Guide:Nicholas the Traveler Farming/July 2009

Week of July 27th (1 Herring per gift)
Nicholas the Traveler is located in Twin Serpent lakes
 * You will need 5 Bog Skale Fins for 1 Herring. Basically, nearly every farming build (Obsidian Tank, 55 Monk, 600/Smite Monk Team, perma Shadow Form) is capable of farming them. Any High DPS AoE will work just fine also with a little self healing thrown in.  If using perma-Shadow Form, be mindful about Bog Skale Blighter use of Putrid Explosion, as it can go through Shadow Form providing the necessary conditions are met.
 * Probably the best place to farm Bog Skales is outside of Lion's Arch in North Kryta Province in the swamp (note: you can avoid Fire Imps by heading southeast of LA initially, path will curve north). Any class should be able to do this solo with AoE damage  since damage is relatively light, though enchant heavy builds may be problematic due to Soul Barbs (24 damage per enchantment).  A Dervish with Avatar of Dwayna can clear this area in under 5 minutes, netting between 2 and 8 fins per run usually.
 * There are several groups of Bog Skales by the two southern entrances to Tears of the Fallen that can be repeatedly farmed by reusing those entrances. The Tears of the Fallen zone itself consists almost entirely of Bog Skales, and isn't too large. Fast access from Fisherman's haven via Stingray Strand nets more groups of Skales along the way.

Week of July 20th ( 3 Skelk Claws per gift)
Nicholas the Traveler is located in Verdant Cascades
 * In Verdant Cascades you can use a basic Perma/Sliver build or a 600/Smite to farm large groups of Skelk NOTE: If using a Perma-Sin self-heals are needed to counteract AoE damage. You might want to bring Ancestor's visage/Sympathetic visage to drain the monk boss' energy as a 600.


 * 55 monks and necros work fine.
 * Another favored tactic by most PUG teams is having a Perma sin aggro the skelk groups and group them close to an object, then have melee classes trap them in and have nukers kill the group quickly. Critical scythe sins seem to work the best for the melee class. You will also want to bring 2 monks to heal. Another reasonable option that works just as effectively is to have a 5 critical scythe sins, 1 Perma sin and 2 monks. Since the all the sins will be close together it is preferable for monks to bring Healing Seed to counter Balthazar's Aura.

Week of July 13th ( 1 Charr Hide per gift)
Nicholas the traveler is located in the south-east edge of The Breach


 * Nolani Academy Mission on NM: Run anything that deals AoE damage and pew pew the level 8 Charr.
 * Ideal builds: A/D Critical Scythe Assassin, W/any Triple Chop Warrior, E/Mo Nolani HM Farmer or D/W Dervish PvE Attack Spammer


 * Repeatedly run, and abandon the charr invaders quest from Artificer Mullinex in Eye of the North(outpost)


 * Clear out all charr in the Flame Temple Corridor when you're done leave trough a portal and go back in to repeat... any damaging build will do. preferably AoE damage for fast killing.


 * At the end of The Great Northern Wall Mission, after the cinematic, Instead of running back to the wall, stay and kill all incoming Charr. This gives an average drop rate of 2-4 Charr Hides per run (10 min).

Week of July 6th (3 Feathered Avicara Scalps per gift)
Nicholas the traveler is located in Mineral Springs


 * The Warrior VwK farmer works well for easily clearing the Avicara.


 * 55 or 600/Smite in Talus Chute. Perma Sliver will also work, but you'll need a self-heal due to Ignite Arrows, in case rangers spawn.


 * Run through Tasca's Demise then all the way up the west side through Mineral Springs (past the Materials Artisan) until you see Ice Imps. Clear out all Avicara on the way (mainly warriors and rangers). Return to Tasca's Demise, then zone back into Mineral Springs and repeat. Takes about 7 minutes for about 40 Avicara. The Materials Artisan will buy drops so it is possible to farm for as long as you have identification kits.


 * Alternatively, zone back-and-forth between Tasca's Demise and Mineral Springs. There is a large group of Avicara as soon as you enter Mineral Springs. There is an outcrop immediately to the left that will protect any squishies you have from the rangers while also grouping up the warriors. Takes about 1-2 minutes for 6-10 Avicara (there is a patrol that usually joins the fight), with almost zero chance of death.