A Guide to Crafting

[Ilandrya]

QUICK REFERENCE

• The Altar of Fecundity
• The Altar of Invasion
• The Altar of Subjugation
• The Altar of Devastation
• Focus Combinations
• The Altars of Change

AN INTRODUCTION


There have been several other threads started on this subject, and all are valuable... indeed, the work put forth by others in compiling information early on, as well as those who have contributed information on their experiments in those threads and elsewhere in the forums has made much of what is contained in this guide possible. They are the real pioneers and explorers in this endeavor, and should be accorded much gratitude for their efforts. I for one, thank all those who have made efforts in this regard.

I have found myself taking notes on their work, because of the way in which I process information. This guide, while containing observations of my own that I feel may help others in the process of crafting, varies not so much in content from the others as it does in it's style of organization. You may or may not find this style useful. It is useful to me, and I offer it here to others in the hopes that those who may still feel confused about the crafting process may find the answers they are seeking. If you have a question in regard to anything I've posted, or have unanswered questions after reading this guide, please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer.

~ Ilandrya


THE TWO TYPES OF ELDRITCH DEVICES/ALTARS


THE ALTARS OF CHANGE (A.K.A. "The Stones of Change")
Locations: Marketplace Bank (Right of Entrance), The Twelve Headquarters (Right of Entrance), Three Barrel Cove (Inside The Black Loch, Near the AH and Bank)

These altars allow you to enhance existing items. These altars vary from the other type in that 1) while you may be able to upgrade an item several times at an altar, you may only take one line of enhancement for each item, and 2) these altars can be used on both Green Steel and non Green Steel items. There are several of these altars, and they all have the same function, so it does not matter which one you use to enhance your items.

THE GREEN STEEL ALTARS
Locations: The Vale of Twilight Exploration Area: The Town of Meridia, The Shroud Raid

These altars allow you to create and upgrade Green Steel items. Each of the four altars has a different function. The first allows you to create a Green Steel weapon or accessory and is located in Meridia, the other three are located within the raid itself and allow you to upgrade the item you created in Meridia.

This guide presents each of the "Green Steel Altars" in order, each meriting it's own post. The posts for each altar are comprised of two main sections:

• "SUPPLIES": A list of ingredients that apply to that altar, their location, and the keys to combining them.
• "THE CREATION/UPGRADE TREE": This talks about what is imparted to your weapon or accessory by each ingredient. While encompassing, it is geared to be simple to use and understand.

Following these, there is an appendix listing the focus combinations, and their resulting bonuses.


OTHER IMPORTANT INFO RELATING TO GREEN STEEL


Bound?

Once created, Green Steel weapons and accessories can be traded, sold, or auctioned, as long as you don't equip them. Once equipped, the item is permanently bound to you. You cannot trade, sell, or auction Green Steel weapons or accessories once they have been upgraded at any of the altars found in the raid. All other ingredients relating to Green Steel manufacture or upgrade, with the exception of the Essence of Cleansing, Shavarath Signet Stone, Shavarath Stones, and any of the Power Shards, are unbound, and may be traded, sold, or auctioned. The Essence of Cleansing, Shavarath Signet Stone, Shavarath Stones, and Power Shards are bind on aquire.

Removing the Taint of Shavarath

Green Steel has a thirst for pain and suffering. Wearing more than one Green Steel accessory at a time hurts the wearer by draining hp over time. To remove the taint, combine your item with an Essence of Cleansing at the final altar within the raid. The Essence of Cleansing can be found as an end reward on your 20th, 40th, 60th etc. Shroud completion, and can be used at any point in your crafting process. Green Steel Weapons do not affect you in this way and do not need to be cleansed.

Stacking

This does not cover the unique three and four focus enchantments because most of the information we have on these is based on user testing rather than being in the description of the item. Information from users is very limited and often has not included stacking information, or very limited stacking information at best, which may or may not be accurate.

• Elemental Energy (HP): Stacks with everything but itself.
• Improved Elemental Energy (HP): Stacks with everything but itself.
• Greater Elemental Energy (HP): Stacks with everything but itself.
• Weapon Damage Typing: These do stack with one another. However, resistance to and/or absorption of the energy/element will be applied to each instance of damage rather than the cummulative total. Note that equipping a weapon with Unholy/Evil damage typing will result in a negative level for anyone who is not of Evil alignment. The negative level remains in effect for as long as the item is equipped.
• Minor Guard/Lesser Guard/Guard: Do not stack if same type. Strongest of a single type wins out. (This does not cover the unique guards that result from the 3 and 4 focus enchantments.)
• Wizardry VI (SP): Does not stack with other Wizardry/Power items. Highest SP bonus wins out.
• Elemental Spell Power (SP): Stacks with everything but itself.
• Greater Elemental Spell Power (SP): Stacks with everything but itself.
• Improved/Greater/Superior VI: Do not stack with each other on the same line of spells. Highest % on a single line of spells wins out.
• Lore/Greater Lore/Superior Lore: Do not stack with each other on the same line of spells. Highest % on a single line of spells wins out.
• Lesser/Improved/Greater Regeneration (HP): Do not stack with each other. Highest % wins out at any given time.
• Incoming Healing Amplification:
• Greater Resistance: Does not stack with itself when applied to the same element. Differing elements will work.
• Inherent Resistance 5: Stacks with everything but itself, unless you vary the element.
• Inherent Resistance 10: Stacks with everything but itself, unless you vary the element.
• Energy Absorption:
• Deflection Bonuses (AC): Do not stack with each other. Largest AC bonus wins out.
• Insight Bonuses (AC): Do not stack with each other. Largest AC bonus wins out.
• Competence Bonuses (Skills): Do not stack with each other when applied to the same skill. Highest bonus to a single skill wins out.
• Enhancement Bonuses (Stats): Do not stack with each other when applied to the same stat. Highest bonus to a single stat wins out.
• Resistance Bonuses (Saves): Do not stack with each other. Highest bonus to a single save type wins out. Example: If a +5 overall resistance and a +7 Reflex resistance is present, Fortitude will receive +5, Reflex +7, Will +5.
• Exceptional Bonuses: Stacks with everything but itself. It will stack if a differing stat/save is used. Example: Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat) will stack with Charisma Exceptional Bonus +2 (Stat), but not another Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat). Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat), will stack with Strength Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat). Similarly, Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat Based Skills) will stack with Charisma Exceptional Bonus +2 (Stat Based Skills), but not another Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat Based Skills). Charisma Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat Based Skills), will stack with Strength Exceptional Bonus +1 (Stat Based Skills). Ditto for Reflex Exceptional Resistance +1 (Save). It will stack with Reflex Exceptional Resistance +2 (Save), but not another Reflex Exceptional Resistance +1 (Save). Reflex Exceptional Resistance +1 (Save), will stack with Fortitude Exceptional Resistance +1 (Save). Exceptional Bonus (Stat), Exceptional Bonus (Stat Based Skills), and Exceptional Bonus (Save) are not considered the same bonus, but have been grouped together here for the purpose of comparing how similarly these types of bonuses work in order to minimize confusion.

Generalities of Ingredients

• "Ore of Travail" tends to create weapons.
• "Filament of Toil" tends to create accessories.
• "Material Essence" tends to create effects useful for non casters.
• "Ethereal Essence" tends create effects useful for casters.
• "Gem of Escalation" tends to improve our characters in some way: stats, skills, hp, sp... ethereal affects sp, material hp.
• "Gem of Dominion" tends to cover offensive power: ethereal essence affects spell casting, material affects physical damage from weapons/armor.
• "Gem of Opposition" tends to cover defensive abilities: ethereal essence in general providing what casters are most weak to, while material essence in general providing what non casters are most weak to.

Also note that raw and manufactured ingredients for each of the upgrade altars (beginning with "The Altar of Invasion") use the same key. It is only the level of the ingredients that vary from altar to altar, not how they are combined.

Example:

Inferior Focus of Air : A, B, S, T
Focus of Air: Air: A, B, S, T
Superior Focus of Air: Air: A, B, S, T