Material farming starts from the recipe screen. The Crafting NPC shows the gear target and required material before Story farming starts. If the recipe asks for a material tied to a later world, early Leaf Village farming does not finish that craft. If the recipe only needs early materials, a fast early clear can beat a harder stage that drops a different item.
Material progress follows world and act ranges. Leaf Village is the early material route for basic gear progression. GT City is tied to higher-tier materials after the account moves beyond the first world. Marine Lobby is tied to later materials and higher gear goals. These worlds are route labels; the recipe screen shows the target material.
For early gear, the best target is the lowest act range that drops the material and clears reliably. A stable clear with the right drop target beats a failed harder run. The material route ends when the gear is craftable, and the next test shows whether the team can move into the next act range.
For mid-game gear, the route moves to the world that matches the recipe. Staying in the first comfortable stage can leave the account with extra low-tier materials while the next craft still needs GT City or later drops. If the matching world is too hard, perks, traits, team roles, or a temporary gear piece become the next upgrade path.
For late gear, the route makes sense after the unit earns the cost. Mythic, Secret, or awakening-related gear routes can demand later materials and more Gold. Those grinds fit units with a stable team role, a role-matching trait, and enough stage value in the modes you are playing.
Separate material farming from general resource farming. A stage can be good for EXP, Gold, or account progress while still being the mismatched route for the gear material you need. When the goal is gear, the recipe decides the route. If Gold is also missing, the best loop gives the material while keeping the craft affordable.
The craft-ready moment is the stopping point. After one craft, the NPC shows whether the next material keeps the route in the same world or moves it elsewhere. This keeps the next session tied to the next recipe.
When material steps disagree, trust the Crafting NPC in front of you. Anime Squadron can change gear values and material routes, so the menu you see beats an older material list.