There are a number of crafting and gathering jobs for players to pick up in Final Fantasy XIV. Each one provides a unique role in supplying the game’s markets and can influence the economy on some level. For most players, however, they are a source of useful gear and supplies to use on themselves.
While the player will eventually become well versed in all jobs it is important to start with the right ones. The best job will depend on the player’s chosen class, but generally speaking there are some that are far superior to others when factoring in other players. Here are all of the crafting and gathering jobs ranked by what will be the most useful to the player.
Updated on July 19, 2021 by Ben Baker: Crafting and gathering jobs can take quite a while to get up and running and get the most out of them. It’s important to know what the roles are about, where to go to gather supplies, and what tools are necessary for the job. For players debating which crafting class or profession to pursue this guide has been expanded to include some of this important to know information. It’s not comprehensive, but it’ll be more than enough to get a budding Fisher or Alchemist started.
11 Fisher
Fisher ranks at the bottom because it's very niche to endgame content. For the majority of the game, it’s a poor money maker compared to the others because few players are in the market for fish.
The other issue is that fish are only useful materials for Culinarians and Botanists. Taking time to fish when a player could run to the market is often a waste of time. Once in the endgame, it becomes invaluable to Culinarians and Botanists for high-end recipes, but until then the demand is non-existent.
Fishers will spend the majority of their time catching fish and other ocean life. The primary tool for this crafting class is the Fishing Rod and the secondary are Tackles or various forms of bait. There are a number of places to go fishing and some are better than others.
- Middle La Noscea – best for low level Fishers.
- Southern Thanalan – great for mid-level Fishers.
- Eastern La Noscea – ideal for mid-level to end game Fishers.
- Mor Dhona – The absolute best place for end game fishing.
10 Miner
The Miner job is useful for players who are looking to pursue Blacksmith, Armorer, or Goldsmith job paths. Mining can also be one of the most lucrative gathering activities in the game. Selling various Sands can net a few thousand Gil for savvy players who understand the markets.
That being said it’s a gathering job which isn’t as useful or lucrative compared to crafting jobs. It’s also more useful for physically based classes which aren’t the most common among the fanbase.
Miners work to draw minerals and other materials from the rocks. This gathering job will need a Pickaxe and Sledgehammer to collect materials. There are a lot of places to go mining, but some have more to offer.
- Central Thanalan – good for beginning Miners.
- Upper La Noscea – a lot to offer for mid-level Miners.
- The Azim Steppe – good for mid-level to late-game Miners.
- Amh Araeng – solid for late-game Miners.
9 Botanist
Botanist is the most useful gathering class in the game. It provides a variety of materials for Carpenters, Weavers, Culinarians, and Alchemists. Because of this the materials a Botanist can gather are almost always in demand.
Granted, it may not be as profitable as Miner, but it is more versatile and useful for personal consumption. It also caters to spellcasting-based classes which are the most popular among the fanbase meaning the demand will be steady in the early and middle parts of the game.
The Botanist as a profession will spend the majority of their time running quests and gathering resources from plant life. The primary tool for the job will be a Hatchet and the secondary will be a Scythe. There are various locations Botanists will want to go to get the most resources.
- North Shroud – great for low to mid-level Botanists
- South Shroud – also great for low to mid-level Botanists
- The Azim Steppe – lots of valuable items and a great spot for higher-level Botanists
- Lush Vegetation Patch – Best spot for end game Botanists
8 Armorer
Armorer is perhaps the least useful crafting job for players. The weapons and gear it produces are catered to physical based classes like Gladiators or Marauders. While there are many players that play these classes, there are far more in the spellcasting classes.
Many of the Armorer’s production line also overlaps with the Blacksmith. This is an issue because the Blacksmith produces items that make it more useful to Armorer. As a result, Armor is perhaps the least useful crafting class, unless of course, the player intends to use its skills for their personal class only.
Armorers as a profession shape the materials gained from Miners and turn them into Armor. The primary tools of their trade are Hammers and Pliers. Short of the market Levequests are the best way to gain materials, some are particularly useful.
- Red Rooster Stead – offers a few quest options for low-level Armorers.
- Limsa Lominsa – a number of options for mid-level Armorers.
- The Crystarium – the best place for end-game Armorer levequesting.
7 Carpenter
Carpenters cater to the Archer and Bard niche by building bows. It’s the only crafting class that can do so and the game is rather stingy with good bows which makes it a handy job. It can also produce staves which are useful for the popular Conjurer class.
Aside from these two niches, the Carpenter can also produce Fishing Poles and furniture. Fishing isn’t a terribly popular pastime among players and furniture is only useful to home builders. It caters to a niche market which can be lucrative, but if the player isn’t a Conjurer or Archer there are far better choices.
Carpenters will take the lumber obtained by Botanists and create everything from shields to furniture. They do this using Saws and Hammers. Like other crafting classes it’s best to pursue repeatable Levequests to gather supplies.
- Gridania – lots of quests for low-level Carpenters with a few mid-level options.
- Whitebrim Front – offers quests for mid-level Carpenters.
- Foundation – lots of quests for mid to high-level Carpenters.
- The Crystarium – the main quests for end-game Carpenters.
6 Blacksmith
Blacksmiths are great for anyone playing as a Pugilist, Gladiator, or Marauder as they directly craft their gear like Greatswords. Those classes are also fairly common meaning there will be a consistent demand for Blacksmiths.
The other benefit to this job is that they can craft tools for all Disciples of Hand, except for the Weaver. This means they’ll have a steady demand from other crafters and gatherers in the game. So even if the player isn’t one of the earlier mentioned classes they’ll still find plenty of use and a sizable customer base.
Blacksmiths are a profession that needs the materials from Miners to build tools and weapons. They use Hammers and Files to accomplish this. The materials are primarily obtained from Levequests.
- Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks – best for low and mid-level Blacksmiths.
- Foundation – lots of choices for mid-level Blacksmiths.
- The Crystarium – the only choice for end-game Blacksmiths.
5 Leatherworker
Leatherworkers have the benefit of being able to produce something for everyone in the game. That being said their primary customer base will be the Disciples of War classes. That encompasses a large number of players from various class types.
They don’t cater as much to the spellcasting niche like Summoners which means the largest customer base will be hit and miss for a Leatherworker. Still, it’s a great job for the beginning and mid-game and will serve most players well.
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Leatherworkers take hides, pelts, and furs to craft various clothes and armor. This crating class will use Knives and Awls to make these items. There are a few Levequest locations that are particularly useful for getting materials.
- Carline Canopy/ The Bannock – best areas for low and mid-level Leatherworkers.
- The Foundation – great for mid-level Leatherworkers.
- The Crystarium – the option for end-game Leatherworkers.
4 *Weaver
Weaver is perhaps the best armor crafting job in the game as they produce items for the popular spellcasting classes. This means there will be a large demand throughout the game and serves the player well if they are a magic-user.
The other nice perk of being a weaver is that every class can use their goods. Granted most warrior types will quickly move on to metal-based armor, but a Weaver can serve beginning characters very well with solid items.
Weavers for their profession take fibers and fabrics from Botanists to make clothes. Weavers will use Needles and Spinning Wheels to make these items. There are a few Levequests Weavers should pay attention to for grabbing materials.
- Ul’dah – good for Weavers starting out and those with a little experience.
- Foundation – the best choice for mid-level Weavers.
- The Crystarium – end game options for experienced Weavers.
3 Goldsmith
By far the best gear-based crafter is the Goldsmith. This is because every class in the game uses jewelry as they provide helpful bonuses and aren’t usually class-specific. This means the player can produce items to beginners, mid-gamers, and endgame veterans.
Admittedly the usefulness of this job drops off a bit in the endgame. This is largely because players will start to obtain powerful items they don’t need to readily replace. So Goldsmiths tend to be major moneymakers for midgame and see sales drop off towards the end when everyone is fully geared with the best there is.
Goldsmiths are a strong crafting class that take metals and stones from Miners to create fine jewels. They do this using Hammers and Grinding Wheels. Getting these materials is best done with Levequests.
- Ul’dah – best option for low-level Goldsmiths starting out and mid-level options.
- Foundation – the best choice for mid-level Goldsmiths.
- The Crystarium – provides the only option for end-game Goldsmiths.
2 Culinarian
Culinarians are a powerful job for the endgame. This is because when players have maxed out their gear slots the only way to further nudge their power is through consumables. As a result, high-level Culinarians will start to see a growing demand for high-end recipes.
Even in the midgame players with deeper pockets will start looking for little advantages in combat and food is a great way to do that. The only reason this isn’t the best job in the game is that food has its limits and there isn’t much demand for low-level food items that are plentiful and cheap at merchants.
Culinarians have a lot of options as a crafting class. They use Skillets/Frypans and Knives to use foodstuff from Fishers and Botanists to prepare meals. There are a few great Levequests for getting the right materials.
- Limsa Lominsa – good for low and mid-level Culinarians.
- Foundation – great choice for mid-level Culinarians.
- The Crystarium – best for end game Culinarians.
1 Alchemist
By far the best crafting job in the game is the Alchemist. They’re similar to Culinarians in that they produce consumables that boost players’ abilities. The only difference is that the potions and other goods they produce are far more useful and varied.
It’s a rough job in the beginning and the experience growth is slow, but as the player reaches the mid-game they see demand for their services skyrocket as everyone is chugging their products. For endgame Alchemists, there is a staggering market for high-end potions and not enough Alchemists to serve that need. The potions they can craft can also turn the tide in war for personal use. It’s strongly recommended to be a Botanist if pursuing this path.
Alchemists are the best crafting class in the game. They use various materials to craft potions and elixirs of different kinds as well as wands, books, and other items using Alembics and Mortars. There are a few solid Levequests for gathering the right materials and experience.
- Ul’dah – a good choice for low and mid-level Alchemists.
- Foundation – the best choice for mid-level Alchemists.
- The Crystarium – the go-to choice for end-game Alchemists.