8th shawl question for those who have done it:

[aks024]

I am at the point where smithing is getting to be extremely expensive - I am sure you all can sympathize. I am not a rich individual, I have about 1k in the bank left. I am wondering at this point if it makes more sense for me to attempt making the armor or if I should keep spending money to get smithing up. I have 15 leather padding, 10 emeralds, 5 diamonds, and 3 sapphires (would do Sapp last). My skill is currently 175 with geerlok. Thoughts?

Azariah
64 druid

[Harliquinn]

I personally found smithing fine steel plate an absolute dream compared to other trades. You do need about 1k of 'seed' money to start. I took my smithing up to 182 using fine steel plate and I think in 100 combines of fine steel armor I failed once or twice at most. I lost more money in failing the folded sheets of MQ metal (Probably 100pp). You can sell back fine steel plate to merchants for almost the same price ot make so the skillups are almost 'free'. Get your STR to 255 (Easy to do) and get to 182 is my recommendation. At 182 with geerlok I didn't fail any quest armor combines. (Same with jewelcraft at 182)

p.s. I did all my smithing in Plane of Knowledge (I can't prove it, but I think that zone has a reduced fizzle/failure rate built in)

[aks024]

I have been doing FS as well. But seem to be losing a LOT more money.
Making my own leather padding.

27 attempts to get from 163 to 164 making helms. Failed enough to be out 300pp.

30 attempts to get from 164-166 making helms. Failed enough to be out another 300 pp.

At 200-300 pp a skill up, not sure how I'm going to make it to 182 on the limited funds I have. Am I just having horrible luck?

Azariah

By the way Wis is 275, and Stre is 180, so I should be okay there.

[Zacatac]

You will find the need for funding soon enough. My normal course of the week during my FS skill ups--
(1) Go to feerrott and kill spiderings to make threads until I have 100 threads.
(2) Stop by Rathe Mtn next door and kill hill giants for money.
(3) Go bank money, then off to Stonebrunt for pelts. Sell some of the stuff you find in stonebrunt for more money at kitty village.
(4) Take your 90-100 leather paddings and the money and go do smithing.

Repeat each week. . .

[Tweedledea]

Try the armour. I began with about 174 skill + geerlok, got a few skill ups, I think I failed perhaps one piece. Got a few skill ups, my skill remains at 177, and these days I occasionally make the tradeable velium armour, enjoying an insignificant failure rate.

[Mocean]

I did all my combines starting at 175. I failed BP once and Legs once but I had previously completed legs and bp for friends (droppable version.) It is not unreasonable to do your combines at that level.

[Kalavas]

Did it all at 167 smithing + geerlok, succeded on all first time.

Some time back I read that someone had worked out the formula for success on trade skill items... I pluged the highest trivial for royal velium iinto the formula and got a result of 168 skill for maximum (95%) success rate. So if you have a geerlok anything over 168 is a waste. I also skilled up twice making the armor.