How do you manage your crafting?

[ianswatson]

I've decided to make crafting a part of my game but it seems a bit daunting. So many ingredients, and without a handy way to know what is used for what (unless you find a list on line - and I'd rather discover the recipes naturally).

Any good storage place to keep ALL the ingredients you find?

And do you select a dedicated crafter in your party? Seem like you could have a crafter NPC who doesn't actually adventure with you. That way, you can maximize ability points for your team with combat abilities and just have one character who stays home and levels up crafting.

Tips appreciated - thanks

[Syvion]

I usually make a dedicated crafter, and I store different ingredients in wooden crates inside my inventory.
(Drag wooden crate in inventory and you can open it up for sub inventory space, take note this does still increase your weight)
And since you have the option to send whatever items to whatever inventory with rightclicking on it, it easy to send all the usefull stuff to a dedicated person.

[katzenkrimis]

I wouldn't recommend trying to discover them yourself. You will miss out on knowing half of them.

Some of which are very important.

Eventually, you will have to google something. It's too hard to learn every single puzzle and quest in Divinity, without assistance.

That said, if you are hell bent on doing it that way, there is a ton of space among your companions to save everything. Your strongest character can carry the most. And you will find addition storage at your Homestead. Or you could just dump items on the ground, at your favorite crafting location, for later use.

Inventory isn't a problem in this game. Once you learn what everything is, I found that I was selling most of the loot, anyway. And keeping just the important stuff.

[Qiox]

Here's a key recipe if you want to get into crafting:

rope + leather scrap = backpack
animal hide + knife = leather scrap

Have your crafter use backpacks, instead of crates. They are much lighter.

I use the following bags, lined up vertically in the left most column of my crafter's inventory.
In the column immediately to the right of each bag, I put the item listed below, to remind me of what bag is what.

1) Scrolls and skill book items: Feather
2) Marksmen stuff: Arrow Shaft
3) Food: Cooking Pot
4) Potions: Empty Potion Bottle
5) Everything Else: Blacksmith Hammer

To the right of the Blacksmith Hammer, going across the 5th row of inventory I keep:

Mortar & Pestle, Bloody Knife, Pickaxe

I always make room for crafting on one of my chars. I don't mule it with someone left in the homestead because I pretty much never visit the homestead, except to unlock the rooms.
I just can't be bother to take the time.

For crafting you can get +1 on 2 pieces of gear, +1 from pragmatic, and +1 from scientist. Meaning you only have to spend 1 point to get to 5 skill.

With blacksmith, get 2 ranks (spend 1+2) and scientist + 2 pieces of gear gets you to 5. I usually swap the gear in as needed, keeping it in one the bags.

I have gone full crafting on every play through the game and I like it. I even go to the Cyseal market at every level up to buy every item of food that respawns on the vendors. Stacks of crafted food is cheap out of combat heals and much much faster than casting, wait for cooldown, cast... bleh...


To each their own of course.

[Barry]

I designate a companion who I don't use in my main party as my crafting mule. As they level up, I max out their strength and take the Scientist and Pack Mule talents. I swap this companion into my party whenever I need something crafted and I also store all my crafting materials on them. For my current playthough, I use Wolgraff and Jahan in my main party. I use Madora as my crafting mule. Jahan is ideal as a crafting mule because he starts with Scientist but I wanted to use him as my mage since my characters are a 2H warrior and ranger.

As for crafting recipes, this is the best resource I have found so far that lists all known recipes: http://www.larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=526585#Post526585

[ianswatson]

Y'all are rockstars, thanks! I like your style, Qiox, with the inventory organization.