#thread: lvl 99 farming

[liaytolisia]

Divine Dragon, protect her sanity... Lianna's smile became slightly strained. She certainly didn't appreciate her attempt at stopping the fire being compared to flinging mud like an animal.

"It's pronounced 'thank-you'," she hummed lightly, though a little bit pointed. "I might be royalty, but I can get my hands dirty when I need to."

The wink goes entirely over her head. The suggestion to finishing cheese later and bringing the journal to Keranes' attention now was put out there but Lianna was given no time to agree or disagree as Sain ran off with the journal- he still hadn't taken the basket either -and ran off, calling for the leader of their merry band. Sighing heavily, Lianna picked up the basket and followed after the man, just as Keranes appeared.

Lianna snatched the book from Sain again and passed it over to the woman.

"We found this over near a hive of bees," she said, gesturing to the garden they had just left. Ignoring the hive he was still holding.

"Thank-you for returning this... but what was it doing over there?" she asked. "What were you doing over there?"

She seemed a smidgen bit concerned about Sain, but that had been fading the more the man opened his mouth to speak. The look she gave Lianna was nothing short of pitying and thankful at the same time.

"We were trying to make cheese from the goat's milk," Lianna replied. "I was gathering lemons for it and Sain was supposed to be getting the milk. I don't think the goats appreciated him much..."

Keranes looked at Sain, then at Lianna, then back at Sain. Then she tucked her journal away with a sigh.

"Allow me to help you," she said. "You still need salt, let's get that and then we can go get the milk."

Lianna nodded eagerly.

Roll 1d10+2 -> 8 -> +1 food (plant, Lianna grabbed some more lemons before chasing Sain)

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[eorzean-capitalist]

FFXIV Marketboard Guide.

AKA: How to level up your crafting classes and make a little money on the side to support said leveling.

About the author of this guide:  I have over 150 million gil at the moment, and am lazily working my way toward 200 million.  I am an omni-crafter, all crafts and gatherers at lvl 70.  When I bought my large house in Shirogane, my highest level crafter was 53.  I had 85 million gil at the time.  I know what I’m doing, I know how to succeed.

There is no one way to succeed.  Consider this guide really a set of tips to help you get a jump on leveling your crafting and gathering.  This guide assumes you’re starting with everything at level 1 and goes from there.

It takes work, a lot of work on your part.  But it’s quite rewarding as you watch your classes level up and your bank account increase at the same time.  If you’re hoping this guide will help you get rich quick with no effort on your part, this is probably not your guide.

ONE:  The first thing you need to do is gather shards.  You are going to need a shit ton of shards.  You can buy them off the marketboard if they’re cheap, but if they run up over 100 gil each, don’t bother.  Farm your own.  

Set your retainers to botany and mining.  Equip them with a pick and an axe, and start sending them out for shards.  (You can buy ventures with GC seals, and Allied Seals.  Stock up on them, as many as you can.)  It is worth it to gear them up as they level (ever 10 levels after the retainer hits lvl 20 is my recommendation).  Eventually they’ll be able to bring you back 60 shards every 40 minutes.  

When you hit 9999 shards, shake off the excess onto a retainer and keep sending them out for shards.  Now you’re ready for step two.

TWO: Level up all your crafters to lvl 20.  Do this by crafting items at the starting stages and turning in class items.  (Most of the items you need are buyable from the vendor at the crafting area.)  When you hit 10 on your first class, you’ll unlock Quick Synthesis.  This is ungodly for leveling.  You only need to synthesis something once, and then you can set your character to create 99 of that item and let ‘em go while you go get coffee or do laundry or something.  

Tips: 

Don’t bother with crafting leves at this stage of the game.  It’s not hard to get to lvl 20 without touching them.  It’s time consuming, but not hard.  

You’ll get all the starting gear you need from your class quests.  Don’t bother buying gear at this stage.  If anything, you can make whatever you need as you go.

These classes will all provide shards at the first quests.  Make sure you have room for them. If you already have 9999 shards, you’ll just lose these extras. Offload around 2000 shards onto a retainer’s inventory so you have room.

If you have the Ala Mhigan earrings, wear them.  They work for crafting and gathering just as well as war and magic classes.

THREE: Take stock of what you can make.  By level twenty, these items either are now available to you or are very close.

Carpenter: Walnut Lumber (Lvl 25, a bit of a risk but worth it.)

Blacksmith/Armorsmith: (Iron Ingots lvl 16 and Iron Rivets, lvl 18.)

Goldsmithing: Silver Ingots (lvl 23)

Leatherworking: Aldgoat Leather (lvl 17)

Weaving: Dew Thread (lvl 23)

Alchemy: Mortar (lvl 20) and eventually Natron (lvl 25).

Cooking: Grape Juice. (Lvl 21, has only one ingredient, easy to mass produce to get levels.)

SOME of these items are great to sell on the marketboard.  Others are not.  I can tell you right now I had great experiences selling the following: Walnut Lumber, Silver Ingots, Dew Thread, Mortar and Natron.  

Four:  Now go farm up the mats you need that cannot be bought off a vendor.

Walnut Lumber:  Gather up at least 300 logs to turn into 100 lumber.  Go nuts with this, the more you have the better off you’ll be.  

Silver Ore or Effervescent Water:  Effervescent water sells great on its own if you want something to just mine up and sell as is.  Or you can turn it into Natron for a bit more profit.

Limestone.  I’ve found Limestone always sells high.  Mortar is particularly popular for making furniture items.  

Noble Grapes: Check the marketboard for these, it may be worth it to just buy them if they’re cheap rather than waste time gathering them when you could be gathering more walnut logs.

Aldgoat Skin: Check the MB for this too.  It may be cheap enough to buy rather than gather.  Since gathering takes you going around killing aldgoats near camp drybone.  (If you do gather them, save any aldgoat horns you get, they’ll come in handy later.)

Alumen: Necessary to make aldgoat leather.

Diremite web: Pain in the ass to gather yourself.  Buy off marketboard or run Toto-rak over and over again and hope you get some.

At this point, you should have enough shards and your retainers should be high enough level to gather other things for you. Send botanists out for walnut logs, and miners out for silver ore, alumen, limestone or effervescent water.

DO NOT BOTHER FARMING FOR IRON ORE.  IT IS BOUGHT OFF VENDORS EASILY.  WASTE OF YOUR TIME TO UNLESS YOU JUST REALLY ARE A PENNY PINCHER AND ENJOY GATHERING.

TIPS:  

Put on an audiobook to listen to, or have the TV nearby playing a movie or binge watch your favorite show while you gather.  Makes it less tedious.  

Take breaks.  Get up and get something to eat, stay hydrated.  Walk away and do some how chores for a bit.  The gathering part takes time.  

Set a limit for yourself.  Like you’re only going to get 300 walnut logs and then go do something else for awhile. Or, set a timer like you’ll farm for 30 minutes and then take a break.  Run a dungeon, play another game, do housework, something to mix it up a bit.  

This stage of the game is different for everyone. Some people like the grind of gathering, other people find it boring and tedious.  Don’t feel like you’re a failure if you can’t spend more than a short amount of time on this.  Pace yourself, do what you can, and then stop before you burn out.

Five:  Now for the crafting part.  Start working on everything you have gathered. Make walnut logs into lumber, turn silver and iron ore into ingots, diremite web into dew thread, aldgoat skin and alumen into aldgoat leather, noble grapes into grape juice, limestone into mortar.  

Once everything is made, head for the market board and price your items.  See what’s selling decently, what’s selling low.  Also be sure to check what the history is on the item in question. How much has it sold for in the past? How often does it sell? 

This is where your marketboard savvy should begin to take shape.   If you need to, keep track of sales trends on a spreadsheet.  Very useful in the beginning as you are learning the ropes, and will likely become intrinsic later.  

Start putting up auctions on your vendors of the items you think are most likely to sell.  Don’t put up stacks of 99 if you can help it.  Some people like big stacks like that but others may just want a few of an item.  (Also you can possibly sell it for a bit more than the lowest price if they have stacks of 99 up and you’re selling a stack of 20.)

Tips:  

Make sure you check the history of the item in question.  Look to see how often the item sells.  Is the last time it sold back a month ago?  Probably not a hot item right now.  Check the next item in your bags.  Your auctions are prime real estate, you want to occupy them with items that sell relatively well.  Reserve your slower moving items for times you’re low on the fast ones.  

Always have your retainers full.  When you go to bed, they should each have 20 auctions up.  Soon as something sells, put up something to replace it.  

Keep an eye on the going rates.  If it normally sells around 600 gil a piece, but there’s none up right now?  Don’t get greedy, selling it for 5000 gil each will just get you undercut pretty fast.  Try something like twice the last going rate to start with.  So, in this example, something that was selling at 600 gil a piece, put your auction up for 1200 a piece.  This is trial and error and every server is different.  

A watched auction never sells.  Don’t obsessively check your auctions to see if you’ve been undercut every 5 minutes.  Put them up and WALK AWAY.  

Know prime shopping times.  If it’s early in the morning, there won’t be as many sales.  Don’t bother undercutting just yet.  When you get home from work, great time to log in, check auctions and undercut as that’s the time people are getting home and logging in and buying stuff.  Don’t bother with it again until you go to bed.  

And that’s about all I have time for right now.  I will try to put up a part two on how to Marketboard tomorrow.  Good night and good sales!

[liaytolisia]

Sain was... certainly a unique soul, Lianna decided. It wasn't harming anyone, well, except himself. Still, she smiled at him and accepted his offering of honey and the journal. She almost went to open it when she noticed that it was locked... with magic? The writing on the outside looked like it belonged to Keranes... interesting.

"We should give this to Keranes," she hummed. "It appears to be hers..."

Roll 1d10+1 -> 10 -> ping key

Just as her voice trailed off, Lianna realised she could smell fire... Fire!!! Not the torch in Sain's hands, but something else. The bushes!!! Looking around quickly, she spotted a ruined bucket. Picking it up, it was clear to anyone that it couldn't be used as a bucket, but it was sufficient to shovel dirt, which Lianna quickly started to do, and kept doing until the flames died. She straightened and stared at the bush for a moment before turning back to her companion.

"Alright," she said, breathing a little harder. "Sain, you take the basket. Let's keep in mind that there are beehives here. You can point out ingredients when you spot them, I'll pick them up. Let's go get some rock salt, then we'll see about goat's milk."

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[liaytolisia]

Sighing as she watched Sain try to charm Keranes into revealing the contents of the journal, Lianna shifted the basket she was holding to readjust the weight. Had Sain forgotten they were trying to make cheese for everyone? She was quite glad when Keranes turned her attention away from him.

"I'm... doing okay, I think," she replied. "I really want to help everyone recover from the journey." And distract herself from the memory of collecting water gone wrong. "I hope everyone is holding up alright. Though I know some are better at hiding hurts than others, which is why I hope that some cheese will make them feel a bit better."

Keranes seemed to inspect her for a moment, glancing at Sain again, before nodding.

"You've a kind heart, lass," she said. "Alright, come along you two. I know where to find some salt, we can get goat milk, then I'll help you make cheese."

Lianna perked up at that. She quite happily followed Keranes as she lead the way back to where the goats were.

"Come on, Sain," she called. "Hurry up, or you’ll be left behind!"

Cheese making was back on track!

Roll 1d10+3 -> 4 -> +1 misc. food (cheese!!)

||end||

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[liaytolisia]

Okay... she knew what she needed to get. Rock salt and lemons... maybe even collect enough of both so that extras could be used for seasoning some of the fish from the river too. For the most part though, she was looking for the other two ingredients for making goats cheese. Thankfully the caves and the overgrowth would provide that.

Roll 1d10 -> 1 -> +1 plants (basket of lemons!)

In a basket she had collected quite a few lemons, which was good! Now all Lianna needed salt... That was when she heard Sain's voice. Oh dear... Looking up, she saw... that he was hurt???

"Sain, what happened??" Lianna asked. "Are you alright?"

By the Divine Dragon, it looked like something had hit his face with force... had it been Ethel? Sighing, Lianna put the basket down.

"Maybe you need to collect the lemons and salt for us," she said.

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[enarmor]

"So... I just... Pull here-?"

"Maaahhh!!"

WHAM!

And that's how Sain got his bloody nose. He does not just 'pull there,' for Esther the goat doesn't like when folks walk up to her and do that. No no, this little lamb is a lady: she needs love and attention, care and perhaps a snack or two. Sain also totally grabs her wrong--with plated gloves, no less--which all but justifies the harsh headbutt he receives in return.

He stands at his full height just as quickly, hand pressed against his lower face to stop the blood from running. "Ow, ow, ow..! L-Lianna, dear!? Are you finithed with your part!?" His voice raises over his head and over the rooftops in an attempt to meet her, even if the sock to his sniffer muddles his pronunciation, "Acthually, better quethion!! Would you, ah, like to thrade platheth?!"

Darn, where is that girl? Sain calls and calls, but she's nowhere in sight! According to her, all they needed was a bit of rock salt and some lemons. Rocks were, well, everywhere, and one of those bountiful gardens had to have the fruit they were looking for, right?

So he tries a few of those, meandering through the menagerie of plants with his hand glued to nose. He fights every urge to gawk at them, if only due to the throbbing pain spurring him forward.

"Thweetetht Lianna?! Your knight and prothector needth you!!"

//starter for @liaytolisia

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[enarmor]

So she's a princess. It would've been easy to guess, but hearing it straight from Lianna helps sell the fantasy of their situation a little better. No longer will they be scrappy scavengers trying to scrape by on whatever these caverns provide. With a princess in the midst, an air of fantasy envelops their deeds, like they're all heroes of a children's story.

Sain vows to deliver a happy end.

"Keranes," he chirps, not at all bothered by Lianna stealing the book back as part of their back-and-forth, "if I may ask, what's in that tome? A thecret love story, perhaps~?"

The older woman chuckles, bobbing her journal in her hands as if to ask 'wouldn't you like to know?' But she is entertained by Sain, and so she entertains his question, "In your dreams, boy. It's a diary: kind of personal. I'll admit that I've been jotting down our journey thus far, but you won't be getting a peek."

For his cheekiness, the knight receives a healthy bap! against his forehead. It makes him squint his eyes.

"Ahh, a lady with a clothely guarded secret... I'd follow you to the ends of the earth!"

She kind of cringes at that one, coughing and turning to Lianna. They haven't found anything of use as they've been walking, in spite of at least two party members keeping their eyes peeled. A tad worried, Keranes pokes the blonde:

"Doubt I need to ask Smiley over there, but how're you doing, lass? 'Think the rest of the group is holding up?"

It's far worse than the catastrophes endured so far: it's a checkup on morale.

Roll 1d10+3 = 10, key pinged !

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[enarmor]

Sain shakes his head at the the blonde. That silly Lianna, doesn't she know the bucket is meant for water? If she gets it dirty, how will they haul anything up from a w-

Oh, there's a fire.

The Lance yelps, skittering back as he follows Lianna's gaze and sees where she's looking. He holds the hive close to his chest as a comfort, clearly taken for surprise by the sudden eruption. Dirt does a good job at killing fire, it seems. He decides to follow suit and smack his torch against the ground, putting it out.

"A-hem, darling, you need not thling mud like a pig! Leave that to your loyal knight next time."

After shooting her a wink, he points to her bound book. The Lance appears to be taking things seriously, what with intrigue wrought around his features. "Ah, but why don't we finish our cheethe later? You thaid that belonged to Keranes, and my heart grows heavy thinking about her. Just how long hath she been missing her book..."

A sigh billows from his chest, dramatic and lovestruck. But even if his reasons are more foul than fair, Keranes' journal may prove to be more important than food in a time of surplus. He plucks it from Lianna and flails it as he walks out into the street, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Keranes! Keraneeees!! Where have you gone, thweetheart? Your adoring protector has a gift for you!!"

Behind them, the sound of rushed footsteps grows loud.

Roll 1d10+2 = 4, +1 misc. food !

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key

[enarmor]

"Ah, o angel of delight! You ruth to my aid... Like the soul of a valkyrie!" Now that he's flinging winged words, it's like his injuries are nonexistent.

"Yes... I agree. I thall provide us with the pathion and flavor of Caelin!" Not that they were ever good cooks, mind you. There was a lot of wheat porridge and cured meats: good on the body, but not the tongue.

He gets straight to work, following the blonde back to one of the overgrown gardens and stretching his fingers. "Leth see..." And he dives in, wading through the greenery as if cleaving through a stream.

No fruit, but an "Aha!" from the Lance. When he pulls his armored hand back, he finds something special: a tiny cloud of bees, orbiting their hive. "Oh, dear, look at thith. I've found something thweet to go with our cheese!"

Then, he gets an idea. Rather than add to his injuries, he would outsmart this hive. He eyes a few of the miscellaneous rocks littering the ground before snagging two: one silver and one jet-black. Striking them together a few times makes a spark, which hits some twigs in the garden, which starts a makeshift fire on a makeshift torch. Presto!

Using the torch, he smokes away the bees and carries the hive to his friend, but not before noticing something else. "Hold," he instructs, handing off the hive, "Thome reading material, perhapth?"

It's a journal, from the looks of things. He decides to trade it for the hive again, allowing her the honors of reading.

...Because, you know, why would he in this state?

Roll 1d10+1 = 10, key pinged, +1 misc. food (honey) !

✢⁎. lvl 99 farming

Roll 1d10 for every post after your starter. Starting with your third post (including your starter), with every other post, add +1 to your d10 +1 counter resets after +5 1-8: +1 food (your choice of plant, insect, fish, or otherwise) 9-10+: ping key