Oh boy... getting from 222 to 300+...

[Xaxony]

1) Tiroon covered everything about the quest, but one thing to also mention is that while the armor quest is not level restricted, the augmentation quest is. I can't quite remember what tiers they are but I think it is whatever the required level to wear the augment is (so 55 for master's level).

Actually that is not entirely accurate, because I did the Master quest for my bard at level 48, dragging her behind my rogue as I cleared through DN.

[paalrh]

tae ew blood vials requires less variated farming. could be a way to close the gap for how long yo uneed to do sicles.

[Flehmen]

Actually that is not entirely accurate, because I did the Master quest for my bard at level 48, dragging her behind my rogue as I cleared through DN.

I'm positive that the Master symbol quest is level restricted as my 53 bard couldn't get it(he was starting to hunt in AC so I tried) but I did get it at 55 in the last month.

[JoseCuervo]

255 Strength Cap raised

Shaman Buffs Wunshi and Dire are the only two buffs I know of that raise the strength cap.
Wunshi's Focusing
Description:
1: Increase Max Hitpoints by 680
2: Increase HP when cast by 680
4: Increase STR by 85
5: Increase DEX by 85
6: Stacking: Overwrite existing spell if slot 1 is effect 'STR' and < 85
7: Stacking: Overwrite existing spell if slot 1 is effect 'DEX' and < 85
8: Stacking: Block new spell if slot 1 is effect 'STR' and < 1085
9: Stacking: Block new spell if slot 1 is effect 'DEX' and < 1085
10: Increase Str Cap by 85
11: Increase Dex Cap by 85

Dire Focusing
Description:
1: Increase Max Hitpoints by 816
2: Increase HP when cast by 816
4: Increase STR by 91
5: Increase DEX by 91
6: Stacking: Overwrite existing spell if slot 1 is effect 'STR' and < 91
7: Stacking: Overwrite existing spell if slot 1 is effect 'DEX' and < 91
8: Stacking: Block new spell if slot 1 is effect 'STR' and < 1091
9: Stacking: Block new spell if slot 1 is effect 'DEX' and < 1091
10: Increase Str Cap by 91
11: Increase Dex Cap by 91

255 + 85 = 340 + tribute 10 = 350
You need to be 61 to get wunshi buff. Im not positive about tribute level limits, but it caps at 12 cap increase at max level.
Smithing will use strength if it is higher than INT/WIS
It may be 260 stats at 61 with the automatic cap raise starting at that level.

[Posatrocible]

I heard that the stat potions requiring dropped items (VIII, IX, and X) did in fact raise the stat cap. This post is referring to wisdom, but it was my understanding that all the stat potions worked similarly.

[Gaell Stormracer]

Cetacean X can't be used by a level 42 - I don't think the lower level ones allow you to go overcap either.

Anyhow, assuming that you have a 5% trophy from 222-250, and an 8% trophy from 250 upwards, the Advanced Calculator says 1,679 MCS to hit 300.

(This does not compare too badly with the best possible situation of having Mastery 3 and 400 STR -- that would still need about 1,550 MCS).

[Xaxony]

I'm positive that the Master symbol quest is level restricted as my 53 bard couldn't get it(he was starting to hunt in AC so I tried) but I did get it at 55 in the last month.

Perhaps it changed later on in the game, I did it for her when DoN first came out and as I said before, she was 48 at the time.

[Mukkle]

Am I missing something here? I was reading this thread over for tips for my 41 zerker, who is 212 smithing. I noticed the OP mentioned his 42nd level shaman has '3' skills over 200 ... alchemy is a given, as he mentioned shaman. I know you can take one over 200 by default, so that gives two at 200+ ...

How did the thrid one get over 200 without being high enough for the AA? Am I blind?

[Liwsa]

He may mean modified skill baking 210 (200 + 5% geerlok = 210 skill). Unless he deleveled himself after being 51 and getting his 3 aa's.

[utania]

Sunshard pebbles can be used to fill in some gaps.

The pebbles can be typically bought on bertox for around 20-45.

Combine with pure copper ore (182pp) from barren coast to make a conduit using jewelery craft(210 triv)

This uses 1, but there are better routes to 222, this means you can get 1 skill up.
Copper Conduit cylinder(jewelery 223 triv)
Beaten Energeiac Chain Wristguard smithing 223 triv

Next uses 2 conduits
Make conduit small core pattern (jewelery 236 triv )
Then make Shining Energeiac Dagger smithing 239 triv.

Next uses 3 conduits
Copper Conduit Large Core jewelery 250 triv
I found Shining Energeiac Broadsword or Shining Energeiac Lance to be the easiest. I stood between a vendor and forge and sold the lore items as i made them in crescent reach.
Smithing trivial was 255, but I gave up at 247 and did steppes ore, as I didn't seem to get many skill ups for the cost. ~750pp per attempt.

When I start on tailoring i will definately be doing the sunshard dust and the early pebbles. The sunshard ore is selling for 1k upwards on bertox, so I believe it might be better to sell any ores you have and use it to buy cheaper components for skil ups.

[Roanne]

Save your Sunshard Ore for getting to 300. Its especially nice if you're skilling up a tinkering alt. I could get two tinkering skillup chances on my alt plus a tailoring skillup chance (minus failed combines) off one drop.

[utania]

I am at 255 skill at the moment as a dark elf

Going to use my remaining steppes ore and swirling shadows to get to above 262

I have been bazaar farming components at the moment, but not sure what to use when. Obviously there is also the mistletoe sickles to throw into the mix.

Was thinking of this order:

80 midnight stone
40ish shadow tempers for old de cultural
40ish black acrylia combines
40ish acrylia combines
250 tae ew blood
300 sunshard ore
10 drake scales that I want to succeed making helm and boots.

Does that sound right ?

[utania]

Didn't bother with the old cultural as a i needed some enchanter stuff that I had a hard time blagging

Steppes ore to 262
100 tae ew blood attempts - 5 skill ups early on
then got to 289 with master symbol augs
40 black acrylia dagger combines, stupid lore and no skill ups
50 tae ew blood combines - no skill ups

Went back to master symbol augs to get to 300, though it slowed right up when it got close.