Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity - Original Sin - Enhanced Edition Lv 5 Crafting\Blacksmithing vs divine-tier loot.

Keep in mind that you can further enhance looted/bought gear through crafting. In fact, you can add a SECOND elemental upgrade if the weapon dropped with one already on it. The exception is Tenebrium gear (weapons made from tenebrium, not necessarily anything with tenebrium damage on it) which can't be used in crafting at all.

Once upgraded on a whetstone, with a second element damage, and a forgotten soul, that Divine gear drop might be quite a bit better than the crafted one.

Also, crafted crossbows are absolutely terrible, so you have to rely on the drops which can do godlike damage when upgraded with a bowstring and element.

Anyway, as far as the question of "which should be better", I think this particular game has enough uses for crafting outside of making those weapons that if crafted weapons and armor ONLY existed to fill the holes in your loadout, it would still be good enough. Crafting skill to upgrade legendary equipment, or to make various consumable items, is still crafting skill well used.

Blacksmithing on the other hand would probably be better off cut (merged into crafting), since about the only thing it's good for is making weapons and damage-enhancing bladed weapons.