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Touch actions are abilities learned by Disciples of the Hand to increase their chances at creating a high-quality item. There are several different types of touch actions you will learn on your way to becoming a master crafter such as “Basic Touch” and “Hasty Touch”.
Touch actions are standard across all crafting classes.
While they may have different action icons, they all have the same name and have the same effects.
Just like your synthesis actions, touch abilities will lower the durability of your materials. Looking for the right mix of touch and synthesis abilities while managing your CP is key to consistently creating high-quality items.
FFXIV Crafting Basics
When you start crafting an item, you’ll notice two bars on the interface that will open up.
One of these bars is for progress and the other is for quality.
Crafting UI Menu
The progress bar shows how close you are to completing your crafting process. You will need to completely fill this bar up before your durability runs out, otherwise the crafting process will be unsuccessful.
The quality bar shows the odds of how likely the crafted item will be its high-quality or HQ version after you’re done crafting. Using touch actions will fill this bar up, and having a full bar means you are guaranteed an HQ item.
The “Control” stat affects how effective your Touch Actions are in increasing quality.
The Different Touch Actions
Let’s take a look at the different touch abilities and how they differ from one another.
Basic Touch (Level 5)
100% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
18 CP Cost
Hasty Touch (Level 9)
100% Efficiency
60% Success Rate
0 CP Cost
Standard Touch (Level 18)
125% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
32 CP Cost
Combo with Basic Touch: 18 CP Cost
Precise Touch (Level 53)
150% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
18 CP Cost
Only available when condition is “Good” or Excellent”
Prudent Touch (Level 66)
100% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
25 CP Cost
Half durability cost
Unavailable when “Waste Not” is active
Focused Touch (Level 68)
150% Efficiency
50% Success Rate
18 CP Cost
Combo with Observe: 100% Success Rate
Preparatory Touch (Level 71)
200% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
Durability cost doubled (20)
Advanced Touch (Level 84)
Advanced Touch Ability
150% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
46 CP Cost
Combo with Standard Touch: 18 CP Cost
Other Actions & Traits That Affect Touch Efficiency
Inner Quiet (Level 11)
Passive Trait
Gain a stack of Inner Quiet every time quality is increased
Raise efficiency of Touch Actions by 10% for each stack of Inner Quiet
Maximum of 10 stacks
Great Strides (Level 21)
Increase next Touch Action efficiency by 100%
32 CP Cost
3 step duration
Innovation (Level 26)
Increase next Touch Action efficiency by 50%
18 CP Cost
4 step duration
Byregot’s Blessing (Level 50)
100% Efficiency
100% Success Rate
24 CP Cost
Additional 20% Efficiency per stack of Inner Quiet
Benefits of Crafting HQ Items
Market Board close-up
Of course, it goes without saying that high-quality items are better than the normal quality ones. But in FFXIV, why they’re better will differ depending on the type of item it is.
For food, HQ versions will give slightly higher buffs for the duration of the “Well Fed” status.
Gear will provide higher stats including Defense and Magic Defense.
High-quality materials will raise your starting quality value when crafting, making it easier to craft even more HQ items.
And of course, HQ items will net you more gil when selling them on the market board.
