Clamming

Soiurce NEEDS WIKI EDITING AND UPDATING Clamming is kinda fun~ just wanted to post something about it, it's not really a quest, so I'll just give some tips :)

You get a bucket that holds 50pz (ponzes, the Vana'dielen version of pounds AND ounces? (O__o)).

Then, you go to the Clamming Points, like Mining or Logging points. You don't trade the clamming kit to them, it is a key item that you get from the mithra NPC near the dock on Purgonorgo Isle. Simply check the spots and it asks you if you want to dig. They appear in the exact same places in the kinda swirly sand on the beaches and they don't de-spawn when used, they simply give a different message when checked and don't prompt the Digging acceptance box. The respawn is 1.5-2 minutes, so I guess if it gets crowded, which it never has been for me, you can camp a spot, but there's not been enough people for me to know whether someone else digging despawns it only for them, or for everyone.

There are 5 main things you can find, maybe some quests will make you go clamming for a rare/ex item, or maybe there are even more rare clams I haven't gotten yet, but these are the main 5.

Bibiki Slug- 5pz - 21gil Jacknife- 7pz - 121gil Pebble- 8pz - 5gil? Tropical Clam- 20pz - 5,500gil Igneous Rock- 40pz - 183gil

They are listed in order of weight and rarity, though you may get rocks more than clams. I don't know if these are used in any recipes, but to the fishing rod selling NPC mithra near the Manaclipper dock, they went for (about) the above listed prices. Probly based on Windy fame, I have hero, so I'm not sure. Haven't tried to AH them yet, dunno how much people will pay to have them.

I compare it a lot to Blackjack. You have to get up to or equal to 50, but if you go over, you lose, and you can never tell what you're going to get next. It costs 500 gil to play, and if the bucket breaks, you lose your money and your fish. If the bucket breaks, you have to start over, and once you turn in your bucket and get your fish, you also have to start over and pay your 500 gil again, so it's not as easy as it might look. It seems getting the clams makes up for the loss, and that those would really be the point of doing it. Although the rarity and near impossibility of getting an igneous rock unless you get it on your first or second fish, makes it seem that there is a point to those as well.

You can find out a bit about clamming by talking to the NPC mithra before and during the clamming process. If you choose the middle option, something like "I've still got a few clams left in me.", she will tell you the approximate weight of your bucket, which is invaluable for research purposes :P But I just suggest you write down what you catch and remember the weights, and head for the mithra when you reach around 40pz, unless you're feeling lucky ^^ There are 1-3 clamming points on every beach, so have fun~

Be warned, though! I *easily* spent 10k researching this, and it's very easy to just let your money slip away while doing it ^^; Another note on Bibiki, unless you plan to spend a lot of time on Purgonorgo, don't go there (>__<) It takes 25 minutes for the next Manaclipper to return to the mainland if you just missed one.

I've yet to take the trips to Dhalmel Rock or Maliyakaleyah(SP? I know that's wrong..) Reef, but I assume those are simply for fishing (they don't appear to land anywhere like the Purgonorgo trip does), though maybe some tough mobs live on the Reef trip, since the tour guide mithra said as much, maybe a Sea Horror-esque NM? They keep saying watch out for the monster..

So, there's my 2 cents and/or gil on Bibiki Bay :D It's extremely pretty, all mobs on the island were Too Weak to me @62, though that's not saying much (>__>) BE VERY CAREFUL ON THE MAINLAND!! There seems to be an invisible line near the route going south, behind the mountains near the northern cave, where mobs became IT++ to me @62. I saw a bunch of 75s I knew there, maybe they were fighting stuff. I saw a Hobgoblin and a bunny, both IT++, so it was kinda scary.. The safer part of the mainland, near the docks, appears to be Sauromuge/Batallia/Rolanberry level, with Shaman, Smithy, and Pathfinder gobs. I assume Pergonorgo is nearly so, but probly even safer. My bro said it will become the next Kazham... (!__!) /cry. That would be a shame.

Last note.. the map is sold in Mhaura by Ludwig, near the door to the Sailor's Stay Inn. It costs 3000 gil.