Decay for Crafting? I do not think it needs any cap but . . . . . .

I still think there is needed a mechanic that encourage you to be not or is even hindering you to become an all-rounder. A specialization system like in combat might be s possible solution but I’m not sure if that would be enough.
Why I think so…even if I’m not even close to create an item at GM level I still see no reason why I should buy an item if I can make it myself and the items I cannot make myself are that expensive that I’m not able to buy them.

Maybe you should be just able to have gm’s in 1 of the 5 gathering skill trees, in 1 of the 5 refining skill trees and in 1 of the 5 production skill trees. For all other skills progress stops at 80 or 99.

Maybe there should be some kind of buff/debuff-system if you are following one product line to encourage specializations. E.g. mining + smelting + blacksmithing = unlocking of special skills or recipes or other bonuses that are just available as long as you follow just this specialization.

Or if this is too troublesome for the old avatars maybe simply a buff that is stronger the lesser crafting trees you choose. E.g. skills in 1-2 skill trees = 10% higher chances, skills in 3-4 skill trees = 5% higher chances, skills in 5-6 skill trees = 2.5% higher chances, skills in 7-8 skill trees = 1.125% higher chances, skills in more than 8 skill trees = no bonus.

But whatever the devs do I'm quite sure they will not call it decay.

 

Three items tell me NO. There should not be decay of any kind for producers:

1. Immense costs of silver and gold to do anything meaningful in mastercraft and enchanting
2. Producer XP is much much harder to come by than Adventurer XP (takes much longer to gain good amounts. There is simply no way around this)
3. You already have decay on adventurer XP, and being an adventurer is unfortunately a prerequisite for being a crafter in this game.

 

You get to choose to be a specialist, and sink all the exp into one or 2 skills, or be a generalist and try and get them all. A generalist is NEVER going to be able to make the gear a specialist can if the same amount of time is invested in the area the specialist is high in. We do not need some skill cap or cap on amount of crafting skills a person can have, its pretty much already there when you consider the exp it takes, especially when you start to take things above 100.