Part 1 - Starting Out As A Harvester

Starter Packs:

Starting with 3 harvest packs:
One of the starting action packs you may choose when creating a character in SoR is the Big Forage Pack.

This is a good way to get started if you plan to be a harvester or a melee harvester. This starter pack gives you 4 additional skills (3-6 on graphic) equivalent to 70 SP (7 levels of harvesting). Other than "Accelerated Prospecting" they are all primary choices for you, I am currently level 94 and still dont have AP1. It costs 20 SP and until I have all the other skills I want I prefer to be skilled over fast.

I personally do not choose to start with the "Big Forage Pack", as I already stated it wastes 20 SP for accelerated prospecting that I could use better elsewhere. I would prefer they replace "accelerated prospecting" with "50m deposit tracking" (20 SP) or "prospection for fine materials" to make it more valuable.

Starting with 2 harvest packs:

Another good way to get started, you can use your crafting XP to buy your focus and HP boosts instead of harvest SP. You may even end up with a pair of light boots Again, "Accelerated Prospecting" a skill I wouldn't use SP to buy for a LONG time is included, reducing the value of this pack greatly to me.

Starting with 1 harvest pack:

Basic extraction is what you get with action pack 1, this will give you a "Pick" and the ability to harvest raw material sources (green bubbles spawned in newbieland and various other locations). YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR OWN SOURCES ! You will however be able to harvest sources from other players, but it's not recommended unless you have their permission. Harvesting teammates sources will often result in a better harvest if the teammates prospecting skills are high enough to give you extended time on the source.

You will have to get to level 3 (2 levels or 20 SP) for "Basic Prospecting" to have the ability to make your own sources.

This is my typical method of starting, this gives the most versatility for me to get started on my career as a harvester. Of course I dont much like having "heal 1" which is passive, I would prefer "acid 1" but you find a teammate or guildmate that will let you heal them for 5 levels and then you can get acid 1.

Oddly, your titles as a harvester are tied to the "Accelerated Prospecting" stanza... apparently the Dev Team places much more value on this then I do or you should...

First Skill Choices:

My Most FAQ !!! :
I am constantly getting /tell messages in the game about harvesting, the most FAQ's are concerning either how to start out best or what skill should be purchased next. As you begin harvesting and gaining precious SP, you now have to plan your harvesting build carefully to get MAX XP/SP for your efforts.

The very first thing a harvester should get is the ability to make their own sources. Choose "Basic Prospecting" to get you started. Secondly I recommend "Prospecting with a source time of 30 seconds". After that you watch your skill trees closely for all skills that will give your more materials (speed/rate/source time), make materials easier to find (range/angle/better materials/tracking) or pick up improvements for your focus or health. Hit town only when you know you can get your next brick and start building your skills wisely and effectively.