Two final fixes for crafting

[Sephrick]

Having spent some time crafting, I feel 1.21 was amazing for making the crafting system a rewarding experience.

Quality matters in the leveling process, abilities may be used more strategically, items aren't constantly destabilizing for no reason and the player has time to think out their next move.

That said, I feel there's two final issues that need to be addressed: static access to leves and "one-class-melds-all."

Static Access

Battle classes get it. As do DoLs. So why do DoHs have to spend hours not playing their class just to gain exp?

Crafting leves seem plentiful at first. But around level 30, a huge issue arises. Those leves are either below a worthwhile level or just not there at all.

By level 40 it's rare for a crafter to get any leves that would net them any reasonable experience. Heck, since I crested 40 with my carpenter, I've yet to see a level 40 leve.

Which means my carpenter, now 42, has to resort to repeating the same simple recipe over and over. I've been making Ash Masks for a long time now and will have to do so all the way to 50.

But due to the unbalanced economy, materials are severely overpriced. That means that in order to level a DoH a player has two choices: level a DoH or bite the bullet and farm Gil to afford the cost of mats.

This is further compounded by the need for shards. A stack of which may cost upwards of 200,000 Gil and may last only a portion of a level.

That's a lot of time spent not playing a class you want to play for little return in the end.

Now I'm not saying leveling a DoH needs to be easier or faster. Just that if someone wants to level a Weaver they should have the means to do just that. It feels more like actual game play if I get an order, make the item and travel out to deliver it.

But if static access offers "too much exp too quick" I'd be content with a lowering of the total exp per leve. After all, the point of the idea is to play a craft, not just to cap out as quick as possible.

One-class-melds-all

You wouldn't take your shirt to a cook and ask them to upgrade it, right?

But the thing is, you don't use the tools of the trade to affix materia. Before I go further, let's look at the key items.

A complicated-looking device that reduces an item with a complete spiritbond to Aether, and then recrystalizes the resulting residue into a concentrated substance known as materia.

A small handheld device used to affix materia onto weapons and armor.

From the descriptions, it's clear that both processes use their own unique tools. Yet one can be performed by any class at any level and the other requires two specific conditions be met -- level and class.

I suggest removing the class requirement but retaining the level requirement. Instead of a class requirement, it should be changed to "a Disciple of the Hand of level X." The idea being that it still takes some level of skill to use the melder, but that the melder is no different when used by a carpenter than when it is used by a blacksmith.

This will help prevent issues that may devaluate a player's efforts. Let's say a lancer wants to meld the best possible lance. They take their time and level carpenter and start the process of trying to multi-meld an HQ weapon. But a patch comes along with some new recipes and the best lance now is made, and thus melded, by blacksmith.

Now that lancer either has to level a whole new craft or or go back to square one of giving expensive items to strangers in hopes they're an honest person. Either way, their craft now is less useful to them as a whole character.

Of course, SE could come out and say "LNC/ARC/CNJ weapons will always be Crp, THM/PUG will always be GSM, and GLA/MRD will always be BSM." But that's already. Of the case. Although unmeldable, Ifrit weapons were all GSM. PUG has weapons from LTH, GSM and BSM. It adds to the world to have weapon creation vary.

Conclusion

Both of these ideas are focused on one thing: balancing the economy. Currently, the economy is driven by overpriced materials.

But how did we get there? Simple, overcrowding.

When the game was released, the rate at which durability degraded necessitated leveling crafts based on a player's chosen main battle class. Thankfully, steps were taken to nullify that sense. Freeing players to level crafts at will, if at all.

Until materia.

Now to be a properly-geared player, we have two choices: level crafts or trust high-priced items in the hands of strangers.

But because leveling crafts is dependabt of mass crafting recipes repetitively, the player is further necessitated to level at least on supporting DoL, if not all three.

So now we have people who are leveling multiple DoLs and DoHs just for the act of melding.

That's why I feel these two ideas go hand-in-hand.

These combined would allow a player to level one craft, free of leveling a DoL, to meld their own gear. Thus reducing the total number of crafts and gathered competing in the wards.

Furthermore, it frees a player to not feel obligated to level a DoH at all. Everyone knows at least one person with one craft at 50 they can trust enough with expensive melds.

The impact on the economy would be that there would be a more natural level of suppliers and buyers. Because right now it's not a matter of "Where is there a need" but "What do I need?"

TL;DR

Static access to leves means fewer total DoLs in the market. One-DoH-melds-all means fewer total DoHs in the market. Combined they make for a more natural economy governed by supply and demand opposed to the current one where an inflated amount of craters and suppliers toss their overpriced scraps in the wards and forget them.

[Peptaru]

I did the grind on crp without any leves whatsoever, i lost more gil doing the lower level stuff on shards than anything else. From the time i hit lv 40 til the time i hit lv 50 i had made 2.2 million npc'ing items made from ingredients from the market wards, about 1 million from cobalt arrows, also from the market wards, and used some of that for the top level dated masks i could make. overall i netted money easily in the last "longest" levels by just paying attention to what i make and what time of day i try to sell them. Alot of crafts have similar options, obviously not all as lucrative, but effective nonetheless and close to break-even synthing. DoH also has the option of talkin to DoL people who are looking to sell their items faster and cheaper to save the trouble of having it on the wards. Will they all do it? no. but there are enough to give you a steady supply. DoH has to play the economy game from all aspects to avoid situations like the one you've run into, but that is part of the fun for me, personally. For this same reason, enjoyment of the total system, i don't think each class should be able to meld. i'd like to see it kept how it is now for materia.

[GinTama]

I agree with one class melds all, totally for it

[Dzian]

This is further compounded by the need for shards. A stack of which may cost upwards of 200,000 Gil and may last only a portion of a level.

with 1.21 it's quite easy to be earning ~2,000 exp on a synth. at that it's about 50 synths to gain a level even at the top end 49-50. if you're burning a full stack of shards and not gaining a level you're doing something wrong.

I suggest removing the class requirement but retaining the level requirement. Instead of a class requirement, it should be changed to "a Disciple of the Hand of level X." The idea being that it still takes some level of skill to use the melder, but that the melder is no different when used by a carpenter than when it is used by a blacksmith.

when you meld you still use your tools. everytime i try and multimeld shields i see my guy using his hammer. and i believe yoshi p once said. "materia is the end game of disciples of the hand" or something to that effect. personally i meld quite a few things for quite a few people. never heard of anyone running off with anyones materia or stealing or such. pretty sure you could just gm anyone who did. my common practice if i'm multi melding for people is i'll tell them the chance of success and they say yes or no.

the idea that any craft can meld anything imo sends a great big screw you out to disciples of the hand. the way it is helps distinguish trades. which falls back to the original problem of dow/dom where there was nothing to distinguish one from another except the weapon in your hand. any class could use any ability and there was no real discerment between classes which is why they've been changed so many times to try and add uniqueness. what you suggest basically put doh in the very same place.

or to put it this way. how would a blacksmith know how to stitch materia to my robe. or how would a weaver know how to weld materia to my sword?

[Asmeret]

I'm sorry, but if you're losing money on CRP, you're doing something really wrong.

[Sephrick]

everytime i try and multimeld shields i see my guy using his hammer

And every time my character had converted an item he's materialized a swirling vortex of light between his hands. Just because the animation doesn't show the described special items in use doesn't mean that's not the intent.

One DoH being able to meld any item wouldn't be a "screw you" to DoHs at all. What's so distinguishing about being able to meld only certain items?

The distinguishing factor of DoH is the items which they make.

or to put it this way. how would a blacksmith know how to stitch materia to my robe. or how would a weaver know how to weld materia to my sword?

That was the point of showing the descriptions of the key items. The process has nothing to do with the craft it requires.

In-game, there's a book called "Life, Materia and Everything" says:

Section I - Required Ingredients
Melding a piece of materia to an item of equipment cannot be achieved via conventional means─a compatible catalyst is required. Catalysts serve to stabilize materia, allowing them to merge with host items.※ Catalysts are consumed during the melding process. Not all catalysts are suitable for use with all materia. Similarly, specific materia can only be attached to certain types of equipment.※ The mechanism by which materia appears to select or reject its mate is the subject of a separate study.

A weaver doesn't stitch materia onto a robe. They use the melder to cause the catalyst to magically fuse the materia to a robe.

Why is it that it shows a weaver using their thread and needle and not the melder? Because it was an animation already on the game accessible to a production team behind schedule. Which likely also I'd the reason that despite the assimilator being a "complicated-looking device" all we see is that swirling vortex of light between our character's hands.

Melding doesn't distinguish one craft from another. The class restriction is arbitrary to the game's explanation of how the process is completed.

But to those steadfast in a position against one class melding, I propose this question.

Why is it okay for one aspect of the process -- converting -- to be done by anyone at any level where as melding has such stringent requirements when they both use unique tools to magically alter the state of a crafted item?

[Peptaru]

In my head it has always been something along the lines of "to affix materia to an armor you need to understand how it is made". I might want to power up my computer, speed up my car, improve my lamp or dishwasher, but if i have no idea how these are actually put together or how they're actually made then i can't improve upon it. I know how electricity works in theory, but could i build or improve a turbine to produce it? nope. I know how a motherboard functions, but could i build one or improve it? again nope.

[Sephrick]

In my head it has always been something along the lines of "to affix materia to an armor you need to understand how it is made". I might want to power up my computer, speed up my car, improve my lamp or dishwasher, but if i have no idea how these are actually put together or how they're actually made then i can't improve upon it. I know how electricity works in theory, but could i build or improve a turbine to produce it? nope. I know how a motherboard functions, but could i build one or improve it? again nope.

I understand what you mean.

Going with the real world examples; if I buy a new car then come home and put my old car in a machine that that reduces the whole thing to a magic vapor and turns said vapor into a little crystal ball that can make my new car 10% faster, I doubt whether or not I can understand the articles in Popular Mechanics makes a difference in my ability to do more magic alterations.

That's why I brought up the descriptions of the key items. The melder and assimilatot are their own tools, despite the animations.

What do I need to know about cars to take some magic matter and use a melder to fuse my magic Speed +10% crystal, which used to be a whole car, onto my new car?

If anything, I'd suggest melding be its own class.

[Asmeret]

I understand what you mean.

Going with the real world examples; if I buy a new car then come home and put my old car in a machine that that reduces the whole thing to a magic vapor and turns said vapor into a little crystal ball that can make my new car 10% faster, I doubt whether or not I can understand the articles in Popular Mechanics makes a difference in my ability to do more magic alterations.

That's why I brought up the descriptions of the key items. The melder and assimilatot are their own tools, despite the animations.

What do I need to know about cars to take some magic matter and use a melder to fuse my magic Speed +10% crystal, which used to be a whole car, onto my new car?

If anything, I'd suggest melding be its own class.

That's not a real world example.

[Kiote]

Lol Sorry man, but you picked the Wrong things. You are correct that Crafting Needs only Two more fixes though.

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