Basic Crafting Process Help Please

[DevilUnchained]

<p>I must be missing something very basic and feel very humiliated and apologetic because my searches on this subject have not resolved my problem.</p><p>On starter island in Queynos.  Artisan skill at 9.  Trying to make level 6 things like elm strongbox.  I had one success out of about 10 tries and not sure why that was successful.  The tells say that I am successfully countering each negative event, but I am still only making sandpaper etc.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/499fd50bc713bfcdf2ab5a23c00c2d62.gif" border="0" />   I have tried emphasizing either speed counters or the durability counters with no luck.</p><p>Guides seem to imply that if durability gets too low you may not finish the project ... but my durability line (top one) only ever gets to just under 80%. </p><p>What am I missing here?   Do I need better equipment of some kind?   Do I need better raw materials... for example, is "tin cluster" the same as or as good as "tin"?   Racking my brain here.  As I said ... the tells say I am countering each negative even successfully ... but no joy!</p><p>Third week with game.  First day crafting.  Please be merciful.  I cry easy.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/c30b4198e0907b23b8246bdd52aa1c3c.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Shareana]

<p>The Tradeskill section of the forums has some great info... including the link below.  Hopefully it will help you a bit <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p><p><span><a href="list.m?topic_id=347090">FAQ and Guide Links</a></span></p><p>Be sure that you read what the spells actually do as some do different things.  I tend to spam the buttons even when the effect is not needed to be honest.  When the numbers float up, you can spam away until the next ones float.  You shoudl be able to spam all 3 buffs in between floats.</p>

[Jamiria]

<p>The craft process is composed of 4 steps (represented by the four lines with blue and green bars). The process is over when you have filled the 4 lines with the blue bar. While you gain in progression, you lose in durability. If you lose more than a full line of green bar, you will not be able to complete the 4th step. And validating only 2 or 3 steps will result in nothing but getting the ressources back (at higher level you may eventually lose the ressource and get a junk item instead)</p><p>Your goal is to complete the 4 lines with the blue bar while keeping the green bar in the 4th line. For this you will use the skills to either add to your durability or add to your progression (try using progression when the green bar is high and durability when it starts to get low)</p><p>It is important to counter the complications (because not doing it may have bad consequences), but you should use your skills even when there is nothing to counter. Your best bets are the 3rd and 6th skills, because they add to a bar without drawback (except a high cost in power), you should use these very often.</p>

[Pericles]

<p><a href="http://eq2.eqtraders.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://eq2.eqtraders.com/</a> anything and everythign you could want to know about tradeskills in EQ2 can pretty much be found there.</p>

[DevilUnchained]

<p>Wow.  Thanks for all the quick and informative replies.  Will read the links and add them to favorites.  Also had not thought of using the skills even when there are no complications ... especially 3 and 6.</p><p>Sincerely impressed with this help for a newbie.  Thanks again! </p>

[Shareana]

<p>It is always great to help a fellow Crafter <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  especially one so happy to be here <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[DevilUnchained]

<p>Thanks to all three of you I crafted two elm strongboxes in two tries!!!   The main difference seemed to be using all skills even when no complication ... and trying to time right after a complication or as the numbers floated up.  I had not seen that in any guide.  In fact one guide suggested that using skills when there were no complications was risky.  Based on my very limited experience the benefits outweigh the risk.  I am sure I will be fine tuning what you taught me and reviewing the links ... but thanks for pointing me in the right direction.</p><p><strong>Shareana.</strong>  Yes, I am happy to be here.  Even more so because of my two years experience with the "other" MMO.  ... And tradeskilling is just one of the reasons!  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p>

[Calthine]

<p><cite>DevilUnchained wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Thanks to all three of you I crafted two elm strongboxes in two tries!!!   The main difference seemed to be using all skills even when no complication ... and trying to time right after a complication or as the numbers floated up</p></blockquote><p>You've got it!  Be proactive, not reactive <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Katsi]

<p><cite>DevilUnchained wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Thanks to all three of you I crafted two elm strongboxes in two tries!!!   The main difference seemed to be using all skills even when no complication ... and trying to time right after a complication or as the numbers floated up.  I had not seen that in any guide.  In fact one guide suggested that using skills when there were no complications was risky.  Based on my very limited experience the benefits outweigh the risk.  I am sure I will be fine tuning what you taught me and reviewing the links ... but thanks for pointing me in the right direction.</p><p><strong>Shareana.</strong>  Yes, I am happy to be here.  Even more so because of my two years experience with the "other" MMO.  ... And tradeskilling is just one of the reasons!  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" /></p></blockquote><p>It seems  that a number of people know the following little fact but it is usually forgotten in the explanation of how crafting works -</p><p>The numbers floating up occur at the very end of a cycle.  That is when any addition or subtraction to your durability and progress will occur. </p><p>Events that will need to be countered will show up at the beginning of a cycle, which is immediately after the previous one ends, and in computer time, that is effectively the same time.  So when using the skills, you want to avoid hitting them when the numbers are floating up.</p><p>I believe a cycle is somewhere around 3.5 or 4 seconds long.  It is long enough to trigger three of the skills and have them re-triggerable for the next cycle.</p><p>With my luck, however, I usually trigger the last skill, watch the numbers go up, and get the event that needs the last skill that I triggered to counter it, meaning I have to wait until near the end of the cycle before it is available.  If this happens, don't get ancy and try and cue a second one, because if it's still waiting for the first to refresh when you hit the second skill, you will abort the first and trigger the second instead.</p><p>Hopefully my rambling didn't provide more confusion than help.</p><p>Good luck and have fun crafting!</p><p>~ Cerilynn</p>

[DevilUnchained]

<p>Well, its certainly going to be more fun now!!!!    I was sitting there thinking ... "What if these were rares that I was turning into junk at the rate of one success in ten tries!!!"  LOL</p>

[Eugam]

<p>Crafting is a bit like combat. You can be proactive, but you dont have to.</p><p>The problems you have to counter are your friends and not problems <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /> They give you a high chance to increase either durability or progress. Or a mix of it.</p><p>When countering or when being proactive you might find out that you can use even two or three skills. Personally i think three are useless. But once you found out about which two skills add up optimal you have beaten the crafting game <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /> It does matter also wich one you cast first and which one 2nd.</p>

[Shareana]

<p><cite>DevilUnchained wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>Well, its certainly going to be more fun now!!!!    I was sitting there thinking ... "What if these were rares that I was turning into junk at the rate of one success in ten tries!!!"  LOL</p></blockquote><p>They removed that possiblility a while ago actually.  Now if you do not get to that 4th level of quality, you get your rare back...</p>

[MurFalad]

<p>One other thing to add, if you want a guide on how to craft there is a podcast that while old is still excellent</p><p><a href="http://www.eq2daily.com/podcasts/VaddirCrafting.mp3" target="_blank">Vaddir's Crafting guide from EQ2Daily</a></p><p>The only thing out of date from it is that you no longer need to organise your skills on the toolbar (as EQ2 does that for you), well that and multiple combines do not exist anymore (although they were being phased out as mentioned in the podcast).</p>

[Saihung23]

<p><cite>DevilUnchained wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>I must be missing something very basic and feel very humiliated and apologetic because my searches on this subject have not resolved my problem.</p></blockquote><p>Crafting can be a cruel cruel mistress to the newly initiated. </p><p>You'll get it though...and, lol, dont be ashamed to come here for help. Its almost a full 5 years since I logged in for the first time and ask anyone...I sometimes cant figure out things that have been around since launch.</p><p>The game has alot of depth.  Make sure you come back and ask if you have any further questions or if something is frustrating you.</p><p>Folks around here love to help:)</p>

[Wazeau]

<p>And as a note of encouragement... as you progress up the tiers (every ten levels) your skills get better so it gets easier and easier to complete a recipe.  There are also items you can buy that give you buffs that make crafting easier (you can find lists on those links).</p>

[Tuvogg]

<p>My suggestion is to actually read the tootip text for each of the reaction arts. Gives you a pretty good idea which are the best to spam on every tick. And dont panic if you drop durability into the yellow, it is quite possible to catch up and get it back in the green by spamming durability reactions.</p><p>Something else that not everyone realise is that durability can go above 100%. It just doesnt show on the bar, so if you spam the durabilty reactions on the first tick it gives you a little reserve pool of durability.</p>

[DevilUnchained]

<p>It speaks well for this community that people are still offering encouragement and advice to my original post.  I am quite comfortable now that I understand the process better ... and am sure you have helped others who have read this post too.</p><p>It is very satisfying to make your own armor as you level.  I also find it entertaining to try to build good enough armor and to get the AA levels far enough ahead that you can survive in the areas that have the metals you need ... to build better armor and get the AA levels you need etc etc.   It would be a diabiolical vicious circle if it weren't so much fun!</p><p>In fact I started a new character on a non-Crushbone server ... not just to get a way from the lag <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/0320a00cb4bb5629ab9fc2bc1fcc4e9e.gif" border="0" /> ... but to try only using gear I had crafted ... just for a game within the game.</p><p>Anyway ... thanks again for the help and good wishes!   Better game and community than the other MMO.  <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" /></p>