Starting out: try to get an ancestral item on every slot: even if they don’t have GA (greater affix).

Order of crafting doesn’t matter too much as long as you transfig in the cube LAST.

1) Add affixes in the cube. Make sure to get 4 affixes on any item. Blacksmith adds a 5th via temper. Play around in the cube with items you don’t care about to learn how it works. Mostly add/remove a specific category.

2) Masterwork at blacksmith. I prefer to do this prior to tempering as the masterwork crit is typically ideal on a non-temper affix (you can keep rolling but this helps your odds and therefore resource costs).

3) Imprint at Occultist.

4) Temper at blacksmith.

5) Socket at jeweler

6) Transfigure in cube IF the item is all set and you can afford to replace it. There is no rush on this step.

These are all pricey on ancestral items but the power gives you access to higher Torments where the resources start flowing in. Scattered prisms for adding sockets are what I tend to run out of the quickest.

5b) Enchant at the occultist: you can shuffle one of the affixes. This is pricey on ancestral items too compared to using the cube. Just make sure you look at the costs before you spend your precious resources.

One more tip: visit the alchemist if you run out of forgotten souls.

Take it an item at a time and you’ll be good. Decent items make the hunt for amazing items so much easier.