khanthemighty
07-26-2007, 05:43 PM
<p>When we discuss how the future of crafting should be, we place very little emphasis on the person crafting, and soo much on the items itself. While it provides minor fixes, it barely addresses the main problem.</p><p>EQ2 has the following crafting classes:</p><p>Craftsman</p><p>Outfitter</p><p>Scholar</p><p>...and has the following crafting sub-classes:</p><p><u>Craftsman</u></p><p>Provisioner</p><p>Carpenter</p><p>Woodwoorker</p><p><u>Outfitter</u></p><p>Armorer</p><p>Tailor</p><p>Weaponsmith</p><p><u>Scholar</u></p><p>Sage</p><p>Jeweler</p><p>Alchemist</p><p>Currently, at level 10, you choose what crafting class you want to learn, and at 20, you pick your sub-class. From here on out, you make the same type of things, with properties scaling ever ten levels. This system is frought with problems, ranging from profitability and item viability concerns to risk/time investment/reward debates. Here's how we can save crafting:</p><p>1) Remove the restriction of one player learning more than one crafting skill (i'll explain why in a minute)</p><p>2) Introduce some of the dynamics and content from the adventure aspect of this game into crafting.</p><p>3) Create specific crafting content for highly skilled crafters</p><p>All of the above changes are necesary for the creation of 'Master Crafters'. 'Master Crafter' is a title given to a crafter that has achieved certain leveling and quest related goals, which grants them access to a small number of recipes, that make items that are competitive in quality to adventure rewards. 'Master Crafter' titles can be granted to crafters at the sub-class and main class level, with different recipes for both.</p><p>Here's how it works:</p><p>1) The progression from 1-70 is the same. However, at level 50, crafters are given the option to begin another trade within their main crafting class (i.e. once you reach lvl. 50 Sage, you can begin training as a level 20 Alchemist without wiping out your previous trade experience and begin leveling that. However, spells will only level your sage craft, poisons/potions/fighter CA's will only level your Alchemist, etc.)</p><p>2) At level 50, 60, 70, and 80, the crafter can begin their certification for being a Master Crafter from their cities Crafting Trainer. This ensures that as the game grows by expansions, the system won't have to adapt much.</p><p>Instead of starting another sub-class at 50, crafters can start a Crafting Hallmark Quest that includes collection elements of current Hallmark Quests (think SoD), timed trials for crafting (think rush orders meets Shiny Brass Shield HQ), and finally the collection of a loot reward from an instance/raid zone. The completion of this Hallmark Quest will grant the crafter the ability to own a copy of a recipe book that makes X amount of items that are comparable to 'Legendary' Items of that tier, they are given one extra crafting skill for thier sub-class (like an ancient teaching skill), and the Prefix Master XXX (Master Jeweler, Master Armorer, etc.) Crafters must re-certify at the beginning of each new tier after 50, to recieve that tiers 'Mastercrafted' recipes.</p><p>3) There will be Hallmark Quests for each sub-class of crafting. If a crafter levels all three sub-classes within a main crafting class for that tier, and completes the Hallmark Quest for each, they can do one more short quest to become certified as a true 'Master Crafter'. Crafters who achieve this will be given the prefix 'Master Scholar', 'Master Outfitter' or 'Master Craftsman' and be given access to items that rival fabled adventure rewards.</p><p>Mastercrafted items vs. items from 'Master Crafters'</p><p>1) Common crafters will still be able to make handcrafted and rare-made items, although rare-made items will no longer be called 'mastercrafted'. They will be called 'Handcrafted' and 'Unique'</p><p>2) For example's sake, we'll use a 'Master Jewelers' items. A 'Master Jeweler' will make items that are better than current mastercrafted items, but on par with current legendary items. They will need to use rares and special combine raws (think blood ore) from heroic instances to create them. These items will be referred to as Legendary.</p><p>3) "Master Scholar" items are going to be very challenging to make. These items will be on par with Fabled adventure rewards, and require special raid drop combine raws as well as rares (thing EH recipes). These items will require the crafting skills of all three sub-classes along with the special crafting skills gained from the completion of your sub-class certification Hallmark Quests to make the item. However, the challenge will pay off, because the item you craft will have attributes from all three sub-classes (think of crafting a ring that has a spell effect and a poison/potion effect added to it).</p><p>4) All "Master" and 'Legendary' crafted items are Lore, but tradeable, so they can be sold for lots of money. GU's can add new quests for crafters for new books of items to make.</p><p>I know this seems like a lot of hoops to jum through to get items to craft that are on par with their adventure counterparts, but their is simply too little challenge in crafting, right now, to allow this. Not only will botting items like this imbalance the game, raiding the toughest content should provide most of the best items in the game. If crafters want more parity, they have to be willing to do more for it.</p><p>Comments please...</p>