A Step-by-Step Guide to 2 Star Crafting by Caimie Tsukino

[Caimie_Tsukino]

My final contribution to the crafting community before my retirement in mid-December:
http://ffxivrealm.com/guides/a-step-...e-tsukino.176/

Many people have taken up 2 star crafting these days (using Rath's rotation, Katlyna's rotation, my rotation etc), yet as far as I can see, there are so many NQ i170 sold on the marketboard that it breaks my heart. Clearly, some people have not optimized their 2 star rotations yet. This step-by-step guide was created to help those younger crafters understand how to improvise during a 2 star rotation, and make the right decisions on the spot. I wish this will benefit the newer generation, and help them achieve a higher level in crafting.

I will be leaving the game (very likely permanently) in mid-Dec due to new job, new schedules, new home, and possibly new family planning too. Until then I will still be active on the forums.

With love,
Caimie

[XLauncher]

How sudden, but that's the way of life, I guess. Your contributions to the community have been invaluable, Camie. I wish you the best.

[Hermaeus_mora1]

Thanks for everything since the ARR days. I've learned a lot! Hope you come back someday.

[Nekotee]

Caimie is leaviiiing ! T.T
Well that's how it is ! I should save a copy of those guide... Always helpful.

Now it's up to US, other crafter to take up the legacy and continue !
By the way thanks you so much, and like these last guide...
Remains me of yesterday for my first 2*
Had to calculate many time about my cp !

[Lastelli]

Thanks for everything thus far Caimie, I wish you the best!

[Zahira]

Thanks you so much for all you have done for the community

Without your advices and guides i wouldnt have gone that far on crafting

I wish you the best for your new life

Zahira

[Caimie_Tsukino]

Thank you all for your support!

I have only recent found out a new "threshold craftsmanship level" for Rath's rotation, which is 860. With 860 craft, it allows 1 extra fail FS (or 1 extra Trick of Trade during FS spam).
Here the "threshold craftsmanship levels":
718 - already sufficient for Rath's rotation. Need to get 1150 progress from MaMa+FS phase.
778 - sufficient to complete the rotation with 1110 progress from MaMa phase, thus 1 extra Trick.
860 - sufficient to complete the rotation with 1070 progress from MaMa phase, thus another extra Trick.

I shall add these into my guides soon.

Caimie is leaviiiing ! T.T
Well that's how it is ! I should save a copy of those guide... Always helpful.

Now it's up to US, other crafter to take up the legacy and continue !
By the way thanks you so much, and like these last guide...
Remains me of yesterday for my first 2*
Had to calculate many time about my cp !

Indeed! The future is up you guys now! Pick up that hammer/round knife/frypan etc and be the amazing crafter who is ready for any challenge! When someone say "impossible", HQ it right in front of them! Show them how it's done!

[luckystrikes]

Caimie,
You will be missed greatly but we understand that life takes priority. Your guides and advice have been invaluable to gatherers and crafters alike. Best wishes in your future endeavors.

[Immut]

Alright you got some good points here, but I'll offer my critique nonetheless.

You can get a lot more hasties in if you use rapid synth. Use ingenuity II + Steady Hand II. 3 out of the 4 rapids must succeed. You only need 3 under IG2, and the fourth rapid must NOT have IG2 at craftsmanship levels above like 730 or so. That'll put you in a position where one more CS2 completes it. At 749 craftsmanship I'm getting 374 progress per rapid under IG2, 220 some without it.

Furthermore. I greatly prefer Manipulation to Master's Mend II. Manipulation uses an extra turn for the same return so in effect it only costs 8 more cp than MM2, and the lower cp cost makes it more flexible. Same reason I keep Waste Not on my hotbar.

I personally think that unless you're using delineations, maker's mark is a waste of time and CP and you're better off using the skill from CUL that gives you 1/3 progress instantly. Again this is because I use rapid synth and reclaim like it's going out of style.

[Caimie_Tsukino]

Alright you got some good points here, but I'll offer my critique nonetheless.

You can get a lot more hasties in if you use rapid synth. Use ingenuity II + Steady Hand II. 3 out of the 4 rapids must succeed. You only need 3 under IG2, and the fourth rapid must NOT have IG2 at craftsmanship levels above like 730 or so. That'll put you in a position where one more CS2 completes it. At 749 craftsmanship I'm getting 374 progress per rapid under IG2, 220 some without it.

I personally think that unless you're using delineations, maker's mark is a waste of time and CP and you're better off using the skill from CUL that gives you 1/3 progress instantly. Again this is because I use rapid synth and reclaim like it's going out of style.

Sorry, but what you said there puzzles me... "You can get a lot more hasties" using Rapid Syn... Why? From what I can see, you're actually getting fewer with your method.

You're using 4x Rapid Syn (with 3 under Ingen2), and then finishes with a CS II. So Basically, you spent 25 CP on SH II, 32 CP on Ingen2, so total of 57 CP, and then gamble on all those Rapid Syn. Total durab decrease is AT LEAST 50, possibly 60 or even 70.

In my Method 2 (please see my crafting guide Ch49 http://ffxivrealm.com/guides/ff14-ad...e-tsukino.156/), I spend 6 extra CP on MusMem, and that allows me to use only 2x Rapid Syn under Ingen2, and then 1 CS II under Ingen2, and finally finishes with 1 naked CS II. This completion method is already much less risky than yours, so potentially getting more hasties than yours. Total CP consumption is 6+25+32 = 63 CP.

In Rath's rotation (Method 3), you spent 20 CP on Maker's Mark, but 14 is guaranteed to be recovered from Comfort Zone. Thus the entire MaMa phase only cost 6 CP (In fact, I can usually get at least 1 Trick of Trade here, so it's actually +14 CP instead of -6). Durab decrease is ZERO in this phase. Then SH (22 CP) and 2x PBP (2x 15 CP) totaled to 52 CP. Then 3x CS II can finish it, which 2 of the CS can be fitted anywhere in the rotation, giving great flexibility. Assuming the MaMa phase goes well, 50 durab is guaranteed to complete the item, and only 52 CP (possibly only 32 CP) is spent.

So, please tell me, how is Maker's Mark a waste of time and CP? It cost far fewer CP and far fewer durab than your Rapid Syn method. So, naturally resulting more hasties. I think at this point, it's universally confirmed that Maker's Mark is better than MusMem in most cases, with the exception that MaMa+FS requires 1 extra Cross Class slot. And also MusMem is so much faster, and more suitable for macros since it's only 1 line.

Furthermore. I greatly prefer Manipulation to Master's Mend II. Manipulation uses an extra turn for the same return so in effect it only costs 8 more cp than MM2, and the lower cp cost makes it more flexible. Same reason I keep Waste Not on my hotbar.

Well, Manipulation gives 30 extra durab for 88 CP. Master's Mend II gives 60 extra durab for 160 CP. So using 2x Manipulation would mean wasting 16 CP for no particular reason. Is there a valid reason why one should do that?