Summary: Allow people to purchase additional wardrobe sets (for gems) that can be configured and saved, then swapped to and from freely. Return transmutation charges to their original functionality (allowing the swapping of skins and runes/sigils).
Goal: To increase gem sales by increasing the flexibility of the wardrobe system, and return the ability to reuse valuable runes/sigils since upgrade extractors are prohibitively expensive.
Assumptions:
Gem Store
1. The vast majority of transmutations were performed on level 80 items.
2. Most people have a surplus of transmutation charges now that the formerly-near-useless 1-79 transmutation stones can be used on level 80 items.
3. The purchase of transmutation charges is significantly less frequent than the purchase of transmutation crystals was.
4. The purchase of upgrade extractors isn’t making up this shortfall in gem purchases.
Fashion
1. Some people would like to switch between multiple cosmetic appearances.
2. Some people find that cost-prohibitive because of the “per-item” and temporary nature of said costs.
3. Some people would be willing to pay a fixed gem cost to have one or more additional appearance sets that they configure and then access.
4. This cost could be more than the cost of the individual transmutation charges necessary to swap an entire appearance because of the permanent nature of the purchase.
Proposal:
What I’m proposing is categorizing the six armor slots as a single, customizable unit called a costume (a subset of the existing Wardrobe tab). Every character would start with a single costume (which would function exactly as it does now).
In addition, people could purchase, through the Gem Store, a creatively named new item: the Additional Costume Slot. This would appear in the Wardrobe tab as a drop box or set of tabs. Initially, the armor slots would be blank (or if necessary for technical reasons, have a set of generic white gear). The process of assembling and dying the desired costume would be identical to the current system except it would cost no transmutation charges. (This cost is built into the Costume Slot’s purchase.) The costume would not be wearable until any and all desired customizations were “finalized” by the purchaser. At that point, the costume slot would be available for use but only modifiable with the use of transmutation charges.
All combat stats would be derived from the armor equipped in initial/base/free wardrobe the character has—there would be no need for multiple sets of gear for additional costume slots.
Lastly, the old transmutation interface would be restored (accessible by right-clicking an item in your inventory? a button in the wardrobe tab?) to allow old-style sigil swapping or item customization. Weapons would be skinned using the existing Wardrobe interface or the new/old transmutation window.
Drawbacks:
1. Because of the wide variety of appearances available in the game and the limited ability to switch between them, some people are uniquely identifiable by their appearance. This could dilute that sense of individuality.
2. Upgrade extractors could be a big hit in the Gem Store currently. This would diminish their utility.