Crafting: when do you need recipes?

I just finished leveling Weaponsmithing to 400, but there's a thing about crafting I don't get. I see that you can buy recipes from the Trading Post & some vendors. However, I haven't needed any recipes so far. As I leveled, new craftable items would appear as they came within reach. So then why are recipes a thing?

I'm guessing maybe it's because certain items are special? Maybe for some items even if you have the level & every last component, you also still a recipe? (Because otherwise why would anyone spend gold/karma/laurels/etc. They'd just Google how to make it for free, right?)

If that's the case, then I guess recipes in gw2 are actually more like "permits?" The point of them isn't to tell you how to make a thing, it's to unlock the possibility of making it. (I guess?)

As a practical example, I went to Verdant Brink, & the NPC said to bring her crafted Rare Assassin's Swords. I don't see any of those in the crafting UI. So I guess I need to seek out a recipe? If so, is it best to search the Trading Post? Or look for the NPC who sells rare Assassin's sword recipes?

More generally, if you want to craft an item of type X with rarity Y & stats Z, do you need a recipe? And if so what is the customary way to get one? And how do you know if you found the best one and there isn't an NPC on a mountain somewhere with one that's way better?

Or am I totally misunderstanding the purpose of recipes & you don't actually need them. Are they just in the game for people who dislike Googling?

Any help or illumination of this mystery would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Not so much for leveling but for crafting unique specific things that exists outside of the discoverable craftables. The Corrupted Svanir line of weaponry is a good example.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Corrupted_weapons

Things gotten through recipies cannot be discovered through the discovery section of the craft UI even if you have the right components, so can only be crafted once you have consumed the recipe.

I'm guessing maybe it's because certain items are special? Maybe for some items even if you have the level & every last component, you also still a recipe? (Because otherwise why would anyone spend gold/karma/laurels/etc. They'd just Google how to make it for free, right?)If that's the case, then I guess recipes in gw2 are actually more like "permits?" The point of them isn't to tell you how to make a thing, it's to unlock the possibility of making it. (I guess?)

^ So all of that is correct.

BUT, for weaponsmithing (everything that isn't chef) at least- recipies only unlock the ways to make things with expansion stats (HoT/PoF stats) and those recipies are gained through on map things, as well as really fancy skins (as said above, corrupted savinr weapons is one example. ambrite weapons also need recipe) generally from vendors, and legendary components.

More generally, if you want to craft an item of type X with rarity Y & stats Z, do you need a recipe? And if so what is the customary way to get one? And how do you know if you found the best one and there isn't an NPC on a mountain somewhere with one that's way better?

You only need recipes to craft expansion stats, all core stats can be gotten via discovery. The mentioned assassins stats are core, so you can discover them with an assassins inscription and the relevent weapon parts.

Recipies for expansion stats are obtained in different ways depending on the stat and expansion. It should also be noted many stat recipies can be bought off of the TP directly.Off the top fo my head- minstrel ; verdant brink airship cargo, vipers ; auric basin exalted chests, trailbalzers ; tangled depths crsytal caches, wanderers ; dragon's stand noxious pods, commanders ; ds pods rare (not 100%sure im right on this one)- all of those maps have ascended insignia/inscription on vendor.I don't play enough in PoF to tell all the stats and ways of getting it, but iirc spearmarshals is the defualt on mordant and sunspear weapons (heart vendors give recipes), harriers is from warbeast and bounty hunters recipes (elisa and rare drops), grieving from elegy mosiac vendor + bounties.

I found that some of the highest level exotic recipes helped a lot in levelling to 500. There are points where it's almost impossible to progress because nothing gives you enough points, but a recipe can offer a new item to make that actually gives some xp.

BUT, for weaponsmithing (everything that isn't chef) at least- recipies only unlock the ways to make things with expansion stats (HoT/PoF stats) and those recipies are gained through on map things, as well as really fancy skins (as said above, corrupted savinr weapons is one example. ambrite weapons also need recipe) generally from vendors, and legendary components.

Thank you. That clears up a lot. Just to make sure I understand...

Recipe not required...

• Any discipline other than cooking
• Rarity Exotic or lower
• Has core game stats
• Isn't a fancy skin

Recipe required...

• Made by Cooks
• Rarity Ascended or Legendary
• Has stats added in HoT or PoF

You only need recipes to craft expansion stats, all core stats can be gotten via discovery. The mentioned assassins stats are core, so you can discover them with an assassins inscription and the relevent weapon parts.

I feel like I've seen recipes on vendors for core stat things, but maybe I'm misremembering.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the help.

@Eethy.6421 said:Thank you. That clears up a lot. Just to make sure I understand...

Recipe not required...

• Any discipline other than cooking
• Rarity Exotic or lower
• Has core game stats
• Isn't a fancy skin

Recipe required...

• Made by Cooks
• Rarity Ascended or Legendary
• Has stats added in HoT or PoF

Not all true, no. Cooking does not require recipes any more than other crafting disciplines do, and much of leveling Cooking will just be crafting items you'll automatically know the recipe for or throwing things into the Discovery tab. Every crafting discipline will have many things that won't require a obtaining and learning recipe to craft, but every crafting discipline will also have some things that will require obtaining and learning a recipe to craft. Crafting exotic insignias and inscriptions will always require learning a recipe (most of which can be bought from your crafting trainer, standing next to its respective crafting station). Some (maybe all?) rare items will also require a recipe to learn its required insignia/inscription (again bought from the crafting trainer). And yes, crafting stuff with expansion stats will require learning a recipe, as will crafting any ascended gear.

Edit just to clarify: You'll only need to learn those recipes once per account. So, if you buy a recipe for a Berserker stat Orichalcum Imbued Inscription and learn it on your Artificer, that recipe will then be unlocked for your whole account and available all weapon-crafting disciplines.

Thank you for the further clarification.

@RoseofGilead.8907 said:

@Eethy.6421 said:Thank you. That clears up a lot. Just to make sure I understand...

Recipe not required...

[bla bla bla]

Recipe required...

[bla bla bla]

Ay caramba.

Crafting exotic insignias and inscriptions will always require learning a recipe (most of which can be bought from your crafting trainer, standing next to its respective crafting station). Some (maybe all?) rare items will also require a recipe to learn its required insignia/inscription (again bought from the crafting trainer).

Ah, ok. That explains why I don't see any Rare Assassin's Swords in my crafting panel.

Edit just to clarify: You'll only need to learn those recipes once per account. So, if you buy a recipe for a Berserker stat Orichalcum Imbued Inscription and learn it on your Artificer, that recipe will then be unlocked for your whole account and available all weapon-crafting disciplines.

Ok, got it.

Thanks again.

Chef is diferent entirley to all the other crafting disciplines which is why i seperated it. Theres no "stats" for cooking, so it doesn't follow the same rules necessarily - but the fact you can't discover items with recipes remains true.

A lot of meta foods require a recipe in some form, be it the 300g butternut squash or focusing crystals from pact supply agents and more- but many foods don't. There's no logical way to divide chef recipies and things that can be discovered, so I can't tell you any rule that follows cus no rule exists.

@Eethy.6421 said:Thank you for the further clarification.

@RoseofGilead.8907 said:

@Eethy.6421 said:Thank you. That clears up a lot. Just to make sure I understand...

Recipe not required...

[bla bla bla]

Recipe required...

[bla bla bla]

Crafting exotic insignias and inscriptions will always require learning a recipe (most of which can be bought from your crafting trainer, standing next to its respective crafting station). Some (maybe all?) rare items will also require a recipe to learn its required insignia/inscription (again bought from the crafting trainer).

Edit just to clarify: You'll only need to learn those recipes once per account. So, if you buy a recipe for a Berserker stat Orichalcum Imbued Inscription and learn it on your Artificer, that recipe will then be unlocked for your whole account and available all weapon-crafting disciplines.

And recipe is not only for hot an pof stats, for example Bowl of Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup ( food) and Pearl Sabre (exotic sword).