To be fair, Bots would need to evolve and likely expand their routes to include fast travel to shrines, run to other ori nodes, mine those, fast travel, run to more nodes, etc. This would be MUCH more complex though and risk of messing this up, compared to the current “run in circles around the same 6 nodes” etc.
I do agree this would combat bots, it will never remove the bots completely (obviously). Heck, it may just shift bots from t5 nodes, back down to lower tier ones where they can do the same thing.
As an avid gatherer myself (I hit 200 in all my gathering skills before hitting 60) I personally would ENJOY gathering more if it involved some thought. Go to nodes, gather them, and fast travel to other locations. Would be more mentally engaging mapping out ALL the routes, and the best ways to do them, versus just auto-pilot a few good spots that are not contested, or you work around them being contested.
I wonder about this as well, which can be balanced around. I think we would likely see bots shift to lower tiers, which will bring those prices down. You can reduce the quantity of materials gathered if t5 resources are in too much abundance. Instead of getting 22-31 from a Medium Ori Node, what if its only 12-21 or something. Control the Quantity of the materials an individual can gather in a day.
You are correct, it comes down to gold/hour farming. Ori also has some barriers to entry in that you need to be ~200 skill and many nodes require you to avoid or kill high level mobs. So it should be more rewarding.
I agree I would prefer it, and I dont know if it would feel less immersive/stale to me. You wont feel like you are always “competing” for nodes. As you said, you can mine together with friends. Do Orichalcum Ore Runs together. Etc.
I think it would require some balancing around quantity, and having a 24hr respawn would HELP with that as you suggested. Controlling Quantity is another way to balance. Adding more difficulty (mobs) around it helps he TIME function. You could also increase the time it takes to actually mine the node (though combatted via 300 STR).

