Blacksmith Overview
BSM
Job
Limsa
Guild
Miner
Gatherer
ARM
Best Pair
Last Updated: Dawntrail (Patch 7.3+)
What Blacksmith Makes
Blacksmith crafts weapons and tools for combat classes and other jobs:
- Main-hand weapons — Swords, axes, katanas, lances, daggers
- Gathering tools — Pickaxes (MIN), hatchets (BTN)
- Crafting tools — Cross-pein hammers (BSM), files (ARM), raising hammers (ARM)
- Components — Ingots, rivets, and metal fittings used by other crafters
Prerequisites
- Level Miner first — Keep MIN 5-10 levels ahead of BSM
- Stock shards — Fire Shards and Ice Shards are your primary crystals
- Combat class 20+ — For some mob drops (Bomb Ash, etc.)
- Optional: Level Armorer — 95% material overlap, level together!
Synergy Jobs
| Job | Relationship | Key Materials Exchanged |
|---|---|---|
| Armorer (ARM) | Perfect pair (95% overlap) | All metal ingots, rivets, plates |
| Miner (MIN) | Primary gatherer | All ores, sand, gemstones |
| Goldsmith (GSM) | Component exchange | Precious metals, decorative elements |
| Carpenter (CRP) | Component exchange | Weapon handles, tool grips |
| Alchemist (ALC) | Reagents supplier | Natron, growth formula, mordants |
Why Pair with Armorer?
BSM and ARM share nearly all materials. Level them together to:
- Gather once, craft twice
- Make ingots on one job, use on both
- Double your leveling efficiency
- See the BSM+ARM Hybrid Guide for details
Gear Priorities
| Stat | Purpose | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Craftsmanship | Progress per action | High (meet recipe requirements) |
| Control | Quality per action | High (for HQ crafts) |
| CP | Crafting Points for abilities | Medium-High |
Tip: All crafters share left-side gear. Level multiple crafters to maximize gear investment.
Leveling Methods Comparison
| Method | Speed | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmic Exploration | Very Fast | Free (materials provided) | 10-100, all levels |
| Ishgard Restoration | Fast | Free (Diadem gathering) | 20-80 |
| Wachumeqimeqi | Very Fast | Free (special recipes) | 91-100 |
| Traditional Crafting | Medium | Gathering time | Learning recipes |
| Levequests | Medium | Leve allowances | Targeted leveling |
| GC Turn-ins | Daily boost | Variable | Daily supplement |
Key Abilities
| Ability | Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Synthesis | 1 | Base progress action |
| Basic Touch | 5 | Base quality action |
| Master's Mend | 7 | Restore durability |
| Byregot's Blessing | 50 | Massive quality finisher |
| Careful Synthesis | 62 | 100% success progress |
| Manipulation | 65 | Durability restoration over time |
Blacksmith: Levels 1-30
Pair with Armorer — 95% material overlap means double efficiency!
Getting Started
- Visit the Blacksmith Guild in Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks (X:10.3, Y:15.1)
- Complete "Way of the Blacksmith" to unlock the class
- Equip a cross-pein hammer to switch to BSM
- Start with Bronze Ingots — the foundation of early crafting
Essential Miner Materials
| Material | MIN Level | Location | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Ore | 1+ | Western Thanalan | Bronze Ingot base |
| Tin Ore | 5+ | Western Thanalan | Bronze Ingot alloy |
| Zinc Ore | 10+ | Western Thanalan | Brass Ingot |
| Iron Ore | 15+ | Western Thanalan | Iron/Steel crafting |
| Silver Ore | 20+ | Central Thanalan | Decorative items |
| Mythril Ore | 25+ | Eastern Thanalan | Mythril gear (30+) |
Crafting Progression
Levels 1-10: Bronze Era
- Bronze Ingot (Copper Ore + Tin Ore) — Make 50+, used constantly
- Bronze Rivets — Essential component for ARM too
- Bronze Knives, Bronze Hatchet — Gathering tools
- Bronze Spatha — GLD weapon
Levels 10-20: Iron Age
- Iron Ingot (Iron Ore x3) — Make 100+
- Iron Rivets — Component for many recipes
- Iron Hatchet, Iron Pickaxe — Upgraded gathering tools
- Iron Broadsword, Iron Lance — Combat weapons
Levels 20-30: Steel & Mythril
- Steel Ingot (Iron Ore x2 + Bomb Ash) — Requires mob drop
- Mythril Ingot (Mythril Ore x3) — High-tier base metal
- Steel Broadsword, Steel Lance — Mid-tier weapons
- Mythril tools — Preparing for 30+ content
Mob Drops Needed
| Material | Source | Location | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bomb Ash | Bomb enemies | Western Thanalan | Steel Ingot |
| Animal Skins | Various beasts | All starter zones | Tool grips (via LTW) |
Alternative: Cosmic Exploration
Available at level 10+. Self-contained leveling with all materials provided!
- No gathering required
- Special recipes for massive XP
- Works all the way to 100
Levequests (1-30)
| Level Range | Location | Recommended Items |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Limsa Lominsa | Bronze Ingot, Bronze Knives |
| 10-15 | Limsa / Ul'dah | Iron Ingot, Iron tools |
| 15-20 | Ul'dah | Iron weapons, Steel prep |
| 20-25 | Quarrymill | Steel Ingot, Steel weapons |
| 25-30 | Quarrymill | Mythril items |
Profit Opportunities (1-30)
| Item | Level | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Ingot | 1 | Moderate | Other crafters buy in bulk |
| Iron Ingot | 14 | High | Used by BSM, ARM, GSM |
| Steel Ingot | 23 | High | Popular crafting material |
| Bronze Pickaxe | 5 | Moderate | New miners need these |
| Iron Pickaxe/Hatchet | 17 | Good | Gathering tool upgrades |
Best profit strategy 1-30: Focus on ingots and gathering tools. New players constantly need pickaxes and hatchets, and ingots sell to lazy crafters.
Blacksmith: Levels 30-50
Mythril and Darksteel era. Consider Ishgard Restoration at level 20+!
Key Materials (30-50)
| Material | BSM Level | MIN Level | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mythril Ore | 30+ | 30+ | Eastern Thanalan, Southern Thanalan |
| Electrum Ore | 35+ | 35+ | Eastern Thanalan |
| Darksteel Ore | 40+ | 40+ | Coerthas Central Highlands |
| Cobalt Ore | 45+ | 45+ | Mor Dhona, Northern Thanalan |
Crafting Progression
Levels 30-40: Mythril Mastery
- Mythril Ingot — Foundation for mid-game crafting
- Mythril Rivets — Component for weapons and armor
- Mythril Longsword, Mythril Lance — Combat weapons
- Mythril tools — Upgraded gathering equipment
Levels 40-50: Darksteel & Cobalt
- Darksteel Ingot — High-demand endgame ARR material
- Cobalt Ingot — Pre-HW progression
- Darksteel weapons — Popular for glamour
- Cobalt tools — Best pre-50 gathering tools
Ishgard Restoration (Recommended)
If you've unlocked the Firmament (requires completing Heavensward), this is the fastest method:
- Gather materials in the Diadem (free!)
- Craft Skybuilders' items for massive XP
- Works from level 20-80
- Earn Skybuilders' Scrips for rewards
GC Turn-ins
Check your Grand Company daily for BSM requests. Starred items give 2x XP!
- Turn in HQ for bonus XP
- Often requests items you can craft easily
- Free seals and XP every day
Beast Tribes
No crafter beast tribes available until 50. Focus on other methods for now.
Levequests (30-50)
| Level Range | Location | Best Items |
|---|---|---|
| 30-35 | Costa del Sol | Mythril Ingot, Mythril weapons |
| 35-40 | Coerthas (Observatorium) | Electrum items, Darksteel prep |
| 40-45 | Mor Dhona | Darksteel Ingot, Darksteel weapons |
| 45-50 | Mor Dhona | Cobalt items |
Cross-class Components
At this level, you'll need components from other crafters:
| Component | Source | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Aldgoat Leather | LTW | Weapon grips |
| Linen Thread | WVR | Binding materials |
| Rosewood Lumber | CRP | Weapon handles |
| Natron | ALC | Reagent for some recipes |
Profit Opportunities (30-50)
| Item | Level | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mythril Ingot | 30 | Very High | Staple crafting material |
| Darksteel Ingot | 44 | Very High | Used in many HW recipes still |
| Cobalt Ingot | 47 | High | Pre-50 endgame material |
| Mythril Pickaxe/Hatchet | 33 | Good | Mid-tier gathering tools |
| Darksteel weapons (HQ) | 44+ | Moderate | Glamour demand |
Best profit strategy 30-50: Darksteel and Mythril ingots are always in demand. HQ gathering tools sell well to players who don't want to craft their own.
Blacksmith: Levels 50-70
Expansion content! Beast tribes and Ishgard Restoration make leveling much faster.
Heavensward Materials (50-60)
| Material | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mythrite Ore | 51+ | Coerthas Western Highlands |
| Titanium Ore | 54+ | The Churning Mists |
| Hardsilver Ore | 56+ | The Dravanian Forelands |
| Adamantite Ore | 58+ | Azys Lla |
Crafting Progression (50-60)
- Mythrite Ingot — HW starting material
- Titanium Ingot — Mid-HW progression
- Adamantite Ingot — HW endgame material
- Various weapons and tools using these metals
Stormblood Materials (60-70)
| Material | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Koppranickel Ore | 62+ | The Ruby Sea |
| Palladium Ore | 64+ | Yanxia |
| Molybdenum Ore | 66+ | The Azim Steppe |
| Chromite Ore | 68+ | The Lochs |
Crafting Progression (60-70)
- Koppranickel Ingot — SB starting material
- Molybdenum Ingot — Mid-SB progression
- Chromite Ingot — SB endgame material
- Samurai and other SB-era weapons
Ishgard Restoration (Best Method)
Still the fastest method through level 80:
- Grade 2 materials (50-60)
- Grade 3 materials (60-70)
- All materials free from Diadem
- Massive XP per craft
Beast Tribes
| Tribe | Level Range | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moogles | 50-60 | The Churning Mists | Requires HW MSQ progress |
| Namazu | 60-70 | The Azim Steppe | Requires SB MSQ progress |
Custom Deliveries
Weekly turn-ins for massive XP. Unlock NPCs as you progress:
- Zhloe Aliapoh (Idyllshire) — First available at 55
- M'naago (Rhalgr's Reach) — SB content
Collectables
Unlock via "Inscrutable Tastes" in Mor Dhona at level 50:
- Craft collectable versions of items
- Turn in for XP and Scrips
- Scrips buy gear and materials
Profit Opportunities (50-70)
| Item | Level | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adamantite Ingot | 58 | High | Used in glamour and housing |
| Titanium Nugget/Ingot | 54 | Moderate | Component for other crafts |
| Chromite Ingot | 68 | Moderate | SB endgame crafting |
| HW/SB Gathering Tools (HQ) | Various | Good | Players skip crafting these |
| SAM Weapons (glamour) | 60+ | Niche | Popular job = glamour demand |
Best profit strategy 50-70: Focus on ingots and glamour weapons. Samurai is popular, so katanas sell. High-quality gathering tools have steady demand.
Blacksmith: Levels 70-90
Shadowbringers and Endwalker content. Beast tribes and Ishgard Restoration continue!
Shadowbringers Materials (70-80)
| Material | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarven Mythril Ore | 72+ | Lakeland |
| Titanbronze Ore | 74+ | Il Mheg |
| Dwarven Cotton | 76+ | Kholusia |
| Manasilver Ore | 78+ | The Tempest |
Crafting Progression (70-80)
- Dwarven Mythril Ingot — ShB starting material
- Titanbronze Ingot — Mid-ShB progression
- Manasilver Ingot — ShB endgame material
- Gunbreaker and Dancer weapon crafting
Endwalker Materials (80-90)
| Material | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pewter Ore | 82+ | Labyrinthos |
| Mythrite Sand | 84+ | Thavnair |
| Chondrite | 86+ | Garlemald |
| Ilmenite Ore | 88+ | Ultima Thule |
Crafting Progression (80-90)
- Pewter Ingot — EW starting material
- Chondrite — Mid-EW progression
- Ilmenite Ingot — EW endgame material
- Reaper and Sage crafting components (via other jobs)
Ishgard Restoration (To Level 80)
Final stretch of Ishgard Restoration:
- Grade 4 materials (70-80)
- Expert recipes for maximum XP
- Complete Ishgardian restoration achievements
Beast Tribes
| Tribe | Level Range | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarves | 70-80 | Kholusia | ShB crafter/gatherer tribe |
| Loporrits | 80-90 | Mare Lamentorum | EW crafter/gatherer tribe |
Custom Deliveries
- Kai-Shirr (Eulmore) — ShB deliveries
- Ehll Tou (Firmament) — Ishgard Restoration
- Ameliance (Old Sharlayan) — EW deliveries
Studium Deliveries (EW)
Endwalker's weekly turn-in system:
- Located in Old Sharlayan
- Weekly quests for all crafters
- Good XP supplement for 80-90
Profit Opportunities (70-90)
| Item | Level | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manasilver Ingot | 78 | Moderate | ShB endgame crafting |
| Titanbronze Ingot | 74 | Moderate | Mid-tier component |
| Ilmenite Ingot | 88 | Moderate | EW endgame material |
| GNB/DNC Weapons (glamour) | 70+ | Good | Newer jobs = higher demand |
| Pewter tools | 82+ | Moderate | EW leveling tools |
Best profit strategy 70-90: Endgame ingots and glamour weapons for newer jobs (GNB, DNC, RPR, SGE-related items from other crafters). The market for these fluctuates with raid patches.
Blacksmith: Levels 90-100
Dawntrail content! Wachumeqimeqi and Cosmic Exploration are fastest methods.
Dawntrail Materials (90-100)
| Material | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Turali Bismuth Ore | 91+ | Urqopacha |
| Fine Silver Ore | 93+ | Kozama'uka |
| Volcano Ore | 95+ | Yak T'el |
| Ra'Kaznar Ore | 98+ | Shaaloani |
| Sungilt Ore | 100 | Living Memory |
Crafting Progression
- Turali Bismuth Ingot — DT starting material
- Fine Silver Ingot — Early DT progression
- Volcano Ingot — Mid-DT material
- Ra'Kaznar Ingot — Pre-endgame material
- Sungilt Ingot — DT endgame (level 100)
Wachumeqimeqi (Best Method 91-100)
Dawntrail's special crafting delivery system:
- Located in Solution Nine
- Special recipes with provided materials
- Massive XP per delivery
- No gathering required!
Cosmic Exploration
Alternative leveling method:
- Self-contained content
- All materials provided
- Works from 10-100
- Good for all crafters simultaneously
Beast Tribes
| Tribe | Level Range | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Yok Huy | 90-100 | Kozama'uka |
Levequests (90-100)
Dawntrail levequests for supplementary XP:
| Level Range | Location | Best Items |
|---|---|---|
| 90-94 | Tuliyollal | Bismuth items |
| 94-98 | Solution Nine | Fine Silver, Volcano items |
| 98-100 | Solution Nine | Ra'Kaznar items (huge XP) |
Level 100 Endgame
Once you reach 100:
- Master Recipes — Buy with Orange Scrips
- Endgame gear crafting — Raid weapons and tools
- Pentamelded crafting gear — For high-end recipes
- Orange Scrip gear — Best-in-slot for crafting
Profit Opportunities (90-100)
| Item | Level | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ra'Kaznar Ingot | 98 | Very High | Pre-endgame material |
| Sungilt Ingot | 100 | Very High | Endgame crafting essential |
| Endgame weapons (HQ) | 100 | High | Raid/dungeon content |
| Gathering tools (HQ) | 100 | High | Endgame gatherers need these |
| Viper weapons (glamour) | Various | Good | New job = glamour demand |
Endgame Profit Strategies
- Patch releases: New raid tiers mean massive weapon demand
- Crafted weapons: Best-in-slot before savage drops
- Gathering tools: Miners/Botanists always need upgrades
- Glamour weapons: Unique designs command premium prices
- Ingot bulk sales: Other crafters buy materials
Best profit strategy 90-100: At patch launch, endgame weapons and ingots command premium prices. Focus on Sungilt Ingot and HQ weapons for combat jobs. Gathering tools have steady year-round demand.