Returning Tailor, checking my facts...

[Amanensia]

Hi all,

I hit 250 a year or two back and haven't really done any Tailoring since, but I'm starting again now and just want to check my facts, and see if I'm missing any major routes. I'm currently at 255 skill.

Firstly, I'm a Half Elf; I believe that means that for cultural tailoring I need "Great Reptile Hides" from Cazic Thule. I've found some posts from quite some time ago bemoaning that these are insanely rare - is that still the case? Also, is it true that cultural combines have an inherently higher skillup probability than "normal" recipes?

Secondly, at the moment I'm basically farming Othmir fur. Assuming cultural isn't a realistic route, are the old Velious combines (Othmir, Velium Hound, Holgresh) still the best option? Or is there something else that I'm missing?

The rest of my tradeskills are pretty solid so if there's a route that uses other skills that should be OK (Smithing 254, Fletching 289, all others 300).

Thanks!

[Orelli Virbonus]

Hi, and welcome back!

Unfortunately, great reptile hides have not gotten any more common since those old posts you read. I can't comment on their rarity myself since I'm not big enough to even go near where they drop, but it's not pretty. The DoN cultural recipes do have an enhanced skillup rate, though - an extra 5% chance to skillup for the Master tier and 10% for Grandmaster. That goes for both the armor and the symbols to go with them.

Othmir/holgresh seems to be the dominant method for those of us who did not fare so well in the cultural lottery. You could also do feran or murkglider armor to 282 and PoP combines to 300, but I'd say that's going to be more expensive and/or time intensive unless you're getting the drops anyway.

[Luvimt]

As a half elf, I did mostly othmir combines then holgresh for the final 50 points. There are other combines you can try, but the drops are rarer; hynid hair thread (268), prepared sporali skin (276), feran/murkglider tunic (282), velium hound/mastodon fur cloak (322), PoR seals (shimmering silk/mottled hide/magnificent hide/fine silk) (>300), ice silk *** (some >300),master chest/legging symbols of *** (302 and bonus) or GM armour/symbols.
Bear in mind the only class that can use half elf leather is druid so there is very little market for GM armour.
Best of luck, it's frustrating and time consuming, i nearly quit a few times while getting to 300.