% chance for 'basic synthesis' and 'basic touch'

[Niwashi]

The percentages really do work. There's just a strong tendency for people to take particular notice of negative outcomes or rare outcomes (which in this case are the same thing, so a doubly strong perceptual bias). If over half of the items you make have a basic touch that fails, but also include a couple others that succeed, you'll just remember that those items didn't get their full allotment of touches. The perception ends up being that the touch is failing most of the time, when it's really not. Or if you even occasionally have an item where multiple touches fail, it will again feel like touches fail a lot, even though on most items, it doesn't come out that way.

If you want to avoid it, try to avoid steps that can fail. Combine Steady Hand with your Advanced Touches, or Steady Hand II with your Basic and Standard Touches. Replace Basic Synthesis with Careful Synthesis (or better yet, Careful Synthesis II once you can get it).