Advice on starting a trade skill char

[Zamolcrat]

So I just want to make a char that will most likely stay under level 100 (unless I'm just having too much fun with it) just to try out trade skills. I know that they are not all that good and stuff but I'm just curious. So I have 2 questions.

First, which should I pick up: engineer or trader ? I hear many people saying that traders are better than engineers at trade skills(and there are a few threads on these forums about it also) but for some strange reason most of the people who advertise their trade skills are engineers. Am I missing something ?

Second, which trade skills have the most items that work ? I am not sure if I'll have the ip to raise all of them as I also need to put a little into weapon and nanos as this char has to level also. Thus I might not be able to max all trade skills so I'm curious which ones have the most cool stuff going on for them.

[Destractor]

Traders are better at trade skills (with their buffs) than engies (without traders buffs)

If you have traders friends, who can buff you when needed, maybe an engie is the better option.

I believe that the reason engies advertise their trade skills more than traders are that:

1. There are more engies than traders (until you get past lvl120)

2. The description in the prof selection screen suggests that engies might be better at building things than traders (even the name suggests this) therefore people who wanted their prime to be a trade skill guy, chose engie.

3. Traders are probably fed up of having to wrangle people (and have enough creds) so don't want the business.


Well not a lot you can do at the mo, jewelery requires mech eng, but you will be doing it for creds, not to help others.

Recepitals need B&e and weapon smithing, though they are not all that common.

Nano creaton needs mech eng, elec eng, quantum phy, np and comp lit (quite a few skills) but can really help people from this.


In terms of lvling, if you like team missions then traders are better (pathing sucks) where as hunting is more an engie skill.
Though there are few high lvl hunting grounds so few engies get much higher than 120.

If you are an engie you have to find mps most of the time at higher lvls, where as traders will have people trying to find them, to get wrangles.

So if you want to be helpful and loved be a trader, if you want people to hide fom you become an engie.

[coldwarkid]

Originally posted by Zamolxis
First, which should I pick up: engineer or trader ? I hear many people saying that traders are better than engineers at trade skills(and there are a few threads on these forums about it also) but for some strange reason most of the people who advertise their trade skills are engineers. Am I missing something ?

At higher levels, Traders get a nice line of buffs for their tradeskills that give them the edge over Engineers. At lower levels, this is less of a problem, since tradeskills cost Engineers slightly fewer IP than they do Traders. Basically, without the buffs the Engineer is better, with the buff the Trader is.

Of course, the Trader can apply the buff to the Engineer...

Second, which trade skills have the most items that work ? I am not sure if I'll have the ip to raise all of them as I also need to put a little into weapon and nanos as this char has to level also. Thus I might not be able to max all trade skills so I'm curious which ones have the most cool stuff going on for them.

Nano-programming. Just about everything to do with implants works, so it's a good one to invest in. If you're intending to specialise in it exclusively, you might consider a Nano-Technician or Meta-Physicist.

Other tradeskills are useful for just about anything. Weapon manufacture, for instance, may require Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nano-Programming or Chemistry in addition to the mandatory Weaponsmithing. Making nano-crystals (again, everything works here) also requires several tradeskills, as do making jewellery and medical gear. Check the guides are at http://www.virral.com for a thorough list. Again, if you're intending to specialise in stims, treatment packs etc. you might consider starting a Doctor.

The only thing that's really broken is weapon manufacturing - just under half the kits we've tested so far are working. Everything else I've tried has worked flawlessly. No one profession dominates in every sphere of tradeskills, so you'll have to specialise to some degree anyway. Pick something you think you'll like and go with it without worrying too much

Cheers,

~R~

[Zamolcrat]

Thanks a lot for the fast answers, guess I'll try a trader then (I'm going to try and engineer also, but not for trade skills).
Btw, my main is an NT which has maxed NP and CL and making lots of implants

[______________Rustot]

I have made character specially for crafting and I have chosen the engineer.

Main reason - engineer can survive with zero combat, evades, speed, firstaid, etc. Only matcre and t&s are required for leveling. I can to distribute most part of IP to tradeskills.

Imho, there is such choice - trader must be good soldier (ie bad crafter) while not reach level 150+, then he can become good crafter. The engineer will be good crafter all time, but trader can be better at the end of game (better, if engineer w/o traders buffs). So if you want to PLAY as good crafter, choose engeneer. If you want to BECOME the best crafter at the end, choose trader. Note, trader will be the best crafter only in solo, ie if both only self-buffed.

[_______________Wibol]

Yeah try to stay away from tradeskills on trader at low levels

I didnt go gimp until ip reset

Having to drain for maestros takes time too so until you can selfcast might as well be an engy

Still my tradeskills tab would make a lot of engys drool I do leave chemistry over 750 to the real guys who implant swap all day

I bet Im the only person to make a virral egg while inside arena too

Enough about me
Id first take 1 or 2 skills and max them since its easier to get use out of them. 2 easy single skills that actually work are NP and Mech, and you would get a lot more work than 5 half maxed skills unless you like making QL10 nanos

I think those 2 are used to activate the aggro and agg-def robot trimmers also