Quote Originally Posted by darkstarpoet1 View Post
yes, i do understand that part, but you have to look at the other side of it. which is going to be harder for a high rank crafter to get? completing a high level finished item or completing a synth to get a low level part?

just go for getting a hq iron ingot for the metal crafts they mentioned.

Iron Ingot = Blacksmith (12)
Bladed Lantern Shield = Blacksmith (49), Alchemist (35)

the finished item was the hard part to complete. it was just time invested to get the hq part to complete it. now all you will be invest the time to make the hq part and then standard bash the finished product. why standard bash? why do anything other than standard bash it when the quality and touch ups no longer matter at all?

if you are missing one hq mat there's no need in taking the time to increase quality nor use skills unless the craft is looking like it may fail because you have 0 chance to hq it with only that one non quality mat. if you have all hq mats the synth just needs to get completed to get a 100% sure hq item.

we have to remember the parts may be hard to hq if you are at rank, but i doubt they will increase it to the point that even a r50 has issues getting a hq version of a r12 synth. that would assure no low level crafter would ever get that lucky hq that felt great while a low level crafter.
I think that you are pointing out a valid issue with the proposed 100% chance to HQ finished items method proposed for patch 1.20, IF the current recipes are retained.

The problem has two solutions. Change the HQ process, or change the rank of the synthesis that makes the ingredient. Personally, I think that having a component (that is a rank 12 synth) for a rank 49 recipe synth is just is broken as having a component (that is a rank 40 synth) for a rank 15 recipe synth. It's just broken in the opposite direction.

The devs' current thinking along this line appears to be in this direction:

  • Revisions to Materials and Intermediary Materials
While there are numerous types of materials and parts in existence, low market demand has resulted in shortages for a large number of items. In addressing this problem, we will gradually do away with intermediate materials that find little use, leaving only those that are central to synthesis. At the same time, we will narrow the gap between the requirements to equip and synthesize gear (across all steps).
Text bolded for emphasis. I think that this means that the synths to create the ingredients for finished gear will have ranks close to the finish synth itself. The cobalt sabaton recipe looked like it was built that way.