Human Smith with a few questions...

[arador_stormbow]

I'm up to 188 smithing and have been working to collect materials for a big push to 200+. I can get my Str to 260+ and have a gearlok, so gear's set. I have about 32kpp. I currently have the following supplies horded:

- approx 15 stacks of leather padding - for Field Plate
- 6-8 stacks of sea temper (want to have 10 before I start)
- several stacks of Plains Pebbles (I have a friend who will Imbue them) - for Imbued Field Plate when I get there

I know I have a lot more I'll need to gather before I'm done, but after obtaining all this I'm now starting to wonder whether Enchanted Velium might now be a better route toward 222.

I'd planned on something like (with occasional possible SS or Acrylia sessions interspersed for variety):

- Field Plate to 215
- Imbued Field Plate to 240


But using Velium I could do this:

- Enchanted Velium bits to 222
- Imbued Field Plate to 240


The latter would certainly allow me to save my tempers for the higher levels when that's really the only good option for me, but if velium hunting is absolute chaos atm I'd rather try to avoid it if I can. Fishing for Seaweed in OOT is soooo peaceful (well, until some idiot bard trains a seafury on you from 2 islands away when you're afk, but that's another story). ;P

Any opinions from you folks who have been there before me or are working through the process now?

[Dalur]

Hunting velium can be a pain, but it's a lot simplier than doing other things.

I am working on enchanted velium bits myself. Ran through my last stock pile of it and managed to get to 219 - #$#$*#&% RNG, could have given me 1 more point - hehe.

[ColdHeart]

I HIGHLY recommend EVBs. If you can farm CC well enough, I did alright going there. Or buy small pieces in bazaar and chisel them down.

I had started Imbued plate from 212, but found the recipe for EVB and did that all the way to 222. Then have started making Tae Ew, Acrylia, even a Fine Heraldic Helm.

My next plan for skillage is Imbued Field Plate again, up o 240 eventually. but other combines mainly to see what I can make (got enough for 2 Black Acrylia weapons now :-)

[Cavel]

If you can forrage go on some LDoN adventures and get some temper componants from there. The plate LDoN items will take you to 220 with the only costly bit being the Superb Leather Padding. Once at 210 equip your Gearlock hammer and do some Ethereal Rings to 212 then move on to either more LDoN armors or EVB to 222.

Stockpile your tempers till after 220 or 222 to do the imbued till 242 would be my suggestion.

[Collwyn]

Are you still suggesting EVB even though you can't purchase CVT's anymore?

[Balkin]

Sorry, but LDoN armors only go up to 212 where the BP trivials.

[Cavel]

Ahhh My mistake... Going off old Data here. One Thread Suggested (When LDoN came out) that the BP was 220. But either way LDoN armors are still a decent SKill up route.

So the Suggestion then would be to 210 on LDoN items, 2 skill ups doing Ethereal Rings, then EVB's

Yeah I still recomend them as you can still get Velium Temper by either Bazaar or making it yourself.

This Route will take you to 220 then look into using the Sea tempers or SS armor... OR if you are a true Sadist you can just skip the LDoN items and do SS for all the combines.

[arador_stormbow]

/slaps self

Doh! I hadn't even been thinking LDoN for skillups. I just looked over the recipes, and it looks like I've even sold several of the temper ingredients I've foraged up while on missions (I'm a Ranger btw).

This is actually quite encouraging - there are now a number of routes to take after 188. It certainly looks like I'd be smart to save most of my Sea Tempers and leather padding for later and look at making use of the EVB and LDoN recipes while I can.

Thanks for the input!


Araddor Stormbow
Luclin

[Cavel]

Thinking about this and the fact that you want to Skill up... I have to ask a question:

Are you willing to spend a lot of Plat to get to 250?

The answer would suggest the route to take... If no then after LDoN and the Ethereal Rings I would suggest emptying all your characters bags and stocking up for lots of SS combines. The Boots will take you to 248 and all it will cost you is time farming + Cost of Metal Ring manufature + Banded Boot mold + Sanity. It is currently the route I am attempting to Follow. Well that and a bit of the Old World Cultural and some Tae Ew and Some BD cultural and well anything else I can get my hands on.

IF however you have TONS of plat rotting in the bank I would suggest that you go the LDoN armor then the Ethereal Rings then Mistletoe cutting Sickles. Very Spendy to do but less of a hastle in my opinion than the Shadow Scream.

Just my 2pp

[Talanshar]

Well...

If you want to do field plate, I'd recommend getting more temper together. 200 tempers is marginal for your next push. I'd give odds that you won't hit 200 with only 200 tempers available to you unless the RNG is very kind. I had over 600 when I started my first major field plate run. From 188 to 200, I was probably at 30 combines per point, on average. I had a couple 60's, a few gifts from the RNG.