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Lixx's Alchemy Guide
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Lixx's Alchemy Guide
This is the first guide that I have done for a Wikia, so let's see how it goes. I used the existing guides on this website as I leveled Alchemy only to find that there are more profitable routes at certain levels. While I am not dismissing the other guides, my guide will be based around profiting opposed to easy leveling. I also frown upon farming. Don't think of farming as "money saved." It's more akin time and money wasted. Time is money after all and as such my guide will follow a strict non-farming view.
If you would like to know the guides that I used while leveling up, I would recommend Xarchangel's Guide or Aledacia's Guide. Both are very good guides to use if you are looking for a few options to see what is the best synthesis option for any given level.
I also promote the use of FFXIAH to see the rate that things are selling, and where it would be cheapest to buy materials. I will be using Lakshmi along with three other random servers when I suggest where to buy certain materials. I would recommend that you keep a mule out in Jeuno and/or Windurst, as many ingredients will come from those regions. When I can I will recommend an item that may have a low level subcraft. When you find these, they are usually to replace another item with a high loss or extremely low profit margins and I will label these crafts with an "optional" tag next to the name. With all that being said, let's begin the adventure of Alchemy.
Faster Skill Ups
Just like Aledacia's Guide, I have to say that the Skill Up Guide is something that all crafters should know by heart. It has helped my in every craft thus far, and is essential if you are trying to not burn through your Gil.
Synthesis Image Support NPCs
Synthesis image support temporarily raises your skill by 1 point. Advanced support raises your skill by 3 points, and requires a small fee based on your crafting rank. Synthesis Image Support can be obtained from the following Guild representatives:
| Name | Location | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Titus | Bastok Mines (K-7) | Synth. Image Support |
| Sieglinde | Bastok Mines (K-7) | Synth. Image Support |
| Shahau | Aht Urhgan Whitegate (F-5) | Synth. Image Support |
| Hadayah | Aht Urhgan Whitegate (F-5) | Synth. Image Support |
| Azima | Bastok Mines (K-7) | Adv. Synth. Image Support |
| Sulbahn | Aht Urhgan Whitegate (F-5) | Adv. Synth. Image Support |
Guild Test Items
Every ten skill levels, you are required to prove to the guild that you "have what it takes" by crafting (or buying) an Alchemic item of the guild's choosing. This item can be turned in once you have reached an "8" in skill (8, 28, 48, etc.) or higher skill (up to the cap). Once you have the requisite skill, speak with the Guild Master, Abd-al-Raziq.
| Level | Item Requested | Rank Acquired |
|---|---|---|
| 8-10 | Animal Glue | Recruit |
| 18-20 | Poison Potion | Initiate |
| 28-30 | Blinding Potion | Novice |
| 38-40 | Firesand | Apprentice |
| 48-50 | Fire Sword | Journeyman |
| 58-60 | Hi-Potion | Craftsman |
| 68-70 | Acid Kukri | Artisan |
| 78-80 | X-Potion | Adept |
| 88-90 | Bloody Sword | Veteran |
Alchemic Recipes
Level 1-10
Level: 0-6
Profitable: Break-Even
Sells relatively fast, but slower than most Ninja tools. Distilled Water should be bought from any of the vendors. Rock Salt should be bought from either the Cooking Guild or one of the Vollbow region vendors to break even at the Auction House. Make sure to get Advanced Support for the first three levels.
Level: 6-12
Profitable: Yes
Either fish for the fish, or buy them from the Fishing Guild. Save the dust for making Poison Potion later. Make sure to use Advanced Support again until level nine.
Test Item
File:AnimalGlue.JPG
Level: 7
Profitable: No
Level 10-20
Level: 12-16
Profitable: Yes
Denizanasi are much easier and cheaper to get you hands on due to fishing Guild in Whitegate restock. NPC Wahnid (H-11) 25~ gil each. Save for Poison Potion If you cap out on these and have more Mercury, go back and buy some Poison Powder from the Stinknix NPC in Lower Jeuno. If you have more Poison Powder, make more Mercury. If jellyfish are hard to come by you may start making the Poison Potions at level 14.
Test Item
Level: 16-18
Profitable: Yes
This item is what really pulled me through the teens. It sells fast at any Jeuno Auction House, and sells for a profit. Anywhere from 2k-9k per stack depending on server, supply, and demand. Don't try to sell seven stacks at once unless the market calls for it. Doing so may lower prices, and thus lower profit.
Level: 18-20
Profitable: No
This synthesis can only be profitable if you can get someone with high cooking skill to make you the honey and you can get the Sage from a Valdeaunia region merchant.
Glass Fiber Optional
Level: 18-21
Profitable: Yes
I would recommend that if you want to do this synthesis that you get Moghancement for Desynthesis. You can either sell these for Gil if you need it or save it for minnows, that you should be making at level 30.
Level 20-30
Level: 20-24
Profitable: No
Sadly, not profitable unless you can get someone to make you Beeswax. Sells fast enough though, and losses are minimal. At the very least this is something you can use while hunting your sub-jobs.
Sairui-Ran Optional
Level: 24-28
Profitable: Yes
For this you need to have at least level 5 Cooking to make this, but it is the best option for this level jump. Even as I write this guide, I still make these. You can get all the materials from the Cooking Guild in Windurst. Sell incredibly fast. Use the Advanced Synthesis Support for Cooking if your Cooking level is less than 7.
Level: 24-29
Profitable: No
You will lose more money with this than the previous formula. Once again, try to get someone to make the Beeswax for you. I strongly recommend making Sairui-Ran. If you must do this one use Advanced Support until you are level 26.
Level: 29-30
Profitable: No
Sells fast, and can help you get to level 30. If there is a fair supply of Ahriman Tears at the Auction House, feel free to make these. If not, go ahead and skip to the next project. Buy Chamomile from Areebah in Upper Jeuno.
Test Item
Level 30-40
Level: 30-31 Optional
Profitable: Yes
These sell at a decent rate, slower than the last few crafts though. The two major turn-offs from crafting these are that: A) They don't stack, and B) You need level 11 Goldsmithing. You should take this time to level your Goldsmithing though, as it will come in a great use later with Bullets. Now is a time you could use those Glass Fibers I told you to store earlier. If you do not have them, try to check the Alchemy Guild in Bastok. The Fiber is often about a thousand less Gil per stack than at the Auction House.
Level: 30~(31-37)
Profitable: Break Even
Perhaps the only thing I find disagreeable about Xarchangel's Guide, is that I have to say this is not a good synthesis. It is very expensive and rarely will you so much as break even. As much as I dislike farming, try to farm the Beastman Blood off Thread Leechs in Pashhow Marshlands, the drop rate is about 20%. As for the Ink, make it yourself, and aim for High Quality synths. You should have about a 25% chance for a high quality here. Use Advanced Synthesis Support until level 34. You can stop these all together at level 32 if you are willing to level Blacksmith.
Level 31-37
Profitable: Yes
One out of three options for this part. Sell slower, 1-2 a day, but profit. You can increase the profit if you can manage to High Quality the Beeswax. Use Advanced Image Support until level 34
Bronze Bullet Optional
Level: 32-38
Profitable: Yes
This requires level 13 Blacksmith, but it is cheap to make, sells rather quickly, and profits. The great thing about this craft is that you can make this and level from the Firesand (see below) at the same time. Use Advanced Image Support until level 35
Test Item
Level: 34-40
Profitable: Yes
The only hard part of this recipe is securing the Bomb Ash. Use Advanced Synthesis Support until level 37. If making the Bronze Bullets, use on that. If you leveled your Goldsmithing like I suggested earlier consider leveling up more on these then the Bronze Bullets, as this will come in use at later levels.
Level 40-50
Acid Bolt Heads Optional
Level: 40-45
Profitable: Yes
Requires level 14 Smithing, but profits around 10k a stack. Why don’t I make these more? Anyway, good to make if you also have Woodworking leveled up. You can make Acid Bolts a level 16 Woodworking craft for additional profit. Use Advanced Synthesis support until level 42.
Level: 40-43
Profitable: Break Even
Optional if you leveled Smithing. If you did, skip this craft. If not, I guess you better make these until you hit 42. No support needed.
Level: 43 – 45
Profitable: Yes
“But Lixxark, Bomb Ash is hard to find!” I realize this, but don’t worry it’s only a two level jump, and the money you'll be making we be so, so good. Besides, if Bomb Ash is truly that hard to come by you could always go back and level those crafts I mentioned to you earlier. No need to undercut, these sell really fast.
Level: 45-50
Profitable: ???
Holy Water, You save me from curse oh can’t you see, Oh what's could’ve become of me. But seriously, it’s easy to make and it will finish off level 50 for you. You’ll notice for profit I put ???. That is because I do not know if this is profitable or not. It depends on the demand for Light Crystals on your server. On my server they can run 1k a stack one day, and up to 7k the next. All I can say is watch the market.
Level: 45-50
Profitable: Yes
Not necessary, but an alternative to Holy Water if Light Crystals are hard to come by. Make sure to get the Dried Marjoram from NPCs.
Test Item
Level: 50-60
Silver Bullet Optional
Level: 50-52
Profitable: Yes
Highly profitable. About 70k per 12 pouches. Nokkhi Jinjahl is the one you want to see to turn these into pouches. Anyway, it does require level 24 Goldsmithing, so look into this if you can. Making the Silver Ingots will help increase profit.
Level: 50-56
Profitable: Yes
Make sure to get the Poison Flour from Pawkrix in Southern Jeuno. You can get the Chamomile from Areebah in Northern Jeuno. Sells quickly. Maybe mule the materials in, as you will need to use Synthesis Support until level 53. Price greatly varies from server to server, so make sure that this IS profitable.
Level: 56-60
Profitable: Break Even
Flint stone. Those things that this adventurer used to throw away. Buy the stones from the AH, and don't expect to turn a profit on these. You can however expect to cap with these those. As always use Advanced Synthesis Support until level 57. You could make these into Shrimp Lures if you want to profit off it.
Test Item
Closing Notes
The current date is June 29th, 2013. I remember writing this guide back during my last month in high school (2009). I once promised that I'd hit level 100 and tell you all how to get there as well, but it shan't be done. Instead I'd like to use this space to say hello to anyone who still might need this guide and to those who don't, I want you to remember all the good times Vana'diel has brought us.
Source entry: Lixx's Alchemy Guide. Cached on this server on 5 November 2026.