Grand Mastery -- Should I?

[Draggar]

OK, my fletching skill is nearing 170. (For a level 27 Rogue).

Now, I need AA's to get GM'd in other tradeskills, which means I'm at least 23 levels away from that (an eternety the way I play)...

Wondering if I should take the plunge and drive my fletching skill past 200 and get a Grand Mastery in that, or pull the others up?

Smithing is about 117, Brewing is in the 60's, Tailoring is in the 80's, Baking is in the 160's , pottery is in the 140's-150's...

I haven't worked on PoisonMaking yet (OMG! A Rogue who hasn't done poisonmaking yet?), and I am not going to bother with Jewlcraft.

My skills are pretty high for someone my level (I'm assuming).

As for money, it is not an issue right now, I have over 6K in the bank (selling silks, leather paddings, and other tradeskill items (banded etc..) for a long time. I'm sure if I concentrated on it, I could get my flethcing way above 200...

As for using the skill, my archery isn't too high (20's)...

Before I took the plunge to go into brewing I had this same dilema.

I want to be a tailor, and still do.

Then I figured by the time I could get to 200 tailoring, I will most likely be over 51, and can use the AA's if I really want it.

I would ask yourself why you want to get over 200 fletching though?

From the horror stories I've heard, it is a very very expensive skill to GM... at least in relation to possible profits in the long run.

All you will be able to do is make nice bows/arrows... which any high level ranger can also do.

My preference would be either baking/brewing at your level, simply because you can afford to GM them, and can make a bit of cash once you do.

If you dream of you're arrows flying true from bows that you've made for every Uber ranger in the game, feel free to ignore my ramblings.

[Draggar]

I won't ignore any suggestions here, I've learned that at least 99% of the people here (as far as common posters) are probably part of the most experinced 5% of Everquest.

Any advice will be looked at and concidered.

As for arrows flying for uber rangers, what about me? I want to get archery up! I might not need to backstab if I kill them from afar (and I've got the mithril arrows to prove it!)...

As for Baking and Brewing, i have been working on those, but seems like the stuff I've made doesn't sell (I had Hot Toelings as low as 5gp each and still wouldn't sell for over 3 weeks...).

Maybe I'll go back to leather paddings.. Thoe were hugely profitable!

One advantage of brewing, you also get alcohol tolerance up!

As for arrows flying for uber rangers, what about me?

You only need 1 bow for yourself. Ok, maybe for different situations people like multiple, hehe. I've never seen a rogue that does anything but pull with a bow... which can be accomplished with any 2 bit bow in the game... but maybe it changes higher level.

Only a few foods and drinks make money, obviously the stat ones. When you can start selling for 200-400pp per stack, you begin to see quite a bit of profit.

[Draggar]

As for arrows flying for uber rangers, what about me?

You only need 1 bow for yourself. Ok, maybe for different situations people like multiple, hehe. I've never seen a rogue that does anything but pull with a bow... which can be accomplished with any 2 bit bow in the game... but maybe it changes higher level.

Only a few foods and drinks make money, obviously the stat ones. When you can start selling for 200-400pp per stack, you begin to see quite a bit of profit.

As for the fletching, I've become accostumed (sp?) for selling archery kits, a basic bow and 2 stacks of 150Rng, 1Dmg arrows for 5PP (Noobs swallow these up like there's no tomorrow).

Occasionaly I'll take orders (Esp in GFey)..

As for the foods, I've seen the main reason to get the skills up is to come out with the fun stuff, Birthday cakes, Wedding Cakes..

But what I've seen as profitable on my server are Halas 10lb Meat Pies...

Maybe I'll strive for those...

[Liwsa]

As a rogue you get crits using throwing weapons so most rogues do not use bows. If you aren't a ranger with endless quiver you would need to carry tons and tons of arrows if you really want to try to bow kite a mob. My advice is leave the GM Fletching for others and go with something that can be GM'ed for less money. When you get to 51 and store up enough AA's then worry about fletching.

[Maena Bowyer]

Haven't really paid much attention to thrown weapons, but last time I checked, the damage on bows was so much better than the damage on thrown weapons that the "crits on thrown" didn't matter. Bow damage, even for rogues, was better. Not to mention that for pulling, range > dmg, and I have yet to see a thrown weapon with 400 range. (BFT + 150 arrow)

That being said, 6k will probably get you to 202 fletching, but that's probably about as far as it will get you. Until you get a *lot* more cash, it probably isn't worth specialising in fletching.

[Kritta]

I won't ignore any suggestions here, I've learned that at least 99% of the people here (as far as common posters) are probably part of the most experinced 5% of Everquest.

Ya know, I always have that feeling when I read these boards. Glad someone finally came out and said it as ya know ... I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

[Cigarskunk]

Getting past 202 skill in fletching will cost atleast 1500 plat per point on average which means that your 6k will get you to a 206 skill, maybe 207 or even 208 if you're lucky.

[Petercorbin]

Don't worry about throwing as a rogue, i focused on throwing w/my rogue and got it to 180's and unless you pay for a lot of 10 damage razor claws or have mages summon you bandoliers of luclin all the time (10 damage daggers there too) you arent going to be hitting for very hard and when you do get deadly strikes and what not they're only going to be for 50-100 tops, and you'd be better off just using a damage 30ish bow.. I am using a nightmare compound bow now (although you cant use til 46 and it doesnt proc til 50) and I hit harder with the average arrow than i do with crits or deadly strikes with daggers and it has nice stats and the AC buff procs a lot.

If you were to max out another skill over 200 you'd still be able to make nightmare bows about 33-50% of the time at 200 fletching and make a profit, it costs a lot to make em though and the market can flux a great deal. 201-250 fletching is a pain unless you can farm acrylia pretty well then the cost of raising it is fairly low. IMHO you'd be better off not GM'ing fletching but really its up to you, just stay away from the throwing daggers!!!

[Draggar]

I've done some research and right now for me I have to agree with the general consensus, GM in fletching isn't for me. I'll quit working on it for now and just take special orders that are trivial for me for some extra cash..

I also bought some chunks of condensed substance, I'll prob make points out of them and either sell them to a guildmate at cost or at the bazaar or a profit..

I'm still deciding on 3 tradeskills,
The previously suggested brewing (right now I'm at 60-something there, but there is a cheap way to get to 135).

Baking is another, I'm in my 140's with that,

And the third is pottery. Being a rogue, it will be cheaper to make my own poison vials, just have to stack up on MQ/HQ pelts and zombie skils (but the skins at Nro / Commons, farm the pelts in NK).
I think I'll lean on pottery, work on that in GFey while collecting dews for more cultural smithing..

Thanks for the responses all!

[Marteeny]

Being a rogue, it will be cheaper to make my own poison vials, just have to stack up on MQ/HQ pelts and zombie skils (but the skins at Nro / Commons, farm the pelts in NK).

You might want to rethink this strategy.

Considering MQ/HQ pelts sell for 5-10pp each, why would you use them to make a vial that can be bought for 1.5pp each? Why not sell 1 pelt and buy 5 vials with it?

Just a thought

Marteeny
35 Enchanter

[Draggar]

You might want to rethink this strategy.

Considering MQ/HQ pelts sell for 5-10pp each, why would you use them to make a vial that can be bought for 1.5pp each? Why not sell 1 pelt and buy 5 vials with it?

Just a thought

As I see what you're trying to say, don't forget, my main is a Rogue (probably part of a very small minority).

I've just started getting into making poisons, so I need the vials.

I can farm in EK for a while and stock up on the pelts to not only make the vials (so I don't have to buy them) but also it gets my pottery skill up.

Kill 2 birds with one stone..

Thanx for the input, though.

If you plan on making a trophy you will need to either pay someone to make a seal for you, buy one in bazaar, or have pottery/jc up decently.

Pottery may be a good way to go for that reason. You have half the skill required to make the seal without taking up a second skill. They do have a few marketable items as well .

Pottery I hear also is store bought to high 200's, but fairly expensive after 199.