Best methods to HQ?

[Raldo]

Level lots of crafts, set a bunch of cross-class skills, and get top-tier gear.

[SuperChris]

I started out by leveling my DoL classes at the same time as my DoH classes. Then I focused on making a set of HQ crafting equipment. The set was, by a long shot, the most frustrating and took a few days. For the next set I made sure to gather HQ raw materials because then later HQ's would be much easier. And once I could set cross class skills, I hotkeyed Rumination, Tricks of the Trade, and Hasty Touch to all my crafting classes.

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[SuperChris]

It took some work, but I've done it all myself without buying gear from the market boards, and I can HQ a synth almost every time when I start with HQ materials, use Inner Quiet as my first action, use Hasty Touch for the vast majority of my quality increases (mostly I just use Basic Touch when the condition is excellent, or the condition is good and my CP bar is full), use Tricks of the Trade whenever the condition is good and my CP bar isn't completely full, use Master's Mend any time the durability is down by at least 30 and I've got enough CP for it, and occasionally use Ruminate if I need just a few extra CP to get an extra use of Master's Mend.