Guide: How-To HQ all the things

[tymora]

greater calling does not eliminate dura loss

" Ensures success of all types of synthesis for the next three steps."

Successful Rapid does not use any durability. So Greater Calling x 3 Rapid = 45% to 60% progress with 0 dura loss.

If you don't have enough craftsmanship, the progress will be lower.

[Estellios]

I like stacking Byregot's Blessing and one the two 125% Quality-on-next-action abilities I have from Culinarian and Alchemist. Culinarian has a +150% but it's only on Rainbow which isn't always guaranteed. With Byregot's blessing and a +125% ability i can sometimes get around 150-300 quality in one action if I get a great Success. I also use Determination + Standard Synth as my first action for the progress boost. Brand of X is really useful and I don't like taking them off especially since elemental overloads are so common on higher level synths.

It's really nice though, there is a lot of open-endedness to how you can approach crafting ability-wise.

[tymora]

Culinarian has a +150% but it's only on Rainbow which isn't always guaranteed.

You can do normal carefuls until you hit a rainbow before activating both abilties at once. That way, you guarantee the quality bonus. Assuming you don't go boom that is...lol..

[Estellios]

True but rainbow also has the lowest success and it's even worse for high level synths. The 150% bonus isn't much if you fail =P

Of course it's amazing for anyone willing to gamble, I just like playing it slightly safer.

[Burrmanchu]

How is it that no one throws a "brand" in there? I have a half ghetto setup with a few 50~'s, and with HQ mats I get rediculous success with: Comfort Zone for 1 standard and 2 careful's (negates that extra loss from standard (since patch) and gives you two free not-awesome carefuls), then By the Book (or w/e if you have it) and you start at 50% done, around 10% (or more) HQ, and 100% durability.
After that Byregot's 3x and Inspiration 3x leaves you around 38-42 Durability (lowball'd) and around 70% HQ. Since careful's run about 8~ dura loss, you can finish out on that easily, and in a worst case scenario another standard if you need it. The only thing that'll break you is unstable. I could use 4 abil's and HQ all day, but the "Brand of Wind" or whatever ele.. Nets me a free 100 quality and complete stability if my synth happens to freak out. Way way more useful than people are letting one especially at 50+ synths.

[Estellios]

Oh no, I loooove the Brands, once I figured out they work no matter the element.

[waldo]

You can do normal carefuls until you hit a rainbow before activating both abilties at once. That way, you guarantee the quality bonus. Assuming you don't go boom that is...lol..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure using a skill now changes the color of synths. So, doing as you say is far from a guarantee.

[Green_and_a_Half]

yes you are wrong, you can wait for rainbow and pop it,. things that change the proccess or durability will change orb color

[Ramsey]

Any tips for getting an instability to appear? Been working with darksteel a lot, and I can only get instabilities to appear about 10% of my synths, mostly spam careful. Even tried getting rid of all my gear with control on it.

[Green_and_a_Half]

dont do anything buy careful from the beginning except master meld and piece by piece. should go unstable at 70% progress
i have 100 crafting 140control and 90 magcraft roughly.