Ingenuity ???

[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.

[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.