So, I recently hit level 120 and I've harvested about 15 Humming Sapphire Gems to get some expert spells made and have a chance to finish the Sig line... since that's how experts have been made since the beginning of the game. Now i'm learning that these gems are useless? I need a "shadowed" version that I need to finish a tradeskill quest line that I have no interest in, and then I need to harvest all over again using an item to see special nodes? I also need 2 rare foods per spell? Will any foods do? Thanks all.
So, I can't get these rares if i'm not a tradeskiller? I need to know a tradeskiller who is remarkably friendly or be super rich? Is it just me, or is this game fantastically unfriendly to new players?
Typically, you will need +/- 20-23 combinations of either Pome Pome, Lantern Hogfish, or Shrieking Mushroom in addition to shadowed harvests of some sort, some commons, and the fuels. The easiest way I can think for you to see what you need is to take some time, look up the recipe book of whatever level your spell is from, and examine the spell's recipe for each spell. They're all different. All the books should be on the broker or on EQ2 Wire at this point. You did not mention what class you were, but typically mage/priest are made by sage (shadow sage), fighters by alchemists (shadow alchemist), and scouts by jeweler (empyral jeweler).
You can still harvest, or buy them off the broker. You just can't make your spells. You'll need someone else to do that. You won't be able to get shadowed rares, however, until you finish the tradeskill sig line, for the staff, and the ability to harvest the rare-ish glass orbs that allow you to see shadowed harvests. However, shadowed harvests on the broker are becoming fairly cheap, ranging between a few hundred to a couple thousand per. It generally doesn't matter which shadowed harvest you use for expert spells. The only time that's specified is for mount gear I think. So whatever you can find should work.
You don't need any shadow rares to make any expert spells. Any shadow mat will do. They should be cheap on the broker. You are honestly not missing out on anything not being able to harvest them. Experts also take normal rares, you can harvest those. As for the food. Harvest the rares for those too and look for a provvie to make them for you, or sell the rares and buy the food and drink. It's not unfriendly to new players, it's how it's always been. Either have a tradeskill, or pay to buy from someone that does.
You can make more money off selling rares then it costs to buy your spells. But as a super crafter I prefer to make my own
>Is it just me, or is this game fantastically unfriendly to new players?< The game is exceptionally unfriendly to players that want to get crafted items without either crafting or getting the items from a crafter or on the broker. The game is exceptionally unfriendly to players that want to be able to do anything and have anything before they put significant amounts of time and effort into it. Most MMOs let a new or returning player catch up more rapidly. Though giving absolutely free sets of gear as you start each recent expansion goes a long way in that direction. The game is exceptionally unfriendly to players that want to be able to do group content on a productive basis almost immediately without working at raising their abilities. Non-group play is more than easy with no abilities at expert level if one raises potency a bit e.g. by doing the signature line.
Then harvest fish nodes for the Lantern Hogfish and lunar berry bush for the Radiant Pome and Shrieking Mushroom. Saying the game is unfriendly to new players needing spells is absolutely ridiculous. Any player, old or new that is unwilling to craft and do the TS timeline for shadow harvests, has had to barter with a crafter or purchase from the broker. So your options which are the same for ALL PLAYERS, is to either take up crafting and do the timeline, do Overseers, barter with a crafter, or purchase on the broker.
So what you're saying, is you want to jump into this game with ZERO effort on your part and be handed everything.
No correction needed I was trying to make the same point Kuulei made but I was more indirect and far wordier.
Well, during ToT and PG and even PoP, all I had to do was get all my crafters to make MC and spell upgrades to group. Which took a few months, plus the sig line, which is all work. And the years before ToT. Some people just want a game where they can group fairly quickly. I don't think that means they want everything handed to them for no work. It means they don't want to spend months or every year playing alone... Can you tell my horse simply dropped dead chasing that carrot
Probably a bit late, but they are daily quests you send agents on. You need to /claim the starter Overseer crate or buy it from a (status?) merchant in BOL.