Sunshine Daydream`s Guide to Blacksmithing

Sunshine Daydream's Guide to Blacksmithing
updated September, 2016
Blacksmithing is the craft which allows creation of heavy armors & metal weapons.
This guide to blacksmithing covers:
Skills for Anyone (even the Non­Blacksmith)
Skill Progression for the Blacksmith
Leveling Blacksmithing
All About Materials
Tempers for Improvement
Researching Traits
Skills for Anyone (even the Non­Blacksmith)
One rank in Keen Eye (available at skill level 2) is useful at least on your often­played characters to quickly learn the
appearance of metal ore nodes and to easily gather materials more reliably while playing.
Metal Extraction improves the chances of extracting style/trait gems and tempers when refining materials or
deconstructing items. This benefit may be worthwhile for anyone that deconstructs items even if you are not planning to
craft (although if you're learning crafting on another character, you'll want these points there instead and to transfer
break­downs to them).
Miner hirelings sound useful, but will only deliver low level materials unless you also invest in the Metal Working skill.
Skill Progression for the Blacksmith
20 skill points are recommended to effectively train your blacksmith, but only 12 are necessary until creating end­game
gear; initially hold off on the skills listed below but not shown in bold­face. Always invest as rapidly in possible in the
skills that reduce research time and allow simultaneous trait research studies. Further invest in your blacksmithing
skills as you level, keeping your material tier useful to your most advanced character's level.
Skill Level
Skill Name
Benefit
2
Keen Eye (1)
metal ore within 20 meters will sparkle making it easier to spot
4
Metal Extraction (1)
improves the chances of extracting style/trait gems and tempers
5
Metal Working (2)
allows the use of Steel Ingots (levels 16­25)
8
Metallurgy (1)
reduces research times by 5% and allows researching two items at a time
10
Metal Working (3)
allows the use of Orichalc Ingots (levels 26­35)
10
Temper Expertise (1)
increases the chances of improving items with tempers
15
Metal Working (4)
allows the use of Dwarven Ingots (levels 36­45)
18
Metallurgy (2)
reduces research times by 10%
20
Metal Working (5)
allows the use of Ebony Ingots (levels 46­50)
22
Metal Extraction (2)
greatly improves the chances of extracting style/trait gems and tempers
25
Temper Expertise (2)
greatly increases the chances of improving items with tempers
25
Metal Working (6)
allows the use of Calcinium Ingots (CP 10 ­ CP 30)
28
Metallurgy (3)
reduces research times by 20% and allows researching 3 items at a time
30
Metal Working (7)
allows the use of Galatite Ingots (CP 40 ­ CP 60)
32
Metal Extraction (3)
maximizes the chances of extracting style/trait gems and tempers
35
Metal Working (8)
allows the use of Quicksilver Ingots (CP 70 ­ CP 80)
40
Temper Expertise (3)
more than doubles the chances of improving items with tempers
40
Metal Working (9)
allows the use of Voidstone Ingots (CP 90 ­ CP 140)
45
Metallurgy (4)
reduces research times by 25% and caps research timers to 30 days max
45
Metal Working (10)
allows the use of Rubedite Ingots (CP 150 ­ CP 160)
Leveling Blacksmithing
To level blacksmithing as quickly as possible:
if you have Champion Points, invest 30 points in The Tower to receive a 20% bonus to inspiration
be sure to deconstruct all "Intricate" items you receive as these provide extra inspiration
sell all "Ornate" items and use that money to purchase high level items (from guild stores) for deconstruction
do the daily writs (up to tier 5, explanation below)
while questing always search the bodies for armor/weapons, save these for deconstruction as well
Deconstruction gives far more inspiration than creation and generates materials. Deconstruction inspiration from
an item that you yourself made however only yields about 10% of what other items would. Inspiration received from
deconstruction is increased with higher item level, with better item quality, and with "Intricate" items.
If you're saving items from questing to deconstruct them, you will need a plan for when your inventory fills. Firstly,
destroy any white items with a value of 0 gold as they provide little inspiration anyhow. Then, if you have an alternate
account you can manage inventory while questing through the mail system. Mail attachments to your alternate account
and later use the "return to sender" option. Then retrieve the item from the mail system when at a crafting area.
Daily writs provide a boost to inspiration upon delivery, always provide either an ornate or intricate item, and
occasionally provide survey maps to help replenish your supplies. Until the One Tamriel update launches in October,
only Champions can complete writs for material tiers above 6 and gather high tier ores outside DLC zones (without the
ability to travel to Cadwell's Silver/Gold). At present, I suggest many characters proceed no further than material tier 5.
Rank in Metal Working
1
2
3
4
5
Inspiration
as Reward
1,000
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
Materials Used
Iron Ore / Iron Ingots
Delivery Location
Nearest Wayshrine in Zone
Consortium Trading Post
AD: Vulkhel Guard in Auridon
DC: Daggerfall in Glenumbra
EP: Davon's Watch in Stonefalls
High Iron Ore / Steel Ingots
Alliance Supply Depot
AD: Elden Root in Grahtwood
DC: Wayrest in Stormhaven
EP: Mournhold in Deshaan
Orichalc Ore / Orichalc Ingots
Refugee Relief Site
AD: Marbruk in Greenshade
DC: Shornhelm in Rivenspire
EP: Stormhold in Shadowfen
Dwarven Ore / Dwarven Ingots
Fighters Guild Provisioner
AD: Velyn Harbor in Malabal Tor
DC: Sentinel in Alik'r Desert
EP: Windhelm in Eastmarch
Ebony Ore / Ebony Ingots
Privateer Drop­Off
AD: Rawl'kha in Reaper's March
DC: Evermore in Bangkorai
EP: Riften in The Rift
(continued on next page)
Rank in Metal Working
Inspiration
as Reward
Materials Used
Delivery Location
Nearest Wayshrine in Zone
6
10,000
Calcinium Ore / Calcinium Ingots
Mages Guild Locus 1
Hollow City in Coldharbour
7
13,000
Galatite Ore / Galatite Ingots
Belkarth Quartermaster
Belkarth in Craglorn
8
16,000
Quicksilver Ore / Quicksilver Ingots
Belkarth Quartermaster
Belkarth in Craglorn
9
20,000
Voidstone Ore / Voidstone Ingots
Belkarth Quartermaster
Belkarth in Craglorn
10
20,000
Rubedite Ore / Rubedite Ingots
Orsinium Quartermaster 2
Orsinium in Wrothgar
1 Must first travel to Coldharbour & complete the Groundskeeper's (non­combative) quest "The Hollow City."
2 Must own Orsinium DLC; without access to Orsinium writs will act as if you only trained to rank 9.
Another common method for leveling crafting is with a crafting buddy or alt:
1. Find someone who has the same number of skill points in Metal Working as you do.
2. The most inspiration per material is gained with daggers. Certain levels (6, 16, 26, 36, 46, CP 10, CP 40, CP 70,
CP 90) yield the best inspiration/material ratio. So create daggers at the maximum of these levels which you
can craft.
3. Then trade these with a buddy who has done the same.
4. Deconstruct the daggers made by your crafting buddy.
However the amount of materials involved may make sticking to deconstruction of accumulated loot preferable.
All About Materials
Metallic ores are found primarily near cliffs and rocky outcroppings. After the One Tamriel update launches in October
all zones will scale like DLC zones do currently: half the material nodes scale based upon your skill points in Metal
Working and half based upon your character level (at present materials in non­DLC zones scale based on the zone's
level). Typically, three or four raw ore can be gathered per harvest; the yield can occasionally be doubled (10% chance)
with 10 Champion Points in The Lover constellation for the benefit of the "Plentiful Harvest" passive.
These raw ores must then be refined at a blacksmithing table before being used to create an item. In this process, ten
raw ore typically yields between seven and ten refined ingots and may also grant style or trait gems or improvement
materials (the chance of this happening can be increased with Metal Extraction, one of the recommended skills).
Harvested
Raw Metallic Ore
Creates Items of Level Range
Made from these
Refined Ingots
Levels 1 through 15
Iron Ingots
Levels 16 through 25
Steel Ingots
(continued on next page)
Harvested
Raw Metallic Ore
Creates Items of Level Range
Made from these
Refined Ingots
Levels 26 through 35
Orichalcum Ingots
Levels 36 through 45
Dwarven Ingots
Levels 46 through 50
Ebony Ingots
(continued on next page)
Harvested
Raw Metallic Ore
Creates Items of Level Range
Made from these
Refined Ingots
CP 10 through CP 30
Calcinium Ingots
CP 40 through CP 60
Galatite Ingots
CP 70 through CP 80
Quicksilver Ingots
(continued on next page)
Harvested
Raw Metallic Ore
Creates Items of Level Range
Made from these
Refined Ingots
CP 90 through CP 140
Voidstone Ingots
CP 150 through CP 160
Rubedite Ingots
Tempers for Improvement
Every item you create will initially be white (standard) quality. You can upgrade an item's quality at any suitable
crafting table. In the crafting interface, choose the "Improvement" tab then select the item to upgrade. Increasing item
quality generates more base armor/damage and a greater effect for traits.
Upgrading the quality of blacksmithing items requires tempers. Using more tempers gives a greater percentage chance
of success. There is also a skill (Temper Expertise) which reduces the number of tempers needed to succeed with each
upgrade.
If you choose to attempt an upgrade but fail due to using too few tempers then the item will be destroyed and you will
lose the tempers with which you attempted the upgrade!
Temper
(image)
­
Temper Used
for Improvement
Tempers for 100% Success with Temper Expertise Rank
Upgraded
Quality
Improved
Item Color
­­
1
2
3
Base Item
(as crafted)
­
­
­
­
Standard
White
Honing Stone
5
4
3
2
Fine
Green
Dwarven Oil
7
5
4
3
Superior
Blue
Grain Solvent
10
7
5
4
Epic
Purple
Tempering Alloy
20
14
10
8
Legendary
Gold
Researching Traits
Researching traits is a very long process. Times to complete research increase dramatically as you progress, so start as
early as possible!
Because trait research is common to other crafts as well, it is discussed in a seperate article which can be found here:
Sunshine Daydream's Guide to Armor & Weapon Traits.