Farming Materials For Dummies (designed for F2P Players)

MrGeonov

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Last update 5.4

Table of Content


1. Introduction (or Why You Need This Guide)
2. Getting Addons (or Theory)
3. Setting Addons Up
3.1 Marking the Map
3.2 Tracking the Route
3.3 Launching the Interface
4. Farming
5. Fin

1. Introduction (or Why You Need This Guide)

As an F2P player myself, I face a lot of farming due to the fact that F2P players have to actually craft by themselves all the needed enchants, armor upgrades, potions, etc. Moreover, with the coming of the DMF each month comes the urgent need to farm as many materials as possible since it is possible to do a number of main profession quests per a fair (heck, you can even do all of them if you want). SO I have recently found a relatively easy way to farm materials with as little headache as possible and I thought I could share it with fellow F2P players and other twinks.

2. Getting Addons (or Theory)

The addons you will need are as follows:

GatherMate2 + GatherMate2_Data are used for tracking the nodes/herbs/chests on the map.
*Note: can probably be replaced with GatherMate + GatherMate_Data, but not checked.
Routes is used for creating optimal routes for the known nodes/herbs/chests on the map.
SexyMap is used for displaying known farming routes on a HUD mini-map.

The addons should be unpackaged to: "[World of Warcraft Folder]/Interface/Addons". Remember to choose "Load out of date AddOns" in your AddOn List that can be found in the character choice screen (see spoiler if you need help).

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3. Setting Addons Up

I will provide each step with relevant screenshots that you can go along with while setting the addons up.

3.1 Marking the Map

Go to your Game Menu (Esc) - Interface - AddOns - GatherMate2 - Import.
For Import Style chose "Merge" although "Override" is also possible (doesn't matter that much unless you have previous records of nodes/herbs/chests).
Choose the databases you'd like to import. F2P players can omit Archaeology and Gas Clouds.
The expansion choice is also variable, although I choose "Mists of Pandaria" just in case there's something that is not updated for the previous expansions.
Click the "Import GatherMate..." button.

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3.2 Tracking the Route

Type "/routes". The Options window will open. Choose "Add". Select a desired zone. Type in the desired name of the route. Click "Okay".
In my example we will create a Copper Ore Route for Elwynn Forest. So I chose Elwyn Forest, named it "EF - Ore" and clicked the "Okay" button.

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The source of data is usually chosen automatically, but in case it's not - you need to tick "GatherMate2". In "GatherMate2" section choose the type of materials you would like to include in the route. Then click "Create Route".
Since our example route is for Copper Ore only I chose Copper Ore and clicked "Create Route".

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Now it's time for optimizing the route (beacuse if you'd look on the map right now you'd see a lot of random lines stretched throught the map).
In your Routes window choose Routes - the chosen zone - the created path.
Then click "Cluster". *Note: you can adjust the Cluster Radius up to 80 if you'd like, it still work pretty well while reducing the amount of zigzags in the route a bit.
Then tick "Extra optimization" - even though the recommended setting is OFF, I use it all the time and I do not see any problem in doing so while it generates -slightly- better routes.
And click "Foreground". *Note: while doing so your screen will freezee for a short moment. Do not panic, it's alright. You can also try and use "Background" which does the same thing without locking WoW but at a slower speed.
In the example I chose Routes - Elwyn Forest - EF - Ore. Then I clicked "Cluster" (with default setting at 60), ticked "Extra optimization" and clicked "Foreground".

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You've got yourself a nice little (or not) route! Look what I've got here with my example route.

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3.3 Launching the Interface


Once again open the AddOns tab in your Game Menu (Esc). Choose SexyMap and go to HudMap.
You can enable and disable the HudMap manually by ticking the "Enable Hudmap" button. I prefer using a keybinding, because it just makes it much more easier. Choose a keybinding of your taste.
"Gathermate" and "Routes" should be chosen automatically, if not - you need them to be ticked. These are mandatory, everything else is adjustable.

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4. Farming

That's it! You're ready to farm! That's what you screen will look like when everything is set up and you are in the field.

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*Note: it's very convenient to turn the sound of the game off and listen to a podcast/radio/audiobook/music while farming with the above method, since the only three things you are required to do is to follow the route, keep track on the pop of nodes/herbs/chests and loot them.

5. Fin

I hope you enjoied the Guide and will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Special thanks to Goesid and his F2P Shaman Guide in F2P Twinking for providing awesome layout for this Guide (although he might not be aware of it; Dasha, I hope you fill forgive me for taking it :p).

And remember: while you sleep your enemy is farming!
Happy Farming!



 
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Approved!

And its a pretty nifty guide considering how big a difference Herb / Alchemy can make for f2p's.
 
Mrgeonov can you comment on any advantage to using gathermate as opposed to carbonite. it does routing and the rest but w/o the need to set so many options. ie less complicated. what do you think is the benefit?

BTW great post! Super instructions !
 
This looked like the best place I could find for posting this, I'm in the process of picking up all the quest items I need for my vet warrior, once I get everything I need I'm going to activate my account for a month and get all the enchants I need. Until then is there something I can spend all my quest gold on to resell later when I reactivate?
 
If you're serious about twinking, I highly recommend Inscription as one of your professions. Stockpile Herbs. Specifically Mageroyal and Briarthorn to make Scroll of [X Stat] II. While they can be purged, they are superior buffs to potions, which cannot be purged, but are weaker.

Blacksmithing would also be a very viable option for any +Weapon Damage buffs you can put on your weapon, so stockpiling stone may not be a bad idea either.

Always keep in mind that since you're going F2P, you can always choose to drop and re-level a new profession. For instance: I, as a resto-shaman use Minor Wizard Oil (+3 Intellect, non-dispellable). However, I made 100 oils @ 5 charges apiece (500 buffed hours), and then dropped it to level herbalism to feed Inscription. When the oils run out, I will again re-level Enchanting and make another 100 oils, and go through the process again.

I'm even contemplating picking up Mining and Jewelcrafting to stockpile statues as well.

I DO HIGHLY recommend while your account is still active that you buy your "Reagent Bank Access" and ALL 7 bank slot tabs. You do not need to necessarily fill the bank tabs with 20+ slot bags (you can farm reputation in dungeons for 16 slot bags which are purchasable within the 10g limit from each Capital City faction.
 

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