Materia Guide

Materia Guide


Materia: Guide | Attribute | Physical | Magic | Defensive | Resistance | Craft & Gathering

The Materia system was implemented in patch 1.19 and takes its name from Final Fantasy VII. In FFVII players could find and buy materia and slot it into their weapons. This gave your character new spells, summons and better attributes. The system in FFXIV shares some similarities with this in that materia is slotted into equipment and gives you better attributes but that's where it ends. Materia in FFXIV will not give you new spells, summons and it has differences in how it is obtained. You are able to buy it from other players in the market wards and bazaars, but unlike FFVII you can create it yourself.

FFXIV Materia Quest Location
Before you get started creating your materia you may want to complete the "Risky Business" quest offered by Aistan in 6,3 of Ul'dah Merchant Strip. You should also complete the "Forging the Spirit" quest offered by Swynbroes in 29,20 of Thanalan. This is northeast of Nanawa Mines.

You must be level 18 or above in order to obtain this quest. Upon completion of the quest you will receive a key item called a Materia Assimilator. This key item will allow you to create materia when certain conditions are met.



Creating Materia


Materia is created from equipment once its spiritbond has reached 100%. An item's spiritbond will increase through using it in your daily business by crafting, gathering and battling. Spiritbond will increase slower if you are below the optimal level required to equip it and if the gear is broken (0% durability) you will not gain spiritbond at all. Some equipment can not be converted to materia, this is usually equipment that is obtained as special rewards from raids or primal battles.

FFXIV Manathirst Materia

By using your Materia Assimilator on a 100% spiritbonded item you will create a piece of materia. Which type of materia you receive depends on which type of item you convert. A chart of these can be found here. When an item is converted to materia the item is permanently lost.


Tiers of Materia


There are currently four tiers of materia, each giving a high potency than the last. The higher the tier, the higher the potency on the materia. Additionally each tier has up to four different sub potencies. Sound confusing? Take for example the Strength IV materia, the highest tier of Strength materia. The Strength IV materia can give you 16, 17, 18 or 20 strength depending on the materia.

Materia Bonus Stats Catalyst Meldable
Strength I Strength I Strength 1 2 3 5 Carbonized FFXIV Hands SlotFFXIV Gladiator's Weapon SlotFFXIV Pugilist's Weapon SlotFFXIV Marauder's Weapon SlotFFXIV Archer's Weapon SlotFFXIV Blacksmith's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Armorer's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Botanist's Primary Tool Slot
Strength II Strength II Strength 6 7 8 10 Petrified FFXIV Hands SlotFFXIV Gladiator's Weapon SlotFFXIV Pugilist's Weapon SlotFFXIV Marauder's Weapon SlotFFXIV Archer's Weapon SlotFFXIV Blacksmith's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Armorer's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Botanist's Primary Tool Slot
Strength III Strength III Strength 11 12 13 15 Fossilized FFXIV Hands SlotFFXIV Gladiator's Weapon SlotFFXIV Pugilist's Weapon SlotFFXIV Marauder's Weapon SlotFFXIV Archer's Weapon SlotFFXIV Blacksmith's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Armorer's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Botanist's Primary Tool Slot
Strength IV Strength IV Strength 16 17 18 20 Fossilized FFXIV Hands SlotFFXIV Gladiator's Weapon SlotFFXIV Pugilist's Weapon SlotFFXIV Marauder's Weapon SlotFFXIV Archer's Weapon SlotFFXIV Blacksmith's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Armorer's Primary Tool SlotFFXIV Botanist's Primary Tool Slot

When creating materia the tier you receive is largely affected by the level of the equipment piece. If your equipment is between the levels of 1-30 you will also create tier I materia. If your equipment is between levels 31 to 40 you will have a chance at creating tier II materia. If your equipment is above level 41 you will create tier II, III and IV materia.


Catalysts


Catalysts are a special item which is required when attaching materia to equipment. You can either buy these from players in the market wards or bazaars or if you have a high enough Disciple of the Land class you can go out and gather your own. The problem with gathering your own is that the catalysts are divided between the three Disciples of the Land classes. This means a Botanist can gather 1/3 of the catalysts, while the same is true for Miner and Fisher. Additionally your DoL class may need to be high level in order to gather the item.



If you prefer to gather your own rather than buy from other players, you will first need to complete the quest "Joining the Spirit". This can be taken if you are level 18 or above in Botany, mining or fishing and the quest is given by Kokosamu in Thanalan at 29,20. Upon completion of the quest you will earn an item called Fingerprints of the Gods. This should be equipped to your DoL class before you go out gathering. It will randomly activate during the gathering process and give you the opportunity to obtain catalyst.

A table of where to gather the catalysts can be found below. The sweet spot refers to where on your gathering bar you are most likely to find the catalyst. 0 is the default and is at the centre of the bar. A sweet spot with a positive number means you should move the aim up, while a negative means to move it down. The level refers to the minimum level that you should be before gathering in that area. You will be able to gather there before that but it will be incredible difficult without the ability to search for gathering nodes.

Catalyst Class Location Level Sweet Spot
Carbonized Matter Miner Horizon's Edge 18+ +5
Petrified Matter Miner Nophica's Wells 28+ +5
Fossilized Matter Miner Dragonhead 38+ +5
Crystallized Matter Miner Treespeak 38+ +5
Germinated Matter Botanist Tranquil Paths 18+ +5
Decayed Matter Botanist Humblehearth 28+ +5
Decomposed Matter Botanist Iron Lake 38+ +5
Liquefied Matter Botanist Halatali 38+ +5
Calcified Matter Fisher Bloodshore 18+ +5
Cultured Matter Fisher Cedarwood 28+ +5
Ossified Matter Fisher Bald Knoll 38+ -5
Cretified Matter Fisher Nine Ivies 38+ -5


Attaching Materia


Before you can attach materia you must complete the "Waking the Spirit" quest given by F'hobhas in Thanalan at 29,20. This requires you to be level 18 or above in Armorer, Blacksmith, Carpenter, Goldsmith, Leatherworker or Weaver. Materia can only be attached to equipment that is high enough level for that tier of materia. Tier I materia can be attached to all equipment, tier II materia can only be attached to equipment level 31+ and tier III and IV can only be attached to equipment of levels 41+.

Once you have your materia, your catalyst and a piece of equipment you will be able to meld it all together if your crafting class is high enough level. Each piece of equipment is assigned to a crafting class, usually this means the class who can create the item can attach materia to it. If your crafting class is not high enough level you can trade the items to another player for them to perform the meld for you. The required level for attaching materia is written on the meld window, along with the chance of success. The first meld will always be successful.


Attaching Multiple Materia


It is possible to attach up to five materia to a single item, giving you a very powerful item. It is rare that you will see any items in-game with more than three materia attached and even getting this many will cost you a considerable amount of time or gil. If you would like to attempt this then you will have to attach materia to 10 items and then speak to Mutamix at 29,20 in Thanalan. He will give you the Augmented Materia Melder, which allows you to attach more than one materia to an item.

FFXIV Materia Double Meld
While the first materia you attach to an item has a 100% success rate, the success rate massively decreases with the more you attach to it. Additionally, the success rate is based on the tier and potency of the materia already attached and the materia you are trying to attach.

If you are feeling ambitious and would like to attach 5 tier IV materia to an item you could expect success rates similar to the following:

First Meld: 100%
Second Meld: 15-18%
Third Meld: 6-7%
Fourth Meld: 1-2%
Fifth Meld: < 1%


You could expect to spend many millions and go through hundreds of materia to obtain equipment with four tier IV materia attached and then would you really want to risk that by trying to attach a fifth? Most people will stop at three. However if you would like to attach lower tiers of materia you will have higher chances of success, but at the end of the day the potency will even out with success rates. Attaching a tier IV materia on to an item with a tier III materia already attached is a common strategy as it will give you a success rate of around 25-30%. This is less risk but gets you an item better than any single melded item will achieve.

Materia: Guide | Attribute | Physical | Magic | Defensive | Resistance | Craft & Gathering

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