Smithing Guide by Ctownwoody

Smithing Guide 1.0 0-60 by Ctownwoody of Asura Sons of Valkrum Linkshell Disclaimer: This worked for me and is based on my research and efforts on Asura. Prices are increasingly normalized, but I still suggest going to ffxiah.com to research your particular server. I would use particular care in this craft because it has changed greatly since I started down this road.

Smithing Tips
1. This is the least profitable craft to take to 60. Goldsmithing is the most expensive and Cooking is the cheapest, but both offer good shots at profit. In Smithing, you'll be attempting a lot of times to simply break even.

2. The Myth of Mining : Mining does not save you gil when crafting. Mining makes you gil by selling what you mine; crafting makes you gil by increasing the value of the ingredients. If you were to mine up 10k worth of ingredients and sell them for 6k, you did NOT save 6k by mining; you lost 4k by crafting what you could have sold.

3. Smithing as a skill isn't profitable, per se, but it is used very often as a sub-craft in every craft except Cooking. You'll want to level this out of a sense of obligation, if nothing else.

4. There are actually plenty of profitable synths in Smithing but they sell slowly and/or are prone to flooding, and thus I do not recommend making them for skill. If you are truly taking your time or incredibly stubborn, you can make these for skill. At most, I would only recommend making 12 for a few points of skill and then selling them at your leisure.

5. As noted in #3, there are a lot of items that require /Smithing to make and some of them are used in this Guide. Typically, they tend to be easier to make, sell faster, stack better, and are more profitable than anything that uses Smithing as the main-craft.

6. Basic Pattern is 4 Ores -> Ingot -> Sheet -> Attach to Weapon/Armor. Sometimes, there is a Sheet -> Scale step in there but not as often as Smithing. Unlike when I use this in Goldsmithing, you want to want use this formula, because the resulting armor will often sell close to break-even, if not at a profit to Guildshops. If you can, try to find the scales (Iron and Steel especially) for cheap on the AH.

7. One method, widely recommeneded, for getting cheap synthesis materials if not out-right sellable items, is Desynthesis. Leather Belts, Goblin Helms and Mail and their Moblin equivalents are good ones. However, Desynthesis is tricky, with a high failure rate, so assume at least a 50% failure rate on attempts and maybe a 33-40% rate at breaks.

8. Camp the AH! Especially Jeuno. Some crafters, for bizzare reason, will make the scales for skill and then dump them on the AH for cheap. Their idiocy is your gain.

9. As you will no doubt conclude after a careful reading of this guide, you will need an absolute ton of Iron Sheets, more than any other item except crystals. I would recommend finding, making, or identifying a friend with Sheeting, a Key Item that is used in both Smithing and Goldsmithing. This method can make you tons of Sheets faster and cheaper than you could yourself.

10. Bastok and Sandy both have Guilds with Guildshops (plus a small, under-stocked shop in Mhaura). They offer the same ores, generally, but they buy different sets of items, including ones that you will make for skill. As a rule of thumb, Sheet-based items sell in Bastok, and Scale-based items sell in Sandy.

0-10

 * Bronze Ingot (2)-Fire Crystal, Copper Ore x3, Tin Ore--Bread & Butter synth #1. It's scut work to make these but that's why there's a strong market for them: higher-level crafters don't want to waste the time.  Guildshops will occassionally sell these below AH-rates, so buy them when you can.  In general, you just want enough to cap, but don't be afraid to make more for profit.


 * Bronze Scales (10)-Wind Crystal, Bronze Sheet--Make to cap, sell them at a loss to an NPC, and get over it. There isn't a lot here but the good news is that this should cost you more than 1500 per 12 synths, depending on Wind Crystal prices.

TEST ITEM: Xiphos: Fire Crystal, Giant Femur, Bronze Ingot x2--Get one somehow. Bonecraft 2 as a sub might make you fail but only maybe.

11-20

 * Boltheads (14)-Wind Crystal, Bronze Ingot, Animal Glue, Status Potion--All of these aside from Bronze Bolt Heads require some level of Alchemy to make the potion and to make the bolthead. This is the principle reason why my Alchemy-mule got his Smithing skill to 15.  The list is Acid (45), Blind (31), Bloody (81), Holy (53), Sleep (67), and Venom (76).  Make these to cap.


 * Iron Ingot (20)-Fire Crystal, Iron Ore x4--This will be the only time that you make these. Ever.  The ore costs 675 at the guild, check the AH for cheaper samples, and the Ingots cost 2700 each (675 x4 = 2700), so buying the ingots is cheaper but you need the skill for now and it only costs a crystal per attempt.  Never, ever ever buy either for more than the listed prices.


 * Paktong Ingot (20)-Fire Crystal, Zinc Ore, Copper Ore x2, Kopparnickel Ore--These are a good way example of that "profitable but slow" synth. It's used almost exclusively for Gobbiebag quest and the ore is a drop from Bugbears in Movapolis, so don't count on large supplies or steady demand, but consider it if you see a chance.

TEST ITEM: Aspis: Fire Crystal, Ash Lumber, Bronze Sheet x2--Easy enough to make if you are in Sandy or buy from the Guild if you are in Bastok.

21-30

 * Iron Sheet (22)-Fire Crystal, Iron Ingot--Time was, that this up-coming series was extremely profitable. Now, not as much, but it is the best way to get rid of your newly-made Iron Ingots.  Don't sell them yet.  Cap on these before moving onto Scales/Makibishi.


 * Makibishi (23)-Wind Crystal, Iron Scales--Ironically, this is the third of the three synths for disposing of your Iron Ingots but second in terms of skill. Turn one Sheet into a Scale then into a Makibishi in order to attempt to maximize your skill-ups.  A good item for Ninjas spamming the wheel.


 * Iron Scales (26)-Wind Crystal, Iron Sheet--Second in the Iron Ingot Sequence, but the top in terms of skill. Make one, then turn it into Makibishi.  Once you hit cap on Makibishi, just make these until you cap, then make them into Makibishi.


 * Steel Bullet (30)-Fire Crystal, Steel Ingot, Firesand--Alchemy 49 as the main-craft and you can't make Steel Ingots yet but look for them on the AH. This isn't cheap, around 50-60k per stack made, but profitable.  These are the primier bullets for non-Rangers.

TEST ITEM: Bilbo: Fire Crystal, Silver Ingot, Iron Ingot:  Goldsmithing 7 as a sub-craft, but you might be able to buy one on the AH for cheaper than it takes to make this.

31-40

 * Iron Cuisses (35)-Earth Crystal, Iron Scales x2, Cotton Thread, Leather Trousers--Camp the AH for Iron Scales, at 2k each or less. Make these in Sandy and beware of the sub-craft of Leathercraft 5.  However, you do all that, these NPC to the Guildshop at break-even or better.  Cap on these.


 * Iron Greaves (36)-Earth Crystal, Iron Scales x2, Cotton Thread, Leather Highboots--Same pattern you'll use again with Steel Scales, same sub-craft of Leathercraft 5, same principles of camping the AH, etc. However, this is less necessary and I just used left-over Iron Scales from Iron Cuisses.  These cost almost as much to make and NPC back for less, so that's why I avoided making these to cap.

TEST ITEM: War Pick: Fire Crystal, Steel Ingot, Ash Lumber: Beware the Woodworking 6 sub-craft; it's just enough to cause issues. Make or buy it, whichever is cheaper.

41-50

 * Iron Mittens (41)-Earth Crystal, Iron Sheet, Lizard Skin--Leathercraft 10 as a sub-craft. A cause for concern if you only have level 5, but not that big a worry otherwise.  This is the first Iron Sheet armor you'll be making and begins your need for them.  They NPC to the Bastok Guild this time, for almost the cost of an Iron Ingot.  Make these until 39-40 tops.


 * Iron Subligar (45)-Earth Crystal, Iron Sheet, Lizard Skin, Cotton Cloth--Leathercraft 12 this time, so make sure you have turned in a Rabbit Mantle to the Leathercraft Guild in Sandy. These sell for so much more than the Iron Mittens, but barely break-even at best.  Make these to cap for the simple reason that it's better than the alternatives.

TEST ITEM: Mythril Pick:  Fire Crystal, Mythril Ingot, Elm Lumber:  Make your own. This item is used to obtain the Mount Zhayolm map, so it actually sells at a profit, but not nearly fast enough for skill. See Hint #4 above.

51-60

 * Darksteel Ingot (54)-Fire Crystal, Darksteel Ore, Iron Ore x3--Back in the profits again. A commonly used craft item that sells well in singles and stacks.  Used in Gobbiebag quests as well.  The only thing to beware is that these are a common product of Mine-bots and Gil-Farmers that use Mining.  Remember to never buy Iron Ore above 675, factor that into what you pay for the Darksteel Ore, and craft like a maniac.  Cap on these and enjoy the best way to regenerate your gil that Smithing can offer.


 * Steel Cuisses (35)-Earth Crystal, Steel Scales x2, Cotton Thread, Leather Trousers--Camp the AH for Steel Scales, at 2k each or less. Make these in Sandy and beware of the sub-craft of Leathercraft 5.  However, you do all that, these NPC to the Guildshop at break-even or better.  Cap on these. (Seems familiar?  I copy-and-pasted the Iron Cuisses text here and changed Iron to Steel; it really is that simple).


 * Steel Greaves (36)-Earth Crystal, Steel Scales x2, Cotton Thread, Leather Highboots--Same pattern you used with Iron Scales, same sub-craft of Leathercraft 5, same principles of camping the AH, etc. The difference between this and Iron Greaves is that this extra level isn't optional this time as the next craft I recommend is a bit more advanced.  Quite a bit more...


 * Nodowa (66)-Earth Crystal, Silk Thread, Iron Sheet--Yes, you are reading this right. A 10-level jump.  And boy do these eat your gil.  But they are decently close to break-even if you sell them to Silver Owl of the Tenshodo in Port Bastok (you are a member, right?).  The only good news I can offer is that the sheer scale of the jump offers a better chance at .2 skill-ups than previously.

That's that. Please submit comments, discuss, offer testimonials, etc, in the discussion page. I actually monitor this stuff and try to keep this up to date...--Ctownwoody 16:35, 20 September 2008 (UTC)