Drachma Equipment

[Elsie]

I don't want this to sound like a moan, but its probably going to, apologies in advance.

I recently bought some dr equipment, now I regret the choice and would like to swap it back and get the dr back, or at least trade it up for something else, if I do this I lose 2/5 of the purchase price, in this case 100dr of the 250dr purchase price.

I fully accept that you shouldn't be able to swap equipment again and again as the mood suits you, there must be some penalty for trading in, the issue I have is with the 2/5 proportion.
Selling non drachma items for gold at that loss is fine, gold is something you can always get back again, but drachma (excepting quests and scatters which are few and far between) has a fixed supply through the autoquests and so is effectively irreplaceable.

It seems harsh that a bad judgement call by an inexperienced player (in the ways of drachma) should be penalised by an irreplaceable loss.

To make a comparison, if a similar bad call was made with triple40 equipment, this can be put right, as I understand it at a cost, but a cost that can be regained in xp or gold or something.

As a cautionary note to any other newbies that might find themselves in my position, think long and hard and be absolutly certain that your dr purchase isn't something you could get from something non-drachma in game, even if you can't get that yet, or that there isn't something else you'd rather save up for.

I've discussed with some chars in game, some agree in general terms with what I've said, and more so for situations where a wrong item is mispurchased (buying 3.robe rather than 4.robe), some don't (so I fully expect to get flamed).

As a suggestion, would it be possible to make a swap at the same cost as a character mort, i.e. a level loss randomly classo 1 to 4, or some other cost, i.e. 1 billion xp, or 10million gold. When I suggested this in channel some feel this is too cheap a cost for getting drachma, which isn't what I'm talking about, I'm talking about not losing drachma though our own newbieish / stupid / ill-informed / ill-considered actions.
Perhaps this cost could multiply with each exchange ... 500millxp first exchange, then 1 bill, then 2 bill, then 4 bill etc...
My final suggestion I know is probably unworkable but I'll make it anyway ... give the equipment back and with an imms help and reset an equivalent value of autoquests back to be redone.

Anyhow, if this does nothing else, I hope it'll make others think twice or more before making the same mistake I did.

As a last note, I'll say that I have discussed with an imm, who was helpful, and sympathetic, but felt he couldn't let me swap back for anything less that the shop would buy for. I appreciate your time taken to discuss with me in game, but I didn't want to annoy you by spamming all this or over laboring the point at you in game, which is why I'm posting it here.

[broeggle]

hmm perhaps a confirm dialog for dr eq would be fine
"do you really want to buy <item name> for <xx> drachma?"
so at least the possibility to buy the wrong robe (3. 4./robe) would be lower.

[Qa]

I'll agree with you wholeheartedly, Elsie. I am not in the same boat, but similar. I am ready to buy some drachma EQ, but am holding back.

What if I choose the wrong item? What if I decide I never want to use this item anymore? What if I decide I really liked the item I am replacing, and want to try a different setup?

I thought long and hard about 3x40 EQ before choosing. I felt comfortable with my choices knowing that I could switch at a cost. (IIRC, 3mil coins for the first change.) Knowing the penalties of a poor choice and fully understanding the EQ available, I have never needed to make a change.

My 5x40 light is about the same, but slightly different. It will need a change once I get my stats all sorted. (I got a +con light.) I have an estimate of the cost, and think it is reasonable.

I like the proposal that a 'first change' drachma EQ be a set amount of coins. Ramp up the cost as the player swaps the stuff around. Make it high enough to prevent "lemme try this and see if it works." But low enough that (like me) a player would not hold back for months or years because they are worried about losing the drachma forever.

Thanks.

Qa

[13]

I agree with your sentiment Elsie. I think one exchange (possibly in the form
of an autoquest) would be acceptable. The only thing I don't understand is
this:

[quote:1cjeileo](buying 3.robe rather than 4.robe)[/quote:1cjeileo]

buy crystalline-robe doesn't work anymore?

I have been thinking more and more about what to buy with dr
since purchasing a lot of the bonuses is possible with XP instead
at 5x40. I'm not saying I wouldn't buy icy guards or arcane rings,
but I wouldn't buy them both for sure. A lot of the drachma stuff is
really just temporary until you get avatar and can upgrade to
something more useful. A good example is the Lorehelm, by the
time you get 5x40, you can be fully capped and outfitted without
the benefit of this helmet. The charisma robe and UC robes are the
same way. Another thing I wonder about is why would anyone ever
put a little AC on margn or UC items and then charge 1000dr for
something silly like that.

[Jag]

As a newbie who has almost enough drachma for my first big item, this is a concern for me as well. It has taken me a long time to get my 240 drachma. (so close)

I have no experience with this, but I understand all drachma items are personal now. And that this was done to avoid some abuses.

Maybe drachma items could be opened to public trading i.e. the chopping block? Trading drachma for drachma items could be one way to solve a problem with out inflating the system too much.

If Elsie had the item I plan to buy, I could purchase what she wants and we could trade them. Doing it on a public forum could keep it legit.

Btw any advice on whether I should I go for the Ancient Sensate cloak or the cloak of Eternal Enlightment?

I am thinking Enlightment since Jag is made for grouping not soloing. Any advice from those who have been there would be appreciated.

Jag Cl: 40 Dr: 40 Ma: 38 Ba: 20

[Mosaix]

While on the drachma topic.

Any thoughts on a Valk style drachma shop? Maybe some newbie type gear or clasps that go useless at level 21 or only last till your first 30 or 40 level.

Mosaix

[13]

go for the 25ma 25healbonus one jag

[Leaf]

If Jag will be a "Pure" grouper and never solo then yes go for the +25+25.
However I know most Clerics do solo with supps, and then -.5 +25 would
be better for u. Its a hard choice I would say. When I had Leaf, I did pick
+25+25 cause I never solo in human, shifts and it helps with the +25mana.

[Malison]

With Verin I had the same question. I went with the sensate cloak because she really needed a .5 cloak to solo with and I figured I might as well get one healbonus thing I can wear in solo (all else hurts AC).

If you're almost only a group char tho, the +mana one is better.

[Medios]

This almost falls on deaf ears for me. I purchased the bard robe and lorehelm with minstrel before he reached av 40. Then decided I could get alot more hps by buying charisma and selling these items back. I lost approximately 400 drachma for these exchanges. I never once thought to ask for reimbursement, its the system we have to deal with. I am considered a veteran player and I still had no idea about the future of my bard. Now I make my drachma decisions based on alot different ideas than before. I think about how much it costs to buy a stat at av 40. Spell and heal bonuses are the most costly and hence the highest on my list. When you can buy 5 hp for 3 tokens, why get some dr eq that only yields 5hp or 5 ma etc etc.

The worst thing about the drachma eq to me is that really the only useful stuff for some classes is the low cost stuff, thal eq and the robes. Beyond that you have the mage rings and guards and the specialized shields. Mostly the rest of the eq is garbage, you cant mix mode stats. Why wear dr eq that has lower ac than ingame. The argument can be made that some players dont want to switch eq, but I know your just hindering your abilities by sticking to one set. For example Ring of the Shadow Master is .3 1 undead control and 14 mana. Honestly does this make any sense. The ac is lower than ingame eq, the mana is one more than in game eq and necros dont need rings to cap. I could go into why some of the other stuff is mostly bunk, but we have been through this discussion before. I would really like to know which drachma items have never been purchased.

Mike

PS It really sux having to relogin every time I take more than 2 mins to make a post.

[*Splork*]

The only time we will reimburse drachma eq is if the initial purchase has gone awry. We simply can not go any further down that avenue or we will hear 101 excuses of why somebody wants a different item or needs an emergency exchange. Those shops pretty much run themselves, there is little to no admin interference which is great for us Immortals. Its pain enough to add new eq( yeah yeah we haven't in awhile...)

A player needs to think long and hard about the items they choose. Thats the best advice I can give. Asking here about a purchase usually gets quite a few responses from players like AA and Medios who know their stuff.

Sorry,
Splork

Elsie did not accidently by the wrong item, he bought an item he wanted and then later decided he no longer did.

[Weasel]

would love to see more clasp eq there to maybe negate some of the issues expressed here about purchased eq becoming redundant..

[Elsie]

[quote="*Splork*":1v5jcmme]Elsie did not accidently by the wrong item, he bought an item he wanted and then later decided he no longer did.[/quote:1v5jcmme]

(she btw), but thats absolutely right I, as I said, made a bad judegment call, I bought something I thought I wanted then subsequently changed my mind, due to perhaps better understanding, more thought or more information.

The point I was making was twofold, 1. a cautionary note to other players who may find themselves in similar situations, 2. I raised the possibility that the cost of correcting such a bad judegment call could be reviewed in some way, suggesting penalties other than dr for correcting the mistake.

[13]

Weasel's idea of clasps is good, very good, heed him.