I would be flabbergasted if a crafter tried to make me pay him a ridiculous amount of gil to add a piece of materia to my weapon. One big thing being that's its a 100% chance to work, there is no failure. So why would I pay you more for your rank when the next joe-schmoe at the required rank can do it just as well as you?

Oh so the crafter says he has the best gear, well that doesn't matter because it would still be 100% and the crafter doesn't determine if the materia is HQ, I believe HQ is determined by what the wearer of the weapon/armor does to get the AP to 100%. (At least that is how I read it, maybe I read it wrong)

I agree with Peregrine on this one, and if anyone on Trabia needs materia infused to something an Armorer or a Blacksmith can do I will do it free of charge; just have the mats.

Also on the note of R/EX-ing the items why not have something like an AUG (Augmented) icon instead: Basically it would restrict the person from being able to put it up for sale in the market wards, but allows them to put it up for sale in their bazaar instead, it can also still be traded obviously. That way the MWards don't get even more convoluted with unnecessary complications like mentioned above.