TLDR –
a) Forcing Mantid dig sites is still good for “Restored Artifact” fragment farming, but BFA dig sites are just as good, if not better, as Keystones tend to be cheaper to maximise your return (and despite what you might think Legion is just terrible).
b) Depending on what solves you still need you may be better off continuing to do dig sites directly for the race you need, even if it means doing some dig sites that provide no benefit.
With Archaeology getting no love over the last few expansions and recent hints not sounding positive one might conclude that it’s time to dust off your surveying equipment and try to finish off those last few solves…
One of the issues of course is that with little love comes little discussion and very few clues about how to go about this as efficiently as possible. Most information available still points to using the “Mantid Artifact Hunter’s Kit” to force dig sites to be Mantid in MoP so that you can efficiently farm solves for “Restored Artifacts” to ultimately turn in for Crates of Fragments of your chosen race.
This solution, although often suggested, has been around for quite some time, and digging around forums one sees reference to suggestions of potentially more efficient methods, such as doing Legion or BFA dig sites instead of Mantid, as by default they are of one kind and not that spread out.
The other part of the puzzle that is often not mentioned, is at what point should you stop trying to get your solve via dig sites of the race you need and swap to “Restored Artifact” fragment farming?
So, faced with this dilemma, (needing single rare solves from Troll, Dwarf, Fossil and a couple of Tol’vir) we set out to “do the experiment”, and realising this might be useful to ultimately cover races we don’t still need and then share the info we found.
So, what did we do? For each continent we did 3 blocks of one hour of Archaeology (i.e. 3 hours total per continent) and recorded various bits of data (such as fragments collected, keystones found, solves etc etc) and data was then averaged to give an average result per hour. For Kalimdor we did this twice – the first time in current game time (no Tol’vir dig sites) and the second after talking to Zidormi in Uldum to turn time back (Tol’vir sties now spawn), we suspect most would want the latter situation, but just maybe there is someone out there who has finished Tol’vir solves before other races in Kalimdor. In addition to this normal method of collecting dig site data we then did a “Keystone Frenzy” (free use of bought Keystones) in each of the zones that were likely to produce the most “Restored Artifacts” – that is MoP Mantid, Legion and BFA.
To keep things consistent, the following applied to all hour-long sessions:
- All completed by a L70 Gnome Rogue (thanks Trixie), iLvl450
- Only normal 310% flying was used (no dragon riding)
- No fast methods of travel were used (e.g. hearthing, Capital city cloaks, other teleport/movement trinkets etc), just pure flying between sites
- Always went to the next nearest dig site (thanks Minimal Archaeology)
- On larger continents deliberately started the three hours at different locations (top, middle, bottom) to try and get around any variation of the different race dig site locations
- If a dig site was started before the hour was up it was completed, even if that meant going just over the hour
- Only Keystones that were found during the hour were used for solves in that hour (i.e. no pre-existing or bought keystones were used, except in the case of the “Keystone Frenzy hours” which are reported separately).
- Any “Restored Artifacts” collected were converted to Tol’vir fragment crates (as we suspect this will be where most people use them)
And now the interesting bit and what we found out along the way! As all would know when doing archaeology, you collect fragments, keystones, do solves and with some races have special spawn events (which then give more fragments). Although we gathered a lot of different information we wanted to try and make it as simple as possible – both for ourselves and for others to use.
Ultimately the aim of the game is doing as many solves as possible (and hoping that the one you need comes up). But reporting the number of solves can be tricky for comparison – as each solve can involve a different number of fragments, keystones may or may not be used etc. In the end the way to maximise solves is to find as many useful fragments as possible (with keystones providing a set number of fragments per race) – that is we have combined fragments and keystone values to give a total fragment value (see Box value below for an example of this).
“Restored Artifact” turn ins:
- During our travels we recorded the outcome of turning in 565 “Restored Artifacts” for “Crates of Tol’vir Fragments”
- From these turn ins we received 3955 Tol’vir Fragments and 39 Tol’vir Keystones
- Tol’vir Keystones provide the value of 12 Fragments when used for a solve, therefore 39 Keystones is the equivalent of 468
- We effectively got 4423 Fragments from our 565 “Restored Artifacts”, or more simply 7.8 Fragments per turn in (this number is useful to keep in mind, especially when considering when and where to do “Restored Artifact” farming - as each turn in only provides this many useful fragments!)
Total Fragments collected per hour for each Race:
- Value for each race is averaged of the 3 hours
- Value for each race is total of pure Fragments plus Keystone Fragment value
- Where “Restored Artifacts” were collected the Fragments value of those is included for each hour (shows as “Boxes”)
- BFA Zandalar was not quite as good as BFA Kul Tiras, but this was due to having to avoid a couple of dig sites that spawn on top of Horde Fightmasters!
- We imagine there are similar issues for Horde characters in Kul Tiras, but suspect that for Horde players Zandalar would provide as good a result as Kul Tiras
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continent | Race | Total Fragments/Hour | |
| Eastern Kingdoms | Night Elf | 52 | |
| Dwarf | 153.7 | ||
| Fossil | 89 | ||
| Troll | 228.9 | ||
| Nerubian | 14.7 | ||
| Kalimdor - Current Time | Night Elf | 216 | |
| Dwarf | 17.3 | ||
| Fossil | 185.3 | ||
| Troll | 0 - possible, but low chance of dig site | ||
| Tol’vir | 0 | ||
| Kalimdor - Previous Time | Night Elf | 101.6 | |
| Dwarf | 0 - possible, but low chance of dig site | ||
| Fossil | 190.7 | ||
| Troll | 49.1 | ||
| Tol’vir | 155 | ||
| Legion Highborne | Highborne | 1155.3 | |
| Boxes | 125.4 | ||
| Legion Highmountain | Highmountain | 1177.3 | |
| Boxes | 135.6 | ||
| Legion Demonic | Demonic | 1272.1 | |
| Boxes | 88.6 | ||
| Northrend | Night Elf | 29 | |
| Vrykul | 284.4 | ||
| Troll | 83.3 | ||
| Nerubian | 131.6 | ||
| Outland | Draenei | 160.3 | |
| Orc | 373 | ||
| Draenor | Draenor Clans | 473.7 | |
| Ogre | 243.7 | ||
| Arakkoa | 171.3 | ||
| Boxes | 133.3 | ||
| BFA Kul Tiras | Drust | 1106.9 | |
| Boxes | 188.2 | ||
| BFA Zandalar | Zandalari | 1013.3 | |
| Boxes | 170.1 | ||
| Pandaria Natural | Pandaren | 382.3 | |
| Manatid | 102.7 | ||
| Mogu | 312.7 | ||
| Boxes | 120 | ||
| Pandaria - Mantid 1 day force spawn | Pandaren | 0 - as expected | |
| Mantid | 1175 | ||
| Mogu | 73.7 - from Sha spawns | ||
| Boxes | 198.4 |
“Keystone Frenzy Hours”:
- As mentioned for each of the zones previously identified that might give a good return for “Restored Artifact” farming we also did an hour of dig sites using as many Keystones as were needed to complete as many solves as we could during the hour
- Keystones obviously vary in price over time and between races
- In the table the first row corresponds to the normal number of Fragments received in the data above, and the “KSF” value is the Total Fragments generated during the frenzy, with the number next to KSF showing just how many Keystones were used (on top of Keystones found along the way)
- Please note for the Mantid Frenzy it COSTS 2 “Restored Artifacts” to begin with for a 24-hour period, the number of Fragments shown does not take this into account as you would likely do multiple hours, but it must be considered for comparison
- As with the normal data BFA Zandalar was not quite as good as Kul Tiras given the need to avoid dig sites on top of Horde flight masters!
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continent | Total Fragments/Hour | ||
| Legion Highborne | Boxes | 125.4 | |
| KSF - 23 Keystones Extra used | 165 | ||
| Legion Highmountain | Boxes | 135.6 | |
| KSF - 42 Keystones Extra used | 165 | ||
| Legion Demonic | Boxes | 88.6 | |
| KSF - 33 Keystones Extra used | 110 | ||
| BFA Kul Tiras | Boxes | 188.2 | |
| KSF - 47 Keystones Extra used | 282 | ||
| BFA Zandalar | Boxes | 170.1 | |
| KSF - 40 Keystones Extra used | 259 | ||
| Pandaria - Mantid 1 day force spawn | Boxes | 198.4 | |
| KSF - 35 Keystones Extra used | 282 |
So all up, despite breaking it down to the basic concepts of Total Fragments, that is still a lot of numbers! The next step is to work out is how to use it to your advantage – and the easiest way is to demonstrate using our own needs – finishing off solves for Tol’vir, Troll, Dwarf and Fossil.
- These all come from Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, and as we need Tol’vir we need to have Uldum set to the previous timeline via Zidormi.
- For our purposes in the Eastern Kingdoms Night Elf and Nerubian fragments have no value, but Dwarf, Fossil and Troll all do – which would give us an hourly Fragment rate of 471.6
- For our purposes in Kalimdor (old time) Night Elf is once again no value, but Dwarf, Fossil, Troll and Tol’vir all count – giving an hourly Fragment rate of 394.8
- The best “Restored Artifact” farming rates are either around 190/hour (in BFA and MoP Mantid) or 282/hour also in BFA/Mop Mantid with free use of Keystones (which could get expensive!)
- As such for the time being we are better off doing dig sites in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor for the time being before moving to “Restored Artifacts”
- Obviously as we do dig sites in Eastern Kingdoms we will (hopefully!) get some of the final solves we need, and this will potentially change the most efficient farming location
Let’s imagine the next step – as farming in Eastern Kingdoms provides us with the most Total useful fragments, and as Troll is the highest let’s imagine what the data looks like if we finally get that Zin’rokh, Destroyer of Worlds artifact
- Now in the Eastern Kingdoms only Dwarf and Fossil will be useful, giving an updated hourly fragment rate of 242.7
- Kalimdor will now be 345.7
- “Restored Artifact” farming rates remain the same
So, now Kalimdor becomes the most efficient place to do dig sites. Eventually as we close out solves the Fragment rates for Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor will drop below the rates for “Restored Artifacts” and that is then the time to swap to either BFA or MoP Mantid.
Obviously for each individual where to go will completely be dictated by what races you still need to complete – but the method is the same. Work out what races you still need and what continent they are on, and then look at the table to work out what continent offers you the most useful Total Fragments/hour.
Some final thoughts/comments:
- We were surprised to find that, for us, continuing to do dig sites in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalmdor is likely, at least for the time being, the most efficient way forward. Despite all the extra travel and having to do dig sites that don’t help, the fact that you are directly getting the fragments you need along the way makes it work
- The Total Fragments/Hour numbers for some continents, especially large ones like Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor could be increased further by setting a suitable hearth location (such as Uldum in Kalmdor) and using as many other fast travel/portal options as you can lay your hands on (Capital City cloak, Cataclysm portals, Pet dungeon portals etc) not to mention perhaps even making a “speed” set of gear for zooming around dig sites
- We were surprised that Legion is such a poor performer for “Restored Artifact” farming. Like BFA and MoP Mantid the solves are restricted to one race and all near each other, but the big factor is the large number of solves that take huge numbers of Fragments to complete, which drastically reduces the overall number of solves you can do, and thus reduces the number of “Restored Artifacts”
- For most BFA rather than MoP Mantid force is likely the best place to go once you get down to using “Restored Artifacts” – yes, the raw/normal efficiency is about the same, but BFA Keystones tend to be significantly cheaper on the AH than Mantid ones, so the cost of maximising your farming is less (it’s still not cheap, just cheaper!). It’s worth noting that although Legion Keystones are even cheaper again you would still be better off doing BFA or MoP without extra keystones!
- Bear in mind the above only considers our situation, that is needing to finish off a few last solves. If you also have achievements or Pristine solves to get that may also factor into where you go for your Archaeology fix.
- And finally, thanks for reading to the end, hopefully some of this information is useful!
