New DoL class idea

[PoeRangutan]

For my OCD, here is a breakdown of my ideas for abilities 1-50

• LVL 1: Excavate - Survey the landscape to locate non-surveyed ruins and rich sediment. Activates automatically when class is changed to archaeologist.
• LVL 2: Auto Excavate (trait) - Automatically activates Excavate upon changing your class to archaeologist.
• LVL 3: Reconnaissance - Survey the landscape to locate the nearest non-surveyed ruins or plot of rich sediment within skill range. Can only execute while Excavate is active.
• LVL 4: Divine Provenience - Increases the chance of obtaining items while gathering by 5%.
• LVL 5: Divine Provenience II - Increases the chance of obtaining items while gathering by 15%.
• LVL 6: Reconnaissance II - Survey the landscape to locate the highest-level non-surveyed ruins or rich sediment within skill range. Can only execute while Triangulate is active.
• LVL 8: Stealth - Conceal yourself and tread quietly, reducing movement speed, but enabling you to avoid enemies level 50 and below.
• LVL 10: Divine Provenience III - Increases the chance of obtaining items while gathering by 50%.
• LVL 11: Ruin Whisperer (trait) - Allows you to better identify the characteristics of non-surveyed ruins or plot of rich sediment, improving gathering rate when conditions are met.
• LVL 12: Preparation - Reveals the conditions for obtaining HQ items while gathering.
• LVL 15: Preservtion - Increases the chance of obtaining HQ items while gathering by 10%. Does not increase chances for items which start at 0%.
• LVL 16: Ruin Whisperer II (trait) - Allows you to better identify the characteristics of non-surveyed ruins or plot of rich sediment, improving gathering rate when conditions are met.
• LVL 18: Enhanced Stealth (trait) - Increases the range of enemies avoidable when using Stealth to level 30.
• LVL 21: Ruin Whisperer ||| (trait) - Allows you to better identify the characteristics of non-surveyed ruins or plot of rich sediment, improving gathering rate when conditions are met.
• LVL 25: Lithic Look - Increases the chance of obtaining regular or HQ items to 100%. Can only be activated after chain #4.
• LVL 25: Voice of the Past - Grants another gathering attempt.
• LVL 26: Ruin Whisperer IV (trait) - Allows you to better identify the characteristics of non-surveyed ruins or plot of rich sediment, improving gathering rate when conditions are met.
• LVL 28: Enhanced Stealth || (trait) - Increases the range of enemies avoidable when using Stealth to level 40.
• LVL 30: Perfect Preservation - Increases the number of items obtained during a single gathering attempt by one.
• LVL 35: Preservtion || - Increases the chance of obtaining HQ items while gathering by 30%. Does not increase chances for items which start at 0%.
• LVL 38: Enhanced Stealth ||| (trait) - Increases the range of enemies avoidable when using Stealth to level 50.
• LVL 40: Perfect Preservation II - Increases the number of items obtained during a single gathering attempt by two.
• LVL 41: Ward of the Twelve (trait) - Extends gathering ward increases to crystals.
• LVL 46: Truth of Ruins - Further survey the landscape to uncover pristine non-surveyed ruins and rich sediment
• LVL 50: Ward of the Twelve II (trait) - Extends gathering ward increases to clusters.
• LVL 50: Toil of the Scavenger - Renders all out-of-reach items reachable.
  

I have some ideas for main hand weapons, starting quest / location, and even some leve ideas. I'll jot them down on my train ride home.

[Baithin]

This is a cool idea! The only thing is that they seem to be very self sufficient and there might not be very much demand for them. The other DoL exist specifically to gather crafting materials for DoH. While they can get other odds and ends (minions and the like) their main focus is to supply the crafters.

Scavenger/Archaeologist wouldn't have this benefit, and I don't know if they'd make a class that purely exists to gather unique items. Maybe if they also added a DoH class that worked with bones or stone? Boneworker or Mason (maybe these two can be combined into one crafter class as well, since it seems their options would be limited otherwise).

Regardless, I still think it's really cool. Perhaps they can be really heavy on the lore as well and can also discover new things about ancient civilizations that no one else could.

Also! There's a group of these in the South Shroud investigating Gelmorra's ruins. Perhaps quests could involve them.

[Gralna]

Scavenger/Archaeologist wouldn't have this benefit, and I don't know if they'd make a class that purely exists to gather unique items. Maybe if they also added a DoH class that worked with bones or stone? Boneworker or Mason (maybe these two can be combined into one crafter class as well, since it seems their options would be limited otherwise).

The way it was implemented in LotRO, the parts of extinct civilizations they'd find would be ruined beyond use, but they could either be restored by crafters, or in case of some metal artifacts, melted down and remade into weapons/armor/accessories.

[Loris]

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Chocobo_Digging_Guide

Chocobo digging in FFXI sounds exactly like what you're describing...would be awesome!

[Avisaia]

I actually really love this idea. It could be a really cool alternate way to get stuff. Skill: Graverobber: Congratulations you just obtained 10 elemental clusters of ice !

/wishful thinking

[Empty-handed]

what archeologist use as main weapon and offhand?? i have no idea but really interested

[Magnesium02]

what archeologist use as main weapon and offhand?? i have no idea but really interested

A whip and a gun

[Morzy]

I think a interesting "weapon"(if it comes to a weapon) would be Measure from FFXII

Measures
Measures have low attack ratings, but ignore defense when used, damage being calculated based solely on the weapon's attack. Measures also cause beneficial status effects on hit, so they are to be used to strengthen the party without using MP and should generally be switched out for more conventional weapons after being used. Measures add 25 evasion, which, along with the ability to equip shields, makes a character equipped with a measure difficult to hit.

Measures are also effective when attacking characters to remove the confuse status since Measures do not deal heavy damage yet they can confer beneficial statuses. Unlike other melee weapons, measures have a chance of dealing critical hits. Targets cannot parry or block measure attacks, but the wielder can still miss due to bad accuracy. Measures cannot knockback enemies. Measures have the same speed as hammers and maces at 2.63s charge, and 1.2s action time.