Tradeskills were a part of the original EQ but the things you could make were quickly out paced by the re-itemization of drops that didn't change any of the itemization of crafted items. But, with a TLP, we have the way-back machine and tradeskills still have a viable purpose in the lower levels since armor and other items do not have a high drop rate.
For a more comprehensive listing, try this Google doc link (not written by me): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bEEb9nsfCZKY9A1-V43IiGtQ9iLi9a9U85W--VbRnsk/edit#gid=1237073496. However not all on the link are available in Classic. That doc also includes the first several expansions. Some of the content listed may not be available or combinable before other expansions launch.
Another source for Classic tradeskilling, mostly on how to raise skill easiest vs making things for use (not written by me): https://almarsguides.com/eq/navigation/classic/
One thing to keep in mind, too, there are a few tradeskill related questlines. In the Velious era, there is the Coldain Prayer Shawl. In the PoP era, the Earring of the Solstice. Both of these require high skills in all the tradeskills and multiple combines. Later, other tradeskill quests are added as well.
Tradeskill Containers and Learning Recipes
Some tradeskills have more than one type of tradeskill container and recipes generally can only be made in one type of container. Left-click on the container to open the UI.
Containers in Classic
| Skill | Container | P/S | Slots | Cost/Crafted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemy | Medicine Bag | Portable | 8 Giant | 1p4s9c |
| Reinforced Medicine Bag | Portable | 10 Giant | Crafted | |
| Baking | *Mixing Bowl | Portable | 4 Large / 10 Giant | 1s or Crafted (Pottery) |
| *Spit | Portable | 8 Large / 10 Giant | 2g 9c | |
| Oven | Stationary | 10 Giant | n/a | |
| Blacksmithing | Forge | Stationary | 10 Giant | n/a |
| Brewing | Brew Barrel | Stationary | 10 Giant | n/a |
| Fletching | Fletching Kit | Portable | 8 Large | 1p 4s 9c |
| Jewelcraft | Jeweler's Kit | Portable | 4 Large | 1p 5s |
| Reinforced Jeweler's Kit | Portable | 6 Large | Crafted | |
| Poison Making | Mortar and Pestle | Portable | 6 large | 1p 4s 9c |
| Marble Mortar and Pestle | Portable | 10 Large | Crafted (might only be available post-Classic) |
|
| Pottery | Pottery Wheel | Stationary | 6 large | n/a |
| Kiln | Stationary | 10 Large | n/a | |
| Research | Kit for your class type | Portable | 10 Large | Prices vary depending on class type |
| Tailoring | Small Sewing Kit | Portable | 2 Large | 5g 5s 3c |
| Large Sewing Kit | Portable | 8 Giant | 1p 5s | |
| Loom | Stationary | 10 Giant | n/a | |
| Deluxe Sewing Kit | Portable | 10 Giant | May exist in TLP Classic (removed from Live) |
*Note: Some of the portable containers change in size after Classic (possibly Luclin or PoP) and only the smaller size is available in Classic. For the Mixing Bowl, the smaller one is still for sale later but with the name changed to "Small Mixing Bowl". Ones in personal inventory might have the name change or the size/capacity change when the standard one more than doubles in size (I'll update when we get there on Oakwynd).
Tradeskill UI
In the beginning... in original Classic and for many many expansions later, there were no 'learned' recipes, to do a combine you always had to place individual items into the tradeskill container and click "Combine" and hope you got something from it.
There were a few books in game with hints on how to make things or even some written recipes but you still needed to put each item into the tradeskill container and click Combine and hope the RNG deities would be in your favour (and oh the theories on how you could influence them abounded). If the combine failed or even if you had incorrect materials, poof, everything would be gone and you got nothing, though you might get a skill up. If you had the right materials and the RNG was in your favour, you would get something and maybe a skill up. Oh.. and for the 'placed' tradeskill containers, i.e. not in your inventory but in a fixed location somewhere in the world, only one character could use it at a time. The first improvement was incorrect materials didn't go poof but would have an incorrect message preventing you from attempting the combine.
BUT, in those days, the only recipes for most items were what other players wrote down and, for many, were added to a 3rd party website such as EQ Traders Corner: http://www.eqtraders.com/index.php?menustr=010000000000. They're still a good source for all things tradeskill in Everquest (and their sister site for EQ2 is FAB as well).
Later, much much later (while I was gone from game later), a new UI for tradeskills was added. Same left click on the container (standing next to an in world one or using one from your inventory) brings up the window with recipes. The old UI is still there, but as an "Experiment" UI.
Now, for most items, when you make a successful combine via Experiment, you 'learn' the recipe. Once you have learned a recipe, you can make multiples using the recipe window. There are some very basic recipes you will know even without first 'learning' them, too. Later on, there are also tradeskill books you can "scribe" to learn the recipes in them (but those are many many expansions after Classic and you might want to hold off on learning them until later when you do find them).
More advantages of the recipe window:
- Your adjusted skill is shown (adjustments from held items)
- The trivial is plainly listed and colour coded in relation to your adjusted skill
- You can search recipes by name and/or trivial range (partial name or full name but only in sequence, "day cake" will bring up "Birthday Cake" but "birth cake" will not)
- If you are making multiples of an item (grinding or crafting stacks for use) the "Make All" will use all the available materials (you can grind while working from home!). As soon as you are missing a material, your inventory is full, or you uncheck the Make All button, the combines will stop.
- And, from Dec 2022's release of Night of Shadows, you can also use items in the Personal Tradeskill Depot without first withdrawing them from the bank. This works for portable and stationary containers. (Crafting on the 'run' just got so much easier.)
- You can also open the TSDepot from a stationary container to view and (possibly) deposit but not withdraw.
- NoS unlocks the TSDepot with a capacity based on the expansion purchase type (more for CE and PE than standard) with expanders available from the Marketplace.
- All stackable tradeskill tagged items fit in the TSDepot with stacks in the TSD 10+
- The TSDepot is like an extra big bag in your bank without taking up a preciousl bank slot.
- The TSDepot is shared between all characters on the same server on the same account.
When you use the Tradeskill Window, all items made will go into your inventory. The tradeskill containers still need to be empty even when using the Recipe UI.
If you need to do a combine without a recipe, such as one you haven't learned yet, click on the Experiment button to have the traditional old-style combine window.
Baking and Brewing
Food and drink are two separate skills. Most of the brews, especially in the lower levels, are alcohol. For food and drink, in a peculiarity of Everquest, to use "stat" food and drink, you don't consume it. They need to be in the top inventory slots or the top slots in the top bag if your inventory slots have all bags. Then, you want to consume other food and drink to avoid using your "stat' ones. The UI doesn't show the food and drink as a "buff". Some food and drink lasts longer than others, based on the description, i.e. hearty lasts longer than a snack. Many Baking and Brewing recipes use forages. Brewing also makes some items for other tradeskills.
A few early recipes:
- Steaks of various animals: +1 STR
- Pickled meats of various type, including player races: No buff, just fun and a good meal.
- Gnome Kabobs: +2 INT, +2 DEX
- Hot and Spicy Toelings: +2 DEX, +2 AGI
- Halas 10lb Pie: DEX: +5 STA: +5 AGI: +5 HP: +30
- Grobb Liquidized Meat: STR: +6 STA: +6 WIS: -1 INT: -1
Brewing: http://www.eqtraders.com/articles/article_page.php?article=g34&menustr=080030000000
Blacksmithing and Tailoring
The early armor is in three sizes (Small, Large, and regular) that fit specific races. The later strict cloth/leather/chain/plate by class divisions were not as rigid. The materials to make the armor in different sizes do differ often with a pelt of a different animal used. The armor also has no rec/req so can be equipped at any level by classes/races listed on the armor piece. The trivial for each piece is different, so the range is noted here. AC range is across all the pieces in the set. AC is not different based on the size. Only small and large have the size listed on the armor piece. Some races can wear more than one size. Some armor sets include mask, mantle, belt. and cloak with the lower trivial items being of lower AC with the higher trivial pieces at the higher.
NOTE: Some races/clases listed may not be available on the TLP.
- Small: High Elf, Dark Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Gnome, Froglok, Wood Elf
- regular: Human, Barbarian, Erudite, Froglock, High Elf, Dark Elf, Half Elf, Iksar, Vah Shir, Wood Elf
- Large: Barbarian, Troll, Ogre, Vah Shir
| Set Name |
Classes | AC range |
Trivial range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patchwork / Tattered | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 2-8 | 36 Tailoring |
| Leather | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 2-6 | 26 Tailoring |
| Studded | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 4-9 | 56 Tailoring |
| Reinforced | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 5-11 | 108 Tailoring |
| Banded | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD BRD ROG SHM BER | 4-15 | 90-115 Smithing |
| Ornate Chain | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD BRD ROG SHM BER | 5-16 | 116-142 Smithing |
| Fine Plate + colours |
WAR CLR PAL SHD BRD | 7-19 | 163-188 Smithing |
Shields
Crafted shields are also in the three racial sizes and have the same class limitations as drop.
| Shield Type |
Classes | AC | Trivial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckler | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 5 | 62 Smithing |
| Round | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD DRU MNK BRD ROG SHM BST | 6 | 68 Smithing |
| Targ | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD BRD ROG SHM | 8 | 79 Smithing |
| Kite | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD BRD ROG SHM | 9 | 82 Smithing |
| Tower | WAR CLR PAL RNG SHD BRD ROG SHM | 11 | 88 Smithing |
Bags
Tailoring can also make bags with a small amount of weight reduction. (in much later expansions the bag sizes and the weight reduction are greater for tailor made bags)
| Bag Tyoe |
Weight Reduction | Slots | Capacity | Trivial | Hide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinforced Medicine Bag | 10% | 10 | Giant | 68 | Thick Grizzly Bear Skin |
| Handmade Backpack | 10% | 10 | Large | 88 | High Quality Bear Skin |
Jewelery Making
Enchanted metals for jewellery with stats. Only Enchanters can enchant the metals but any class can be a jewellery maker. Several of the "best in slot" for ears, fingers, and face are crafted.
Fletching
Bows and arrows, LOTS of arrows (Rangers don't get "Endless Quiver" until AA are unlocked). Best bows in the early expansions are crafted with Fletching.
Pottery
Most of pottery in the early eras is making items for other tradeskills. However, the steins can be greatly sought after, especially by magic users: http://www.eqtraders.com/recipes/pottery_recipe_page.php?article=116&rsa=Pottery&sb=trivial&sub=stein&menustr=080090069000.
Research
Research is changed, even on the TLPs, The new Research is making a lot of practice items as well as spells and tomes. Research requires some adventuring before you can start it which varies by class type.
Reserchws items by class (not written by me): https://www.eqprogression.com/classic-era-research-spell-quicklist/
Fishing
In the early eras, fishing doesn't have any recipes and is only an activity. Fish can often be used in Baking or Brewing.
Alchemy
Only Shaman can practice Alchemy and need to be Level 25 before they can start. However, there are many potions made with alchemy including those for damage shields, illusions, mana regeneration, reduced mana cost for beneficial spells, invisibility of both types, spirit of the wolf, and even transport to bind, and more.
Poison Making
Rogues can add additional damage to their weapons with the use of poisons they can begin making at Level 20.
Tinkering
Tinkering is the only tradeskill restricted to a race. Gnomes of any class can become tinkerers starting at Level 16. Mechanical contraptions made with tinkering include Fireworks and several different items to help other tradeskills and some for combat classes, too, like an underwater breathing apparatus, mechanical lockpicks, a brighter lantern, and more. However, many of the better items don't come until later expansions.