The Future of Tradeskill Caps

[Ysall]

At a recent Dev chat, the following phrase to strike dread/hope into the hearts of all tradeskillers was used ‘….if/when tradeskills caps increase…’.

So my question is, when are we likely to see the next increase in the tradeskills cap. To date, it seems to have been roughly every two years. As the last increase to 300 came with DoN, that means its most likely to be with whatever expansion comes in Q1 2007. However, with N’greth in the hot seat, and the focus on putting committed resources into tradeskills, it might be earlier.

I must admit, the thought of starting the quest to be 350 in all tradeskills, and trying to earn the title Grandmaster Artisan (as I assume the title will be, given that the highest title is currently Master Artisan) fills me with dread and delight at the same time.

So, how soon do folks feel the tradeskill cap should be increase? Should it be done one tradeskill at a time to spread it out? Would folks like to see brand new tradeskills? And when will they implement the title Mistress Artisan?

[tnexus]

Well the if/when statement seems pretty vague to me. All it sounds like is whoever said it didn't want to completely discredit it from ever happening, but we definitely know it's not in the works anytime soon.

Also, the tradeskill cap really has only been raised twice. The first was from 200 to 250, but I'm pretty sure that was around Kunark era when they adjusted that, and in DoN to 300. I personally doubt we'd see tradeskill cap increases within the next three years at least.

[uncleshmoozo]

I'm pretty sure the initial tradeskill cap was always 250. It's been that way for as long as I can recall and I started playing back in December of 1999.

Frankly, I hope they never raise the caps again. It's enough that they raised them to 300 about a year ago. If you ask me an increase to the cap isn't what we need.

I wouldn't be opposed to new tradeskills, though frankly I'm not entirely sure what they could or would add. Woodworking, perhaps?

[Ysall]

Some new tradeskills:-

Woodworker – carves magical charms and trinkets, and the shafts of spears and arrows. Also used in the crafting of traps and fortifications

Mason – imbues stone with magical properties for fortifying armour and strengthening weapons (augs), skilled in both building and undermining of stone fortifications

Chemist – specialises in the creation of explosives for throwing (use-once DD’s), blowing up fortifications etc. Manufactures a number of chemical ingredients required by other tradeskills. This skill is not magic, its science.

[filobeto]

Agree.

Never is soon enough for me.

[Ishwar]

I am possitive the cap was raised from 200 to 250 at some point. I can not remeber when it was Jewelcrafters are your best source for this before tha update all platinum jevelery never trivialed.

As for raising or not raising the cap, the current skill/success structure poses some serious problems. It ius designed to work well in the 0-175 range, but for high trivial items, you reach max success way before reacing trivial. Personally I would love to see some restructuring that would mean things would be trival around the skill you had 95% succes on them (assuming a 5% mod). As long as you can skill up on things that are way easier to make that then things you actually need the skill for, the system is going to continue being broken.

[Veremar]

~Twitch Twitch ~

It has taken me 45 minutes to stop twitching and mumbling incoherently to myself in the corner after reading this post.

They can't do that, can they?

~twitch~~

But but ...

~~Twitch~~

They just can't

[Ishwar]

In any case if they do increase the cap, it should be for one skill only.

[Yammez]

In any case if they do increase the cap, it should be for one skill only.

Oh really? And just what ONE skill would YOU increase the camp on? Please, let's really tick off the tradeskillers lol. Skill caps are raised across the board for the most obvious of reasons that it is not even worth listing them.

IMO, I like the caps where they are. It keeps a great goal for all tradeskillers and keeps the high-end stuff....well, high-end. It stinks to have everything trivialized just to please a very small portion of the EQ community who have done everything in tradeskilling. I love tradeskilling just as much as the next nut-case, but if you're bored with tradeskilling then take a break from it....

[Pootle]

Oh really? And just what ONE skill would YOU increase the camp on?


I think he means that characters are restricted to only taking one skill to 350.
Like the path to 250 used to be.

[Tyfold]

I like the idea that only one cap should be raised per person...like pre-luclin. It creates diversity and provides a much great need for community in the game, rather than people being able to make everything they need. It forces more roleplay decisions, more thught about your characters future.

Of course I can see the opposed side....outrageous prices, everyone picking one tradeskill and ignoring the rest, imbalance of tradeskill powers etc.

But I still like the idea.

[Wyvernwill]

Well, I can't see one skill right now that it is even really worthwhile to bother skilling past 300.

Smithing/Tailoring, both are capped success rates (DoN GM armor)
Fletching/JC, both don't really have any high end combines that it would be necessary for. Augments I believe are capped success also iirc.
Baking and Brewing have no real recipes that are difficult or merit raising skill that high.
Pottery, for the most part has been useless and remains useless. The GM charms are skill capped also I believe, so why bother?

So out of those seven skills, I can not see a reason why I would even try to skill up too much. The Class/Race Restricted skills maybe, but even then they don't seem like they are worth the work.

But, that can all change with one expansion. The above is only based off of the current status of skills.

[Phantron]

Tinkering would be the only skill where it'd even mean anything to have a skill beyond 300 assuming AAAA components are not coded to have a minimum fail rate.

[Fesser]

At this time anyway. If I could rewind everyone's brain a bit, who would have thought back in 1998 that a skill of 300 would be worth the time for anything?

[YurienStonebow]

skill caps were originall 250 for oen tradeskill and all others to 200 way back when. it wasn't until pop came out that you could use aaxp for other trades, if memory serves me right but i'm getting senile in my old age/ what was the questiona gain?