Processing

Processing is a life skill that encompasses several crafting types called processing methods.

Some of the processing methods are only available when certain in game conditions are met.

To start processing, you only need to press the "L" key, which opens up the processing screen. On that screen, you have the choice to select which type of crafting method you wish to use. When you select a crafting method, ingredients that can be processed with that type of crafting highlights in your inventory.

Processing tiers

First tier processing

First tier processing is available from the start of the game. It for example allows you to heat ore into melted shards and chop timber into planks, but processing the materials further requires second tier processing.

Second tier processing

Second tier processing allows you to for example heat melted shards into ingots and chop planks into plywood. To unlock this tier, you need to complete the quest Learning Higher Processing Skills, which can be obtained in two ways: Have Gathering Apprentice 4 and get the quest directly from Ficy in Heidel City, or complete the questline started by the Black Spirit as you enter Heidel City.
The Black Spirit will ask you to go to Jemkas Wyrmbane, who will have the quest Because I Like You, which requires you to either have Gathering Beginner 7 or have completed the quest Go to the Northern Heidel Quarry.
Complete the rest of the questline to get access to Learning Higher Processing Skills:

• Because I Like You
• Nothing Our Friendship Can't Do
• Settling Down in Heidel
• Bustling Alejandro Farm
• Helping With the Pumpkin Harvest
• A Threatening Scarecrow
• A Meat Dish for the Workers
• In Search of Higher Processing Knowledge...

When accepting Learning Higher Processing Skills, Ficy will ask you to learn three types of gathering knowledge from experts in Heidel:

• Complete Materials for Equipment Repair to learn Grinding: Beginner from Ornella.
• Complete Working the Ash Tree to learn Chopping: Beginner from Lebyos.
• Complete Pure Water for an Experiment to learn Heating: Beginner from Flaviano.

Three other beginner skills are also available for you to learn:

• Complete Need Soft Hides! to learn Drying: Beginner from Techthon.
• Complete Toys (?) for Kids to learn Shaking: Beginner from Lara.
• Complete Thinning Feathers to learn Thinning: Beginner from Dora Fonti.

Third tier processing

With third tier processing, you can, for example, process ingots into pure crystals and plywood into sturdy plywood.

To unlock this tier, you need to complete the processing questline gotten from Vatudun in Keplan. The questline is started by talking to an unnamed villager in the workshop behind Adrian and getting the quest Materials for Skills. The quest is only available if you have Gathering Skilled 10 and Processing Professional 5, and have completed all the beginner skills quests.

Crafting methods

Shaking

Shaking is a processing skill where two ingredients are mixed together to create other resources, mainly cooking ingredients.

Grinding

Grinding is a crafting skill which uses a single ingredient and grinds it in a stone mortar and pestle to create ingredients for cooking or other trades.

Chopping

Chopping is a crafting skill which allows you to chop timber to create planks to use in further crafting.

Drying

Drying has a variety of uses. It can be used to dry meat and fish, but also to extract salt from saltwater, making cheese from milk and more. It is only available during the day when it is not raining, and only if you are not standing in water.

Filtering

Filtering is used for purifying water and refining feathers.

Heating

Heating allows a limited number of items to be heated, like metal ore to create metal shards.

Simple Alchemy

With Simple Alchemy, you can make lesser potions, and combine potions to make greater ones.

Simple Cooking

Simple Cooking is the most rudimentary form of processing food ingredients. Only very basic recipies can be made with Simple Cooking.

Imperial Cuisine

Pack dishes for Imperial Delivery.

Imperial Alchemy

Pack alchemy items for Imperial Delivery.

Manufacture

Craft various tools and siege weapons.