Guide to Alchemy
(Definitions listed at the bottom)
(Please Note: Most of this is off memory alone, I seemed to have misplaced some reference links ^^; So if you see anything incorrect, please tell me. Just don't be all high and mighty about it and go bashing like a class A critic. And I apologize for the lack of screen shots.)
Intro
Alchemy, also called Compounding, is the process of combining items to create another item. You can combine up to five items together, and if an item is stackable, up to 50 of that item can be counted as one.
For Example:
Vine Grass x1 + Wood x1
Vine Grass x1 + Wood x50
Vine Grass x50 + Wood x50
Vine Grass x1 + Vine Grass x50 + Wood x1 + Wood x50 + Vine Grass x1

Alchemy: Not so perfect
Alchemy, while useful, is not always an exact art. And when it fails, it can be annoying.. and quite a way to lose money. Do not expect everything to work perfectly, even if a formula (a set of items compounded) is said to be a "100%" formula. Common items you get when a formula fails:
-Common Stone (Usually from a failed metal, rock, or other mineral based formula)
-Steam Buns (Usually from a failed food based formula)
-Straw Mushroom (Usually from a failed flower, grass, wood, or other plant based formula)
-Sewage (Usually from a failed water based formula; also from nylon based formulas)

Item Ranks
All items have a rank, and ranks play a very important role in alchemy. A rank one item combined with a rank one item will not, cannot make a rank 30 item. Even with alchemy books, I highly doubt it's possible, and that'd be a waste of alchemy books. But, depressingly, annoyingly, infuriatingly, a rank 30 item combined with a rank 30 item CAN make a rank 1 item.

Base Materials
In alchemy, most items have a base material, and this is very important. Depending on what you want to make, you'll need to use certain items. In most cases, the base material of the produced item cannot be made with something that has a different base material. However, when a formula fails the item rank may be changed, or on very rare occasions the compound succeeds but the base material is different. Also, please note that some items have secondary materials. This is important to keep in mind when making an item with a secondary material, because an item with two base materials normally requires that items with those specific bases must be used in the formula.

Quantity
When using stacked items, this is an important thing to keep in mind. This is why:
(assuming the first item is the base material)
1. Vine Grass x1 + Wood x1 ---> Makes 1 item
2. Vine Grass x1 + Wood x50 ---> Still only makes 1 item. You can't get more items from less!
3.(a) Vine Grass x50 + Wood x50 ---> Makes 50 items.
3.(b) Vine Grass x50 + Wood x50 ---> If the item produced is equipment, you only get one of it.

Alchemy Skills
Although you do not need any alchemy skill to do alchemy, having the alchemy skill is a good idea. Higher level of alchemy are known to increase your success rates, and make other alchemy skill available to you, each with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Currently, there are three alchemy skills:
Primary Alchemy
Junior Alchemy
Superior Alchemy

Primary Alchemy Laws
1. The first item used will be the base item.
(So if you do "Copper Ore + Wood" the resulting item, if successful, should be a copper based one)
2. The produced item's rank can only be 4 ranks higher than the average of the item ranks being used.
(The average rank is: All of the item ranks added together and divided by the number of items. So, rank 4 + rank 6 = 10, and 10 / 2 = 5, which can then be increased up to four ranks, or be decreased down to a rank one item)
3. Succeed or Fail; meaning it either works or it fails.

Junior Alchemy Laws
1. The item of the highest rank will be the base item. However, there is a slight trick to this.
Example: Titanium Alloy(R15) + Wolf Tooth(R20) = Bone based item (Or, more accurately, Hard Tissue)
The Trick: Wolf Bracers(R16-Titanium) + Wolf Tooth(R20) + Wolf Bracers(R16-Titanium) = Titanium based item!
You see, because there are two of the lower ranked item, it is actually combined to be a rank 32 item, meaning it has the higher rank, and your alchemy can succeed.
2. The produced item's rank can only be 4 ranks higher than the average of the item ranks being used. But, also, it will normally only decrease by a max of 8 ranks. (Please take note of that word "normally")
3. Under the right circumstances, certain formulas are "100%" ones.
Condition A: The primary (and secondary if there is one) bases cannot be those of an item within the -8 range (Law 2-Junior). In other words, there cannot be an item more than 8 ranks below the formula average that has those bases.
Condition B: There is an item that is +1 the formula average that has those bases. (One rank more than the formula average) That +1 item will be the outcome of your alchemy.
4. When Junior Alchemy Fails, it usually returns either the base item, or a lower ranked item of the base.

Superior Alchemy Laws
1. The item of the highest rank will be the base item. (Like in Junior Alchemy)
2. The produced item's rank can only be 5 ranks higher than the average of the item ranks being used. But, also, it can decrease by a max of 7 ranks. (Or fail, keep that in mind)
3. Succeed or Fail; meaning it either works or it fails.

~Definitions~
Alchemy
The process of combining items to create other items. Also known as
compounding.
Alchemy Book
An item which upgrades the end rank of a formula; must be part of the formula, and should be the last ingredient. There are a few types, but the higher the number the more they add.
Base Material
The main material that an item is made of.
Secondary Material
The additional material that an item is made of.
Equipment
Wearable items. (Hats, armors, weapons, accessories, shoes, armlets, etc)
Formula
The list, or set, or items used in a compound.
100% Formula
A formula that is thought, rumored, or designed to be a perfect one; without chance of failing. However, please understand it can also mean it just hasn't been tested enough.
Laws
The rules/guidelines that alchemy follows, however there are, on rare
occasions, exceptions to certain laws.
Rank
All items have a rank, which can be seen my moving the mouse pointer over
the item in the game. Very important to alchemy.
Average
The average is the sum (added) rank of the items used in a formula, divided by the number of items
used in that formula.
Fail
In alchemy, this means a formula that did not produce a desired item. Also known as stepping on a
rock, eating shrooms, sore buns, or choking on a bad drink.

Last edited Sat, 17 Jan 2009, 4:38pm by Kazura