Guide to Item of the Week Farming

Guide to Item of the Week Farming
Background: Every week, Nicholas the Traveler requests a different item in exchange for Gifts of the Traveler. These items of the week end up being very valuable for a short period, since the gifts can usually be sold for – (and opening the gifts yields valuable items). Veteran players usually have no trouble farming the item using advanced (although standard) builds and they have access to the ideal farming locations. This guide, however, is designed to help the relatively new player, who has fewer skills and might need to unlock the farming area.

Summary

 * Item: Skalefin Soup
 * Found in: Zehlon Reach from Chef Panjoh in exchange for 2 Skale Fins
 * Skale Fins are dropped by: Istani Skale (Razorback Skale, Ridgeback Skale, Skale Blighter, Frigid Skale, Skale Lasher), found in various zones in Istan.

Getting to Nick
You can start from Jokanur Diggings or The Astralarium, then head to the tip of the peninsula that lies north of the eh in the word Zehlon Reach on the map. Starting in the Astralarium allows you to exchange your fins for soup before heading out. Map

Farming for Skalefin Soup
There are half a dozen zones that spawn the skale that drop the right type of fins. Any of these areas should be easy enough for L20 characters, no matter which profession. Spikes or AoE skills are more efficient, but nearly any skillbar will get the job done this week. Note: expect more fins drop in NM; hard mode drops tend to be worth more than 5.


 * Suggested Farm #1: Exit from Zehlon Reach and knock of the first 6 insects. Then, navigate through the swamp water, avoiding any non-skale that might slow your progress. If going solo (recommended), bring a healing skill or hex removal; just about the only serious threat is the degen skills of the necromancers. Expect 8-12 fins (and twice that many useless teeth) per run.


 * Suggested Farm #2: In Fahranur, there are a large number of easy skale near the city's entrance. The narrow passages make them easy pickings for AoE damage.


 * Suggested Farm #3: Plenty of skale hang out along the river in the Plains of Jarin, west of Kamadan.

Summary

 * Item: Herring
 * Found in: Riverside Province from Gruhn the Fisher in exchange for 5 Bog Skale Fins
 * Bog Skale Fins are dropped by: Bog Skale, Bog Skale Blighter, Bog Skale Icetooth, found in various zones in Kryta (see below).

Getting to Nick
The fastest route to Nick starts from Fishermen's Haven heading northwest through Stingray Strand into Tears of the Fallen, west along the border to the nearby portal into Twin Serpent Lakes and hugging the east border until you reach Nick. An alternative route starts in Riverside Province; it takes a longer path to Nick, but has the advantage of passing by Gruhn to exchange fins for herring. Start from Riverside, stay left until you reach Gruhn, then cut across the zone to reach Nick. Whichever route you take, be prepared to deal with conditions and hexes; bring hex and condition removal.

Farming for Herring
As noted above, you must collect Bog Skale Fins, exchange them with Gruhn for Herring before visiting Nick. The fins drop from 3 types of skale and can be found in nearly a dozen zones across Kryta, allowing for any number of possible farming areas. Regardless of where you farm, you will have to deal with the Disease, Poison, and Corpse exploitation of these necromantic casters. Be sure to bring plenty of Hex and Condition removal. The enemies in these areas tend to bunch up (especially if you pull them), so they are vulnerable to AoE damage. Although not essential, Interrupts and fire damage can also help.


 * Suggested Farm #1: Scoundrel's Rise rezoning from North Kryta Province
 * Begin at the Gates of Kryta and head west towards North Kryta (red dots). Just before you reach the portal, head south to a small cul-de-sac (yellow circle) where some skale are waiting for you to farm. Use the NKP portal to rezone and repeat.


 * Suggested Farm #2: Twin Serpent Lakes from Riverside Province
 * Exit Riverside Province into Twin Serpent Lakes. Just outside the exit is a group of Bog Skale Icetooth and Mergoyle. This is a faster area to farm, but slightly more dangerous. It makes up for this by allowing a group of 6 to zone in and out quickly killing and then zoning. It also brings you close to Gruhn and Nick.


 * Suggested Farm #3: Tears of the Fallen, starting from Fishermen's Haven
 * Exit Fishermen's Haven heading northwest through Stingray Strand to Tears of the Fallen. Circle the zone counterclockwise and attack red dots wherever you find them, as about 55 of the 5 dozen foes are skale. Rezone into the Strand or Twin Serpent Lakes (the portals are close). A party of four should see 3-5 bog skale fins drop per run and each run takes about 5-10 minutes; even non-veterans should be able to collect 25 fins quickly.