Here's a guide to max melding your end-game gathering gear to make the most of your materia sockets and reach one, two and three star gathering status.
Stats Needed
★ Gathering: 353 Perception: 322 | ★★ Gathering: 353 Perception: 322 | ★★★ Gathering: 420 Perception: 420 | Only the gathering stat is needed to reach the node. Perception will be required to obtain HQ. |
Materia Needed
Guerdon (Gathering) Guile (Perception) Grasp (GP) | 1 6 0 | 7 4 0 | 2 1 2 | 3 2 11 |
Some notes:
- This list is inclusive of rose gold accessories, so some of the materia listed will not need to be melded to each gear set.
- This is is for i55 master gathering gear. i70 Forager gear will use a slightly different meld and have fewer overmelds. (See meld lists)
- This list does not include an offhand. It's impossible to reach most stat caps on militia offhands, so you can meld whatever is needed.
The Melds
The max melds are listed below for each gear piece. Although most items aren't melded to five sockets, all items will reach their stat cap with these melds (assuming the gear piece is HQ). Melding any extra materia will be a waste.
If this is your first time melding a gathering gear set, I recommend starting with your accessories. And don't feel guilty or ashamed after spending the gil. Remember that these items can be shared with all the crafting classes and only need to be melded once.
● Socket exists in gear piece. 100% meld success.
○ Forbidden meld. Decreased success rate.
* Can be shared with all crafting classes.
If this is your first time melding a gathering gear set, I recommend starting with your accessories. And don't feel guilty or ashamed after spending the gil. Remember that these items can be shared with all the crafting classes and only need to be melded once.
● Socket exists in gear piece. 100% meld success.
○ Forbidden meld. Decreased success rate.
* Can be shared with all crafting classes.
Accessories (i55)
Waist* ●GP IV ○Gather II ○Perception I | Neck* ●GP IV ○GP IV ○Gather II ○Perception II | Ears* ●GP IV ○GP IV ○Gather II ○Perception II | Wrists* ●GP IV ○GP III ○GP III ○Gather II ○Perception II | Left Ring* ●GP IV ○Gather II ○Perception I | Right Ring* ●GP IV ○Gather II ○Perception I |
Master Gear (i55)
Head ●Perception IV ●GP IV ○Perception III ○Gather II | Body ●Gather IV ●Gather IV ○Perception I ○Perception I | Hands ●Gather III ●Gather III ○Perception II | Legs ●GP IV ●Gather IV ○Perception I | Feet ●GP IV ●Perception IV ○Gather I | Offhand ● Meld whatever is needed. |
Forager's Gear (i70)
Head* Can't be melded. | Body* ●Gather III ●Gather III ●Perception III ○Gather I ○Perception I | Hands* ●Gather III ●Gather III ●Perception II | Legs* ●Gather IV ●GP IV ○Perception I | Feet* ●Perception IV ●GP IV ○Gather I | Offhand ● Meld whatever is needed. |