Mabinogi, like in many others games, has a Crafting system. In many ways it is unique, while the need for common courtesy is the same.
What are "Production Skills"?
Despite it's name, Production Skills are certainly not limited to Life Skills themselves. Whether it processing raw items into materials or using those materials to create a finished product, or even decomposing products, these Skills qualify as "Producing" while a majority of them remain difficult to train.
The Skills in bold are the ones most heavily in demand. The rest do qualify, but it is likely that those services will not be seen nearly as often.
Blacksmithing
Tailoring
Enchanting
Carpentry
Handicraft
Synthesis
Potion Making
Fragmentation
Weaving
Refining
What is a player Service?
Because of the immense difficultly of Production Skills, players may often pay another player who achieved high ranks of these demanding skills to craft items for them.
With this player-to-player system, the vast majority of people who have not reached high ranks of these skills gains access to what these skills provide while the producer gains profit, and possibly some training, for offering their skills.
In short, these few skills have a huge influence over the game due to the need for the many, many items that require these skills in order to exist.
Without further ado:
[SIZE="5"]How to treat your Services[/SIZE]
Be Polite
When attempting to ask someone to do anything for you, be considerate. They really do not need or want your impatience or plain rude attitude, and doing so will most likely make them refuse to help you at all.
This is common courtesy that should be taken everywhere, the one who provides their services has no obligation to serve you, so asking politely while abiding to their guidelines will do you both a great favor.
Be Ready: Bring your own Materials
When you want something made, you bring everything needed to make it. The materials, the manual/pattern, and what ever else. That's it.
[SIZE="4"]The Number One Rule of Service: Never ask for materials. Ever.[/SIZE]
If we give herbs to one guy, we have to give herbs to everyone.
[SPOILER="Spoiler"]Think of this:
A Blacksmith is not going to go Generation 14 four or more times for you.
A Tailor is not going to run The New Kings Request 7,500 times for you.
An Enchanter is not going to give all of their Holy Water for you.
They will not, need not, and want not to spend extra time and/or money on you.[/SPOILER]
This person is not the one who wants the item, therefore they are not the one to pay out of their own pocket to make it. This person has already spent so much of their time and money to rank that skill up that using their own materials for everyone who didn't come prepared is asinine.
They have zero obligation to pay their time and money for that item.
The only obligation that they have to you is to deliver the finished item as you requested once they received the agreed payment.
Whether it be the small price of a Holy Water and Sunlight Herb to dozens of Ingots, you're the one who wants and get it, not them. The tiny amounts of materials for each person adds up, and they should not be the one to pay for it.
Be Ready: Think, Look, and Plan before you Ask
How many ingots does this sword take to make? What would give me the best chance of success? When is the best time to do this?
The answer is on the Wiki. Find out how many materials you need and what would be the best for you. Look up the item and do simple math to find out exactly what you need. Bring extra materials as a fail-safe.
Does the Wiki not tell you? Ask a real person on this site or any other site dedicated to the game. Don't go up to a Blacksmith and ask how many leathers you need: find out yourself, it is beyond easy enough to do. You have the resources, and you should not be wasting their time.
Do not waste their time. They are another player, just like you, who wants to have their fun playing the game. They probably have other requests waiting. Don't ask the obvious, don't ask for materials, and don't tell them to wait. Only ask them to work for you if you are 100% ready. There is no exception to this.
Failures Happen
Accept this as a fact: 100% does not exist.
Even with a 99% of success, that 1% does happen, and you should expect this.
It's not to the fault of you or the person you hired. Therefore, don't blame them and don't complain to them if that happens. Bring extra materials, of what ever you need, in case of a failure. Make up for it and move on, they don't want to hear two minutes of complaints from every person who is unfortunate enough to end up with a failure.
The Price is Right
Are they asking for a fee? It's most likely fair.
Considering how much money and time this person poured into training this skill, a fee of 50,000 or 100k Gold isn't enormous.
You can come to an agreement with whoever you're hiring, but if they say no, then accept that and find someone else.
If the price is not fair in your eyes, leave. If the one with the skill is genuinely being a jerk, leave. There are more willing people out there to help you and you are not limited to that one person. Save yourself time and put up an advertisement asking for another servicer.
Be Patient
Crafting, no matter what it is, takes time. If the person is busy with their own thing already, ask for an appropriate time to meet, preferably via Notes, as Whispers and Private Message can get in the way of what they are doing immediately.
Don't tell them that they have to hurry if they want to service you. You are the one in need, they don't have to stop what they were already occupied with to grant your three wishes.
"Friends"
Do not add someone with these skills just for the sake of having your own Enchanting/Crafting monkey whenever you need them. Be honest and just ask to keep on them the list if you want to be a regular customer.
Also understand that the Friend's List has a limit. They can't keep everyone who wants something done on there, so Note if you want to contact them at any time.
Raw Materials
A wonderful example: Shield of Avon. It takes ~45 minutes to make all of the Bars for one shield.
Bring your own Bars, Plates, and Weaved Materials instead of asking them to Weave/Refine/Blacksmith them all for you. They aren't going to weave every single thing that you need, and if they actually agree, be prepared to spend more because of the huge chunk of time that doing so wastes.
In short: They won't. Seriously, make them yourself or ask a friend who has spare time to process the bare materials for you.
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[SIZE="5"]Valuable Resources[/SIZE]
[SIZE="5"]Valuable Resources[/SIZE]
You're in one! Ask a question, it's sure to be answered. Or search around if you think that the topic may have already been discussed!
Mabinogi World Wiki for North America - a huge amount of raw information, this is sure to answer most of your basic questions by simply using the search function
- Production Lists!
Enchanting and Burning Process - a great guide that still holds valid, outside of a few additions that can be found on the Wiki Page of Enchanting.[/FONT]