Crystal farming

[Lysander]

After hitting 50 leather craft recently, I've realized crystals are going to be a big part of my life now. Problem is I mostly need earth an wind crystal and they have been very scarce on the market with the ones o. There being I. No less than stacks of 50 or 150 per piece minimum.

I'm cheap and rather farm my own mats for the most part lol.

So my question

Is it viable to farm crystals off sprites of the element you need or is the drop rate just too low to be worth it? Should I buck up and level miner or botanist?

[Deathgiver]

much much faster farming on DoL

[Selyndria]

I actually ran a little test, I can average around 75 shards every 5 minutes with DoL. That may be the best way to go.

[Lysander]

Well I need actual crystals instead of shards :/

Shards are actually plentiful and cheap ATM I'm guessing due to non crafters selling everything they get

[LunaRhiki]

You can harvest Crystals at the following locations....

1. Wind Crystals.
A. Level 30 Miner secondary nodes in East Shroud(Nine Ivies)
B. Level 50 Miner secondary nodes in East Shroud(The Bramble Patch)

2. Earth Crystals.
A. Level 30 Miner secondary nodes in Lower La Noscea(Cedarwood)
B. Level 50 Miner secondary nodes in Lower La Noscea(The Gods' Grip)

Hope this helps.

[Ksenia]

Nine Ivies for wind with Quarry miner as well. (all level 30)

[Polaritie]

Well I need actual crystals instead of shards :/

Shards are actually plentiful and cheap ATM I'm guessing due to non crafters selling everything they get

At level 50, a DoH can harvest crystals just as fast as shards anyways. (And clusters nearly as fast, I'd expect - with the difference being they aren't easy 100% hit rates)

[rigormortis]

Ice Crystals can be level 26-31 botanized right outside of Buscarron's Druthers in South Shroud.
Fire Crystals can be level 26-31 botanized in Central Thanalan, southern part of the map.

[Bufkus]

It's much faster to farm as a miner or botanist, the problem is getting them to level 26, which is the minimum level to farm those nodes. It will take a LOT of time but it'll be worth it in the end if you plan to be self-sufficient.

Otherwise, I would just farm sprites, since you don't really need that many crystals.

[McWinning]

any word on optimal wind shard/crystal locations for botanist?