HQ Items Hints & Tips?

[LinkDarksteppe]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some hints and tips on making HQ items. I'm still a really low level when it comes to crafting, but I'd like to be prepared from the start to crack out some sweet HQ stuff.

Some questions:

1. In what way do materials affect HQ chance?
2. How do skills affect HQ chance?
3. Are there any abilities that will make HQ items easier to make?
4. What other hints / time saving tips do you have for players making HQ stuff?

Many, many thanks in advance -

MB

[Raldo]

1) HQ materials only affect the initial quality. The more HQ materials, the higher the starting quality (up to 500, for all HQ materials).
Here's the exact calculation if you're feeling mathy

HQ/NQ mats
• Using all HQ mats will start you with 100 durability and 500 quality
• Using all NQ mats will start you with 100 durability and 0 quality
• Using a mashup of HQ/NQ will start you with 100 durability and 0~500 quality (see below for details)
Starting quality is weighted by optimal level of a material except when it is below 10. In that case, the optimal level is treated as 10 regardless of what it is.
InitialQuality = FLOOR(500 * (SumHQLevels / TotalLevels) )
SumHQLevels = Sum of HQ Material's Optimal Levels
TotalLevels = Sum of all Material's Optimal Levels

HQ rate
• HQ rate increases exponentially as your quality increases and is indicated at the bottom-right of the crafting window
• 300 quality = 1% HQ rate
• 500 quality = 7% HQ rate
• 750 quality = ~50% HQ rate
• 850 quality = ~75% HQ rate
• 1000 quality = 100% HQ rate

2) Skills only affect HQ chance by making your synth easier and allowing you to push your quality higher.

3) Sure, if you use them right, almost any would. Some are better than others.

4) The more crafts you level, the more abilities you have at your disposal. With the right set of abilities, HQing is much easier. Stacking the proper stat for your DoH + tool, will increase your quality gains.

[Taika]

There's a guide on XIVpads by Onion Lotion. Haven't really used it myself but looked really useful, hope it helps!

[Mikita]

1. In what way do materials affect HQ chance?
2. How do skills affect HQ chance?
3. Are there any abilities that will make HQ items easier to make?
4. What other hints / time saving tips do you have for players making HQ stuff?

Hello. Rukkiri has told us that the method for HQing will change in 2.0 so having multiple crafts leveled up will no longer be necessary, but as it stands now:

1. Using all HQ materials provides you with the greatest chance of HQing the final item (by going into the synthesis with a much higher level of quality at the start), but it is not absolutely necessary if you have a lot of crafting skills at your disposal. You can still HQ from NQ or partial HQ ingredients, but you need to be very skilled, lucky, or both.

2 & 3. Skills right now are very important. There are different ways to approach this, but my personal set is:

• Comfort Zone (Alchemy Lv 36 ability -- 0 Durability loss for 3 steps)
• Master's Mend (Alchemy Lv 45 -- restores 30 Durability -- gives me 3~4 more attempts to raise Quality)
• Byregot's Blessing (Woodworking Lv 45 -- +100% Quality for 3 steps)
• Culmination (Weaver Lv 45 -- guaranteed Great Success for next step)
• Greater Calling (Blacksmith Lv 45 -- guaranteed Success for 3 steps)

As you can see they are all pretty high level abilities, but they help immensely when trying to HQ items.
A helpful thread is here as well: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...all-the-things

4. Some tips that come to mind are:

• Use Rested Bonus and Engineering Manuals to go up in crafting level more quickly.
• Food is also beneficial for boosting certain stats and gives a 3% EXP bonus.
• Craftsmanship and Magic Craftsmanship are still mysteries, but Control reduces the chance of an element going unstable... which will really mess up your synthesis even if you have all the abilities you want.
• Gather yourself or find a partner who can gather HQ materials for you. Starting with HQ materials is very, very helpful which is why they command a much higher price in the market wards.

[LinkDarksteppe]

Wow, incredible response. Thank you guys so, so much - really appreciate the help