Goldsmithing Guide by Ctownwoody

Category:Goldsmithing
Goldsmithing 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 have increasingly normalized in the last 18 months, but I still suggest going to ffxiah.com to research your particular server.
== Goldsmithing Tips ==
1. This is NOT for the weak of heart or wallet. This is, in my opinion, the HARDEST AND MOST EXPENSIVE craft in the game. You will be spending millions to make millions, even after prices deflated to a fraction of what they once were. 
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. Don't be afraid to beg when Goldsmithing. There are a lot of items that require almost obscene amounts of ores or beastcoins even before you hit 50, so be prepared to ask friends, LS-mates, PT members, etc for the random drops they may get.
4. Rule of Three: Make around 3 times the amount of profitable items, especially ingots, that you need for skill-ups because you'll want some as components for future crafts. Sell the excess, so that you hate yourself later when you have to throw gil at this craft. 
5. Outside of Copper Ore and Silver Ore (9 and 315 as minimum prices), the Guildshops are almost 100% worthless. On rare ocassion, you might find Mythril Ore there for 1500 each, but that's about it. The Auction House tends to be your only friend.
6. Basic Pattern is 4 Ores -> Ingot -> Sheet -> Attach to Weapon/Armor. There's only one Sheet -> Scale step in there but it's a dump synth. For the most part, you should stick mostly to the Ingots and only sometimes make Sheets. There's often no profit in anything else, unless you can HQ.
7. Pick a Moghancement: Fire, Lightning, or Desynthesis. Get the Aura in your Mog House to an Overwhelming Level. It will save you beaucoup gil in less lost items on failures.
8. SUBCRAFT! THis is not about subcrafts for Goldsmithing recipes, but Goldsmithing as a subcraft to other crafts' recipes. This is why most people have some level of Goldsmithing and can provide a slower path to skill but potentially more profitable. Smithing and Alchemy are particularly tied to it. Clothcraft and Woodworking use it for some notable recipes (in my guides). In fact, most crafts at 90+ will have methods for getting Goldsmithing to 60 this way; watch for them.
9. Excess Beastcoins of Silver+ sell well singly because of Norg, or rather, because of Tonberry Hate (3 Gold Beastcoins) and some quests and locked doors in Sea Serpent Grotto. Don't be afraid to take advantage of lazy or rushed players to make back some gil.
10. Bastok and Jeuno both have Jewelry Shops: NPCs that sell select copper, brass, silver and/or mythril jewelry. Bastok's is subject to Conquest Rankings and Citizenship, but Jeuno's isn't. When desparate, when at certain stages, or when loaded with empty time and excess Lightning Crystals (especially if you went with Moghancement: Desynthesis), they can serve as a good source for gil too.
11. Why Goldsmithing is Incredibly Tough: Profit is either highly competitive with other people scratching and clawing their way up or "scut-work" synths, mostly making ingots. The good items, the ones that people buy, that are extremely useful long stretches of levels, and that are incredibly profitable, all require HQs. Colored Gem Rings, Gobbiebag Quest Gems, etc, are typically HQ at lower levels and are failed attempts at HQs the higher up you go. Your final tip from all of this is that you can always make the gil if you are willing to do the scut-work synths; success here is simply a matter of time refreshing gil as you go along.
12. Despite being the most expensive craft and costing the most per Guild Point, Goldsmithing does have the best Key Items and other Guild Point goodies. Those Shaded Spectacles just look cool. Clockmaking, Sheeting, and Chainwork are also worth looking into. Sheeting and Chainwork are major components of both Smithing and Goldsmithing (Sheeting more for Smithing and Chainwork more for Goldsmithing). Clockmaking makes 12 PUP Attachments, and while you only need 1 per PUP, the synth overall is incredibly profitable and the recepies occur in the mid-50s to upper 60s, where you want any and every profitable recepie you can get.
== The Guide Itself ==
==== 0-10 ====
*Copper Ingot (3)-Fire Crystal, Copper Ore x4--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 and Airship Vendors (if you have access to them) both sell ores cheap.
*Copper Hairpin (7)-Wind Crystal, Copper Ingot--This is a bridge to help you if you don't want to leap ahead to Brass Ingots @ 9. It's also the TEST ITEM. Synth and Desynth as the hairpins NPC for far too little to be worth selling.
*Brass Ingot (9)-Fire Crystal, Zinc Ore, Copper Ore x3--Make to cap, sell them as profitable, and be prepared to make more for the next 2-3 items. Alternatively, save them as there are a number of optional items I've put in here that use them.
==== 11-20 ====
*Brass Sheet (11)-Fire Crystal, Brass Ingot--If this is profitable, and it can be at times, convert all your Brass Ingots into Sheets and sell them, and then make more Brass Ingots to turn into Scales. If not, cap on this recipe, finish off so that you have whole stacks of Brass Ingots to sell, and sell the Ingots (or save, see above).
*Brass Scales (13)-Wind Crystal, Brass Sheet--Make these to cap and NPC. First true gil-killer here. These make close to nothing of value outside of Guild Point items.
*Cornette (14)-Wind Crystal, Brass Ingot, Bone Chip--Bonecraft 14 as well; I'm not sure which is the main and which is the subcraft. These are best sold via Bazaar in Windy because they are used for fame. They are sold for around 200 gil when Bastok is in 1st or 2nd, so I'd consider waiting until Bastok is "Lastok" before making a ton. Again, like all the items from 9-18, this is to use your Brass Ingots while getting you within range of Silver Ingots.
*Brass Hairpin (17)-Wind Crystal, Brass Ingot--Like Copper Hairpin above in all ways, including just a bridge. TEST ITEM btw.
*Bullet (18)-Fire Crystal, Firesand, Brass Ingot--Actually, an Alchemy 41 recipe, so skill-ups will be slower, but these bullets sell decently quickly and at a profit, if not a large one. Just make sure that you have Alchemy around 40 before starting these, as you'll want Goldsmithing Synthesis Image Support. I would not make these if you are taking your Goldsmithing above 60 because you want to keep your Alchemy low in case you need to break-synth.
*Silver Ingot (18)-Fire Crystal, Silver Beastcoin x4--A small bridge before the main show. The quantity needed and the dependence on AHs or Steal means that you won't cap on these; just bridge to where you are comfortable with a level 20 synth.
*Silver Ingot (20)-Fire Crystal, Silver Ore x4--This is and will be, forever and ever, your main source of re-stocking gil. Ore is 315 at minimum at the Guildshop; never buy above this, but you can check the AH for cheaper ores from mining and/or worms. If you want to get these out of the way forever, make around 200-300 stacks and you're golden; they are that important, well-used, and profitable.
*Rhodonite (20)-Wind Crystal, Scarlet Stone--Gobbiebag II item, which is a bunch of items with no other use. The stones drop from Antlions, so they are not easily farmed, nor should they be. This is a profit-only item, used to finish off the last .1-.3 until 20, or just in case you need something to sell singly in Jeuno. The market price fluctuates a lot and the supply varies even more, so not really a strong market.
==== 21-30====
*Shrimp Lure (21)-Fire Crystal, Crayfish, Glass Fiber, Silver Ingot--Alchemy 48 is the main skill here. This is the reason my Alchemy Mule raised his Goldsmithing and why that was the first sub-skill he learned, even before Smithing. I call these gil-puppies. Fish-bots buy these and Halcyon Fishing Rods to target profitable fish on the ferry. These are good for only one level of skill, however, because they don't stack and sales are highly competitive, but feel free to come back again and again to refresh gil.
*Sabiki Rig (21)-Earth Crystal, Copper Ingot x2, Cotton Thread x3--Sell decently and for a profit, especially if you make your own ingots and get a decent deal on the thread (not as hard as you think). HQs, if you are using Advanced Support, sell even better and for even more. I'd suggest making a dozen of these after capping on Silver Ingots, but don't count on the sales rate to bail you out for making dozens of these.
*Brass Hammer (24)-Fire Crystal, Brass Ingot,Bronze Hammer--Bronze Hammers can be bought from the weapon seller in Bastok Markets for approximately 300gil; Brass Hammers sell for about 600gil. 
*Silver Bullet (24)-Fire Crystal, Silver Ingot, Firesand--Alchemy 51 as the main skill but these bullets are the best damaging ones for RNG from 50 to 75 that isn't a Cannon Shell-class. Not quite as fast, though, but the bullet pouches (made just like Quivers) allow 36 synths to be bundled into one AH slot.
*NQ Gem Earrings (25)-Earth Crystal, Silver Earring, NQ Gem--Only, only, only do these if they are profitable. NQ Gems are dumped off at the AH often by failed attempts for HQ gems, especially Gobbiebag Quest ones. Silver Earrings can be bought for cheap from Jeuno's Jewelry shop or Bastok's if Bastok is in first in Conquest and you are a Bastok citizen. Onyx tends to do the best, but check them all.
*Silver Hairpin (27)-Wind Crystal, Silver Ingot--By now, when you see Hairpin, you should know the drill. Synth and Desynth is important here as Silver Ingots are too important to waste. TEST ITEM as you may have guessed...
==== 31-40 ====
*Silver Ring (32)-Fire Crystal, Silver Ingot x2-- Ok so u can either buy stacks off the AH, or buy the Ring directly from a standard NPC and desynth then for ingots, to recraft into Rings for skill. -Waninoko420
*Silver Chain (33)-Earth Crystal, Silver Ingot x2--These don't sell that quickly, even in stacks, but they are barely profitable if you make your own ingots (but not profitable otherwise). There used to be better synths from 27~33 but not any more.
**This is actuly a very decent bridge if you make your own silver ingots. 315*4*2=2520. With max fame i was able to sell these back to the guild for 2328(bastock) or 2340(alzabi). So even if you can't sell for profit, the loss is so minimal it can still be a decent choice. -Godofgods
*Chain Gorget (38)-Earth Crystal, Silver Chain x3-- Use the Silver Chains you made till lvl 33 and use them here till 37. You can also desynth for massive amounts of silver ingots! -Waninoko420
*Mythril Ingot (38)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Beastcoin x4--Congratulations on making it to the next tier of ingots. This tier is infinitely more expensive than Silver, but the rewards tend to be better. Be very careful making these as breaks are expensive. Same deal with single beastcoins selling well at the Bastok/Norg AH.
*Mythril Ingot (40)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Ore x4--Go ahead and cap on this however you can, in conjunction with the beastcoin method above. Deal was, you used to be able to slam this out profitably at the Airship Vendor when your Nation was First in Conquest, but prices have dropped below that point now. So, you'll just need to camp the AH for a ton of ores. Alternatives include mining in Halvung (dangerous due to True Sight Trolls) or farming either Golems or Anticans in the 50+ level range. 
*Vivified Mythril (40)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Ore x4, Water Anima, Lightning Anima, Light Anima, Gold Purification (Key Item)--The base item for Reraise Earrings, the most commonly-used Reraise item (usable by all jobs at 24+). The Key Item is bought with Goldsmithing Guild Points and the Animas are Alchemy 75 recepies, also requiring a Key Item (Anima Synthesis). Water Animas are expensive too, but in the end, you'll make gil. However, I wouldn't suggest risking Animas for skill-ups at this point.
==== 41-50 ====
*Mythril Sheet (41)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Ingot--At this level of crafting, these extra levels matter, especially in something as expensive as Goldsmithing. One level, no more, no less.
*Electrum Ingot (42)-Fire Crystal, Silver Ore, Gold Ore x3--A new Gobbiebag item, for the new Gobbiebag quests. These are expensive (15k+ on Asura) to make and the Gold Ore is rare enough to be inconvenient for skill. However, these are great for gil, as they are very profitable. You can get the odd number of Ores and make a few for skill, but I wouldn't rely on it.
*Reraise Earring (45)-Wind Crystal, Vivified Mythril, Mythril Earring--The earrings are bought cheaply from Lower Jeuno or Rabao, the mythril ingot is made via a Key Item and Animas. Too expensive for skill, but incredible for profits, especially if you have an Alchemy friend. Consider this a way to help the massive gil hemmorhage you're enduring.
*Gold Dust (47)-Wind Crystal, Brass Ingot, Copper Ingot--These are used to make Vellum and each synth makes a full stack. So, you won't be able to make these for skill and sale. However, these are incredibly cheap and NPC for about 90% of your costs, maybe more if you make your own Copper Ingots. I am now advising people to make this to cap and save yourself the pain of Silver Bangles or the risk and frustration of Aluminum Ingots.
*Aluminum Ingot (48)-Fire Crystal, Aluminum Ore x4--This market didn't exist during the period I went through these skills, more the pity. The Ore are relatively common drops from certain ENMs, but only are available in numbers that let you make 1-2 at a time. Use for profit, maybe hoard some for skill, but try to get as much of a full level out of these as patience permits; the ingots are still profitable.
TEST ITEM: Mythril Ring: Fire Crystal, Mythril Ingot x2: Should be cheapest on the AH, but you may have to make your own.
==== 51-60 ====
*NQ Gem (51)-Wind Crystal, :Category:Geodes--The new best way to get skill to 51. Look for cheap geodes that people get more than they can use of. Aqua Geode is probably best bet. 
*Gold Ingot (51)-Fire Crystal, Gold Beastcoin x4--A Gobbiebag quest item, commonly-used higher level Goldsmithing need, and expensive-as-all-heck synth to make. Gold Beastcoins aren't cheap, are hard as hell to farm or find, and are most commonly dropped by fiercesome NMs in Dynamis zones, from what I've been led to believe. From here on out, it gets more and more expensive.
*Gold Ingot (54)-Fire Crystal, Gold Ore 4--Now the only profitable way to make gold ingots, since Abyssea and Voidwatch and the new 70-skill caps have increased supply without increasing demand. Do what you can.
*Gold Ingot (54)-Fire Crystal, Gold Ore, Gold Nugget x6--Used to be profitable as Alchemists made the nuggets at/below cost for skill AND demand was high for singles for Gobbiebag. New supply channels have undercut supply, so this is now a pure-loss synth. Easier to make in bulk but expensive if just for 3 levels. I'd compare lost gil/synth with buying ingots on AH to make and NPC Gold Sheets.
*Gold Sheet (54)-Fire Crystal, Gold Ingot--Not any good uses for these, and they NPC at a large loss. However, since Ore x4 is a supply-hog and Nugget + Ore synth is also a major gil-sink, you might consider these as the "cheapest" way to Goldsmithing 54.
*Gold Earring (57)-Wind Crystal, Gold Ingot x2--One of three possible uses for skill of your gold ingots. Sheets are the second and hairpins are below. I'd rank these as the least useful, as one is needed for 2 quests only, they get you 1 less level of skill for twice the ingots, and NPC for around the same as hairpins.
**Note: Also the name of the greatest two-hit wonder ever. That nugget is about as worthwhile as this guide for saving you gil above 54. Sorry, but as well as I can write these things, apparently, even I can't make them save you gil. --Ctownwoody 18:03, 3 August 2008 (UTC)
*Gold Hairpin (58)-Wind Crystal, Gold Ingot--Again, a Hairpin. However, these can AH for a minimal loss. They are used in a quest and a decent MP headpiece. They might be the "least painful option" at this stage. At least consider them, either to straight NPC to synth/de-synth route.
*Hydro Claws (59)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Sheet, Animal Glue, Claws--Hydro-plating weaponry is a decent way to do dump-synths, especially in stages where there are no cheap or profitable alternatives. Claws are Smithing 32 and Bonecraft 8 and they sell well, and the HQs are a decent bit of profit. I'd venture the same about the HQ Hydro Claws, if people sold them (same stats as the HQ Claws). These might represent another reason for getting the Guild Point Key Item: Sheeting (see my Smithing Guide for more details on the many, many Iron Sheet-based
*Gold Ring (60)-Fire Crystal, Gold Ingot x2--These can break-even at times, depending on Gold Ingot prices. Bought and used by truly top-tier Goldsmiths for level 54 rings. You can try making these for skill but enough people are as well and your target market could make these if they wanted to spend the time, so getting rid of what you made is an issue.
==== 61-70 ====
*Platinum Ingot (61)-Fire Crystal, Platinum Beastcoin x4--Unless you have a hankering for trying to steal from level 75 Moblins or farm them from level 85 NM Beastman leaders, most people camp the AH for these materials. While it can get you skill, it won't; they are just too rare for enough skill.
*Platinum Ingot (64)-Fire Crystal, Platinum Ore, Platinum Nugget x6--These cost more and are more of a loss than Gold Ingots were, but supply is tighter and the options are less. 
*Platinum Sheet (64)-Fire Crystal, Platinum Ingot--Useless except for skill. That being said, break out the calculator to compare how much buying ingots and NPC'ing the sheets would cost compared to making the ingots yourself.
*Hydro Patas (68)-Fire Crystal, Mythril Sheet, Bone Patas, Animal Glue--These are pure lost gil and the base item takes 3 unstackable items and Bonecraft 68 to make. But not much in this gap that works. And far cheaper than anything else in this stretch.
*Moblumin Sheet (69)-Fire Crystal, Moblumin Ingot--The ingot is dropped from Goblin Freelance and Moblin Ashman. They aren't common but if you have Thf to hunt these down then it will ease off these crazy levels. Save the results to bridge the next step.
*Platinum Ring (70)-Fire Crystal, Platinum Ingot x2--A few of these sell off the AH, per week. NPCs poorly for the cost, maybe desynth for materials/skill.
*Platinum Arrowheads (70)-Wind Crystal, Copper Ingot, Platinum Ingot--These make 6 arrowheads, each NPCs for 360 gil, but there really isn't anything even close to decent in this stretch.
===Post-70 Ideas===
Based on Asura server and to help some of my friends attempting this most-difficult craft to skill.
*71-80: "And then a miracle occurs..."
*73 Shrimp Lantern -- Moblin Putty will be the crunch of this synth because you will have to farm them on your own and the Zincite don't stack.
*8X-87: Elemental Beads: So much cheaper now that I can't believe it; Ice Ore/Beads regularly AH at cost.
*87-89: Orichalcum Ingot: Good money maker but the ores will drive you insane to collect.
*89-92: Muscle Belt: Incredibly cheap for this level, but now that you have more profitable options, you can do stuff like this with less fear.
*92-98: Scintillant Ingot: Marginally profitable but relatively cheap for a level 98 craft.
*98-100: Whatever, custom-work, etc. At this point, your gil-making options are limitless, just a matter of deciding what.
--Ctownwoody 16:01, June 5, 2010 (UTC)