Synthesis Clarification/restructure

[CrstyCaptin]

So after getting my last 'real/worthwhile' craft to 50 I've finally been spending some time trying to HQ, multiple melding and testing out abilities. I've come to the conclusion that the crafting in the game makes little to no sense at all.

Things that make no sense:

1) Crafting stats. I know we've been told that certain items require craftsmanship and others require magic craftsmanship. Aside from the obvious "Ok.... which items require what?", the ONLY improvement I have seen with boosting either one of these stats is a small increase to 'progress' when using standard synth. This experience has come from doing rank 53 items and doing rank 41 items as a 50 across different classes. Control also seems to only stop sparking during a synth(which never happens unless you fail a lot). I've even gone as far as wearing multiple stat +7 rings and melding a stat IV materia to each tool. Synths do not become 'easier'.

2) Elemental instability. This drives me insane. Being rank 50 boosting craftsmanship, magic craftsmanship and control seems to do NOTHING to help against this. Making woolen gear on weaver I see elemental instabilities pop every other craft. There's even ones where after I 'wait' out one instability, I'm greeted with another one just after the next synth attempt. As if this wasn't bad enough, there is no way to determine what elemental instability will pop during any synth, A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN HERE SINCE LAUNCH. I understand maybe this is deep in coding or something but a response from a dev about this would be wonderful. How is is that making mahogany pattens of intelligence pops earth, fire, lightning, ice and wind elemental instabilities even though I'm only using an ice crystal? I can't even plan on using brand abilities because ANYTHING could pop. It's incredibly frustrating and makes any sort of strategy during a syth rather worthless. Is this intended or something that you plan to fix?

3) Abilities. I'm not sure if it's because each of the abilities are tied to parts, materials, finished or decorated items but at least 50%, if not more, are basically worthless. Using tender touch while making a finished item does absolutely nothing for durability loss, which again might be due to it being meant for 'parts', but can we do away with this junk? It would go a long way for making crafting more fun and interactive. It took me over a year after launch to get all crafting classes (aside from 32 cul and 46 alc) to 50. I should be able to swap around and use different abilities to help me make items easier.

I know 1.21 will be bringing around a HQ revamp. Could we get some info, when available, about what to expect for the crafting system? Specifically can we still HQ items with NQ mats using the same system as now? Will you be adjusting crafting stats or anything else for that patch? Just like half of the other formulas in the game, the ones for crafting seem totally random and hard to determine what actually helps and what doesn't.

[Sephrick]

I agree, a lot needs to change with crafting.

Including the lame randomized distribution of crafting leves.

There's just so much wrong with DoHs. I understand they chose to prioritize battle classes but it's time crafting gets its dues.

[Raldo]

I agree with the rest of your post, but I wanted to correct this:

I've even gone as far as wearing multiple stat +7 rings and melding a stat IV materia to each tool. Synths do not become 'easier'.

The stat associated to the tool merely affects the quality and will not make the synth any easier. Source

[CrstyCaptin]

Thanks for clearing that up. Quality is important to me anyway but careful synthesis hardly gives a large boost in quality when it succeeds. Usually between 7-12.

[jwang]

I agree more clarity in crafting would be of great help. Abilities like Harmonize that reduces risk, what do they do exactly and how effective are they? How about knowing when sparking occurs or when the craft is about to destabilize so we can better utilize brands? How much of a percentage boost we get in success rate when using abilities like Fulfillment? How about different material conditions, what's the difference between white/yellow/red/glowing?

As it is right now, crafting doesn't take much skill, just spam that enter and cross your fingers for success. When I'm too frustrated with crafts I just spam enter, not caring about color of orb or sparking. Having more clarity on the effects of stats and abilities would go a long way in making it a more enjoyable experience than just enter mats > spam enter > pray to RNG gods for +1.

[Deli]

Thanks for clearing that up. Quality is important to me anyway but careful synthesis hardly gives a large boost in quality when it succeeds. Usually between 7-12.

if quality is important, you can use hand of god and spam 4 times careful synths. Also, use perfection with flashing orb and careful synth. I think I saw a 25+ quality increase one time with perfection combo.
I also use masterpiece and forfillment with careful synth... even tho forfillment doesn't really boost successful rate much.
also high return "Temporarily increases chances of success in proportion to risk. ", so that means you get higher chance to success the careful synth with flashing orb.

so... I don't understand why you said abilities are not useful... at least, tender touch works for me no matter what type synth it is... it lowered the dura loss from 0-25 to 0-15ish...depend on the orb color. it's probably 0-10 for the correct synth.

[Jinko]

Agree with the post, the whole crafting system needs to be redone, this includes stats, abilities and the mini game.

Hopefully its on the list of things to do for 2.0.

[tymora]

Getting the same results as Deli.
White -> Orange? -> Red? -> Flashing:
Flashing can possibly give the highest possible quality with Bold, but also runs the highest risk to fail. Hence using +success skills for quality seems to work well but unfortunately the quality gained is still random. Bold only appears to increase the max. cap for quality. And failing on Bold gives larger possibility of sparks.

Next the higher your craftsmanship is over the recipe's level? or required craftsmanship value, the more quality you gain.

At the moment skills are still tuned towards the type of item synth-ed - In my experience, this means +1 turn on 3 turn skills, increased chance of activation of 1 turn skills and increased effect strength. This is probably why some recipes appears harder than others with all other things equal.

Risk...the definition of which can be contested but this is my own theory:
- Chance of failure
- Accumulated throughout synth, above a certain value, failure gives a chance of sparks. (Hence actions fail more towards end of synth)
- Similar to sparks, risk is also proportional to the chance of getting elemental instability. (Hence if risk is already high, recurring elemental instability is not unexpected.)
- Random starting value (hence some attempts suck bad)
- Reduced by craftsmanship (both)
- Success of action increases risk, though significantly less than failure and Standard gives much less than Rapid/Bold.
- Elemental explosion resets Risk to 0? or starting value? (Hence easier to complete synth if you force it to blow up, and hope you have enough durability left.)
- Wait reduces risk, not sure if it is proportional to durability lost.

Finally you can stack 1 turn and 3 turn skills if you didn't notice.

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Agree with OP that brand of X is useless - never bothered using.

There was a SS of some guy gaining 100+ quality in 1 single Bold.

As it is right now, crafting doesn't take much skill

Only if you use only Standard. Bold is much harder to get it right. The skill of crafting is therefore the mastery of this risk system. Frustrating but is a good challenge.

IMO, a master of FFXIV crafting can gauge the risk level without knowing the exact numbers and apply the appropriate skills.

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Still working my way there.........will be a long road.