Newbie Crystite Equipment

Overview:

• Crystite equipment can be used by players up to level 60 (at which point it will stop working).
• You can earn credits to buy this equipment from the Crystite Trading Post in Dortlewall by turning in crystite fragments you find in the Dortlewall mines.
• Here is a guide to the Dortlewall Crystite Mines
• One important point though is you will stop being able to earn Crystite credits after level 40. So the equipment will last you longer, but after level 40 you will stop being able to get new equipment.
• The equipment can be very useful, but it's hard to tell what it will do for you until you spend your credits and buy it. Hence this guide!
• Note: You can view <item number> to get an overview of equipment when you are in the shop.
• The information below provides actual numbers for the bonus to stats, plus damage information gained from the "compare" skill to rank crystite weapons next to other Batmud weapons.
• I want to give credit to the The BatMUD Information Shoppe for much of the information found here.
• For my recommendations, I'm going with the assumption that you won't really need Crystite equipment before level 30. Levels 1 - 30 go by pretty quickly and Damogran donated equipment can provide a very good base set of equipment and you can keep on receiving donated equipment until Level 30.
• I'm also going with the assumption that a Level 25 - 40 player can grind around 500 crystite an hour in the Dortlewall mines.
• This is around 20 average creatures killed. (or 3 - 4 big creatures).
• Given an hour(ish) a day grinding in the mines for 8 days, this lends itself to a crystite budget of 4,000 credits. Which as I type this seems low....
• This further highlights the value of purchasing equipment from players and making use of Damogran's donated equipment.

Credit Value of Crystite Chips and Boulders:

Here is the approximate value of items you pick up in the crystite mines. This will help make estimate how much you need to farm/grind to buy the equipment listed here.

• Crystite Chip: 4 - 5 credits
• Crystite Pebble: 6 - 10 credits
• Crystite Nugget: 11 - 19 credits
• Crystite Rock: 21 - 29 credits
• Crystite Slab: 30 - 75 credits
• Crystite Boulder: 100 - 500 credits

Tips for Earning More Crystite:

• There are a couple of areas where you can find crystite slabs in the environment. Make sure you check those in your grinding sessions.
• Also prioritize taking down the 5k-8k monsters that drop crystite boulders
• (BIG DISCLAIMER) You have to be willing to lose all your crystite credits with this method
• You can gamble your crystite in the underground pub. It seems like the gambling there has a 50% chance of doubling your bet. The other 50% of the time you lose everything.
• If you play this long enough, statistically you will lose everything. Instead go into this with a win big or go home mindset. Make a couple of big bets and either lose it all or walk away with a lot. But don't keep pressing your luck.
• The maximum bet size is 1k credits. It would be nicer if there was a higher limit.
• If you really want a big ticket item, this is probably the way to do it. If you lose, well, it just wasn't in the cards for you to get that item.

General Items:

• A basic crystite bandage
• Cost: 100
• Description: Can be used to heal someone with the first aid skill. Single use.
• Buy/Skip: Skip this. Not worth it unless you really need some extra healing
• A comfortable crystite bandage
• Cost: 250
• Description: Can be used to heal someone with the first aid skill. Even better than a basic bandage. Single use.
• Buy/Skip: Still skip this. Not worth it unless you really need some extra healing
• A renewal crystal
• Cost: 1000
• Description: Can shatter this to remove curses such as being turned into a toad
• Buy/Skip: Skip this. Purchase a renewal potion from player alchemists for around 5k gold instead.
• An antidote crystal
• Cost: 1000
• Description: Can shatter this to cure poison. Single use.
• Buy/Skip: Skip. Not bad as it may save your life. But I'd recommend buying a player alchemist potion for 5k gold instead.
• a mystical crystite rod 
• Cost: 200
• Description: This will let you go to your own personal crystite mines instance for this boot. All the room specials will be available to you and you alone. Also all of the monsters will be available for you to kill
• Buy/Skip: Skip. Basically you have to earn more than 200 crystite on your private instance vs. what you would get normally to make this worthwhile. There's a lot of monsters down there and not a ton of players. This may have been worthwhile years ago, but now I would have a hard time justifying it.

Weapons:

• A crystite dagger with a stone hilt
• Cost: 200
• Description: Basic dagger, but does some decent damage compared to most random equipment you find
• Buy/Skip: Skip this. Save your crystite for better weapons
• A bastard sword with a crystite blade
• Cost: 200
• Description: Basic longsword, but does some decent damage compared to most random equipment you find
• Buy/Skip: Skip this. Save your crystite for better weapons
• A foreign looking blade made of crystite
• Cost: 2000
• Description: +1 DEX shortsword
• Buy/Skip: This is tempting for melee characters. My gut feeling says skip this unless you are a Shadow Sabre. Does a lot more damage than the crystite dagger.
• A gleaming crystite weapon
• Cost: 2500
• Description: +3 STR Longblade
• Buy/Skip: If you are a melee character, I'd strongly consider this. It does damage comparable to weapons you can buy from players for around 40k, and the +3 STR is nice.
• A crude crystite mace
• Cost: 3500
• Description: +1 SPR Mace
• Buy/Skip: Probably skip. It does some great damage (better than the gleaming crystite weapon), but the +1 SPR is nice but not great. Might be good if you are an good/evil religious character, in which case you might want to consider it.
• A shining crystite shield
• Cost: 6000
• Description: +2 Avoid Shield
• Buy/Skip: If you are a Riftwalker and need something for your entity, then this is a good investment. That being said, the price is very high for something that will only last a couple of months. Others should probably skip this.
• A crystite dwarven battleaxe
• Cost: 10000
• Description: +2 DEX Axe
• Buy/Skip: Does better damage than the crystite mace. +2 Dex is nice. Seriously consider this if you are a Ranger or some other Axe favoring melee character and are willing to grind for it.
• A mallorn bow with a woven crystite string
• Cost: 10000
• Description: +1 DEX Longbow
• Buy/Skip: If you are a member of the Archer guild, this is almost a required purchase. I would strongly advise you against joining the archer guild as a new player though. This is worthless to all other players.
• An evil crystite main gauche
• Cost: 19000
• Description: +3 STR Shortsword
• Buy/Skip: Skip. It's not a bad weapon, but it does damage comparable to Spider Sabres which can be easily purchased for 40k gold from players. If the crystite cost of this item was less, then it would be a good weapon, but 19k credits would have you farming for days to get this.
• A crystite wall shield with a fist emblem
• Cost: 22000
• Description: +2 parry Full Shield
• Buy/Skip: Skip. It provides more protection than the earlier shield, but is harder to wield, and at 22k credits, is hard to recommend farming for. Buy the earlier shield and spend the other 16k credits you save on other things
• A zhentorium claymore with a crystite handle
• Cost: 25000
• Description: +1 DAMAGE Long Sword
• Buy/Skip: Very temping buy. It does a ton of damage even before the bonus. This will be a weapon that lasts a melee character until they are level 60. The amount of time grinding to get this though makes my head hurt.
• A Dortlewall officer's crystite pilum
• Cost: 37000
• Description: +3 DEX, +3 CHA Polearm
• Buy/Skip: This is a weird one. If you are an evil religious character this may be a very tempting buy. It does a ton of damage so it will likely be your main weapon until level 60. Like everything at this level though, I have a hard time justifying to cost to get it.
• A well-crafted crystite mace
• Cost: 45000
• Description: +3 HPR Bludgeon
• Buy/Skip: If you are a melee character, this is a tempting buy. Does a lot of damage in addition to the HPR. If you have a Nomad background, this is even more tempting since you are always looking for faster hit point regeneration.
• A massive crystite sword called 'Behemoth'
• Cost: 60000
• Description: +5 CON, -2 WIS Longsword
• Buy/Skip: If you are a Nomad background and are willing to grind to get this, then it will be the centerpiece of your gear until you are level 60. Hits like a ton of bricks, plus it adds more hit points for you. You will have a hard time buying a better weapon. The minus Wisdom will not hurt Nomads, but it does dissuade good/evil religious characters from selecting this weapon.
• A small crystite axe (vibrating)
• Cost: 70000
• Description: +PSI damage Axe
• Buy/Skip: One of the best axes in the game, as long as you are not fighting undead. If you like axes, this is the axe for you.
• A pitch black polearm engraved with silvery crystite runes
• Cost: 100000
• Description: -2Avoid, + Darkness Polearm
• Buy/Skip: Skip. 
• It does a ton of damage, but it makes you more likely to be hit. This, plus it's extreme cost makes it really hard to recommend.
• It is good for any mounted character. Your mount can absorb some of the damage while this will let you hit like a wrecking ball.
• Long story short, if you can afford it, then absolutely get it. But maybe instead of grinding for this, log off Batmud for a bit, enjoy the world outside, call you parents, and hang out with friends.

Caster Equipment:

• A plain crystite vest
• Cost: 900
• Description: +1 SPR Vest
• Slots: Torso
• Buy/Skip: Skip. It's not bad, but there are other options.
• A short pair of shorts, made from crystite 
• Cost: 1400
• Description: +2 WIS, +1 SPR Shorts
• Slots: Legs
• Buy/Skip: If you aren't going for one of the later options, this is a solid choice.
• The crystite bracers of a dwarven spellhammer
• Cost: 1900
• Description: +2 SPR Bracers
• Slots: Arms
• Buy/Skip: If you aren't going for one of the later options, this is a solid choice.
• A moth eaten silk tunica with crystite buckles
• Cost: 2000
• Description: +2 WIS Tunica
• Slots: Cloak
• Buy/Skip: Skip. It's not bad, but you might want to use the cloak you get from the Rainbow Cloak Level Quest (Level 28) instead.
• A sparkling crystite vest
• Cost: 4000
• Description: +3 INT Vest
• Slots: Torso
• Buy/Skip: This is a very nice chest piece. Seriously consider buying it.
• A long blue bathrobe with crystite elbow patches
• Cost: 5500
• Description: +8 INT Robe
• Slots: Neck, Torso, Legs, Arms
• Buy/Skip: Skip. Given this robe takes up 4 major slots, you can put together a better equipment setup using different pieces. For example, if you have completed the extended tutorial you have a very nice tie that goes into your neck slot. 
• Checkered wool and crystite mittens  
• Cost: 7000
• Description: +2 SPR, -3 CHA Mittens
• Slots: Hands
• Buy/Skip: Hard skip. You can get a much better item for your hands with completing LQ32 Wicked Witch (which is a LQ you can solo).
• A crystite pentagram hanging from a silver chain 
• Cost: 11000
• Description: +3 SPR Necklace
• Slots: Neck
• Buy/Skip: Skip. The reward (a magnificent silk tie) from completing the tutorial is better than this.
• A circular cloud of crystite particles
• Cost: 19000
• Description: +3 WIS belt
• Slots: Belt
• Buy/Skip: It's pretty good. If this wasn't 19k credits I'd recommend it, but it seems expensive for what you get.
• A heavy pair of crystite boots
• Cost: 22000
• Description: +3 WIS boots
• Slots: Feet
• Buy/Skip: It's pretty good. If this wasn't 22k credits I'd recommend it, but it seems expensive for what you get.
• A beautiful crystite scarab with inlaid jewels
• Cost: 30000
• Description: +4 INT Scarab
• Slots: Amulet
• Buy/Skip: It's quite good. Amulet is a weird slot to get equipment for, so while I wouldn't recommend grinding for it, if you are spending a lot of time in the mines for EXP, this is something good to spend your credits on.
• A crystite sphere
• Cost: 98000
• Description: +3 SPR, +Special Ticks, Ball.
• Slots: Held
• Buy/Skip: I'll be up front. This is an amazing piece of equipment. Getting extra ticks/heartbeats means all your SPR equipment works better. This will be a centerpiece of your equipment until you get to level 60. But at 98k credits, you'll pretty much need to live in the mines grinding our crystitie. Go explore instead.

Tank/Melee Equipment:

• A crystite o-yoroi
• Cost: 400
• Description: An O-Yoroi, which is a very good newbie armor
• Slots: Torso, Legs, Arms
• Buy/Skip: This is a strong buy. 
• You can earn this fairly quickly, and o-yorois provide excellent protection in Batmud. 
• My only hesitation is that players sell merchant made o-yorois for around 10k-20k gold so you don't have to spend your crystite credits on this. 
• Also if you are looking for getting more advanced armor here, then you might not want to get this in the meantime.
• TLDR: This is a solid buy and you can earn it in one playing session.
• A crystite bucket
• Cost: 500
• Description: +1 General PROT. Pot Helm
• Slots: Head
• Buy/Skip: Strong Buy.
• Provides excellent protection, and the bonus general protection is just icing on the cake.
• Also this is relatively cheep. This is a solid investment if you plan on being in the front row of a party.
• Crystite sleeves covered with a grey webbing
• Cost: 1200
• Description: +1 DAM, Sleeves
• Slots: Arms
• Buy/Skip: I'm on the fence on this one. 
• It's a powerful item that will increase your damage output.
• It takes up an arms location, so you can't wear an o-yoroi, and your other armor options will likely provide less protection
• A crystite armour resembling a corset
• Cost: 1800
• Description: +1 DAM, Do-Maru
• Slots: Torso
• Buy/Skip: Buy if you are buying the sleeves above. Otherwise skip.
• This is another solid piece of equipment that will increase your melee damage output.
• It doesn't provide as much protection as a o-yoroi though.
• TLDR: If you have a chest slot open but can't wear a o-yoroi due other equipment you have, this is a solid option. Otherwise, skip it.
• A runed bracelet made from crystite
• Cost: 2500
• Description: +1 General PROT. Bracelet
• Slots: Bracelet
• Buy/Skip: Skip. 
• You will get a better item from completing the Batmud Story "The Rogues and the Reeve"
• This is a solid item otherwise. If you don't want to complete the Story, then this is a respectable alternative.
• A shin pad made from crystite plates
• Cost: 8000
• Description:sune-ate Sune-ate
• Slots: Legs
• Buy/Skip: Skip, unless you are building a damage focused set
• On it's own, this is a good piece of equipment. Once again though, you are giving up the protection of a o-yoroi.
• Also at 8k credits, this is an item you'll need to grind in the mines for, which is not ideal.
• Combined with the other damage focused items above though, it can be an interesting build.
• A shiny golden crown with crystite prongs
• Cost: 9000
• Description: +2 CHA, +2 DAM, Crown
• Slots: Head
• Buy/Skip: Buy, if you are willing to save for it
• This is an amazing item for doing melee damage. It falls outside the recommended budget I put in the overview, but this might be an item to make an exception for.
• An enchanted silk and crystite backpack  
• Cost: 18000
• Description: +1 STR Backpack
• Slots: Rig
• Buy/Skip: Skip
• You probably want an equipment frame vs. a backpack since a frame can hold more.
• The +1 STR is nice, but not worth the loss of carrying capability
• Crystite gauntlets with spiked knuckles
• Cost: 20000
• Description: +2 DAM, gauntlets
• Slots: Hands
• Buy/Skip: Skip
• The damage is nice. I won't lie. But you can get a decent +STR gauntlets from LQ32 (Wicked Witch), so the bonus that +2 damage gives you probably isn't worth the 20k credits you need to spend on this. 
• Thick crystite bracelets
• Cost: 44000
• Description: +3 CON, Bracelets
• Slots: Bracelets
• Buy/Skip: Skip
• I think the earlier bracelets are better and cheaper
• Also you can get even better bracelets from the Batmud Intro Story
• A crystite studded leather collar
• Cost: 68000
• Description: +4 AVOID, -2 STR, Collar
• Slots: Neck
• Buy/Skip: Skip
• This is a weird one. Maybe good for martial arts melee characters?
• The -2 STR is not great. The 68k credit cost is even worse.
• A massive leather great cloak with crystite reinforcements
• Cost: 10000
• Description:+ 2 Phys Ressistance, -2 HPR, Cloak
• Slots: Cloak
• Buy/Skip: Skip
• If you are a high-end dedicated tank that is part of a party this can make sense
• If you are soloing though, the reduced hit point regeneration is a non-starter.
• A large crystite equipment frame
• Cost: 120000
• Description: +2 Hpr, Frame
• Slots: Rig
• Buy/Skip: Only buy if you are spending all of your time in the mines for EXP
• This is one of the best rig items/frames in the game. You likely won't find a better one.
• That being said, 120k credits just for +2 hit point regen is excessive.
• You will get better and have a more fun time exploring other areas vs. saving up for this item. Don't grind in the mines just for this item. It's not worth it.