Runescape: Dragonwilds rolls out its farming update next week, and I can't wait to use it as another excuse to not complete the main quests

When I first played Runescape: Dragonwilds during April's launch, it didn't take long for me to immediately disregard all of the quests to spend hours upon hours crafting the perfect house. Don't get me wrong, I made good progress through my to-do list eventually, but I certainly enjoy spending more time than necessary on the game's less central activities. Luckily, the anticipated farming update is set to launch on December 15, which I'm sure is only going to make my quest procrastination worse.

Farming will be the game's tenth skill, and to me, definitely the most exciting one. Not only that, but it's the first skill to exceed the previous skill cap too, so you'll be able to venture all the way to level 65 if you're a particularly green thumb.

At long last we won't have to rely on our foraging abilities to go out and gather ingredients and herbs. Instead, we can cultivate them from the comfort of our own base. In fact it's even easier than that, as seeds will start to appear in Brynmoor, Ghornfell and Fellhollow. Simply pick these up, pop them in your hand-crafted planters, and you'll be growing in no time.

Actually, it's not that simple at all. There's a surprising amount you have to consider outside of just keeping your crops hydrated. You have to till the soil to stop weeds from growing, water the plants to reduce disease, compost them to increase yield—you know, all those lifelike mechanics that make farming more stressful than relaxing. What type of planter you use also plays into this.

There are three types of planter to craft: Ash, Oak, and Willow, but each cultivates seeds better in different biomes. Ash planters are best for any seeds you find in Byrnmoor, Willow for Fellhollow, and so on and so forth. Rather than relying on aesthetics, you'll have to think tactically about where you're planting everything as using the right planter in the right biome will increase their resistance to crop disease too.

However the most exciting part of the update isn't planters or micromanaging crop growth, it's the new Skill Spells that you can unlock as you level up. More specifically, the ability to conjure a rain cloud to water your crops for you. You'll still be able to use a watering can if you're a more "traditional" farmer, but this skill is enough to get me excited about starting a thriving farm and put off anything else that might still be lingering on my quest list.