What is source mode, exactly?

[cygnus]

Just a bit of additional info regarding this. Neun's guide is very accurate. I've used it as a guideline and so far so good. What I have noticed tho is how and why the source mode changes during extraction. I would assume this varies according to harvet lvl, number of prospected sources and possibly extraction time.

I'm lvl 133, prospect 5 spots (choice only) & extraction time bonus 4. Source mode is recalced once I've pulled 6 mats which is when I've pulled max ql (140 from a 150 source) or I've hit the max for the source (eg: 2 mats from a 100 source) and is a random result still and also again after an explosion or gas cloud.

I use gentle everything, aggresive is only worth while if you are pulling max x.5 and is then useful to complete that extra mat and gain a bit more xp. Using it at the start seems to kill everything too quick imo.

Another thing I've noticed is related to how many of the 5 spots I can harvest from. I can ALWAYS do 2, regardless of how many I pull on the first (my max is 12 using a focus boost). I can occasionaly pull from 3 but this is only possible if the first 2 I extract from are prem destroyed and I havent extracted more than 13 mats from them. It doesnt happen often like that but when it does its sweet especially if the third one goes for 12 mats. 4.5k+ xp and 25 mats from one prospect helps every time

Cygnus aka Snake

[vguerin]

What I have noticed tho is how and why the source mode changes during extraction. I would assume this varies according to harvet lvl, number of prospected sources and possibly extraction time.

Your mode will remain whatever it started as, until your quality level reaches it's peak for the stanza you are using.

If using a stanza with a quality level of Q100, until your extraction reaches Q100 your mode will not change. At level the new mode it will remain typically until completion, unless you change to a stanza with a different level where it will again change once achieved.

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[zaras]

In my opinion the source modes changed a little bit with patch two. Not much, but to a certain degree.

There are 3 key values:
life - bar can be rised using care plan
stability - bar can be rised using care plan
damage of possible explosions or poison - ammount of damage can be reduced with care plan

mode 0 - life+++, stability---, damage high
mode 1 - life+++, stability--, damage low
mode 2 - life---, stability+++, damage medium
mode 3 - life---, stability--, damage medium
mode 4 - life---, stability+, damage very high
mode 5 - life-, stability---, damage medium

If you pass Level50 you can't extract without caring anymore.
If you only have to care either life or stability, it works best. A care plan with maxed life and stability uses a lot of focus.

That's why in my opinion best modes are 0,1,2 and 4. If caring right, the damage of a possible explosion is not important.
Mode 5 needs mainly caring of stability, but needs some life caring too.
Mode 3 is worst at actual patch situation, because it needs a lot of caring of both life and stability.

Another thing is, that you cannot choose you favorite mode anymore. That's why I think discussing best or worst modes is wasted time
But it's important to know, what kind of healing each mode needs to avoid explosions and other bad things.

And this is my experience (caring):
mode 0, 1: stability
mode 2: source life
mode 4: source life, have an eye at stability
mode 5: mainly stability, sometimes it needs some source life caring too
mode 3: mainly source life, but needs a lot of stability caring too

[cygnus]

I spent the last 5 or so levels tracking what each mode does and how it behaves, how many mats were gained etc. I died a lot I used Winds of Muse (ql 100) and Fount (ql150) and the results were just about exactly the same except the damage from gas or explosion is higher from ql150 with source modes 0,2 and 5. (gas 150, explosion 730+/ gas 202, explosion 970-990)

By far the most dangerous is mode 4, 1700+ explosion for ql 150 (instant death for me) but it is also the most stable of all the modes. A sort of sucker punch when pushing for that extra mat and xp. Its source life is average.

The least dangerous are modes 1 and 3, both explode for about 200 damage and gas is 45-47 on either ql source. Mode 3 has poor life, leaving mode 1 as the winner again.

Keep an eye on the source mode changes (when you hit max ql for your plan or max ql from the source). This will really help get the most from your source and can make it well worth while in deciding whether to use a focus boost or not to get as much out of the source before time runs out.

If you start with 0 or 5 keep an eye on extraction risk (2 has more stability) as you approach a possible mode change. eg: I could pull 6 mats before I hit max ql, on 5.4 mats pulled, extraction is close to expire, one more pull and it hits 6, mode change 4 (eeeek!!) b00m....bite the sand.

This I think is also why there is conflicting reports on the worst damage mode unless of course modes behave different depending which land you harvest in

Anyway it made it a bit more interesting grinding a few levels out doing this and hopefully it may prove useful to someone.

Cygnus aka Snake

[borg9]

This I think is also why there is conflicting reports on the worst damage mode unless of course modes behave different depending which land you harvest in

Dmg is also indirectly dependant on you level. High QL extracted higher dmg.

At ql170/ql180 I get explosions of around 2500 dmg on the more danerous mode numbers.


Source mode behavour is predicable based on the following.....

Agg/Gen stanza effect the scale the bars move on.
for example it can be safe to use aggessive on mode 4

Once you know how the bars moves for a source mode and extraction plan.... its always the same, regardless of where you dig (region).

I have also found that the mat you are extracting can effect the bar movement, I have always found Oil to be more unstable than other mats. This may be a factor, I haven't bothered to prove it, becuase I have an effective digging method that works and don't have the time to do a detailed study.

After digging for a while it becomes instictive and you can set yourself up with a good stragegy that works everytime.

Personally ..... I have one goal as a digger .... find a carer with lvl 2 care plans in ground stab and source pres.

Over the last 3/4 weeks I have trained 6+ carers from lvl20 ish. Most have now going off and become 'professional' diggers and are training others to care.

I am most proud of one of my carers who in 1.5 weeks went from lvl40/50 ish to lvl150 with crafting skills to match! (HQL plans!)

Wanted carers, lvl20 to lvl150 harvest with careplans! Send tell to Neun.

I also will pay for you services, training comes free!