Being Elite (Best Gear)

[Reika]

Matsume is most correct. I will add to it that a HQ Hamlet hat, you will only need 1 T4 and 1 t3 perception materia to cap its perception, while a NQ one you would need 3 t4. I know this, because I tripple melded perceptions onto my fisher and botanist hats and double perception'd and single gathering'd my HQ miners hat. You can only put 4 points of gathering into any of them btw, and 0 CP.

For gathering and crafting gear at least, the stat cap is not reached simply by HQ'ing them. They all have their own stat caps and you have to try to put materia into them to see what they are. But, you will save a great number of materia by melding HQ versions.

I haven't tried, but they probably changed the stat caps on battle gear to be like this too, but I spent b4 melding my gathering and crafting gear

Also, I have enough perception as miner to get 2% on unspoiled mats, but I don't think its too far over 350.