How do I progress beyond 180 skill level?

[Liam]

I apologize if I have missed this elsewhere, but I don't play very often anymore and I don't know how to raise my skill beyond 180, the previous cap of Alchemy. Do I need to do something special? Is it an AA skill or accomplishment? Can I just start making higher level potions and automatically skill up beyond 180?

I have all expansions but honestly haven't really explored the last 2 or 3. I maxed out at 180 a long while back and haven't hardly made an effort to do any more since I heard rumors of the cap being raised.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice here!

[Luvimt]

I apologize if I have missed this elsewhere, but I don't play very often anymore and I don't know how to raise my skill beyond 180, the previous cap of Alchemy. Do I need to do something special? Is it an AA skill or accomplishment? Can I just start making higher level potions and automatically skill up beyond 180?

I have all expansions but honestly haven't really explored the last 2 or 3. I maxed out at 180 a long while back and haven't hardly made an effort to do any more since I heard rumors of the cap being raised.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice here!

As Alchemy is a class related TS, I believe you can take it all the way to 300 without any aa's even If you have another skill over 200. All you need is a huge pile of cash /comfort.
I followed this posts progression guide http://mboards.eqtraders.com/eq/showthread.php?t=20597 until I ran out of cash, now, I am doing the occasional ensnaring concoction 6 and farming deepwater inks/nodding blue lillies when I can take the boredom lol.

[-Nadanog-]

You do the purely storebought combines til they cap at 255 or so, then farm Deepwater Inks and Nodding Blue Lillies. I did 200-255 in a couple hours, then a week or so to 300 farming a couple hours each day. I ended up filling 3 mules with Elixir of Healing X, and my guildmates love it.

[Liam]

Thanks folks! I didn't really get the answer I wanted, though it appears it is obvious. Just making sure here.

You are saying that they simply dropped the 180 limit and I can begin progression beyond it without having to do anything special? I have no problem figuring out how to progress, just wasn't sure if there was something I had to do, like perform some sacrifice to SOE or something to allow me to take advantage of the higher cap.

Thanks again!

[Saleani]

just wasn't sure if there was something I had to do, like perform some sacrifice to SOE

Just all your plat. They lifted the level restrictions on make poison, alchemy and research a couple months ago. So, once you get to the level where you can perform the skill, you can get to 300 as long as your wallet holds out.

[eqNichola]

They lifted the level restrictions on make poison, alchemy and research a couple months ago.

Was that mentioned in a patch message, or was it a stealth change?

[Liam]

I guess this change in the alchemy cap came about with DoN? I don't know really. Thanks to all the replies, though, I was able to GM Alchemy. That is if over 200 is still considered GM and not 300...

Let's see... Cost me about 7K or so to go from 180 to 202, I think was the final result. It may be exactly 200... I can't really recall. At least I can say I broke 200.

[Binter]

After 200, the most cost effective way to get to 300 is the new vendor/alchemy potions. These potions are relatively cheap to make, and they have viable resale value in the bazaar, so you can turn a profit from them.

I suggest you max your skill with Type IX potions, they triv at 302 and cost less to make than Type X.

Alternately, you can go straight to Type X potions, but these triv at 348.

These potions require 1 farmed component, and the rest bought at a vendor. For Type IX, you'll need Deepwater Ink and Comfrey for any type potion you make, 5 small vials, and 1 more ingredient that determines what kind of potion you make. Each success yields 5 potions, but only stack 10 at a time.

All items except Deepwater Ink can be bought in PoK from the alchemy merchant room except the Type X common vendor item, Hemlock Powder. This can only be bought in Abysmal Sea from the alchemy vendor there.

Deepwater Ink (formerly known as Ocean Ink) is the farmed component you need for Type IX. These drop in Kedge Keep, Siren's Grotto, and Plane of Water. At level 65, I'd suggest Siren's Grotto. You'll get a decent drop rate, kelp items drop that you can tribute off, and there's always the chance Fellspine pops and you can snag yourself a spiked seahorsehide belt.

If you want to make some Type X potions for yourself or to sell in the bazaar, then you're going to need to farm Nodding Blue Lillies. These drop in Old Sebilis and Crypt of Decay, and you'll have to go to Abysmal Sea to buy Hemlock Powder.

Type IX are cheaper to make, but have less resale value than Type X. Wether you want to save a little money on the front end, or invest to make Type X and try to earn that money back in the bazaar, is up to you.

[Liam]

Thanks Binter. I'm afraid I am more confused now, though. I have searched here for potions used making deepwater ink and all I see are poisons. I really don't understand what you mean by new vendor/potions... I have been out of the tradeskills for a long time and if this is something relatively new I don't know where to look for info on it...

If you could help a little more I would be very grateful!

[Shiuna]

Here's a nifty chart showing the new potions:

http://www.nytmare.org/eq/newpotions.htm

Ingredient 1 determines the type of potion, ingredient 2 determines the strength, and therefore the trivial, and ingredient 3 is there to make us crazy.

The old wisdom was that, if you're going to sell them in bazaar, you should only make level X potions because none of the others sold, but I suspect that's changed now that there are required levels on the potions.

[burnttoastv]

They lifted the level restrictions on make poison, alchemy and research a couple months ago.

Does this mean that lvl 1 shammybots can now be GM of alchemy or they need to be up there in lvl?