Crafting 1 - 100

Crafting 101 : A New Player’s Guide

by Rekt

New to crafting in FFXI or looking for that optimal path from 1 to 100? Me too! As I worked to level every craft up, here’s the path I took including materials, shops, and levels.

This is based on my experience and leveling it in the order in which it’s presented in this guide. As someone who’s brand new to FFXI and learning as I craft, there may be other optimizations to the order. I focused on self-sufficiency and expediency.

Table of Contents

Information

Crafts

Before You Start

If you’re looking for the ‘best’ crafting experience, get your items and harvests in order:

  • Stock up on the synthesis enhancing equipment. It’s not required, but makes it easier to successfully craft higher level recipes for more skill gains.
    • Lv 1 Kupo Shield (seasonal BCNMs drop), adds +3 to all synthesis skills
    • Lv 1 Shaper’s Shawl (seasonal BCNMs drop), increases synthesis skill rate gain
    • Lv 70 Crafting Torque (varies, drops from HNMs), multiple kinds, adds +2 to specific synthesis skill
  • Kitron Macaron (!shop 1), food that increases synthesis success and skill rate gain
  • Synthesis Support (from guilds or !craft trainer), increases adds +2/+5 to specific synthesis skill
  • Crystals clusters can be purchases from !shop 4 and broken down into 12 crystals each.
  • Crafting rewards adventure job XP as well, so be sure to be on a job that can gain XP for a bit of leveling too!
Tip

If you haven’t unlocked and leveled up mog gardening and chocobo digging, then start now! Many of the materials used in high level recipes come from these nodes and the AH can get spendy.

Crafting Tips

  • The Nocturnal Souls server doesn’t implement the day of week/weather/directional restrictions, however, the moon phase affects crafting.
    • New Moon increases HQ rates, decreases success rates
    • Full Moon increases success rates, decreases HQ rates
  • It’s possible to craft up to +15 levels higher than the current skill, many of these recipes push that limit for maximum skill up chances.
  • Guild shops refresh their inventory every in-game day. This may not be a full restock, but new items are added. The Members Portal shows quantities for full stock and each restock.
  • Some recipes require a main craft and a sub craft to complete. This guide focuses on recipes that only require the main craft.
  • Be sure to check the recipes list on the Members Portal–some recipes are unique or custom to the server.

Guild Points

Each guild allows you to join and provide items in exchange for points once reaching Novice rank. It’s highly recommended to join your preferred guild as soon as you hit Novice rank and start earning points each day.

Points are used to acquire skill enhancing gear and unique key items that allows you to craft certain recipes that require them.

  • You can only have one guild contract at a time.
  • You can switch guilds at any time (and you will not lose points with the prior guild), however, you must wait one real world day to be able to complete guild tasks for the new guild.
  • You’re limited on how many points you can earn per day. The Guild Union Representative will inform you of the current available points to earn.
  • You can turn in NQ and HQ items; HQ items offer more points.

Crafts

Woodworking

Guild: Northern San d’Oria

Unless otherwise noted, lumber and repeatable crafted items were sold on the AH and unused raw materials were sold back to the guild or AH between each tier to minimize cost.

0 - 9 [Amateur]

Recipe: Holly Lumber

Materials:

  • Wind Crystal
  • Holly Log x 1 (woodworking guild)

Recruit Test: Workbench

  • Earth Crystal
  • Lauan Lumber x4 (woodworking guild)

10 - 19 [Recruit]

Recipe: Yew Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Yew Log x 1 (woodworking guild)

Initiate Test: Maple Table

  • Earth Crystal
  • Maple Lumber x4 (woodworking guild)

20 - 29 [Initiate]

Recipe: Oak Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Oak Log (woodworking guild)

Novice Test: Harp

  • Earth Crystal
  • Chestnut Lumber x2 (woodworking guild)
  • Coeurl Whisker (common coeurl drop, AH)

Keep a couple oak lumber for the Apprentice test.

30-39 [Novice]

Recipe: Rosewood Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Rosewood Log (woodworking guild)

Apprentice Test: Traversiere

  • Wind Crystal
  • Oak Lumber (previous craft)
  • Parchment (Pikini-Mikini in Mhaura)

Keep a stack of rosewood lumber for the Journeyman and Adept tests.

40 - 49 [Apprentice]

Recipe: Mahogany Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Mahogany Log (woodworking guild)

Journeyman Test: Rose Wand

  • Wind Crystal
  • Rosewood Lumber (previous craft)
  • Black Chocobo Feather (conquest vendor, AH)

Keep all of your mahogany lumber for the level 60-69 leveling.

50 - 59 [Journeyman]

Recipe: Ebony Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Ebony Log (woodworking guild)

Craftsman Test: Kaman

  • Wind Crystal
  • Elm Lumber (woodworking guild)
  • Bamboo Stick (woodworking guild)
  • Silk Thread (clothcraft guild)
  • Wool Cloth (clothcraft guild)

Keep all of your ebony lumber for the Craftsman test and level 70-79 leveling.

60 - 69 [Craftsman]

Recipe: Hume Fishing Rod

  • Wind Crystal
  • Rosewood Lumber (prior craft)
  • Silver Thread (Tilala, clothcraft guild)

Artisan Test: Ebony Wand

  • Wind Crystal
  • Ebony Lumber (prior craft)
  • Giant Bird Feather (common great bird drop, AH)

70-79 [Artisan]

To keep costs down, level 70-79 includes both a synthesis and a desynthesis recipe–create, then destroy for double the skill ups! Create an ebony pole, then desynth it back into lumber.

Recipe: Ebony Pole

  • Wind Crystal
  • Ebony Lumber x2 (prior craft)

Recipe : Ebony Lumber

  • Lightning Crystal
  • Ebony Pole (prior craft)

Adept Test: Commode

  • Earth Crystal
  • Rosewood Lumber x5 (prior craft)

80 - 89 [Adept]

This level range had two potential recipes depending on what’s available. I’d been mog gardening since I hit 99, so I had a stockpile of lacquer tree logs and lancewood logs. If not, you may need to rely on the auction house.

Recipe: Lacquer Tree Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Lacquer Tree Log (Mog Gardening, Chocobo Digging, AH)

Alternative Recipe: Lancewood Lumber (at level 84)

  • Wind Crystal
  • Lancewood Log

Veteran Test: Mythic Pole

  • Wind Crystal
  • Ancient Lumber x2 (via Petrified Log on AH)

90 - 100 [Veteran]

This level range was a bit of “whatever’s laying around” for leveling. I had a ton of kapor lumber and it seemed easy to acquire, so I used those until 98 and then swapped to the others that I had 4-5 each of. YMMV.

Recipe: Kapor Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Kapor Log (Mog Gardening, HELM (felt very common from Yhoator))

Alternative Recipe: Exalted Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Exalted Log (Mog Gardening, mob drops in Abyssea)

Alternative Recipe: Guatambu Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Guatambu Log (Mog Gardening, Chocobo Digging)

Alternative Recipe: Jacaranda Lumber

  • Wind Crystal
  • Jacaranda Log (HELM, Mog Gardening)

CONGRATULATIONS, you’re level 100 woodworking!

Blacksmithing

Guild: Northern San d’Oria

Unless otherwise noted, lumber and repeatable crafted items were sold on the AH and unused raw materials were sold back to the guild or AH between each tier to minimize cost.

0 - 9 [Amateur]

Recipe: Bronze Bolt Heads

Materials:

  • Wind Crystal
  • Bronze Ingot x 1 (Doggomehr, blacksmith guild)

Recruit Test: Xiphos

  • Fire Crystal
  • Bronze Ingot x2 (previous craft)
  • Giant Femur (Retto-Marutto, bonecraft guild)

10 - 19 [Recruit]

Recipe: Iron Sheet

  • Fire Crystal
  • Iron Ingot (Doggomehr, backsmithing guild)

Initiate Test: Aspis

  • Fire Crystal
  • Ash Lumber (woodworking guild)
  • Bronze Sheet x2 (Doggomehr, blacksmith guild)

Keep all of your iron sheets …

20 - 29 [Initiate]

Recipe: Steel Sheet

  • Fire Crystal
  • Steel Ingot (Doggomehr, blacksmith guild)

Novice Test: Bilbo

  • Fire Crystal
  • Iron Ingot (Doggomehr, blacksmith guild)
  • Silver Ingot (Teerth, goldsmith guild)

30-39 [Novice]

To keep costs down, level 30-39 includes both a synthesis and a desynthesis recipe–create, then destroy for double the skill ups! Create a mythril sword, then desynth it back into leather or nuggets.

Recipe: Mythril Sword

  • Fire Crystal
  • Mythril Ingot x2 (Teerth, goldsmith guild)
  • Dhalmel Leather (Kueh Igunahmori, leatherworker guild)

Recipe : Dhalmel Leather/Mythril Nugget

  • Lightning Crystal
  • Mythril Sword (prior craft)

Sell excess Mythril Swords, mythril nuggets, and dhalmel leathers back to the appropriate guilds or AH.

Apprentice Test: War Pick

  • Fire Crystal
  • Ash Lumber (Cauzeriste, woodworker guild)
  • Steel Ingot (prior craft)

40 - 49 [Apprentice]

Recipe:

Journeyman Test: Mythril Pick

  • Fire Crystal
  • Elm Lumber
  • Mythril Ingot

50 - 59 [Journeyman]

Recipe:

Craftsman Test: Darksteel Falchion

  • Fire Crystal
  • Darksteel Ingot x3
  • Steel Ingot

60 - 69 [Craftsman]

Recipe:

Artisan Test: Bascinet

  • Fire Crystal
  • Iron Sheet
  • Copper Ingot
  • Darksteel Chain
  • Darksteel Sheet
  • Sheep Leather

70-79 [Artisan]

Recipe:

Adept Test: Bastard Sword

  • Fire Crystal
  • Darksteel Ingot x3
  • Ram Leather

80 - 89 [Adept]

Recipe:

Veteran Test: Celata

  • Fire Crystal
  • Copper Ingot
  • Steel Sheet
  • Darksteel Chain
  • Darksteel Sheet
  • Sheep Leather

90 - 100 [Veteran]

Recipe:

CONGRATULATIONS, you’re level 100 blacksmith!