Alternative to Shadowscream?

[Temken]

Right now, I'm sitting at 192 smithing skill, and here's my problem - after making 5 skillups through 80 SS boot combines, I go through 60 and not make a single one. I really need that last point too, because since I have VT gloves for a 15% mod, I can start skilling up in ethereal rings at 193 skill.

What I'm wondering is what might be a good alternative to shadowscream armor for skilling up. Thought about acrylia chain and plate, but would like to know what else there is. Would prefer not having to make mistletoe cutting sickles if possible. Those are rather costly and quite common in the bazaar on my server, making em a hard sell.

Edit: Forgot to mention, I'm a half elf. No cultural sadly, which leaves with few options.

[Bennan]

The 190's are well known as being a "difficult" period for alot of people, in many skills. I just dinged to 190 myself, after about 80 combines.

Since you don't want to spend alot of money, by the time you farm enough windstones etc, you could of done a heap of Shadowscream and most likely got that 1 skill point you are after....

Acrylia (unless you wish to spend alot of plat, which you don't) is very time intensive, much more than Shadowscream.

Sickles as you said are expensive.

That leaves Black Acrylia, which is also going to be very time intensive.

And as you said no cultral....

Thats all I can think of.

Honestly, with one skill point to go, I would just keep at the Shadowscream, if you ding after the first one, or after another 50 or so, it will still leave you with extras for after you triv Ethereal. And that prompts the question, what are you going to skill up on after Ehtereal anyways ?

Btw grats on the Gloves, I am very jealous....

[Boleslav]

/agree Bennan

There just isn't an easy option at your skill level. My recommendation would be to load up on some Shadowscream Steel components and grind that last point out. Then save the rest of the components while you skill up on Ethereal Rings. With the 15% mod item, you won't need to skill up much further than rings will take you, but you can break out the Shadowscream components you had been saving and maybe get an extra point or two then.

While you are skilling up on Ehtereal Rings, think of how EASY you will have it compared to the other smiths out there who will have to grind all the way to 250 on Shadowscream, Acrylia, or Cultural.

Boleslav Forgehammer
Paladin of Brell in his 59th Campaign
E'ci - The Twilight Fellowship

[OberonMiM]

I did 193 to 212 on Ethereal rings (using ironfrost)

You dont need need 193 skill you can GET your 193rd point on ethereal rings/sheets (you just need 192 skill to attempt it)

try it. Worked for me

Of course sense getting 212+15% skill ive done probably about 80 non trivial combines and not a single skillup

De Cultral. Black Acrylia, Mistletoe Sickles, GM Trophy (2nd attempt) etc