Best spiritbond gear for materia?

[Jmac]

What are some cheap gear items that turn into good materia once you spiritbond them? I want to maximize my time and return when fighting as a level 50. Any good lists that show what items can turn into which materia?

[Raldo]

The official list is here...
http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...materia03.html
...however that doesn't give you the breakdowns for which pieces drop -more- of what stuff than others. There's a couple places that are keeping track of such data. I don't have those on hand, so I'll let someone else post those.

The only data point I can provide you is the higher level the gear, the better chances the materia will be high caliber.

[Estellios]

As far as cheap gear items go, Linen Deerstalkers for the Head slot are used for Clothcrafting levels, so people try to dump them at cheap prices, and they're All Classes to boot. Dated Electrum rings are also cheap. The best bang for your buck will probably be belts. Here on Istory there's an absolute ton of people selling Dated Tarred Voyagers belts at dirt cheap prices, and the waist slot gives most of the better/rarer materia.

This is mostly dependent on your server, but you should check out the list Raldo posted. As long as you convert any gear in an applicable slot, as long as it's 41+ you have a shot at getting Tier 3 and 4 Materia.

As far as any pieces of specific gear giving you specific Materia, I want to say that the devs have stated that it doesn't matter and only gear slot+equip level determines what you get, the rest being up to luck, but don't quote me on that. It seems more in-line with Materia as a whole for it to be luck based anyway.

[Shiki_Lockhart]

Or want free stuff? Farm and make yourself. That will be only profit :X

[Estellios]

Leves can also give free gear occasionally. IIRC Weaver-made gear from Ul'dah leves, Armorer-made gear in Limsa leves, and Leatherworker-made gear from Gridania leves. L40 leves seem to only give 41+ armor, except for Ul'dahs that occasionally give the L40 sarouels.

[REDace0]

On that note, most SB parties I see are also coffer parties, and stronghold coffers yield a variety of regular 41+ gear when they don't give the desired L50 item.