Question from a newbie smith.

[Adonna]

Was just wondering if there is still a cheap way to get smithing up past 100. I know there use to be a guide out there somewhere but cant find it. I am trying to get my smithing up to where I can start doing the tae ew chain armour and I know post 100 it gets expensive but would like to at least cut the cost on the pre 100 skill increases. Last I remember you could go from 21-100 for about 300pp from just vendor bought stuff. Its been a while since I have done any tradeskill so not sure if its still a viable option. Also the fact that I am half elf and have no cultural is it going to be harder?

[Stilts Stonebender]

My advice would be to start with putting 20 skill points (if you have them) in to the skill right off the bat. That reduces your time spent.

Then, go for items that have a resale value to other tradeskillers, or yourself in future steps. (sheets of metal, folded sheets of metal, studs, boning). You can hike the price a bit to cover your losses and other tradeskillers will still buy it because you're saving them time.

It starts getting real nasty once you've triv'd Fine Plate @ 188. Then it's either farming for Shadowscream or dumping loads of cash for (old) cultural armor. FP is really only for sell back since it's not desired by really anyone. Since you're a half elf, I'd suggest learning all you can about the Hollowshade war and shadowscream.

[Zopharr]

If you have good strength, wisdom, or skill, 300pp should get you to 115 (banded) easily, maybe even a few points past with embroidery needles. (good to 122, but requires celestial essence).

From there to 188 you can do for a few K, if you do fine plarte and farm your own padding. Or you can spend lots of plat (10-12k), do ornate chain, and avoid padding.

After 188, you have the chose of massive time farming, or massive plat. Pick your poison.

[Adonna]

cool, thanks for the info. Also is brewing the only other skill I need to increase or are there others beside the chanter needed ones of course. Have friends who will do that as long as i get the gems and vials.

[Meirril]

You should still be able to get to 100 skill at less than 50pp IF you max out your wis/int/str (i.e. over 252).

Don't put more than 1 skill point into smithing to start, unless you happen to have alot of them lying about. Instead make metal bits till it trivials, and bank them all. You'll need the metal bits anyways, ya might as well skill up while making them.
After metal bits your starting to make skewers till they trivial, then laterns, then a dairy spoon, then either lock picks or a non-stick frying pan if your willing to work pottery up a little bit (should be easy and cheep. maybe 10pp for your troubles).
You could do banded armor next, but I'd suggest the embroidering needle if you make the celestial essence yourself. Most likely you'll be selling these to a vendor (either the armor or the needle, just like you sold the rest to a vendor) and not players. If you are willing to spend alot of time trying to sell the banded, it would actualy turn a proffit IF anyone bought it. Big if, things in the bazaar are easy to obtain, cheep, and probably better than banded for the same price.
Either way, next step would be either ornate chain or fine steel depending on your preffrence.
If you follow this getting to 100 skill should be cheep, and getting to 122 shouldn't be too outragesouly expensive. Getting beyond this is where you start to spend a fortune, or way too much time hunting in hollowshade moor and mistweavers thicket.