[Mining] Mining for Crystalline Blackrock

[startle]

Hi all,

I just finished getting 120 Imbuing on my craftsman and am now going to take my miner out to try and get some Crystalline Blackrock in Ter Mur. I already have a stockpile of ore of all types and am only after Crystalline Blackrock.

My question is this:

Is there data here that gives any indication of whether or not using Mining Gloves, Gargoyle Pickaxe or a Prospector's Tool has ANY effect on the chance of getting Crystalline Blackrock?

I ask, of course, because if it doesn't matter - then she won't need to deal with the mining spawn...

 

[Percivalgoh]

I think it's pretty clear that killing higher end ore elementals is the quickest source of crystaline blackrock mining so prospectors tools used to bump up the ore and a gargoyles pickaxe are the quickest way to get some. I sometimes go to shame and kill dull copper elementals for their ore and a bonus is crystaline blackrock but not much. To me the time spent equals what you would get mining in Ter Mur (maybe slightly better than mining).

 

[startle]

I think it's pretty clear that killing higher end ore elementals is the quickest source of crystaline blackrock mining so prospectors tools used to bump up the ore and a gargoyles pickaxe are the quickest way to get some. I sometimes go to shame and kill dull copper elementals for their ore and a bonus is crystaline blackrock but not much. To me the time spent equals what you would get mining in Ter Mur (maybe slightly better than mining).

Thx for responding, Percivalgoh... You say "I think it's pretty clear that killing higher end ore elementals is the quickest source of crystaline blackrock". Pretty clear? Based on previous posts or what?

Don't get me wrong... I don't doubt you, but when you say "it's pretty clear", I wonder. I've already done a search on Crystaline Blackrock in this forum, and haven't found posts that would make it "pretty clear" to me.

But I do appreciate your input as to your own experiences...

 

[Basara]

Pretty clear, in that you get 0-6 colored ore elementals per 101-125 use gargoyle pickaxe (I even had 9 elementals from one pick ,a few years ago), and each mined-up ore elemental has a chance of having a crystalline blackrock, on any facet. This is a MUCH higher rate than simply mining for them in Ter Mur and the Abyss (where the chance is like 1 in 10 that any ML Mining gem success check, will be a CB instead of the 1 in 9 chance being for one of 8 ML gems or a normal blackrock elsewhere).

In Trammel Shame, I got 6 crystalline blackrock from the elementals brought up by 6 gargoyle pickaxes (about every other elemental) while mining for both ore and saltpeter. In reality, it was probably more equivalent to 4 GPAs, as I dug some DC down there deliberately (along with some from the naturally occuring DC elementals), about 2 GPA worth of mining. I actually had 8 GPAs, but two of them were used completely up on saltpeter, mainly because I forgot to bring down normal tools (and didn't want to take the time to go back for them and lose time from my luck statue boost).

If you are going to dig specifically for the CB, use gargoyle pickaxes with prospectors tools (to insure that all colored ore is at least shadow, and eligible for elementals from the GPA), and mine in Ter Mur/the Abyss. This allows you to get the CB from both digging and from the elemental corpses.

 

[Kas Althume]

i can only agree with Basara. When i was mining for the crystalline blackrock i mined in the cave next to the rat spawns (where you have to run around for that silly music gear quest) and had a blackrock on like 2/3 of my valorite/verite elementals.

 

[Umfufu]

May I ask for a good template for a miner to be able to tackle these dug up elementals ?

Thanks in advance,
Umfufu

 

[NuSair]

Have a 2nd account or a friend along.

If not, I would try something like this:

Mining 100
Weapon Skill 120
Tactics 120
Parry 120
Bushido 120

Toss in 120+ points of skills you like... can even make this a whammy/sampire off shoot.

With an elemental slayer and EoO, most elementals go down in only a couple of hits. You can imbue the +5 mining gloves (I have several pairs of 140 luck ones for salt peter mining) to fit what you want.

With my wife mining, I will tag along and take either my Paladin (melee without necro) or my sampire.

 

[Gorbs]

This has been brought up before, so you may want to do a search. When I'm out killing ore elementals I take a mw -20, earth ele slayer heavy xbow and equip jewelry to cancel it out. My miner has 110 magery and 100 tactics. This easily takes down any of the ore eles. You can do it without tactics, but it takes a bit longer to kill them.

If you're hunting in Ilsh you may want a more robust template...I've never tried a paragon version.

 

[Basara]

My personal miner is

120 Mace Fighting
120 Blacksmith
100 Mining
100+ Tactics (90 real)
100+ Anatomy
90 Parry
90 Healing
80 Chivalry

That's 800+ skill points, but that's easily doable with imbued gems (and, in fact, he gets 27 skill points from non-jewelry equipment, using a dupre's shield, arms of tactical excellence and ancient samurai do). The resists are fairly close to (if not exceeding) 70 in each category, and the suit has almost 800 luck, before using a luck statue, from swapping out my usual gorget for a Leurocian's Mempo (and I only dropped 3 fire resist in doing it).

Even when Ilshenar mining, the only dangerous paragon ore eles are the valorite and copper, from the damage reflect (their multiplied HP means I can't kill them without healing).

I currently use a Blackthorn's Kryss Elemental slayer, but am considering changing back to a normal Earth Elemental slayer that's an actual macing weapon, if I can get the right properties onto it (more likely to try to smith one than to imbue one, as it will get a LOT of work).

Remember that Valorite & Verite elementals can destroy any worn or held gear that isn't blessed, insured or cursed.

 

[startle]

.....If you are going to dig specifically for the CB, use gargoyle pickaxes with prospectors tools (to insure that all colored ore is at least shadow, and eligible for elementals from the GPA), and mine in Ter Mur/the Abyss. This allows you to get the CB from both digging and from the elemental corpses.

Thx much, Basara, for all the good input. I'm off to do some diggin'....

 

[Kas Althume]

My "Battle Miner" has:

120 swords
120 parry
105 Mining (+5 from imbued mining gloves)
100 Healing
100 Anatomy
100 Tactics
80 Chivalry

Works pretty good for mining in all areas. I haven't used my miner in a long while on eurpa. He isn't listed on myuo anymore. But i found out some imposter is using my name. Damn him. I used to be the only Birk on the shard.

 

[TheLetterQ]

Or so over to the Fire Beetle cave and just kill them as they spawn...no mining required. I get about 4-6 per hour.

you can also goto the bottom level of shame I believe and kill em.


Q

 

[Basara]

There's DC elementals on level 2 of shame, where I mine. Two different spawn sites, though one of them has so many and so quick a respawn (in a small area) it's difficult to mine there OR even find the time to loot bodies. The other area (SE corner, south of the river) has a reasonable-speed spawn, and room to mine.

The advantages of level 2 shame over the bottom level are:
1. The non-DC elemental spawn is limited to air elementals (the north, too fast spawn area), water elementals, and kraken, and the latter two usually only become an issue when you get within a screen and a half of the river to where those can see you.
2. It's relatively safer to recall into and out of these areas, or walk into them from the surface, than to risk popping in face to face with a blood, poison or acid elemental.

 

[[JD]]

May I ask for a good template for a miner to be able to tackle these dug up elementals ?

Thanks in advance,
Umfufu

all the elementals are EARTH elementals, so use earth elemental slayer for 300% dmg increase if you have 100 DI. also, energy seems to be one of the weakest overall resists, so i went with a 100% energy earth elemental slayer, and my little miner dude hits them for quite a bit. theyre often dead from autoattack before i can even react, lmao

 

[Basara]

all the elementals are EARTH elementals, so use earth elemental slayer for 300% dmg increase if you have 100 DI. also, energy seems to be one of the weakest overall resists, so i went with a 100% energy earth elemental slayer, and my little miner dude hits them for quite a bit. theyre often dead from autoattack before i can even react, lmao

Unless they finally fixed the issue in the last year or two, Dull Copper Elementals don't count as Earth Elementals for the slayer, for some reason.

 

[Gorbs]

Unless they finally fixed the issue in the last year or two, Dull Copper Elementals don't count as Earth Elementals for the slayer, for some reason.

You can't dig up dull coppers with gargoyle pick axes though, so this only matters if you are hitting the ones that spawn normally (tokuno mine, shame).

 

[WildWobble]

Yamotsu mines kill dull copper and shadow iron elementals! thats the way to get crystalline blackrock in quantity.

 

[Pinco]

Yamotsu mines kill dull copper and shadow iron elementals! thats the way to get crystalline blackrock in quantity.

the chance to find the crystalline blackrock is too little... better go in ter mur with gargoyle pickaxe... I got about 10 in less than 3 minutes...