Non GoD Velium smithing above 206?

[Kakg]

Erm, no.

The reason is that for some strange reason unbeknownst to anyone here the trivial for Ethereal Rings is 212 but you must have a skill of 220 to attempt them.

The trick though is that at skill 210 + a geerlok you have 220 skill modified and so can use the rings as a skillup for 2 skill points.

But I still have trouble figuring out why everyone considers them free skillups - they aren't free to do. Anyone?

[Dunthor Warsmith]

The reason is that for some strange reason unbeknownst to anyone here the trivial for Ethereal Rings is 212 but you must have a skill of 220 to attempt them.

If I've got my history right, originally the assorted Ethereal pieces (sheets, rings, swatchs, etc) trivialled over 250. They were, by far, the cheapest and easiest recipes available to get some of those higher skill points. With the ethereal temper issue (sold back for a significant profit over cost), it was less usable for smiths than for tailors, but it was still present. It seemed SOE did not want these items to be difficulty-destroying skillup recipes, so they were nerfed to their present state, preserving the pre-existing skillup paths.

But I still have trouble figuring out why everyone considers them free skillups - they aren't free to do. Anyone?

I think its because relatively they're not overly expensive, but mostly because of the ease to do them. No hours of farming Hollowshade, or searching high and low for windstones, or throwing plat at MCS. The bricks can be bought pretty cheaply in the bazaar (often 10-25pp on Tunare at least), and if you know a 210+ brewer you can get the tempers (or buy them in the bazaar). I don't know about other servers, but until about 2 weeks ago, sheets were going for 200-250pp on Tunare, which would cover costs with a 1/2-1/5 success rate, depending on costs - better even if you can get the bricks while xping rather than having to pay for them.

The LDoN armors and EVBs have changed the value of ethereal sheets/rings a bit, as those are very viable alternatives now. The 2 ethereal points might not be of much value anymore, but in the older context, they were the simplist and easiest option for that point - a break from the more work-intense alternatives.

[Kakg]

Cheers Dunthor, much appreciated.

[ViconiadeVir]

Also, if you get a 15% mod item from XTC in ssra or from blob one in VT you can go from about 194 or so to 212.