Spark or polyomino-mediated (pseudo)syntheses

[Rhombic]

Glider syntheses are already pretty complicated by themselves, so using pi-heptominos, r-pentominos, Herschels or phi sparks to build patterns can be not only useful (to reduce ash production in complex systems where these will appear), but also just for the sake of obtaining them.

A phi spark, a glider and a block here create a paperclip.

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x = 10, y = 9, rule = B3/S23
4bo$3bo$3b3o2$8b2o$bo6b2o$o2b2o$o2b2o$bo!

Also, feel free to propose pseudosyntheses that use, exclusively, LWSS, MWSS, HWSS or really, any kind of weird spaceship (lobster-based syntheses coming up, anyone?).

[mniemiec]

Glider syntheses are already pretty complicated by themselves, so using pi-heptominos, r-pentominos, Herschels or phi sparks to build patterns can be not only useful (to reduce ash production in complex systems where these will appear), but also just for the sake of obtaining them.

A phi spark, a glider and a block here create a paperclip. ...

Also, feel free to propose pseudosyntheses that use, exclusively, LWSS, MWSS, HWSS or really, any kind of weird spaceship (lobster-based syntheses coming up, anyone?).

When you use unstable patterns, the patterns must be at fixed locations in time and space. (This is the sort of issue one encounters with herschel conduits). One can add a degree of freedom by using a stable component (as with slow synthesis), or by using a spaceship (as with general glider synthesis). Spaceships are the most convenient, as they can be created arbitrarily far away, eliminating most crowding issues between the mechanisms used to create them.

One must also consider how easy it is to create the components. Gliders and blocks are easy, as are the three other basic spaceships. Use of more exotic spaceships would likely provide no advantage, since Life's most natural spaceships also happen to be the fastest. This might be different in a rule where the most common spaceships move slowly; for example, in B34/S34, all the natural spaceships move at c/3, but c/2 orthogonal spaceships exist, and could be used to send signals faster. There is typically no advantage in using slower spaceships; e.g. instead of using a c/10 spaceship, one could just as easily use a c/2 spaceship, and appropriately delay its creation time. There might be some situations where oblique spaceships might be useful, but given their sizes and speeds, this is also unlikely to be practical in Life. (I do have one non-totalistic rule where I've built a breeder, and it uses a small natural oblique spaceship, but Life does not appear to have any of those.)