A Crafting Guide: Utilising Whistle Properly
You can use this guide for the following:
- Skipping Large Portions of Gear Progression (E.g. Twinsilk > Onishi/Yamashi).
- Overcoming the gear disparity between Level 60 > 61/63 with Guaranteed results.
- Crafting any recipes when using Scrip Gear, alongside facilitating for crafting when only having a single crafter levelled (monocrafting) – Not Recommended, Level everything.
- Having fun with a proc-based system where crafting is dynamic (and immediate patch day crafting – Though macros are generally more efficient).
Without ANY HQ Mats!!
NOTE: The minimum cross-class you need is
Optionally, you can also select Byregot’s Blessing, and Reclaim where max slots are not consumed. Only Carpenter should be stifled with 10/10 cross-class.
[Credit to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmrbtfVF98o]
Complementary Written Guide with Additional Notes and Adjustments based on the video above. If you have the time I would seriously suggest referring to the video, and these notes.
Brief Roadmap for Gear Progression
Before beginning with the bulk of the guide and the rotation I would suggest having your Specialist set to be WVR/LTW/BSM. In doing so the vast majority of the gear progression will be covered beforehand, allowing you to craft the entire left-side for both Onishi and Yamashi gear and the vast majority of the accessories for Yamashi (Gatherers), not to mention the tools that Blacksmith provides. You can take any route for progression, however, just bear in mind that the remainder of the specialist classes only provide a small portion of gear by comparison. Particularly with Carpenter this can be an issue, especially if your melds are similar to the build provided. As you’d be crafting these accessories, to just having them sat idly by.
[1] If following this guide your meld build for 290 should be: http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/16QZQ (Note: Control minimum is achievable with Commanding Craftsman’s Tea)
[2] By the time you have finished crafting the WVR/LTW/BSM recipes your build should develop into this: http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/173KR (Note: As shown you can now use Tempura Platter)
Note for [2] is a baseline meld build for beginning to meld your Onishi gear. If you’re aiming to meld this gear, just as a pointer, if you’re going with budget melds (IV overmelds), then I would suggest overmelding the Craftsman’s Cunning Materia IV, granted that Command/Competence VI outweighs the stat gain vs melding Craftsman’s Cunning Materia VI. The below table highlights comparison (This applies to Momohiki, Zori, and Black Willow Rings.
| Onishi Momohiki (Craftsman’s Cunning Materia VI) | Onishi Momohiki (Craftsman’s Cunning Materia IV overmeld) |
| Craftsman’s Command Materia VI | Craftsman’s Command Materia VI |
| Craftsman’s Cunning Materia VI | Craftsman’s Command Materia VI |
| Craftsman’s Command Materia IV | Craftsman’s Command Materia IV |
| Craftsman’s Command Materia IV | Craftsman’s Cunning Materia IV |
| Craftsman’s Command Materia IV | Craftsman’s Cunning Materia IV |
| Total Stat Gain: 22/167/8 | Total Stat Gain: 22/169/8 |
Breakdown of Skills and Abilities
(Note: This guide assumes you know the fundamentals of all non-related Whistle abilities)
- Whistle While You Work – This is a specialist skill learned at Lv.55, and costs 36CP. It is by far our most important action for this guide, and definitively the most overpowered. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
It is a proc-based rotation, which provides access to several other powerful abilities depending on the circumstances of the craft condition.
Granting 11 stacks of Whistle, during the uptime of this ability, for each step in the craft where the material condition is good, it reduces your whistle stack by 1. If you use this ability on a step where the material condition is good, you will automatically have 10 Whistle Stacks – Generally you want to avoid this.
When the whistle stack is a multiple of 3, certain crafting actions have their effectiveness increased by an additional 50%. Unfortunately, this effectiveness is only applied to all synthesis actions.
If your whistle stack is reduced to 0 (falls off), it will automatically trigger the Finishing Touches ability (Touches efficiency – 200%, Success rate 50%) – This is a very bad ability to trigger, avoid it at all costs.
- Nymeia’s Wheel – This is another specialist action, which is tied to Whistle While You Work, and costs 18CP.
It restores the durability of the craft, and the amount of durability restored is determined by the current whistle stack. When the stack is between 1-3, 30 durability is restored, 4-8, 20 durability is restored and 9-11 restores 10 durability.
- Trained Hand – When the Whistle and Inner Quiet stacks are identical, allows for the use of trained hand, costing 16CP. Increases both quality and progress, with an efficiency of 150%, and is guaranteed to hit. To understand how powerful this ability is, it is equivalent to Advanced Touch, and Careful Synthesis III simultaneously.
- Satisfaction – One of the final abilities which is used in conjunction with Whistle While You Work, this action allows for 15CP to be restored when the whistle stack is a multiple of 3 (3, 6, 9). This is essentially a 2nd Tricks of the Trade. Worth noting each time this ability is used, your whistle stack is reduced by 1.
- Heart of the Crafter – Increases the chances of material condition becoming good. Dramatically, need I might add for the next seven steps. This ability we use in conjunction with Whistle While You Work to reduce the time taken to cycle through our whistle stacks. For each use of this ability, 1 Delineation is consumed. These can be purchased for 15 Red Scrips from the Scrip Exchange vendors (Lv. 50).
Phase 1 – Kickstarting the Craft and Building Quality
I will aim this section towards those going for skipping gear progression: The stats I used for skipping gear Progression can be found in the following link: http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/16QZQ (Note: This build is without Specialist, so you can craft requisite materials without swapping Specialist – Also Requires Commanding Craftsman’s Tea HQ).
Below is the aim for Phase 1:
(Note: This rotation only applies to the minimum CP – 382)
Majority of the time, people do aim to go with Maker’s Mark over Initial Preparations when using Whistle, however, I firmly believe, the CP reduction of Initial Preparations outweighs Maker’s Mark. Not to say it isn’t bad.
Following this we progress with a typical rotation. The absence of Manipulation II provides less upfront CP cost in the rotation when compared with Waste Not. If your CP is above the minimum (382) – Approx. 440 then you can comfortably replace those 2 skills. To form something like below:
(Note: This rotation is only recommended when your CP >= 440 – You can do it on the minimum but pray to gods you have a good proc rate is good – You should be able to use this upon finishing the left-side portion of your gear)
The primary difference between the two is Durability reduction allowing for more Hasty Touches, and thus more Inner Quiet Stacks. If you can finish this phase with 11 stacks of inner quiet, then you’re golden. This is inherently impossible with the first rotation, allowing for only 10 stacks, unless you do a third Patient Touch instead of Hasty Touch. I don’t recommend this, you need to do additional Hasty Touches on the minimum requirements anyway. Piece by Piece isn’t necessary, however, in the ideal circumstances it dramatically reduces the steps required to finish the product. Be aware, using Waste Not before Steady Hand II puts our durability at a multiple of 5, whether it’s used before or after, the result is the same (Minus wasting a stack of Steady Hand II.
You can fail these Patient Touches, however, don’t be too concerned, as we can crafting this item for as long we wish, it just requires more Delineations. I would recommend stocking up on a significant number of these as opposed to factoring for the best result (50-100).
If you’re here for skipping the gear disparity, then you won’t have access to Initial Preparations, nor any of the Speciality abilities. If you do intend to use Whistle for this purpose I would suggest either Maker’s Mark, or Muscle Memory, if you follow this, you won’t need to use Piece by Piece, so you can replace that with a Hasty Touch.
Phase 2 – Using Whistle and Restoring Durability
Do recall that using Whistle grants us the ability to use Nymeia’s Wheel to restore our durability. The difficult, and elusive part of this thus far is baiting for the necessary condition to reduce our stacks down to 1, or 2. For this we will be using Observe, comparatively, if we were using Maker’s Mark we would be baiting with Flawless Synthesis.
Assume we start off with using Whistle to gain access to our abilities. Following this we would be using Heart of the Crafter to increase the probability of material condition becoming good. From this point on it is using Observe to bait the material condition for good, and then using Tricks of the Trade whenever material condition is good or excellent. From there, when possible it is using Satisfaction when stack is a multiple of 3. The below list should highlight the idea.
- Whistle While You Work (11 stacks)
- Heart of the Crafter (1 Delineation consumed)
- Observe (Assume Material Condition is good the following step)
- Tricks of the Trade (10 stacks)
- Observe
- Observe (Assume Material Condition is good the following step)
- Tricks of the Trade (Note: Use of Satisfaction now Possible – 9 Stacks)
- Satisfaction (8 stacks)
- Comfort Zone
- Heart of the Crafter (1 Delineation consumed – Total 2) – Assume Material Condition good
- Tricks of the Trade (7 Stacks)
Be aware that Heart of the Crafter and Comfort Zone should be up 100% of the time, there are exceptions where you don’t want to have Heart of the Crafter, however, we will discuss this later.
This process you want to continue as much as necessary to get down to 1, or 2 stacks of Whistle, at which point you use Nymeia’s Wheel to restore 30 durability. Before we start using any progress or quality building actions, this is a process we want to cycle through twice, so we have 65/70 durability.
Phase 3 – Spending Our Durability
(Note: By the end of this, you should be at 11 stacks of Inner Quiet, otherwise, I would recommend going through Phase 2, and this Phase again)
Not much I can say about this phase, aside from it provides the chance to gain more Inner Quiet Stacks and Quality. Assuming you’re on minimum stats, your goal should be approx. 9800 quality. Again, ensure Comfort Zone is kept up as necessary.
(Note: When finished this phase, you will need to repeat Phase 2 again, begins onward from Trained Hand)
Phase 4 – Trained Hand
At this point, I’m sure that you’re currently feeling this craft is going to take forever, well it will, but this is where the light in the tunnel occurs, and when you need to do a little maths. This will build the bulk of our quality and progress, and you will see just how much. In any circumstance, this is the exception to keeping Heart of the Crafter up. Do not begin this phase until you have fully depleted those stacks. Ideally you should be at least 224CP prior to beginning this phase. If you’re under this, assuming not by a drastic amount, you can use Speciality: Refurbish to restore 65CP, putting the absolute minimum to 159CP to begin this phase. This does vary on Comfort Zone, so please ensure you factor the stacks of Comfort Zone you have.
Very Simple phase yet again. Just ensure you have the following met prior to starting:
- Approx. 9800Quality (Assuming minimum control).
- 159CP (If you have Speciality: Refurbish available, otherwise 224CP).
- 65/70 Durability.
- No stacks of Heart of the Crafter.
At this point, you’ll understand now why you want Heart of the Crafter gone as it can increase the probability of goods, which in turn means our Trained Hand can get interrupted mid-craft. This is bad, not detrimental. You can still recover, it just prolongs the craft. My personal recommendation is that if you get a good condition at an inopportune time then I personally recommend replacing the trained hand where necessary with an Observe > Focussed Touch combination. Although this costs an additional 9CP per each time you go through it. However, at this point you’d be easier cycling through phase 2 again, except doing it once for the additional durability and attempts at quality gain. Again, this only applies if you get an inopportune good condition.
Further, do recall that if you get a good condition before using whistle then it is best to interrupt this with an action, Tricks of the Trade Below shows the idea:
(Note: Tricks of the Trade will consume the good condition following Ingenuity, preventing you from starting on 10 stacks of Whistle – Again, only applies if you get a good condition, else proceed as normal)
It is rare that you will get a good, just don’t discount it. Avoid starting Whistle on a good condition, lest you want to restart at Phase 2. This is by far the most tedious and angering part of the craft. However, you will see just how overpowered Trained Hand can be, especially when coupled with Ingenuity.
Furthermore, if you intend to use this for overcoming gear disparity, or the difficulty of crafting Lv.61 recipes, then you won’t need as many Trained Hand, just adjust accordingly and ensure you don’t finish the craft with said ability. This may not be the best use of your Red Scrips, however, it is a valid use and can provide guaranteed results, otherwise you can simply purchase NQ gear
Phase 5 – Discounted Byregot’s Brow and Finishing the Craft
Congratulations if you have made it all the way, especially successfully, you have started your journey onto end-game gear, or mastering a very fun, and powerful rotation.
By this phase you should have the following circumstances met:
- 100CP MINIMUM!!!
- Approx. 19768Quality (Assuming food never fell off)
- 25/70 durability to be safe
Ensure you don’t land Byregot’s Brow on a poor condition, and assuming you followed the guide correctly, the craft should be in the bag. If you are nervous with this rotation, as it requires some thinking, I would suggest practicing this on cheap crafts, this can include any Lv.70 master recipes.
As your stats improve, particularly CP and control, it can allow you to dramatically reduce the steps required in the craft, from doing a proper Byregot’s Blessing finisher, to a Double Byregot’s. Once you’ve finished your WVR/LTW gear, refer to Brief Roadmap for Gear Progression
Phase-by-Phase TL;DR
Phase 1 – Use opening rotation in accordance with your CP
382CP –
440CP or more –
Phase 2 – Refresh your Durability in accordance with the following:
- 100% Upkeep on Comfort Zone – Ensure this is always up
- Use Whistle While you Work to gain inner quiet stacks
- Use Heart of the Crafter to increase Good Conditions
- Bait Good Conditions with Observe
- Tricks of the Trade when and wherever possible
- If Whistle is multiple of 3, use Satisfaction
- When Heart of the Crafter falls off, refresh it, same with Comfort Zone – Ignore if Whistle stack is < 3
- If Durability is heading to 65/70, ensure Heart of the Crafter falls off before progressing with Phase 4.
- Ensure you do Whistle While you Work twice before progress with any other phases. You should have done Nymeia’s Wheel twice, and be at 65/70 durability
Phase 3 – Build additional quality in accordance with the rotation below:
Phase 4 – Use Trained Hand in accordance with the following (Note: Only progress here if you have a minimum of 224CP – Prior or Post Speciality: Refurbish):
ensure you have the following met prior to starting phase 4:
- Approx. 9800Quality (Assuming minimum control).
- 159CP (If you have Speciality: Refurbish available, otherwise 224CP).
- 65/70 Durability.
- No stacks of Heart of the Crafter.
Phase 5 – Finishing the craft:
Ensure the following are met:
- 100CP MINIMUM!!!
- Approx. 19768Quality (Assuming food never fell off)
- 25/70 durability to be safe
(Note: Beyond this page is utilising Whistle on higher stats, and optimisations for shortening step count – I would only recommend reading beyond if you have intention on using it at end-game)
