Star Ocean 2 Crafting Fundamentals
Crafting in Star Ocean: The Second Story R allows players to create a wide array of items, from consumables to powerful equipment. Access crafting via the Specialty menu. Success in crafting often depends on a character's specific Item Creation (IC) skill levels, their inherent Talents, and the materials used.
Accessing and Performing Crafting
To begin crafting, navigate to the main menu, select Specialty, and then choose the specific crafting discipline you wish to use (e.g., Compounding, Art, Customization). Select a character to perform the craft. The character's proficiency, relevant skill levels, and sometimes specific Talents will heavily influence the outcome.
The general crafting process involves:
- Selecting the crafting specialty.
- Choosing the character(s) to perform the task.
- Selecting base materials if required by the specialty.
- Initiating the crafting attempt. Success rates can be improved by higher skill levels, beneficial Talents, and support items.
Key Crafting Specialties and Requirements
Different crafting types require investment in specific skills. Some are individual efforts, while others, known as "Super Specialties" or group invention tasks, require multiple characters with the necessary base skills.
- Compounding: Creates healing items and offensive concoctions. Requires investment in Biology and Herbal Medicine.
- Cooking: Produces food items offering healing or temporary stat boosts. Relies on Recipe, Good Taste, and Knife skills.
- Art: Generates items like portraits, cards, or valuable statues. Uses Sketching and Aesthetics. Talents like Design Sense are crucial.
- Customization: Modifies existing weapons by combining them with minerals to create superior versions. Requires Craft, Metalwork, and Eye for Detail.
- Blacksmithing: Forges armor and protective gear from raw minerals. This is a group specialty requiring participants to have Mineralogy, Craft, and Smithing skills.
- Machinery: Produces support tools, bombs, and other mechanical devices. This is a group invention specialty where all participants need the Machinery skill.
- Alchemy: Transforms base metals and minerals into rarer, more valuable ones. Requires Mineralogy, Faeriology, and Scientific Ability.
- Writing: Allows characters to author skill books for other party members. Requires Penmanship and Composition.
- Appraising: Identifies unknown items and can influence shop prices. Uses Mineralogy, Herbal Medicine, and Item Knowledge.
Improving Crafting Success and Outcomes
Several factors enhance crafting results:
- Skill Levels: The primary determinant. Higher levels in relevant IC skills (e.g., Machinery, Compounding) unlock more recipes and increase success rates.
- Talents: Innate abilities like Originality, Dexterity, or Design Sense can dramatically improve success or enable creation of unique items. Characters can sometimes "awaken" Talents through repeated crafting attempts.
- Support Items: Certain equippable items (e.g., Beret for Art, Magical Rasp for Customization/Blacksmithing) can boost success or unlock specific craft options.
- Orchestra Super Specialty: Activating the Orchestra Super Specialty (requires Music skill proficiency from multiple characters playing different instruments) significantly increases the success rate of all other Item Creation attempts while its effect is active.
- Inventor Groups (for specific specialties like Machinery): For invention-type crafting, ensure all selected inventors possess the core skill required (e.g., Machinery). The combination of their skill levels and relevant Talents influences the pool of potential inventions and success.
General Crafting Tips
- Save Your Game: Always save before attempting significant crafting, especially with rare materials, due to the inherent chance of failure.
- Experiment: Many potent items are discovered through experimentation with different characters and material combinations.
- Focus Skill Points: Allocate Skill Points (SP) strategically to IC skills for characters you designate as primary crafters in specific fields.
- Material Gathering: Actively gather a wide variety of materials from battles, gathering points, and shops to support your crafting endeavors.
Effective utilization of the crafting system is essential for obtaining some of the most powerful gear and useful items in the game, often surpassing commercially available options.
