What is the Level Cap, and When To Use Better Soil/Water/Nutrients?

[Joasht]

My two questions are as in the title:
1) Whats the maximum level achievable in Cultivating (and Apothecarying, though I'd imagine they are the same).

2) Do you guys use superior soil/water/nutrients as compared to the ones you get at the very start of the game, when do you start using the better reagents, and where do I buy them? I'm at stage 4 right now, and still no sign of better reagents yet.

Thanks!

[CopperEye]

1) I believe its 200

2) The better nutrients, water, and soil come from PQs, butchering, and scavenging. I personally use them on green seeds or seeds that result in desirable potions. When you use those materials, you have a higher critical success rate which will return the seed to you. I use additives as I get them so I don't have to fill up my bags with a bunch of manure waiting for the perfect seed;)

[Spink]

My two questions are as in the title:
1) Whats the maximum level achievable in Cultivating (and Apothecarying, though I'd imagine they are the same).

2) Do you guys use superior soil/water/nutrients as compared to the ones you get at the very start of the game, when do you start using the better reagents, and where do I buy them? I'm at stage 4 right now, and still no sign of better reagents yet.

Thanks!

Just to clarify you mean Chapter 4? You get better additives from PQ's, Scavenging, Butchering, random world drops and the AH. I am only using them on the quest reward seeds so far. Everything else is just to level it up.

Max level is 200 I assume, max level of an Item appears to be 175 based on WARDB.

[Unremarkable]

At the moment, it is quite impractical to level Cultivating without a pocket Scavenger. If the Auction House on your server is well stocked, though, you might be able to use it to augment your resources.

I always use at least some kind of soil/water/nutrient - there is no reason not to, and at worst it nearly halves the time it takes to grow the plant. I typically save higher level components for more valuable seeds (healing), or when I'm really short on seeds (49 skill and on my last seed: easy to justify a few 45 components) to increase the chance of getting an offshoot seed.

I would not recommend using anything other than a s1 component on a s1 seed, though, as there is no benefit - save them for your s25 seeds to help cut down on the grind.

[Spink]

I always use at least some kind of soil/water/nutrient - there is no reason not to, and at worst it nearly halves the time it takes to grow the plant.
I completely disagree but I guess it's a matter of opinion. Using the additives takes to much work at the lower levels to bother with it. By not using them I can mindlessly throw another seed in my pot and forget about it until it's down. That free's me up to RvR or PvE without worrying about what phase my plant is in.

Level 1 seeds are simply to cheap to bother with additives simply to hope to get them back. It would be cheaper just to buy another seed. Level 50 and 75 seeds are easier to acquire because leveling through Tier 2 is slower than going through Tier 1 so you have more time to acquire enough seeds.

I'm not in the 100's yet but I don't plan on using additives until 150+ for two reasons. The market wont be there to acquire them, and I wont be making anything of use until then.

[Unremarkable]

Level 1 seeds are simply to cheap to bother with additives simply to hope to get them back. It would be cheaper just to buy another seed.

That is only half-way true. Using additional components halve the remaining time of that stage. If you have no problem waiting a little bit longer grinding through, then you're right; you can completely ignore additional components for s1 seeds.

Using the additives takes to much work at the lower levels to bother with it. By not using them I can mindlessly throw another seed in my pot and forget about it until it's down. That free's me up to RvR or PvE without worrying about what phase my plant is in.

I completely agree. The Cultivation window is much too unwieldy to use while actually playing the game. There have been, however, a number of decent mods made to help improve the cultivating UI, such as PlantMe (http://www.curse.com/downloads/details/13678/).

[Joasht]

At the moment, it is quite impractical to level Cultivating without a pocket Scavenger.
Whats a pocket scavenger?

[Errant]

Scavenger in your pocket: ie someone you can regularly ask for cultivating goodies.

[Nathaniel]

I was going to post ont his anyway. I'm at skill 52 in cultivation. I stopped using soil, water, and nutrients(sp) around levle 25. It was just too insainly time consuming. I discoved that I could do cultivation while doing other things, like while in RvR. While running back I would plant a seed and drop soil then try and remember to add the other stuff. A bunch of times i forgot the water/nuet, then i got attacked right away and forgot all of it and waalaa i still got a seed and flower.

So i moved all my seeds to a row in my bag 1 skill first and 25 next and my lonely 50 skill seed at the end. I started planting a seed after every quest complete or every time i left the start point in RvR. I've never had to buy a seed, and have not run out of them. When my bags get full i reorganize and make pots and sell almost all the pots. I'm sitting at around 5 gold level 12 with 50 alch/52 cultivation and almst zero time spent standing looking at the window. Though i spent about 2 hours in beta reaching 50 because i wanted to know when you got the 2nd plot. Now I plant two seeds every time i do it and get twice the stuff back.

Moral, if you try to get 0-50 using the crap you'll spend at least 2 hours staring at that window. Dont do it just play the game and find a time where you always plant a seed and harvest when you plant. I'll update when i reach 100/150/200 doing this.

Vick 12 WH salvania.

[Joasht]

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah I have a pocket scavenger if thats what its called, in fact, my whole guild is that...I'm well over 40 cultivating at rank 11, and I haven't come to nearly exhausting my seeds and spores yet (I've been lazy ;P). Its just that its such a financial drain, and the inability to mail stacks of potions means that mailing would drain even MORE money from me. Kinda sucks.

Seriously, I'm starting to feel like all these additional things were added to sorta lessen the "cultural shock" WoW players would have when they transfer over, since it seems that none of the potions or herbs are worth anything :(

[kratox]

What about the special guild vendors? I think they are supposed to sell crafting mats you would normally only be able to get through drops. I think the vendor gets unlocked at somewhere around guild level 6.

[Slogo]

Additives as you get them is my strategy generally. I didn't have the inventory room for anything else until level 10. I bug my non-cultivating guildies for seeds but none of them are scavengers. Generally by being in warbands and what not I tend to get enough seeds as drops.

Currently at 65 cultivation and going strong. I did technically start with a pocket scavenger though, I leveled a sorc + scav to 7 before starting the cultivation character.

Also each tier has a quest for a seed that takes forever to sprout but will almost always give you back a seed. You can use that to help you level up.

[Mipo]

101 Cultivation without using anything but level 1 vendor additives. May have been quicker with higher level but doable nonetheless. Im hoping I dont have to switch now but Im out of seeds for the time being so will have to wait and see...

[Spink]

Ya me entire guild is going Scavenging or Butchering so they are all supplying me with everything I need.