EQ Smithing Guide⁚ A Comprehensive Overview
Welcome to the comprehensive EverQuest Smithing guide! This resource provides insights into mastering the art of forging, covering essential techniques and profitable recipes. Whether a novice or seasoned player, this guide offers invaluable information for efficient skill progression, and mastering the craft of smithing.
Smithing in EverQuest is a tradeskill that allows players to craft metal-based items, including armor, weapons, and tools. It’s a central skill, providing essential components for other tradeskills like tailoring and baking. Blacksmithing involves forging primal elements into useful tools, arms, and armor. Mastering this skill unlocks the ability to create items like Steel Boning, Frying Pans, and Filleting Knives.
The initial stages involve visiting trainers to raise your skill to 21, setting the foundation for more advanced crafting. As you progress, you’ll learn recipes for various items, each requiring specific materials and tools. Smithing is known to be one of the more challenging tradeskills, requiring a significant number of combines for skill-ups. However, it offers the freedom to create a wide array of useful items.
Cultural recipes can reduce costs, allowing you to maximize trophy potential. Despite the challenges, smithing is a rewarding skill, allowing you to support other tradeskills and create valuable items for personal use or trade.
The Importance of Smithing as a Tradeskill
Smithing stands as a cornerstone among EverQuest’s tradeskills, with its influence reaching across various crafting disciplines. Its primary function is crafting metal armor and weaponry, essential for character survival and combat effectiveness. However, its significance extends far beyond mere equipment creation. Smithing provides crucial components for numerous other tradeskills, solidifying its central role in the crafting ecosystem.
For instance, items like Steel Boning, vital for tailoring advanced armor, and cooking utensils such as Frying Pans and Filleting Knives, necessary for baking, are products of skilled smiths; This interconnectedness highlights smithing’s indispensable contribution to a self-sufficient character build.
Furthermore, mastering smithing grants players access to unique items and gear not obtainable through other means. Whether creating cultural armor with racial-specific bonuses or forging specialized tools, smithing offers unparalleled customization. While notoriously challenging to level, the rewards of a proficient smith are substantial, empowering characters with self-reliance and economic opportunities.
Leveling Smithing⁚ The Initial Stages (1-21)
Embarking on the smithing journey in EverQuest begins with foundational training. Like other tradeskills, the initial levels (1-21) are most efficiently gained by visiting a smithing trainer. These trainers, located in various cities across Norrath, provide basic skill increases for a small fee.
Seek out a trainer in your starting city and repeatedly train your smithing skill until you reach the cap of 21. This is a straightforward process and a necessary first step. While it might seem tempting to immediately start crafting, attempting to do so at skill level 1 will likely result in numerous failures and wasted materials.
Investing in training is the most economical and time-effective method for these initial levels. Once you have reached skill level 21, you will have acquired the basic knowledge needed to begin crafting simple items and progressing further in your smithing career. This is a crucial foundation for more complex recipes and profitable endeavors.
Crafting Steel Boning (21-37)
Upon reaching a smithing skill of 21, the next step involves crafting Steel Boning. This recipe serves as a reliable method for advancing your skill to around 37. Steel Boning is also a valuable component in tailoring, making it potentially sellable to other players if you don’t need it yourself.
The ingredients for Steel Boning include a File, a Small Brick of Ore, and a Water Flask. These components are relatively inexpensive and readily available from vendors, making this a cost-effective way to level up. To create Steel Boning, combine these ingredients in a forge.
Continue crafting Steel Boning until your skill reaches approximately 37. While you may experience some failures as you approach the upper end of this range, the consistent success rate and low material cost make it a worthwhile endeavor. Consider saving any excess Steel Boning for future tailoring projects or selling it to recoup your expenses.
Creating Large Lanterns (37-68)
Once your smithing skill reaches 37, transitioning to crafting Large Lanterns becomes an efficient method for skill advancement, taking you up to approximately level 68. This recipe offers a balance between material cost and skill-up potential, making it a favored choice for many smiths.
The components required for Large Lanterns are a Bottle, a Lantern Casing Mold, Metal Bits, and a Water Flask. These materials can typically be sourced from vendors, ensuring a steady supply for continuous crafting. The process involves combining these ingredients within a forge.
As you create Large Lanterns, you can choose to vendor the finished products to recoup some of the material costs. This can help offset expenses and make the leveling process more sustainable. Continue crafting Large Lanterns until your skill approaches 68. Be prepared for occasional failures, particularly as you near the trivial level, but persist to maximize your skill gains.
Banded Armor Crafting for Skill Ups
After Large Lanterns, Banded Armor becomes a viable option for skill advancement. Banded Armor recipes vary based on race size, so you can craft Small Banded Armor for smaller races, standard Banded Armor for medium races, and Large Banded Armor for larger races. This adaptability ensures you always have a relevant recipe for skill gains.
The crafting components include a Boot Mold, Sheet Metal, and a Water Flask. Sheet Metal, the primary ingredient, can be acquired from vendors or through mining and refining ore. The Boot Mold provides a template for shaping the armor, while the Water Flask is a standard component in many smithing recipes.
Combining these elements in a forge yields a piece of Banded Armor. This method can be used to bridge the gap toward higher-level smithing recipes. Remember to adjust the armor size based on your character’s race to maximize your skill-up efficiency. Banded armor can also be sold to vendors, providing a small return on investment.
Ornate Armor Crafting Guide
Following Banded Armor, Ornate Armor crafting presents a significant step up, potentially taking your skill to level 122. Similar to Banded Armor, Ornate Armor recipes also accommodate different race sizes, ensuring versatility in your crafting endeavors. This allows you to continue maximizing your skill gains regardless of your character’s race.
The recipe for Ornate Armor involves combining two High-Quality Metal Rings, a Large Chainmail Boot Pattern, a Silver Bar, a Water Flask, and a Smithy Hammer in a forge. High-Quality Metal Rings can be crafted from metal bars, while the Large Chainmail Boot Pattern provides the structural base for the armor. The Silver Bar adds value and enhances the armor’s properties.
The Smithy Hammer serves as your primary tool for shaping the metal, and the Water Flask aids in the cooling process. Ornate Armor not only provides skill gains but can also be sold to vendors or other players, offering a potential source of income. Efficiently gathering these materials will streamline your path to higher smithing levels.
Fine Plate Armor⁚ Visor and Gauntlets (163-175)
Reaching skill level 163 opens the door to crafting Fine Plate Armor, starting with the Visor and Gauntlets. This stage presents an opportunity to refine your smithing techniques while creating valuable armor pieces. Crafting the Fine Plate Visor is a good option to vendor your gear back to make money back.
The Fine Plate Visor requires a Plate Visor Mold, Medium Quality Folded Sheet Metal, Leather Padding, a Smithy Hammer, and a Water Flask. One crucial component is Leather Padding, which necessitates farming to acquire sufficient materials. The Plate Visor Mold shapes the metal, while Medium Quality Folded Sheet Metal provides the structural integrity.
The Smithy Hammer and Water Flask remain essential tools for shaping and cooling the metal during the crafting process. Progressing to Fine Plate Gauntlets continues this trajectory, using similar materials and techniques. This phase not only enhances your smithing skill but also familiarizes you with the intricacies of crafting high-quality plate armor. Efficient resource management and consistent practice are key to success.
Fine Steel Breastplate⁚ Materials and Leveling
The Fine Steel Breastplate represents a significant milestone in your smithing journey. Continuing from the Fine Plate Visor and Gauntlets, this stage requires diligent farming of Leather Padding. By utilizing the same materials, crafting Fine Steel Breastplates can efficiently elevate your skill from 175 towards 188 and even into the 200s.
The recipe typically involves Medium Quality Folded Sheet Metal, Leather Padding, a Breastplate Mold, a Smithy Hammer, and a Water Flask. Leather Padding remains a critical component, emphasizing the importance of consistent resource gathering. The Breastplate Mold provides the necessary shape, while the Medium Quality Folded Sheet Metal ensures the armor’s durability.
As before, the Smithy Hammer and Water Flask facilitate the forging process. This phase is not only about skill advancement but also about mastering the art of creating a superior piece of armor. Refining your techniques and optimizing material usage are paramount to success. Consistent practice and attention to detail will yield the best results.
Field Plate Gear (Human Only)⁚ A Quick Path to 200
For Human characters seeking a rapid ascent to Smithing skill 200, Field Plate Gear presents a unique, expedited pathway. This route, however, is exclusive to Humans, making it a racial advantage for smithing progression. While offering speed, it introduces the challenge of acquiring Sea Temper.
Sea Temper, a key component, necessitates crafting using a Mug of Sea Foams. These foams are sourced from the Ocean of Tears, specifically from Cyclops. The difficulty in obtaining Sea Temper lies in both the location and the mob type.
Despite this hurdle, Field Plate Gear allows for substantial skill gains, rapidly advancing from the Fine Steel Breastplate stage. The recipe typically requires Field Plate Molds, Sheet Metal, Sea Temper, a Smithy Hammer, and a Water Flask. Humans who overcome the challenge of acquiring Sea Temper can significantly streamline their Smithing journey. This approach is a testament to the unique racial benefits within EverQuest, highlighting the strategic choices players can make to optimize their tradeskill leveling.
Mistletoe Cutting Sickle (200+)⁚ Recipe and Materials
Upon reaching a Smithing skill of 200 and beyond, the Mistletoe Cutting Sickle becomes a viable and often sought-after crafting option. This item is particularly useful, making it an ideal choice for continued skill progression and potential profit. The recipe involves several key components, each contributing to the final product’s effectiveness and value.
The necessary materials include a Blessed Sickle Blade, representing the sharp, functional part of the sickle. A Blessed Sickle Hilt provides the handle, offering grip and control during use. A Blessed Sickle Pommel finishes the handle, adding balance and durability. Lastly, a Smithy Hammer is essential for combining these components within a forge.
To craft the Mistletoe Cutting Sickle, gather these ingredients and combine them in a forge. Successful combination yields a tool valued for its sharpness and efficacy. Crafting this sickle not only provides skill advancement but also a tradable item, potentially generating income or aiding other players in their foraging endeavors.
Smithing’s Role in Supporting Other Tradeskills
Smithing serves as a cornerstone in supporting various tradeskills within EverQuest. Its ability to create essential tools and components makes it invaluable for enhancing other crafting professions. Tailoring, for example, benefits greatly from Smithing through the creation of Steel Boning, a necessary material for many tailoring recipes. Baking relies on Smithing for utensils like Frying Pans and Filleting Knives, facilitating the preparation of culinary creations.
Furthermore, Smithing plays a crucial role in producing specialized tools and molds required by other tradeskills. These include intricate patterns and implements necessary for crafting advanced items in professions like pottery, brewing, and fletching. By providing these foundational elements, Smithing empowers artisans to create high-quality goods and advance their skills in their respective fields.
The interconnected nature of tradeskills in EverQuest highlights the importance of Smithing as a central hub. Its products not only enhance the capabilities of other crafts but also contribute to the overall economy and player interdependence within the game. Mastering Smithing, therefore, indirectly benefits a broader range of tradeskills, fostering a collaborative and supportive crafting environment.
Tips and Tricks for Efficient Smithing Skill Ups
To maximize efficiency in Smithing skill ups, consider these tips and tricks. First, always aim for recipes with the highest possible trivial level that you can reliably complete; this offers the best chance for skill gains. Researching cultural recipes for your race can reduce costs due to different ore requirements.
Second, utilize vendors strategically. Some vendors offer limited quantities of essential materials, so plan your purchases accordingly to avoid shortages. Breaking down blocks into large bricks can also be a cost-effective method. Remember to save components from successful combines, as they might be useful in later recipes or for other tradeskills.
Third, take advantage of quests and achievements that offer Smithing skill increases or bonuses. These can provide a significant boost, especially in the early levels. Finally, consider joining a crafting guild or seeking advice from experienced smiths. They can offer valuable insights into efficient leveling paths and resource management. Consistent practice and strategic planning are key to mastering Smithing efficiently.
