Crystal farming and gatherers

[Kyana]

This is probably ignorance on my part, but are the bots low level characters or are they high level characters?

My impression was people would roll up a level 1 and farm shards in low level zones, so I'd think that increasing shard yields for the 400 GP skills from the traits would make sense as the OP states. For example:

Ward I: Wards can now be used on Crystals. Increases shard yield by 2 (Shard +4; Crystals +2)
Ward II: Wards can now be used on Clusters. Increased shard/crystal yield by 1 (Shards +5; Crystals +3; Clusters +2)

Another option too could be to add node characteristics on the higher level nodes that increase crystal yield (I know I've seen this buff in Nophica for Shard yield). This would at least add a reason for farming Shards in higher level zones. As of now, there really is no incentive to farm shards in a level 40 node over a level 5 node.

The only problem is that bots could use this too.
I agree though, that making it faster and easier to farm shards might stop some people from buying the botted shards from AH. But I bet that shard prices would go down and people would just keep buying them.

That means it has to be a solution which makes it easier for players to farm shards, but harder for bots.
One way would be to improve rewards for leves. Instead of 15-60 shards, reward players with 100-200 shards for leves. Leve allowances serve as a limiter.

Passive skills or GP activities can be used by bots.
Dangerous mobs are no threat thanks to the stealth skill.

Honestly, I have no idea what SE could implement that makes gathering easier for players but doesn't make it easier for bots at the same time.
Bots own the whole shard market already and it seems like SE doesn't care at all.
None of the bots I reported got deleted yet. Some of them have been running for months now.

The only thing I can think of would be really dangerous gathering nodes which give 3-4 times the normal yield but require the player to pay attention.
Make nodes instable after a random number of gathering attempts. If you don't stop gathering and get away fast or if you hit the node while it's unstable, it will explode and kill you.
Place nodes higher above the ground, so the underground gathering bots can't reach them.
Let the node spawn a mob which can see through stealth and casts a debuff on you. If you move too far away from the node it will kill you.
Mimic nodes. If you click it to start gathering, it will spawn a rock golem or a treant which can see you even if stealthed and will instantly kill you if you don't get out of an AoE circle fast enough.

I think that's the only way to mess up bots. To make gathering require more reaction and attention from the player.


EDIT: GET RID OF THE RETARDED 1000 CHARACTER LIMIT!!!