Death to the RNG!

[Bobaten]

That's because if a combine is 100 trivial above your skill, you don't get credit on your trophy, and most of the research combines that people do over 220 or so are more than 100 trivial above, since those combines go up to 400+.

The 100 trivial thing needs to be changed for any combine over 250 considering how many research/tinkering (and quite likely smithing and tailoring next expansion) combines that are over 100 more than skill that people actually do the combines at.

You missed the part of the trophy leveling rules that already covers this:
Any combine with a trivial over 350 is considered to be 350 as far as the trophies are concerned. So once you hit 250 skill, all non-trivial successful combines level up your trophy.

[JonzeGirl]

Any combine with a trivial over 350 is considered to be 350 as far as the trophies are concerned.

I thought that was only after you hit 300 skill tho? So that in effect everything 301+ trivial could help to level your trophy to 7/7.

~Clio

[Rawckett]

That's because if a combine is 100 trivial above your skill, you don't get credit on your trophy, and most of the research combines that people do over 220 or so are more than 100 trivial above, since those combines go up to 400+.

The 100 trivial thing needs to be changed for any combine over 250 considering how many research/tinkering (and quite likely smithing and tailoring next expansion) combines that are over 100 more than skill that people actually do the combines at.

My tinkering skill is 296, and my tinkering trophy is not even at 50% yet. I have not done any combines more than 100 over my skill.

[Catweazel]

Ditto for my Smithing and Tailoring trophy. Smithing was at 56% when I dinged 300, Tailoring is at 57% and I am at 288. Likewise I have done no combines greater than 100+

For both skills I have used a wide variety of recipes for skill ups - the trophy just did not evolve in pace with the skill ups.

[Gaell Stormracer]

This is drifting off-topic but...

If you've used stuff with a skill-up bonus -- i.e the Master Cultural for Smithing, Tailoring and Tinkering -- then your skill will INDEED be well ahead of your Trophy. Think of the percentage on your trophy as to where you'd be if you had used stuff without a bonus to skill up on and be pleased at your advancement...

[Bobaten]

I thought that was only after you hit 300 skill tho? So that in effect everything 301+ trivial could help to level your trophy to 7/7.

~Clio

No, it's always true. I can personally attest that my trophy gained xp when I made some GM sleeves(368) when my smithing was in the 250's.

As to why you can beat your trophy, there are many reasons besides the RNG.
1) As mentioned, recipes with skill up bonuses.

2) High stats: We don't know what stat value Ngreth used when he calculated how many combines it should take to skill up from 0-300. If he used 255 int/wis and you have a 405 int/wis, then you will skill up faster than assumed (2% faster for a difficulty 2 skill, 26% faster for a difficulty 3 skill, 62% faster for a difficulty 4 skill). Stat caps went up with the level increase in TSS, so we can be pretty sure there are people with higher stats than he assumed.

3) Skilling up on things that trivial more than 100 over your skill. While it is not true past 250 skill (when it is most common), it is true below 250.

4) Skillling up on failures. Two places this happens often. First for skilling up on combines trivial well above your skill (e.g. Fetid Essence). Second, when you skill up using success capped combines (e.g. DoN GM armor). The success capped combines are often a double whammy to the trophy, since many also have skill up bonuses.

Note: I'll probably stop using the word trivial sometime after I stop calling worn mana regen FT.

[JonzeGirl]

Well thanks for clearing up my misunderstanding Bobaten - I've been operating under an incorrect assumption for a while. I really thought I had read that here somewhere but either read it wrong or am remembering it wrong LOL.

Ah, what tradeskills will eventually do to your brain....

~Clio

[Roanne]

No skillup counter please.

[Ngreth Thergn]

Note: I'll probably stop using the word trivial sometime after I stop calling worn mana regen FT.

doesn't bother me as long as you are not one of those people that says "it is trivial so I should not be failing!"

[Nilbus]

So when I went to do the tinkering mastery quest I failed twice making stalking probes at 300 skill, it is trivial so I should not be failing!

/hide

[KyrosKrane]

You know, ogres find gnome tradeskillers to be particularly tasty ... in general, tradeskillers don't do much physical labor, which means they tend to be plump and juicy, not hard and stringy ... tradeskillers should be careful when taunting an ogre.

[Nilbus]

That's what air elemental illusion is for. Hard to bite/eat air!

[Ngreth Thergn]

Note the word "illusion" instead of transmorgrification... you just LOOK like air, but you are still plump and tasty... it just makes you have less calories since you look like air!.

[Bara]

That's what air elemental illusion is for. Hard to bite/eat air!

Oh no! Ogre with a bad case of gas/air in the the tummy?? RUN!!!

[Nilbus]

to clarify, as a mage, I get elemental forms, not illusions. so pppphhhhtt :P