Some questions about harvesting, a newbie

[kanidana]

What are the best skills to get so that I may be efficient at harvesting? The skills don't have good explanations so it's rather confusing.

For example, I got the survey 50m skill. I use it and it takes me to an area within 1 meter. Then I use the local survey skill and it doesn't find any resources. Are there efficiency increases with some skills or is harvesting just this big of a pain in the behind?

Do I need to always go to the area and guess where to use the local survey tool and just keep trying until I find the resource (like sometimes 5 to 6 times or more before finding resources)?

Thanks for any help.

[clemond1]

A great place to start:

Melinoe Harvesting Guide

You may have to register for the forum...I can't remember now.

[asyne]

Do I need to always go to the area and guess where to use the local survey tool and just keep trying until I find the resource (like sometimes 5 to 6 times or more before finding resources)?

Yup; unfortunatly, you do. But the best way to avoid doing that process twice for the same spot is to make a user-defined point on the map to tell you where it is. You could place the marker right on top of the mat source, or place it at the edge and have the direction you prospect to get sources up in the name (example: ChoiceAdrielBarkN would tell you to stand on top of the marker and prospect north to find the choice adriel bark that you found earlier)

Are there efficiency increases with some skills or is harvesting just this big of a pain in the behind?

As for ways to cut down on the amount of time it takes to pinpoint a source, that's reduced by using larger angles, longer ranges, and (I think) major prospections - like "Major oil prospection." But once you've found the source, you don't need to use the large ranges, since you know where it is. And, unfortunatly, it's quite a pain to find new sources until you reach the upper groups of levels.

Check out the Player Made Guides section of the forum too. I think there might be some information there.

[kanidana]

Thanks for the replies. Ok, that clarifies things a little better. I didn't realize that the resources were static, I thought they were random. This is great to know. I will start marking the areas. Also, thanks for the links.

[marct]

For example, I got the survey 50m skill. I use it and it takes me to an area within 1 meter. Then I use the local survey skill and it doesn't find any resources. Are there efficiency increases with some skills or is harvesting just this big of a pain in the behind?

Do I need to always go to the area and guess where to use the local survey tool and just keep trying until I find the resource (like sometimes 5 to 6 times or more before finding resources)?

I would say that right now, you really do not want to rely on tracking(surveying), a good homin can show you what you are looking for with much much more accuracy.

On of your first important choices is which type of prospecting you wish to do: (this is a very important decision early on)
Upto: allow you to prospect for raw material sources of a grade up to and including the specified grade

or

Only: allow you to prospect only for raw material sources of a specific grade.

raw materials have grades in this order: (lowest ot highest) with increasing statistics on the raw mat.
Basic
Fine
Choice
Excellent
Supreme

I would suggest you use the Upto stanzas until you are well into harvesting.

My other point to make is that the "Knowledge" skill is over-rated. If you have someone to show you where stuff is, and you mark your map, there is no need for "Knowledge".

Noin.

[vguerin]

All these answers are correct, but you may also be lead to a spot that is not currently active due to over-harvesting, season, weather or time of day as well.

But typically as these good homins stated, you may not be facing the right direction or using the proper "up to" (better materials), range and/or cone angle...

Happy harvesting... after you get a good feel for prospecting and such, do as suggested and look around at some of the websites for maps

[roninpvp]

Rawrrrrrrrrrrrrr and there can be only one!


eep

[iwojimmy]

Attractive as it seems, you probably wont need "excellent quality" prospects for a while.. there are some excellent sources in the lvl 50 zones, but not enough to level up with. the skill points can be more economically spent on other skills.

You will need to be able to find excellent mats to complete the Matis ritual "Geography of Majestic Garden" and maybe some others.. but I think you need to be able to dig q60 for them anyway.

[kanidana]

I just wanted to say thanks again to the helpful people. I'm enjoying this game immensely. This game definitely wasn't advertised enough becuase if I had known about it earlier I wouldn't have wasted my money on EQ 2.

I'm starting to get the hang of it. I'm still on noob island, just hit level 10 harvesting and level 20 fighting. The links were invaluable as well as all of the advice.

Another question if somebody reads this. It's on a different subject. Is there a way to have 2 different weapons set ups and have a quick change? Like shield and sword and a quick switch hotkey to change to 2 daggers?

thanks

[calel]

Ok, now you' ve made lvl 10 in harvesting don' t be surprised when your sources will collapse or explode/vent toxic gas. You have reached a treshold where you will no longer benefit from immunity of the source modes (which dictates the source' s life and behavior). This might be a good time to start thinking about purchasing careplans or be looking for a carer if you don' t fancy eating sand.

No hotkeys for switching between weapon or armor set-ups; those will have to be done manually. Either by clicking on each item separatly in your inventory and clicking 'equip item', or by using the hands on your actionbar for weapons and the equip tab in you inventory where you can click and drag each armorpiece for armors.