Tinkering

A specialty skill possessed by gnomes, tinkering allows the gnome to create specialty gadgets.

What are the best strategies to use and develop the tinkering skill? Which recipes are the most and least useful? Can you make a profit through tinkering, and if so how?

Post your strategies on how to best use and develop the tinkering skill, and read, rate and comment on those posted by others.
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Bristlebane Trade Union Forming, all Welcome!
# Oct 02 2000 at 3:52 PM Rating: Default
After some consideration, and asking around in game as well as on posts, I've decided to work on uniting as many tradesmen and women of Bristlebane I can in order to share resources and information, stabilize market prices as much as possible, and create a sense of community between the various crafters of Bristlebane.

All interested in being a part of a united coalition of tradeskill workers on the Bristlebane server are cordially invited, and welcomed.

Get in contact with me at athame@mindspring.com

Don't forget to include your name and skill, of course, and anything else you wish, such as when and where you can be found (timezone as well), and any suggestions/wishlists.

Sincerely, and Hopefully,
Balash of Bristlebane
Gem Cutter
# Sep 25 2000 at 7:33 PM Rating: Default
Is there any new info on what the gem cutter is used for?
You dont need the skill for simple items
# Aug 31 2000 at 6:30 PM Rating: Decent
20 posts
You do not need the skill or even to be a gnome to make some of the most simple items. True you make it with a skill of 0 with no way to improve but it is enough to make say a collapsable fishing pole after a few tries.
RE: You dont need the skill for simple items
# Dec 26 2000 at 5:23 PM Rating: Default
All gnomes start with tinker at 50. Most of the simple items can be made with no trouble. i can imagin that non gnomes can make the more simpler items, just doen't expect to always succed.
#Anonymous, Posted: Aug 30 2000 at 3:00 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) what this little toy do ? plz , can anyone tell me ? is it enchance ur chance of making jewel ?
RE: Gemcutter
# Sep 12 2000 at 6:17 PM Rating: Default
Accckkkkk, Have you ever heard of english? DooD speach is bad enough, but Primitive DooD speach is unbearable!
RE: Gemcutter
# Feb 12 2002 at 3:04 PM Rating: Decent
If you're going to criticize someone's English, perhaps you should learn it yourself. English is always capitalized, and it's "speech" not "speach."
RE: Gemcutter
# Sep 07 2000 at 4:49 PM Rating: Default
From what I can tell this does absolutly nothing. I think the game designers put this in the game so people would post messages on message boards asking what it does, and then laugh at the wild and kooky answers given in replies. But thats just my theory.
RE: Gemcutter
# Sep 15 2000 at 9:13 AM Rating: Default
I have a feeling that it was intended to enchant jewels. It says something about cutting jewels to make it reflect more light making it magical, maybe it will just make "cut silver hematite ring"s, or something like that, but I think they trashed the idea, and maybe they are going to put it back in, who knows?
RE: Gemcutter
# Oct 12 2000 at 7:02 PM Rating: Default
Yes, I have asked Abashi the same question, and he said that there was 'currently' no use for the cutter.

Winspus
Gnome with the Tome!
RE: Gemcutter
# Dec 01 2000 at 4:59 PM Rating: Default
my guess is that you put a gem in the Gemcutter along with a rune of some sort ( giving the gem magical powers). If you could combine a magic gem with a magic metal, imagine the possibilities.
-Forman (level 10) , Vallon Zek
RE: Gemcutter
# Dec 15 2000 at 6:03 AM Rating: Default
it has a use in one quest, but there is an alternate way to do it as well...
RE: Gemcutter
# Dec 19 2000 at 1:46 AM Rating: Good
heh...heh...heh....
i've heard rumors (rumors! so don't blame me if this don't work!!) that if you place the gc in a jewelry kit, alone, and hit combine, you'll get a gemcutter's bag, which has 4 slots, and a combine button....

maybe now you can make standard, unenchanted jewelry, put that, a gem, fire water, and mebbe something else in, and combine for enchanted jewelry...could someone with a bit more money than me try this out really quick one day?

-gheardon
Gnomish Fireworks
# Aug 26 2000 at 7:58 PM Rating: Decent
what good are gnomish fireworks? im just wondering.
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Dec 25 2000 at 7:09 PM Rating: Default
I heard some NPC`s in Ak`Anon Shout out somthing about fireworks! i didn't know what to do .... i think this leads to a quest? hehe



From Skipp of terris-Thule!
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Nov 17 2000 at 12:15 PM Rating: Good
JUst wanted to add my 2cp.
I LOVE fireworks. I have sent many hours making trips back to Ak'Anon to buy metal shafts just so I can sit there and make fireworks. It makes a nice and slightly different "calling card". Someone gives e a free sow or a clarity without asking for it, I hand them a few fireworks and say "here you go, think of me when you light these." Or I give them to adventurers in really remote places like Lake Rathe or Kunark, or really depressing places like Lake of Ill Omen or Lavastorm so that they wont feel so gloomy. I know the mood can sometimes kill a party. :) If we won a really hard battle, I light some off. There is much to be said about morale in a group. :) I am a high elf so I am doomed to an obscene failure rate, but that has never stopped me. Also, big plus here... METAL SHAFTS ARE NOW STACKABLE!!!! Among other things, I think this may be an indicator that Verant is planning to do more with Tinkering in the future.. Metal shafts were not stacksbale before, hence having to make trips back to Ak'Anon just to buy the little buggers. They are now stackable so I dont have to return to what I lovingly call the Borg Cube too often. (Ak'Anon). Hope any of this insight is any good to someone. :) Just wanted to add my unwarranted opinion :)

Nahuall Uoxtitla
Magician of the 23rd Summon
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Nov 17 2000 at 12:17 PM Rating: Default
As an afterthought.. considering I live in Qeynos for now, but more permanently in Freeport. Is there anywhere that anyone has ever seen METAL SHAFTS (NOT METAL RODS OR METAL PIPES) for sale other than the windmill oustide Ak'Anon?

Nahualli Uoxtitla
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Jan 17 2001 at 2:37 AM Rating: Default
Overthere city.
Gnomish fireworks do have a use!
# Oct 12 2000 at 7:06 PM Rating: Decent
You can use them as a Mob puller, sometimes. I learned this when I used a firework on the POD during on of my Kelethin shows (when I was still hanging in kelethin, everyone started calling me fireworks man, and some high levels bought a huge amount of fireworks from me :P). This does not always work though, but they can be used by anyone, even though they are more expensive than throwing knives. Oh, and BTW, Unfortuantly fireworks do not stack

Winspus
Gnome with a Tome!
That darn troll
# Apr 13 2001 at 7:36 PM Rating: Default
I can confirm that they can be used to pull mobs - someone had given me on before after they SOWed me for a corpse run - I totally forgot about it until I was standing at the enterance to Guk and going through my backpacks.

There was a froglock standing not too far away, so just for craps and giggles, I tried my best to aim and fire it at him.

I missed him, but it zipped right by him and exploded in a group of froglocks not to far behind him.

Needless to say, they were majorly POd but they were all green, so WTF? :)
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Aug 27 2000 at 11:04 PM Rating: Good
21 posts
Gnomish fireworks are as useful as the necromancer spell Voice Graft - which is to say, none - if you only care about killing things and making cash. They are a 'fun' item, like VG is a 'fun' spell. One day make somne fireworks, head on over to an outdoor zone with some room and some newbies, shoot some off, and let newbies shoot some. It is a grand time, and was one of the reasons I made a gnome.
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Mar 11 2001 at 1:29 PM Rating: Decent
Fireworks can be very lucrative, perticularly for lower levels. I recently discovered, much to my surprise, that i didn't have to wait til lvl 16 to train in tinkering. At lvl 11, i not only succeeded in tinkering some fireworks, but discovered that they were already trivial to me...=)
As for the lucrative part, if you have the patience, you can make quite a bit of money selling these things. Pick up plenty of supplies, find a place to set up shop, and start tinkering!. Ppl can't seem to get enuf of them; many buy me out, backpacks and all, for weddings, guild events, etc... It costs maybe 3 or 4 gold to make a set of 4, so i advertise for 5 gold/set. Sounds like chump change right? Wrong!! Almost nobody deals in gp anymore; ppl always give me at least a couple plat for 1 or 2 sets, and the larger purchases usually earn me 20 or more...8o) Heck if I run out of supplies, they even offer to tp me to faydwer to get more...gotta love it!
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Aug 30 2000 at 12:51 PM Rating: Decent
My first paid tinkered item were gnomish fireworks, made by request of a Guildmaster. He not only supplied the items but paid me in platinum to do the tinkering! This is how all tinkering should work, we do it because we can and it brings joy and fun to the game.
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Aug 30 2000 at 12:50 PM Rating: Default
My first tinkered item were gnomish fireworks, made by request of a Guildmaster. He not only supplied the items but paid me in platinum to do the tinkering! This is how all tinkering should work, we do it because we can and it brings joy and fun to the game.
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Sep 15 2000 at 9:16 AM Rating: Decent
Hey, how about this? get your whole guild equipped with a stack of fireworks (do they stack?) and stand around in a zone when it's near year 4000 (norrath time), and have a big new year's celebration, or how about standing around an arena as two drunk monks duke it out and fire off a few fireworks? that'd be a sight!
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Jan 06 2001 at 7:24 AM Rating: Decent
monks dont drink ;(
RE: Gnomish Fireworks
# Apr 27 2001 at 7:16 PM Rating: Decent
Bull crap we don't drink. Especially those of us who do brewing ...
Charisma in Trade Skills
# Aug 23 2000 at 7:42 AM Rating: Good
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141 posts
Everyone needs charisma! If you are performing a trade skill that requires you to buy from or sell to a vendor then you NEED to get enough charisma gear to get your cha over 103. The cheapest charisma gear thats not too hard to get, where to get it, and probable prices with (pp/cha), are:

Mystic Doll, Feerrott, 3 cha, Free (0)
Medal of Merit, Qeynos, 5 cha, Free (0)
Silver Cats Eye Necklace, Jeweler, 3 cha, 1.5pp (.5)
Silk Evening Tunic, Qeynos, 5 cha, 5pp (1)
Crude Stein, Feerrott, 15 cha, 30pp (2)
Electrum Cats Eye Bracelet, Jeweler, 4 cha, 8pp (2)
Golden Cats Eye Bracelet, Jeweler, 7 cha, 26pp (4)
Splitpaw Tooth Necklace, SK/Paw, 5 cha, 25pp (5)
Opalline Earring, Unrest, 5 cha, 30pp (6)
Electrum Star Ruby Ring, Jeweler, 7 cha, 128pp (18)

That is more than enough gear to get anyone with a base charisma of 40 to 103 for optimal prices, so anyone can leave out the expensive or harder to get gear.
As an example of what this will do, if you fletch from 1 to 100 skill selling arrows back to the vendor, you will spend approximately DOUBLE the money at 60 charisma that you would at 103.
RE: Charisma in Trade Skills
# Aug 29 2000 at 9:30 AM Rating: Default
But then you would have to have about 255 platinum to spend, be able to get into the cities without getting killed, and find out where in the zone they are
RE: Charisma in Trade Skills
# Aug 30 2000 at 10:06 AM Rating: Default
Seems to me, what he was doing was SUGGESTING an item list to save you money, not telling you that you can't start a trade without these items. Pick them up a piece at a time, when you can afford it. Even if you can only get 1 or 2 for now, you're still saving cash, and isn't that the point?
RE: Charisma in Trade Skills
# Aug 31 2000 at 9:53 AM Rating: Decent
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141 posts
Correct. 103 is the goal, not the requirement. Id say the crude stein is probably the first thing for anyone to get because of its high charisma, low cost, and general availability in any normal trading zone. After that, like Anon said, just pick them up as you can find them, the gradual progression from 60 to 103 took me 4 weeks the first time I did it with a level 30, now it takes me about 8 hours with a level 50.
RE: Charisma in Trade Skills
# Oct 12 2000 at 7:08 PM Rating: Default
BTW, You can get free crude steins of the guards in Ogguk or Grobb (forgot which)


~Winspus
Gnome with a tome!
RE: Charisma in Trade Skills
# Dec 06 2000 at 4:22 AM Rating: Default
ANY GUARD IN OGGOK DROPS THE STEIN
Practicality
# Aug 17 2000 at 4:23 PM Rating: Decent
Tinkering, while the concept has good potential, is pretty much rendered useless while most of the items made are of little use (with the exception of the aqualung and rebreather, however, the skill needed to make these is high)
I would like to see verant put some thought into expanding the tinkering abilities to include items that every class from low to high levels could use.
I currently play a gnome because Im interested in the skill, hoping that it will someday become more rewarding.
one useful item
# Dec 18 2000 at 3:34 AM Rating: Decent
There is an item you can make at a pretty low level (with a few failures)...spyglass. This is actually quite useful to me as an enchanter and helps me out when I'm trying to stay away from the battle while simultaneously targetting mobs, however this and the fishing pole are the only tinkered items I use. with the expansion they've added a telescope eyepatch but I've heard its worse than the spyglass in that they gave it a casting time. Also you have to take up yer face slot for it...I'd rather have the +7 charisma personally. Compass is a good idea, but with sense heading its only useful to newbies, and you can buy it at merchants anyway...same with flameless lantern, has its uses, but a glightstone is very easy to get. Rebreather is cool, but it weighs 10stones and doesnt fit in a backpack, making it an item you usually keep in the bank and hard to sell...So you're right, verant needs to upgrade this stuff...hopefully this watchmans armor is worth the money and effort (bp takes a diamond to make *sigh*).
RE: Practicality
# Aug 21 2000 at 7:26 PM Rating: Good
Tinkering does have a very good use: MONEY MAKING! As a low level gnome, in 6-10 hours play time, I was able to get 2 steins of moggock, thats good. My secret? Make fireworks and give free shows! They only cost a gnomish spirt, water, a bat wing, and a metal rod or shaft(which ever one is cheaper, I forgot which :P). They cost no more than 2gp to make 4(4 per batch) and you can sell them for 5gp to 1pp EACH. Yummy. Thats a 1.8pp to 3.8pp profit each batch, plus people are nice to you because you do shows. In fact, I am going to do one tonight, and make around 60pp. BTW, the best time is between 6 to 10pm EST, lots of people on. Well, I hope I was of help to you, thanks for reading my post.

GNOME POWER!!

~Winspus, 7th Circle Gnome Necromancer
RE: Practicality
# Sep 18 2000 at 3:09 AM Rating: Decent
uhmmm... steins of moggok are lore... I'm not exactly sure you're on the right track here
RE: Practicality
# Aug 21 2000 at 5:51 PM Rating: Excellent
28 posts
i have a low level gnome and i think there are a few small things that would make tinkering worthwhile.

1) lower the cost for the components.
2) ability to make snaring contraptions (these would not unbalance the game since shaman can make root potions).
3) either bombs or mechanical pets. the pet would be one shot, weak, and expensive. bombs would do say 50 damage with a casting time and would require mucho money and a high skill.
RE: Practicality
# Sep 15 2000 at 9:21 AM Rating: Decent
hey, Speel, they HAD mechanical pets you could tinker, they took them out, you could make anything from the clockwork spiders to the gnome looking guard guys, if you got a problem with them taking it out, talk to verant =P
Damn Verant!
# Dec 01 2000 at 5:13 PM Rating: Decent
Everquest Good,... Verant Bad!
Is anybody else pissed that tinkerers and rougues get the owest end of everything in this game.(and those should be 2 of the coolest things)
RE: Damn Verant!
# Dec 19 2000 at 1:51 AM Rating: Decent
uh...heheh...rogues got it easy compared to what the rangers have....rogues can hide AND sneak...rangers have to wait till 15 to go invis...rogues can pick locks/pockets...rangers have to ask nicely....


Nytherion
RE: Practicality
# Aug 17 2000 at 6:01 PM Rating: Good
I agree, the skill has considerable potential, but like the rogues poison making skill, is still very limited in it's number of practical applications. Most of the item's I've seen that are at least usefull in this skill are the collapsable fishing poll and the bait, I'm not going to restate the obvious. I believe this skill should also be coupled in some way to the enchanters enchant metal spells to make enchanted-tinkered items, this would at least be an improvement, but the main thing this skill needs is more tinkerable items that have a purpose in the game, not just quest items but real useable items.
RE: Practicality
# Dec 28 2000 at 4:58 PM Rating: Good
I agree, verant should make this a skill that allows us to make useful stuff and they should bring the pets back


Lartan
Gnomish Fighter
Druzzil Ro
Yes
# Dec 01 2000 at 5:14 PM Rating: Default
HERE , HERE!!!!!
bah
# Jan 05 2001 at 3:42 AM Rating: Default
Im a gnoem rogue and yes they shoudl amke tinkering more useful, though with the new expansion there are new stuff, and though it would be awesome we cant get pets, it would way unbalance the game, yes i wnat one but im afraid of what vernat might do to us if we get it
Petition
# Mar 22 2001 at 2:14 AM Rating: Default
Here's my idea. Make gnome pets based on components and skill. Make higher level pets have harder to get components, with no drop, and takes higher skill. This would keep from low levels from using high level pets. Thus, it doesn't unbalance the game as long as Verant follows through and makes sure the twinks can't make level 20 pets, and it will be a hell of a fun time. I would just love to have a level 1 pet, just for the sack of having a pet and being a rogue!
Kugab
Gnomish rogue
(TROLL WARRIOR)
Last!
# Aug 22 2001 at 9:29 PM Rating: Good
*****
16,160 posts
I've got last!

--Pusbag Infection
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