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

[Silverbane]

You can craft top-end gear without using a single post-50 skill. They're all junk.

Precise Touch is hardly "junk."

[Ksenia]

Precise Touch is hardly "junk."

I can see why people feel it is though. It's basic touch but it procs with only a condition change. They are both 18 cp, 100% efficiency, 70% success.

Like Byregot's Brow I think there is something more to it though. Math on Byregot's Blessing says it's better but I've used both with good proc finish and Brow produces more results.

[Caimie_Tsukino]

I can see why people feel it is though. It's basic touch but it procs with only a condition change. They are both 18 cp, 100% efficiency, 70% success.

I hope you do realize how strong Precise Touch is comparing to Basic Touch, right? The real power comes from that additional IQ stack... Even if the skill cost 25 CP, it'll still be vastly stronger than a Basic Touch! 1 extra IQ stack sometimes can be a difference between Heaven and Hell!

Usually about 2 Precise Touches is a reasonable amount of CP investment that will send your IQ stack sky high when added to your existing IQ stack was built up from those hated hasties.

Like Byregot's Brow I think there is something more to it though. Math on Byregot's Blessing says it's better but I've used both with good proc finish and Brow produces more results.

Brow produces more results when your IQ stack is below 6. However, the problem with Brow is that you can't plan it since it has to land on a "Good". For Byregot's Blessing, we ALWAYS plan at least a Great Strides before it. We never use Byregot's Blessing alone. That 56 CP (32 on GS, 24 on Blessing) at the end is essential. For Brow, you just can't activate a Great Strides, and hope the Brow to pop. It's a 32 CP investment on the GS. Anyway, any level 60+ items will likely require at least IQ9 with i150 gear. Thus, Brow is completely useless.

[Caimie_Tsukino]

And that's a great success ! You can craft top-end gear without using a single post-50 skill. They're all junk.

Well, I think you meant "specialist skills" instead of "post-50 skills". After all, we have all been using Muscle Mem / Maker's Mark & Precise Touch for pretty much everything 1 star or above. But I get your point, apart from these few skills, all those specialist skills so far seem unnecessary.

I am pretty confident that S-E will somehow make them more useful in future patches though. We'll see.

[cgbspender]

I did mean "post-50 skills", which includes specialist skills. I use none of them, be it precise touch, muscle mem, and have no problem crafting one-star items without them.
Regarding that extra IQ stack mentionned, I never reach more than 9 stacks to complete my craft anyway (with generally 97% HQ)

[Caimie_Tsukino]

I did mean "post-50 skills", which includes specialist skills. I use none of them, be it precise touch, muscle mem, and have no problem crafting one-star items without them.
Regarding that extra IQ stack mentionned, I never reach more than 9 stacks to complete my craft anyway (with generally 97% HQ)

That's excellent! I wish you good luck with the 2 stars without using any post-50 skills!

[RiceisNice]

I did mean "post-50 skills", which includes specialist skills. I use none of them, be it precise touch, muscle mem, and have no problem crafting one-star items without them.
Regarding that extra IQ stack mentionned, I never reach more than 9 stacks to complete my craft anyway (with generally 97% HQ)

Kek. That's not even it's final form. 1 Star isn't high end either.

[doctapeppa]

I did mean "post-50 skills", which includes specialist skills. I use none of them, be it precise touch, muscle mem, and have no problem crafting one-star items without them.
Regarding that extra IQ stack mentionned, I never reach more than 9 stacks to complete my craft anyway (with generally 97% HQ)

I can almost understand not using muscle memory and maker's mark, since they're both completely unnecessary for anything under 2-star, but what possible reason could you have for not making use of precise touch? You're intentionally gimping yourself with absolutely no upside. Also please post your 2-star rotation once you get around to doing those, I'm very interested in seeing it.

[dspguy]

Yeah, 2-star NQ needs to be something above the i150 HQ tools. While not necessary, I'd be fine with them making HQs either "easier to meld" since they are closer to max stats... OR... make HQs have an extra guaranteed slot. I think that's something they should do in the future. HQ accessories/MH/OH would have 2 slots. Other pieces would have 3, if HQd.

Hell, they should make melding actually have benefits depending on your crafting stats. The fact that a naked level 60 crafter has the same 6% chance on a Tier IV meld as a fully melded 2-star crafter just boggles the mind.

[Alistaire]

I did mean "post-50 skills", which includes specialist skills. I use none of them, be it precise touch, muscle mem, and have no problem crafting one-star items without them.
Regarding that extra IQ stack mentionned, I never reach more than 9 stacks to complete my craft anyway (with generally 97% HQ)

Even saying it can be done doesn't mean it's smart to intentionally gimp your rotation. And for what reason, spite?