Is this how Archaeology works in Legion?

[Deleted]

Hey. So I've been taking Legion very slowly and have so far only dabbled in Archaeology within Legion zones. So far I've noticed that there are only dig sites in Stormheim. I've had one quest from Brann to collect 200 war of the ancient things which disappeared on the reset. I'm pretty confused:

- Dig zones are random each week?
- There's a quest for that zone every 2 weeks?
- That quest offers a nice reward and can be a mount.
- Each zone has 9 total dig sites and once you're finished them that's it? No more will spawn in that zone and no more will spawn anywhere in the broken isles?

- Bonus question: I was a massive Archaeologist in MoP and got all the mounts but I only vaguley remember what pristine artifacts are. Is this something that was brought in with WoD (didn't really pursue archaeology in WoD) and is it still a thing in Legion?

The wowhead guide isn't that useful. Thanks, any help much appreciated.

[Pattiecakes]

I will try and answer a few of your questions. The archaeology quest in Dalaran dictates which zone the digsites will be found. When you complete a digsite another random one will appear but it will always be in the zone dictated by the Dalaran quest. Completing the quest does not open up the whole map. I am not sure if the quest changes every week or every other week. I only started Legion archaeology last week and the quest reset on Tuesday moving the digsites from Stormheim to Azsuna. Archaeology rares (mount, toys, etc.) only come from this quest and not from digging. Pristine artifacts were introduced with Mists. Creating one starts a quest where you stash it in the archaeology building in Dalaran. You get a few rewards and progress towards an achievement.

[Deleted]

I will try and answer a few of your questions. The archaeology quest in Dalaran dictates which zone the digsites will be found. When you complete a digsite another random one will appear but it will always be in the zone dictated by the Dalaran quest. Completing the quest does not open up the whole map. I am not sure if the quest changes every week or every other week. I only started Legion archaeology last week and the quest reset on Tuesday moving the digsites from Stormheim to Azsuna. Archaeology rares (mount, toys, etc.) only come from this quest and not from digging. Pristine artifacts were introduced with Mists. Creating one starts a quest where you stash it in the archaeology building in Dalaran. You get a few rewards and progress towards an achievement.

Very helpful post, thanks. Now that you describe pristine solves I'm starting to remember them. As a mount collector I'm pretty happy that the moose mount is easier to get than the blue tank/raptor mount but I'm not sure if I like changes in Legion, specifically the one zone per week or two.

[Deleted]

- Dig zones are random each week?

I don't know, I've only had Stormheim, so far.

- There's a quest for that zone every 2 weeks?

Possible. So there must be a new one today, right? Gotta check.

- Each zone has 9 total dig sites and once you're finished them that's it? No more will spawn in that zone and no more will spawn anywhere in the broken isles?

I'm sure I have done more than 9 dig sites, and new ones still popped up. I've also done several of them multiple times.

- - - Updated - - -

Archaeology rares (mount, toys, etc.) only come from this quest

This is retarded. I was wondering why I haven't gotten any rare yet. They've managed to make the actual digging for artifacts even more boring. There is literally no reason to do archeology beyond that weekly quest.

[purebalance]

Very helpful post, thanks. Now that you describe pristine solves I'm starting to remember them. As a mount collector I'm pretty happy that the moose mount is easier to get than the blue tank/raptor mount but I'm not sure if I like changes in Legion, specifically the one zone per week or two.

Not really since IF the quests are completely cyclical, you won't see the moose for a LONG time if you're EU. EU had the moose quest on launch day and some people got it before it reset the next day(see comments on wowhead about moose mount). I also don't like that you loose the quest as I had like 20 left on the stormheim set and poof gone. Hopefully when it cycles back it "remembers" your count.

[Deleted]

I don't know, I've only had Stormheim, so far.


Possible. So there must be a new one today, right? Gotta check.


I'm sure I have done more than 9 dig sites, and new ones still popped up. I've also done several of them multiple times.

- - - Updated - - -


This is retarded. I was wondering why I haven't gotten any rare yet. They've managed to make the actual digging for artifacts even more boring. There is literally no reason to do archeology beyond that weekly quest.

Did a bit more reading and it does seem that it's 2 weeks per zone. Also, I confused wowhead's 'Each digsite has 9 areas' as you can only do 9 dig sites as opposed to possible dig sites that can keep popping up from a total of 9.

[Lucetia]

This is retarded. I was wondering why I haven't gotten any rare yet. They've managed to make the actual digging for artifacts even more boring. There is literally no reason to do archeology beyond that weekly quest.

What I dislike is that the quest opened up at 110 and by the time I got some free time to do it I was at about 150 and then power went out. So I went to bed woke up and it was removed. It should keep the old ones in your log still instead of making you wait almost 4 months (I think it was for them all to rotate), especially since it's tied to an artifact skin too >>

[Deleted]

Not really since IF the quests are completely cyclical, you won't see the moose for a LONG time if you're EU. EU had the moose quest on launch day and some people got it before it reset the next day(see comments on wowhead about moose mount). I also don't like that you loose the quest as I had like 20 left on the stormheim set and poof gone. Hopefully when it cycles back it "remembers" your count.

I could be wrong as I've yet to fully complete even half of one of the quests but getting the moose seems a lot more passive than the legendary grind I did for the blue tank. That was non-stop farming. Now I don't have to worry about it till it's up again.

Edit: It's a stupid change though. Like a poster above said, apart from achievements I can't see any reason to do archaeology outside of the quest.

[Lucetia]

Did a bit more reading and it does seem that it's 2 weeks per zone. Also, I confused wowhead's 'Each digsite has 9 areas' as you can only do 9 dig sites as opposed to possible dig sites that can keep popping up from a total of 9.

It means when you go to a dig site you'll get 9 sets of fragments. Past expansions it was like 5 and 7 or something.

[Deleted]

It means when you go to a dig site you'll get 9 sets of fragments. Past expansions it was like 5 and 7 or something.

God my reading comprehension is bad after a day of work. 'each DIGSITE has 9 areas' I read that as zones.

[MatadorMedia]

What I dislike is that the quest opened up at 110 and by the time I got some free time to do it I was at about 150 and then power went out. So I went to bed woke up and it was removed. It should keep the old ones in your log still instead of making you wait almost 4 months (I think it was for them all to rotate), especially since it's tied to an artifact skin too >>

I agree that they shouldn't just remove the quest from your log. It should hold over like the kill 250 things quest from the Darkmoon Faire. But if the archaeology zone rotates every two weeks, and there are five zones, that means it will be back in Stormheim in 8 weeks (2 months) right?

[Deleted]

What I dislike is that the quest opened up at 110 and by the time I got some free time to do it I was at about 150 and then power went out. So I went to bed woke up and it was removed. It should keep the old ones in your log still instead of making you wait almost 4 months (I think it was for them all to rotate), especially since it's tied to an artifact skin too >>

Yeah, that sucks, too. I really just want to go out and do archeology, and not be bound by some weekly quest.

- - - Updated - - -

Did a bit more reading and it does seem that it's 2 weeks per zone. Also, I confused wowhead's 'Each digsite has 9 areas' as you can only do 9 dig sites as opposed to possible dig sites that can keep popping up from a total of 9.

I think I still don't really get it, can you explain that again?

- - - Updated - - -

God my reading comprehension is bad after a day of work. 'each DIGSITE has 9 areas' I read that as zones.

wait, a digsite has 9 areas? now I'm even more confused

- - - Updated - - -

Not really since IF the quests are completely cyclical, you won't see the moose for a LONG time if you're EU. EU had the moose quest on launch day and some people got it before it reset the next day(see comments on wowhead about moose mount). I also don't like that you loose the quest as I had like 20 left on the stormheim set and poof gone. Hopefully when it cycles back it "remembers" your count.

These are the kinda things that leave me shaking my head and wonder who came up with this.

[Deleted]

@Sylvani: I got it wrong the first time. Lucetia pointed out that it just means that you can dig 9 times in each dig zone. 9 times until the bar fills up.

I'm really disliking these changes now. I basically won't be doing archaeology outside of the 1 quest that gives me a mount. :/

[BHD]

wait, a digsite has 9 areas? now I'm even more confused

Each digsite has 9 things you can dig up.

- - - Updated - - -

In MoP/WoD the rare items weren't very rare at all, so doing archaeology was always only about getting achievements in those expansions. This new quest system for rares makes it just the same, you only really continue for achievements.

[Deleted]

Each digsite has 9 things you can dig up.

- - - Updated - - -

In MoP/WoD the rare items weren't very rare at all, so doing archaeology was always only about getting achievements in those expansions. This new quest system for rares makes it just the same, you only really continue for achievements.

You must be very very lucky then. Getting the blue tank was months of grinding for me.

[BHD]

You must be very very lucky then. Getting the blue tank was months of grinding for me.

That was a cata rare.

[Deleted]

So now that the stormheim quest is gone, where we do pick up the new one for Azsuna? Apparently the one I got in Dlaran just now, 'The Reliquary calls' doesn't lead anywhere.

[Deleted]

Each digsite has 9 things you can dig up.

@Sylvani: I got it wrong the first time. Lucetia pointed out that it just means that you can dig 9 times in each dig zone. 9 times until the bar fills up.

Oh, alright. That I get.

I'm really disliking these changes now. I basically won't be doing archaeology outside of the 1 quest that gives me a mount. :/

Yeah, I'll do the weekly, and that'll be it. I like the lore behind the common artifacts, but I'll just read that up online, and only do the quests for the rare ones, then.

[Lucetia]

@Sylvani: I got it wrong the first time. Lucetia pointed out that it just means that you can dig 9 times in each dig zone. 9 times until the bar fills up.

I'm really disliking these changes now. I basically won't be doing archaeology outside of the 1 quest that gives me a mount. :/

I'm going to basically do them once each just so I can get the achievement and skin unlocked sadly.

Went to do this current one and wants you to dig up 25 projects. So let's say 25 x 60 (I think is the smallest project) you will end up needing a minimum of 1500 fragments which is about 300 digs excluding keys. To top it off so far it doesn't reward anything (tried looking it up on wowhead and was showing a quest for 15 key pieces and says this quest doesn't exist). Last week was just dig up 200 fragments with 1-3 per so averaging 1.5 per dig it only took you 134 digs. Gotta love the balance of the quests.

[Caeth]

keystones help at least