Speaking from personal experience, I didn't get my first piece of Banded
(tunic) until lvl 15 or so, and didn't have full banded until about lvl 18.
I think you are setting your sights a little high for your level. At around
13-14 the plat starts rolling in. Not pouring in mind you, but you can make
a good 5-10 plat a night.

Hang in there!

Dank
Bard of the 19th Measure
Bristlebane

-----Original Message-----
From: grei@... <grei@...>
To: eqbards@onelist.com <eqbards@onelist.com>
Date: Thursday, July 15, 1999 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: [eqbards] [OT] Brewing, Pottery and the Norrath economy

>From: grei@...
>
>> Ok, I see your point. Fierce Brewing was somewhat ridiculous, I agree,

but

>> at least it offset my expenses. It actually -costs- me money to be a

brewer

>> now, quite a bit since I experiment and have a lot of waste. No
>> experimenting, with failures at master level, I'll end up actually

spending

>> more to make the highest skill or lowest skill drinks than what I'll
>> actually get back.
>>
>> Fine, then I should sell to players, lets assume there was an actual

demand.

>> Well, a player can buy the cheapest drink from an NPC bartender over a PC
>> Brewer, paying 3 times less, or even more if the PC actually wanted to

make

>> a slight profit! Most brewers give their wares away free, regardless,
>> really making this truely an expensive hobby, a hobby, not a trade. With
>> Fierce Brewing, was nice because I could give away drinks, experiment,

and

>> at least break even. Was nice.
>>
>> It's all philosophy I suppose. Some think that the only way one should
>> advance in any way whatsoever is through killing, rinse, killing.

Quests,

>> diversion. Trades, diversion. I think it would make the world much more
>> diverse if every member of society didn't have to play the part of the
>> ultimate hero.
>>
>> Roop
>>
>>
>> and sorry for off-topic ranting too, but bards should be interested in
>> getting drunk anyway.
>
>Just my views here (still off topic, but all us Bards seem to dabble in
>trade skills anyway):
>
>After fighting my way up to level 11, mostly solo, and barely getting
>enough plat to afford my songs at each level, I was told that I should
>work on trade skills to make the money I needed. Ok, that's well and
>good then.
>
>I started out cooking, and what did I find? Not only did the food sell
>poorly, but that most players only eat bread because it's the cheapest
>thing to get from the merchants. Hmmm...ok, so I can only cook for
>myself effectively then (and at a loss--but I can always hope that
>cooking will mean something in the future). I'm up to 24 or so in skill
>now.
>
>Next skill, tailoring. Here's something that actually makes a little
>money. At least enough to pay for the patterns (since I hunt my own
>skins). But what did I find? No market--everyone wants banded armor.
>Patchwork is useless except for the lowest levels, and most of them
>either ignore auction, or have already got what they wan. Ok, I'm still
>making enough off of the merchants to at least get somewhere. Up to 21
>in this skill and seeming to be stuck there (still get alot of failures
>and I can't do studded yet).
>
>Time for blacksmithing to learn to at least make the studs for my
>tailoring skill. As far as I'm concern, this is a complete loss for
>now...the cash I spent on it set me back as a tailor because I couldn't
>afford the patterns for the longest time. Although I was able to get
>studs made up with a little patience. Skill here, about 18.
>
>Ok, finally despairing over getting enough cash to even _think_ about
>affording banded armor, let alone getting a magical weapon (yeah, I am
>still using my Mino), I turned to brewing. Even figured out some of the
>recipes without spoilers (though I turned to those after a while), and
>found that it was even worse than cooking. I lost even more cash at this
>than I did at cooking (though blacksmithing cost me even more). I even
>got up to 25 in brewing.
>
>So, what does that leave? Hmmm, I can spend several days fishing and
>eventually I'll make enough plat to afford good armor. Or I can keep
>hunting lions, wolves, and bears in EC for tailoring, like I have been.
>I was thinking of trying pottery, but in light of what I've been hearing,
>I'm glad I didn't try to waste my money on that.
>
>Frankly, it looks like Verant wants lower level folks to be dependent on
>handouts from higher level folks. I find it rather sad that I can barely
>get necessities on my own each level up to level 10 and now that I'm
>level 11, I really need banded to survive and I can't afford it, nor does
>it look like I will ever afford it soon.
>
>Just my 2 copper rant,
>
>Grei
>Bristlebane
>
>--
>
>Abandon the search for Truth; settle for a good fantasy.
>
>
>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
>How has ONElist changed your life?
>Share your story with us at http://www.onelist.com
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>