Ease To Crafting (Theory Almost Complete)

After careful examination on how the crafting system works it seems the impossible has been revealed. I personally thought this was random until I understood the following colors on the spheres of the crafts:

White: Safe (80% of successful process; 21-30% progress. Quality is still unknown to make a ratio to me).

Yellow: Caution (results less progress, yet a chance of progress at 60%)
Rainbow: Random

Red: DANGER (results 12-20% duraballity loss & 10% chance of progress)

Here's a better understanding what each command does:

Standard: Crafts raising both progress & quality, but can raise chances of loss durability.

Rapid: Faster synthesis raises huge progress (20-30%) but very little chance of quality & less loss of durability.

Wait: You're biggest and greatest friend to crafting. Every time you use wait, it changes the colors of the sphere.

Now, you say to yourself (wtf does this mean and what should I do?) well what you can do is use the option "WAIT" to cool down those colors back to white. Just remember if you're doing a large level gap craft don't be surprised you're not going to get a 100% with no duraballity lost or a botch result, but you WILL get 100+ skill points for following this right procedure of the color rule.

Personal reference:

Durability: numbers indicating when it breaks. When reached to 0 can break. However, there have been times at a very low number can still a result a 100% progress if successful.

Progress: when it fully becomes into an item at 100%

Quality: High the numbers, the higher chance of high quality (HQ) & and it has been shown lately standard option can happen most likely.

That's incredible :o I'll deffinately give this method a try later.

I'm tired of losing more durability than I was gaining in progress on a successful synth -_-

My experiences are a bit different, as it was explained to me in beta (the method I still use if I use any method, when a synth is way below me, I usually just rapid it constantly, or use Hasty Hand)

White - Standard/Rapid
Yellow - Standard/Bold
Flashing - Standard only
Red - Wait

Through 60+ levels of crafting (including countless synths that are giving me back all of 120RP back for a success, items I make for money, or items I make to make items for money) this is how it seems to me (and it works for me):

White - Standard/Rapid, Rapid has a higher chance of failure, but can save your *** if you're still a ways off from 100% progress but durability is getting dangerously low, Standard is by far, the safer of the options, but a few fails with Standard on a skill up synth can put you behind. Unless I know the synth is really hard, I always start off with Rapid, it succeeds more times then not, and it gives you a better head start at completing the synth.

Yellow - Standard/Bold, this is really about what you're trying to do and where durability vs progress is sitting among other things.. Generally, if you're doing a normal synth (not a crafting leve) to skill up on, you'll want to stick to Standard, if you're really far ahead in the durability vs progress ratio, you can throw in a bold or two if given the option, even on a skill up synth, just to milk it for all it's worth, but it's a risky move, bold synths when failed tend to blow up in your face and really knock your durability down. On crafting leves, I throw in a Bold whenever I can afford to and the yellow light pops up.. I definitely notice a higher success rate of bold on yellow lights.

Flashing - Standard only, of course you can do whatever you want, you can even wait it out for a solid color if you want, but I've generally found when it's flashing (this is in regards to a skill up synth of course) the best course of action is to just use standard, it works the majority of the time and flashing is probably the most common light on skill up synths, since waiting grows at a exponential rate (first wait is 1 durability, then 2, then 3, etc etc) it starts to add up pretty quickly, best to just save it for the red lights, because if this is a synth you're pulling in 350+ RP on, you're going to see your fair share of them.

Red - Wait, self explanatory, there really is no better option then wait. Unless this synth is far below your current level, the chances of you failing Standard, Rapid or Bold are pretty high, however I must note, that sometimes you will run into a stubborn red light, if you find yourself in this position, feel free to use Standard or Rapid (depending on the durability vs progress ratio, if you're really far behind, might as well take the chance on Rapid, otherwise stick with Standard) don't let yourself get stuck in the wait spiral, it does start adding up quickly.

Some extra tidbits I've noticed you might want to look into..

I'm not sure if anyone has figured this out yet (no one's told me if they have, and this is currently only a theory I haven't been in a position to test it yet) but don't be so quick to click finish (only applies to gear.. armor/weapons/etc), even after a hard synth, check above the progress bar and make sure you haven't gotten a +1 on the item, if you have, and have the durability to spare, click Finishing Touch, I believe that gives you the chance to turn that +1 into a +2, again that's just my theory based on the description I've read of it online, and the fact that it seems to have no role in making a HQ item, nor does it effect the synth in any other visible way other then depleting durability.

Element has become unstable: I'm sure we've all noticed that a failed synthesis attempt while there is an unstable element can result (and often does) in a critical failure, often depleting durability by 50 or more, but I've also noticed that a successful Rapid (could apply to Standard as well, whenever I have an unstable element I use all rapid regardless of circumstances trying to finish the synth before it busts completely, and for me, it seems to be the right action) can cause the element to become stable again WITHOUT durability loss. Also, it is possible to wait out an unstable element, but from what I've seen, it's pretty rare.

Different synths are more dependent on the special training that is recommended than others. Example, Bronze Nuggets and Sheep Leather, with Camp Facilities and when both are pulling in the same RP, Sheep Leather fails far more often then Bronze Nuggets do..

Anyways, that's my opinion based on direct observation, I make no claim that any of this is anything more then that. Take it for what you will, your experiences may differ then mine.

I agree with most everything said here except one thing. I find that rainbow/flashing is the best time to go for the riskier Rapid and Bold synth methods. I get a far better chance of success compared to even white.

For me, then it's:
Rainbow : STD / BOLD / RAPID
White: STD / RAPID
Yellow: WAIT / RAPID / STD
RED: WAIT

I usually only will use bold if I'm ahead ( I track this using Durability + Progress > 115 or so)

I usually only will use rapid if I'm falling behind (Durability + Progress < 90 )

Rainbow is going to be 50/50 chance of either succeeding or durability plunging your item. Doesn't really matter what options you're using at all other than wait to cool down the item.

This also applies when you get a message something like "the earth element is has become unstable!" where this is also another que to using wait to rid of the message "The earth element has be sustained".

About the safety of crafting and skilling up, this is all relied on either using your main hand and using your off hand. For example, as a gold smith I make rings successfully well on off hand mudstone than using a hammer main hand. I get a huge 30% progress than I do with a 12-17% on main hand. Between higher and lower level items attempting to skill up or making component items, the results are still the same supporting my claims.

As I emphasized earlier, rapid is much safer to skill/burn items. Standard is just a combination of progress/HQ combined with a higher ratio of receiving durability loss. I still get a high ratio of skill points and faster success of obtaining progress.

Rapid is a lot safer because of the less loss of durability and a higher ratio progress being received as well.

I can gladly submit a video tutorial if necessary.

I've had so much random luck with the crafting system that I don't know what to think anymore.

First I was told that using Rapid during white is better. I tried it, seemed to work fine for me.

Then I was told using Standard for white & Rapid for red is best. Tried it, it also worked out for me.

Both & all methods I try seem to always have random good/bad luck streaks, no matter what color I use them on.

Standard being the highest success rate, Rapid medium success rate, & Bold the lowest success rate. They all seem to maintain those same rates regardless of color (for me).

Of course I'm not saying color isn't playing a role at all, but it seems that color alone isn't enough to make Raipd or Bold equal to or surpass the success rate of Standard. Of course knowing how beneficial or detrimental certain colors will be for certain commands will still be helpful for those situations where you need to use Rapid but also wanna avoid failing if the color isn't right for it.

Just my thoughts though until we get solid statistical data.

I'll have to disagree with wait being your friend. It most certainly does not always change the colour - I once waited three times in a row with it still red the whole way through (back when I thought red was evil, heh). These things happen. From my experience, just standard the whole way through. Some people prefer to use rapid, but I only use it if I'm absolutely desperate. Using it when you have a lot of durability is silly, because rapid is the fast road to instability, which increases the chance of failure for other synths.

If you have a good amount of durability, use standard.
If you have a buttload of durability and you're near the end, use bold and hope for HQ results.
If you have little durability and you're near the end, use rapid and hope for the best.

Standard is most likely to not fail and also the least likely to cause instability.

The colours? I completely gave up on any 'meaning' behind them and ever since I've done a lot better. xD I'm serious, too - I fail on yellow all the time and often do well on red. Does that mean it's different for each char? Maybe. But realistically I think it's a minimal difference and using wait is a waist of durability. I just go standard all the way through 90% of the time and it works wonders. L10+ in five crafting classes with that strategy. :)

For me, wait is probably more for things like instability wearing off.

Oh, and rapid may be good for quick skillups if you're at a higher level than your synth, I'll give you that. If you're good enough, rapid should fail less often and that will allow for faster synthing, which will allow for faster skillups... makes sense. But I prefer standard for anything that is close to my level or above it.

EDIT: I guess I agree with Showmo!

My theory:
* = time remaining
"=" = time used

White: Quick response on the bar. Example - ************=
Yellow: Mid-response on the bar. Example - ******=======
Red: Late-response on the bar. Example - *============
Rainbow: Random response.

Also, What i've noticed is this:
Progression, Durability decrease and Quality increase are random to what you pick.
I've gotten a 20%+ progression from doing normal on red using my theory.

Everyone's just assuming higher quality = better chance at HQ.. But from everything I've seen, that is definitely not the case, every HQ I've pulled off yet that I can recall off the top of my head (probably 80% of all my HQ's) I was no where near even 100% quality... I've also gotten countless items to 300 quality, and didn't HQ them.

This is also substantiated by other crafters in the AHLS, plenty of them have said plenty of times that they don't get it, they get <insert ridiculously high quality here> and <insert high durability left> (2nd part only applies to some of the comments I've seen) and still no HQ.

As such, I've stopped messing with bold completely unless I'm just trying to get some extra RP/EXP out of a synth, or trying to raise the quality evaluation on crafting leves.. Since virtually none of my HQ's have seemed to be effected by quality in any way, it seems pointless to me to bust my balls trying to get a high quality rating (and risk breaking the synth all together).

I forgot the exact Quality when i made Hempen Thread +2 but I do remember not failing any choices I made in that synth. it may be something like this:
No failure w/ lowish quality - +1
No failure w/ highish quality - +2

Do the red sparks = unstable?

I don't know about the methods you guys are using, but I know about quality.

Basically, from what I've read and experienced, quality gives you a CHANCE of getting +1, +2, +3. Quality 101-200 = +1, Quality 201-300 = +2, Quality 301+ = +3. Higher quality does not mean greater chance of getting it, that's what touch up does.

Touch up basically says, "Okay, you didn't get HQ this time. For some amount of durability, you can pretend you just finished the synthesis again". If you got 101 Quality and +0, by using Touch Up, you have another chance of getting +1.

And I'm willing to bet Mag. Craftsmanship changes the % chance of getting HQ items, but this one is completely speculation on my part.

Wish I had sparks...I just go straight to these ring's around the item then boooooooooooom :D

Yes, the red sparks seem to increase the chances of Standard/Rapid/Bold actions to fail. The greater the intensity of the sparks, the more likely you are to fail the attempt.

I can attest to this as well. I've gotten over 300+ quality a few times but never receive any HQs, but when I spam Touch Up, provided I have plenty of durability left, I get HQs at a fairly decent rate.

From my experience so far, when I do Touch Up with around 100s quality, I can make +1 items. If I do it with 200+ durability, I've been able to make +2 items. I haven't tried with 300+ quality yet since it's rare to get that high right now on equipment synths, but I'm sure it works pretty much the same way.

As for Mag. Craftsmanship, I believe its been found that it lowers the rate of element instability (Ex: When Water Element goes unstable during synthesis). Though, it's always possible it can effect more than one thing (such as VIT increasing both Defense & HP), so you may want to hold on to that speculation until its been fully tested.

I agree as well regarding the quality. However, it is POSSIBLE to get a +1 item out of quality below 101. I've managed it once, with something like 66-88 quality. However, it did require a buttload of touch-ups as I had a lot of durability left.

Confirmed info

I was doing something like that too with craftleves and I kept getting successful synths.

I'm glad it got explained by their Q & A. Always a pleasure to share the info of solving stuff.

Happy gaming!

Yes. Finally someone else agrees! I have been trying to tell other crafters in my LS this for weeks! The timer bar is essential to crafting in FFXIV~!

Everything else boils down to:
-Wearing Crafting gear
-Increasing your Elemental Stats according to the crystal/shard element you use most.
-??Your Stats: MNK/PIE/STR...?? (Theoretical and still unconfirmed)

Man, so glad someone else is using this theory. :D