whats the point of crafting...

[Tzain]

Unfortunately you're in the minority so don't expect it to be common.

I'm reminded of one time I had penta-melded a mid level chest before putting it in my retainer and forgetting about it. I found it again after I had leveled past it so I decided to just sell it. The non-melded HQ ones sold 5-10 times a day for 20k or so. I put it up for 60k even though the materia alone was worth over 60k, not to mention the 100k I probably lost on the last 2 melds.

Two weeks go by and nothing so I dropped it to 40k. Another week and nothing. By this point well over 100 had sold for 20k with no melds. I dropped it again to 30k and waited a couple more days. Then I just gave up and listed it at 1k BELOW the cheapest HQ one. Four sold at a HIGHER price before someone bought the penta-melded one. I even checked to make sure it wasn't a quest or leve item. That was the last time I ever put something up pre-melded.

Wow. ok then. Evidence is evidence. I admit though, I don't buy things very often at all, it's usually just a stop gap while I farm dungeons for gear. I imagine I've spent more on X-Ethers than I have on all the gear I've ever purchased. I imagine it will be different as I level a crafter and a gatherer since I cant do the same for them and kit them out in greens and pinks.