Is the much point in training a crafter?

So much good loot drops from mobs, which NPC smiths can then repair, what can a skilled blacksmith do that justifies the training effort?

 

Also

Where can coal be found, for making alloys

There are many unique things that can be made with crafting... most materials such as platinumare difficult to find or (colored metals cannot be found at all). In addition materials such as obsidian weapons/armor can only be crafted by a merchant, these have unique traits. Also there are housing furnishings that can only be crafted not found. (In some cases you wont want a magic weapon as you wll find as you explore, some creatures have immunity or strengths against magic)

We will also eventually be implementing enchantment as a merchant skill. The only reason it hasnt been done yet is that we want to make sure its unique and offers types of enchantments that cannot be found on weapons/armor from mob drops.

My blacksmith skill shows as 25/50,  and does not change even though I hame made many weapons.  My char got to level 7 by filling about 6 BS work orders, but no BS skill increase.

I took a BS apprentaship to increase my max skill from 50 to 75, but that requires items which I do not have the BS skill to make.

 

My chars home village gives 25 extra Max BS skill, it looks to me as though my real max BS skill is 25, hence I do not get any skill increases, and I was given the wrong apprentaship. If this is the case please fix, and preferably give me some BS skill. Otherwise how do I increase by BS skill

 

The issue has been fixed! twas an issue left over from moving to the new skill system. Sorry for this. Thank you for reporting it. You will now gain properly when you craft items. Note apprenticeships will advance your max skill (cap). I recommend you work on plain work orders or just craft items instead.

To get a work order, ask vendors for work and they will give you an order to fill these are similar to apprenticeships except generally easier but are random. If you get a work order that is not what you want, you can toss it on the ground and ask for work again. Return to vendor and tell them you completed the work when you are done with the order.