[Matuse]

Having delved myself fairly deep into Vanguard's crafting, it has occured to me that there is a hell of a lot of stuff going on in this system, and this is my attempt to categorize the lot of it.

Some of the information in here will pertain to all crafters, a lot of it only to artificers, and some of it to minerologists in particular. Currently, the primary focus will be on things related to work orders, and general crafting. I may go into a section regarding making real items, but that might require a new post, since it would also probably call for a new chapter with attributes and such. Note that partly because I decided to start this at around level 10, and because I'm human, there will be things missing (like the skill levels where you gain more actions for the early levels). Any additions or corrections are most welcome.

What this guide will not be, is a "primer to crafting". I'm going to assume that you have at least gone through the in-game crafting tutorial and have fiddled around with the interface a bit, so I won't go into explaining the table, or the points, or complications, etc. There are plenty of newbie guides to crafting, many with helpful pictures, and probably better written than I can do. [To Do: Find one of these guides and put a link to it, for people who want/need to read something like that]

I can be contacted in-game on the Thunderaxe sever, where my Dreadknight, Khaine (Presently DRK: 15, ART: 28) resides. I'm on a lot

Contents:
1- List of Crafting Actions
2- List of Complications and Remedies
3- Observations, Commentary, Supposition, Educated Guesses, and Piles of BS
4- Current Issues, Bugs, Recommendations, etc.


===CHAPTER 1: COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF CRAFTING ACTIONS===

I have seperate the level 20 actions apart from the alphabetized pre-20 actions. When it indicates level 20, this is not exactly the level you obtain the action. With the extra step added to 20+ recipes, these level 20 aquisition recipes become that 6th stage. This extra stage can be located in steps 2, 3, or 4 (yes, you can have 2 different actions in the finishing section with level 20 recipes). Even if you are level 50, you will not have those actions available when working on a recipe that is under level 20.

REFINING ACTIONS:

Cleaner. Attribute: Reason. Skill: Shaping Utilities.
-Wash Clean. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Cleaner (1). AP: 75.
-Powder Cleaning: Progress: None. Quality: High. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 100.
-Heavy Washing: Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 125.
-Powder Wash. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Very Low. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 100.
-Deep Cleansing. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Cleanser (3). AP: 150.
-Pristine Cleaning. Progress: Very High. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Cleaner (3). AP: 200.

Processing. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Shaping Tools.
-Artificier's Processing. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Saw. AP: 75.
-Structured Approach. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Drill. AP: 100.
-Reckless Processing. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Measured Craftwork. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.
-Deep Processsing. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Drill. AP: 150.

Purge. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Shaping Tools.
-Altered Purge. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Drill. AP: 75.
-Deep Removal. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 100.
-Clean Out. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Drill. AP: 125.
-Careful Consideration. Progress: Low. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Dedicated Purging. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Drill. AP: 150.
-Aggressive Artificing. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.

Roughhew. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Shaping Tools.
-Roughhew. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Saw. AP: 75.
-Accurate Artificing. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Drill. AP: 100.
-Shaped Procedure. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Culling Hew. Progress: Low. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Drill. AP: 125.
-Diligent Culling. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.
-Improved Hewing. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Drill. AP: 150.

Table Saw. Attributes: Ingenuity. Skill: Shaping.
-Table Saw. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 75.
-Saw Split. Progress: High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 100.
-Steady Sawing. Progress: Low. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 50.
-Cleave. Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 125.
-Saw Finesse. Progress: Low. Quality: Very Low. Tool: None. AP: 75.

Vise. Attribute: Ingenuity. Skill: Sculpting.
-Vise. Progess: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 75.
-Clamp. Progress: High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 100.
-Brace. Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 125.
-Fasten. Progress: Low. Quality: Very Low. Tool: None. AP: 75.

Cull. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Shaping Tools. Aquisition: Level 20.
-Accurate Culling. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Chisel. AP: 75.
-Cull Out. Progress: Very High. Quality: Very Low. Tool: Chisel. AP: 150.

Winnow. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Shaping Tools. Aquisition: Level 20.
-Winnowing Alteration. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: File. AP: 75.
-Gleaning. Progress: Very High. Quality: Very Low. Tool: File. AP: 150.


FINISHING ACTIONS:

Carve. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tool.
-Carving. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Saw. AP: 75.
-Delicate Cutting. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 100.
-Force Details. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Deep Boring. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.
-Accurate Carving. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 150.

Cleaner. Attribute: Reason. Skill: Sculpting Utilities.
-Wash Clean. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Cleaner. AP: 75.
-Powder Cleaning. Progress None. Quality: High. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 100.
-Heavy Washing. Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 125.
-Powder Wash. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Very Low. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 100.
-Deep Cleansing. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Cleanser (3). AP: 150.
-Pristine Cleaning. Progress: Very High. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Cleaner (3). AP: 200.

Develop. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tools.
-Develop. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Saw. AP: 75.
-Detail Enhancement. Progress Low. Quality Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 100.
-Skilled Toolwork. Progress Moderate. Quality Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Perfect Development. Progress: Low. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 125.
-Adept Workmanship. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.
-Evolve Work. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 150.

Estimate. Attribute: Ingenuity. Skill: Sculpting.
-Estimate. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 75.
-Thorough Estimation. Progress: High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 100.
-Quick Glance. Progress: Low. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 50.
-Study. Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: None. AP: 125.
-Brief Examination. Progress: Low. Quality: Very Low. AP: 75.

Fashion. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tool.
-Fashion. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Etching Knife. AP:75
-Steadfast Fashioning. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 100.
-Slight Etching. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 125.
-Detail. Progress: Low. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Saw. AP: 125.
-Delicate Fashioning. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 150.
-Craftsmanship. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.

Sculpt. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tools.
-Sculpt. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 75.
-Delicate Creation. Progress: Low. Quality: Low. Tool: Saw. AP: 100.
-Artistic Development. Progress: Moderate. Quality: Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 125.
-Mold. Progress: High. Quality: Low. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 150.
-Diligent Toolwork. Progress: Low. Quality: High. Tool: Saw. AP: 150.

Solvent. Attribute: Reason. Skill: Sculpting Utilities.
-Corrode Debris. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Solvent. AP: 75.
-Dissolve Debris. Progress: None. Quality: High. Tool: Solvent (2). AP: 100.
-Complete Removal. Progress: Very High. Quality: None. Tool: Solvent (2). AP: 125.
-Full Cleansing. Progress: High. Quaity: Low. Tool: Solvent (3). AP: 150.
-Pure Solvent. Progress: Very High. Quality: Moderate. Tool: Solvent (3). AP: 200.

Emery. Attribute: Reason. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. NOTE: Deconstruction Action Only!
-Emery. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Emery (1). AP: 75.

Cleanup. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Aquisition: Level 20
-Basic Cleanup. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Measuring Stick. AP: 75.
-Measured Wipedown. Progress: Very High. Quality: Very Low. Tool: Measuring Stick. AP: 150.

Level. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Aquisition: Level 20.
-Basic Leveling. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Chisel. AP: 75.
-Perfect Adjustment. Progress: Very High. Quality: Very Low. Tool: Chisel. AP: 150.

Smooth. Attribute: Finesse. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Aquisition: Level 20
-Smooth. Progress: Moderate. Quality: None. Tool: Chisel. AP: 75.
-Easy Smoothing. Progress: Very High. Quality: Low. Tool: Chisel. AP: 150.

[Matuse]

===CHAPTER 2: COMPLICATIONS===

Note: All remedies use Problem Solving as their attribute, so will not be individually listed. Additionally, all complications except for the purely beneficial ones last 5 turns if not remedied.

1) The penalties of multiple complications are additive, not multiplicative. IE: If you have 2 10% penalties, they give a 20% penalty.

2) Any penalty that a complication applies will also apply to the remedy action to remove that penalty. This can get really bad with multiple penalties, especially moderate progress ones. Makes it extremely difficult to get rid of a second complication.

It is difficult to gauge how much hinderance the progress complications are, since even without a complication, your results can vary so much. However, for AP penalties, these numbers are easily quantifiable:

Very Low: 10%
Low: 20%
Moderate: 30%

When applied to an action that end in a -5 (and would yield a .5 as a final cost), the game always rounds up.

The few complications which give bonuses will give 2-3% per turn of bonus to whatever they are applying it to.


REFINING COMPLICATIONS:

Dust Particles- AP Penalty: Low.
-Debris Cleaning. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Bandages (2). AP: 50.

Fractured Product- Station Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Rework Material. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Chisel. AP: 35.

Incorrect Estimate- AP Penalty: Moderate.
-Second Opinion. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction; Moderate. Tool: Measuring Stick. Ap: 35.

Inferior Material- AP Penalty: Low.
-Reinforce Material. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Saw. AP: 35.
-Quick Thinking. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 50.

Mangled Tool- Utility Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Restore. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Repair Tool. AP: 35.

Muscle Pain- Effectiveness Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: None.
-Wrap Hands. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Bandages (2). AP: 50.
-Take A Moment. Skill: Shaping. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: None. AP: 35.
-Keep Going. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: Low. Tool: Water (1). AP: 25.

Rotten Material- Quality Penalty: Moderate. Effectiveness Penalty: Low.
-Reinforce Material. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Cleaner. AP: 50.
-Quick Thinking. Skill: Shaping. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: None. AP: 35.
-Renew Material. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: Low. Tool: Water (1). AP: 25.

Shaky Hands- Tool Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Soothe Skin. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Water (2). AP: 50.
-Take It Slowly. Skill: Sculpting Utilities. Complication Reduction: Low. Tool: Water (1). AP: 25.

Uneven Modification- Tool Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Minor Readjust. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Saw. AP: 35.

Unstable Materials- Utility Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Restore. Skill: Shaping. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: None. AP: 50.

Weak Product- Station Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Minor Repair. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Repair Tools. Ap: 35.

Overheating- Quality BONUS: Low. AP Penalty: Low.
-Rig Station. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Rigging Tools. AP: 35.

Obsessive Shaping- Quality BONUS: Low. AP Penalty: Low.
-Divert Attention. Skill: Shaping. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: None. AP: 50.
-Refocus Attention. Skill: Sculpting Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Etching Knife. AP: 35.

Ideal Opportunity- Effectiveness Bonus: Low. Duration: 3 Turns.
-NO REMEDY. Why would you want to?


FINISHING COMPLICATIONS:

Chipped Material (alpha)- Quality Penalty: Moderate. Effectiveness Penalty: Low.
-Major Patch Job. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Rigging Tool. AP: 35.
-Fuse Damage. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Adhesive (2). AP: 50.

Chipped Material (beta)- Quality Penalty: Moderate. AP Penalty: Low <--- NOT MENTIONED IN POP-UP INFO WINDOW
-Major Patch Job. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Rigging Tool. AP: 35.
-Fuse Damage. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Adhesive (2). AP: 50.

Damaged Tool- Effectiveness Penalty: Moderate.
-Rig Tool. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Rigging Tool. AP: 35.
-Minor Adjustment. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 50.

Dust Residue. Tool Progress Penalty: Moderate. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Clean Residue. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Solvent (2). AP: 50.

Loose Clamp- AP Penalty: Low.
-Tighten. Skill: Sculpting. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: None. AP: 50.
-Repair. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Repair Tools. AP: 35.

Muscle Pain- Effectiveness Penalty: Moderate.
-Relax. Skill: Sculpting. Complication Reduction: High. AP: 50.
-Ignore Pain. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Chisel. AP: 35.

Minor Error- AP Penalty: Moderate.
-Rethink Situation. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Water (2). AP: 50.

Minor Friction- AP Penalty: Moderate.
-Douse Flames. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Water (2). AP: 50.
-Work With It. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Chisel. AP: 35.

Odd Shape- AP Penalty: Low.
-Rework Material. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Saw. AP: 35.
-Adjust Settings. Skill: Sculpting. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: None. AP: 35.

Skipped Detail- Station Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Add Detail. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Cleaner (2). AP: 50.
-Consider Options. Skill: Sculpting. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: None. AP: 35.

Small Fissure- Tool Progress Penalty: Low. AP Penalty: Very Low.
-Work With It. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Chisel. AP: 35.
-Fuse Damage. Skill: Shaping Utilities. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: Adhesive (2). AP: 50.

Careful Sculpting- Effectiveness Penalty: Low. Tool Progress BONUS: Low.
-Shave Material. Skill: Shaping Tools. Complication Reduction: Moderate. Tool: Chisel. AP: 35.

Obsessive Sculpting- Quality BONUS: Low. AP Penalty: Low.
-Divert Attention. Skill: Sculpting. Complication Reduction: High. Tool: None. AP: 50.

Brilliant Work- Effectiveness Bonus: Low. Duration: 3 Turns.
-NO REMEDY. Why would you want to?

[Matuse]

===CHAPTER 3: COMMENTARY===

This section will be much larger.

[To Do: Theoretical musings on the importance of skills and attributes]

---SETTING UP THE TABLE---

One of the best things I have done for myself is to set up a utility macro for the table. It saves a monumental amount of scrolling through utilities and clicking while setting a work order up. Currently, my table macro reads as follows:

/refineadditem Solvent
/refineadditem Cleaner
/refineadditem Water
/refineadditem "Heavy Bandages"
/refineadditem "Abrasive Emery"

Since I get 5 table slots to put items in, this setup allows me to cover almost every complication that can arise that has a remedy that uses a Utility. The only exception currently are complications that use Adhesive to cure. Adhesives will be the next item I add if/when the table goes up to 6 items. I like using the more advanced versions of the bandages and emery, because they aren't called upon a whole lot, and you get those items fairly regularly from work order satchels. I like my complications to go away quickly, so I don't use store-bought here. Water is unfortunately used a lot, and Heavy Water is almost unheard of from a satchel, so I have to use the conventional stuff.

Be sure to uncheck the option to auto-setup the table for you, or it will bork this macro severely. Once the macro is set up, all you do once you pick the job to work on, is hit your macro key (I have mine set up in Bar 3, on the 1 button) and all of your utilitis will be thrown on the table. Then you just need to click "Begin".


---WORKING THE TABLE---

Prior to doing level 20 recipes, whenever the table is set up, there are really only 2 sections that matter, the middle two. The first and last sections have no real variety, and work every time. The second and third is where the tactical crafting comes into play (and who would thought you'd ever see that phrase in print). It is important when the recipe first comes up to see how it is laid out. There are always 3 sections in the 2 phases, and they are always divided by which skill they are based on. The station (millwheel icon) for Sculpting/Shaping, the jar for Utilities, and the smashing hammer for Tools. If your table is set [Utilities Tools] [Station], then you need to be sure that you have all of your quality upgrades done before you move to phase 3. After level 20, with the addition of the 6th action (which can often fall within the 4th phase), not all of the above advice is still valid.

Because there is virtually no quality to be had in the station phase, I have found it best to burn it hard for progression as soon as possible. You want to get progression high before you start working on quality anyway, and this is as good a method as any.

The game uses a particular mechanic whenever a phase has 2 or more actions inside. The 100% progress needed to get through the stage will be evenly divided amongst all of the actions within the phase. This is important when working the initial progression. If your progress bar is at 45%, then it doesn't matter how good of a skill roll you get, or whether you are using a hypothetical 300 AP ("Super High") progress action, you will only get 5% out of it. Conservation of AP is crucial to success in crafting, and when your progress bar is right near the 50% mark (or 33% mark, in a phase with 3 actions), use your lowest cost progress action, so you aren't wasting resources.

Complications will...complicate...this process. The game won't let you fail a phase due to running out of "progress points", so when a complication arises that inflicts a progress penalty, those points are refunded back to your actions. Example:

You have run Shaping up to 50%, and are now doing Roughhew steps to get more progress when you are hit with the "Uneven Modification" Complication. Since this Complication will reduce your progress total (even if you cure it straight away, you'll still be hit by at least 1 stage of this penalty), you would normally not be able to complete the phase. However, the game refunds those points. Initial refund is given to the open action (and not the blacked out one). If you take a BIG hit however, the blacked out option will re-open itself. When the previously blacked out action becomes available again, it means that the action you are currently working on is about to run out of "progress points", and you should use your lowest AP cost action to conserve points before you have to go back to the previously blacked-out option.

Another thing to be wary of with the "progress point" meter (since it is invisible to you) is that when it is up, the entire action will be blacked. This includes actions which only raise Quality. It would be bad to reach phase 3 with no quality, spend 3 turns doing "Complete Removal" to get progress, and then find out that your Solvent action is now blacked out and you're unable to add any quality.

---LEVEL AQUISITIONS---

In retrospect, this probably should have gotten its own chapter, but since it doesn't, this is the closest one that it falls into. This list is HIGHLY incomplete, since I didn't start making notes of this stuff until I had hit level 10. Also the way I have my windows set up, it is entirely possible for me to miss the message that a new action has been learned.

Shaping 80: Simmer Material, Steady Sawing, Quick Glance.
Sculpting 80: Slow Melting, Tighten, Glance, Quick Glance.
Shaping Utilities 110: Slow Burning, Diligent Varnishing, Powder Wash, Deep Cleaning.
Sculpting Utilities 110: Slow Burning, Powder Wash, Deep Cleaning.
Sculpting Tools 120: Perfect Development, Slow Carving, Fine Sculpting, Detail, Quick Unattachment.
Shaping Utilities 125: Fuse Damage, Prepare For Disaster, Major Application, Minor Adjustment, Take Breath, Soften Material, Fuse Material.
Sculpting Utilities 125: Fuse Damage, Recover Damage, Quick Thinking, Mend Tool, Mend Materials, Treat Wound, Fuse Material.
Sculpting Tools 125: Adjust Positioning, Quick Chiselling, Minor Adjustment, Prepare For Disaster, Mend Damage, Refocuse Attention, Partial Stabilization.
Sculpting 130: Fast Melting, Brace, Scan, Study.
Shaping 130: Smelter, Inferno, Cleave, Study.
Forming 140: 5x Rare and Ultra-Rare Jewelery, Blocks, Boards.
Sculpting Utilities 160: Quick Burning, Deep Cleansing, Full Cleansing.
Sculpting Tools 170: Adept Workmanship, Deep Boring, Mold, Delicate Fashioning, Break Off.
Shaping Tools 170: Measured Caftwork, Diligent Culling, Dedicated Purging.
Sculpting 180: Quality Glasswork, Fasten, Assess, Brief Examination.
Shaping 180: Melting Point, Saw Finesse, Brief Examination.
Sculpting 190: Quick Insertion, Quick Polish, Brief Examination.
Shaping 190: Quick Pour, Quick Clean, Part.
Forming 220: 3-Blocks/Boards 3-Rare/Ultra-Rare Blocks/Boards/Jewels.
Artificing 220: 3 Shafts.
Forming 230: Standard Housing Log, 3-Bricks/Standard Panels/Standard Beams/Shingles/Standard Planks/Rare Standard Planks/Rare Standard Spokes.
Sculpting Tools 230: Evolve Work, Accurate Carving, Diligent Toolwork, Knock Off, Craftsmanship.
Shaping Tools 230: Deep Processing, Improved Hewing, Aggressive Artificing.
Sculpting Utilities 240: Fuel Pile, Pristine Cleaning, Pure Solvent.
Shaping Utilities 240: Fuel Pile, Quality Application, Pristine Cleaning, Pure Solvent.
Forming 240: 5-Blocks/Boards, 5-Rare/Ultra-Rare Blocks/Boards/Jewels.
Artificing 240: 3 Grips/Supports, 5 Shafts.
Forming 250: 5-Bricks/Standard Panels/Standard Beams/Standard Planks/Shingles, 5-Rare Standard Planks/Spokes, Standard Housing Log.
Sculpting Utilities 250: Keep Going, Reinforce Tool, Stop To Consider, Take It Slowly, Quick Resharpen, Renew Material, Minor Application.
Shaping Utilities 250: Cool Surface, Take A Moment, Minor Application, Slight Adjustment, Wipe Residue, Splash Face.
Artificing 260: 5 Grips/Supports.
Artificing 290: 3 Supports.
Artificing 300: Gwartak Clan Shortbow.

[Matuse]

===CHAPTER 4: CURRENT ISSUES===

1) Obtaining work orders.

The UI for this could use a lot of work. The higher level you get, the worse it becomes. Since low end orders do not (that I can tell) drop off of the list, it simply gets longer and longer and longer, which makes using the scroll bar to get to the recipes in the difficulty you want to attempt a real pain. Best solution I can think of is to split this into 4 difficulty sections, and sort orders between them as needed. If I want Moderate orders, then I click on the down arrow over the box for "Moderate", and I get a drop-down box of all of the recipes which currently fit that difficulty.

2) Even with the macro mentioned in Chapter 3, the UI for setting up the table is a bit cumbersome, and could use some work. "Save table" buttons would be nice.

3) In the Purge category, the "Careful Consideration" action has no physical emote, nor any sound effect associated with it.

4) Recipes for real items need a large makeover for clarity. Example:

Thestran Quartz Jewelry
Ingrediants:
Teardrop Cut Jewel
(1) Quartz
(1) Quartz of Energy
(1) Quartz of Health
(1) Quartz of Hexes
Trilliant Cut Jewel
(1) Quartz
(1) Quartz of Energy
(1) Quartz of Health
(1) Quartz of Hexes

Secondary Component:
Brittle Stone Support.

First: Looking at the primary ingrediants list, the player might easily get the impression that they need 10 items to construct this jewelry.

Second: Listing "brittle stone support" as a secondary item gives the impression that it is optional, when it isn't.

Third: Without doing searching in forums or asking around, how is a player supposed to know what a "brittle stone support" is? This should read "Basalt Stone Support" to remove confusion. Since a lot of recipes require items supplied by other tradeskills (such as the garnet jewelry upgrade recipe needing a smith to make a tin sheet), this would remove a great deal of confusion. There is no "brittle stone support" to be found anywhere in the game, and no recipe should be mentioning it.

A recipe should be a recipe, not a "vague collection of guesses". I know that Vanguard is not reality, but you do not ask a machinist to construct "a bendy thing made of some metal". I have no problem with leaving some aspects vague (like the thestran jewelry recipe not telling you what the stats are on the final product, how different quality levels influence final stats, etc), but the fundamental basics of how to construct this item should be written with absolute crystalline clarity.

5) Complications. When doing Refining, the two complications "Inferior Materials" and "Mangled Tool" will come up every time (unless you finish before they have a chance), and always in that order. This only applies to sub-20 recipes. 20+ Refining has the standard randomization of complication occurence.

6) Rare versions of various utilities for artificing seem to be very rare to come from work order satchels. Corrosive Solvents are common, and Abrasive Emerys, Heavy Bandages come at a good clip, but advanced Water, Cleaner are almost unheard of. Instead we get lots of Treatments, Mordants, Strengtheners, etc. None of which are of any use in Artificing.

7) The water drinking audio for the "Rethink Situation" remedy to the "Minor Error" complication sounds as though (at least, for Vulmane male) my character is choking to death on his own blood. Something a little bit less horrific would be nice.

8) Jewelry where the gem is enchanted with +hp attuning dust comes out with the tag of "Healing", which is more than a little bit misleading. The name would indicate that it is giving a spell focus effect. "Health", like on the original dust would be a lot better.

9) The two Nothing-But-Good complications (Brilliant Work and Ideal Opportunity) both indicate that they will last 5 turns in their tooltip information. In reality, they will only last for 3. My money is on the tooltip being wrong.

10) Thestran Minerologists are not refered to the Artificing Master in New Targonor upon reaching level 21 and possessing sufficient Thestran Artisan Faction. Having just done the Kojani quest, the referals there are excellent and timely.

11) On Thestra at least, the quest to learn to build housing is...aggravating. This is something available in the low 20s, but the very first quest sends you to Trengal Keep, whose yard trash are 3-dot mid-20s, with the drakes inside the keep being 4-dots up to 27 or so. This is not -at all- a practical quest for someone who wants to go through life as a pure crafter. It's one thing to limit pure crafters to buying raw materials from people who go out in the world, but quite another to compel someone who might be only level 5 in their adventuring class to hit up a mid-20s outdoor dungeon just to obtain basic recipes (and yes, I consider houses to be a basic recipe for a minerologist). I have to this point been able to get some people to assist in keeping me alive while I check for bricks, but am 0/4 in successful brick studies to complete the requirements for this quest. Doesn't help that the bricks only spawn past the first fence inside the keep. There are 2 or 3 ruined houses before then (with much easier mobs guarding them) where these bricks -could- be spawning but don't.

12) The quest "The Captain's Old Sword" from Osmal in Rindol Field gives a recipe in the special recipes section to polish up the captain's sword. The message when the recipe is given to the player says that it is Refining, when in fact it is a Finishing recipe. Similarly, on the followup quest with Ghostclaw Ramur in Dahknarg, the "Seer's Amulet" recipe is listed as refining when given to you, but is a finishing recipe instead. Additionally, once the two quests in this series are complete, the recipe for the Seer's Amulet is not removed from the special tab. Is there a third+ part to this quest when you find the captain? Quest text seems to indicate she is in Qalia, but I've spent almost no time on that continent. If the Amulet recipe is not needed past the first? two? Rindol Field quests, then it would be nice for it to be removed from the recipe list.

15) Quest: "Learning Kojani Style", player is instructed to manufacture 3 "Wood Staff" off of a temporary recipe in the special tab. The recipe lists the need for (1) Weak Wood Board, when in fact the actual recipe for the staff needs 2 boards.

16) Oval Healing Earring Of Defense (Garnet/Slate version), the resonating powder of defense is converting the Physical absorb that the Oval cut normally gives into Mental absorb.

17) Static NPCs. Not strictly a crafter issue, but crafting is when someone might be stuck for lengthy periods of time next to an NPC. These people really need to shut up a lot. I appreciate the need to have them do "stuff" to give them some personality and life, but you hang out at the Artificing Refining table in Tawar Galan with that goblin taskmaster standing right next to you going "hmm?" "eehhehehehehe haha" every 5-10 seconds...for 3 hours...and see if maybe shoving a screwdriver into your temple might be a less painful option. Another good spot to see this is inside the Tursh bank. Stand in the middle of the bank, turn off the monitor, crank up the speakers, and I defy you to tell me that those bankers are not in the midst of having sex.

Please lower the rate of their audio emotes to 1/10th of where it is now. At least. 1/20th would be better still.

16) Suggestion: A "Repeat Last Action" button on the crafting table. A macro to duplicate this effect would also not result in Santa bringing you a lump of coal next Christmas.

17) Many recipes (far too many to list) have their actions listed in the incorrect order. Working in Tawar Galan, I'm finding a large number of work orders have the "Use Supplied Materials" and "Use Harvested Materials" buttons reversed. In the outpost northeast of Tursh, many of the 100/0 point finishing actions are flipped. Other recipes will jumble up a mid-stage action, so what on most recipes goes 1-2-3-4-5, you'll see 1-4-3-5-2.

18) Are artificer created weapons (stone blunt weapons, and bows) supposed to have continental effects? They are generally very inferior to blacksmith weapons as it is...lack of continental effect amplifys this disparity.

19) The reduction in stats for adding more powders to recipes is too severe. Best example I know of: Oval Hexing Mark Of The Evoker. This is a Sandstone/Amethyst ring, made with Attuning Powder of Hexes, and Resonating Powder Of The Evoker. At A-grade, it has the following stats:
Physical Absorb: 20
Spell Damage Focus: +2
Healing Focus: +2
Item Level 27.

This is actually a far superior item when made without the Evoker dust (which is supposed to raise spell damage). The jump from Tier2 to Tier3 items is incredibly miniscule for the greatly added difficulty of manufacturing Tier3 items given the lack of a powder vendor.

20) Quest in Khal "Charm Crafting" given by Nedas Araken is bugged. The "Practice Charm" that he has you construct comes out as an item with no name, and instead of a normal item icon, has the slashed circle universal naught symbol as a placeholder. Nedas does not accept this substitute item as a valid completion to his task.

21) Since the last patch, the crafting table has had this annoying tendency (easily noticed when switching toolbelts, or after a complication has been removed) to require 2 clicks on an action button before it will recognize that you've selected a new action. Reaaaaaally aggravating.

[Riggin]

Matuse, thanks for putting this up. I've crafting one ring using the jewelry recipe. Not sure if you're just using this as an example, or if you've actually stayed away from this one, but I'll share what I learned.

The Ingredients are just options. You just need one jewel to make the item, it just gives you the list of possible types. Each one but the basic jewel needs to have you refine the quartz with attuning dust.

The secondary component is required when you're making your own items at the finishing table. If you go to the refining table, you should have a recipe under secondary components for making them.

I agree that they didn't make it very clear about what a recipe entails, but with a little experimentation, it becomes clear what you need. Sure, you'll lose some components with trial and error, but isn't that how we all learn in real life? I for one enjoy learning crafting without having EVERYTHING spoon-fed to me(not saying that you do, of course, just my preference). A bit more of a challenge.

Good luck, and thanks again! Lets see if we can't all figure this stuff out together.

-Riggin

[DocSavag]

Originally Posted by Riggin

Matuse, thanks for putting this up. I've crafting one ring using the jewelry recipe. Not sure if you're just using this as an example, or if you've actually stayed away from this one, but I'll share what I learned.

The Ingredients are just options. You just need one jewel to make the item, it just gives you the list of possible types. Each one but the basic jewel needs to have you refine the quartz with attuning dust.

The secondary component is required when you're making your own items at the finishing table. If you go to the refining table, you should have a recipe under secondary components for making them.

I agree that they didn't make it very clear about what a recipe entails, but with a little experimentation, it becomes clear what you need. Sure, you'll lose some components with trial and error, but isn't that how we all learn in real life? I for one enjoy learning crafting without having EVERYTHING spoon-fed to me(not saying that you do, of course, just my preference). A bit more of a challenge.

Good luck, and thanks again! Lets see if we can't all figure this stuff out together.

-Riggin

One doesn't compliment a poorly written cookbook by saying that it makes cooking a challenge. Figuring out what attuning dust does what, and what balance of skills will produce the results you want, and effect quality has on stats is challenging. Having to guess what the developer meant by the indredients list (and having the names inconsistent) is not a challenge its just a rough crafting system that needs to be polished. They need to clean up the interface and make the names match.

One shouldn't have to go look on the forums to find out that the game calls a weighted leather strapping a toughened leather strapping in some places. That isn't challenge its just confusing.

What isn't confusing is this guide. Nice work. I've spent most of the day playing with Artificer. I wish I had read this earlier

[Blitzburg]

Originally Posted by DocSavag

One doesn't compliment a poorly written cookbook by saying that it makes cooking a challenge. Figuring out what attuning dust does what, and what balance of skills will produce the results you want, and effect quality has on stats is challenging. Having to guess what the developer meant by the indredients list (and having the names inconsistent) is not a challenge its just a rough crafting system that needs to be polished. They need to clean up the interface and make the names match.

One shouldn't have to go look on the forums to find out that the game calls a weighted leather strapping a toughened leather strapping in some places. That isn't challenge its just confusing.

What isn't confusing is this guide. Nice work. I've spent most of the day playing with Artificer. I wish I had read this earlier

Well said. Agree completely.

[silentdeth]

Originally Posted by Matuse

6) As noted in the complications section, there are 2 versions of the "Chipped Material" complication. One of them is normal, but the other is screwed up. There is a 20% AP penalty which is not listed in the info window, and just in general, a Moderate quality penalty combined with a low AP penalty is far too harsh of a penalty for a single complication, particularly one that requires a non-standard tool to fix (forcing you to let it sit there and kill you until level 10 when you can wear a 4-slot belt and use the rigging tool).

9) The work order recipe "Batch Of Dry Softwood Bed Frames" requires 4 tools: Saw, Drill, Chisel, and File. However, the 5-slot toolbelt is not available at the level that this recipe can be recieved, leaving you no room for a repair tool. Since the "mangled tool" complication currently comes up EVERY SINGLE TIME, finishing this work order is challenging at best.

You mention this twice, so I feel obligated to point this out. You can have up to 3 tool belts equipped at any time, which is 9 tools at the lowest level. All you have to do is click the tool belt button on the lower left of the crafting display to change to another tool belt (5 AP).

Not to be overly offensive, but I consider that fairly basic and crucial knowledge and question whether or not you should be composing a guide if you are not aware of that fact, even more so if your going to be so audacious to call it comprehensive.

[Rivensplit]

Was thinking of writing something about this myself but you beat me too it and touched on about all the points. Well put.

[Matuse]

I'm aware of the ability to switch toolbelts, but at 100 AP per shot, this is rarely very practical.

I just hit 21 tonight, and decided to try one of the level 20 Finishing work orders. Going for 0 quality, and with only 2 complications (both easily fixed), I managed to complete it with 18 AP remaining. That's burning raw progress, with zero quality, and the item was marked as a moderate difficulty.

How do I switch belts into that arrangement, when I can't even get a pixel of quality, and barely complete as it is?

even more so if your going to be so audacious to call it comprehensive.

The idea is for it to BECOME SO. Obviously, and at the very least, I'm missing 30 levels of information, aren't I?

[silentdeth]

Originally Posted by Matuse

I'm aware of the ability to switch toolbelts, but at 100 AP per shot, this is rarely very practical.

its 5 AP to switch tool belts, as I mentioned above. I dont know where you got 100 from?

[Matuse]

Hmm, the rare time I had to do it before, I could have sworn that this is what I was charged. If it is only 5, then that becomes a lot more practical.

[per]

GOOD sh..ahm..I mean STUFF!!..

[ThreadKiller]

switching tool belts was adjusted. It was 35, it is now 5.

[Melios]

So...."brittle stone support" means basalt support? Why couldn't they have just said basalt?

..........

[Matuse]

2/9/07 Update.

-Edited some sections for clarity.

-Edited some sections to account for the change in how recipes work post-20.

-Added a lot of new actions, and levels-recieved for actions.

-Removed some items from the issues section that have been resolved.

-Added some new potential issues that have come up.

-Added table setup macro.

[Selwyn]

/refineadditem Solvent
/refineadditem Cleaner
/refineadditem Water
/refineadditem "Heavy Bandages"
/refineadditem "Abrasive Emery"

Have a question (actually little problem) regarding this macro.
When i press macro button i created with those lines or only one those lines; it says "that item is not in your inventory" and ofcourse does not add item to table.. Tho,for example, if i type "/refineadditem Cleaner" to chat/command line - it works with no problem..
Any suggestion how can i get it working ?

[Matuse]

Hmm, that is a strange problem. I unfortunately have no answer for you.

[kyrrian]

I hope I didn't miss this information in the guide. I browsed it a couple of times and saw lots of other good information.

Background info -- I'm on PVP server Varking and playing Dark Elf.

My question is about the specifics on levels and quests. In Hathor Zhi, the trainer gaps recipe trains between 8 and 12, which I am assuming is where the "seeking the trainer" quest would normally be given, except that there isn't one.

I played some other races in beta and mostly crafted in Khar. That amateur quest sent me to Dark Horse Track and was pretty straightforward.

So now the HZ trainer just gaps, giving no quest and no other information. I went on to 11 doing work orders badly and picked my carpenter specialty, which is completely new since Beta, and then I finally wandered to Lomshir on a whim. The trainer there gave me the Qalian Amateur quest. Sadly, it's way out in goodie-land on the Qa riverbank and I died over and over trying to get into the building to speak with the trainer. Thankfully, the trainer was green to me (the only person in the entire camp, mind you, but the only one that mattered), so I got the recipes for the two items needed to progress and recalled to HZ to make them. Then I begged slate chunks all day so that I could craft the items (holy he11 why is low-level crafting so hard now?!) and finally made my way back to turn it in.

When I got back, there were a dozen recipes waiting for me on the old trainer and I took them all happily. I couldn't make any of them because D-grade blocks and boards don't really make for interesting items.

I started grinding again, 12 to 15... and now the trainer gaps again from 14 to 18. I'm sure I could just keep doing WOs, but it's obvious that there's another quest to be had, and I have no idea where to get it. I wish the trainer had this information. Or the crafting advisor. Or anyone anywhere.

What gives?

[Selwyn]

Okay.. after some hours of trying - figured it out (well - partly)

Seems macros i created at main hotkeybanks are giving that error.. So, i made some at "additional hotbars" ~ strangely those macros work, even they are moved to main hotkeybanks, hmm.

Tho, still some problems at multiline macros - changed ( ~fix) that to as follows :

/refineadditem Solvent <---
/refineadditem Cleaner <---
/refineadditem Water <---
/refineadditem "Heavy Bandages" <----
/refineadditem "Abrasive Emery" <---
/refineadditem Solvent
/refineadditem Cleaner
/refineadditem Water
/refineadditem "Heavy Bandages"

Red arrowed lines keeps giving "that item is not in your inventory"-error ; as next ones woking normal..