For one base game and two expansions, Crafters and Gatherers were forgotten. However, with the arrival of Shadowbringers and patch 5.25, Disciplines of the Land and the Hand can finally grind their heart out for tireless days to get one epic tool which will be easily replaceable by a level 83 weapon when Endwalker arrives later this year. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the Skysteel Tools. Walk with me cause I’m gonna teach you how to get and upgrade every Gatherer Skysteel Tool out there to mine, harvest, and fish using a glowing magical implement.
How To Unlock Skysteel Tools
You may have missed it because The first Skysteel Tool is unlocked in the Foundation, Ishgard, the first main hub of Heavensward. Unless you read up on your patch notes, why would you return to it at level 80, right? If the quest doesn’t pop up when you are around, it’s because there’s a minor requirement to make it show. You have to be further than the main quest, “Litany of Peace,” and complete the first quest of the Ishgardian Restoration questline. The quest is called “Towards the Firmament,” and you can grab it with Recruitment Notice in Foundation (X:9.7, Y:11.5) at level 60. It’s as straightforward as clicking on NPCs and scrolling the text box. Once you complete it, you will unlock the next quest to open the Restoration site, which you can do if you fancy some mounts, cosmetics, and boatloads of experience. However, keep in mind that the last tool upgrade requires you to go to Diadem, so you will have to unlock Ishgard Restoration anyways. After completing the quests above, Mislaid Plans will unlock at Foundation (X:14.2, Y:12.5) with Skysteel Engineer. You need any Disciple of Hand/Land at level 80 to pick it up. Go to the Skysteel Manufactory aetheryte, talk with some NPCs, and that’s it. You will get a Skysteel Prototype Coffer that will give a tool determined by the current class at the opening time. Subsequent Skysteel prototypes can be bought from Denys inside the Skysteel Manufactory for 80,000 Gil each.
How To Upgrade Gatherers Skysteel Tools to iLvl 455
The first part of the upgrade is a grind fest, but still the fastest, so if you have a hard time, know that even more hardships await you. Check out your Gathering Log to find new materials there. You will need to farm some Oddly Specific materials to upgrade your tool to Skyteels Tools +1. If you are aiming for Fisher, don’t forget to buy bait from Denys. You don’t need to equip the tools in this step, so wield the best one. Regarding equipment, I will let you know just below the requirements to unlock node bonuses and remember to bring an excessive amount of Hi-Cordials. All that’s left is to turn on some Netflix or a podcast - I prefer Twitch - and get ready to farm for two to three hours.
Miner Materials
340x Oddly Specific Obsidian (HQ) 120x Oddly Specific Mineral Sand (NQ - Hidden)
While they demand more high-quality materials, the required NQ material is hidden, which means you may or may not find it on a node, so I suggest you farm them first whenever they pop. You can check the Gathering Log to find the spots to mine. If you have over 1856 Gathering, The Sea of Clouds nodes can offer more yields. Over 1840 Perception and Coerthas Western Highlands can grant you plus Gathering Fortune, which increases the chance of mining for HQ materials. Both nodes can give more Gathering Attempts at 696 GP. Pick your desired destination and pray to RNGesus.
Botanist Materials
340x Oddly Specific Latex (HQ) 120x Oddly Specific Fossil Dust (NQ - Hidden)
Same drill and attributes as Miner. If you want more yields, go to The Sea of Clouds. If you lack HQ materials, The Dravanian Forelands is your vacation spot. Both can give you Gathering Attempts at the same 696 GP value.
Fisher Materials
40x Thinkers Coral (HQ)
If you ever fished in FFXIV, you know it’s an RNG fiesta. You need to go to The Dravanian Hinterlands (x22.0, y25.0). The Fishing Spot is called Thaliak River, and you get no bonuses from it. Make sure you are using Signature Skyball bait bought from Denys, or else you will never get the required item. It’s a single “!” tug if you are hooking in the right place. I hope you didn’t kill Leviathan too much cause you need all the blessings it can give you.
How To Upgrade Gatherers Skysteel Tools to iLvl 475
I don’t need to tell you that after all this grinding, you will grind more. A little bit more than previously. It’s the exact repetition as before, but you will need different materials from other nodes.
Miner Materials
510x Oddly Specific Dark Matter (HQ) 180x Oddly Specific Striking Stone (NQ)
They thought we would enjoy gathering 50% more materials for another upgrade. This step follows the same pattern, many high-quality materials and some normal quality hidden materials. Miners who have over 1929 Gathering can get yield bonuses in The Dravanian Forelands, while over 1898 Perception can increase your chance of gathering HQ items in The Dravanian Hinterlands. Both can give you gathering attempts if your GP is over 714.
Botanist Materials
510x Oddly Specific Amber (HQ) 180x Oddly Specific Bauble (NQ)
Same as the pickaxe worker. The Churning Mists is your spot if you have 1929 Gathering for more yield and Coerthas Western Highlands for the more perceptive with over 1898 Perception for better odds to get HQ Ambers. Higher than 714 GP can give you more gathering attempts.
Fisher Materials
60x Dragonspine (HQ)
I hope you enjoyed your first RNG fiesta because this is the afterparty. At Coerthas Western Highlands (x8.0, y10.0), search for the Dragonspit Fishing Spot. If it was hard to grab 40 HQ fishes, now you have to hook 60 of them. It’s also a single “!” tug alert when you’ve hooked it. Fill your shopping cart with Signature Skyball bait and prepare to kill some time while fishing for these materials.
How To Upgrade Gatherers Skysteel Tools to iLvl 485
After you got a hold on any Dragonsung tool for your desired Disciple of the Land, you can start the next questline by speaking to Neillemard to begin “In Everyone’s Best Interests.” Follow it through until you can talk with Nimie to start “Ever Skyward” and augment your desired tool. You need to deliver pots of Gobbiegoo, which you can get by trading the gathered materials. In essence, it’s the same boredom as before; they just added a simple step to smokescreen the hellish-grind behind it. The main difference here is that you need to equip the Dragonsung tools while farming, so don’t forget to wield them. Miners and Botanists trade 10 High-Quality items for 1 pot of Gobbiegoo. Since you need 50 pots of Gobbiegoo, quick math shows us you need 500 HQ materials. Moreover, along with the pots, you will need to deliver 180 NQ hidden items. Fishers are a bit easier. You need only 6 Gobbiegoo, that is, 60 HQ fishes.
Materials Location
Miners and botanists gather materials and gain bonuses in the same location and with identical attributes. For more yield, go to Yanxia if you have more than 2161 Gathering. For Gathering Fortune, you need more than 2139 Perception and grind in The Lochs. Above 740 GP can give you extra gathering attempts. Make sure to check your Gathering Log for the materials’ exact location. Miners: 500x Oddly Specific Schorl (HQ - trade for Miner’s Gobbiegoo) and 180x Oddly Specific Landborne Aethersand (NQ - Hidden) Botanist: 500x Oddly Specific Dark Chestnut Log (HQ - trade for Botanist’s Gobbiegoo) and 180x Oddly Specific Leafborne Aethersand (NQ - Hidden) Fishers need to get 60 HQ Petal Shell at Yanxia (x36.0, y23.0). Single ‘!’ tug as well. The Fishing Spot is called Plum Spring. After delivering all required items, your Dragonsung tool will upgrade to Augmented Dragonsung and have an iLvl of 485.
How To Upgrade Gatherers Skysteel Tools to iLvl 500
By now, you must have spotted a pattern, right? It will keep going until you get a glowing tool and there are no further upgrades. So to keep things short, let’s wrap up your chores and best spots to get the requested materials. After getting an Augmented Dragonsung tool, talk to Nimie to begin “The Tools of Tomorrow” - more like tools of the next week. You will need to farm more materials to trade for other pots. Yes, more Goobiegoo, but this time it’s Highly Viscous Goobiegoo. It’s like they are trying to divert a child’s attention with those fancy names. Like before, you need to trade each 10 HQ materials for one pot for a total of 60 pots, which means 600 HQ materials! And, of course, include 200 NQ hidden materials in your endeavor. Fishers can rejoice a little bit cause they just need 70 HQ fishes for the 7 Highly Viscous Fisher’s Gobbiegoo.
Materials Location
Azys Lla for me, Azys Lla for you, Azys Lla for everyone. You gather every single material on Azys Lla, although in different locations; check your Gathering Log for the radius. Miner’s Cooling Station area gives Gathering Fortune if over 2156 Perception and The Aqueduct area gives Gathering Yield if you have more than 2192 Gathering. Botanist needs the same attributes to get bonuses. Go to Pappus Tree if you want more Gathering Fortune to get those HQ or Hyperstellar Downconverter to yield more materials at once. Fishing items can only be gathered in one spot and with the appropriate bait. Trade your items for pots with Denys, give everything to Nimie to obtain your Skysung tool, drink water, take a walk, and rest because the grind isn’t over yet, my friend.
How To Upgrade Gatherers Skysteel Tools to iLvl 510
Last part, finally! You are one step of getting a beautiful-glowy-spectral tool to brag at the next land workers’ union meeting. With your Skysung tool, you can accept “Oddness in the End” by talking with Neillemard, complete it, and then speak to Emeny to begin “The Pinnacle of Possibility.” Farming time, partner. The good news, no more hidden items are needed. Crazy news, you need Collectable materials now. You will trade these Collectable for Oddly Delicate parts, 250 required for Miner and Botanists, and 200 for Fishers. Depending on the item Collectability you exchange, you will be rewarded with more parts. Miners and Botanists get 1 part if the Collectability is between 400-699. 3 parts if it’s between 700-999 and 7 parts if it’s 1000. Fishers differ slightly; fish rating between 126-295 rewards you with 1 part. If it’s between 296-304, you get 2 parts and 4 parts if the rating is above 305. Together with the Oddly Delicate parts, you need to deliver Inconceivably Delicate parts for both Miners and Botanists. You need 25 parts of each, and you trade 30 HQ materials for 1 of them, so expect to get 750 HQ materials. The second item for Fishers is also Collectables. The ratings range from 62-146 for 1 part, 147-151 for 2 parts, and above 152 for 4 parts. You get the parts by trading the materials with Spanner at The Firmament - Featherfall (x:9.8, y:14.7).
Materials Location
For the Collectables, we are gonna stick to Azys Lla. Remember to equip your Skysung tool, put on your Collector’s Glove, and rejoice in the new Collectables skills that made our life 73% easier. You should always aim to get 1000 Collectability, so having over 700GP and many Hi-Cordials is a must-have if you don’t want to spend a day’s worth grinding. If max Collectability, you can use Solid Reason to get two items at the same time. Miners should go to the Gamma Quadrant and Botanists at the Antithesis. There are no bonuses for Collectables. Diadem is the spot for the HQ materials, so go to the Ishgard Restoration site, travel to the floating isles, and look for deposits and trees at (x27.5 y16.1). Bonuses can vary from Gathering Yield, Gathering Attempts, and Gathering Fortune. You need 2348 Gathering, 772 GP, and 2336 Perception sequentially to activate them. Fishers can get Flintstrike at a fishing spot in Azys Lla, The Pappus Tree (x6.3, y34.7). It’s a “!!” tug. Netting a high rating can be frustrating since it’s pretty random, so a podcast is your best friend. When you are done fishing for Flintstrikes, it’s time to get some Pickled Pom also in Azys Lla, in the Delta Quadrant (x9.5, y26.7). It’s a simple “!” tug, but still RNG dependent. After getting all the materials and trading them with Spanner, deliver your Skysung Tool to finally get hold of the long-desired Skybuilders so you can finally uninstall FFXIV after being scarred forever because of this herculean grind to get a tool that can farm no better materials than the one you just did.
