A Guide to FFXIV Alchemy – How to Get Started & Level Up

FFXIV alchemy is a crafting discipline that allows you to create various potions, ethers, elixirs, and other consumables for yourself and other players. Alchemists can also craft wands, grimoires, and other tools for casters. As an alchemist, you play a crucial role in supporting your fellow adventurers by providing them with powerful buffs, healing potions, and more. So, this guide will walk you through the essential aspects of alchemy, including how to get started and how to level up your skills. Leveling can be a long and somehow boring process. Instead of doing it by yourself, using an FFXIV boosting service to boost your alchemy to level 90 can be a good option.

Get Started

Before you can embark on your alchemical journey, you need to become an alchemist. Visit the Alchemist's Guild in Ul'dah, speak with the Guildmaster, and undertake the introductory quest. Upon completion, you'll receive your alchemist's tools and be ready to brew your first concoctions.

Level Up

To level up, you need to craft items using your primary tool, the alembic, and various ingredients that you can gather or buy from vendors or the market board. You can find recipes in your crafting log, which also shows you the required materials and the item's quality and durability. Crafting items will grant you experience points (EXP) and increase your progress and quality bars. Progress determines how close you are to completing the item, while quality determines how likely you are to get a high-quality (HQ) item, which has better stats and sells for more.

Levequests: Your Key to Early Gains

The quickest way to level up is through levequests. Levequests are repeatable crafting missions that grant significant experience points. Visit the Levemete NPC in Ul'dah, Gridania, or Limsa Lominsa to pick up levequests tailored to your current level.

Crafting Log: Your Roadmap to Progression

Utilize your crafting log to guide your leveling journey. The log provides a list of items you can craft at your current level, organized by category. By completing entries in your crafting log, you gain bonus experience points, helping you progress more efficiently.

Ingredients: Gathering for Success

Gathering materials is a fundamental aspect of alchemy. Invest time in gathering herbs, minerals, and other alchemical ingredients. You can either gather them yourself or purchase them from vendors or the market board. Understanding the core ingredients is crucial for any alchemist. Here are some fundamental components you'll encounter:

Catalysts:

Distilled Water: Basic solvent used in many recipes.

Lemonette: Enhances the quality of your synthesis.

Mineral Water: Often used in potion and elixir recipes.

Reagents:

Alumen: Commonly used in the creation of dyes.

Effervescent Water: Adds fizz to various concoctions.

Honey: Sweetens potions and elixirs.

Crystals:

Fire Crystal: Associated with offensive and destructive concoctions.

Water Crystal: Used in healing and support elixirs.

Earth Crystal: Essential for crafting defensive and protective items.

Grand Company Turn-ins: Loyalty Rewarded

Align yourself with a Grand Company and participate in turn-ins. These daily and weekly missions provide experience points, company seals, and gil. Submitting high-quality items yields greater rewards, making them a valuable tool for leveling up quickly.

Class Quests: Unlocking Skills and Recipes

Don't forget to complete your class quests, which unlock new abilities, recipes, and crafting techniques. These quests also provide significant experience points, aiding in your overall progression. Class quests are available every five levels, so keep an eye on your level progression.

Specialization and Mastery: Choosing Your Path Wisely

As you advance in alchemy, you'll have the opportunity to choose specializations. Each specialization offers unique benefits, such as access to powerful recipes or enhanced abilities. Consider your playstyle and preferences when making this important decision.

High-Quality Crafting: Going Beyond the Basics

While crafting, aim for high-quality items. Using high-quality materials and incorporating abilities that boost quality during synthesis significantly increases experience gains. Take advantage of skills like "Tricks of the Trade" to regain durability and "Careful Synthesis" for precise progress.

Custom Deliveries: A Lucrative Endeavor

Once you reach higher levels, engage in custom deliveries. These repeatable quests allow you to turn in crafted items for substantial experience points and valuable resources. Custom deliveries are an excellent way to supplement your leveling journey.

Desynthesis: Breaking It Down for Gains

Unlock the desynthesis ability to break down items into valuable materials. This not only provides you with additional resources but also contributes to your overall crafting experience. Focus on desynthesizing items relevant to your alchemical pursuits.

Actions and Traits

These are special skills that can affect your crafting process in various ways, such as restoring durability, increasing efficiency, or boosting success rate. You can find a list of alchemist actions and traits here.

Ishgardian Restoration feature

Use the Ishgardian Restoration feature, which is a server-wide event that involves crafting items to help rebuild the city of Ishgard. Crafting items for the restoration will grant you EXP, scrips, and other rewards. You can also participate in the FATEs that occur periodically, which require you to craft items in a limited time and grant you bonus rewards.

Hope the above content can be helpful for your alchemy leveling journey.