Making weaponsmithing a new tradeskill

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

There seems to be a dearth of weapon making or much conversation about it. With the new expansions we have seen incredible new armor types and great recipes for other skills but there is not much (At least that I know of) interest in forged weapons. There are 3 things I would like to see to revitalize the weapons trade.

1) Make weaponsmithing a new tradeskill. There comes a point when armor making and weapon making separate and having 2 skills for this would reflect that reality.
2) Add BD weapon recipes.
3) Add usefull cultural weapons for ALL races.

Besides, with a new tradeskill, it would round out that 1750 to 2000

[Koner]

Good idea. I have always thought the the forged weapons should be much much better than they are. Since both armor smithing and weapon smithing would use the same basic skills maybe the introduction of a "specialty" would be in order. Once your smithing skill reaches a certain point you can chose to go in either direction and become either a weapons smith or armor smith. At which point they become distinctly different with separate skill paths to grandmastery. The 175 smithing skill point seems the logical place to make this since it is at this point that making weapons ends as a viable skill up path.

[Flabbo McFattyfatfat]

Uhhh WHY? Seriously, why not let us smith both. Its smithing, not armor making.

[Asharad]

Mr. McFattyfatfatfat err..fat has a good point. Smithing should be all encompassing.

now, if they wanna boost up the weapons we can make, I'm all for that.

[Sinuuyanea Nocturne]

Seriously. There is no way that I am going to learn another tradeskill at this point, unless it's really, really interesting <img src="http://www.boomspeed.com/sinuuyanea/dcrazz.gif" alt="Carpentry aint gonna cut it!">

[ElDrago]

what a stupid stupid idea

[Cantatus]

ElDrago, even if you don't agree with the idea, there are less insulting ways to disagree than calling it stupid.

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

what a stupid stupid idea

Why? Constructive criticism would be appreciated. This comment tells me nothing. I made the post to elicit discussion, not flames.

As for Fatty criticism, one could argue why not have alchemy and brewing together? Or but it with baking and have one tradeskill called cooking. The reason I suggested a separate skill for weaponsmithing was to expand the area of crafted weapons to the same level as armor. You could argue that there are lots of weapon recipes but most are just variations on a theme., ie acylia, deathsteel, etc.

The whole idea originates from discussions on this board. I have read a great deal of discussion about armor but precious little about weapons. There just doesn't seem to be the same level of depth.

[Flabbo McFattyfatfat]

If brewing and baking were the same skill, I would be opposed to splitting them as well. Similarly, I am against splitting up armor and containers for tailoring. Or silk and leather. Its silly and a pointless nerf to the skill. Add new recipes? Great! But dont require a whole previously non-existant weaponsmithing (note smithing is smithing... not armorcrafting) to make them.

I do agree, almost universally the weapons are pretty lame. Firebrand weapons? HOODY HOO!

Why do you want to weaken a skill by dilluting its recipes to sub-skills?

[Quinner Sparrowhawk]

Point taken, Flabbo. My intention was not to nerf the skill but make for more diversity. If Sony would add more cool weapon recipes without getting the other Trades up in arms then I would be happy with that.

[Flabbo McFattyfatfat]

They normally do add in weapons. Tae ew, firebrand, death steel, black acrylia. The problem is most of them are so incredibly worthless. Honestly, the tae ew weapons are mediocre, and flat out a waste of temper if you conside the shield. Not a large market for many ba weapons.

[Balagar]

Weaponsmithing

I've thought for a long time that better weapons should be smithed. If you can imbue gems to make specific armor why not weapons? Yes, I know that there are some cultural weapons, what I'm talking about would be weapons with bane damage. Suppose you could make a Kobold Slayer by combining a Fiery weapon with an Imbued gem? Or an Elemental Slayer? These would be of great value to characters leveling up in places like Twilight Sea or Blackburrow or The Warrens.

Fiery and Deathsteel weapons are only a little better than a basic Fine Steel weapon. Since they require 2 tempers to make one weapon, I found it a waste of time and effort making them. I made a few just to say I did it, gave them to newbies near Neriak, and them went about my own business.

On the topic of splitting weapons and armor....well in the days of real smiths, very few could do both. A smith who went beyond simple implements either specialized in weapons or in armor. It took too long to become an expert at both. Smiths who could shoe a horse or make a shovel were a dime-a-dozen (as far as smiths went) but a smith who could forge a really good sword was in high demand.

So, while I would love to see Weaponsmithing as a tradeskill, I think that would cause too much grief and probably too many bugs, but it would not be that difficult to at least create a lot more diversity in weapons.

[metopu sureflight]

I think making two skills from it would be very interesting. I would also have to agree with you on making cultural weapons more useful, as I have made several of them and cannot seem to get them to sell to anyone. Since the opening of the Bazaar I think tradeskilling has declined. Perhaps there should be more tradeskill questing as well?

[Kornaena]

Firstly, I think splitting the skills is not a good idea. See others reasons above.

Secondly. The Tae ew weapons are decent. 12 20 with stats +50hp is a rather nice weapon. Fleshgrinder is 12 19 with 75 hp and a proc. The Tae ew weapons are perfect for the ranger without epic. BA halberds are rather liked by many people as a 2hs. These weapons are no more outdated or outclassed as the armor we smith as compared to lootable counterparts.

Thirdly the shield is not that awesome. The Bone Braced Buckler I use is 25 ac 10 str 10 wis 55 hp 55 mana. Very comparable in stats. Skull marked shield is slightly below this with 22 ac some wis stats and 40 hp mana and runs about 2k. The tae ew shield is nice ac, but really, 10 or 13 more ac is not gonna help much with mobs hitting 300+

[Aleena]

Personally I would like to see a new tradeskill brought out. Something were everyone starts fresh, with no prenerf skill or bugged skillup process where we can go figure out new recipes.. Weaponsmithing ?? maybe not, but something different would be nice. In all honesty, I would like to see honest Cross Tradeskill items. Unlike that "CT" stuff which is entirely one class. I would like to see a new sword that you have to Smith the blade at 200+ smithing (that is Nodrop) , then Tailor the scabbard (no drop 200+ triv) then Jewelry a hilt (200+nodrop) and then have to combine them all in a forge again to get a final weapon (droppable). Something that would be along the lines of the Fleshgrinder or better. Some weapon actually worthwhile in the upper end game.
The problem with new weapons put in now under smithing is that there are enough 250 smiths that the components would ahve to be uber rare (functional frustrating) or have an incredible triv/ failure rare (annoying), otherwise soon as the recipe hits these boards every smith will be out there popping out as many as they can, which in all honesty is extremely boring.

Aleena