Farmers Market - How to grind

Okay, this may sound odd but today I'm going to talk about how to grind.

What do you mean, how to grind? Don't you just go to the area you need to and start running repeatedly through the same instance or just keep killing everything in sight?

Well, yes you do, but I like to think there is a bit more to it than that. So let me tell you what I do and see if it will help you with your future endeavours.

There are somethings out there that, if you want them, then you are going to have to grind for them. Some are BoP items like the darter pet for the Horde, mounts in instances, certain recipes. If you want these, you have to grind for them. Some are also items very rarely found on the AH or can be quite easily got yourself. I don't think I have ever seen a captured firefly but I have ground out 2. I don't by Orbs of Deception when I know killing the rare spawns in the arena at Dire Maul will get me one eventually (well actually 3).

So, we are going to grind. We need to get setup first. And the first priority is making sure we are comfortable. I play lying on my bed with my head propped on pillows, the laptop on a chair in front of me, the keyboard and mouse positioned where my hands would lie normally. This way I am comfortable and don't have to move much. Yeah, I know, lazy of me but it does help.

Next make sure we have some sort of distraction. Something that can keep a good part of your mind occupied. I personally watch TV. I setup a number of shows I enjoy. Actually, I have watched a lot of my shows this way. And when I say watched, I mean mainly listened too. Sometimes, you'll find yourself concentrating on the TV more than the game, especially if the show is really engaging. I went through the last season of 24 in one week and there were times I completely forgot the game. Music and books are other good methods although they can be better or worse depending on your mindset. Books can be harder because they require more attention than other things. But I did go through a Harry Potter book one weekend while mining underwater in Desolace.

So, we are comfortable and have distractions. now, make sure we have refreshments. Drink and nibbles also provide a little distraction and are useful to have around. It is easy to get tunnel vision and find yourself a few hours later dreadfully thirsty.

Now, ready to grind? No, your not. The last thing you need to do is research. Make sure you know what it is you are after, where it is and that you do have a chance of getting it. No use going to kill so and so mob for a Twisted Chanter's Staff because it highest drop rate only to find out it is a world drop. Please, please, please never try to farm a world drop. Not going to happen. Just play the game normally and pay the AH price. Those are your best bets. But make sure you are in the right area, killing the right mobs and that it will still drop. Research is important.

So, now you can start farming. And I would recommend you carry on for as long as you feel you can. Take breaks every now and then, get up and stretch your legs. If it starts to get frustrating, go and do something else. Remember you are relying on a random number generator to get what you are after. It might take a while.

Also, be respectful of others. They play the game too and you might face competition if they are after the same thing you are. If it gets too bad then stop and go somewhere else. There will always be other days.

The only time I ignore this is if the others are farming bots. How do i know they are farming bots. Well, a couple of ways. Most of them are hunters although I have seen warrior and paladin bots. Hunter pets are never named. They have some old gear. But more importantly, they behave strange. The hunters in Azshara farming the elite dragonkin were moving very strangely. They were ignoring some mobs, moved in erratic paths, jumped regularly, would randomly emote a wave and never ever reacted if I stole a kill from them, which I started doing to test their bottiness. The warriors in a cave in the Storm Peaks never reacted when I skinned their kills before they did and even tried to walk through walls to get to the mobs on the other side. If you find bots, report them. Blizzard do deal with them, even if it does take a while.

And one last thing, the excess useful stuff you pick up. Sell it for money. There will be others who want it. Get as much as you can for it. Erm, except if you are on my realm. Then I just want to buy it cheap off you. What? I have to make some money somehow.