Electricity

Orserk

Electricity 4
Transporting 3
Handiwork 2

Competes with Azurmane as the Lv 4 Electric pal. Electric pals have a lot
of downtime, so Orserks Transport and Handiwork skills are more useful than Azurmanes Lv 1 Gathering.

Applied Technique Book Option: Helzephyr Lux

Kindling

Jormuntide Ignis

Kindling 4

Kindling

Blazamut Ryu

Kindling 4
Mining 4

Jormuntide Ignis is much easier to get with good passives and to catch
for condensing. Ryu will mine when not kindling.

Applied Technique Book Option: Blazehowl Noct, Sootseer.

Gathering

Frostallion Noct

Gathering 4

The only Gathering Lv 4 pal.
Verdash is a budget option.

Applied Technique Book Option: Knocklem, can transport what it gathers. Verdash, can reach maxed Gathering, Planting and Transport.

Mining

Astegon

Mining 4
Handiwork 1

Its already a Nocturnal pal, mining pals in general don’t have downtime.

There is no real benefit to using applied technique books on new mining
pals. Pick what you like if you don’t want Astegon.

Planting

Prunelia

Planting 3
Medicine 3
Gathering 2
Handiwork 1
Transporting 1

The only Planting Lv4 pal is Lyleen. However due to the Partner Skill Prunelia will still give more crops per hour. Turn off Gathering and let a high level gathering pal do that instead.

Applied Technique Book Option: Prunelia and Lullu for the Partner Skills.
Caprity Noct for Nocturnal.

Watering

Jormuntide

Watering 4

Watering

Faleris Aqua

Watering 4
Transporting 3

Jormuntide chain breeds into Jormuntide Ignis, so it is less work to breed
for both. Faleris Aqua has Transporting, but watering pals making flour tend to not have much downtime.

Applied Technique Book Option: Killamari.

Medicine

Lullu

Medicine 2
Planting 2
Handiwork 2
Gathering 1

Medicine

Prunelia

Medicine 3
Transporting 3
Planting 3
Handiwork 1
Gathering 2

Medicine is not super important, using pals that give other benefits is more worth than breeding a Bellanoir Libero for it.

Applied Technique Book Option: The pals above.

Handiwork

Anubis

Handiwork 4
Mining 3
Transporting 2

Out of the 3 pals with Handiwork Lv 4 Anubis has the best secondary Work Skill in Mining. The Benefit of Splatterina and Selyne being nocturnal does not make up for having worse other skills.

Applied Technique Book Option: Sootseer, nocturnal with mining.

Lumbering

Celesdir

Lumbering 4
Gathering 1

Lumbering

Shroomer Noct

Lumbering 2
Gathering 2
Planting 2
Handiwork 1

Shroomer Noct has lower Lumbering skill, but you don’t need a lot of wood in the end game. It has a sanity reduction buff for base pals, meaning less breaks or sick workers.

Applied Technique Book Option: Shroomer Noct is good for it.

Cooling

Bastigor

Cooling 4
Mining 3
Lumbering 3

Will need nocturnal to work the freezer, a budget pal is Vanwyrm Cryst for the freezer and Bastigor for the Crusher.

Applied Technique Book Option: Vanwyrm Cryst, Nocturnal and can transport when not crushing.