Usefulness of the Empath Guild

[okc_chelle]

I'm curious as to who has experience with the Empath Guild. So far, I just pay my dues and have not spent any time exploring possibilities. I know the Warrior and Rogue guilds have extensive skills training, but am not sure about our lovely Empath guild. Any information would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Chemaine

[Sylvan Dreams]

The empath guild currently only has alchemy, which breaks down into general alchemy, alchemic potions, and alchemic trinkets.

Here's a link to the wiki page for the Empath Guild, which also contains links about alchemy: https://gswiki.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Empath_guild

[Silvean]

I don't play an empath but I'll tell you what I know. Guilds are an unfinished project and the GMs said one year ago that they do not intend to finish them.

This means that the 3 skills available in the Empath Guild are related to alchemy: General Alchemy, Alchemic Potions, and Alchemic Trinkets. These same 3 skills are available in the sorcerer, wizard, and cleric guilds as well but the Alchemic Potions and Alchemic Trinkets skills have different recipes available to each class.

Mastering alchemy is a grueling task. I've done it myself and it's hard -- hundreds of hours of boring work. The practical benefits of being able to make your own potions and trinkets are few. The RP benefits are more difficult to pin down. You can portray your character as an alchemist. You gain access to the title "Alchemist" at 30 ranks in General Alchemy, "Master Alchemist" if you master General Alchemy, and "Grandmaster Alchemist" if you master all three skills. You can also gain the title "Empath Guild Master" if you master General Alchemy (63 ranks) and earn at least 125 total ranks among the three skills.

This is a brief overview. The GSWiki article on alchemy is great and there are lists on the wiki of all the stuff you can make.

[caelric]

Theoretically, the ability to make potions and trinkets with empathy spells in them should be profitable. Practically, that's completely untrue as all of the spells that cane be made into trinkets/potions are or have been sold at various festivals.

I think the only worthwhile trinket is the cleric one which mitigates undead fear effects.

[Luscinia]

Alchemy takes quite a while to learn and won't be much help to your hunting skills, and you won't make more silver doing it than just plain hunting for skins or gems, but I think it's a fun and low-pressure hobby to do on the side when you're resting anyway. I remember reading there's some sort of mechanic that makes ranks take much longer for lower level characters, not sure if that's still in place but if so it's probably best to wait until at least mid-levels (50+).

Some of the items I use regularly are:
- Greater mana potions, easy to make and there's always a use for 50 extra mana.
- Spirit Guide elixirs (preventing the prone/roundtime effect) are very helpful in areas where you can fog into an unsafe room.
- Fire Spirit and Empathic Assault wands. Only for a bolter of course, but nice for bandits and Confluence elementals respectively, and with a wand-holding staff or glove you can use these without taking a hand slot.

[Kembal]

Chiming in late here, but you're usually able to sell Ardenal Surge potions for profit. (I think most of us price them at 5k per 4 dose potion)

Beyond the list above, I make bone shatter wands and mana regen potions for personal use as well. The spirit guide elixirs, btw, are fantastic for saving RT.

I really want Wither wands, but that request has been ignored for now, it seems.