Tradeskill Tier List — Which Crafts Are Worth Your Time
EverQuest Legends features eight tradeskills, and not all of them provide equal value for the time and platinum you invest. This tier list ranks every tradeskill by profitability, utility, leveling difficulty, and overall value to your character. Whether you are deciding which tradeskill to push to 300 first or wondering which ones are worth leveling at all, this guide provides the rankings and reasoning you need.
Our ranking uses the same criteria framework from the class tier list methodology, adapted for tradeskills: Profitability (30%), Character Utility (25%), Leveling Cost (20%), Cross-Tradeskill Value (15%), and Endgame Demand (10%).
Tier Definitions
- S-Tier: Exceptional. High profit, high utility, and strong demand at all levels. Every player benefits from maxing these.
- A-Tier: Excellent. Strong value with minor limitations. Worth the investment for most players.
- B-Tier: Good. Solid but situational. Valuable for specific classes or playstyles.
- C-Tier: Niche. Limited utility or high cost relative to benefit. Only worth it for dedicated specialists.
S-Tier Tradeskills
Jewelcraft
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Very High — Jewelry sells for premium prices |
| Character Utility | Very High — Stats from jewelry benefit every class |
| Leveling Cost | High — Expensive at upper tiers |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Medium — Produces augments for other gear |
| Endgame Demand | Very High — Best stat jewelry is always in demand |
Jewelcraft is the king of tradeskills. The jewelry it produces provides stat bonuses that every character needs, and the best pieces sell for enormous sums in the bazaar. At the highest skill levels, velium jewelry with powerful stat combinations is among the most valuable player-crafted items in the game. The main drawback is the high cost of leveling — platinum and velium bars are expensive, and failed combines hurt. But for players who can afford the investment, Jewelcraft provides the best return on time and money of any tradeskill. Check our tradeskill leveling guide for the efficient skill-up path.
Smithing
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | High — Cultural armor commands premium prices |
| Character Utility | Very High — Armor and weapons for melee classes |
| Leveling Cost | Very High — Most expensive tradeskill to level |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | High — Produces studs for Tailoring, bits for other skills |
| Endgame Demand | Very High — Cultural armor is best-in-slot for many races |
Smithing earns S-Tier because it produces the most essential gear in the game — armor and weapons. Cultural armor, available at the highest skill levels, is best-in-slot for many race-class combinations and sells for extraordinary prices. The catch is that Smithing is the most expensive tradeskill to level from 1 to 300, requiring thousands of platinum in materials. But the payoff is enormous: a 300 Smith can produce items that sell for more than the total cost of leveling the skill.
A-Tier Tradeskills
Tailoring
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | High — Silk and cultural tailored armor sells well |
| Character Utility | High — Caster and healer armor is essential |
| Leveling Cost | Medium — Cheaper than Smithing but requires farming |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Medium — Produces some items used in other skills |
| Endgame Demand | High — Cultural tailored is best for casters |
Tailoring is the caster/healer equivalent of Smithing. It produces cloth and leather armor that is essential for intelligence and wisdom-based classes. The advantage over Smithing is that many Tailoring components can be farmed rather than purchased, reducing the platinum cost at the expense of time. Cultural tailored armor at 300 skill provides the best caster armor available from tradeskills. See our best tradeskill for each class guide for class-specific recommendations.
Baking
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Medium — Stat food has consistent repeat demand |
| Character Utility | Very High — Every character needs stat food |
| Leveling Cost | Low — One of the cheapest tradeskills to level |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | High — Supports Brewing ingredients |
| Endgame Demand | Very High — Stat food is consumable, creating repeat business |
Baking earns A-Tier because stat food is consumable — once eaten, players need to buy more. This creates a reliable, repeat customer base that no other tradeskill can match. The low cost of leveling Baking means it is accessible to nearly every player, and the stat bonuses from high-quality food are genuinely valuable for all content.
B-Tier Tradeskills
Brewing
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Medium — Stat beverages sell steadily but at lower margins |
| Character Utility | Medium — Stat drinks provide useful bonuses |
| Leveling Cost | Low — Very cheap to level |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | High — Required for Baking recipes |
| Endgame Demand | Medium — Consistent but smaller market than food |
Brewing is a strong supporting tradeskill that provides stat beverages and ingredients for Baking. Its standalone profitability is lower than Baking because the stat bonuses from drinks are less impactful than food bonuses, but the low leveling cost and cross-tradeskill value make it a worthwhile investment.
Fletching
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Medium — Bows and arrows sell to Rangers and ranged attackers |
| Character Utility | Low — Only valuable for ranged-focused classes |
| Leveling Cost | Medium — Moderate cost for mid-tier recipes |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Low — Limited interaction with other tradeskills |
| Endgame Demand | Medium — Best bows and arrows are always needed by Rangers |
Fletching is a class-specific tradeskill — it primarily serves Rangers and other ranged-attack characters. This limits its market compared to universal tradeskills like Jewelcraft and Baking. However, for characters who use ranged attacks, Fletching produces essential items, and the best bows command premium prices.
C-Tier Tradeskills
Pottery
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Low — Limited market for pottery products |
| Character Utility | Low — Mostly produces containers and faith items |
| Leveling Cost | Low — Very cheap to level |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Medium — Produces vials for other tradeskills |
| Endgame Demand | Low — Limited demand for pottery-specific items |
Pottery is the weakest tradeskill in terms of profit and utility. While it produces useful containers and faith items, the market for these products is thin. Pottery's main value is as a supporting skill for other tradeskills that need vials and containers. It is cheap to level, but the return on investment is low.
Research
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Low — Niche market for spell components |
| Character Utility | Low — Only valuable for caster classes |
| Leveling Cost | Medium — Components are mob drops, not vendor items |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Low — Limited interaction with other skills |
| Endgame Demand | Low — Small but dedicated market |
Research serves a niche market of casters who need spell components. While the products are valuable to their target audience, the market is too small to justify the investment for most players. Only dedicated caster players should consider maxing Research.
Tinkering (Gnome-only)
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Profitability | Medium — Unique items from a limited supply |
| Character Utility | Low — Mostly novelty and convenience items |
| Leveling Cost | Medium — Moderate investment required |
| Cross-Tradeskill Value | Low — Limited interaction with other skills |
| Endgame Demand | Medium — Gnome-exclusive creates artificial scarcity |
Tinkering is unique because only Gnomes can practice it, creating an artificial scarcity that supports higher prices. The items it produces are mostly novelty and convenience — fireworks, telescopes, and breathing devices — rather than combat-essential gear. The limited supply makes it moderately profitable for dedicated Gnome crafters, but the overall utility is low.
Tips for Choosing Your Tradeskills
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Match your tradeskill to your class: Tanks benefit most from Smithing, casters from Tailoring and Jewelcraft, and everyone benefits from Baking. See our best tradeskill for each class guide for detailed pairings.
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Invest in profitability first: If your goal is making platinum, Jewelcraft and Smithing provide the best returns. If your goal is self-sufficiency, Baking and Tailoring are more practical.
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Level supporting tradeskills to 100-150: You do not need to max every tradeskill, but having Baking, Brewing, and Pottery at a baseline level supports your primary skill and reduces your costs.
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Use the AA system for tradeskill AAs: Tradeskill AAs reduce failure rates and improve product quality. These are a worthwhile investment for any dedicated crafter.
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Check bazaar prices before committing: Tradeskill profitability fluctuates based on server economy. Before investing heavily in a tradeskill, check current bazaar prices for its products to verify demand and margins.
Common Mistakes
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Maxing a low-tier tradeskill first: Pottery and Research are not worth the 300-skill investment unless you have a specific need. Prioritize S-Tier and A-Tier tradeskills.
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Ignoring the consumable market: Baking and Brewing produce consumables that generate repeat business. Many crafters overlook this advantage and focus only on durable goods.
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Not farming your own components: Buying all components from the bazaar eliminates profit margins. Farming your own materials — especially for Tailoring and Smithing — dramatically improves profitability.
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Forgetting cross-tradeskill dependencies: If you level Tailoring without any Smithing skill, you will need to buy metal studs from other players. These dependencies add up over time.
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Underestimating the cost of 1-300: Every tradeskill costs more than you expect to push from 1 to 300. Budget 50% more platinum than your initial estimate to account for failed combines and price fluctuations.
Conclusion
The tradeskill tier list provides a clear hierarchy for prioritizing your crafting investments in EverQuest Legends. Jewelcraft and Smithing at S-Tier offer the best returns, while Baking and Tailoring at A-Tier provide essential, accessible value. Lower-tier tradeskills have their place for specialists and supporting roles, but most players should focus their primary investment on the top tiers.
For the complete skill-up path for each tradeskill, see our tradeskill leveling guide. For class-specific tradeskill recommendations, visit our best tradeskill for each class guide. For broader economic advice, our tradeskill profit guide breaks down the economics in detail.