HQ and NQ stat gap needs to close (Both should allow max stats with materia):

[Silverbane]

Right but... exactly how skill based is HQing an item? Don't get me wrong a more skilled crafter has and knows a number of tricks. But NQ items are not the result of a failure of skill. They're a failure of extremely bad RNG.

Some people prefer chess, others prefer poker.

Crafting is like poker: a lot depends on the cards you draw, but a skilled player can somewhat compensate for bad luck.
Some people choose rotations that minimize the impact of bad luck, others choose ones that create more opportunities is for good luck. And you can adapt in mid-craft if you know how.

And the RNG does not seem that bad. I've only crafted six L60 2-Stars tools so far, plus the required number of 2-star mats, and only 2 mats have come out NQ. None of the tool have. Someone else reported doing 20 HQ crafts without any NQ. So I don't see the odds being all that bad. But the stakes are pretty high - and I like it that way. YMMV.