Ingenuity ???

[Shadygrove]

Ingenuity - "Lowers recipe level to current level for the next five steps."

What does that mean?

Also what is the best way to use it?

[Nutz]

Recipes have a level (listed in crafting window) and your class has a level. This skill makes the game calculate your actions as though the recipe you're working on is the same level as your class for the next 5 steps. I forget the exact math, but there's a penalty to progress and quality when a recipe's level is higher than yours and this removes it temporarily. It's worth noting that there's a buff to progress but not quality when your level if higher than the recipe.

[gornotck]

As to the best way to use it, it's probably most useful for things 5 or more levels above you, as they can take several actions to complete progress for.

It should be noted that it will set recipes LOWER than your level to your current level if used for those recipes, so I would advise that you don't do that.

[Kimbles01]

As an (almost) master crafter, I can say that I seldom use this skill on normal lvl1-50 recipes. The only time it will ever see action on those kinds of recipes is if I'm leveling because it can reduce the amount of steps it takes to finish the progress on a synth. That being said, it is a fantastic abilitity to use in 1 and 2 star crafting as those recipe levels are far above your own. It means the difference in finishing the progress on a 2-star in 5 steps to finishing it in 3 steps.

[Shadygrove]

Thanks all.

[FJerome]

It's worth noting that there's a buff to progress but not quality when your level if higher than the recipe.

Wait, so Ingenuity doesn't affect touch actions?

[StouterTaru]

Wait, so Ingenuity doesn't affect touch actions?

If the recipe is above your level, you have a penalty on touches, which ingenuity removes. At level 50, you will get the same quality on a level 1 recipe as a level 50 recipe, with all other factors equal.

Syntheses see a continuing increase as your level goes above the recipe level.

[Maelwys]

Basically, you use ingenuity at the end of your Synth (for Byregot's Blessing and your Synthesis Actions) whenever you're level 50 and attempting 1-star or 2-star recipes.
Prior to that, it really doesn't make much difference.

(The math is that you lose a little over 10% of your Progress building effectiveness for every level above you; capping at 5 - there is also a lesser penalty to Quality building)


Rough formulas here (mostly correct)