In the lush farmlands of the Valley of the Four Winds in Mists of Pandaria Classic, The Tillers represent one of the most unique and rewarding reputation factions. More than just a routine grind, The Tillers offer players the Opportunity to grow their own farm at Sunsong Ranch, cultivate friendships with Pandarian farmers, and claim powerful perks and vanity rewards along the way. Building your reputation with The Tillers not only unlocks profession and cosmetic bonuses but also provides access to one of the most beloved systems in MoP: personalized farming.
Why You Should Care: Key Perks from The Tillers
Reaching high reputation levels and maximizing friendships with Tillers NPCs isn’t just about completing achievements. These are the major benefits of investing in The Tillers early on:
- Player Farm (Sunsong Ranch): You plant and harvest crops, earn profession materials, and eventually own the land permanently through reputation milestones.
- Reputation Gear & Vanity Items: Access cosmetic items, cooking recipes, decorative furniture, and even your own dog, Old Hillpaw’s dog.
- Friendship System Bonuses: Specific NPCs give unique gifts, like extra crop space or daily quests that boost your farming efficiency.
- Mounts and Battle Pets: Earn rare battle pets and purchase the Crimson Water Strider.
Getting Started with The Tillers: First Steps
You first encounter The Tillers in Halfhill, the main hub of farming life in Valley of the Four Winds. Upon arrival, you meet Farmer Yoon, who introduces you to farming quests that form the foundation of your reputation journey with The Tillers.
Initial Quests That Begin Your Reputation Grind
- “A Helping Hand” from Farmer Yoon kicks off your journey by introducing you to Sunsong Ranch.
- “Learn and Grow” series: This progressive chain introduces you to farming mechanics and builds your farm plot space up to 16 plots.
As you progress through these quests, you naturally gain reputation with The Tillers and unlock farming tools that make cultivation faster and more enjoyable.
Daily Quests to Boost The Tillers Reputation
Once you complete the introductory quests and gain access to your farm, your path to Exalted reputation comes through completing daily quests. These quests rotate regularly and usually involve harvesting specific crops, battling pests, or cooking special meals requested by nearby farmers.
Examples of Daily Quests
- “Fatty Goatsteak” – Collect meat for a local dish.
- “A Pumpkin-y Perfume” – Gather pumpkins and rare reagents.
- “The Pink Turnip Challenge” – Harvest rare vegetables.
Each daily awards reputation and contributes to the “friendship” values with individual NPCs.
How Friendship with Tillers NPCs Works
In addition to general faction reputation, The Tillers feature a unique “Friendship” system. Key NPCs such as Gina Mudclaw, Ella, and Old Hillpaw have their own progression meter. Raising friendship levels unlocks:
- Personalized gifts and furniture
- Additional daily quests
- Increased farmland space
- Farm visitors and decorative farm animals
How to Earn Friendship Points
You increase friendship by completing specific daily quests or giving NPCs their favorite items as gifts. These gifts are found as loot or grown on your farm.
Best Items for Friendship Gifts
- Old Hillpaw: Yak Milk, Blue Feather
- Ella: Jade Cat, Blue Feather
- Gina Mudclaw: Marsh Lily, Lovely Apple
- Jogu the Drunk: Brewfish, Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Reputation Tiers and What They Unlock
As with most factions, The Tillers reputation includes the usual tiers: Neutral, Friendly, Honored, Revered, and Exalted. Here’s what each stage unlocks:
| Reputation Level | Unlocked Features |
|---|---|
| Friendly | Access to seed vendors, first crop expansions |
| Honored | Farming tool upgrades, odd seeds |
| Revered | Purchase special seeds and vanity items |
| Exalted | Ownership of Sunsong Ranch, max plot upgrade, full vendor access |
The Tillers Rewards: What to Aim For
Reaching Exalted status, maxing out friendships, and cultivating your farm unlock generous in-game goodies:
- Old Hillpaw’s Dog: A loyal farm pet unlocked through friendship.
- Crimson Water Strider: A rare mount purchasable from The Tillers Quartermaster.
- Tiller’s Tabard: Cosmetic reward showing your dedication.
- Cooking Recipes: Vital for maxing out your Cooking profession, including feasts.
- Furniture and Decorations: These personalize your farm and come from max-friendship NPCs.
Weekly Work Orders and Reputation Boosters
After investing time in Sunsong Ranch, you unlock the ability to place work orders for various Pandaria factions including The Tillers. These give you a way to earn extra reputation passively.
Other reputation boosters include:
- Darkmoon Top Hat: When Darkmoon Faire is active, equip this for a +10% reputation gain.
- Celebration Package (WoW Anniversary): Offers bonus XP and reputation while active.
Optimizing Your Farming Routine
To streamline your progress, follow this daily routine:
- Visit your farm and harvest current crops.
- Replant favored crops (such as Songbell for Spirit of Harmony if unlocked).
- Consult Jogu the Drunk’s prediction for crop bonuses.
- Finish your daily quests in the Tillers hub.
- Distribute friendship gifts to target NPCs.
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About The Tillers
What is The Tillers faction in Mists of Pandaria Classic?
The Tillers is a reputation faction based in the Valley of the Four Winds that focuses on farming, cooking, and building personal relationships with NPCs in Halfhill Market.
How do I start farming with The Tillers?
Start by speaking to Farmer Yoon at Sunsong Ranch and complete the “A Helping Hand” and “Learn and Grow” quest lines to begin your farming journey.
What are the benefits of raising reputation with The Tillers?
You unlock larger farms, profession materials, cooking recipes, mounts, pets, and unique farming decorations.
What is the maximum plot size I can achieve?
At Exalted reputation and with maximum friendship levels, your farm expands to include 16 planting plots.
Can I earn reputation passively with The Tillers?
Yes. Through work orders, Darkmoon Faire bonuses, and cultivating crops needed for dailies, you gain reputation steadily over time.
How does friendship work exactly?
Each core Tiller NPC has a unique friendship bar. You earn progress by completing dailies and giving them favorite gift items. Higher friendship unlocks new rewards and functionality.
Which friendship rewards are worth focusing on first?
Old Hillpaw’s dog, Gina Mudclaw’s mailbox, and Ella’s plantable hearts offer functional and cosmetic benefits early on.
Where do I buy seeds and farming tools?
Merchant Greenfield in Halfhill sells seeds. Tool upgrades become available through quests and reputation levels as you progress.
Is Sunsong Ranch just a vanity feature?
No, it provides real value by producing crafting materials useful for Alchemy, Cooking, and Inscription. It also serves as your personal base in Pandaria.
Are The Tillers required for any achievements?
Yes. Achievements such as “A Taste of Things to Come”, “That’s a Lot of Pet Food”, and “Friends on the Farm” revolve around The Tillers system and rewards.
