Questions on Higher Than Cap Synths

[urat]

I've noticed in most guilds there is a handful of synth listed as being 101, 102 and even 103 skill to synth.

How is it we are determining these levels? All I can think of is HQ rates with skill+ armor being lower than expected thus calculated to be a higher level?

[Firedemon]

Someone probably tested the levels to make the item until they were 15 levels under and being able to successfully attempt the synth.

[tymora]

You can get a rough gauge of the levels by simply asking the NPCs in the guild.

1 NPC will give you all the recipes up till your current level.
1 NPC will give you all the recipes 1 to 5 levels above your current level.
1 NPC (Adv Synth) will give you all the recipes 6 to 15 levels above your current level.

So someone can theoretically determine the exact levels by checking every level after you hit 85 on a particular item by seeing when it switches from getting listed by the "Adv Synth" NPC to the "1 to 5" level NPC.

Alternatively, attempt to synth a recipe at starting from 86.