not go to the other area across the dry riverbed, the gnolls are mean and will make you into soup. One caveat.  For this to be a 100% safe place to harvest, you need to have never killed a centaur (or have killed LOTS of gnolls after killing one).