Is this normal? Or am I just bugged?

[Teircen]

I can't seem to improve at chemistry.  In the last 22 levels I have only managed 12 chemsitry improves and it's getting much harder to craft items as I sit at 112/160 chemistry.  I'm only getting about 1 chemstriy skill increase for every 14-15 items I craft.  On any other toon I manage to get them far more often even at similar levels.  Is this just a chemsitry issue or am I likely bugged somehow and, if so, any ideas how to fix it?  This isn't across one crafting session, this has been going on for well over a month now so logging won't fix it for certain.

Additional info in case it helps:I had taken a brake from crafting for a while and prior to the break it all worked great.Resumed crafting as a level 40 wizard with lvl 19 crafting (going for alchemist).Started working primarily on transmuting, quickly capped transmuting at 200.Decided to level up alchemy instead of adventuring level as I'm better at leveling crafting generally speaking then adventuring.Crafting primarily with vitality, using Artisan's Tunic, and 2x reinforced gnomeproof beaker (once I hit lvl 20 alchemy) for the crafting bonuses.

Thinking maybe using the tinkered gnomeproof beakers and tunic might decrease chance of stat increases I crafted for 2 full levels of alchemy without them, still the same poor rate of improves.

Thinking maybe primary crafts had been changed to work like tinkering and alchemy (only 1 improve / crafted item and not caring about quality) for about half a level I spammed crude items (about 25 items) and received no improves in skill at all.

With vitality I'm crafting about 10-12 items per level to get to the next alchemy level.  I'm getting roughly 1 improve in chemsitry per level of alchemy I raise.  At 112/160 skill it's getting harder to successfully craft pristines and I'm  generally making about 12-16 items per level now at least and still not seeing any real number of improves.

Thinking to test if I have problems with other classes I made a brand new toon, started him on woodworking and from level 1-20 he had no issues at all keeping his fletching capped.  I have a low 40s tailor that I raised a level and he had no problems getting skill improves.  It only seems to be my alchemist who is getting incredibly poor improves.  My first guess is that I'm bugged but I can't prove it and maybe I'm wrong.  Perhaps having a secondary tradeskill higher then your primary messes you up somehow?  Anyone with any ideas?  This is driving me nuts.

[zhiDarkivel]

Are you using your highest level reaction arts?  I know alchemists have a rougher time of it (like sages) and it's easy to get stuck using durability only and ignoring top-level progress arts sometimes.  This will slow down your skill increases.

[Teircen]

You know, I just checked and that was the problem.

I was using a combination of level 10 and 1 level 20 skill.  I hadn't even remembered to add the level 30 ones in.  So most of my skills were low level and apparently the infrequent skill ups only came when I was using the one level 20 skill I had hotbarred.

I just upgraded to the level 30 skills and in one combine got 7 skills ups.  1 combine, as many improves as in the last 7 levels. lol.

Thank you very much.

[NiamiDenMother]

{grin} This is a common problem, and I've been guilty of it on an alt or two as well.  It can be very easy to forget to upgrade, especially if you are in the middle of somethin (writ, etc.) when you level up.Of course, I've also done things like forget to buy recipe books for a level or two now and then.  {blush}

[Mighty Melvor]

Hopefully this problem will go away if the suggest tradeskill changes go into effect.  Might have only 6 set of buttons for each tradeskill - all self improving.

[Magic]

Mighty Melvor wrote:

...only 6 set of buttons for each tradeskill - all self improving.

Now that's a wonderful solution to the problem!  It also simplifies the problem of maintaining an organized tradeskill book.  My icons span 13 pages!  It takes quite a while to organize my book the way that I like it.  Icon locations don't seem to be saved with any /save_uisettings or similar commands.  If there is such a command, I missed it somehow.

Has the idea for self-upgrading buttons already been suggested?  I hope that SOE is seriously looking into it.  In the meantime, is there a way to delete those unwanted gray icons?  I've tried to delete them unsuccessfully years ago.

[Rijacki]

Magical wrote:

 In the meantime, is there a way to delete those unwanted gray icons?  I've tried to delete them unsuccessfully years ago.

You can't delete icons from the Knowledge book, as far as I know.  In the current system, you also don't want to delete the grey arts since those might be the best ones for your crafting (which is bass-ackwards, but.. well.. that's changing, too).

[SugarGirl]

Mighty Melvor wrote:

Hopefully this problem will go away if the suggest tradeskill changes go into effect.  Might have only 6 set of buttons for each tradeskill - all self improving.

I'm excited to see this change; however it does pose a problem for some of us.  I usually set my hotbar up with the highest level +durability -Succes chance buff, the second to highest +progress - durability buff, and the lowest level power cost buff. This way I only ever have to use 3 buttons. When I use my +success tinkered item spamming the first two buff usually yield a significant progress boost and a tiny durability boost with a very occassional failure. The durability boost usually makes up the hit in the next few combines.

 I keep the low level power cost boost on the hotbar just to cancel out the event when it happens. I can cancel it out while using a very minimum amount of power (because I am lazy). The change to the tradekill abilities is basically going to force tradeskillers into using the highest level arts which may not necessarily be the best arts. I know that the % failure chance on the arts starts getting pretty hefty in the higher tiers.

I'm not griping about the change. Just stating that it does have it's pitfalls. It will be nice to reclaim some order in my knowledge book.