Smithing Guide: The Path to 100
Now, I cannot emphasize enough to try to mine ores whenever necessary. It will save you a lot of money. From 0 to 66 Smithing, I spent approximately 4.5 million Gil, and this was during the inflation that plagued every server in FFXI. From 66 to where I am now at level 79, I spent about 3 million Gil. So, in total, I’ve spent about 7.5 million Gil to get this far. I am cutting corners and finding ways to shave as much Gil as possible now; and believe me that you will need to later on.
The following guide looks to avoid using subcrafts whenever possible, or use it as little as possible.
Abbreviations:
- [sub] – Subcraft
- Bolded Blue – Bridge craft; synths that you can do before attempting a higher level craft; optional
- Bolded Red – Guild test item
Levels 0 to 10
The following synths can be cheaply done by staying in Bastok. Buy several stacks of Pickaxes from Boytz in Bastok Mines or Numa in Port Bastok. Preferably, it’s best to buy it from Boytz as you are just a short distance from Zeruhn Mines. Bring with you a few stacks of Fire Crystals. You may buy these from the AH and their prices vary from 1000 to 2000 Gil. You can also farm them from Pink flamingos, Goblins, and Lizards outside in South or North Gustaberg if you are not too high above them.
2 – Bronze Ingot (Fire Crystal + 3 Copper Ores + 1 Tin Ore)
4 – Bronze Sheet (Fire Crystal + 1 Bronze Ingot)
10 – Bronze Scales (Wind Crystal + 1 Bronze Sheet)
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Side craft: Bonecraft (Note: This is to prepare you for the Guild test only.) 4 – Bone Hairpin (Wind Crystal + 1 Bone Chip) |
Test: Xiphos [sub: 2 Bonecraft] (Fire Crystal + 2 Bronze Ingots + Giant Femur)
Levels 10 to 20
There are two bridge synths here and all are entirely optional. However, doing any one of them will help decrease the chances of you breaking the synth needed to get to level 20– Iron Ingots.
At this point, you can probably start making money here with low profits. Don’t expect making millions of Gil overnight though. Bronze Bolt Heads, if sold in San’doria, may sell for any up-and-coming Woodworker, or it may not sell. Tin Ingots, unfortunately, do not sell well and rarely do. You can avoid this bridge synth entirely unless you have spare Tin ores lying around from mining in Zeruhn. However, take advantage of the spare Tin ores you mine up. A loss will only cost you a fire crystal and probably a pickaxe; but in the end you get yourself skillup points towards your goal.
The actual money-maker here are Iron Ingots. They usually go for 30,000 Gil to 35,000 Gil here on Bismarck. However, I recommend saving stacks of Iron Ingots for the next upcoming ten levels.
14 – Bronze Bolt Heads
15 – Tin Ingot
20 – Iron Ingot
Can camp the guilds in Metalworks and Northern San’doria for Iron Ingots.
22 – Iron Sheet
[26 - Iron Scales]
30 – Iron Chain
Buy Steel Ingots for 4200 to 4600 Gil from Smithing Guild in Mhaura
36 – Steel Sheet
40 – Steel Scales
This is pure loss in the 40s. -.-;; Very, very PAINFUL.
When I did this, Mythril Ingots were 100k a stack. T_T
[42 - Mythril Axe]
44 – Mythril Bolt Heads
48 – Mythril Claws
[53 - Iron Gorget]
54 – Steel Ingot (Camp and live in Nashmau. 4 Iron Sand + 4 Bomb Sand can be bought here)
58 – Breastplate (I stayed in San’doria for the Sheep Leather and Iron Sheets)
[60 - Darksteel Falchion]
[60 - Iyo Scale]
66 – Nodowa (Pure loss to get to here. You will cry… >.>)