Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Green Day (lies)

Hitting level 76 has turned the old level 70 daily quests green, which reduces the XP by 14,000 each day (including the Shattrath cooking daily, which I can't always do anyway). I've done all the Sholazar Basin quests that I can do, and the dailies are still not available. El of El's Anglin' left a comment on my previous post that some new pacifistic dailies should open up at level 77. Until then, I think I'll try to maximize my XP by skipping the fishing daily (0 XP) and re-doing the Troll Patrol daily to do the Alchemist's Apprentice four extra times (five if I can't do the Shattrath cooking daily that day). That will keep my total number of dailies to 25 per day (in case the Troll Patrol trick is considered an exploit) and get me the most XP each day. Of course, if I can't do all the Troll Patrol subquests, I'll just substitute six more Alchemist's Apprentice quests.

Monday, December 22, 2008

The Spirit of level 76

Made it to level 76 by fishing up my hundredth Strange Engine Part and doing the Alchemist's Apprentice over & over because I couldn't do all of today's Troll Patrol subquests. I also did Digging Through Bones (which I had tried once before, long ago) and I didn't have to do anything to help. Unfortunately, the quest was gray so I only got 1100 XP. I've also done over 500 daily quests now.

Wowhead says there are two new daily quests I can do at level 76, but I think they're behind some level 77 prerequisites, since the questgivers have no "!"...

Here are the quests Noor did to get from level 74 to level 76:
Crocolisks in the City (0 XP)
The Call of the Crusade
Parachutes for the Argent Crusade (opened up Pa'Troll quest!)
New Orders for Sergeant Stackhammer
Lab Work
Creature Comforts
Something for the Pain
Throwing Down (not terribly pacifistic, though; needed to open the dailies)
Leave No One Behind
Cocooned!
Pa'Troll
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Trouble at the Altar of Sseratus
Troll Patrol: Whatdya Want, A Medal? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Intestinal Fortitude (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: High Standards (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol (daily) (21150 XP)
First Things First
Spirits of Auchindoun (20750 XP)
In Search of Answers
This Just In, Fire Still Hot!
Orders From Drakuru
The Ebon Watch
Crusader Forward Camp
Making Something Out Of Nothing
A Great Storm Approaches
That's What Friends Are For...
Argent Crusade, We Are Leaving! (sometimes the AD troop spawns before the troll enemy does, and I can tell him/her then)
Mustard Dogs! (15550 XP)
Troll Patrol: Creature Comforts (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Done to Death (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Something for the Pain (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: (21150 XP)
Congratulations! (31750 XP) (had about 10 seconds left; thanks, EasySerum)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Crocolisks in the City (0 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20750 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15550 XP)
Troll Patrol: Can You Dig It? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Grulloc Has Two Skulls (new Winter Veil achievement has people doing this quest again; anyone can loot the skull after the fight)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20750 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Soup for the Soul (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Greatfather Winter is Here!
Treats for Greatfather Winter
The Reason for the Season
The Feast of Winter Veil
Stolen Winter Veil Treats
Metzen the Reindeer
The Hero of the Day (0 XP)
Crocolisks in the City (0 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
(even though I couldn't do all the Troll Patrol quests, I can abandon it and re-take it to fill out all my dailies)
Troll Patrol: Can You Dig It? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Infused Mushroom Meatloaf (15550 XP)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Troll Patrol: Whatdya Want, A Medal? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Intestinal Fortitude (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: High Standards (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: (21150 XP)
Congratulations! (31750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20750 XP)
The One That Got Away (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Convention at the Legerdemain (15550 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20750 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Troll Patrol: Whatdya Want, A Medal? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Intestinal Fortitude (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: High Standards (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: (21150 XP)
Congratulations! (31750 XP) (75)
Just Checkin'
For Posterity
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Discretion is Key
The One That Got Away (0 XP)
Soup for the Soul (12650 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20950 XP) (500 daily quests achievement)
Sewer Stew (15700 XP)
The Champion's Call!
Troll Patrol: Whatdya Want, A Medal? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Intestinal Fortitude (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: High Standards (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: (21150 XP)
Congratulations! (31750 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20950 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Sewer Stew (15700 XP)
Troll Patrol: Can You Dig It? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Sewer Stew (15700 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Troll Patrol: Can You Dig It? (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20950 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15700 XP)
Bait Bandits (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20950 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Creature Comforts (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Done to Death (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: Something for the Pain (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: (21150 XP)
Congratulations! (31750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Sewer Stew (15700 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20950 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
AV (1 win) (20950 XP)
Strange Engine Part (#100)
Digging Through Bones (gray; 1100 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP)
Troll Patrol: the Alchemist's Apprentice (5300 XP) (76)

Monday, December 15, 2008

On a roll with Troll Patrol

OK, I managed to do the first timed Troll Patrol (all the quests were non-violent ones) and did it just in time to get the Congratulations! bonus, which gave me even more XP than wowhead claims (31,750; may vary by level). The next day I couldn't do two of the four subquests, but after doing all the other dailies I went back and discovered I could drop & re-get Troll Patrol and do the dailies again! The subquests don't change, but I can always do at least two of the four subquests, each of which is worth 5300 XP. I mostly did the Alchemist's Apprentice to practice it.

I might skip the fishing daily, because it's worth 0 XP, and I can substitute a Troll Patrol subquest. The subquests are worth the least of my dailies, so I won't drop any others yet. I'll do the fishing daily again when I hit 80.

I'll try to do Troll Patrol last, so I know exactly how many dailies I have left (sometimes I can't do the Shattrath cooking daily, and it's possible I won't be able to get Venture Bay to be Alliance so I can do Riding the Red Rocket). I can discover if I can do all four subquests (a 44.4% chance), and do the subquests until I have 6 dailies left, which should be just enough to do all of Troll Patrol and Congratulations (assuming I can do them fast enough). Of course, if I can't do all four subquests, I can just do some of them over & over until I hit 25 dailies done.

With this additional XP, I should be able to level up faster than one level per week.

UPDATE: It's even better than that, though this might be considered an exploit...

If you abandon Troll Patrol after having done some dailies, those dailies DON'T COUNT once you log off & on. While logged in, they count towards your maximum of 25 per day, but logging recalculates the totals in some way. The upshot is, I can do Troll Patrol subquests as many times as I want. However, each subquest is only worth about 1/15 of an XP bar, so I will probably only do it if I'm close to a new level. Addendum: it seems it's the "duplicate" dailies that don't count, i.e. if you do Alchemist's Apprentice the first time, it counts as a daily, but if you do it a second time, that one won't count if you log out and back in.

UPDATE TWO: Keep in mind that if you can't do the subquests fast enough to get the Congratulations! quest, just DON'T turn in "Troll Patrol" - drop it, (log off & on if you have fewer than 6 daily quest slots remaining), and take Troll Patrol again until you do them within the 20 minute limit.

UPDATE THREE: It appears the random subquests aren't independent; you get one of three random 'sets' of subquests, and luckily, the two quests I want to avoid are in the same set, so I have a 2/3 chance to do all the subquests instead of 4/9...

Saturday, December 13, 2008

A Toot and a Snore to level 74

Noor made it to level 74, which opens up the Troll Patrol dailies (luckily, I didn't have to do the quest to kill 10 scourge to open it, just the parachute one). I won't be able to do Troll Patrol every day, since one of the random quests is to kill some of the swamp elementals, and I'm not sure about Throwing Down, where you blow up spider tunnels (because a bunch of spiders come out and die after you do it). I did Throwing Down once as a non-daily to open up the daily quests themselves.

If I can do all the dailies (including the Shattrath cooking daily) and do Troll Patrol fast enough to get the Congratulations! quest, I can get 318,550 XP each day (4 bars of XP at level 74). Without the cooking daily and only doing 2 of the Troll Patrol quests, I can get 247,650 XP (3.1 bars).


Here are the quests Noor did to get from level 72 to 74:
Don't Forget the Eggs!
The Obsidian Dragonshrine
Return to Sender
Stocking Up
A Bear of an Appetite
Find Kurun!
Raining Down Destruction
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Slim Pickings
Messy Business
Apply This Twice A Day
Worm Wrangler
Cheese for Glowergold (15250 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
The One That Got Away (0 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
No Place to Run (again, completed with healing help from Coopthar)
The Best of Intentions
Defiling the Defilers
Mystery of the Infinite (my level 80 future self, wielding a big iron fishing pole, apparently is no longer a pacifist and did all the fighting)
Shaved Ice (found out I can get the shards by mining corpses other people leave)
Infused Mushroom Meatloaf (15250 XP)
Shrimpin' Ain't Easy (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
The One That Got Away (0 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Cheese for Glowergold (15250 XP)
Infused Mushroom Meatloaf (15250 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Crocolisks in the City (0 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Infused Mushroom Meatloaf (15250 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
The One That Got Away (0 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Crisis at the Sunwell
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
(dropping mining, took up skinning; had to 'cheat' from 77 to 300)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15250 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
(skinning at 365+5 for gloves, enough to skin Jormungar Tunnelers at level 73 & 74)
Soft Packaging (done entirely with skinning corpses left by other players)
Something That Won't Melt
Lumber Hack
(dropping skinning, took up herbalism)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15250 XP)
Manalicious (12650 XP)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP) (now done with herbalism)
Hard to Swallow (yes, I can ninja pieces created by other players)
(375 herbalism)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20300 XP)
Bait Bandits (0 XP)
Soup for the Soul (12650 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Convention at the Legerdemain (15250 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP) (73)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP; note - the boat is empty and full of explosives, it's pacifistic to destroy it)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20500 XP)
Felblood Fillet (0 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15400 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
The Hills Have Us
Mmm... Amberseeds!
Just Passing Through
Doing Your Duty
Mounting Up
Softening the Blow
Local Support
Close the Deal
A Tentative Pact
An Exercise in Diplomacy
Wolfsbane Root
Seeking Solvent
Always Seeking Solvent x 3 (0 XP) (bought Thick Goblin Back Protector, can't wear until lvl 74)
It Takes Guts....
Filling the Cages
Truce?
Vial of Visions
Scourgekabob
Cheese for Glowergold (15400 XP)
Bait Bandits (0 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20500 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Cheese for Glowergold (15400 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Shrimpin' Ain't Easy (0 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20500 XP)
Subject to Interpretation
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Spirits of Auchindoun (20500 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15400 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Soup for the Soul (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP)
Crocolisks in the City (0 XP)
Mustard Dogs! (15400 XP)
The Multiphase Survey (9500 XP)
Gaining the Advantage (12650 XP)
Open for Business (12650 XP)
Know Your Ley Lines (12650 XP)
Further Conversions (9500 XP)
Preparing For The Worst (20300 XP)
Planning For The Future (20300 XP)
Shredder Repair (20750 XP)
Pieces Parts (20750 XP)
Life or Death (20750 XP)
Smoke 'Em Out (20750 XP)
Riding the Red Rocket (20750 XP) (74)

Monday, December 8, 2008

The skinny on cheating

Well, after trying to skill up skinning on Saturday morning/afternoon by only skinning found corpses for eight hours and getting to a skill level of just 77, I decided I had to get out my Deathknight to create some corpses (Maiev is still a pretty low population server). I only cheated in the old world until Noor was at 300 skinning. She needed to be at least 365 skinning (plus her +5 skinning enchant) to skin the Jormungar Tunnelers, which are level 73 and 74. She got from 300 to 365 in Outland without more cheating, as there were a lot of DKs out killing beasts and my fast roflcopter made it fairly easy.

I was right that doing Soft Packaging would open up three more quests that I could do: Something That Doesn't Melt, Lumber Hack, and Hard to Swallow, which I could do by ninjaing pieces when Horde players were doing the quest.

Since I still can't take a grandmaster gathering skill without losing the still-buggy Gaining the Advantage daily, I decided to drop skinning and take up herbalism, and got that up high enough not to miss a daily.

Now Noor is level 73, and FIVE more quests have opened up! Pieces Parts, Life or Death, Shredder Repair, Smoke 'Em Out, and Riding the Red Rocket (which I figured was OK for me to do because the boat only contains munitions, no people). This should get enough XP per day to go up a level every week, without counting non-daily quests.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

See? More skinner!

Level 72 opened up some quests that I could do in rather creative ways...

No Place to Run, while not a very pacifistic quest (since you're helping Serinar set up a trap to slaughter all the cultists), I was able to do with more help from Coopthar the paladin, healing the crystal until it was fully charged. The crystal aggros mobs, so my earlier tries using a target dummy wouldn't distract them long enough. But the joke's on Serinar -- cultists can still chase me beyond the limit where the destructive ward is supposed to stop them.

A similar quest, Mystery of the Infinite, has me and my future level 80 self defend an Hourglass of Eternity from dragon mobs. I wielded my Big Iron Fishing Pole and my future self (who apparently has given up pacifism) was able to take on all the mobs long enough to finish the quest, while I just healed and blinded.

Finally, after thinking I had done all the quests I could get from the goblins in north-central Dragonblight, I found out that I could do Shaved Ice entirely by mining Crystalline Ice Elemental corpses that other players left (in my case, a Blood Elf death knight)... and this brings me to my next weekend project.

The next quest in that chain is Soft Packaging, which can be done entirely by skinning Jormungar Tunnelers left by other players. Doing this quest will open up Something That Doesn't Melt, and possibly Hard to Swallow (if I can pick up pieces created by other players) and/or Lumber Hack.

In order to continue to do Gaining the Advantage, I'll need to drop mining and get my skinning up high enough to avoid missing a day. I think on Saturday morning after doing Gaining the Advantage with mining, I'll switch to skinning. This will give me nearly two days to get my skinning up to at least 285 so I can skin the lowest-level (58) Hellfire Peninsula mobs using +5 skinning gloves by Sunday night. Then I can get my skinning up until I can do Soft Packaging, which I can do with just Master skinning in case Gaining the Advantage is still bugged and won't give the quest to Grandmasters.

After that, I think I'll just go right to Herbalism. Death Knights made releveling mining difficult since many of them seem to have blacksmithing/mining, so Herbalism (with +10 gloves) should be faster to level the next weekend.

I'll try to skill up skinning legitimately (by only skinning found corpses), but if I really have to, I can get out my death knight and create some...