Combines per skill up?

[Screambringer]

Hey all,

Time for another question, which I thought I had seen a thread on, but will see if people have a general opinion on it. How many combines have you seen it take per skill up? I sat and counted a few peoples total combines in their skill up history, but that is a bit cumbersome, so if you have any personal experience to share I would appreciate it.

I plan on doing mostly sickles at this point till 300, I am currently 226 and figuring it will take about 750 combines, looking at other peoples luck. This an accurate ball park?

Also, it seems there is a stronger skill up rate for non sickle combines in peoples records, is this just odd luck or do farmed combines skill you up faster than the sotre bought variety (sickles)?

Thanks for the information,

Screambringer

[Ozadar]

I would AT LEAST double that estimate. 20 per skill-up at 250+ is not unusual.

Ozadar of the 70th Corpse
Tradeskiller of Zek
Member of 1450 Club

Baking - 200
Tailoring - 202
Pottery - 219
Smithing - 227
Brewing - 248
Research - 200
Fishing - 200
Jewelry - 253
Fletching - 200

(+5% to all skills) + Salvage 3

[Mystic Lioness]

It took me 1100 combines (mainly sickles, some assorted other items) to go from 252 to 300 smithing. But then again, I don't have the best of luck.

[Tokkyl]

I must have the worst RNG luck then, as over 280 I generally hit at least a few runs where it will take me 100+ to get a skillup. Then you'll fall out of your seat when get a skillup within a few combines of each other

Currently I'm at 176 combines trying to get to 299 in JC. Was easy to tell as I was only one selling back the BD combines to the vendor - generally I avoid watching this number as it can make me sick sometimes.

Also to give an idea of my RNG luck - I've leveled 3 trophies to Master while still in the high 280's or low 290's.

So basically - you can estimate but expect more - maybe LOTS more of combines to reach the magic 300.

[Lucian Celeste]

for a long time people had the mantra that skill-ups were about 1 in 20 or 5%. If you look at the calculator on the front side here you will see at roughly 250 trivial this holds true. If you project it further out to 300 skill you see that the overall skill up chance drops to about 2.5% or 1 in 40. I know it seems like its taking longer to get skill post 250 but then it should be just remember, in the long run it all averages out.

[bitesyurr]

Can anyone clarify the things that effect your chance of getting a skill-up. I understood that 3 factors are relevant when looking for a skill-up:

Your actual skill compared to the Trivial for the item being made.
How high your primary attribute is (I.e INT/WIS etc).
How lucky you are.

Currently my smithing skill is 238, and I am working on Shadowscream armour on the basis that keeping the trivial of the combines closer to my actual skill rate gives me a better chance (also farmed items, so keeping costs down). Also I try and get a Wunshi to max out my strength so that would also give me a better chance of a skill up.

Is my thinking here flawed?

BTW - currently I seem to be getting a skill-up rate of approximately 10 combines per skill up.

[KyrosKrane]

for a long time people had the mantra that skill-ups were about 1 in 20 or 5%.

The reason for this was that prior to the changes to the skillup formula, you really did have a 5% chance to skill up from 190 skill onwards.

When the changes to the skillup formula went in, the skillup curve was made much smoother. From skill 175 to 268 (I think, I'd have to look it up to be sure), you had an easier chance to skill up than before. From skill 269 to 300, it was harder, with the final skillup from 299 to 300 being approximately twice as hard to get as before.

[KyrosKrane]

I understood that 3 factors are relevant when looking for a skill-up:

Your actual skill compared to the Trivial for the item being made.
How high your primary attribute is (I.e INT/WIS etc).
How lucky you are.

That's absolutely correct. Your chance to skill up is approximately doubled when you succeed a combine, compared to when you fail. So by working as close to your skill level as you can, you maximize your chance to succeed. Your primary attribute is your main determinant in your chance to skill up, so you want to get it as high as possible. Wunshi and other cap-lifting spells are a great way to boost that.

And of course, everyone here knows the impact of luck. Good streaks and bad streaks usually make for memorable posts on the Primal Scream forum. =)

[Eggborn]

The random generator can mess with you. Up until 294 I pretty much had 20 to 40 combines per skill up past 250. Now.. well its getting me good. I am at over 150 combines at 294 so far, no luck. I have lots of sickles, Tae Ew Chain Tunics, Masters armor, a few pieces of GM armor, many GM symbols, some Seru Bane weapons, black acrylia weapson, etc. I maxed the tribute on my husbands 51 cleric, myself, him, and many others. lol I think it's waiting till I run completely out of money cause I can't seem to stop doing sickles.

Sometimes you get lucky though. I had a friend get 4 skill ups to 289 with 6 tae ew chain tunics. It all depends on your luck.

[Xodar]

I personally estimated 20 per up to around 280, then 30 per and usually hit what I was hoping for on combine runs.

The RNG will get you though, my last three points in fletching were:
111 combines (298)
6 combines (299)
52 combines (300)

It's the 6'es that make you happy hehe.