Clothcraft 101

[pdac]

Well, having just achieved a rather high level of clothcraft, I've decided to post my experiences on here as well as my own LS' forums. So far I'm level 63, close to 64, and I plan on making it to 70 within a week. I know, rather high goal, isn't it? I've got the gil to burn however, and I'll post my experiences here for everyone to use.

Notes:

I did this on phoenix server, which if I'm to understand correctly, has some wildly inflated prices on some items at the AH (most notably twinthread, damascene cloth, and other items key to the very expensive synths). Price will vary across servers, so please keep this in mind.

I did not farm much, if any, of my ingredients. I levelled up in the interest of time, so I could reach the ability to make equipment for my set party as soon as I was able. I burned though a tremendous amount of gil to do this, and I don't recommend it unless you're willing to drop upwards of 1 million.

Ironically, I'm only level 45 rdm, which means that most equipment I make is now beyond my level to use, much less to farm, which leads to the next note.

Make friends with people who farm most cloth-related drops, especially silk thread. Also get people to send you carbon fiber (key for levelling up past 60). If you can't farm it, find someone who will and pay them a decent price for their time. Don't pay as much as the AH though, it should be worth it for them to supply you a lower price for the added benefit of an instant sale and discount on equipment you can make them.

Finally, pay attention to prices. Be willing to stock up on items you will need if the price gets low. Don't buy large amounts of ingredients at higher prices, it just means that it will remain inflated for longer. Also keep an eye on the prices of equipment you can make and sell at a profit. Try and sell high, but be willing to give some leeway. Also, when using a mule to sell your items, try and place it in a location where demand for the item you have on your bazaar is the highest. I'll generally sell fletchings right in the woodworkers guild, gi's and other mnk/sam/nin gear in Norg, etc. Try and corner the market too in an item if you can. I've managed to completely take over the market for lilac corsages and Wool Robes - both of which yield good profits, and I've managed to keep costs low.

Anyways, now that I've managed to take up quite a bit of space on notes, I'll get to it. I'll make a post for each chunk of levelling I did, starting with 0-11.

Enjoy!

[pdac]

So, welcome to clothcrafting. Good luck, you're going to need it. ^^v

First step is to go to the clothcraft guild in Windurst, tucked away behind the fountain. Sign up and get an advanced support from the taru (name escapes me) - it should cost about 30 gil.

Then grab four stacks of wind crystals from the AH.

Next, run to Giddeus. Sub thief if you have level 5 in it for gilfinder or 15 for treasure hunter. I subbed thief, and proceeded to kill everything in sight. Well, every Yagudo in sight anyways. You want the Yagudo Bead Necklaces they drop, which you carve into grass thread. Fill up your inventory with them and then carve away.

Recipe: [Level 1] Wind + Yagudo Bead Necklace (1) = Grass Thread (3)

You will get level 1 very fast, and it might go beyond that (not sure offhand). You will fail some, but overall should carve up a mass of grass thread. Keep that thread!

Now wash, rinse and repeat. Yagudo are your friends! Especially when they die and drop goodies for you

Once filled up, head back to town. Get some earth crystals, and head to the guild. Ask the taru for advanced support yet again, and start on your next project: Grass Cloth.

Recipe: [Level 4] Earth + Grass Thread (3) = Grass Cloth (1)

Synth until you've cleared out your inventory again, and head back to giddeus. Do this until you reach level 4, then you'll start something new.

Keep your grass cloth if you can, as you'll be using it soon.

Next up, is Hachimaki. These will take you all the way to 11, but you need to take the test to pass level 10. To do it, use this:

Recipe: [Level 11] Wind + Grass Cloth (2) = Hachimaki

Keep making them. And making them. *And making them.* You'll notice the repetitive nature of crafting here, but don't worry, some cool things come soon. Take the test at level 8 from the Taru standing at the table. (I'll post the item soon as I remember what it is). Refill with grass cloth by the previous method as needed. Buy them if you want. This will bring you to cloth 11 without much difficulty.

Profit making recipes:

Recipe: [Level 7] Earth + Grass Thread (1) + Grass Cloth (1) + Mercenary's Hachimaki (1) = Windurstian Hachimaki

Recipe: [Level 10] Earth + Grass Thread (1) + Grass Cloth (1) + Cotton Cloth (2) = Vagabond's Hose

Those recipes sell well and can be made, though the first is actually more risky than the second. Make a few of these and sell them, as you'll need a good chunk of gil for the next set of levels, 12-22.

Enjoy!

[Setheron]

HMmmmm I come to class and only get the lessons of what ive learned already

MInd posting the rest (ie 30...whereever u at) SO far the begging was great

[Talus]

The cheapest skillup items tend to be the fletchings. You just need to check to make sure you are high enough to make them, i.e. chocobo fletchings, yagudo fletchings, bird fletchings, insect fletchings.

Always use advanced support unless you like failing a lot. The key to any craft is if you want to raise it fast, be willing to take a loss. If you take it a little at a time you won't lose as much (i.e. farm your own materials).

[pdac]

Well, class is in session once again

Responses:

Setheron, I'll get from 22-34 in the next installment tomorrow sometime. Talus, while its true that fletchings are a great way to level, I refrained initially from that so I could farm all needed materials - and the only worthwhile fletchings, in my opinion, weren't applicable until later on. Excellent point though, and you'll see what I did in regards to that in an installment or two.

Notes for this installment:

When I state the level of a recipe, this is where I saw skill gains drop to almost nothing, if anything at all. We're talking .1 out of nearly 40 or 50 synths. These levels have been in general shown to be true by the list of recipes at the excellent FFXI Mystery Tour web site. Check it out for a good resource for most anything you can think of ^^

These things noted, lets continue.

So you've made half a million hachimaki. You've gotten clothcraft 11, eking out the most you can from that recipe. What's next? Kenpogi!

Very simple. Farm grass thread and cloth the same way as before if you like (or if you feel like spending the money you earned from selling all those hachimaki, buy the thread and make it into cloth) And now you have a new recipe:

Recipe: [Level 18] Earth + Grass Thread + Grass Cloth (3) = Kenpogi

Simple formula, simple process. Make them all the way until you are about 18. Sell them on AH or bazaar for a small profit, as you'll use this gil to fund your next levels.

Now, its time for your first desynth (and no, the necklaces don't qualify imho). If you can, get a Bookholder or Taru Stool to put in your moghouse storage and get Moghancement: Desynthesis. This should help with the next recipe. Go to the guild shop, and buy all the Flax Flowers you can.

Correction, this is *not* a desynth, as noted by Kalgareth. I still recommend the above procedures to help with your efforts however.

Recipe: [Level 19] Lightning + Flax Flower (2) = Linen Thread

This won't level you as much as it will provide fodder for the push to 22. You can start using this around 16 or so, but it will fail rather often, and continues to until 3 or 4 levels above. However, its use it for your next levelling recipe, as well as many past that - we all know that thread is used in cloth generally, and yes, you will be making linen cloth.

Recipe: [Level 22] Earth + Linen Thread (3) = Linen Cloth

You'll need to take the test now, but once you have, you'll be an initiate and ready to jump even further in this craft. Use the aforementioned recipe to level to around 22, and we're done with this installment. Congrats! You've made it further than many will ever go in any craft, and now you're on your way to a bigger jump, from 23-34.

Make sure to tune in! Same Cloth time, same Cloth station!

^^v

[Kalgareth]

Originally posted by pdac
Now, its time for your first desynth (and no, the necklaces don't qualify imho). If you can, get a Bookholder or Taru Stool to put in your moghouse storage and get Moghancement: Desynthesis. This should help with the next recipe. Go to the guild shop, and buy all the Flax Flowers you can.

Recipe: [Level 19] Lightning + Flax Flower (2) = Linen Thread

This is not a desynth. You are not breaking down an item. The "lightning" moghancement will help you during this stage in that you won't loose as many materials on a failure but that is all.

Don't mean to step on your toes here. Good guide.

[DTHURST]

bump^^

[tyler1552]

your posts are very much appreciated in helping raise clothcraft lvl.

[pdac]

Class is in session once again everyone! Today, we're making a rather large jump, from level 22-34. But before that, todays notes and responses.

Notes:

As you most likely know, the way crafting is done has changed a wee bit, with the addition of new Guild Quests as well as special crystals so you can sign your work, and the new and extremely helpful "Magnifying Spectacles" (Def 1, Lvl 1, All Jobs, [Head], Clothcraft Skill +1) - got mine just the other day, and they are *damn* cool to have! These new things are only available to novice level crafters (that I know of), so todays will focus on reaching that level and a little further.

Prices of synths you sell are going to vary a lot. The ones I used for profit may be unattainable, or worthless, on your server. I suggest keeping an eye out for potential cash cows, and be ready to stockpile ingredients to fund it.

Also, you are going to start needing to get gil now. Farm like a madman for silk (and keep it!) and also start selling previous synths for profit. Believe me, you're going to need it.

Finally, some people before have suggested levelling with Darts [Level 13], but I feel that the ingredients are too much of a pain to get, too expensive at the AH at times, and generally won't sell for any useful price. The more ingredients there are, the more a loss can hurt.

Responses:

Kalgareth, you are indeed correct about that synth, and it is duly noted in the context of that session now. tyler1552, I appreciate the sentiment I'm hoping this turns out to be a good guide for other aspiring weavers as well as a useful reference at later levels of the craft.

And now, on with class!

So we left off with Linen Cloth last time. This is a highly useful recipe, and it yields essential materials that are even used far beyond its level to synth. This time, we're going to use more wind crystals and linen cloth *only* for this next synth. It'll take you all the way up to 30! Go get your advanced support, and start on this doozy:

Recipe: [Level 30] Wind + Linen Cloth (2) = Soil Hachimaki

This is actually a really useful synth. You're getting to items which are outside the realm of normal "liesure" crafters, who simply level a skill just for fun. These sell relatively well on bazaars or AH, usually best in Jueno. They also will fail several times (at least) but you have only one ingredient, that you can easily make, so the loss is minimized.

Anyways, simple plan, isn't it? So get 28, take your test and now your a Novice. Now get back to work! Get to around 29-30 if you can, and we'll use our next synth for the push to 34. Go get lightning crystals, you're gonna need 'em!

Recipe: [Level 35] Lightning + Sheep Wool (2) = Wool Thread

Make it. Lots and lots of it. You'll need this thread down the line, I still use it or the cloth it makes, at 64 (just got it today!). This won't fail too terribly much, but it will sometimes. The skill gain should be consistent however, and you'll get a lot of use out of these. Also, its easily farmable. Go to Konsshat Highlands (sp?) or La Theine Plateau and kill sheep for their wool (I never farmed this, so I can't tell you how often it drops). You will want to keep support going for synthing of course, and patience will yield a jump to cloth 34 in seemingly no time at all.

Now you're at the point where you can make some *real* goodies! At this level, i made for profit:

Recipe: [Level 31] Earth + Linen Thread (1) + Linen Cloth (3) = Linen Slacks

Recipe: [Level 33] Wind + Linen Cloth (3) + Cotton Thread = Soil Kyahan

Recipe: [Level 34] Earth + Saruta Cotton + Grass Thread + Cotton Cloth (2) = Shinobi-Tabi (33)

These all sold frequently and for good, consistent prices. I made a handsome profit off of this, and it provided part of the funds for the next jump. I suggest using these if you can, otherwise find a recipe or two that'll turn a profit, and gather as much gil as you can. We're going to spend it *all* for the next jump, and its one hell of a jump at that - Cloth 34-52!

Until next class, study hard! There will be a quiz!

^^v

[Dodgy Trunks]

I have bookmarked this thread since post #1 and like the other posters are saying I find it very useful.

Thanks for all the help Pdac!

[Setheron]

LOl i cant wait for next lesson, I am currently lvl 36 clothcraft (and have been diong bird fletching total loss) i tired hemp gorgets tooo.. total loss. The raise in skill seem to come less. Anyways cant wait for the enxt installment

[PrOBy_]

sticky please

[Ka1'E1]

Great guide, Mods please sticky.

[pdac]

Well, class is in session again! Please take your seats, open your books and turn to chapter 4. Today, we will be going from level 34 to 52. But first, notes and responses.

Notes:

We're now at the point where clothcraft becomes *very* expensive, *very* fast. I highly suggest getting as much gil as you can before this jump, because you're going to need it as soon as you've reached 50. Any worthwhile synths for profit on my server cost an arm and a leg to make (but sell for an arm, leg, head and torso).

I also can't stress enough the use of advanced imagery support *at all times*. It will reduce failures significantly, and essential aspect when synthing items that may cost a large portion of your gil to make.

Also, have you found people to supply you the ingredients you need? Have you built a suppy chain to get you what is required for advancement and profit? Have you found a market for your goods? Make sure that you aren't just crafting things no one buys - keep selling and selling and paying attention to what sells where and for how much. It'll make a huge difference in the long run.

Responses:

Not much to respond to other than the various compliments, which I appreciate greatly. Thanks for reading everyone ^^ Knowing you appreciate my efforts is a great help.

Back to class.

Ok. So you've made a mass of wool thread. A very large mass of wool thread. Time to do something with all those damn spools cluttering up your inventory. Today, we make cloth. Not wool cloth however, we're making Velvet cloth. Go get 1 stack of silk thread for every 2 stacks of wool thread.

Recipe: [Level 45] Earth + Silk Thread (1) + Wool Thread (2) = Velvet Cloth

Make this until you can't make any more. Then get the ingredients and make it again. Keep going. You'll fail a lot at first, but you'll also gain skill very fast. If you are failing too much at first, try making wool cloth to level to around 37.

Recipe: [Level 37] Earth + Wool Thread (3) = Wool Cloth

Take the test at level 38. Keep making velvet cloth, and keep it. Don't sell it, as you'll be using it for lots of profitable synths soon.

Now that you've gotten to almost 45, its time for a change up. Go look in the AH. Look for insect Wings. Cheap, aren't they? Buy them all. Every stack you can get. And get wind crystals too. Because here is the last easy jump you'll ever have for a while.

Recipe: [Level 52] Wind + Insect Wing (2) = Insect Fletchings (6)

This will carry you all the way to 52. Take the test at 48. Make it until you never get any skill gain whatsoever. They are almost worthless, but still sell them on a mule or at the AH in sandoria for the best demand and price.

Now that you're done, congrats. You've made a huge jump in level, and made a large amount of cloth that you'll need for the next 20 levels. You are also far beyond what most anyone ever tries to achieve in a crafting skill - take a breather and hoist a pint, you've well earned it.

Now to make some quick gil off your new level, here's some recipes:

Recipe: [Level 49] Earth + Linen Thread + Linen Cloth + Sheep Leather + Wool Cloth = Chocobo Hose

Recipe: [Level 37] Earth + Linen Cloth (3) + Grass Thread = Soil Gi

Try those (and the rest of the soil gear) for profit. They're relatively high demand and should sell well for a decent margin. Take your time and make about 3 times the gil you made for this most recent jump, and farm silk like there is no tomorrow. You're going to need it for the next session - Cloth 52-60.

Post-session notes:

Whatever you do, and I can't stress this enough, DO NOT MAKE LILAC CORSAGES. Their skill and success varies wildly, and the ingredients are horridly expensive. I failed the synth for twinthread (a key ingredient), a level 56 one, at 64. Thats 160k down the drain. Please be very careful with rare and expen$ive ingredients - it can make or break your crafting effort, and I for one believe its not worth the risk.

If you have the time, go level goldsmithing some. It'll be worth the effort, as you'll need about ~20 skill in it for some profitable high-level cloth synths down the line.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this class and I wish you the best in your crafting effort. Good luck! ^^v

[Roll Light]

*saves to PDA* This is exactly what I needed, I was spending way to much cash trying to craft Vag. Tunicas to level, I had no idea you could have such a huge gap between crafting items and still level on them.