Guild Wars 2

Obviously the profit shifts depending on the market, so does anyone know a formula that would allow you to determine, whether it’s more profitable to salvage or sell lvl 80 rares?
I’m not sure how to account for the random chance of 0-3 ectos.

ETA: Assume a 50% chance salvage kit.

-deleted for now, math wrong

The formula you’re asking for requires knowing the drop rate percentages of ALL the possible items you can get by salvaging the item. Basically….you need the loot table, which isn’t available….unless you do the research yourself.

As for the equation, you need to calculate the value of the item and compare it to the current sell price for that item.

Calculating the Value of a Salvaged Item:
Where:
Vs = Value of the item in question
Vr(1 to n) = Values of the resultant items (assume Current Sell Price of result item)
Vc = Current Sell Price of the item in question
Sc = Cost per salvage
Sp = Number of salvages performed on the item in question

So:
Vs = (Sum(Vr(1 to n)) – (Sc * Sp)) / Sp

Keep in mind that each different type of salvage kit creates a different drop rate % and each has a different cost per salvage. Also, in order to get accurate data, you will need to perform 1000’s of salvages on the EXACT SAME item….not similar items.

Once you’ve calculated the salvage value of the item, it’s time to compare it to the Current Sell Price of that item. So…..

if ( Vc > Vs , “Sell me on the TP”, if ( Vc = Vs, “Do whatcha want”, “Salvage ME!!!!” ) )

Btw…..don’t forget to account for the Trading Post fees (15%)!!!!

Charismatic Harm.9683:

The formula you’re asking for requires knowing the drop rate percentages of ALL the possible items you can get by salvaging the item. Basically….you need the loot table, which isn’t available….unless you do the research yourself.

As for the equation, you need to calculate the value of the item and compare it to the current sell price for that item.

Calculating the Value of a Salvaged Item:
Where:
Vs = Value of the item in question
Vr(1 to n) = Values of the resultant items (assume Current Sell Price of result item)
Vc = Current Sell Price of the item in question
Sc = Cost per salvage
Sp = Number of salvages performed on the item in question

So:
Vs = (Sum(Vr(1 to n)) – (Sc * Sp)) / Sp

Keep in mind that each different type of salvage kit creates a different drop rate % and each has a different cost per salvage. Also, in order to get accurate data, you will need to perform 1000’s of salvages on the EXACT SAME item….not similar items.

Once you’ve calculated the salvage value of the item, it’s time to compare it to the Current Sell Price of that item. So…..

if ( Vc > Vs , “Sell me on the TP”, if ( Vc = Vs, “Do whatcha want”, “Salvage ME!!!!” ) )

Btw…..don’t forget to account for the Trading Post fees (15%)!!!!

The bolded brings up two extra factors not being taken into account, the sourcing of the raw materials and the use of the output. In the pure example the OP lists, it seems a player is sourcing the rares by earning them from playing the game (rather than purchasing them from the TP) and outright selling the rares or the output from salvage. In that case, the TP fees are largely irrelevant (except for rounding differences, which are negligible) because the method which nets a better gross return will always have a greater net return since the TP fees are the same percentage regardless of method.

However, if a person is buying rares from the TP to salvage, it’s important to calculate that 15% in because the other option (not buying salvage materials) will not require that payment. Finally, if a person is using some or all of the outputs themselves, the TP tax should be ignored on those items. If I’m buying rares to salvage into ectos for my own use, I’ll need to estimate the TP tax on the sigils/runes and common crafting materials, but not on the ectos.

I assume each rare is worth .8 ectos. That’s about the salvage rate you come up with over the long haul using master salvage kits, taking into account the 0-3 ectos you get from a rare.

If you’re intending on ever USING ectos, then it’s not even close, salvage every time. (Example: You want something that uses 250 ectos. While working to get the money for them, you get some rares on the way, salvage them and get some ectos towards your goal) An ecto in your inventory is definitely more valuable than 85% of .8 of what you put a rare up for if you don’t plan on selling the ecto (Cuz of 15% fee).

As for selling ectos vs selling rares, which is better varies. It tends to be better to salvage even so, if it’s a mob drop rare, simply because you usually get the rune out of it too which sells for a few more silver.

Personally I’ve just been salvaging all rares and keeping the ectos, even if I don’t really have anything in mind for them. They keep adding stuff that takes ectos so it’s not like I won’t be using them.

Remember that you’ll make between 3 and 7 silver from the sigil/rune if you salvage that as well.

Salvaging everything rare and below is the way to go. One element missing above is the more time you spend micromanaging = less time you spend doing other things you want (and usually earning MORE loot).

I think it’s really best for most players, therefore, to develop some very quick rules they can follow. I personally like ‘salvage everything except exotics’… no fuss, little thinking, less trips to merchants to sell’.

I npc blues and salvage whites for the chance to get orich or gossamer or something. The value of the blue when you sell to the npc is more than the value of an orich. Then i use master kits on rares and sell exotics on the tp.

I ignore the chance of ectos and the small amount of crafting materials. Often I get 0 ectos when salvaging rares/exotics because I find that it is NOT A FAIR distribution across the range of possibilities of getting 0-3 ectos per salvage. The chances are more heavily weighted towards the lower end (i.e. you get a higher chance of getting 0 ectos than getting 3 ectos). Anyway, you can factor that in if you wish.

If (upgradePrice * salvageChance >= (TpProfit + salvageCost)) then salvage else sell

where:
upgradePrice = upgrade.max_offer_unit_price * 0.85
salvageChance = chance to get upgrade depending on your salvage kit. E.g. 1.0 for BLSK, 0.8 for Masters and so on.
TpProfit = 0.85 * item.max_offer_unit_price
salvageCost = cost per salvage depending on which salvage kit you use

I use the max_offer_unit_prices but you can sell it at a higher price than that if you prefer of course.

A more accurate formula would be:
If (upgradePrice * salvageChance + materialPrice + ectoPrice> (TpProfit + salvageCost)) then salvage else sell

where:
upgradePrice = upgrade.max_offer_unit_price * 0.85
salvageChance = chance to get upgrade depending on your salvage kit. E.g. 1.0 for BLSK, 0.8 for Masters and so on.
TpProfit = 0.85 * item.max_offer_unit_price
salvageCost = cost per salvage depending on which salvage kit you use

I don’t know how to calculate materialPrice since I can’t find any data to correlate T1-6 crafting materials as a result of salvaging an item. Is that based on the item level? If it is, I don’t have a data to correlate them.

I also don’t know how to calculate ectoPrice. Only ArenaNet knows the chances of getting 0, 1, …3 ectos. Just picking numbers from thin air, if we assume these probabilities:

Chance of getting 0 ecto = 50%
" 1 ecto = 30%
" 2 ectos = 15%
" 3 ectos = 5%

Then ectoPrice = 0.3 * e + 0.15 * 2 * e + 0.05 * 3 * e where e is the max_offer_unit_price of a unit ecto on the TP * 0.85.