This is a bunch of tips for people who know the basics of Archaeology but need some more guidance in doing it. It’s not a total “guide” b/c I am no pro at it and have not gotten to 525 yet. But I have put two characters to 400+ and have a few tips on making it better for you and helping you max your skill ups, and min your time doing so.

It’s no secret that Arch. is a time sink. To me, it’s a FUN time sink and quite addictive and almost like gambling b/c of the way you can get rares and at later levels EPICS. Yet in all reality it’s just a time sink. But here are the tips.

1. Don’t do it until you are late 70’s or at least 80. Make sure you have at least epic flying (and flying in old world). Both of these will make sure you get around quicker and also make sure you don’t have to worry about monster bothering you (until 375 when you will be in Northred and might actually have to do more then one shot things). Being able to one hit things keeps the time flying.

1a Always dig again where you last found a fragment. It might sound dumb but sometimes you will get ALL 3 spawns in one area and when you do it will be GLORIOUS! (Yep it’s the little things in life that make you happy)

2. Do not complete ANY artifacts until skill 80-100. It’s roughly in this area that digging for fragments will become grey and you won’t get any more skill ups for it. The only way from here on to skill up is completing relics (5 for each and apparently from a hot fix today more for rares). Plus it’s a fun way to complete a bunch at one time and you will surely get a rare or two and end up with a couple of pets for sure.

3. Auction off any Keystones for the races you get. They normally will give you +12 fragments of the races you find them for if you use them but for now, and I assume not much longer, they are going for about 200g each on the Auction house. Get the cash while you can! Later on when they are only going for 10g at most, might as well use them yourself b/c it;s not worth the money vs time to sell them.

4. Colors while digging. I am sure most people know the whole close (green), not so close (yellow), and no where near (Red), but I have come up with a bit more of a system to it. I start most dig sites on an edge. If I get a red then I fly to the other edge of the site in the direction it says. Yellow I use about a 8-10 sec count while walking. Green is about one cooldown of the dig ability, which is about 5 seconds. From those you should be pretty close and in faster time. It is just the way I have found that works well.

5. The levels vs Continents. 1-300 “Old World”. Kalimdor and Easter Kingdoms are diggable. At 300 you can go to Outlands. At 375 you can go to Northrend. At 450 you can dig in some of the cataclysm areas. However the Cataclysm zones are back in the old world and will be randomly spawned so sometimes you will have to go thru some of the lower level areas and dig before you get a cataclysm zone spawning.

6. The last and probably the most obvious one is plan ahead. You will be on flight paths will be used constantly so while you are killing time, look at your map and make a good plan. Try and keep to the dig sites that are close to each other. Even if you know it will be a Troll site and you are working on a Fossil rare artifact just do it. You will be happy you did later.

Archaeology is my new addiction and I hope these tips and tricks will help you speed thru and get to the epics and rare pets sooner!

Mail me if you have any other things you would like me to talk about or have any WoW questions to Ask The Geekjock!

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