Is it really worth it....seriously

[Stormseye]

Word,

I can't add to what others have said about tradeskilling cause they covered up all the bases about it being so worth it. So I will just add my small experience. I love tradeskilling. It's brought me as much join as raiding with my guildies and doing my epic 1.0,1.5 and 2.0. It's a part of the game that you can enjoy all by yourself. As far as improving your character with tradskilled items. Here are three that you can't get from any mob no matter how uber your guild is and how many end zone mobs they kill. Only a tradeskiller..

Bristlebanes Challenge
NO TRADE
STR: +5 DEX: +5 STA: +5 WIS: +5 INT: +5 AGI: +5 HP: +150 MANA: +150 ENDUR: +150
SV FIRE: +5 SV DISEASE: +5 SV COLD: +5 SV MAGIC: +5 SV POISON: +5
This is a miraculous meal!
WT: 20.0 Size: MEDIUM
Class: ALL
Race: ALL

Juice of Quellious
STR: +5 DEX: +5 STA: +5 CHA: +5 WIS: +5 INT: +5 AGI: +5 HP: +25 MANA: +25 ENDUR: +25
This is a miraculous drink!
WT: 0.4 Size: SMALL
Class: ALL
Race: ALL

Artisan Charm
MAGIC ITEM LORE ITEM NO TRADE
Slot: CHARM
AC: 30
STR: +25 DEX: +25 STA: +25 CHA: +25 WIS: +25 INT: +25 AGI: +25 HP: +225 MANA: +225 ENDUR: +225
SV FIRE: +20 SV DISEASE: +20 SV COLD: +20 SV MAGIC: +20 SV POISON: +20
Recommended level of 70. Required level of 51.
WT: 0.1 Size: TINY
Class: ALL
Race: ALL
Slot 1, Type 7
Slot 2, Type 8

word out

[Queletan]

I think, as was mentioned, it depends on what your personal interpretation of 'worth' is. I personally did not get into tradeskilling to make money (although I did manage to make a fair amount). I just wanted to get higher in a skill that seemed fun to me, gave me something to do when I was feeling anti-social, and every now and then had an end result that I or someone else might be able to use.

I think all the longtime members on these boards will happily admit that we're all a little twisted in the head (I can't count the number of posts by a new tradeskiller saying 'hello' that are answered by some version of 'welcome to the asylum). It is just a question of what you feel to be important as you play the game. It's alot like life, we all have different goals. I'd love some of the arms and armor that are available today, but I don't have the time, nor am I sure I would like to dedicate it, in order to achieve that.

I remember three moments in EQ probably more vividly than any other. When I finally joined my first raiding guild (I had been an allowed tag-along for ~15 months, but couldn't bring myself to ditch my old guild - the response of the raid guild when I finally agreed to join was overwhelming). When I finally reached 300 in smithing (I started it second, but it mattered more from a RP standpoint, I'm a dwarf! It was just awesome to know I was finally at the peak). And when I got the Master Artisan title (I knew how hard I worked, and so did all of my friends. There will probably never be another title that I will consider using. Class/level titles you get... That one I worked for).

That's my rambling . If you like doing tradeskills, they're totally worth it (I love the new charms). If you feel like you're grinding at something that sucks, don't bother. Why do something you don't like with time that is supposed to be spent having fun?

But, if you do like it.... welcome to the asylum

Q

[Klotar]

I'm working on tradeskills for one reason, and one reason only: the Artisan Charm. If that charm wasn't in existence, I personally wouldn't have a reason to tradeskill.

While I did work on some for quests (like 1.5 epic) where I had to have something at a certain level, and later on, even Grimel, I did go 5+ years without tradeskilling; it just wasn't my thing.

However, not being in a high end raiding guild, the Artisan Charm is the best I will see in the charm slot, and so I shall work on tradeskills until they are all maxed. It might not be today, or tomorrow -- but will be some day.

[Zolina]

The independence of a tradeskiller is a nice feeling too. I've made three AAAA's all by myself, except for the tinkering steps, and I made my own GM armor to go with the AAAA augments. Every time I see a rewarding quest that requires skill of 150 or so, like the Silkfang Pack quest, I can do it with no worries. I have a Bristlebane's Challenge for food and Miner's Mud to drink, the resists help out a lot on raids. A tradeskiller has a lot more freedom and versatility in game than a non-tradeskiller, so it's worth the effort.

[olhoss]

Not to go too far afield hear, but the Artisan Charm is awesome but if you are a melee class I think the quested one from TSS is actually better. It has 25 fewer hp/mana than an Artisan Charm with a slipgear gem in it (assuming that's what you have in the extra slot), but it has some melee effects on it.

On top of which, I haven't done it so I can't say for sure but I would bet a pair of coarse spider silks it could be done faster than someone could max their tradeskills and cheaper, even if you had to pay for groups to help you get it.

[KyrosKrane]

Maxing the TSS quest charm (I'm assuming you mean the Serpent Seeker's Charm of Lore) requires a few raid drops. Without the raid drops, it's weaker than the Master Artisan charm, if I understood the discussions about the TSS charm correctly.

[Wyvernwill]

Not to go too far afield hear, but the Artisan Charm is awesome but if you are a melee class I think the quested one from TSS is actually better. It has 25 fewer hp/mana than an Artisan Charm with a slipgear gem in it (assuming that's what you have in the extra slot), but it has some melee effects on it.

On top of which, I haven't done it so I can't say for sure but I would bet a pair of coarse spider silks it could be done faster than someone could max their tradeskills and cheaper, even if you had to pay for groups to help you get it.

15ac is a huge bonus to me as a tank. Shielding? Useless, I have it maxed. Attack? 15 isn't really a big deal, even below cap. Maxed Mana Regen too. So ultimately, Charm of Lore vs Artisans is nothing more than a 15ac vs 10hp comparison.

When you add in the fact that you can have Slipgear + Wanderlust vs only Wanderlust in the other, the balance tips to the fact that Artisan's is just better.

Sure, my situation being MPG Raid geared isn't the most common, but it is for those who will max out the Charm of Lore.

[gggrant]

On my main I have GM'd the seven deadly tradeskills.
I have a rogue alt that has GM'd make poison.
I have a baby gnome warrior that has GM'd tinkering.

Being a human Tunare worshipper, raising my smithing up was a long and expensive process and fletching was headed that way until PoR came out (Thank you Tunare for the Treants). I still am in debt to the New Tanaan bank for all the small business loans that I took out.

I am currently working on alchemy and spell research (this is beginning to look like a repeat of smithing /shudder) on another two alts.

I have consumed so many Minotaur Hero's Brews to dull the pain that my Alcohol Tolerance is 270 and my liver refuses to talk to me now. I spend so much time at the stationary tradeskill containers that I haven't washed my armor in months. My friends complain of the smell and refuse to group with me. (Well, the neccies don't seem to mind the rotting flesh smell.) The raid leaders are constantly reminding me that /rsay is not the place to shout, "OMGZ, A [insert some obscure tradeskill ingrediant here]!!!!!!"

Yes, tradeskills are worth it.

[olhoss]

So ultimately, Charm of Lore vs Artisans is nothing more than a 15ac vs 10hp comparison.

Then I agree that the artisan charm is better for you....but does this difference make it worth the time, effort and expense of maxing your tradeskills? If you are already at 200 in all of them I would still say no, and that it is STILL easier to get the TSS quest charm.

Now, I am not saying it isn't worth maxing tradeskills, but I AM saying that doing it just for the charm is really not worth it.

[Wyvernwill]

Compared to things like raiding oblivion vs doing tradeskills... tradeskills are easier. Oblivion is a massive pain in the rump to do. *shrugs* Just my personal view point on it.

[MareeTP]

Ive played the same character since Kunark. She's at the top of her class on our server and a fulltime enthusiastic raider. I raid five, usually six nights a week.

I always swore off tradeskills. Have had no drop raid armor on her since I cant remember when..

Then SOE went two expansions with NO new aas. I sat for two full expansions with absolutely nowhere for my experience to go. I kept playing anyway but just finally got fed up with not progressing my character except through the occasional raid drops and required keys and flags.

I saw Bristlebane's Challenge and thought hmmm.. So I started baking. Then I started brewing to make those lovely pink hp drinks.. then I thought, well I wonder if I could really make something she would actually wear... and guess what, she now sports her very own, self-made, GM bracer with a Last Blood aug!!!! So funny how proud I am of that bracer. Never thought I would be able to ts something to equal the raid drops Im used to.

But she now has 3 items that are top of the line gear that I personally made through tradeskilling. Bristelbane's Challenge, Juice of Quellious, and Grandmaster's Stalwart Armband.

And Im going for the charm next. Its an upgrade to my Demiplane of Blood charm.

Worth it. Even for a full time raider. And one who is personally hated by the RNG. (I will beat it, I will!!!!)

[Kitathia]

If it wasn't for tradeskilling I would have quit EQ a while back. I used to get frustrated sitting LFG or trying to build a group to get "something" done. Now I tradeskill while waiting or I go vendor-diving.

I really really WANT to be able to make GM DoN armor one day and that is one of my goals, another is to be high enough to make the Charm. Do i need GM armor? Not really, my main have low-end raidgear and TSS Tier II and Im quite happy with that. But I do have an alt I want to see in GM armor. MY GM armor.

Call me crazy..

Heck I have turned down a group or two cause I found JUST what I needed to get some tradeskilling done.. It can be something as simple as making some spells for a couple of friends/guildies. And at the end of the day I had a fun EQ experience and that is all that matters.

Uh did I mention... My hubby got me hooked on EQ.. I got him hooked on tradeskilling.. Fair trade if you ask me.. /cackle

[Bryko]

Variety.

I raid, I group for exp/missions/etc and I do tradeskills. Variety creates better options to do something more along the lines of what you are in the mood for instead of simply "settling".