Drop Rate isn't Everything

It's easy to rely on an item's drop rate for guidance as to where to farm it. I have slowly come to realize that this may be the easiest strategy, but not the most reliable. A 35% drop rate from a level 70-71 mob in a very popular farming spot is a much slower farm than a 19% drop rate from a level 65-ish mob in an unpopular farming spot. If you haven't caught on already, my example is experienced gained from farming motes.

Still grinding rep with The Consortium, I face a similar question. Level 65-67 ogres in Nagrand for beads with a 33% drop or level 68-69 raiders in netherstorm for insignia with a 49% drop? I don't think it makes a large difference, personally. I prefer the raiders near Area 52 just because I happen to dislike ogres. I think it may be a size thing, mostly playing a gnome and all. It started way back in Loch Modan and I haven't been able to shake the feeling since.

All is not as simple as it appears, apparently, and then there's the added uncertainty created by other players. If the popular farming spot happens to be deserted, like this morning, five minutes net enough motes to make two primals and if the usual unpopular farming spot overflows with level 64-65's questing, thirty minutes may yield a couple of motes. Decisions, decisions.

I tend to frequent either the areas I prefer or the situation I prefer. I prefer to farm in unpopular spots where game play is continuous rather than sitting on top of a mountain, waiting for respawn with three other guys (who are infinitely better geared than I am) to jump on the nearest respawn.