random thought on skilling up smithing/tailoring

[Phantron]

Grandmaster material combines trivial at 242.
Master material combines trivals at around 180ish.

We know if your modified skill is within 50 of the combine (i.e. not a red combine) you've roughly 95% chance to make it.

This means you could be doing GM material combines at 192 and Master materials at around 130ish and use them to skill up. At worst you'll fail 1% more for GM materials (282 reduces fail rate to 4%) and 2% more for Master material (assuming master material is >180) than someone preparing those materials at 300 skill. (assuming both characters have same level in salvage)

Now I'll be the first to say that no one's going to touch my Metallic Drake Scales, but in theory, it could work, no? If you need to prepare say 300 Master combines, that's 300 combines to skill up for someone around 130-180 range, so why not make the most of it?

[Twistagain]

Grandmaster material combines trivial at 242.
Master material combines trivals at around 180ish.

We know if your modified skill is within 50 of the combine (i.e. not a red combine) you've roughly 95% chance to make it.

This means you could be doing GM material combines at 192 and Master materials at around 130ish and use them to skill up. At worst you'll fail 1% more for GM materials (282 reduces fail rate to 4%) and 2% more for Master material (assuming master material is >180) than someone preparing those materials at 300 skill. (assuming both characters have same level in salvage)

Now I'll be the first to say that no one's going to touch my Metallic Drake Scales, but in theory, it could work, no? If you need to prepare say 300 Master combines, that's 300 combines to skill up for someone around 130-180 range, so why not make the most of it?

In theory, makes perfect sense. And I would allow someone that I know, who has that skill level, do this for me...but all that's theory and fails to the human nature aspect. If you don't already trust that person, then you're not going to allow it. In addition, feel sorry for the little guy who has a bad run and only succeeds 80%...followed by an /ooc "This guy lied to me about his skill!!! Don't trust him!"

[Phantron]

Or they could just run off with your material too. Of course you can only do this with someone you absolutely trust, and they've to be the same race as you. I guess if I was controlling the second character, that'd be enough to feel 'safe'.

[Bobaten]

Actually, I got my smithing skill to 183 becaue my brother allowed me to make sickle parts for him. Of course, he also "allowed" me to make celestial essences...

[Elyssanda]

Of course, he also "allowed" me to make celestial essences...

*snicker* I have a 13 year old who BEGS to do CE combines for me. go figure...
no... seriously.. he does.

[Tanker]

I've said it before when Child Labor practices came up, you're just asking for me to put a math problem every 10 combines or so. :P

[Cyrint Aircaller]

We know if your modified skill is within 50 of the combine (i.e. not a red combine) you've roughly 95% chance to make it.

Is that true ?

[Itek]

hmm... why does the phrase "allowance increase" run through my head...

plus you say "he" ... I'd bet he gets play time in exchange... (hides all thoughts of nekkid DE newbies) nothing to see here...

"a math problem in every 10 combines"

hehe... so long as you don't make me do Stoke's/Green's problems I'd not mind

/em ducks projectile weapons, clicks Cloudy Potion and runs for zone line

But seriously... such methods have worked in the past (PoP ornate armor material prep combines) and got shot down. Now with the higher rarity of DoN components I doubt you'd find someone willing to let a stranger work their materials at any price. (Guildies, friends, family are pretty obvious exceptions, when I say stranger I mean someone you don't have a good reason to trust.)

[YurienStonebow]

bad as it sounds most of the moeny i make is from doing boring subcombines for people. no matter what i make i can't sell it. so i make things for other people.....CE, spoons, files, bits, etc....ever tried to make 1000 drops of mercury in 20 minutes?

[Scuzz Zilla]

Well when planning a skillup path could one, instead of letting another work on it..

Start your path and Skill up oneself on the prep combines and then after that is done, skill up on the actual combines.
Yes I can see that happening. Say " I want to make a smith of XXX race"
And do it that way.

Myself I have a friend I trust in my guild, I had him prepare Sickle Subcombines for me. same sucess rate(as per calculator) as I. so no beef there. It was a nice break from fine plate for im.

[Flatley]

I have often thought that have a guildmate as an apprentice would be great! Have them do the subcombines for Halas Meat Pies (as an example) and then just make the pies themselves. Everyone should be skillups and when that person trivials on the meats, then he takes an apprentice. This could keep people working on meat pies for a while

Flatley
Semi-serious Tradeskiller

[Qaladar Bragollach]

I don't know about you guys, but in the time it would take me to find an apprentice of the appropriate skill level, explain to them what I want, trade them all the subcombine components, wait for them to make subcombines, get them all back (particular pain in the arse if they don't stack), etc. etc. etc...

I could have just done it myself. I mean you both take the same amount of time to do said subcombines right? You aren't saving anything unless you assume that your apprentice is doing these subcombines when you are doing something else more valuable with your time. This, however, assumes that you can always find said person and get all your stuff back when you want it without, for example, having to wait 3 days for them to login, or wait for them to finish the DoN mission they are working on, etc. It doesn't seem very likely that you will actually save any time unless you share account information or you both happen to be in the same guild and you are both tagged as guild bankers.