What does +xy to harvesting do?

Aull · May 8, 2023

I never could find an explanation but if an item has 45 to harvesting skill how does it help?
Thank you,

Benj · May 8, 2023

Others might have a more detailed explanation but here it goes:

Although you can harvest anywhere in the world, regardless of your skill, each node has a minimum skill required to pull rares from that node. Items that add harvesting skill can help you reach that threshold without grinding out each and every step. There's also a rumor (that I haven't personally tested) that higher harvesting skills will increase your rare chance, once you're past that threshold.

Komatus · May 8, 2023

I believe that harvesting skill helps you to harvest anything from a node...probably including rares. Bountiful harvest percent helps by giving you another chance to harvest from that node. Rare percent chance helps a small amount to increase rare chance. Exact figures have been speculated about here in the forums before, but the truth is that DB isn't letting us in on all their secrets.

Lemilla · May 9, 2023

A long time ago (about 15 years), this was explained by a Domino, the tradeskill dev at the time. The original post is no longer available, but I found it quoted:
https://eq2.fanbyte.com/wiki/A_Harvester's_Guide

“For each node in each zone, when you harvest it, there are different result tables set up that tell the game what to give you when you harvest. Your skill level determines which table you use.
For example, using entirely invented numbers, let's imagine that there is a root node in a level 30-40 zone and you go and harvest it with a gathering skill of 190.

The game sees that the root node points to two result tables. Let's call them:

T4_roots_base_result - required skill 140
T4_roots_bonus_result - required skill 189
The "base" table might tell you that you have a 70% chance of getting 1 root, a 20% chance of getting 3 roots, an 8% chance of getting 5 roots, a 1% chance of getting an imbue, a 0.7% chance of getting a rare root, and a 0.3% chance of getting a rare root + 10 common ones.
The "bonus" table might tell you that you have a 60% chance of getting 1 root, a 25% chance of getting 3 roots, an 10% chance of getting 5 roots, a 0.5% chance of getting an imbue, a 0.8% chance of getting a rare root, and a 0.7% chance of getting a rare root + 10 common ones. (Yes, the numbers probably don't add up to 100%, I just invented them on the spot.)
Now we know that if your skill is under 140, you can't harvest the node at all. And we know your skill is 190. So the RNG rolls a number between 140 and 190. If it gets 140-188, you use the "base" result table. If it gets 189+, you use the "bonus" result table. Clearly, as your gathering skill increases, your chance of using the "bonus" result table gets better. (This is where +harvesting skill items affect your results, they increase your chance of using the bonus table.)

As of GU37, you get to start using the "bonus" table at level _8 (so, 8, 18, 28, 38, etc.) You're still not guaranteed to use it, but you have a CHANCE to use it. Previous to GU37, the level at which you could start getting the bonus was much higher, so that you didn't even have a chance to get the bonus table until you had entirely outlevelled the tier. In T6 and T7 prior to GU37 we still couldn't even start using the bonus level at level 70 with 350 skill, so we've been harvesting off the "base" table all this time. Now we will begin to have a chance to use the "bonus" level, so yes, we'll get slightly better harvesting results in T6 and T7 than we were before, but it's actually about the same results as we would eventually have got as the level cap raised and we continued to level up.”

And yes, some things have changed since then. Such as allowing common harvests with 1 skill and the addition of rare harvest chance and bountyful harvest.

AOE1 · Jun 28, 2023

Lemilla said: ↑

“A long time ago (about 15 years), this was explained by a Domino, the tradeskill dev at the time. The original post is no longer available, but I found it quoted:
https://eq2.fanbyte.com/wiki/A_Harvester's_Guide

And yes, some things have changed since then. Such as allowing common harvests with 1 skill and the addition of rare harvest chance and bountyful harvest.”

Yes, there was a time back in the olden days when you could not harvest the next tier till you qualified via your skill level for each harvest skill type. Those days are now gone but if you try to harvest in a T7 zone and have a T1 skill level, you can stand there for quite awhile before you get anything. You start harvesting rares when your skill level hits or gets very close to that tiers skill requirement. So harvest as you level up in adventuring. It pays in the end.

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What does +xy to harvesting do?

Aull Active Member

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Lemilla Active Member

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What does +xy to harvesting do?

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