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Getting Started in
Harvesting
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QUESTION
I'm an adventurer, but I want to start harvesting resources to trade
with crafters. How do I get started?
ANSWER
If you're an adventurer, it's a good idea to take up
harvesting.
As your adventuring level rises, keeping your harvesting level in line
with the types of resources available in the areas you hunt makes a lot
of sense. Hardcore crafters whose crafting levels are much higher than
their adventuring levels will need you to collect the resources they
use,
since they don't dare venture into higher level areas to
gather
them on their own.
To get started in harvesting you'll need to find a trainer.
Trainers are
located in all starting cities and villages. (If you're having a hard
time tracking a trainer down, you should be able to hail a guard and
ask for directions.) Once you've found the harvesting trainer, he or
she
will send you off on a brief quest to harvest some nearby resources.
Completing this quest line will not only complete your training but net
you a basic set of harvesting clothing.
Before you harvest your first resource you'll need to equip some tools.
Your first tools are given to you as part of a harvesting quest. Other
basic starter tools are available from the harvesting trainer at no
charge, but as your harvesting skills grow you'll need to purchase
better tools and clothing from either a trainer/vendor or from player
crafters. Tools and clothing are equipped under your
harvesting inventory tab (figure 1 below). Make sure you're buying the
right tools for the job--each harvesting specialty requires different
tools.
Choose Your Harvesting
Specialty
Harvesting abilities come in five varieties:
Quarrying (stone, gems)
Mining (metal)
Lumberjacking (wood)
Skinning (animal hides)
Reaping (plants)
You'll be asked to choose a primary and secondary skill. If you intend
to craft, you need only consider what types of resources your crafting
class uses in order to pick your harvesting specialty. If you're not a
crafter, and don't intend to become one, you still might want to
consider the types of things you could potentially want crafted and
harvest appropriately, since crafters are often all too happy to create
an item for a customer who has the right resources on hand. Does your
character wear medium armor? You may want to harvest skins. Will you be
looking for someone to build you a house or a boat some day?
Lumberjacking is where its at.
It helps to know what materials the crafting classes use:
Artificers - wood, stone, gems (found in stone)
Outfitters - animal hides, textile plants
Blacksmiths - metal
Once you've chosen a primary and secondary harvesting specialty you're
not stuck with your decision. To change your primary/secondary
harvesting skill just visit a trainer again. Be warned, though, that
whatever experience you've gained in your previous harvesting
specialties will be lost and your skills reset to 0.
Harvesting a Node
Okay, so you've equipped your tools and you're ready to harvest. The
process couldn't be simpler. You'll find resource nodes scattered
throughout Telon in logical places. Trees are obviously easiest to find
in forested areas.You'll generally find plants growing in patches on
open plains and fields. Watch the bases of rocky areas for stone and
metal. You'll have to kill animals (or wait until someone else does) in
order to harvest their skins.
Now, let's say that you're out to harvest a few chunks or
shale. To begin harvesting, all you need do is approach the
node (in this case a Deposit of Shale), target it, and right click
(figure 2 below). Your character will begin the harvesting process.
When harvesting is complete, the node will display as remains (example:
Remains of a Deposit of Shale). Right click again to loot the remains.
Raw resources can be combined in groups of 20 to create another
resource. For instance, 20 chunks of shale combine to make 1 slab of
shale. To combine resources, right click a stack of 20 or more and
select "combine." (You can also undo this should you need to...but you
shouldn't need to.) Combining resources can help save
inventory space.
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Figure 1
Harvesting inventory window
(click to enlarge)
title="click to enlarge"
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Figure 2
Harvesting a node
(click to enlarge)
Progression
You'll have to reach level 100 in each of your skills in order to begin
harvesting tier 2 nodes. Once you've reached 100 skill level you'll
also need to train. Training is accomplished by purchasing and reading
(right click) a book supplied by harvesting trainers. While you may be
able to harvest tier 2 nodes without training you won't increase your
skills until you've trained.
A Few Pointers
- You'll switch between your harvesting and adventuring gear
automatically depending on which activity you're engaged in. - You may want to whip up a quick macro key with the command
/TargetNextNode. This will help you quickly target any harvesting nodes
within your general area, which in turn makes them easier to
locate.. - Holding down the right and left mouse buttons at the same
time causes your character to run forward by default. This is handy for
harvesting, since you can use your mouse for everything from movement
to steering to harvesting to looting. - As soon as you're able, purchase the harvesting training
book for the next tier for each of your specialties. (These are
available from the harvesting trainer.) It's much easier to have the
books on hand should you find you're ready for the next tier than to
run all the way back to town to purchase one. - Harvest resources with other players. It makes them easier
to harvest and increases your yield.
Now you're equipped with a basic knowledge of harvesting. Get out there
and start seeking nodes! You'll find that harvesting is fun
and slightly addicting. Selling resources to crafters is also a revenue
source for the savvy adventurer.
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answer!
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