I'm trying to create a Mage/Scribe character, and I'm currently at about 72 magery and 51 inscription.

However, it seems like the only way to gain skill in inscription is by making 4th/5th level spells...which turns into clicking the "make last" button over and over again. Where's the fun in that? Is there a more fun and interesting way to raise skill in this? I play this game to have fun, not to do some monotonous, repetitive task.

Also, what do you all suggest for a good Mage/Scribe template? Currently I'm only working my Magery, Inscription, and Meditation skills.

Thanks!

It would be nice if they would add a feature where you could put in a qty to make... hmmmm we should suggest that.

Right now my only solution for your problem is UO Assist. You can record a macro hitting make last 20 times or so and just play the macro every few seconds. If you don't have UO Assist its available at www.tugsoft.com for $15, or you can do a free trial for a week I believe.

Snuggs pretty much covered the monotonous portion (there's no beating around the bush for it, you just have to "grind" it out).

For your template, throw on Eval Int so your Magery spells will have some kick behind them and you can play with the rest of the skill points you'll have left depending on what you want to do with this character.

Well I eventually want this char to make money by crafting and selling pre-marked rune books with various different sets of locations (Trammel Banks, Fel Dungeons, Mage Shops, etc.) What sort of skills would help with this?

1) No, so aspects of the game defy any effort to make it advance through gameplay. So grinding is about the only way. For other crafter skills, you can actually do skill gain and Heartwood crafter quests simultaneously, so at least there is the whiff of a reward. But alas, no inscription quest exists. The tinker quests gives the Scrappers Compendium recipe :eusa_doh:


2) If all you want to do is burn mana making scrolls/books, suggest
125 int
100 str
20 dex

120 magery
100 Inscription
120 Med
120 Resists (double bonus, gives 44 resists natural, which makes one or two hits survivable, avoid most poison / para spells, AND allows you to wear armor that focuses more on LMC/MR/LRC/Mana Increase than resists.)( Always a risk of PvP when marking in Fell.)
100 Alchemy (natural enahnce pots bonus, nice money maker, AND keeps you alive while marking.
100 Poisoning (sell DP weapons, AND be a real nuisance to fellucans)



3) Equipment suggestion
TO avoid a HUGE expense in equipment, try for two suits. One for mage gaining, other for inscription.

For magery, 100% LRC, with mana regen is needed most. LMC is secondary because, if you do it right, you will never cast anything costing over 20 mana.
To do this, you use either a weapon with Spell channel AND Mage wep -30 to 25 OR you use a wand (gotten mainly from treasure chests).

*rationale* Even with LMC 45, 6th level spells still cost 15 mana. With high level of Med (still waiting for word on the caps) and MR items, you should be able to actively regen 3 mana per sec. With FC2/FCR 6, it takes 4 seconds to cast a spell.

For inscription, LRC is not an option, so we want as much LMC and Mana Regen as we can get. I always suggest going into necromancy and lich form for the best bonus. All you need is a bloodwood enhanced item, like a shield to offset the HP drain.

Mage suit:
100% LRC
Mana regen (2st focus)
Lower mana cost (third focus)
Mana bonus (fourth focus)
Jewelry - goal of FC2 / FCr 6
- Specific items
Pendant of the Magi
Brightsight lenses
Boom stick
Vesper Museum Chaos Shield

Inscription suit:
Mana regen (1st focus)
Lower mana cost (second focus)
Mana bonus (third focus)
Jewelry - Int bonus
- Specific items
Pendant of the Magi
Brightsight lenses
Boom stick

The only addition I would add as Thom has given all the technical info which is as always on the money. Based on the notion that this scribe mage is basically a mule char and not a fighting char, mage, med and focus with scribe is really all you need, however since you pointed out you want to mark in fel and in dungeons I would add resisting spells and wrestling to your template let you escape the tricky spots you might get into when marking hazardous areas.

forgive me if im out of line here but as i read the forums not jus there the few that actually exist everyone wants to find a easy way to do things like macro this macro that and then wonder were is the balance going i don't know mabey im wrong but just how i feal

KingTony, I wasn't asking for an EASIER or QUICKER way to raise my skill...I said I was looking for a more FUN and INTERESTING way. Not looking for any shortcuts here...just trying to make my experience more enjoyable.

nice use of caps ...lol i wasen't directing my words to you it was directed at snuggs <----not meliciouly of her statement to add a macro for quanity amount to make mas amount of scrolls

Kingtony, the macro is a reaction to a broken system, not what BROKE it in the first place.

For example, in order to GM carpentry, you have to WEAR out your mouse. A mouse microswitch is usually rated for 100,000 clicks. Then it starts wearing and the switch gets sloppy..

You have to produce 15,000 items to GM carp. You have to destroy them or throw them out, 15K clicks
You have to open the first tool menu, 130 clicks
You have to select the item you want to make 9 clicks (1 per item made)

So, after GM'ing jsut three skills, you have lost $9.95 in cash on a low end mouse WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING USEFUL.

*ponders*

GM'ing a skill is not usefull ?

Vepl

As far as the meta game is concerned, GM'ing a skill with no benefit is waste. ergeo
Did you get any recipes? Not for carpentry specifically, or tinker.

Did you get any money? No, it ALWAYS costs more to GM than the finished product sells fo.

Did you lose $10.00 out of YOUR pocket, on top of monthly subscription, to click 100K times? yes.

Can you make money with that skill alone? NO. You have to have 1) bods, 2) materialsto fill the bods 3) runics 4) magic items worth enahncing, with... more materials.
with thhe exception of siege and mugen, a GM crafter (exception scribe and alchemist) is useless without even MORE ancillary costs. Good for outfitting new players, but not a cash generating venture.