Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
When first starting Final Fantasy 16, many players won’t even know that they’ll eventually get the option to craft gear. Crafting hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of the Final Fantasy series–and Final Fantasy 16 doesn’t change that per se–but the game requires players to craft an item or two if they want to keep their weapons and armor up to date.
If you aren’t really one for crafting, don’t worry: Final Fantasy 16 doesn’t spend a ton of time on the mechanic, however, it is necessary for making sure that you don’t get wiped in a single hit or two by the game’s most powerful bosses. When you first gain access to it, you might not know which items to craft with your limited materials so use this guide to help you choose which items to craft first in Final Fantasy 16.
More Final Fantasy XVI guides:
All Guides & Walkthroughs | Best Weapon Unlock Guide | All Consumable Upgrades | How to Unlock the Chocobo | How to Stagger Enemies | How to Heal |
How to Craft Items in FF16
While many RPGs allow players to craft items straight from their inventory, Final Fantasy 16 takes a different approach. To craft, you’ll need to visit a blacksmith with the proper items. In its opening hours, Final Fantasy 16 is pretty linear and story-focused, so you won’t be able to craft anything until a few hours into it.
Luckily, the game makes players visit a blacksmith and craft something as part of the main story. During the main quest mission titled “Hide, Hideaway,” you’ll be tasked with visiting Blackthorne, the blacksmith in Cid’s Hideaway. After that, you’ll be able to visit the blacksmith and craft as often as you’d like.
Knowing what to craft after making the quest-mandated item, however, might be a little daunting since you’ll only be able to make one item with the materials you’ve collected up until that point.
Which Item to Craft First
As mentioned above, when you first meet Blackthorne, you’ll only be able to craft one of two items based on the materials you have in your inventory. There are pros and cons to each item and, eventually, you’ll be able to craft them both if you collect the right items so here’s what you need to know about each:
- Broadsword +1: The broadsword is pretty self-explanatory. If you want to deal more damage during encounters with enemies, then the sword is an easy pick. It’s the highest damaging weapon you’ll have access to at this point in the game, so if you’ve been breezing through combat missions without so much as a scratch but want the enemies to be dying quicker, then that’s the item to choose. That said, Charon is selling a regular Broadsword in her shop which doesn’t deal quite as much damage as the +1 variant, but will do you just fine if what you actually need is better armor.
- Iron Bracers +1: The Iron Bracers are a major step up from the armor that Clive has by default at the start of the game. It’s a good idea to pick up the bracers if you’re struggling during combat and getting hit too hard. Because the game is stepping away from its turn-based roots, it’s possible to avoid a lot more incoming enemy attacks, but it’s just as possible that you’ll be hit more if you don’t have the dodging mechanic down yet. Charon sells other, less effective armor in her shop, but if you’re struggling with managing your health in fights, the +1 version should be what you pick.
With that choice made, you’ll be ready to continue your quest with Cid. If you picked the bracers and are looking for an even more powerful sword than the one being sold by Charon, make sure to check out our guide on how to get the best sword in Final Fantasy 16 right here.
