Is Rich or Abundant better?

Question

In The Old Republic, many of the crew skills are moderate, and it's fairly obvious that Rich and Abundant are both better than moderate, but is Rich yields the best? Or Abundant? Are there other possible qualities of missions?

Bonus: Does quality of the yields increase the difficulty? That is to say are my crew more likely to succeed if I do a moderate yield mission?

Answer

As I recall, the progression is Moderate -> Abundant -> Bountiful -> Rich -> Prosperous -> Wealthy -- although the latter two require mission schematics to unlock.

As to the second part of your question, yes, the difficulty increases. Check the color of the yield; if it's orange there is a chance your crewmember will come back unsuccessful. Gray, green and yellow are almost automatic success, although you will not get a crewskill increase from gray missions and only about half the time from a green one.

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What determines which crew missions are available?

Question

Obviously your level in the relevant crew skill plays a factor, but I see different missions all the times, and sometimes no higher level missions at all (that I had previously had available. I can't see a rhyme or reason to it.

Answer

It's a random assortment based on your skill level. Every mission has a minimum skill before it becomes availiable, and there is a maximum number of availiable missions at each tier, which is based on your skill and increases with it.

You can refresh the list by zoning into a new area, or logging out and back in.

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Are tradeskills worthwhile in LOTRO?

Question

I am fond of tradeskills in MMOs, but games seem to be very hit and miss as far as what is actually worthwhile for players to take on. For instance, in WoW, engineering was pretty worthless while enchanting or alchemy were amazing.

I am looking for a brief overview as to what the actual professions in LOTRO can produce, and which are actually desirable by players.

If it makes a difference, I know there is some interdependence between the tradeskills and I will be playing fairly frequently with a friend so we will be able to, if necessary, pick complimentary vocations.

Answer

I've played a lot of MMOs and I've come to a conclusion that I find reinforced with each new game: the crafting that has the best bang for your buck is whatever is involved in making consumables. So in LotRO that's the historian. I don't find the weaponsmithing so useful--largely because of the cost of the ingredients versus what user-crafted stuff sells for--but the farmer and scholar can both rely on selling their stuff at the auction house without much trouble.

For example, each weekly batch of master-level athelas/celebrant potions I make cost me less than 200s but frequently bring in 1g (or more) at the AH with barely any effort on my part. And if I'm willing to make lower-level stuff--the oils for arrows in particular seem to sell well--then I can make even more money. But I find a quick and easy 1g a week more than pays for my efforts.

The tinker is probably the second best profession in light of the various tokens he can make, which are always needed for instances. And of all the items the various professions can make, it seems to me that I regularly sell high-end jewelry more easily than high-end armor, weapons, etc.

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What items can I disenchant with an Enchanting skill of 450?

Question

I have a level 65 tradeskill alt who has maxed out his Enchanting at 450. Will he be able to disenchant any Cataclysm-level bind-on-equip items I come across on my level 85 main, or are there some higher-level items which he won't be able to dispose of unless I level him up to 75 to unlock the next tier of Enchanting skill (450-525)?

Answer

An enchanting skill of 450 will allow you to disenchant greens up to ilvl 333, and blues up to ilvl 346.

So yeah, you can disenchant some Cataclysm level items, but not max level stuff.

For additional info, see Disenchanting and Disenchanting Tables at WoWPedia.

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