Gathering hobbies

[Okan]

Quick question, specifically about logging and mining.
I briefly touched upon these way back when I was very new to the game and realized that it wasn't worth it at level 15 to try and do this. Anyway, seems like it's a decent supplimental income if you can get through the areas that have these available, but my concern is this: Is there a gathering skill level involved in these? SE pretty much put some level on everything and after digging through everything, I was surprised to not find any information about levels.

Basically, if I was to start logging, would it be best to start in lower areas and increase the invisible skill level or is there no skill level and I could just jump in at Jugner [S]?

[Thistle]

That's a good question. Years ago, when I did harvesting on a very regular basis, I "felt" like there were skill levels involved... but how much are feelings worth in crafting?

As far as I recall hearing, no one has said there are levels involved. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there were though.

[Okan]

I figured there are invisible levels for Chocobo digging, why not for these?

[Thistle]

Yeah, that was my logic as well, however I was often able to get the "top level" items while harvesting for the first time, which wouldn't be the case in digging. (You might sometimes rarely get a good item while low level digging, but in general the increase of quality of stuff as your skill level increases is pretty clear.)

[Jones]

I can say that I harvested my 12 Bloodwood Logs from Mamook in about 7-9hrs total over a weekend. My only other logging experience was when I was a total newbie back at Fort Ghelsba trying to strike it rich with 3k Elm Logs. I don't think there is an invisible skill to this because my number of hours for the 12 Bloodwood compare directly with some folks who have logged as a method of income for years.

I would say that I can note the same trend with Khroma Ores of those that I know who mine these. The smithers who mined their own materials over the years have had no more advantage over those just trying to get enough for a Salvage upgrade.

So my experience would say that Logging and Mining don't appear to have any "invisible" skill associated to them.

[Okan]

Awesome, thanks for the info.

[Vigilia]

There is no skill involved, I've been mining/harvesting on and off all my FFXI life since about lvl 30RDM (5 years now, first in Gusgen/Giddeus/Shakrami, later on in Oldton and MtZhayolm) and there's never been any difference in results between myself and friends I've introduced to the craft and taken mining with me (and there was a time most of my first social LS would spend all their time in Gusgen when we leveled our first jobs). It's all luck, only thing you do develop is a deep seated hatred for RMT bots. One thing I would recommend you do skill up is woodworking/smithing/goldsmithing (depending if you log or mine). It will save you countless trips to town and back and enable you to make much more gil if you can synth items you mine/log successfully so that they stack up, even 30ish skill will help out loads. And invest in the green Workman's gear set, it will drastically reduce your pickaxe/hatchet/sickle break rate.

[Thistle]

One thing I would recommend you do skill up is woodworking/smithing/goldsmithing (depending if you log or mine). It will save you countless trips to town and back and enable you to make much more gil if you can synth items you mine/log successfully so that they stack up, even 30ish skill will help out loads. And invest in the green Workman's gear set, it will drastically reduce your pickaxe/hatchet/sickle break rate.

For sure, on both parts of that. Being able to process the materials in the field makes all the difference when it comes to space/profit. (I wish you could do the same while chocobo digging!)

[Okan]

Thanks again. I do plan to take them up a few, but probably not passed 60 because I am not sure which craft I want to take beyond that. Again though, thanks for all the information.

[Damane]

Thanks again. I do plan to take them up a few, but probably not passed 60 because I am not sure which craft I want to take beyond that. Again though, thanks for all the information.

gold and smithing to 60 can net you nice profits if you HQ desynth on the goblin stuff you mine up.

[TheOriginalStoneyfinga]

Just like everyone else has said here, I have noticed no invisible skill just have to invest time and you will get the items your after.

I do have a quick question with comparison of hatches and pickaxes. I do have the gear for logging/mining hobbies and only difference from what I understand of the purpose of the gear is to help with the break rates of these. I do notice my hatchets do rather well and need far less when I go logging in stacks because my break rate is minimal with the gear. I do however mine quite often and I do in Oldton Mov. a lot and my break rate on pickaxes seems incredibly high. Even tested in Z. Mines the other day and had quite a few breaks as well. Has anyone noticed any difference or tricks to help the pickaxes from breaking as often other than with the mining gear?

[Thistle]

I do however mine quite often and I do in Oldton Mov. a lot and my break rate on pickaxes seems incredibly high. Even tested in Z. Mines the other day and had quite a few breaks as well. Has anyone noticed any difference or tricks to help the pickaxes from breaking as often other than with the mining gear?

I haven't mined for years, but yeah. Back when I did it it seemed like the number of breaks was way way higher than I'd get in the other gathering "crafts". I assumed it was intentional, since (back then) you could could make tons more money through mining than through the others.