Armor crafting in Rift pays off if you plan and stick with it. I’ve been crafting for years, and I’ll tell you what actually matters from level 1 to 300. This is practical, plain advice from a crafter who’s sold pieces for gold and helped friends gear up—no fluff.
First steps
Find an Armor Crafting trainer in a major city and pay the initial fee (usually a small gold amount). You’ll get basic tools and starter patterns. Bind the crafting skill to a hotkey now; you’ll thank me later. In my experience, skipping that step wastes time.
By the way, join a guild that helps crafters—but don’t rely on that alone. Some guild bonuses help early progression, but they won’t replace good materials or market sense (there are exceptions).
Why materials matter
Gathering your own mats saves gold but costs time. Buying from the Auction House can be faster, yet prices move. I’ve noticed prices often fall after major raids; watch the market and buy off-peak. Why? Supply spikes lower costs quickly.
| Level | Main mats | Extras | Est. cost (gold) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–75 | Burlap, Thin Leather, Tin | Thread, Flux | 30–80 |
| 76–150 | Cotton, Medium Leather, Iron | Strong Thread, Coal | 150–350 |
| 151–225 | Silk, Thick Leather, Steel | Reinforced Thread, Gems | 600–1,200 |
| 226–300 | Spellweave, Exotic Hides, Carmintium | Eternal Thread, Planar Dust | 2,500–4,000 |
Tip: set a bank alt for materials. Your bags will fill fast. Resource nodes often respawn within minutes (depends on zone), so learn a route. Upgrade gathering tools as you go—faster harvests mean fewer runs.
Level 1–75: quick wins
Start with cheap white items to build skill. Craft the same item until it stops granting skill points. Why repeat? Skill gains are predictable and you waste fewer mats this way. Honest truth: people burn expensive mats too early and regret it.
Try this path (simple): cloth gloves → leather bracers → tin boots → reinforced robes. Around level 40, green recipes appear. They look attractive but check cost per skill point before switching. Sometimes cheaper white recipes give more value.
Levels 76–150: choices and economy
At 75 you’ll choose a specialization (Outfitter or Armorer). Choose based on your main character or the market. To be controversial: specialization matters less for profit than most players think. If you understand demand, you can make money with either path.
Save Artisan Marks for guaranteed skill-ups starting at 100. They’re costly, yes, but they prevent dead-stretch grinds (this doesn’t always work for every player).
Work with gatherers or buy bulk—bulk deals beat single buys. Join a small trading circle if you can. Why? Bulk lowers cost per item and smooths supply spikes.
Levels 151–225: augments and services
Here you’ll start crafting gear with augments and stat customization. Focus on popular builds—tanks want endurance, healers want power—because that’s where steady sales live. I’ve built a simple rule: if a slot sells regularly, learn that template and master it.
“Craft what people need, not what you want to show off.”
Popular augment combos (examples):
- Plate with damage reduction — steady demand.
- Cloth with healing power — sells during event weeks.
Custom orders are lucrative. Advertise in trade channels and keep snapshots of your best work. Good service keeps customers coming back.
Levels 226–300: planning and patience
Endgame patterns are rare and costly. You’ll need raid drops, event rewards, or faction items. Partner with raiders or offer favors for mats—trade raw materials for crafted gear. This is practical networking.
Counterintuitive insight: sometimes crafting unprofitable items that guarantee skill-ups is the best investment. Once you hit 300 you can make very high-value pieces, so short-term loss often pays off later.
Also—some titles or cosmetics exist on some servers; check your version’s rewards (2025 economy and drops vary by shard). Don’t assume every old guide is accurate.
Efficiency tips
- Craft during server profession events for bonus skill gains (watch event dates).
- Use potions like Artisan’s Focus when facing big gaps; they save mats overall.
- Track AH prices; small windows can let you flip mats for profit.
Essential addons I use:
- CraftHelper Pro — plans optimal paths.
- AuctionMaster — watches prices.
- RecipeRadar — locates patterns.
Join the Rift crafting community (Discords, forums). Shared spreadsheets and tips shave weeks off your grind. Between us, contributing small discoveries earns respect and invites trade offers.
Small code tip
/bind crafting hotkey 1
/use CraftingTool
/craft LastPattern
(Simple macro—adjust to your client.)
Final practical points
Honestly, this takes time. You’ll fail some crafts; that’s normal. Persist and track costs. I’ve noticed steady sellers: tank plate, healer cloth, and starter blue sets for alts. Sell where demand is highest—trade hubs, not dead zones.
One stubborn note: the Auction House can be manipulated by players or bots. Don’t assume prices are fair. Monitor trends over days, not minutes.
Ready to start? Need a quick progression plan for your class? Ask me—I’ll share a compact path tailored to your needs. Happy forging! 🔨
