Grei
06-22-2004, 05:39 PM
Ok, this question comes up a few times off and on over on the Official EQ2 forums. The last time it came up, I posted the following...although I'm not sure I answered the person's actual question at the time. Just some food for thought to spark some discussion. :)
What is an artisan? Well, from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, as listed on dictionary.com it is:
1. One who professes and practices some liberal art; an artist. [Obs.]
2. One trained to manual dexterity in some mechanic art or trade; and handicraftsman; a mechanic.
All in all a good word for the basic crafting profession, in my opinion.
Another way to look at Artisan, in the EQ2 context, is that it's the apprentice stage of crafting. Here you learn the basics of how to work with the materials and the equipment, even learn the all important skill of brewing (someone's got to keep the fishermen from getting thirsty after all *grins*) and cooking.
Then when you decide to be a Scholar or a Builder, you are at the journeyman stage of crafting. This is where you learn more specialized techniques in, say, woodworking and metalworking (i.e. Builder) at the expense of learning to make and use various inks (i.e. Scholar). While you still know the basics you learned as an Artisan in the other fields, it's only the basics...plus you still know how to brew and cook, which keeps everyone else happy. http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/smilies/16x16_smiley-happy.gif
And then there's the point where you decide on your ultimate (at least until the first enlargement of the crafting trades) specialization. Scholars can choose to become Alchemists or Sages, while Builders can be Smith's or Crafters.
And that's basically what it means to be an Artisan, in the EQ2 world, at least based on what's been released so far about them. Yes, it's all about crafting--either in learning how to make something or in making something for someone else or yourself. Maybe it'll be time consuming, but then again, adventuring is time consuming as well. I wouldn't be surprised though to see Artisans hit the high levels around the same time as Adventurers do overall (I'm sure there'll be powergamers that manage to do both in the first few weeks or month--hence the overall qualifier since powergamers aren't always a fair cross representation of the community).
Grei
What is an artisan? Well, from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, as listed on dictionary.com it is:
1. One who professes and practices some liberal art; an artist. [Obs.]
2. One trained to manual dexterity in some mechanic art or trade; and handicraftsman; a mechanic.
All in all a good word for the basic crafting profession, in my opinion.
Another way to look at Artisan, in the EQ2 context, is that it's the apprentice stage of crafting. Here you learn the basics of how to work with the materials and the equipment, even learn the all important skill of brewing (someone's got to keep the fishermen from getting thirsty after all *grins*) and cooking.
Then when you decide to be a Scholar or a Builder, you are at the journeyman stage of crafting. This is where you learn more specialized techniques in, say, woodworking and metalworking (i.e. Builder) at the expense of learning to make and use various inks (i.e. Scholar). While you still know the basics you learned as an Artisan in the other fields, it's only the basics...plus you still know how to brew and cook, which keeps everyone else happy. http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/smilies/16x16_smiley-happy.gif
And then there's the point where you decide on your ultimate (at least until the first enlargement of the crafting trades) specialization. Scholars can choose to become Alchemists or Sages, while Builders can be Smith's or Crafters.
And that's basically what it means to be an Artisan, in the EQ2 world, at least based on what's been released so far about them. Yes, it's all about crafting--either in learning how to make something or in making something for someone else or yourself. Maybe it'll be time consuming, but then again, adventuring is time consuming as well. I wouldn't be surprised though to see Artisans hit the high levels around the same time as Adventurers do overall (I'm sure there'll be powergamers that manage to do both in the first few weeks or month--hence the overall qualifier since powergamers aren't always a fair cross representation of the community).
Grei