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I encountered an 80 BSM today, wearing 415-430 type gear, with melds that don't appear to make sense. Tools and left side were melded with +13 Control in the freebe slots, and Direct Hit rate +2 in all other slots. Right side gear was similar, but instead of Direct Hit, used Skill speed +4. K so, I surrender, what do they know, that I don't know??? Why on earth put combat materia on a blacksmith?
TIA Shootah
I'm not 100% if that still applies (and also unsure if it applies if you're melding materia that doesnt "fit" your role, aka battle-materia on a crafter), but afaik gear thats been melded has an increased spiritbond rate - people used to meld cheap materia into gear all the time for faster bonding.
So... maybe he was trying to do that? If DH+2 was the cheapest materia he could get his hands on (or already had his hands on), he could increase his crafter-materia-output at minimal cost.
...thats at least the only explantion I can think off.
Same reason you put CP on battle classes, because it clearly stands for Combat Points, need all that extra damage!.
(Yes I'm joking).
Increased spiritbond rate has to be it, especially in view of the almost non-existent spiritbond associated with the new 490 crafting gear. By keeping that toon (presumably an alt) in the 415-430 gear, and setting it aside to quick sync grind silly small things right at the limit of its capability, it will continue to generate fair return of Extractable Materia VII and VIII. Nifty Idea, if the time necessary to constantly refill supplies, empty the bags, and do the Extraction are not insidious.. but I can see that being painful after a time, especially after the rush to meld 490 stuff has subsided. Tricky stuff. Ty Vidu!
Shootah
Putting any materia in a piece of gear increases its spiritbond rate by 20% (pentameld will double it, in other words)
I put dumpy materia in the 4th/5th slots all the time for this reason (low tier materia also has a slightly greater chance to be successfully melded). I still try to at least make it relevant materia to the role, but I'm guessing he just didn't have any low tier crafting materia on hand and didn't feel like buying any.