Analysis, Discussion and Tips for Success

General Discussion

Pottery is a branch of the Crafting skill most often used by lower-level players; most of it is also available to free players. Plant pots are the highest level pottery item available to free players and second highest overall.

Making pottery is done in two steps: forming the item, and then firing it in a pottery oven. The first step yields half (or more) of the XP and is faster, so some players might prefer to just make unfired plant pots and sell them. The alternative, described here, is to make unfired items and then fire them in the oven immediately. This gives more XP, though at a slower rate. However, it is often more cost-effective, since you get more XP per soft clay consumed.

There is a chance of an unfired item breaking when put into the oven. The failure rate is low, however, even at very low levels, and seems to disappear completely by level 19 (it is tied to your absolute Crafting level and not how many levels above the minimum you are for a specific item).

Note that because of the extra time required to fire the items made, run energy is not an issue for this activity even for non-members.

Location and Access

For non-members and lower-level players, I believe the best place to make pottery is Draynor Village; it's only 20 seconds each way from the bank to the pottery wheel and kiln.

Higher-level members who have completed the Legends Quest should use the Crafting Guild, accessing it using skills necklaces, and banking at Castle Wars.

Required and Recommended Equipment

Members who are using the Crafting Guild will need a brown apron and skills necklaces.

Required and Recommended Supplies

You need soft clay to craft. You can buy it, make it from hard clay that you mine in various places, or mine it already soft using bracelets of clay.

Familiar Suggestions

There's no advantage to using a beast of burden here because of the hassle that would be involved in swapping processed and input items. Instead, summon a foraging familiar to earn extra money for you while you work -- I prefer the magpie, given the high value of rings and gems today, which you can either sell or use to further your Crafting training!

There isn't a really worthwhile forager below Summoning level 47, so I wouldn't bother with a familiar at lower levels.

Technique and Tips

If crafting at Draynor Village, just take out 28 soft clay at the bank and run north to the potter's wheel. If using the Crafting Guild, right-click your skills necklace, choose the Crafting Guild and then enter.

Use one soft clay on the wheel, then right-click the plant pot in the chat box and choose "Make X". Enter any number over 28 (I usually just type "88" or "99" since it is quicker to do that than enter "28") and wait for the pots to be made. Now click the pottery oven and repeat the "Make X" process to fire all of your items. Return to the bank and repeat.