Date: Sat, 9 May 1998 23:57:07 -0400
From: ikelley@sas.upenn.edu (Ian Kelley)


STAR OCEAN ITEM CREATION FAQ  v. 1.0

Version changes

v. 0.5 Initial version
v. 0.9 Added some Customizes and Katankajis
v. 1.0 Added some more items. Thanks to Jason Murata for pointing them 
out.
v. 1.1 Added some more Chouri items

There are lots of different Item Creations in Star Ocean, which take a 
while to get used to, but can really make your party a lot more 
powerful. Generally, the more skilled you are in any one type of Item 
Creation, the more likely it is to succeed.  However, each character's 
Talents will also play a large part in whether or succeed.  At the start 
of the game, what Talents each character has are randomly decided.  
You should take this into consideration when deciding how to spend 
your Skill Points.  It's possible to gain Talents you don't start with by 
lots of practice in a skill, but it doesn't happen often. However, 
successfully gaining a new Talent will also net you an additional 50 
Skill Points to spend. So keep that in mind when deciding which 
characters are going to get which skills.

SAIKU:
Saiku is used to create special items from the various gems or 
minerals you have in your inventory. For each type of gem or 
mineral, I believe you can create three different types of useful 
items. The more rare the stone you are working with, the more 
difficult it is to create something useful; getting a useful item out of a 
piece of Orihalcon or a Kenja no Ishi is quite difficult.  Failed Saiku 
will create a worthless piece of junk; some of them are kind of 
amusing.  A character without the Talent of "Kiyou na Yubisaki" will 
have an extremely hard time making anything of any use, even with 
a Saiku skill of level 10.  Even with Kiyou na Yubisaki and a Skill 
Level of 10, it is still tough to get anything of any use out of Saiku. 
Overall, Saiku is the toughest Item Creation to do successfully.

Iron: Poison Check, Stone Check, Paralyze Check
Gold: Gold Ring, Gold Idol, Gold Brooch, Stone Check
Silver: Silver Idol, Poison Check, Silver Ankh, Silver Ring
Ruby: Ruby Persia, Berserk Ring, Flare Ring, Shield Ring
Sapphire: Necklace, Aqua Ring, Feat Symbol, Paralyze Check
Green Beryl: Talisman, Fairy Ring, Crown, Emerald Ring
Crystal: Reflect Ring, Resist Ring, Kaeru, Paralyze Check
Diamond: Brooch, Pretty Idol, Purple Mist, Reverse Doll
Star Ruby: Star Crest, Star Necklace, Star Ring, Protect Ring
Rainbow Diamond: Magical Drop, Magical Persia, Dream Crown
Moonite: Misty Symbol, Lunar Talisman, Lunatic Ring, Lunar Tablet
Orihalcon: Levitate Ring
Kenja no Ishi: Piyohan, Mental Ring, Regenerate Ring, Dream Crown

Failed Saiku:
Waraeru Katamari, Hen na Katamari, Busaiku na Yubiwa, Hen na 
Ningyou, Hazukashii Kazari, Sense Nai Yubiwa, Heppo Konakazari, 

CHOURI:
Chouri is used to cook the various ingredients you have into usable 
healing items. If you feed a character his or her favorite type of food, 
the healing effects are drastically improved. For each type of 
ingredient, there are at least 3 or 4 different types of successful food 
you can make; with Kokumotsu I've made as many as eight different 
types of food.  Failed Chouri will result in unappetizing food, which 
can be used, but either is damaging, or has partially negative effects, 
like healing you, but poisoning you at the same time. Characters with 
the Talent of "Mikaku" will have a much easier time making 
something appetizing.

Yasai: Salad, Cabbage Roll, Hoikourou, Boiled Matsutake, Stew, Sensou Jelly 
Kudamono: Apple Pie, Fruitcake, Orange Shake, Sherbet, Fruit Parfait, Wine
Kokumotsu: Ichi no kura, Sea Fondue, Tama no Hikari, Senchuu, Kokuryuu,
   Bijoubu, Omusubi, Yaegaki "Mu"
Gyokairui: Sazae Tsuboyaki, Toro, Ebi Fry, Ootoro, Taisashi, Seafood 
  Spaghetti
Nikurui: Hamburger, Steak 130, Yukkejan, Jidori Kushiyaki, Steak 240,
  Escagot

Bad Yasai: Mazui Stew
Bad Kudamono: Mazui Dessert, Karai Cake
Bad Gyokairui: Yasui Sashimi
Bad Nikurui: Katai Steak
Bad Kokumotsu: Sanzoushu

CHOUGOU:
With Chougou, you can mix two of your herbs to create a usable item. 
Most of the items are helpful in one way or another, but not all; the 
Melt Potion, made with two Mandrakes, will instantly kill the 
imbiber. Below are the combinations that are possible, and the items 
that you can produce with them. Failed Chougou will simply result in 
the loss of the components used. I believe the Talent "Kiyou na 
Yubisaki" will make it easier to successfully mix items.

Zebori + Zebori = Sweet Pot, Sweet Syrup
Zebori + Shadow Flower = Stink Bomb, Pikopiko Bomb
Zebori + Mandrake = Bitter Potion, Stink Pot
Zebori + Artemis Leaf = Mix Syrup, Holy Mist
Zebori + Lavender = Sweet Syrup, Sour Syrup
Shadow Flower + Shadow Flower = Flare Bomb, Megaflare Bomb
Shadow Flower + Mandrake = Poison Bomb, Killer Poison
Shadow Flower + Artemis Leaf = Mind Bomb, Giga Mind Bomb
Shadow Flower + Lavender = Poison Bomb, Killer Poison
Mandrake + Mandrake = Melt Potion, Bubble Potion
Mandrake + Artemis Leaf = Fruit Pot, Fresh Pot
Mandrake + Lavender = Sweet Pot, Recure Bottle
Artemis Leaf + Artemis Leaf = Fairy Glass, Fairy Mist
Artemis Leaf + Lavender = Ressurect Bottle, Ressurect Mist
Lavender + Lavender = Cure Poison, Cure Paralyze

KANTEI:
Kantei is the ability to identify unknown items. Often in your journey 
you will come across items with names like: ?HERB, ?JEM, or 
?WEAPON.  With the skill of Kantei, you can identify these items and 
be able to use them. Each attempt at identifying an item takes a 
Spectacle which is lost after the attempt, even if the attempt to 
identify fails.  I'm not sure whether or not there is a Talent that 
helps this skill succeed.

CUSTOMIZE:
This type of Item Creation is used to customize the user's own 
weapon (usually it's a weapon) towards his or her own fighting style.  
Each character has one item that they can Customize.  If you 
successfully customize an item, you will get the new item, but if you 
fail, the item will be junked.  Since it is very difficult to successfully 
customize an item, save before you try.  If you do manage to succeed, 
you will usually end up with the most powerful weapon in the game 
that character can equip. In order to have any chance at all to 
succeed, you need the Talent "Originality."

Note: This list is, at the moment, very, very, short. As I get more 
characters with Customize and the necessary items, I will put them 
here.

Here are what each character can Customize

Ratix: Silvanse--->Aura Blade
Milly: Magical Persia--->Omamori (not a weapon, but...)
Marvel: Rainbow Diamond-->Holy Orb
Cius: Silver Sword-->Cius Special
Ronixis: Metal Fang-->Kaiser Knuckle
Fear: Bloody Sword-->Deathbringer
Tinek: Spinning Spear-->Houtengeki
Perisie: Neko Fang-->Q-Kyoku Punch
Ashlay: Mithril Sword-->Murasama Blade

ART:
There are two kinds of art: with the Magic Color, you can duplicate an 
item in your inventory. With the Magic Card, you randomly create 
items, either portraits of your party members or items that you can 
use in battle. Below are the items you can create with Magic Cards. 
Failed Art when using Magic Colors will simply result in the loss of 
the Magic Color used, whereas failed use of Magic Cards will create 
useless drawings. Making anything of any use without the Talent of 
"Design Sense" is very difficult.

Shouzouga A: Picture of Ratix
Shouzouga B: Picture of Milly
Shouzouga C: Picture of Dorn
Shouzouga D: Picture of Ronixis
Shouzouga E: Picture of Iria
Shouzouga F: Picture of Cius
Shouzouga G: Picture of Ashlay
Shouzouga H: Picture of Fear
Shouzouga I: Picture of Joshua
Shouzouga J: Picture of Marvel
Shouzouga K: Picture of Perisie
Shouzouga L: Picture of Tinek
TREASURE
UPSTART
CRITICAL
VICTORY
PHOENIX

Failed Art:
Rakugaki A: Bad picture of a boy
Rakgaki B: Bad picture of a girl

SHIPPITSU:
Shippitsu is used to write books on different types of Skills.  Books 
can be used to raise the reader's Skill level in the book's topic by one 
point without loss of Skill Points. For example, a book on "Ensou" 
would raise the reader's "Ensou" Skill by 1 level, without them 
having to use the Skill Points necessary to do so normally.  Books 
cannot be used to raise any skill over Level 7.  Writing books 
requires a Research Pen, and the writer cannot write about a skill 
that he or she has no knowledge of. Failed Shippitsu will usually just 
result in the loss of a Research Pen, but occasionally you will write a 
useless book. The Talent of "Bunsai" helps immensely in the use of 
Shippitsu.

Skills you can write books on:
Seibutsugaku, Yakusougaku, Seishingaku, Koubutsugaku, Dougu 
Chishiki, Recipe, Otamajakushi, Youseiron, Mekiki, Craft, Houchou, 
Ensou, Dessin, Bunpitsu, Cast, Kagaku Gijutusu.

RENKIN:
Renkin is an alchemy-like skill; you can use it to turn the item "Iron" 
into different types of minerals and gems.  Failed Renkin will just 
turn the iron into a useless rock. The higher your skill level, the more 
rare the types of gems you can make. The Talent "Mana no 
Shukufuku" helps in the skill of Renkin, but even with this talent and 
Level 10 in the skill, making the more rare types of stones is 
extremely difficult; you can go through 25 pieces of Iron sometimes 
before successfully making a Kenja no Ishi or Orihalcon.  However, if 
money is not a problem (it usually isn't if you're good in art), it is 
generally a lot easier to duplicate gems or ore with Art rather than 
Renkin, unless you need a Kenja no Ishi, which is undrawable.

Types of stones creatable with Renkin, organized from easiest to 
make to most difficult to make:

Gold
Silver
Ruby
Sapphire
Green Beryl
Crystal
Diamond
Star Ruby
Damascus
Rune Metal
Rainbow Diamond
Orihalcon
Kenja no Ishi

KATANAKAJI:
Katanakajii is the skill that is used to temper your weapons with 
various minerals to either enchant them or otherwise make them 
more powerful.  A failed Katanakaji will result in the creation of a pile 
of junk, and will lose the weapon and the mineral used. Therefore, be 
sure to save your game before you try this skill and lose your Sword 
of Buttkicking +2 and your super rare ore.The more powerful magic weapons 
and  ores are very difficult to successfully temper; I've found Rune Metal, 
Meteorites, and Moonite especially difficult to work with...Also, there is a
degree of randomness for the magic (ie +1, +2) weapons; most combinations that
can produce a [Weapon] +1 can also produce a [Weapon] + 2, and vice versa.
Specialized weapons are not like this.

Minerals usable in Katanakaji:
Iron, Silver, Damascus, Mithril, Rune Metal, Moonite, Orihalcon, 
Meteorite.

Hints for Katanakajis: Be stingy with your mithril, since you cannot 
create any more, either through Art or through Renkin. The only way 
you can get more Moonite or Meteorites is through Art, so don't use 
up your last one.

Katanakajis:

Ways to Make:

SABRE:
Warune Sword + Silver

LONGSWORD +1
Longsword + Damascus
Sinclayre + Orihalcon
Warune Sword+ Iron
Synclayre + Mithril
Synclayre + Meteorite
Warune Sword + Damascus

LONGSWORD + 2
Warune Sword + Meteorite
Warune Sword + Damascus
Warune Sword + Orihalcon
Warune Sword + Mithril

CLAYMORE
Flamberge + Iron
Flamberge + Silver
Two-Handed-Sword + Silver

CLAYMORE + 1
Two-Handed-Sword + Iron
Claymore + Meteorite
Flamberge + Iron

CLAYMORE + 2
Flamberge + Mithril
Flamberge + Meteorite
Flamberge + Damascus
Claymore + Damascus
Flamberge + Orihalcon

HARD KNUCKLE
Cestas + Iron

KNUCKLE + 1
Hard Knuckle + Silver
Hard Knuckle + Damascus
Knuckle + Meteorite
Cestas + Orihalcon
Cestas + Rune Metal

KNUCKLE + 2
Cestas + Mithril
Cestas + Meteorite
Cestas + Moonite
Cestas + Damascus

LONG SPEAR +1
Sensetsukon + Iron
Sensetsukon + Silver
Sensetsukon + Rune Metal
Sensetsukon + Damascus
Sensetsukon + Mithril
Halberd + Damascus

LONG SPEAR + 2
Sensetsukon + Damascus
Sensetsukon + Orihalcon
Sensetsukon + Meteorite
Halberd + Meteorite

GRADIUS + 1
Baselard + Damascus
Baselard + Meteorite
Baselard + Rune Metal
Baselard + Iron

GRADIUS + 2
Baselard + Mithril
Baselard + Damascus

MITHRIL SWORD
Pow: 740  Att: Wind
Magic Longsword + Mithril

DAMASCUS SWORD
Pow: 500  Att: Earth
Magic Longsword + Damascus

MOON FALKS
Pow: 700  Att: Light
Magic Longsword + Moonite

STRANG SWORD
Pow: 665  Ignores 30% of enemy's defense power
Magic Longsword + Rune Metal

DUEL SWORD
Pow: 760
Magic Longsword + Meteorite

SILVANSE
Pow: 880 Att: Lightning
Magic Longsword + Orihalcon

VORPAL SWORD
Pow: 710  Att: Darkness
Magic Claymore + Orihalcon

SLAYER SWORD
Pow: 750 Att: Darkness
Magic Claymore + Damascus

SILVER SWORD
Pow: 680
Magic Claymore+2 + Mithril

GUN BLADE
Pow: 680
Magic Claymore + Rune Metal

BELSEL SWORD
Pow: 810 Att: Darkness
Magic Claymore + Moonite

METEOR STRIKE
Pow: 850  Att: Light
Magic Claymore + Meteorite

ICE COFFIN
Pow: 690  Att: Ice
Magic Gradius + Orihalcon

FLARE BASELARD
Pow: 400  Att: Fire
Magic Gradius + Damascus

ROUNDEL DAGGER
Pow: 540  100% hit rate
Magic Gradius + Mithril

BLOODY SWORD
Pow: 550  Att: Darkness  Absorbs enemy's HP
Magic Gradius + Rune Metal

FEIMFAYS
Pow: 610  Att: Ice
Magic Gradius + Moonite

ELEMENT EDGE
Pow: 650
Magic Gradius + Meteorite

SILVER KNUCKLE
Pow: 400
Magic Knuckle + Mithril

BLAZE KNUCKLE
Pow: 500  Att: Fire
Magic Knuckle + Meteorite

PAIN CESTAS
Pow: 520  Poisons enemies
Magic Knuckle + Damascus

DRAGON CLAW
Pow: 500
Magic Knuckle + Moonite

METAL FANG
Pow: 400
Magic Knuckle + Rune Metal

NEKO FANG
Pow: 500
Magic Knuckle + Orihalcon

FLAME LANCER
Pow: 720  Att: Fire
Magic Longspear + Moonite

MECH HALBERD
Pow: 600
Magic Longspear + Damascus

SAINT HALBERD
Pow: 450  Att: Light
Magic Longspear + Mithril

SPINNING SPEAR
Pow: 500  Multi-hits
Magic Longspear + Orihalcon

DRAGON LANCE
Pow: 650
Magic Longspear + Rune Metal

WHIRLWIND
Pow: 500
Magic Longspear + Meteorite

Do not remove the following from this FAQ!
=============================================================
For any additions, corrections, or questions, please email me at
ikelley@mail.sas.upenn.edu. Thanks. If you want to put any or all
of this FAQ on your page, please let me know first. I don't mind
at all if you use this FAQ on your page, in fact I encourage you
to do so if you wish, but if you let me know first I can keep a
running tab on who's got it so I know who to email when I update
it. Plus I can look at your page too. :)
=============================================================
Do not use this FAQ for ANY kind of profit, be it selling it, using it as  
incentive to buy games, or anything else AT ALL!  While it may be 
common sense that doing this is illegal, there are many people who 
will do it anyway. This is a warning to those people! I *WILL* sue 
you if you do and I find out!
=============================================================
Thanks to:
Jason Murata (bludgeon_16@hotmail.com) for filling me in on many item
creations I 
missed.
============================================================
This FAQ originated at http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~ikelley/