The Basics of Synthesis

What is Synthesis?

Synthesis involves combining various ingredients to create an entirely new item. Synthesized items can be used in exploration, gathering, combat, and other activities.
Use the Alchemy Cauldron inside your base to perform synthesis. You will need to have the recipe for the item you wish to create and the specified ingredients.

You can acquire new recipes by:

  • altering existing recipes through Material Loops,
  • unlocking them on the Skill Tree,
  • learning them from reference books.

Elements

Each item carries one or more of four elements: fire, ice, bolt, or air.
An item's element can be seen on the Item Info screen.

Material Loops

The synthesis is conducted by adding materials to Material Loops.
Material Loops determine what types of materials you can use, as well as the preferred material element.
The Core Ingredient Loops (Material Loops available to add ingredients to from the beginning) must be filled with ingredients to proceed.

Types of Ingredients

Displays an icon that indicates the type of ingredients that can be added.

Element (Color)

Each Material Loop has a specific element associated with it. You can add ingredients with different elements as well.

Fire: Red / Ice: Blue / Bolt: Yellow / Air: Green

Fire

Ice

Bolt

Air

Element Value

If you add ingredients with the same element as the Material Loop, the icon will light up according to the element value. If all the icons are lit up, the Material Loop will level up, and the effect associated with the Material Loop will be unlocked.
If the Material Loop can be further leveled up, new icons for the next level will appear.

Keep in mind that adding ingredients with 0 element value will not increase the element value.

Band Shape

Material Loops with different effects will have different shapes.

Effect, Quality, etc.

Trait Slots

Super Trait Slot

Recipe Morph

Element Lock

Quality Lock

Core Ingredient Loops

Core Ingredient Loops are Material Loops that you can add ingredients to from the beginning. At the start of synthesis, you can only add ingredients to the Core Ingredient Loops.
Once you add ingredients to all of the Core Ingredient Loops, the neighboring Material Loops will be unlocked, indicated with a bright yellow line. You can then add ingredients to these Material Loops.

Note: You cannot add ingredients to Material Loops that are not connected with a bright yellow line.

Leveling Up Material Loops

Material Loops will level up once you add ingredients with the same element as the Material Loop and reach a certain element value.
The effect associated with the Material Loop will be unlocked once you level it up. Level up even more to gain stronger effects.

Unlocking Material Loops

Material Loops that are locked must be unlocked by fulfilling specific requirements.

Element Lock

These loops are unlocked by adding the required element value to the preceding Material Loop.

Quality Lock

Unlocked by reaching the required quality of the item you are currently synthesizing.
You can improve the overall quality by adding high-quality ingredients or changing an ingredient you previously added to a better one.

Note: The upper quality limit for synthesis can be raised by learning "Max Quality" in the Skill Tree.

Adding Ingredients and Starting Synthesis

Once the remaining number of ingredients that can be added reaches 0, you will be asked if you would like to start synthesizing.
After you add ingredients to all of the Core Ingredient Loops, you may start synthesizing right away without adding any extra ingredients.

Note: The number of ingredients used in a recipe can be increased by learning "Extra Ingredients" in the Skill Tree.

Start Synthesis
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Keyboard & Mouse Gamepad
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Recipe Morph

If you level up a special Material Loop marked "Recipe," you can create a completely new item. You will automatically learn the recipe for the new item.

Note: These new recipes can then be changed even further, which is necessary if you want to learn every possible recipe.