Critical success

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After gaining Proficiency in any tier of a crafting profession, each time you craft an item for that tier, you have the chance to receive a Critical success. This is commonly referred to as "to crit" or "critting"; the resulting product of such a success is often called a "crit item".

Types of Critical Success

There are two different outcomes when you critically succeed while crafting:

  • Producing a larger number of items. Example: Normally Bronze Ingots produces two ingots at a time, but a critical success yields four ingots.
  • Produce a better quality item with improved statistics. Example: A normal outcome is Leather Armour but a critical success gives Tough Leather Armour which has increased stats.

Notice that Weaponsmiths, Metalsmiths, Jewellers and Tailors also have a special feature attached to critical successes at Artisan level and above: they are given the option to Inscribe Item (allowing custom named items).

  • Certain Guild Recipes are referred to as "Auto-Crits." These recipes can only generate the Critical Success outcome. They normally require a "Guild pattern" of some sort associated with that profession, as well as the same materials as required by the "normal" recipe, and are typically on Cool-down timers. They typically require a certain Guild Reputation level to acquire and execute. No "critical success bonus" is associated with these as the success rate is always 100%. Example: Item:Cloak of Théodred Recipe

Achieving Critical Success

Bronze Boots
Select Output
1/3
Apprentice Craft XP Earned: 6

Tool Required: Smithing Hammer
Facility Required: Forge

Ingredients:
0/2 Bronze Ingot
 
 
 
 
 

Optional: Critical Chance: 5%
0/1 Chunk of Crude Brimstone
☐ Use +45%
0/1 Universal Optional Crafting Ingredient
☐ Use +100%
Critical Success Produces:
Thick Bronze Boots
Critical Success is governed by the laws of probability.

If a crafter is proficient in the crafting tier being used, and if the recipe allows critical success, the base chance of attaining a critical success is 5%. This base chance can be increased by using player-crafted Crafting Tools, special "mastery components", and Scholar-made crafting lore scrolls.

To see possible outcomes from critical successes, open a recipe in the crafting panel (see example to the right). The lower area of the screen is commonly called the Mastery Component area. The special name of a critical success is displayed in this area, if one is possible. Hovering over the icon will display the improved stats and bonuses. Notice that if you have not yet attained proficiency for the tier of the recipe, the content of this area will be disabled.

The Mastery Component area of most recipes also displays a special ingredient slot for what is commonly called a "Mastery Component". If the crafter has the special ingredient available, he may select the "use" box and that way increase the likelihood for critical successes. In the example to the right Chunk of Crude Brimstone may be used. Single-use recipes usually require "crafting journals" crafted by scholars, e.g. Artisan Metalsmith's Journal rather than standard mastery components.

  • One mastery components is used per craft attempt.
  • Mastery components are optional; also crafting without them may yield a critical success.
  • Standard Mastery components are random loot but Farmers may buy them from vendors.
  • Not all recipes have an option for mastery components.
  • The base chance stack with crit chance from crafting tool, mastery components, and scholar's lore.
  • A critical success is never guaranteed as you may never reach 100% likelihood (except for Farmer fields).
  • The percentage outcome of critical successes is generated per crafting attempt, not over a series of attempts, thus the mileage of a shorter crafting session may differ considerably. The average of longer sessions should be close to the expected likelihood. If a crafter, as in the example crafts 20 Items, that is 20 individual attempts!

Example

The base chance for critical successes is always 5% per attempt. Assume a level 50 Metalsmith who crafts 20 Bronze Boots without any improvements and an Inferior Smithing Hammer (without crit chance). The expected outcome is 1 critical success but the smith may see 0, 1, or 2 critical successes. A very fortunate smith may indeed see even more crits, but that is rare.

Now the Metalsmith equips his Superior Ancient Steel Smithing Hammer which has a crit chance of 20%, added on top of the basic 5% which equals 25% crit chance. Again he crafts 20 Bronze Boots. The expected outcome is 5 critical successes but any number between 3 and 7 would not cause any exaltation. However, as bad as 0 and as good as 10 or more is possible, though not likely.

Now the Metalsmith decides to use Chunk of Crude Brimstone which adds a crit chance of 45%, which with the previous numbers equals 70% crit chance. Again he crafts 20 Bronze Boots. The expected outcome is 14 critical successes but any number between 11 and 17 is still normal. Any really low number is really extreme, but could happen.

Finally, the Metalsmith decides to consume a Scroll of Armourer's Lore and begin crafting. For this example we imagine it would last for crafting 20 Bronze boots, but in reality it lasts just one minute. The total crit chance is now 82.5% so the expected outcome is 16½ critical successes, so any outcome above 14 would be considered normal, yet zero might happen once in a blue moon.

Any of the ways to improve may be interchanged, used or not used, per the crafters mood and what is at hand. Sum up what is used for the crafting session and decide what seems best in each particular case. Just remember, the outcome is per item and even with the best preconditions a critical success is never guaranteed.