The Yves St Laurent guide to smithing

[Guest]

I disagree with the starting skills. I feel it is better to start with 50 Smithing & 49 tinkering & 1 mining. This eliminates the hassle of pick/shovel aquiring. You can now make picks/shovels on the fly! Starting Mining at 1 will allow for immediate gains in stats. A push inthe right direction. I consider this a strategy vs a power method.

Fellow

 

[Sendaria]

I understand the reasons for the tinkering option, but personally I think it is easier to get a bit of cash behind you first, and buying shovels is cheaper.
It is worth bearing in mind that the value of tinkering shovels against buying them is by no means agreed on, although I do. I prefer to buy the skill to 30, then copy keys to raise the skill a bit. At this point you will have enough money to not worry if you fail too much.
Although with the new 1k starting money it is easier, using your starting skills it is possible you mine some ore, fail to smelt some of it, and then fail to make any shovels from the ingots-leaving you skint.
Anyway, I agree that this is another option to start a character off.

Yves st. Laurent - Royal Smith of Order of the Ebon Hand Europa Shard
A smith with a heart and a Grandmaster at his professions.
Favourite hangout: Trammel - Le Maison d'Yves

 

[Guest]

It really is easier to get your mining to raise than it is to get tinkering to a level you can consistently make shovels. To carry a bunch of shovels cuts down on the amount of ore you can carry.

I have a character now I am working on and this will be my third gm smith. I bought tinkering to 30ish and let me tell it it was a pain to get the skill up to where I could make a shovel without trying 50 billion times, wasting my precious ingots in the process.

I also would suggest 50 smithing, 49 tinkering and 1 mining.

Unless a smith wants to buy magic weapons, I see no need, at present, for arms lore.

I also prefer not to work at a busy public forge. Too many players saying make me this and make me that and not wanting to pay your price.

Never have I ever repaired anything for anyone without warning them that there is also the possibility that an item may break upon repair. This is very important. I have never had it happen but it is a possibility. And I always tell them my true skill. If they want to take the chance then it is up to them.

And yes customer service is a must..be polite and be generous with the freebies or deep discounts, to gain and to keep customers

Trevar... GM Smith/GM Miner/Master Tinker/Master Cartographer/
GM Swords & Tactics.... LS Shard

Edward the Red... GM Smith/GM Miner/GM Tailor/GM Carpenter/GM Lumberjack.... LS Shard

Edward... GM Miner/GM Carpenter/GM Tinker/GM Lumberjack (very soon to be GM Tailor and soon to be GM Smith.... AOL Legends Shard

 

[Sendaria]

This was predominantly described as a training guide, so a couple of your points are invalid.

As I said in my previous post, to tinker or not to tinker at all is a judgement call, personally I prefer to pile in there and get ingots and worry about the tinkering later, but it is pretty much 50:50-both arguments have pro's and con's.

With regard to the busy public forge, it is very rare that a non GM smith get asked for items, if you find this to be a problem, a quick "I will be happy to make it, although I am not a Grand Master yet" macro will soon see off most customers if you do not want them-but what is a smith without customers? You have to get established before your customers will travel to see you, and the public forge is the place to do this. If you are worried about being disturbed during power hour, then a little hiding skill will sort that out.

Arms lore is very important to a trainee smith, it is better to warn a customer that their weapon/armour is in terrible condition and they would be better to try another smith, than to pile in and break it. ANY smith that has done a significant amount of repairs whilt training will have broken items, and if the customer is warned of the weapons very poor state before the repair it is better than a general warning, followed by whoops-sorry. The skill can always be dropped later.

Yves st. Laurent - Royal Smith of Order of the Ebon Hand Europa Shard
A smith with a heart and a Grandmaster at his professions.
Favourite hangout: Trammel - Le Maison d'Yves

 

[Darius o Britain]

I agree with everone on the subject of non-gm smiths not being trusted. My smith is adept and is a master miner (Does that make me a miner first and a smith second? I only mine the ingots for myself.) and I offer people exceptional weapons and armour (I wouldn't take repairs just yet.) but they just want GM, even the newbies do it now.
Another point not just for smiths though, the other day I was happily smithing away when some bloke wanders up and starts begging everone for cash, a pasttime I frown on, even if you have nothing but the dagger you get at the start you can kill rabbits for the pelts and meat. but everyone had a laugh at this boys expense. (He told everyone he was only 13.) So I just tinkered up a pick gave it to him and told him to go and make his own money. I don't want the Nobel peace prize I would just like to see people helping out, after all, what is a pick to us? I have now got a good source of ingots!

 

[Sendaria]

Darius, you did exactly the right thing!

Make sure, however you tell him clearly that you will buy his metal off him, and that he is to come back when he needs a new shovel.

In this way you have helped out a new player, and provided yourself with a miner who will work for you. This might surprise some people, but I still buy ingots at the same price as I did last year (5gp for iron etc), and I have people who refuse to sell to anyone else, despite being offered more money for their ingots (in some cases a lot more). This is because I treat them well. You already have established a degree of loyalty from this guy, because you have helped him out. If he takes up your mining offer he will soon need a horse, but at this point he will be looking to dig more and more-so buy him it! Call it a bonus! 800gp for a reliable source of ingots? Well worth the money. Smith items for him (using his ingots), and make him shovels for free (again from his ingots). All this is a cheap way of looking after your miner, and establishing a good working relationship-you need each other, so look after him!

Yves st. Laurent - Royal Smith of Order of the Ebon Hand Europa Shard
A smith with a heart and a Grandmaster at his professions.
Favourite hangout: Trammel - Le Maison d'Yves

 

[Quadrox]

I am sorry, but your post no longer applies.

Yes, you read that right!

When I first started playing UO, and for about a year or so afterwards, the things you listed were appropo.
But now with every guild having thier own smith, and people just aquiring new armour -vs- repairing thier old, your post simply reduces one to a spam miester.

The nobility of being a GM smith is simply gone.

And it's not a matter that there are just to many smiths, but when a person can go from vendor to vendor and buy whatever he wants, why tie yourself down to one person, and become completely reliant on that person?

Yes, if you started in the early days, and did apply the things you listed in your guide, they woudl definetly be appropiate, but today it would be an exercise in futility.

Was a nice post though, wish it was useful.

 

[Mrs Fields ~H~]

haha...i actually saw Yves in Brit when the chef million march was over. I asked him to make me some GM Clothes but unfortunately, he was very busy. However, he was very courteous and he did role play, although I wish i couldve had those clothes /forum_images/uo/icons/tongue.gif J/K

 

[Sendaria]

I disagree-it is now more important than ever!!!!

I see this now as being the ONLY way to make a commercially successful GM smith now, because of the very reasons you state. There are now a larger number of smiths than ever, and you get no respect just because you can say you are a GM smith. For this reason it is IMPERITIVE that you gain respect and a reputation in another way-and I suggest one way to do this.

I have no idea who the player who posted above is (I will PM him and sort out those clothes though!), but look at the impression that was left. I turned the guy down for a job, and he has still left with a positive impression of my services- no shouting that I a a newbie lamer, or anything else-he was still well treated and will choose to use me again (I hope). This is what counts.

Yves st. Laurent - Royal Smith of Order of the Ebon Hand Europa Shard
A smith with a heart and a Grandmaster at his professions.
Favourite hangout: Trammel - Le Maison d'Yves

 

[Mrs Fields ~H~]

Hehe...I was only on Europa for 10 minutes. Her name was Mrs Fields for the Chef Million March discussed in the UO Chef Forum. Unfortunately, i was late so I went around.../forum_images/uo/icons/smile.gif





BTW, I'm a chick....lol

 

[Koal]

You suggest they put 50 on mining and buy magery later. ???

From 0 Mining it takes about 2 shovels and 30 minutes of a power hour to reach 50. (Not to mention you'll gain 5-10 strength in the process)

From 0 Magery it takes 300ish gold to buy up to 27, than about 2 power hours and a lot of regs to reach 50. (and gain about 3-5 Intelligence)

Just an observation

 

[Blower2]

this sounds like a plug from a friend, but wheres youre shop located (as in x by y)
in europa?

Im stuck at blah blah blah, Answer = leave it for a few days, do another skill!

 

[Sendaria]

I have now closed the shop, as it was taking a fantastic amount of time to keep stocked.

I still work to order though, just PM me, or icq me if you have it from in game (I do not authorise people I don't know)

Yves st. Laurent - Royal Smith of Order of the Ebon Hand Europa Shard
A smith with a heart and a Grandmaster at his professions.
Favourite hangout: Trammel - Le Maison d'Yves

 

[Elsydeon]

98.2 blacksmith..... 3 thousand ingots.... think I'll make it to GM? I'm running a pool, all it costs is 100 gp. heh

Whoever sees me has got a date with his maker... unless they're a smith. I like smiths.

 

[Bowfish]

What a nice essay on smithing.

One thing I'll like to include is that (prior to getting my house) training for a smith in Delucia seems to be the most fun.

1. Easy to mine, plenty of mountains close to forge.

2. A lot of players are there simply training, I've found they tend to be nicer. Many will even to give you free Ilamas, horses and in some cases, free pack horse!

3. Smiths there are mostly trainees too, plenty of nice folks chatting there. This might sound unimportant but believe me, it relieves you of the boredom when 'manufacturing' your smith.

If you're new, trying asking nicely for a gate there. Or you can bank everything and try walking from enterance SW of Trinsic.


Have fun!

 

[Lord_midas]

you wrong miss know it all
lol

*for real*

 

[nates23]

same as toby,,cut/paste.

And also i did like his, "smelt it" comment

Nothing like working 5k ingots during a PH, and some guy throws a bag at you,,,or you can always just say opps,,your shield of guarding, and your katana of power just broke casue they were "about to fall apart"

Kill stealers, Looters, and stable filling Tamers ,,,you know what im about to say!! If you are in the military, Im sorry, because im in the A.F. and it sucks on my end! But i suppose any job would suck, No Harm No Foul

 

[CrazyHorse]

OK OK off the subject but explain this Chef Million man march

 

[Brior Quickstep]

... since YSL hasn´t been seen for ages, the clothing and armours are real rares today. the Best armourer in Europa, expencive but of finest quality. If any of you are willing to sell some clothings made by him plz gimmi a buzz. (neeeds fancy shirt and a kilt)

Hu....!!!???
Nice Halbert sir...Ehhh...My hand in thine backpack....!!!??? Nope. *stretches for the gold*

 

[hasad]

Well, I'm a smith, but my mining is far ahead of smithing. If one of you guys needs a miner( and you are on catskill ) post it here and ill be happy to give you a full ingot contract. I make about 5K ingots a week with my current skill, and charge 10 gp an ingot. However, in about 2 skill points i will be mining dull copper as well( costs 12 gp )

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by hasad on 12/01/01 02:13 PM.</FONT></P>