Pardon the noob question but I'm just trying to wrap my brain around skills and crafting conceptually.

I'm not a big moneybagger. I prefer to earn or make than buy my stuff, but there is always value to having some credits jingling around your pockets, so I don't want to pour my credits down a money hole.

So, my goal was to craft up some cool lightsaber stuff as I worked up my first character with the ability to make some sweet purple swag at lvl 50.

So I chose the artiface/archaeology/treasure hunting route, then started gathering, crafting, and REing. I found myself asking these questions:

I started making hilts then REing them. But from reading the guides, my "Might Hilt 2" REs into a blue "Might Hilt 2". So did I waste the following 20 grey "Might Hilts" that I REed afterwards? And if I RE the Blue into a purple, is there any point in REing any more of the now purple "Might Hilt 2"s since they are many levels below me?

What determines whether I craft "Might Hilt 3"s instead of 2s? My character level? My Artifice level? How many "might Hilt 2"s I have crafted thus far? I just don't have a very good feel for the progression.

Cost/benefit wise then, Why spend a lot of mats (some of which I will need to buy) to keep making Hilts that I'm too high a level to use? Is the increased cost of making purple "Might Hilt 20"s, worth the effort in the mid levels, or is it wiser to crank out Cheap "Might Hilt 1"s, sell them and wait to end level to grind up to top end gear?

For that matter, and I understand that there is much debate, is all this chase to craft the top tier stuff worth the time, effort, and credits when custom gear can be outfitted with updated mods, and high raid gear is available?

Forgive Me if this has been asked before, but I read several crafting threads and just couldn't quite answer for myself the interrelationship of crafting to raiding to buying.

I appreciate your input.

Deacon

Pardon the noob question but I'm just trying to wrap my brain around skills and crafting conceptually.

 

I'm not a big moneybagger. I prefer to earn or make than buy my stuff, but there is always value to having some credits jingling around your pockets, so I don't want to pour my credits down a money hole.

 

So, my goal was to craft up some cool lightsaber stuff as I worked up my first character with the ability to make some sweet purple swag at lvl 50.

 

So I chose the artiface/archaeology/treasure hunting route, then started gathering, crafting, and REing. I found myself asking these questions:

 

I started making hilts then REing them. But from reading the guides, my "Might Hilt 2" REs into a blue "Might Hilt 2". So did I waste the following 20 grey "Might Hilts" that I REed afterwards? And if I RE the Blue into a purple, is there any point in REing any more of the now purple "Might Hilt 2"s since they are many levels below me?

 

What determines whether I craft "Might Hilt 3"s? My character level? My Artifice level? How many "might Hilt 2"s I have crafted thus far? I just don't have a very good feel for the progression.

 

Cost/benefit wise then, Why spend a lot of mats (some of which I will need to buy) to keep making Hilts that I'm too high a level to use? Is the increased cost of making purple "Might Hilt 20"s, worth the effort in the mid levels, or is it wiser to crank out Cheap "Might Hilt 1"s, sell them and wait to end level to grind up to top end gear?

 

For that matter, and I have read much of the debate, is all this chase to craft the top tier stuff worth the time, effort, and credits when custom gear can be outfitted with updated mods, and high raid gear is available?

 

Forgive Me if this has been asked before, but I read several crafting threads and just couldn't quite answer for myself the interrelationship of crafting to raiding to buying.

 

I appreciate your input.

 

Deacon

Might Hilt N is a recipe, whether you can craft it depends on your Artifice level. Whether you can use it depends on your Character level.

Blue/Purple versions of Might Hilt N are better than Might Hilt N, but will inevitably be overshadowed by Might Hilt N+X (which will require a higher Artifce level to craft and a higher Character level to equip).

Hope that helps,

Each level of might hilt is bought in the trainer, basically one new one ever 20 skill points.

You want to keep your skill up.

While a person can buy a new hilt with commendations, an artificer can keep up with the newest blue, if not purple hilt every 2 levels, and generally be ahead of the curve for weapon damage.

You can also make nice color crystals with +crit and whatnot, as well as enhancements at higher levels.

Overall, at level 50, you will be abie to get better than you can make, but for the trip, the skill will let you be better equipped on average.

General rule of thumb is to not make new hilts once you have REed the upgraded recipe, unless you are planning to use them. If you still need skillups after REing purple might hilt 3 or whatever, RE the resolve one, someday you might make an alt that can use it.

After that, always move to the next tier, no point staying to RE every recipe early on, just get the one you are likely to use and move up the tree.

Thanks guys!

So, if I understand correctly:

1. I should continue to craft to keep up my crafting level. I understand this is to keep my crafting level up to my Character level. But crafting level doesn't degrade over time.

2. Crafting is really of more value in leveling than endgame where you can keep your weapon specs higher than with quest rewards/drops alone. I understand that Biochem might be an exception.

3. I presume that crafting higher level items earns more crafting XP than spamming low level items?

4. I should only a RE grey level recipe until I get the blue level With the attirbute I desire. At that point I should only RE that particular blue level item until I get the purple level item with the attribute I want. After that, I should stop REing purple [attribute] [attribute] Might Hilt X, because it won't help me a bit with REing purple [attribute][attribute] Might Hilt X+1.

Well, that is very helpful! It really helps me avoid REing a thousand Might Hilt 1s instead of selling them in the hope that I might one day get some impossibly great recipe that I can use at level 50.

It completely rearranges my view on crafting. Again, thank you!

Deacon

one thing to remember. if you are interested in 'you' then follow the steps outlined above. get the stuff you need, then move on and largely focus on leveling your skill. IF you are one of those 'i want to craft and sell gear types' you will need to learn the market. If there are no might 2 hilts on the market then you placing one there more than likely means you may sell it (don't zerg it, start small and place more if you find they are selling really fast. supply and demand for the win:)). If there are 10 on the market then try might 3...or resolve 3. etc.

it takes time, and patience, and quite frankly you need to want to spend your play time doing so (most folks do not) but it is equally rewarding if that is what you enjoy doing. also...it can be very profitable as well, which is reward in and of itself:)

Thanks for that. I don't mind making a bit of profit...but I've never been much of a merchant in MMOs.

I usually lose my shirt!

Deacon