Smuggler Archive

When using nodes you can fail, cause the node only tells you that you _probably_ have to cut the positive or the negative flow thingie. When using clamps you're 100% sure of cutting right. At least thats my experience.

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Stena wrote:

Why when i ask smuggler how they got slicing up i.e. if they used flow analyzer modules they say no they are a waste of time. I used flow analyzer nodes to get tho slicing 3 and 4 'cause i found that buying clamps was very expensive way to do things. I still used clamps on locked containers but i mainly used crates of CDEF pistols to go tho 3+4 and i only got 1 or 2 fails for every crate of 25 and it only took me a few days to get through 3+4. so i dont really see what all the fuss is about.

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It all depends on you. If you have the cash to spend, clamps make sure you never waste a thing. When a FAN fails you lose the FAN, the item and 1 knife. *shrug* It's all preference.

i tended to use FAN's over molecular clamps but money was an issue for me. MC's i could buy at 9k a crate at the cheapest, WUK's for 5K and knives to slice at 2k.

that added up to 16k for 6250 slicing xp.

however, if you knock off the molecular clamp and make your own FAN's taking into account the price of copper if you have to buy it and the fact that 25% of your slices will fail you spend about 9k and get about 4750xp.

so by my calculation you will spend 35% more grinding the slicing tree using MC's rather than FANs.

this is only true on the prices i pay though.

Though I'm only 1/2 way through Slicing IV, i tended to use FANs early on. Never on containers, cuz that's a personal investment by another player you're taking chances on. But I liked making FANs especially when slicing terminals (cuz why waste a MC) and if i had a left over crate of weaps but was out of MCs. The one advantage of using FANs, though, was as I was slicing and crafting my own FANs and knives, i built up a ton of artisan xp, basically got me through the engineering tree and novice AS. That was when my x-mas present holo said Armorsmith and i actually considered doing the holo grind. Now I'm glad I did it because I should have the artisan basis out of the way when JTL is released if i decide to try out shipbuilding.

Credits are so easy to get in this game, why bother with FANs?

As you're leveling up Smuggler, you need Pistol XP anyway. So take destroy missions, on the starter planets first, to start making money. Then get some ubese armor, and a good set of Master Doc buffs, when you can afford both. You can get doc buffs outside Coronet for around 8-10k. Buy some Vasarian Brandy, drink two at a time to boost your Mind, Focus, willpower for 40 minutes at a time. The Doc buffs will last you 3 hours and some.

Now head to Dantooine, group with people, pick up a couple missions, disband the group, and go destroy those mobs and lairs. Rinse and repeat, money just flows in. In no time at all, you can afford to buy Clamps, Locked Containers, Knifes, WUKs, whatever you need.

The slicing tree is easy to get through, it's actually the huge pistol experience that is slow. I'm doing that now, got Slicing IV a couple days ago.

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Big_Dan_T wrote:

i tended to use FAN's over molecular clamps but money was an issue for me. MC's i could buy at 9k a crate at the cheapest, WUK's for 5K and knives to slice at 2k.

that added up to 16k for 6250 slicing xp.

however, if you knock off the molecular clamp and make your own FAN's taking into account the price of copper if you have to buy it and the fact that 25% of your slices will fail you spend about 9k and get about 4750xp.

so by my calculation you will spend 35% more grinding the slicing tree using MC's rather than FANs.

this is only true on the prices i pay though.

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Ok, pay no attention to my lousy math pre edit. LOL
6250xp/16k credits = .39xp per credit.
4750xp/9k credits = .52xp per credit.

or in reverse:

16k credits/6250xp = 2.56credits per xp
9k credits/4750xp = 1.89credits per xp

So simple mathematics says using FANs is a less expensive means of grinding slicing xp. BUT one must also consider the (aproximate) 25% in time necessary to grind that xp that is saved by using clamps. Again, all up to personal tastes and economic necessities.

Message Edited by Orcajum on 05-18-2004 09:54 AM

I used FANs all the way to slice 4 except on containers and of course weapons and armor the few times I actually sliced them, I bought clamps before I made slice 4 for those item.

I was a novice WS so I made everything myself (fans, laser knives, wuk's, & knives), I can say for sure that the failure rate is 25%. It was just easier and cheaper for me to do it this way.

i'm using fans. I ran off 400 survival knives, 400 fans, and 1,000 wuks in my factory. Even at a 25% fail rate, 400 knives -100 = 300 which is exactly enough to get me to slicing4.