The way it was in FFXI was cool. You couldn't syntesis every item in bulk, and for some, it was totaly useless to use the key item. Like for Arrows and Bolts. For a normal Arrow Synth it was 33 NQ, 66 HQ1 and 99 HQ2. If you wanted to make Gil with Arrows and Bolts and Bullets, you were depend on HQ's. But if you used the Bulk-Synth, you made 99 Arrows at once. Like if you crafted 33 NQ Arrows at once. No chance to HQ

For lumber though, it was a different story. Or for fletchings. Or yarn. There you were able to HQ, even with a Bluk-Synth. And that was pretty time saving.

But you had to buy those Key Items for Points. Similar to Guild Mark. It took some effort to get those Key Items. It wasn't something you just got when you hit a certain level.

So they just could make it Trainings again. Buyed with GM. And of course not for every item. Just for the Mass-Items. Glue, Fletchings, Lumber, Ingots and so on. And not available on Crafting Leves.