New Player - confused about crafting and so much fighting.

[Lamer]

I have been playing this game for about a month and I am worried about all the money (loaned to me by another player) I seemingly wasted on leveling clothcraft to 55. After reading through this subforum I have decided not to waste any more money on it even though I really like the *idea* of crafting.

Everyone is arguing about how synergy ruined crafting and the majority of people seem to believe this and do not like the implications it has on my future. I am just wondering why, and excuse me for being ignorant, synergy even exists. Obviously everyone who put work into crafting (lots more work than I have) is upset with synergy because it ruins all that hard work, and I can already understand that - because after reading about it I feel the same way (and I am only level 55 in one craft - but I *know* what it took to get there and it wasn't easy). It takes so much time farming, or money buying materials, to level up one craft. I am just confused.. maybe someone can help alleviate my frustrations.

I am confused about this 'new crafting' system. I am new and I read old guides to get all the way to 55. Believe me: it is expensive and it takes a lot of time and patience. I can only imagine how tough it is for level 100 crafters who also have other crafts leveled. I am worried that I will not be able to survive in this game as a crafter. I have no problem farming, but I wanted to go farming for materials to dump back into a skill that will pay off eventually if I am determined and work very hard, but it seems like that part of this game no longer exists, and that I am too late in this game to even become a crafter. It seems like.. I don't know how to say it.. Like being an antique. Something nice to look at but has no real practical application in this era, like crafting is anachronistic.

Does anyone know if this will change in the future? I really want to be able to make things alone and not have to rely on friends that I don't even have. I don't care about the big furnace or interrupting other people to help me make something with a system ( i have never even seen but I read what everyone is writing here ) that is laggy and broken. It seems like a stupid idea and it has horrible implications for me as a new player who is already in debt and trying to figure out how to fix it.

Someone also wrote that all new recipes are strictly 'synergy only' and it seems like the whole game is focused around that now. That sucks for me and it is really discouraging. I do not know whether or not to even bother trying to be a crafter because it seems like I will just be like .. a shadow or a ghost or something.

Based on what I read here I should switch to alchemy or to cooking because that is how I can survive, but ugh.. that is like cookie-cutter economics. How unfortunate.

I am just confused about crafting in general. I don't have enough experience or time in this game to know any differently from that which I read on this resource. I understand it's important to farm things in order to survive, but I wanted to invest that time and those items into something marketable and it seems like that isn't even possible anymore. I do not know what to do or if I should stop everything and learn synergy. I read that synergy is boring and painful and broken. I have never experienced it but if SOOO MANY people say it's that bad then why does it even exist? My future as a crafter looks bleak based on what everyone is writing. Is there any hope at all? I am not level 90, I do not have abyssea, I play alone often, and I am just searching for a niche that I can *enjoy*. Does that even exist in this game?

[Karbuncle]

Synergy is basically "It". For new armor. But it does require crafts to do. Truthfully my Synergy is 40 and i -hate- leveling crafts. i just leveled it because it was just so easy. but it is "kinda" expensive if you can't find your Fewell In stock...

But thats not to say Crafting isn't profitable. People who generally whine "CRAFTING SUX SYNERGY BAWWWW" Are generally the people who think "Profit" means "3mil+ on a HQ", not "NQ is 10k profit, HQ is 40k, I can make these and they sell fast" deal.

Crafting is still profitable if you pick your item carefully, You can still make a lot of gil, just its not these huge-synths like they used to be. There aren't as many "ZOMG 20MIL EBODY+1 WOOO" synths, any there are are Synergy now.

I can't address all of your points, But if you're upset with how the game plays, Or feel like leveling a craft won't be fun/profit for you, It really won't get much better by level 90, or 100(Crafting). So unless you can learn to like Synergy, Or hold out and hope more Recipes not-synergy related are introduced, I suggest quitting for now, and coming back when the game plays more like you like.

Thats only if you truly feel there is no redeeming quality.

[blowfin]

Everyone is arguing about how synergy ruined crafting

Although I haven't posted in those threads (because they're ridiculous) this isn't true, synergy has not ruined crafting. Crafting was becoming very top heavy and with the introduction of new items, and the level cap raising in particular, there was no way the existing system was going to cope. A lot of people are crying about synergy because they wanted to remain on top of the pile too, suddenly that niche they may have had became slightly compromised, and theyre too stubborn to accept that times have changed.

In short, it's something that you should think about leveling, because it going to be very relevant going forwards. I'd suggest starting by trying to make your woodworking gloves.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Tanner%27s_Cuffs

It should skill you right up to the high 20's from zero and you don't risk losing your mats like you do with synthesis. So you can intentionally fail the synth and use the cheapest fuel you can to get skill ups.

After that the lathercraft body you can buy with GP can be upgraded too. This will take you into the 40's for synergy.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Tanner%27s_Smock

[RushLynx]

But thats not to say Crafting isn't profitable. People who generally whine "CRAFTING SUX SYNERGY BAWWWW" Are generally the people who think "Profit" means "3mil+ on a HQ", not "NQ is 10k profit, HQ is 40k, I can make these and they sell fast" deal.

I dont know what craft you're referring to, but chances are the item you're talking about will not "sell fast"... Most items below 70, with the exception of things like vermillion cloak, don't sell at all anymore... because the people who might actually need them just skip all the levels leeching in abyssea...
The only recipes with even a hope of turning a regular profit are consumables... And that's rediculous. Anything else with a 10k profit you're going to be shooting yourself in the foot with lost inventory space trying to wait for them to sell in the first place in order to turn a decent profit that might be used for anything else... Likewise, most recipes don't even break even anymore with a NQ... The reason high level synths cost so much for the HQ and have "3mil" profits is because you lose a good amount of that profit in NQs...
Also, idk about you, but I didn't spend millions upon millions of gil and year after year leveling a craft so that I could spend a few more years making it all back 10k at a time... Crafting is worth it because it is profitable... or it use to be... Meanwhile we have synergy come along... it takes a little over a mil to level, and people are turning crazy profits on everything... Are you seriously trying to justify that?
As I've said multiple times in these forums... There really is no reason synergy can't have it's own specialty like literally every other craft, instead of just consuming the recipes for things that should rightfully be given to the craft that is listed as the subskill... If it makes cloth armor, and requires cloth skill, why isnt it a clothcraft recipe instead of a synergy recipe?

[Karbuncle]

I dont know what craft you're referring to, but chances are the item you're talking about will not "sell fast"... Most items below 70, with the exception of things like vermillion cloak, don't sell at all anymore... because the people who might actually need them just skip all the levels leeching in abyssea...
The only recipes with even a hope of turning a regular profit are consumables... And that's rediculous. Anything else with a 10k profit you're going to be shooting yourself in the foot with lost inventory space trying to wait for them to sell in the first place in order to turn a decent profit that might be used for anything else... Likewise, most recipes don't even break even anymore with a NQ... The reason high level synths cost so much for the HQ and have "3mil" profits is because you lose a good amount of that profit in NQs...

As I've said multiple times in these forums... There really is no reason synergy can't have it's own specialty like literally every other craft, instead of just consuming the recipes for things that should rightfully be given to the craft that is listed as the subskill... If it makes cloth armor, and requires cloth skill, why isnt it a clothcraft recipe instead of a synergy recipe?

It wasn't directed toward any specific craft. I was making a generic purposefully Vague response due to not feeling like having to look up specific items to cite.

It wasn't designed to emulate any particular person or craft.

It was an exaggeration of responses I read in other places.

[blowfin]

There really is no reason synergy can't have it's own specialty like literally every other craft, instead of just consuming the recipes for things that should rightfully be given to the craft that is listed as the subskill... If it makes cloth armor, and requires cloth skill, why isnt it a clothcraft recipe instead of a synergy recipe?

There are very good reasons. SE wanted to breathe new life into crafting, and the existing system is already crammed full of synths. Plus without synergy youd just have all the same old crafters monopolizing the new items, without newer players having much of an opportunity to enter the market. Adding more high level items to the crafts would have only really benefited those who are already rich from crafting. Particularly with crafts being so costly to level these days.

There are plenty of Synergy exclusive items by the way, and they allow you to level it up without even needing sub crafts. Then theres the incredibly useful transit earrings.

[RushLynx]

I don't think you should quit though Lamer... there are a lot of things in this game that you can enjoy... And I'm really sorry that you started playing after the shit hit the fan with synergy and abyssea... I started 8 years ago, and I must say if I didn't have the memories of the past and the epic adventures and get that sense of nostalgia from time to time I'd have quit a while ago... This game doesn't even begin to resemble its former greatness these days...

What server are you on? Perhaps I can help you have a little fun with your spare time...

[RushLynx]

There are very good reasons. SE wanted to breathe new life into crafting, and the existing system is already crammed full of synths. Plus without synergy youd just have all the same old crafters monopolizing the new items, without newer players having much of an opportunity to enter the market.

I'm not sure what server you're on... But the AH-able equipment made from synergy on my server IS monopolized by veteran crafters... Except now it's worse because so many people dislike synergy and don't want to level it that they have literally no competition whatsoever and can set prices any which way they desire...

Synergy does not give new players a chance to enter the market, it requires high level crafting skills in a variety of different crafts that new players don't have nearly enough funds for, especially when they can't even sell the items they're skill up on...

[blowfin]

And I'm really sorry that you started playing after the shit hit the fan with synergy and abyssea... I started 8 years ago, and I must say if I didn't have the memories of the past and the epic adventures and get that sense of nostalgia from time to time I'd have quit a while ago...

Oh right, you're one of those types.

Unfortunately Lamer, there are plenty of people around who will tell you the game is broken, that X has gone and ruined their X, and that the glory days are long behind us. The good part about all that is, hardly any of it holds any water and most of it is just personal opinion from those that fear and refuse change. There are various reasons people get upset, from linkshell leaders being upset that people are not interested in their shells that cling onto old ideals, to people being insulted that a 10 year old crafting system got overhauled for the greater good of the game.

I'm not sure what server you're on... But the AH-able equipment made from synergy on my server IS monopolized by veteran crafters... Except now it's worse because so many people dislike synergy and don't want to level it that they have literally no competition whatsoever and can set prices any which way they desire...

If you think that it is an issue and you refuse to level synergy, then you are part of the problem you are describing there. My point with synergy allowing new people entering the market is totally valid by the way. If they choose not to take that opportunity though, it's nobodies fault but their own. If you aren't willing to at least acknowledge that, then I see little point in debating this with you.

[RushLynx]

There's no reason that I should be forced to level a craft that I don't enjoy just to prevent people from monopolizing the AH... Especially when all that needs to be done is give those recipes to the people who enjoyed crafting...

I don't level synergy because I play this game to have fun... If it's not fun, why would I waste my time?