New archaeology items coming in patch 4.1
by Matthew Rossi 
Mar 16th 2011 at 7:00PM
Ask the Devs - Answers #1
Q: Are there any plans to bring new items to Archaeology with each future patch? - Idej (North America/ANZ)
A: We may not make it every patch, but we designed Archaeology specifically with this kind of expandability in mind. Our most immediate plans are to add rare items to the Vrykul and especially Troll races, since they have so few, and add more to Fossils in general since you end up with so many Fossil sites. We also have some plans to make it slightly easier to focus on races upon which you want to focus.
A: We may not make it every patch, but we designed Archaeology specifically with this kind of expandability in mind. Our most immediate plans are to add rare items to the Vrykul and especially Troll races, since they have so few, and add more to Fossils in general since you end up with so many Fossil sites. We also have some plans to make it slightly easier to focus on races upon which you want to focus.
It appears we may be seeing the first of these rare items in the datafiles, as the Vrykul Drinking Horn, the Troll Drum, and the Ancient Amber now exist. These three rares flesh out three races that had limited reason to want to solve them. Now we're all just waiting for a means to focus on the races we want, am I right?
WoW Patch 4.1 is on the PTR and WoW Insider has all the latest news for you. From previews of the revamped Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub to new Valor point mechanics to the new Archaeology items.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, News items, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
stulebeau Mar 16th 2011 7:11PM
While new items are nice, letting me focus on one particular race, shrinking some of the larger digsites (tarpits in ungoro for example) and removing the painful ones like the Grim Batol nightmare would be a step in the right direction.
Amaxe Mar 16th 2011 7:44PM
You just concisely listed my dislikes of archaeology.
I guess the ultimate archaeology toon is a Dwarf Paladin Alchemist with 310% flight to powerlevel the thing.
Hollow Leviathan Mar 16th 2011 8:05PM
Dwarf mage would be better than paladin, to teleport across the globe at will, better than the 10% advantage paladins have, assuming you have a level 2 guild.
trefpoid Mar 16th 2011 8:20PM
my mage is one happy archaeologist. I actually have my hearthstone set in Fuselight in Badlands, since I'm focused on getting the dwarf staff and many dwarf digsites spawn over there or in the surrounding maps. So I teleport to UC when I need to go north, hearth if I need the centre and teleport to Stonard when I need the south. Also teleporting to a city and taking the portal to blasted lands helps a lot when I need to get to those damn fossil sites down there or I take the zepelin from UC to Stranglethorn when those troll digsites pile up over there.
So yeah, mages are pretty awesome for archaeology. My problem is the lack of dwarf digsites, being able to focus on the race I want would be a gift from the gods. I'm at 130 dwarf artifacts and still counting.. I have 160 troll artifacts and I've never focused on them, it's really annoying and I haven't gotten the sword either.
beltrebeltrebeltre Mar 17th 2011 8:07AM
Teleport Moonglade is OP. Try druid engi alchemist. Wormhole generators for Tanaris and Wintersping. And if you never hand in the level 74 quest: Magical Kingdom of Dalaran, you can use your northrend wormhole generator to teleport to Warsong Hold, talk to the mage on the bottom floor and be in Dalaran 20 seconds. Then with Potion of Deepholm....win!
Grovinofdarkhour Mar 17th 2011 12:24PM
Actually I've really been enjoying working my way up and down Kalimdor doing the herbing/fishing/arch combo on my druid (woot for instant-flight). The portals in SW let you start at either end, Hyjal or Uldum, and if a druid starts north and works their way south, they can teleport to Moonglade and restart the cycle without going back to SW.
Chetti Mar 22nd 2011 6:58AM
I've been combining arch with fishing on my main (NE druid) and with exploring on my alt-horde-main (tauren pally), it makes it not terrible. My druid is an alchemist, soo my big goal is a vial of sands recipe, but I'm not leveled high enough in arch to even be looking for the jar yet.. but I'll get there. :)
Bynde Apr 26th 2011 4:25PM
I've been plodding along going to digs, creating new nerubian ashtrays or whatever. And suddenly I get this very epiphany. Other than the mount and a couple comapanions that I already got...wtf am I doing this for again?
The 3 new things listed above aren't exactly sweetening the grind.
potatoboy Mar 16th 2011 7:11PM
WTB Hunter Items! A Dwarf Gun or Troll Bow or something would have been very nice. Even a stat stick.
Eros Mar 16th 2011 10:12PM
An Agi polearm or staff would make my hunter and feral druid rather happy
Hail Mar 16th 2011 10:30PM
As a rogue I feel obliged to state that hunters do not need more items. I don't forget! But yeah, filling in some gaps would be nice.
Neodarkmatter Mar 16th 2011 7:13PM
quaff - To drink deeply...
But what are we going to drink? Vrykul spit or something?
Inquiring minds want to know...ok I want to know before i put my lips anywhere near that thing. :)
Vector Mar 16th 2011 7:29PM
In all seriousness, the tooltip doesn't mention a cooldown time, sooo...how cool would it be if that thing was an unlimited lvl 85 water dispenser?
Draelan Mar 16th 2011 7:40PM
Actually, I'm guessing that it's going to dispense booze. If so, than you can bet like hell my dwarf DK will be farming that up to go with his pony keg and Mirren's Drinking Hat!
Koleckai Mar 16th 2011 7:51PM
Drinking horns are filled with beer and mead... We can only hope.
MusedMoose Mar 16th 2011 7:18PM
All I really need to say is YAAAAAAAAAAY! I friggin' love archaeology and I'm not entirely sure why. ^_^
bknab Mar 16th 2011 7:43PM
HAHA, I'm the same way....
ldene Mar 16th 2011 7:22PM
Fringe reference ftw? :D
Ringo Flinthammer Mar 16th 2011 7:36PM
Bugs being trapped in amber predate Fringe by a little bit.
arixian Mar 16th 2011 7:46PM
While I to enjoy Fringe I'm not sure this is meant as a reference to the show given that fossils have been found inside amber for decades now it makes perfect sense from an archaeological perspective. Though I can see where you are coming from given the tooltip so perhaps it's meant to have a double meaning.