Seriously.

I'm one of those crazy people that does everything. I have 6 classes at level 85. I have 3 other classes above 75. I love PvP. I love dungeons. I love raiding. I love searching out transmog sets. I love Achievements. I currently have ~12000. I love collecting random items like the Orb of the Sindorei, etc. I collect pets (102!). I collect mounts (106!).

I fucking hate Archaeology.

And fishing. Fuck that.

Rage. So much. So little to do with it other than eat strawberries and cry in a corner. maybe I'll make a smothie. Fucking Archaeology is gonna get me fat.

Fucking Archaeology.

!!

(Sorry. Still raging at how utterly horrid that profession is. *And my main is a leatherworker.*

Here's an idea:

Archaeology has an added section to collecting each piece. This removes the RNG of what item you will get next.

For example: To get the fossil Raptor Mount, we go to the excavation site in Wetlands. After killing one of the skeleton enemies, Archaeologists with the minimum skill of X get a "Sliver of a Fossilized Raptor." This item unlocks the ability to get the raptor mount once you collect Y fossils.

That wouldn't drive me ape-shit insane. It's a clearly defined set amount of time. it's like how the level 60 & 70 legendary items are entirely RNG and the 80 & 85 ones have a set course of action you can do at your own pace.

And also make it so there are four nodes on a continent PER RACE.

Do this Blizzard. Everyone will be happy. if you don't I'll be a sad fucking panda. Literally.

Twill, I like that idea about the raptor. Having to go somewhere specific and do something to unlock the option to start collecting a rare would be really helpful. Perhaps more involved than just a kill somewhere - a chain of quests where you do the kill, get a sliver, go somewhere to get it analysed, add a couple more steps, THEN you can complete it. They're rare for a reason - don't want to make it too easy to get.

As for your four locations PER RACE suggestion, that's overkill. One location per race AT ALL TIMES would be sufficient. And really, really welcome.

How about allowing you to pick a "Race Mastery" (like alchemists can pick potion/elixir/transmutation mastery), where you choose to specialize in one race, and you get a chance of having that race's artifacts drop from any dig? Same way an elixir master can randomly get a free flask or two, an Orc Master could be digging up a night elf site, get 6 nelf artifacts and say 2 orc.

When you're done with your mastery race, just go change it to something else.