Why won't this meld??

I just bought an HQ Longarm's Composite Bow (Level 50), and I'm trying to put a Savage Might Materia III on it. But when I try it shows Determination +0 when it should be +4.

My understanding is that to meld a tier 3 materia, the item needs to be item level 45. But the bow I just bought it is item level 55 so either this makes no sense, or I'm wrong about one of these numbers (probably the latter obviously).

So if someone could kindly explain what I'm wrong about it would be greatly appreciated.

items have stat caps.

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Originally Posted by Holyhunter

items have stat caps.

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Crap! I wish I knew that already, but thanks for the quick reply.

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Originally Posted by Holyhunter

items have stat caps.

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So where do I see those stat caps?

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Originally Posted by Gorantharon

So where do I see those stat caps?

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Unfortunately unless someone gets a database up online you can't, however I will say one thing that I've noticed. HQ combat armor seems to come at the stat cap for the stats that they include. So don't bank on improving any of the stats already on the armor. For instance:

35 mar/war/gld/pal legs Heavy Steel Flanchard comes with Str/Vit/Determination

With the HQ version, I wasn't able to get a single +1 from melding to any of these three stats. I was however able to attach 5 parry +2 materia to it with no stat loss. Similar effects with determination on the pieces that didn't have determination already built in.

I don't know if this is a rule or a coincidence, however I've noticed this as a trend on HQ combines from 20-35.

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Originally Posted by CianaIezuborn

With the HQ version, I wasn't able to get a single +1 from melding to any of these three stats.

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So basically you can only add what's not already on it.

Next question would be, if the added stats have seperate caps or are only limited by quality and number of materias.
Something to look after.

Your stat caps are dictated by a combination of slot and item level

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Originally Posted by Skies

Your stat caps are dictated by a combination of slot and item level

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So can I be limited in my melding of a new stat by that, or is that cap identical to the materias I can use anyway?
Can I overmeld and waste statpoints even when the stat is not already on the item?

You can be limited in melding a new stat by that. You can factually overmeld and waste statpoints even on stats that are not already in the item. Although those tend to have a lot more generous caps, specially when different weapons of same IL (for example) have or not a certain stat such as critical rate (in which an IL50 weapon with no critrate would have a cap about as high as the critrate of an IL50 weapon with critrate)

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...22/528/cb7.gif

/10characters

The cap is dumb, because apparently the cap is already what's on the armor (if the armor happens to have said stat).
While I agree that there should be a cap, it shouldn't be that small or basically what the original stats are. It makes the whole Materia System weak and in some cases it even defeats the purpose of being able to meld materia onto weapons and gear.

This is kinda what shafts crafted gear a lot. If the caps are that small and limiting, what's the point in buying crafted gear when dungeon gear is going to be far superior?

Maybe I'm missing it and if I'm wrong, I'll be happy to listen while someone explains.