Final Fantasy 14 Crafting Stats Guide for Disciples of the Hand

I teach crafting in Final Fantasy XIV and I write from experience: crafting well means knowing how Craftsmanship, Control, and CP interact. If you skip that, you’ll waste materials and time. I’ve noticed many players focus only on raw numbers and miss the why behind each choice.

🔨 Core stats — what each does

Craftsmanship moves progress toward finishing an item. Control raises the quality you add with touch actions. CP pays for abilities. Simple enough, right? But the balance matters: too little Craftsmanship and you can’t finish; too little Control and HQ chances drop fast.

In my experience, aim for clear breakpoints. For many modern endgame recipes (as of June 1, 2025) target roughly 2,800–3,200 Craftsmanship, 2,700–3,100 Control, and 580–640 CP depending on how complex your rotation is. This doesn’t always work—depends on your niche and the recipe—but it’s a practical starting point.

Why I recommend prioritizing Control

Control gives every touch more value. Why? Because once you hit the minimum Craftsmanship needed to complete a recipe, extra Craftsmanship rarely improves HQ chance; Control does. So spend melds where they convert directly into market value—Control often does that.

Surprisingly, prioritizing Craftsmanship for every slot is a common beginner mistake. It looks safe, but it won’t raise your HQ rate the way Control will. Honestly, some high-cost overmelds are a poor investment (controversial, I know!).

CP management made simple

CP is your action budget. Burn it carelessly and you’ll fail or produce NQ. Plan rotations that leave a small CP buffer—I’ve seen many runs fail because people went to zero mid-rotation. Use Manipulation or similar skills to restore durability before spending more CP (this saves materials).

There are exceptions. If you mass-produce cheap items, you might accept lower HQ rates to save CP. To be fair, not every craft needs perfection.

Stat priorities by class

Tip: meet the minimum Craftsmanship first, then pile Control where it counts. — from my crafting bench

Best melding approach

Start by meeting Craftsmanship breakpoints used by your rotations. After that, add Control melds. Add CP only when a rotation needs it (aim for 580+ unless you specialize). Overmelding fourth and fifth slots often costs more than it gives; sometimes lower-grade materia is better value.

There’s nuance: some pieces justify a Craftsmanship meld if you’re stubbornly short on progress. Also—well—overmelding can be a status thing. Don’t let that trap you.

Rotations — simple templates

Rotations depend on stats. Here are concise examples. Use them as templates, not gospel. (There are exceptions.)

// Medium-stat example (≈2800 Craft / 2700 Control / 580 CP)
Basic Synthesis
Manipulation
Inner Quiet
Touch x3–4
Innovation
Touch x2
Great Strides
Byregot's Blessing
Careful Synthesis

// High-stat example (≈3200 Craft / 3100 Control / 640 CP)
Manipulation
Waste Not
Inner Quiet
Touch x6 (with Great Strides window)
Byregot's Blessing
Finish with Careful Synthesis

Why these work: Inner Quiet builds quality potential, Great Strides multiplies a strong touch, and Byregot’s converts that potential into a burst of quality. That’s the why. If you don’t thread those together, you lose efficiency.

Practical notes and caveats

• I’ve seen market boards punish sellers who overvalue HQ food—don’t expect huge profits every time (depends on server).
• Some community calculators update frequently; check one (e.g., as of 2025-06-01) before buying melds or materia.
• There are exceptions to every rule—specialist recipes or new patches can change breakpoints.

Watch this: sometimes a simple rotation with better Control outperforms an overcomplicated one with higher Craftsmanship. Oddly enough, consistency beats flashy plays when you’re selling items.

Quick checklist

• Meet minimum Craftsmanship for the recipe.
• Maximize Control after that.
• Aim for 580–640 CP if you run advanced rotations.
• Don’t overpay for fourth/fifth meld slots unless you ran the math.

Here’s a tiny metaphor: think of crafting stats like cookware in a kitchen—having a bigger pot (Craftsmanship) helps you finish a stew faster, but a sharper knife (Control) makes the ingredients taste better. Which do you need more? It depends on the dish.

One last honest point: some advice online gets repeated without testing. I test. I fail sometimes. You will too. Keep notes, refine your melds, and trade knowledge with other crafters. Between us, that’s how you get reliably good results!

Questions? Tell me your class, current stats, and the recipe you want to craft. I’ll give a specific rotation and meld suggestion (no fluff).