State of the Tradeskills - last edit 13 May

Last update to add GU45 highlights - 13 May
What I'm doing this week instead of fixing your favorite pet peeve

• Exp05 planning
• There's a new tradeskill interview up; if you happen to speak French, you can laugh at my accent!
  
• Blogging! The EQII dev blog is now live on the Station blog list, and includes me sometimes.

GU45

• GU 45 is now live! Update notes available here!

Future stuff that's coming up (probably)

In no particular order:

• Adding imbues to lower level armor sets that are not currently imbueable (ongoing project, as time permits)
  
• Adding in more "missing" equipment in lower levels (things like melodic, woven armor set pieces, jewelcrafted bracelets, etc)
• Revisiting mastercrafted jewelry, and hex doll stats.
• Revisting cloth and leather crafted armor appearances.
• More quests

Maybe!

• Adornment changes (add any ideas here - no promises. This would be a lengthy process and other things will come first.)
• Another harvesting tweak, IF needed.
  
• Pondering the demand for rare loams and whether/how to address it.

Past changes
GU41-44

• Full Game Update notes available here and EQ2Traders' overview available here.
• Ranged ammo has been adjusted to have a minimum level that represents the start of the tier.
  
• Strength Imbued rings will now proc from ranged attacks.
• Di'Zok Ceremonial cloth armor is now more comparable to tranquil swiftcloth.
• The poisons Rilissian Vital Strike, Di'Zok Mental Strike, and Regimental Elixir of Combat are now more effective.
• The Collapsible Fishing Pole can now be used from inventory slots.
• The Di`Zok Bow of Flame is now a 7 second delay and should do slightly more damage.
  
• Harvesting tool buffs are now activated by using the tool, and can be cancelled. The effects will now persist through death.
• The Tradesman Service quest from each crafting society's Grandmaster now also awards a simple cloak (those who have already completed the quest can purchase it from the Grandmaster).
• Grandmasters in the five starting cities now offer some new quests for tradeskillers who have assisted them previously.
  
• All handcrafted and mastercrafted chest and leg armor from 50-59 can now be imbued.
• A lost recipe for a tynnonium stool has been recovered by carpenters.
• Tradeskill Introduction handbooks for each city faction now include information about where to respec crafting professions.
• Effects from the provisioner-made drinks The Jester's Cap and The Queen's Masquerade now persist through zoning
• The recipe book can now be filtered by classes that can use the final product of each recipe.
  
• Not to be outdone by those Qeynosians, the Coalition of Tradesfolke has refurbished their West Freeport headquarters.
• Tradeskill interview with Legends Guild (March issue)
• GU43 preview on EQ2Traders
• Kunark faction recipes added for all tradeskill classes.
  
• The Ironforge Exchange has relocated to the former furniture shop location in North Qeynos.
• Bells, bankers, and menders have been added all around Qeynos and Freeport for your shopping and crafting convenience.
• Crafting stations have been added to the Golden Sceptre in Maj'dul.
• A new female froglok mannequin is now available (in the same book as the medium size mannequin).
• Armorers and tailors can now imbue all types of chest and leg armor in the level 60-69 range, not just the standard set.
  
• The tradeskill epic questline is now here! Discussion in this thread (many spoilers, of course - consider yourself warned)
  
• Grandmasters belonging to the tradeskill societies of the five starting cities now offer another quest for crafters level 30 and above who have completed their previous quest, Journeyman Service. Seek out Grandmaster Kawayzer (West Freeport), Grandmaster Kimbialis (Ironforge Exchange, off North Qeynos), Grandmaster Zyrythius (Neriak), Grandmaster Feldmanus (Kelethin), or Grandmaster Jayak (Gorowyn) to begin.
• Tradeskill societies in the five starting cities of Norrath now offer a new recipe book to those they regard warmly: armor display mannequins!
• The recipe for luscious cranberry pie with cream now requires 6 fuel, but the pie will last longer.
• "Hair of the Dog" is now a level 25 provisioner recipe, instead of level 35.
• Carpenters will find two new recipes, one in each of carpenter essentials volume 60 and 62, which should be pleasing for home decorators. A lantern, and a tree.
  
• The number of charges on the Gnomish Safety Recaller has been increased to 20. "Fizzlebottom's Wondrous Hover-gasser" recipe book is now known as "Fizzlebottom's Remarkable Rechargeration Recipes" and also contains a recharger recipe for the Gnomish Safety Recaller. It is still for sale in Steamfont Mountains at Gnomeland Security.
• The Gigglegibber's Secret of Death now has only a 1 second casting time.
• Scintillating restorative stitching now has a minimum required level to use of 60, in line with other adornments of the same level.
• Condemning Smite Adept III now correctly returns 2 flickering dust as a byproduct.
• "Common Writing" and "Spectral Influx" sage reaction arts should now correctly prevent a failure when used to counter an event.
• There should now be fewer unreachable mining nodes in the Sinking Sands. Should you encounter any after this update, please submit a /bug with the location.
• Rare leather pelts found in treasure chests should stack with harvested rare leather pelts from now on. They still may not stack with older pelts, however. (Local tradeskill society advisors suggest pack rats may therefore wish to use the older ones up first.)
• Crafted Frostfell themed food house items now remain edible all year round.
• Artisan quests from the Isle of Mara now grant tradeskill xp, not adventure xp.
  
• Full Game Update 42 notes can be found here.
• A new tradeskill interview in the Tairise Tribune is out this week
• Armorers and Tailors have discovered ways to improve the quality of mastercrafted armor across all level ranges. (T8 preview)
  
• Harvest nodes in Kylong Plains now require 340+ skill to harvest, like all other level 70+ zones.
• You can harvest once again while under attack from an NPC;
• The carpenter-made redwood streetlamps have been pruned to a more reasonable size. (see here)
• Small versions of the carpenter-made lillies have been added.
  
• Duggin
  Brandywine at the Thundering Steppes docks may be looking for a helping
  hand from travellers with a talent for harvesting. (EQ2Traders writeup)
  
• Tradeskill skill-ups will once again increase based on your tradeskill level and not your adventure level.
• Bathezid, Danak and Riliss recipe books issued can now be destroyed if you no longer wish to proceed with the writs.
• Carpenters have acquired a couple of festive new recipes, just in time for Frostfell!
• Adventurers have recently discovered strange, reflective shards in various of the more dangerous dungeons around Norrath. After intensive research and experimentation, Norrath's tradeskill societies have discovered a way to work this magical metal into a mirror with unique, soul-capturing abilities. (discussion from In Testing forum)
  • • High level crafters in good standing with their respective tradeskill societies will be able to acquire this recipe from their city's local
      tradeskill faction merchant.
    • You can now store an Achievement Profile in your home, using a device crafted from a primary component
      obtained in high level dungeons. You can store one profile per device, and they are usable from within your own home.
    • The finished device cannot be traded and will need to be crafted using the commission crafting system if you are not yourself a high level crafter. (See the tradeskills forum for reminders on how commission crafting works.) (LINK)

Rise of Kunark expansion

• dev diary part 1
• dev diary part 2
• dev diary part 3
• dev diary part 4
• dev diary part 5
• dev diary part 6

• This brings with it a number of changes. See RoK Crafting Changes and You, and the RoK Information Clearinghouse on EQ2Traders, for some handy overviews.
• The level cap for all tradeskill and secondary crafts will be raised to 80 (for those who bought the expansion, of course).
• A new tradeskill tutorial has been created. Those in the middle of the old ones will find they autocomplete when they log in. The new one can be done by crafters of any level, though it's aimed at new crafters of course. Allakhazam has a handy guide on the new tradeskill tutorial.
• Recipes no longer yield non-pristine products. Instead, if you fail to create a pristine quality product, your fuel will be returned for handcrafted recipes, or your rare for mastercrafted. See this thread, or the EQ2Traders link above for more details.
  
• Changes
  to the crafting UI automatically bring up the reaction arts you need, and will override your 1-6 keys while the window is up. If you want to continue using your old hotbars, simply click elsewhere so the crafting window loses focus.
  
• Tradeskill reaction arts have been entirely revamped; you now have only 6 at any one time and they now auto-upgrade as you level up, meaning no more hunting in knowledge books to find your latest ones.
• A number of new crafting quests are available in Kunark, including How to Get a Sokokar (handy overview at Allakhazam) and the option to do quests for some of the Kunark factions. See also RoK Faction from a Crafting Perspective and RoK Travel for the Lost Crafter from EQ2Traders.
  
• New equipment and weapon stats should be a little less cookie-cutter than previously and may offer some new effects they haven't before.
• Tinkerers and transmuters now have 6 reaction arts like other classes. These still need to be purchased from the appropriate vendors, however.
  
• XP granted by tradeskill writs will be scaled more smoothly, resulting in about 5% XP at higher levels and a bit more at lower levels.
• Stack sizes of harvested items (also dusts and transmuting products) have been increased across all level ranges.
  
• Harvesting tools no longer need to be equipped to be used. They do however still need to be attuned.
• Dusts are now no value.
• In addition to their new 70-79 recipes, carpenters have acquired the plans for a wider range of evil looking furniture.
  
• And yes, RoK will bring pink dresses, just for Winter.

GU36-39

• Descriptive text on harvestables listing the level range (thanks to Silverfrost)
• A couple of new house items for carpenters for Nights of the Dead
  
• Fuel merchants should cease to price gouge on buy backs of repair materials fuel.
  
• "Canary" cloaks are yellow colored, and "carmine" cloaks are carmine colored now, darnit!
• Some appearance changes to pristine quality crafted chain and plate armors (link)
• Some furniture items for Neriak and Kelethin tradeskill faction merchants (see Gnobrin's interview!)
• 
  Another crafting quest is now available in all 4 starting cities, this
  one is for crafters of all types level 20+. Provisioners in particular
  can expect some surprises! (More info on EQ2Traders) (Allakhazam's write up)
  
• Gnomish Gent's Mechanized Facade no longer needs to be equipped for the illusion to persist (also has a shorter casting time)
• Spiffy new icons for harvestables, thanks to the art folks!
  
• Crafting recipe book vendors in the cities will begin stocking ALL the essentials books up to 70.
• Slight upward tweak of the rate of imbue drops (GU38 ).
• Got annoyed, and made all the shrubs in tier 1 zones look like shrubs, not roots.
• Crafters who respec their tradeskill class from now on will be able to complete their new class's tradeskill quest in the Isle of Mara. Crafters who respec'd previously are still able to exchange their crafting tools by speaking to Rai Faela Nurwin near the brokers.
  
• Scroll of the Fire Seeds is no longer Lore.
• Harvesting changes, with some more detailed explanations of how the numbers all work (link)
• Tradeskill writs now grant tradeskill XP on completion (timed and non-timed grant the same amount)
• Alchemists can now quest for a recipe to combine dusts (link)
• Tradeskill class respec now available (details)
  
• Various furniture added (GU36, GU37)
• Qeynos tradeskill instance doors auto-open
• Chocolate and cheesecake are back
• "Would not take effect" buff stacking issue fixed
• EH recipe components no longer Lore
• Jeweller made rings now adornable
• Neriak has gained a tradeskill faction! (Dark Bargainers)
• Tinkered goggles now tradeable (and jump boots and utility belt too)
• Loams are now colored

& more ...

General stuff

• Suggestions? Please list them here so they don't get lost when I go looking for things in 5 months.

Three cheers for the Team! :thumbup: :mrgreen: Thank you once more, Domino, for keeping all us TS nuts up-to-date on what you're doing.

Nice listing. Considering the hugs list though, I think I'll leave it to you.Besides, not everyone can truthfully claim to have been hugged by an Evil Tradeskill Empress.

Keep up the great work!

Harvesting and the crafting system are probably my favorite parts of EQ2, and in turn, it's really nice to have an ebil TS goddess who is accessible, active, and striving for excellence. Thank you!

You are truly evil, you've given us hope and Deson a mantra ;-) Thank you, Domino!

DominoDev wrote:

I can't believe the number of times I still do this.

Wow, being a crafter, I knew a lot was going on. However, seeing it all in one post like that is amazing!!! Thank you Domino and crew for giving love to one of my fav parts of the game!!

Suggestions
Jewelers & Sages
Charms - The class that makes these need to be examined and expanded. My reasoning is as follows:
The definition of charm is -- a small ornament worn on a bracelet or chain. This definition is taken from Merriam Webster's website located at www.m-w.com.
Now in the game when I'm in the market for a charm, "I" have to go to the equivalent of Lowes or Home Depot...Why?!
It stands to reason that, logically, this "charm" thing is as much, or even more in the purview of the Jeweler than any other crafter class if you adhere to the definition of the word "Charm".
Jewelers/Sages should be able to make charms that are interactive. Charms that cast wards, or buffs or debuffs, or HoT or DoT or even DD spells...
Perhaps rechargeable charms that let you Evac or CoTO or CoQ or CoR or CoN while yours is down or that reduce the timer on them.
Charms that reduce size by 50% would be really nice . This way Barbarians, Trolls, and Ogres tanking in a dungeon like RoV aren't all bent over like the laundry room scene in Shawshank Redemption.
Re-chargeable Resist Charms are an idea
Charms that summon a group mate to you as long as they are in the same zone.
The possibilities are, quite literally, endless as to what can be done so these are but a few suggestions...
Carpenters & Woodworkers
My first thought is to combine them. However, that probably isn't viable so how ‘bout making the things they make more useful?
Like what?
In-room mailboxes like the ones on the city merchant that send for less money and require no status points to buy.
Storage Bins for your house that hold items (can't sell from these boxes...only store stuff in them)
In-House Crafting Stations like the ones on the broker but for no status points. Ones made with rares could allow for speedier crafting, or pristine level, or less resources used, etc.
Paintings and rugs are nice, but they are far too few in variety and size. I want to walk into a house that has CARPET instead of cold, hard, stone flooring.
Fountains that actually look like fountains instead of a large dog-bowl or bidae.
Alters were a decent start for carpenters, but come on...42g for the level 35 recipe book for an item that can't fetch 1 single, solitary gold piece on the broker is just stupid.
Your Basic Inn Room allows for customized walls and such, but it isn't the same in Neriak or MajDul. Why not let carpenters and woodworkers make things like Pine/Marble/Oak Interiors that can be applied to walls and the like.
Portable repair stations (see weaponsmith/armorsmith below for the "why?" of this suggestion.
Why can't woodworkers/carpenters at level 35 make a repair kit?
Provisioners - Where to start?!?! Where to start?!?!
Double everything. Period. Instead of pristine giving 2 items, make it 4. They have the fewest recipes in the game, seemingly, and it is just too darned mind-numbingly dull cranking out stacks of food & drink.
When they can make double, and don't have to buy as much resources off the broker, maybe the prices on the raws they buy will drop accordingly and they can go back to making a decent living.
Armorsmith/Weaponsmith - Combine them. I have had stuff on the broker for 2+ months and I can't sell it for 10s above fuel cost. Rare pristine imbued stuff stops selling after 52 because quested stuff is better. I have both and there's simply no market for their wares after 52. It's a dead-end profession for me, while my provi, jeweler, Carpenter, and Sage continue to make okay to decent money.
Give them the ability to Mend armor/weapons in the field. They can mend weapons and armor in the field with a portable crafting station.
Introduce Ancient Armor Recipes similar to the DFC stuff that actually make a product worth buying. Not quite legendary, but with more resists than mastercrafted. That can be the new "norm" without impacting anyone.
Tailor - hmm...dunno ‘bout those as I never rolled one. However, it would be nice if they could make garments that have mana regen effects with no-stats for use while crafting, or other cool & fun stuff to wear around the cities.
COSTUMES! Let them make costumes so the entire raid can raid as Chickens or Clowns or something stupid like that. It would be nice if tailors could make disguises that let you blend in with the mobs so they do not agro, or allowed you to enter the opposing city without being smacked by the 75x4 epics

Thanks Domino, things look really good so far! Keep up the great work! (I know it's not easy sometimes!)

It says that there will be a level cap increase to 80 for the tradeskill classes. Will there be an increase in the subtradeskills (tinkering and transmuting) and new blueprints? Overall, everything looks good. However, I am still very cautious over the proposed change to tradeskilling by removing the pristine and only giving the product and experience if you get the 4th row. My experience has been that when you are just starting out on a new level the 4th row depends heavily on random processes and less on using the proper tradeskill arts. I really think that the 3rd row should be the target and a bonus of getting some of the raw material back if you get the 4th row. Asking for the 4th row is sort of like telling an adventurer they can only get experience or a chance to loot on a kill if they have over 3/4ths of their health left when they get the killing blow on a creature. It doesnt make sense.

AbsentmindedMage wrote:

The reason it is hard to get pristine at the early levels is because your first set of tradeskill abilities are all +progress, so you have no means of making up lost durability. If the abilitiy progression was changed so your first set were +durability, this would be a lot more reaosnable.

Dasein wrote:

There's aTradeskill Arts revamp coming with Kunark, Mechanically Speaking Panel

GREAT WORK!! and more to come. :thumbup: I have to say that I really appreciate the openness of your communication & keeping us all up-to-date on your plans.

DominoDev wrote:

If you leave harvesting alone, I will send cookies...or pie...your choice!

DominoDev wrote:

<span style="font-size: medium"> LOL. Thank you so much. All we've had so far is those pseudo pinkish-brown dresses that make me kinda sorta twitchy.
And I'm saying this wholeheartedly... My gosh, you have done such amazing things with tradeskilling since you became part of the team. Seriously, I totally commend you, sweetie! You rock. Even if you weren't to make pink dresses, I still mean that So you know I mean it. LOL.
/hugs

Winter wrote:

Winter .. I think if you were around in my UO days, we would have gotten along great (I spent years bugging the UO dev team to add pink dragons to the game).


oh and Thank you so much Domino

Jesdyr@Unrest wrote:

color][/SIZE]

Winter wrote:

In that case ...

PINK DRAGONS
(edit - I didnt want to post a pic in this thread since it had nothing to do with the state of tradeskills)

Jesdyr@Unrest wrote:

And all I can hear in my inner ear is part of the the refrain from a song of the 80's "Little pink houses for me and you..."

You scare me ;-)