Tradeskill Beginner's Guide
So you want to be a tradeskiller. Welcome — you're joining a tradition older than most MMOs. EverQuest's crafting system has been running since 1999, and in that time it's grown from a simple "combine items in a container" mechanic into a sprawling network of 12 tradeskills, thousands of recipes, and multi-expansion quest lines.
This guide covers the fundamentals before you pick up a single component.
The Twelve Tradeskills
EverQuest has twelve tradeskills. Seven are open to all characters, two are open but specialized, and three are class-restricted:
Open to All
| Tradeskill | What You Make |
|---|---|
| Baking | Food with stat buffs |
| Brewing | Alcohol and potions |
| Fletching | Bows, arrows, and wood furniture |
| Jewelcraft | Jewelry, gems, and stone furniture |
| Pottery | Containers, clay items, and firing components |
| Smithing | Weapons, armor, and metal goods |
| Tailoring | Armor, bags, and cloth goods |
Open but Specialized
| Tradeskill | What You Make |
|---|---|
| Fishing | Catch fish used in Baking and quests |
| Spell Research | Spells for caster classes |
Class-Restricted
| Tradeskill | Class | What You Make |
|---|---|---|
| Alchemy | Shaman | Potions and elixirs |
| Make Poison | Rogue | Combat poisons |
| Tinkering | Gnome | Gadgets and devices |
How Combines Work
Every recipe in EverQuest follows the same basic pattern:
- Get a container — each tradeskill uses specific containers (forge for Smithing, oven for Baking, etc.)
- Place ingredients in the container
- Hit Combine and hope for the best
The result is either a success (you get the item) or a failure (you lose some or all ingredients and may get a failure item back).
Trivial Level
Every recipe has a trivial level — the skill level at which you can no longer gain skill-ups from that recipe. You can still fail recipes above your skill level, but you won't learn anything new from them once you've passed the trivial.
The formula is straightforward:
- Below trivial: You have a chance to gain a skill point on each combine
- At or above trivial: No more skill-ups from this recipe
- Success chance increases as your skill approaches and exceeds the trivial
Skill Caps
Your tradeskill cap depends on your level and certain AA abilities:
- Level 1–50: Cap is roughly
level × 5 + 5(varies by tradeskill) - Level 51+: Most tradeskills cap at 300 base
- With AAs: The cap can extend to 350 (see the Skill Cap 350 guide)
Stats That Matter
Your primary stat affects your success chance:
| Tradeskill | Primary Stat |
|---|---|
| Baking, Brewing | INT |
| Fletching, Pottery, Smithing, Tailoring | STR or DEX (varies) |
| Jewelcraft | INT |
| Alchemy | WIS |
| Spell Research | INT |
| Tinkering | INT |
| Make Poison | DEX |
Higher stats = slightly better success rates, but skill level matters far more than stats.
Tradeskill Trophies
Starting with the Prophecy of Ro expansion, you can earn tradeskill trophies — evolving items that grant a skill modifier (up to +15% at Grandmaster level). These are well worth pursuing once you're serious about a tradeskill.
What to Do First
- Pick a tradeskill that interests you or complements your class
- Visit a supply vendor — most starting cities have tradeskill supply merchants
- Start with cheap, low-trivial recipes to build skill without burning gold
- Use the Skill-Up Calculator on this site to plan your leveling path
- Read the specific leveling guide for your chosen tradeskill
Next Steps
Ready to pick a tradeskill? Check the leveling guides for each profession — they'll walk you through optimal recipes at every skill tier, what containers you need, and where to find supplies.
Good luck, and may your combines be successful.