THE ATELIER AYESHA Alchemy Guide FAQ version 2.0 By David Myers. A compendium of game information obtained from players active on the message boards of gamefaqs.com, with especial thanks to the contributors to the "Ultimate Equipment Guide" thread. contacting the author: by email, dwm042@email.com If you email me, please use the subject: ATELIER AYESHA I'm on the GameFaqs Atelier Ayesha message boards as dwm042. ============================================================ i. Legal Stuff This Faq is copyrighted (C) 2013 by David Myers. All rights are reserved. This FAQ is not to be distributed unless you are explicitly listed on the distribution list below. Authors that I have quoted retain their own copyright to their words. I use their comments under fair use. Please treat their contributions as having a copyright of their own, and if you quote them, please say so. Distribution List: 1) The author 2) Gamefaqs.com That's it! All other distribution points are unauthorized. ============================================================ Table of Contents 0. Updates 1. Introduction 1A. About This FAQ 1B. What is Alchemy? 1C. Ok, step back a bit. What is a property? 1D. Ok, how do I get properties? How do I transfer them? 1E. Can properties be combined? Can properties stack? 1F. How many properties can you put on an object? 1G. What are some good properties? What items have those good properties? 1H. What are whetstones? What are dyes? 1I. I have 3 properties on my Training Dye. How many do I transfer? 1J. Item Registration: what is that? Is it important? 1K. Ok, I don't have time right now to do anything fancy with my Diamond Ball. What can I do with it right away? 1L. What is this Nimbus Stone and why is it important? 1M. Cow Cream? Genug Blessing Pot? 1N. I just tried Malduke's formula for Nomadic Shoes and nothing happened. What gives? 10. I have only one Pixie Breath and I'll lose it all making a Golden Pot for the old Gentleman! Help! 2. Basics 3. In Depth 3A. Ingredients for Dyes and Whetstones. 3B. Ingredients for Genug Objects. 3C. Transfer Chains. 3D. Synthesis Concentrators. 3E. Synthesis Feeds. 3F. The Stats +6 loop. 4. Ultimate Weapon and Tools Synthesis 4A. MasterLL's method. 4B. God's Miracle Drug. 5. Things I need for this FAQ to Grow 6. Resources and Notes 7. About the Author ============================================================ 0. UPDATES ver 2.0 - Fix Fatal Wound property notes. Added duplication rate for Nio's shop. ver 1.8 - Fixed classification of Mystery Talisman. Added Stats +6 Loop. ver 1.6 - hardcore rpg gamer's God's Miracle Drug. Flan Charcoal as synthesis concentrator. Nomadic Shoe note. Format changes. ver 1.4 - Added sections 3D and 3E. Renamed per GameFAQS request. ver 1.2 - Added Kyle's bar info. Cleaned up the Zerios quote. ver 1.0 - Initial version of the FAQ. ============================================================ 1. INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------ 1A. About this FAQ: The style of this FAQ is what I call a compendium. I'm not the author of many of the ideas in this document (except for large parts of the introduction). Other people are. I am going to try and give as much credit to the people who actually did the hard work on a per-section basis. If you see someone's name or handle in parentheses, that means that a gamefaq player contributed directly to this document. So if you see something like: --------~ (Foo) Then Foo wrote a message on a message board that I read and used as source material in this FAQ. Often I will quote authors directly, in which case this document is using their words under fair use and my use does not invalidate any copyright of their own. Quotes may be edited for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. From Calvin Coolidge: "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." ------------------------------------------------------------ 1B. What is Alchemy? Alchemy is the art of combining items to generate a new item. In this game you can generate items that heal, items that recover MP, items that you can use as accessories, and most importantly, good whetstones and good dyes, to add properties to your weapons and armor. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1C. Ok, step back a bit. What's a property? Items possess properties. To see the properties of an item, highlight an tem in your basket or container, and rather than pressing 'X' to use it or move it, instead press the SELECT button. At this point, the up and down directional buttons will let you read out things like traits, effects, and properties. Properties affect how an object behaves. They can make the object stronger. They can debuff enemies. They can provide all sorts of benefits if attached to weapons, armor, accessories, bombs and healing items. Properties are not always beneficial to you. A property like 'Continuation LV2' may not help you if you need healing right *now*. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1D. Ok, how do I get properties? How do I transfer them? Sometimes, properties are found on objects. Sometimes, they are created in the process of making objects. The Alchemy Skill, POWER TRANSFER, allows you to move propeties from an object onto the new object being created. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1E. Can properties be combined? Can properties stack? (Malduke) Some can, yes. HP +10 and HP +15 combine to form HP +25. Stats +6 can be created by combining Stats +2 and Stats +4. Skill Enhance LV3 can be created by combining Skill Power +12% and Skill Usage -25%. Properties do not stack except on accessories. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1F. How many properties can be placed on an object? There are a maximum of five properties that can be placed on an object. If you have more than five, the lowest on the list are pushed off and the newest ones replace them, from top to bottom. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1G. What are some good properties? What items have these good properties? (MasterLL, Malduke) Red Power : 10% All Element Attack & 3% HP Absorb Soul Words : All Stats +4 & All Status Down Debuff Attack Spirit Power : +15% Fire and Ice Damage. Skill Enhance Lv3 : 12% Skill Damage Bonus & -25% Skill MP Cost Stats +6 : All Status +6 HP +25 : 25 more hit points Red Power is most easily obtained from a White Obsidian gained as a request in Hornheim from the Elegant Lady. If (Alt) Steinfeder is available, there are Aurora Stone drops that can also yield Red Power. Skill Enhance LV3 is obtained from the Diamond Ball that Ranun sells. Stats +6 is on the White Obsidian and also the Diamond Ball. Soul Words can be obtained from the Word-Soul Man given by the old man on the bench in Vierzeberg, as a request item. It's the next request item after the Beast Leather request, which you may be stuck on. Spirit Power is found on a Success Ring that Ranun sells, as well as an item found in Willbell's ending quest. HP +10 and HP +15 can be found on random equipment, weapons and armor, and is often a consequence of creating items using the "Draw Power" synthesis skill. Combining HP +10 and HP +15 yields HP +25. From Silfurbor_Negla: "Imo, its easier to use multiple whetstone with different traits to make ayesha staff with 5 desired trait, then copy the trait into green neutralizer/supplement It will goes like this (utilize "not enough cp mechanic" and delete trait skill to have only 2 trait on the whetstone): -Ranun diamond ball (all stat+6, skill enhance lv3)->blue whetstone -White obsidian from hornheim last delivery quest (all stat+6, red power)->blue whetstone -Mystery talisman (soul word, you can also add spirit power from wind spirit/wilbel final boss item drop)->blue whetstone Use all whetstone on ayesha staff, you will get a staff with: stat+6, skill enchance lv3, red power, spirit power, soul word (and spirit power if you add it) Then go to step 5 (green supplement) to spread the trait on all equipment" From miruki: "Never once had I any trouble beating any boss in this game... does Ayesha have good items? I really like stuff that has the "HP Expand" effect, plus something that revives and heals with auto-activate is very helpful as well. Did you put some properties on your equipment? Skill Enhancement lvl 3 is pretty much a given for all characters (besides Ayesha). Add some HP+, Red Power, Soul Words or other useful properties to you equipment to make battles easier. For Ayesha, high evasion and items with effects / properties that will make item usage take less time / more powerful are the way to go... imo." From MasterLL: "I also replaced Skill Enhance on Ayesha with "High Power", so at least when she gets hurt she gets MP back (since Skill Enhance has ZERO effect on Ayesha at all). Obviously she won't be getting hurt unless it is DLC bosses (assuming they are just as powerful as the Grand Dragon).... since all her most powerful items I use takes up MP, and not having any MP makes all her items really bad: God's Healing Magic Circle Himmel Mirror love all four of those.. lol" ------------------------------------------------------------ 1H. What are whetstones? What are dyes? Whetstones are items that can place properties on weapons. Dyes are items that can place properties on armor. You do this by selecting them in the container or basket, choosing use, and then selecting the item to use them on. There are four kinds of whetstones and four kinds of dyes. Artisan Whetstone -- allows identification of properties on weapons. Expert Whetstone -- transfers 1 property. Soul Whetstone -- transfers 2-4 properties, depending on active effects. Blade Whetstone -- transfers 4+ properties Polish Dye -- allows identification of properties on armor. Training Dye -- transfers 1 property. Magic Dye -- transfers 2 properties. Reflection Dye -- transfers 4+ properties. Artisan Whetstones and Polish Dye can be purchased early on in shops. I usually register the lowest level whetstones and dye with Marietta so I can have a plentiful supply. The formulas for Expert and Soul Whetstones, and Training and Magic Dyes are found in the book in Hallos Village. For most of what you need for weapons and armor, these whetstones are enough. The final whetstone and dye formulas are obtained after the first major boss fight near Regina's village, Riesengang, soon after creating the Flower Crystal. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1I. I have 3 properties on my Training Dye. How many do I transfer? You transfer one property, the one at the top of the property list of the dye. This means that junk cuirasses with junk properties are fair game for the transfer of one property to a whetstone. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1J. Item Registration: what is that? Is it important? You can register items you create in various stores in Vierzeberg and Hornheim. Most of these shops are only accessible during the bazaar, and so showing up when the bazaar is very useful. Shops that will register items include: Marietta's shop - 5 duplicates - dyes, whetstones, healing items, bombs. Fred's Bakery - 5 duplicates - baked goods, butters, cow cream. Willbell's shop - 3 duplicates - dyes, whetstones. Regina's shop - 1 duplicate - diamond ball, white obsidian, accessories. Linca's shop - 1 duplicate - weapons and armor. Juris's shop - 1 duplicate - accessories. Kyle's bar - 5 duplicates - foods. Nio's shop - 3 duplicates - medicine. Linca's shop is in Marion's office and Juris's and Nio's shops are on the Vierzeberg bridge. There are events that mark when they begin selling, but they are easy to miss. Just check routinely. Things I register are healing items, paper, bombs, dyes and whetstones, good accessories, good weapons, good armor, and critical ingredients for alchemy syntheses. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1K. Ok, I don't have time right now to do anything fancy with my Diamond Ball. What can I do with it right away? Both the Diamond Ball and White Obsidian are in the "Precious Ore" category, so you can rapidly create a Glass Tiara with either of these items. I would suggest registering these items with Regina first, then experiment by making Tiaras. By the way, register any really good Tiara you make. Good Tiaras can be used to make Fortune Cards, giving you a pair of good mid game accessories. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1L. What is this Nimbus Stone and why is it important? The Nimbus Stone allows you to move properties from that Glass Tiara you just made onto whetstones and dyes. You get the formula for the Nimbus Stone as part of the quest for the Rainflower, often the next flower found after Hallos Village. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1M. Cow Cream? Genug Blessing Pot? The Cow Cream formula becomes available after visiting Nanaca enough times in a book you can buy from her. The Genug Blessing Pot formula is found on an island, one you can access after buying a balloon in Hornheim. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1N. I just tried Malduke's formula for Nomadic Shoes and nothing happened. What gives? You're not looking in the right place. If you make a pair of Nomadic Shoes with Silver Fur and then Power Pour the fur as much as possible, then what changes is the effect, not any properties, per se. The 'Like the Wind' effect is more potent in terms of time savings than the effect on the pair of shoes Ranum sells. ------------------------------------------------------------ 10. I have only one Pixie Breath and I'll lose it all making a Golden Pot for the old Gentleman! Help! What you can do is Power Transfer the 'Fix Fatal Wound' property from the Pixie Breath onto the Golden Pot and make sure you synthesize more than one of them. The Old Gentleman only needs one pot. Then, with the Golden Pot, make a Genug Blessing Pot, and from that, Distilled Water, so you can transfer this property onto Wonder Cream. ============================================================ 2. BASICS (Malduke) When you begin an alchemy session, you choose ingredients and then add them in a selected order to create a new item. As you add items you consume CP (your level times 2). Further, as you level up in alchemy, you gain access to synthesis skills with which to manipulate the items you create. Note that using better items consumes more CP. On the item creation screen, you can switch to the skills screen to select a skill using the left and right directional keys. You can then switch back to choose the item for which the skill applies. While setting the item up, using the SELECT button to look at the properties of the item during the creation process. The up and down directional keys move you through the various effects and properties. The 'O' key is the backout key, and lets you step back to the item selection menu, and even out of the synthesis process altogether. The four selectable synthesis skills are: DRAW POWER - costs 5 CP. Probably the first skill you will ever use. You can get properties on items whose components had none with this skill. POWER POUR - costs 10 CP. Create a virtual item from the list of unselected items. Sometimes used to exhaust CP so that no changes past the selected component will have any effects. POWER TRANSFER - costs 5 CP. This is one of the biggies. With this specific properties on items can be transferred to new items. This does not prevent other properties from being added afterwards (Order is important in this game). POWER DENIAL - costs 0 CP. This is used to delete a property from the property list. If you don't like the outcome of a synthesis, back track with the 'O' key until you can start again. Trying different approaches is key to making good items. ============================================================ 3. IN DEPTH ------------------------------------------------------------ 3A. Ingredients for Dyes and Whetstones. DYES Training Magic Reflection Ingredients Water Water Water Polish Pdr Oil Medical Solution Cloth Elixir Silver Liquid Gemstone Cloth Cloth WHETSTONES Expert Soul Blade Ingredients Pale Clay Living Clay Clay(s) Fuel Fuel Fuel Metal Metal Metal Polish Pdr Polish Pdr Precious Ore Precious Ore is a category in which the Diamond Ball and White Obsidian are found, so you can immediately transfer properties from these objects onto a Blade Whetstone. The two Genug Items are in the "Water" category, which makes them a stepping off point for any dye. Polish Powder is a way to put traits on both whetstones and dyes from a single source. ------------------------------------------------------------ 3B. Ingredients for Genug Objects. ITEMS Water Pot Blessing Pot Ingredients Food Pottery (category includes whetstones) Nimbus Stone Everpure Water Mystery Nimbus Stone Medicine Precious Ore Because there are multiple points of entry for high level properties for the Genug Blessing Pot, it's somewhat more popular in published synthetic pathways. ------------------------------------------------------------ 3C. Transfer chains A transfer chain is a sequence of syntheses that pushes desired properties from an item to storage items, and then to dyes and then whetstones. Once properties are on dyes, you can use dyes to add properties to low level armor, and use the armor to make expert and soul whetstones. Two transfer chains mentioned in Malduke's FAQ and worth noting are: (1) Objects in "Precious Ore" category Glass Tiara Fortune Card Nimbus Stone -----------+ | | V V Genug Watering Pot -- Polish Powder Dye -- Expert Whetstone or Dye (2) Whetstones Wooden Weapon (Broom, or Staff) Supplement Green Cow Cream Hard Skin (Leathers and Hard Skin are considered "Cloth") Dye To go from a Dye to Expert or Soul Whetstones, place a property on a metal armor (I collect cuirasses for this purpose) and use the armor to make the whetstone(s). from Zerios: "I forgot the exact process, but something that made it a bit easier for me to stack traits on accessories and meet certain property requirements, mostly since I didn't want stacks of Soul Words or felt +25 HP on my accessories was necessary. (1) Everpure Water (You can stack traits on the previous components, such as salt) (2) Magisha Sheet (3) Fortune Card (4) Fortune Card to Metastasis Wing (5) Metastasis Wing to Dragon Scale (6) Dragon Scale to Soul Chain. You can probably branch off from there or before that to make other accessories. You can cycle and loop in the ever pure water stage to get all the items you want. - You can down cycle to Supplements / Tonic's in order to to make Coarse Salt (iirc), Black Powder, Charcoal Flan(?) -> Diamond Ball. You can also use metal armor for the whetstones, at least for the bladed ones, I think I did it for some of the lesser ones to knock Soul Wards off in exchange for Moon Power, there are probably better alternatives." ------------------------------------------------------------ 3D. Synthesis Concentrators One of the earliest items you can obtain from Regina is the Polished Crystal, which has Stats +2, an interesting power. Polished Crystal can be used in other sythesis pathways in the Mystery category and also the Jewel category. Deal is, making Polished Crystal requires a Mystery. ITEM POLISHED CRYSTAL Ingredients Crystal Polish Powder Liquid Mystery Point is, you can use Polished Crystals to make better Polished Crystals, which can then be fed into things like Nimbus Stones or Genug Water Pots. Accessories can concentrate as well. The Medical Earring is classified as an Ore and uses Ore in its synthesis. ITEM MEDICAL EARRING Ingredients Ore Medical Ing. Dried Plant Elixir Both Dyes and Whetstones have the ability to loop properties, by using cloth, in the case of Dyes, or metal weapons, in the case of whetstones. A famous concentration loop is the Supplement Green - Distilled Water loop. You can use whetstones to put properties on wooden weapons, use these to make Supplement Green, which then makes Distilled Water, which is then used to make more Supplement Green. As noted by hardcore_rpg_gamer, Flan Charcoal is a Fuel that needs a Fuel to be created, thus forming a Fuel concentration loop. ------------------------------------------------------------ 3E. Synthesis Feeds A useful early synthesis feed is the Fortune Card, an accessory, which uses the Lucky Charm category in its syntheses. Lucky Charms include both Glass Tiaras and Feather Pins. In turn, the Fortune Card is a Mystery, with all that implies. ITEM FORTUNE CARD Ingredients Paper Memory Ink Flour Lucky Charm The Mystery Talisman is a Precious Ore, so can take Mysteries and feed them back into things like Tiaras and Blade Whetstones. This makes Glass Tiara to Fortune Card to Mystery Talisman a loop. ITEM MYSTERY TALISMAN Ingredients Access. Ing Mystery Ancient Word St(r)ing The Nimbus Stone is a formidible way to push traits onto a Genug Pot, and takes a variety of useful "inputs" for its components. ITEM NIMBUS STONE Ingredients Ore Mystery Distilled H20 Polish Powder ------------------------------------------------------------ 3F. The Stats +6 loop. This is a self generating stats loop using a Medical Earring that feeds into a Nimbus Stone, which is then used to make another Medical Earring. Medical Earrings easily generate the Stats +2 property as part of adding CP to the item. Nimbus Stones readily generate a Stats +4 property as a result of pouring CP into the creation of the stone. The loop starts with a Medical Earring, created from anything, really. Do enough cycles and it is easy to end up with a Medical Earring that has 4 Stats +6 properties on it, and it requires no special items or equipment at all. ============================================================ 4. Ultimate Weapon Synthesis ------------------------------------------------------------ 4A. MasterLL's method From MasterLL: "This is a collection of what I have learned on the previous topics as well as steps on how to transfer the properties to equipments you want. This video & guide are those who are still unsure or am very lazy (since the alchemy system is different than Meruru/Totori). LL's Guide Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPcHeQazuzs The video above shows you what materials and items I used to transfer four of the most used properties for end game equipments: Red Power: 10% All Element Attack & 3% HP Absorb Soul Words: All Stats +4 & All Status Down Debuff Attack Skill Enhance Lv3: 12% Skill Damage Bonus & -25% Skill MP Cost Stats +6: All Status +6 I didn't have a fifth added but with the following steps, I can when I need it. Major credits to the following people below: - Alaylle for helping me out (during my live-stream) in this lengthy BUT perfect process to get all the major traits you want in. - Kuroiki (trait suggestions) - Silfurbor_Negla (overall helpful poster) - gsbreaker (post information) Each steps numbered below are for each video clip of that whole video. It shows how I transfer properties and delete while maintaining (via Manipulating) the best S-rank for equipments at the end IMPORTANT NOTES: - Try to keep quality at least 118-120! - Delete unneeded Properties (it'll help with item transfers)! - Alchemy Lv45 required at least - Use "Power Pour" to keep Quality as high as possible {WEAPONS} 01: Create Metastasis Wing - "Soul Words" from Word Stone-Man - "Red Power" from Aurora Stone 02: Create Mystery Talisman - "Soul Words" & "Red Power" from Metastasis Wing 03: Create Blade Whetstone - "Soul Words" & "Red Power" from Mystery Talisman 04: Use Blade Whetstone on Wooden Staff - "Soul Words" & "Red Power" from Blade Whetstone 05: Create Supplement Green - "Soul Words" & "Red Power" from Wooden Staff 06: Create Genug Blessing Pot - "Stats +6" & "Skill Enhance Lv3" from Diamond Ball (from Ranun store) 07: Create Distilled Water - "Stats +6" & "Skill Enhance Lv3" from Genug Blessing Pot - "Soul Words" & "Red Power" from Supplement Green 08: Create Supplement Green - All 4 properties from Distilled Water NOTE: Repeat Step 07 & 08 until you have only the properties you want on the Supplement Green! (do a loop) 09: Create Cow Cream - All 4 properties from Supplement Green 10: Create Steel Yarn Ball - All 4 properties from Cow Cream 11: Create Melt Steel - All 4 properties from Steel Yarn Ball NOTE: Register Melt Steel and Steel Yarn Ball at Wilbell 12: Create Blade Whetstone - All 4 properties from Melt Steel NOTE: Register Blade Whetstone {ARMORS} 13: Create Genug Blessing Pot - All 4 properties from Blade Whetstone 14: Create Reflection Dye - All 4 properties from Genug Blessing Pot NOTE: Register Reflection Dye {ACCESSORIES} Soul Trap Chain: All 4 properties from Steel Yarn Ball Dragon Scale Iron: All 4 properties from Melt Steel NOTE: Register both at Regina if you can't make enough" ------------------------------------------------------------ 4B. God's Miracle Drug From hardcore_rpg_gamer: My God's Miracle Drug looks like this: - Keen Sense - Time Power - Mythic Potency - High Speed Lv. 3 - Gold Honey Gold Honey restores HP/MP, helps mitigate the MP cost of the item. If you stack two of them it should completely negate the MP cost (I have Ancient Power on Ayesha's gear, boosts skill and item powers by 7%), but with Time Power, I felt one was enough. I used a Body Energy Powder as the Elixir item to get some of those properties on there (High Speed and Gold Honey, the rest came from stuff available to make the item.) Keen Sense is for Critical Chance. I'm using Silent Shoes over Dragon Scale Irons, and most of my gear has Bean Brightness on it (small HP recovery, +10 Critical Chance), so it suits my needs. The other traits are self explanatory.... For the Elixir item to make the God's Miracle Drug, I mentioned that I used a Body Energy Powder as an ingredient. I had Gold Honey x3 and High Speed Lv.3 on that, with some other property (I wanted Auto Activate 50%, but it didn't go to the Energy Powder when I made it). You can play around with Flan Charcoals, which can also be used as an ingredient to make itself (fuel), and add in the Gold Honey property from Gold Hives (gunpowder). You can kinda just refine it a bit by repeatedly using Flan Charcoals to make Flan Charcoals until you're stacked enough Gold Honey or something. I remember doing something like that. You can then use a Flan Charcoal as fuel item for the Body Energy Power. With one Gold Honey property, I recall recovery around 40-50 MP when used. I have a backup MP recovery item on hand just in case, though I had considered stacking Gold Honey. The other properties I had came from the Time Guard Flower (which is a required item for the synthesis) and Keen Sense came from a Crystal Claw (I think) that was also used to make the God's Miracle Drug." ============================================================ 5. Things I need for this FAQ to Grow If you know of something I've missed, or should include, write me some email! Yes, if you do, and I use what you send me, your name WILL be used in the FAQ. See the email address at the top for information. ============================================================ 6. Resources and Notes There is one other FAQ that covers similar material to this one. There is the Walkthrough FAQ of Malduke. It is a good FAQ, and deserves your time and attention. ============================================================ 7. About the Author I'm male, in my 50s. I have a bachelors in Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry from Rice University that I don't use much anymore. Still, the education was worth the trip, in a Bull Durham kind of way. I write these things largely to help me understand the game I play. I do believe if you can explain a topic to mostly anyone, then you have a shot at explaining it to yourself. Or so the logic goes. I co-wrote a FAQ a few years ago that was well received, The Atelier Iris Weapons Synthesis FAQ. The editor I used then and now was vim.