In a Vana'diel Census first, we compiled the statistics for synthesis skills.

The pie graphs show the distribution of skill ranks within each synthesis skill, while the bar graph shows a comparison of skill rank distribution among the various crafts.

From both types of graph, you can plainly see the high number of amateur fishermen. This result points to the relative ease with which fishing can be taken up, thanks to the availability of fishing rods found through monster drops and the numerous fishing locales.

Both smithing and goldsmithing have many amateur- and recruit-level practitioners.

This phenomenon can be attributed to the fast-selling ingots that can be made at the lower ranks, and the prohibitive cost of furthering these skills beyond basic levels.

Looking at the bar graph we can see that cooking, alchemy, and woodworking are popular crafts, with many practitioners above the craftsman level. These are skills that create items immediately useful to adventurers such as juice, potions, and ninjutsu tools, and are relatively inexpensive to master due to the income generated through the sale of these items. Cooking in particular requires no other craft skills for most of its recipes and is the easiest for players to begin.

Perhaps unexpectedly, clothcraft is fifth in line for the largest number of characters with craftsman rank or greater. The ability to create a wide variety of mage equipment may account for this percentage.

Both leathercraft and bonecraft show a similar distribution up until the level of journeyman. This can be explained by the necessity of these crafts as a secondary skill in many recipes, and the value of items that can be synthesized and sold at every skill rank.

[Skill Rank Distribution]
[Comparison of Skill Rank Distribution]