Best Melds for Crafting Gear in FFXIV (Patch 6.5)

Once you hit level 90 as a crafter in Final Fantasy XIV you’ll want to start melding your gear for maximum efficiency while crafting. But where do you need to start, and what are the best stats to attempt to meld onto your gear?

While it can seem like a daunting process, unlike Disciples of War and Magic, you’ll only need to Meld one set of gear, but 16 tools (primary and secondary tools for each job). Every single job needs two sets of tools, but can use the same gear, and benefits from the same stats, so you’ll only need to meld one full set of armor/gear. 

Best materia for level 90 crafting gear in FFXIV

As a level 90 crafter, you’re going to be melding your own gear, and saving on costs or having to recruit other players to do it for you. As a result, this article assumes you’re already max level, have a basic understanding of melding and pentamelding. This article also assumes you have BiS gear for crafters, a HQ Indagator’s set.

Materia priority 

The priority for crafting gear melds is as follows: CP > Craftsmanship > Control.

However, confusingly, Control will take up most of the melding slots on your gear despite not being the priority stat. CP is actually the most important stat, but due to the hard caps on CP on the BiS gear, it will often be relegated to a lower level materia at the end of the pentameld. Craftsmanship also ends up being capped pretty quickly, so Control features more in melds.

As a reminder on what each stat does, in effect: 

• CP = Increases the amount chances you have to craft/the resources you have to craft
• Craftsmanship = The entry stat to the craft, increasing the progress
• Control = The increases in quality

Crafting gear BiS melds for FFXIV Patch 6.5

The BiS meld for each piece of gear is listed in the table below. 

For reference:

• Craftsman’s Command Materia = Control 
• Craftsman’s Competence Materia = Craftsmanship
• Craftsman’s Cunning Materia = CP