Guild Wars 2

I think it best to just remove the “soulbound” idea altogether. What good does it do you? Just make everything that has that tag account bound and remove this function altogether. I mean if you are trying to level multiple characters that all use i.e. light armor and you want to hand stuff down to them you can’t because of this function. For example, I just started a new character and bought some gear from the trading post for about 3 gold since I used the scroll to box him to Level 20. I’m not such a huge fan of the profession and want to delete the character and start another one of the same armor class. However, EVERYTHING I bought is soulbound. Why? I don’t really see the purpose the soulbinding serves anyway.

You pretty much answered your own rant.
If there is no soulbound then the demand of items goes down. Soulbound is there to keep the demand up and make selling items semi-profitable.

Not really. Even if I were to delete this character and make a new one I would NOT buy new items just because this now irks me to much. I will also never again buy soulbound items for any lower level character now that I have realized the extent of the issue. If it were simply account bound, then I would continue buying. Why would I continue purchasing stuff without it fulfilling my needs? Especially since items on a lower level will get traded out relatively quickly anyways. In this situation I will cut my losses, be angry about it, and then move on. But I will never purchase any soulbound items below level 80 that I don’t desperately need again. Soooooo, why is soulbound necessary?

I have to agree with Gandalf, soulbound is there because you SHOULD buy new gear for the new toon that you create, it keeps money rolling and the economy in check. There’s really no other explanation.

Then our play style is different. I buy armor satchels and weapons for my low level toons. And i enjoy it. I don’t do it angrily. For me it’s more realistic as well. I wouldn’t understand if the armor my sylvari once wore, suddenly fitted to my charr as well.

But what if I’m a busy person and don’t have the time to farm lots of gold and therefore can’t afford to simply throw gold around to buy armor satchels. And if the charr and the sylvari are the same armor class why shouldn’t they be able to wear it later. The economy can also be kept in check by people buying higher level weapons and armor. However, if the get the same problem here that D3 had (which resulted in a closure of the AH) where good items are suddenly placed for hundreds or thousands of gold just because people want to be like “oooh look at me, I have this and this” then it’s already to late for the ingame economy. Luckily, this isn’t the case…. yet. But, even with the removal of soulbound, I, for one, would purchase even MORE items, especially at a higher price, because they can be reused and you don’t have to recycle them the instant you find (or even buy) something better.

Soulbound isn’t an issue unless stuff is difficult to obtain. Who cares if Exotics are souldbound, run a dungeon or 6 and get another one.

The problem is when they make a $10 pick axe soul bound.

Haha I wish I had your luck so that I even get some gold items in 6 dungeon runs…
But that’s not the point. Fine exotics at lvl 80 keep the soulbind. But low level crap for lvl 20 that you end up tossing quickly anyway? Why not let us recycle it for other characters?

Soulbound needs to be changed for a number of items, especially the one that you buy with real gems and real money ( gem cards), The biggest example being the lastest permanent pick as others have mentioned,

Aechidna.3084:

Not really. Even if I were to delete this character and make a new one I would NOT buy new items just because this now irks me to much. I will also never again buy soulbound items for any lower level character now that I have realized the extent of the issue. If it were simply account bound, then I would continue buying. Why would I continue purchasing stuff without it fulfilling my needs? Especially since items on a lower level will get traded out relatively quickly anyways. In this situation I will cut my losses, be angry about it, and then move on. But I will never purchase any soulbound items below level 80 that I don’t desperately need again. Soooooo, why is soulbound necessary?

Again, to keep the economy in check and to encourage demand. Soulbinding acts as an item sink. If we didn’t have soulbound items in MMOs the price of items would always depreciate due to an ever increasing supply that never gets drained.

Or to give you a specific example…

Lets say the game is programmed so that 10 Emberglow’s drop in a week. Then let’s say 7 players buy them. If we have soulbound gear, that leaves us with 3 supply since those 7 players will have Emberglow and they can never resell it. Next week comes by and 10 more drop. So by the end of the 2nd week, we have 13 supply.

But what if we didn’t have soulbound gear? Well, just like the above, we have 13 supply (3 unsold and 10 more drops). But let’s say that those 7 players with Emberglow decide to move on. They then decide to ‘recoup’ their investment by reselling it. So now we have 20 supply.

If soulbinding didn’t exist, each passing day more items would trickle into the economy and reach a point where they are worthless due to neverending supply.

Soulbinding in MMOs will always be an existing mechanic.

Blude.6812:

Soulbound needs to be changed for a number of items, especially the one that you buy with real gems and real money ( gem cards), The biggest example being the lastest permanent pick as others have mentioned,

In a pure MMO sense, yes this can work and is understandable. But Anet does this for financial reasons, which I don’t fault them for.

Well that may not always work though. I’m saying this from my personal point of view. I’m the type of person who tries to play the game as much as possible to get my own stuff. I rarely ever buy stuff. I don’t know how many people out there also try to farm their own items as much as possible. But for me this was a one time thing to boost my character a little. Now, I’m just turned off of buying stuff at all, because what good does it do me in the long run (investments bull vs. bear market). I for one will now definitely not be buying any more lower level items, which definitely means one less person on the demand side (I know that may not make a huge difference, but it will make a difference to those people from whom I technically would have bought.)

Aechidna.3084:

Well that may not always work though. I’m saying this from my personal point of view. I’m the type of person who tries to play the game as much as possible to get my own stuff. I rarely ever buy stuff. I don’t know how many people out there also try to farm their own items as much as possible. But for me this was a one time thing to boost my character a little. Now, I’m just turned off of buying stuff at all, because what good does it do me in the long run (investments bull vs. bear market). I for one will now definitely not be buying any more lower level items, which definitely means one less person on the demand side (I know that may not make a huge difference, but it will make a difference to those people from whom I technically would have bought.)

Then as someone said above, you are different type of player. Unfortunately there are many others who wish to use the TP to buy their gear than acquire it directly.

Now, what good does buying items do for you in the long-run? Well for one it gives you boosted stats right away from buying it now rather than farming it and hoping you get the right armor type and stat. It’s definitely a convenience factor. Don’t you think you will stay alive longer and kill stuff faster with a full set of greens NOW, as opposed to acquiring each green piece one by one? Think of buying low-lvl gear as buying efficiency.

lol i thought having legendarys soulbound or ascended stuff soulbound was bad. But level 20 gear, dang thats just terrible.

On the topic why did you spend 3g on gear for a level 20? it costs me maybe 30s max

If you weren’t the type to buy off the TP usually, and this was a one-time deal anyway, then it probably makes little difference that the items are soulbound. I, personally, love the thrill of getting my gear as loot. Much more exciting to me! But, that’s just me. =)

TooBz.3065:

Soulbound isn’t an issue unless stuff is difficult to obtain. Who cares if Exotics are souldbound, run a dungeon or 6 and get another one.

The problem is when they make a $10 pick axe soul bound.

This…..this this this this this this!
If there were ever an item(s) I’d like to see made account bound, it would be the unlimited harvesting items. Better yet if you could withdraw them from your stash the same way the zenith skins work. Keep the lvl 80 req, I just want them account bound

champ.7021:

lol i thought having legendarys soulbound or ascended stuff soulbound was bad. But level 20 gear, dang thats just terrible.

On the topic why did you spend 3g on gear for a level 20? it costs me maybe 30s max

I was just ballparking, it was probably closer to 2ish but if you want to get certain stats and green gear, yeah, that’s about where you land.

Vol.5241:

Then as someone said above, you are different type of player. Unfortunately there are many others who wish to use the TP to buy their gear than acquire it directly.

Now, what good does buying items do for you in the long-run? Well for one it gives you boosted stats right away from buying it now rather than farming it and hoping you get the right armor type and stat. It’s definitely a convenience factor. Don’t you think you will stay alive longer and kill stuff faster with a full set of greens NOW, as opposed to acquiring each green piece one by one? Think of buying low-lvl gear as buying efficiency.

Honestly, no. I bought the stuff because I was still running around with lvl 3 gear and it really was just a convenience thing. If I would have leveled normally I would never have bought anything.

You spent 3g on level 20 gear? what the hell were you buying? I can kit a level 20 out in 6 silver.

Then do show me exactly what it is you managed to get your hands on.

I also used a scroll to boost my level 2 character to 20 and just bought the white stuff from the vendor in the city as that’s enough to do anything related to your level.

Besides, once you’ve killed a few mobs, done some events and levelled up, you will likely be replacing all that gear any way.

I’ve never bought gear off the TP for low level characters as it’s not needed. I’ve still been able to perform just fine with a level 40 character using level 20 gear.

Aechidna.3084:

I think it best to just remove the “soulbound” idea altogether. What good does it do you? Just make everything that has that tag account bound and remove this function altogether.

The Anet Monetization Dept. called. They said: “ROFLMAO”

Way to bring valid points and a good argument to the table…

Whitey.6185:

I also used a scroll to boost my level 2 character to 20 and just bought the white stuff from the vendor in the city as that’s enough to do anything related to your level.

Besides, once you’ve killed a few mobs, done some events and levelled up, you will likely be replacing all that gear any way.

I’ve never bought gear off the TP for low level characters as it’s not needed. I’ve still been able to perform just fine with a level 40 character using level 20 gear.

See I bough green items with the stats I’m looking for in the hopes of them serving me well for a while and then being able to pass them on…

I agree with souldbind on exotics, but not ascended items
at the laurel vendor. It takes allot of time to get the ascended
gear, and IMO, should be account bound.

I’m all for keeping soulbinding to lower level gear and to UNCRAFTED exotics. IMO though the “lessendaries” should be movable and ascended/legendary items as well, but I feel I may be in the minority about that. (while I do realize I could transmute most of the items I wish to un-soulbind, it’s a waste of transmutation stones) I mainly say this as a person who made a foefire’s essence almost a year ago and would like to move it elsewhere in favor of a legendary or ascended gs… and while I realize this wont happen for various reasons, it would be nice for those stuck in my situation, I can keep dreaming though I suppose :P

I don’t understand where the complaints are for Soulbound items for low level characters. If you outgrow your weapons or armor, simply sell them to a merchant, and buy new ones. If you’re level 50, and run around with a lv 20 weapon, get rid of it.

Now as for sharing equipment between characters on the same account. No. You decrease the value of the item if you have unlimited uses for it. Why buy multiple weapons when one will do? Vol brings up good points that the OP should read.

As for the complaint about being busy, and not having enough time to farm. That’s a personal issue best dealt with by the individual.

Soulbound items help drive the in-game economy, it’s never going away. Something to consider is making the gear. And I understand being busy, I’m a full-time worker with family affairs to attend and I’m planning my wedding, so I don’t have near as much time to play as I would like. However, running on my main (new areas, champ zergs, etc.) will get me plenty of gear. Some of it I can save and use, some of it I just salvage and send off mats. This way I can make the gear my newer characters need. Then, once they’re a little higher level, they’ll start providing their own gear in the way of drops or crafting it themselves. The only thing I buy from the TP is the occassional bit of mats to finish out an armor set or a few weapons.