EQ2: Choosing a Second Profession

Removing leveling from the equation of character progression means that I’m free to only do whatever it is I really enjoy in this game.  For me, that comes down to exploration and crafting.  I’d also like to decorate my two-room apartment into something special.  The leveling will come however and whenever.

Having elected not to quest anymore than I absolutely want to, means that my gear and weapons will fall behind, unless I make a conscious effort to obtain upgrades on my own.  If I don’t create alts do craft my armor and weapons it’s likely to be a very expensive proposition.  And those costs will be on top of purchasing spell upgrades as the profession I selected for this character was provisioner.  I made that choice because I love cooking – both in game and in real life.  I figured if I’m going to spend time crafting, it should be something that I enjoy.  However, as I now consider the possible costs of keeping my character appropriately equipped for soloing, I’m wondering if I must, for the first time ever, roll a crafting only character in a game?

If I do go that route, I want to pick the profession that will have the least amount of production waste while leveling.  I don’t want to make items for crafting XP that I will get stuck having to sell back to vendors.  I think a tailor would be such a profession in the lower levels.  I’m worried that a Weaponsmith would also end up producing waste to gain crafting levels.  Of the things I need, I’m thinking that the Scribe is probably the safest bet as the spell upgrades are more likely to sell on the auction house.  The only problem with that profession is that I don’t have an interest in it and I think finding the appropriate books might prove difficult.

Other than cooking, the profession I actually enjoy is carpentry.  My Illusionist on Nagafen is a carpenter and I LOVED it.  She’s level 27 with a pretty fancy room and made decent money at it.  But I’m not so sure she’d make as much in the post expansion craze.  Many people have probably already come back that were coming and are settled into their homes.  For the moment at least, I can’t afford the time or luxury of another “it’s fun” profession.  Momma needs some cold hard gold.  When it comes time to decorate my apartment I’ll just hire someone – I think StarGrace has decorated for people in the past.  I’m not sure which account her carpenter was on and she just closed on of her accounts. I’ll have to check,

So what should I do?  Go scribe and hope I can find the books I need to level?  Choose tailor or Weaponsmith so that at least one aspect of my gear is self crafted even though I might have to vendor the items I make while leveling?  Is there an option I’ve forgotten to consider?

Comments

[Ogrebears]

Well common crafted armor and weapons have always been rather cheep on the broker compared to spells.

[Stemline]

Fun has to be the biggest consideration here. Crafting just gets too grindy to do otherwise.

I've several crafters; provo is my favourite for reasons I don't fully understand. And most of his stuff sells OK too. Food and drink give you some stats, but the amounts are small, and so the food and drink you make at any lvl have some in-game use for your toon or starving guildies. Unlike armour or weapons. There you always need the best, and keeping your toon’s crafting lvl up to or in front of your adventure lvl is a pain. That’s partly because of the smaller number of recipes (in EQ2 you lvl fastest when you do a recipe new to you, so many recipes is a good thing). As a metal-basher you end up making piles of the same old junk, items which don’t compare with the gear from ROK or even drops from nameds, and which don’t sell on the broker.

My alchemist levelled fastest because of the sheer number of recipes. Potions sell OK, and are useful.

Woodworker – rather like the armour guy, slow lvling – except that the ranged ammo sells well, and may be good for your toon or an alt class. Consumables like ammo, potions, are food are the way to go if you want a steady income.

Transmuting is kind of fun; feels like a real little medieval craft-industry, with obscure things to know. Can’t start that straight-off, but you can do that in addition to any craft profession. I want to do more of that.

But my provo is my guy. I get back to the Blood Haze Inn after pwning some Q’s, chop some onions, throw in some garlic; mmm, Beer-braised Pork, with Wild Apple Pie to follow. :-)

(I kind of hope EQ2 lets us open cafes and food stalls in some future release! Who needs guild halls, meh.)

[Saylah]

@Ogrebears...For someone who levels solo, is it a viable profession with the expectation of producing spells for my current level?

@Stemline...I totally enjoy provisioning. Carpentry is a very close second, whereas all the others are rather meh for me. The rp value of being able to open a shop or cafe would be hella cool. I agree about the guild halls. With the ability to buy apartments as big as many are and you can set that access level, I'm not so sure there's a need for guild halls. But instanced shops, now that would be amazing. They already have all the mechnics required to implement. Just let us instance over each other out in the town squares.

[stargrace]

Or, you could ask your ever-crafting guild mate to help you out. I've got one of pretty much every crafter, and love helping. All I require is a rare, which can be harvested.

[Saylah]

@Star, oh thanks! I think I mentioned a post back or two that I thought you could help me out but wasn't sure which of your crafters remained after your consolidation and closing of one of your accounts.

Right now I have only Adept Is as the other are too expensive. I'll have to get with you about the rares needed.

Thanks!!