If you've never played Everquest 2 you can give it a try for free with Trial of the Isle

Tradeskilling is a part of Everquest 2 that I have been into since before I started playing. I remember playing Everquest 1 and reading about the new tradeskilling in EQ2. Since I had been getting into tradeskilling in Everquest 1 at the time, I found out as much as I could about tradeskilling before I started playing. I have been very successful. In fact, I always try to keep my tradeskill level well above my adventure level. ...

For instance, my main tradeskiller, Theloniuss, is a 42 Woodworker and only a level 25 Bruiser. He would probably still be below 20 but once Achievement points came out I wanted to get him over 20 so he could earn exploration achievement points.

Tradeskilling has been changed quite a bit since the beginning of the game and is now much easier for people less interested in it than I. However, some people still don't get some basic principles and helpful hints that I would like to share. Like many topics in the game, tradeskilling takes quite a lot to discuss so today's article is just about harvesting. The key to successful and pleasurable tradeskilling.

Some people don't like to harvest and they either buy the components themselves ( expensive ) or have friends and guildmates do it for them. If you've never thought about it, here are my reasons for harvesting all my own materials ( except when I need a few more to finish a writ ).

1. Rares - you have to harvest a lot to get the components you need and you are bound to get more than a few rares. If the rares are of no use to you this can be your major source for in game funding. This article is written with the idea that you aren't just trying to harvest rares, but to harvest the components so you can raise your tradeskill level.

2. Collectibles - Collectibles can be the source of adventure and achievement experience as well as in game funding. It is much more likely you'll find collection points when you are already looking at the ground ( and sometimes other places ) for stuff to harvest. Collection points are basically another type of harvest node so you might as well follow the same rules that I talk about below.

3. It is peaceful - Once again, this article is not written for people just trying to harvest rares. Which, in my experience, can be very aggravating. If you follow my rules for harvesting, it isn't a chore and isn't too stressful. Of course, aggro mobs wandering in front of you in mid-harvest or just when you click to harvest can be annoying but that won't happen too often.

4. Meet nice people - You may not think of harvesting as a way to meet other players. However, follow my rules below and you'll meet some of the nicer people I have met in the game.

5. It's a whole lot cheaper than buying the components - It will cost you a whole load of dough to level up without harvesting, unless you have friends and guildmates harvesting for you. If that's the case, though, you are dependent on someone else having what you need when you need it.

Those are the reasons to harvest your own components but let's get down to the rules I have set for myself and they have treated me very well. They are simple rules, so you should have no problem following them.

1. Harvest everything - And I mean everything. If you need it, harvest it. If you don't need it, harvest it. Harvest nodes ( and collection nodes in their own way ), are placeholders for other harvest nodes. If you are too selective about your harvesting, like people looking for rares, you end up with a whole bunch of the nodes you don't need. That's why you'll often see a zone with so many bushes. No hugely profitable rares so the rare hunters don't harvest them. That's okay, just harvest them. In no time your node type(s) will pop all over the place. And what do you do with all the extra components you have? You have 3 choices: destroy them, sell them( more profitable than destroying ) and / or give them away( see below ).

2. If someone else is harvesting in your area, talk to them - This makes all the difference in the world. This is where you meet the nice people in Everquest 2. Here are the types of responses you are likely to get from people as you strike up a conversation with them.
- "I'm looking for rares." If that's so they will most likely give you stacks and stacks of the other components they have that they "don't need".
- They are looking for the same thing you are - Since all tradeskilling takes many different types of components they may be able to help you out with some that you are having a little trouble coming by that they don't need ( and vice versa ).
- "You need feyiron and feysteel? I have 2 feysteel. Do you want them?" - That's right, if you are polite, some people may actually just give you rares. You heard me correctly GIVE YOU RARES! While this happens as often as harvesting rares it does happen. In a social game, talking to people and being polite is worthwhile.
- "I'll go ( harvest ) somewhere else." - Some people don't like to get in other people's ways, especially if they feel it isn't as important for them to harvest at the moment. Under these circumstances they step aside and let you have the area / zone.
- You find a new friend / guildmate - As long as you are talking to them, add them to your friends list. If they aren't in a guild ask if they would like to join yours. If you aren't in a guild, ask them about theirs. If neither of you are in a guild maybe you can get 4 more people together and start one.
That's just a sample of the conversations you will have. If you approach the conversation from "What are you harvesting? I'm harvesting x,y and z" and be polite, then the conversation should go well.

3. Help other harvesters - This is really an extension of rule 2 and the golden rule. Treat other people the way you would like to be treated. I once gave a guy 1 rare because he gave me a stack and a half of something I was having the hardest time harvesting. Then I found another of the same rare and gave that too him as well. I'm pretty sure that made his hour if not his day. I've also given away plenty of stacks of stuff I didn't need or had more than enough of. On the selfish side, these acts make you feel good about what you did.

4. Harvest in dense node areas / harvest in a circuit fashion - Don't wander all around a zone hoping to run into harvest nodes. Learn where the best places are. Create a circuit you walk that works well for harvesting. This will make your bags fill up with components quicker and then you can cast Call of the Overlord / Qeynos and get down to tradeskilling faster. Where these places are depends on the zone, your level, your server and along with the day and time. In a future article I may right about good places to harvest when your level is too low for a zone. I'll try to at least start harvesting in Tier 6 zones before that article though.

That's it. Four simple rules for harvesting that seem to make it go quicker and easier. While it may seem like common sense to some of you, I hope many of you can glean a tip or two from this.

Happy Harvesting and Merry Tradeskilling.
--
My characters( all on Nektulos Server ):
Diacre: 37 Armorer, 30 Shadow Knight
Leroy: 40 Templar, 39 Tailor
Theloniuss: 42 Woodworker, 25 Bruiser
Lutte: 38 Provisioner, 27 Warden
Froche: 28 Carpenter, 18 Swashbuckler
Diakono: 27 Conjuror, 20 Tailor

If you'd like to join a high level ( currently 32 ), casual ( real life comes first ) guild send me a tell and I'll invite you to the Black Moon Syndicate.