If your farming in Zone 1 it is hard to find mats as everyone is farming them. It gets much easier as you go up in zones. By zone 2 most people that don't want to farm have the gold they need to buy the mats instead. So, farming gets easier. By the time you are in zone 3 or better, you trip over the mats.

Now, being the console and the insane prices at the guild kiosks, people may be farming more in later zones for that platform.

Curtischoy wrote: »

I have 1 point into all of the Keen Eye abilities for my main which is currently lvl 36 in Malabal Tor. There are so many mats that I have to skip a decent amount just to be able to complete any quests.

Whatever skill you are looking to raise, buy that skills Keen Eye ability.

Same is true for me. I have one point in keen eye for cloth, wood, smith, and alchemy...and I stop every 3-4 seconds to gather mats. (Just entered the 4th zone last night (level ~31'ish)

What are you farming for? Metals? Cloth? Wood?

No point in gathering things like that, I just steal everything in a town and break it down.

The only thing you need to gather are things for alchemy and making runes.