Guild Wars 2

I propose that ANet change the following items from Gear to Skins:

• Cultural Armor
• Cultural Weapons (sold by NPCs)
• Pact Weapons
• Underwater Helmet

Anyone who can afford T3 Cultural Armor can easily afford to outfit themselves in Exotics (if not Ascended), so almost the entire value from the purchase comes from unlocking the skins. That leaves one with some horribly expensive rare item that has little use, except to resell to vendor. To actually use the skins, a player must spend again, using up transmutation charges. Instead, take advantage of the Wardrobe and turn these into skins that can be used once for free (perhaps discounting them by the modest resell value).

Similarly, most people buy T3 Cultural Weapons or who end up with more than 1 Pact weapon are interested in the skin, not the actual weapon. And again, you have to pay twice: karma to get the weapon and a transmutation charge for applying the skin. This is another opportunity to simplify the process.

Finally, there’s no value to the player in underwater breathers except for the skin:

• Characters can breathe underwater without one equipped.
• The current system forces players to have a 7th armor piece, which has substandard stats.
• It also requires purchasing a 7th rune, which cannot be recovered, since karma armor cannot be salvaged.
• The selection of breather skins and stats is extremely limited to fine and masterwork with one choice every 5-10 levels.

Making this a skin-only choice would simplify the requirements for gearing up for underwater combat, remove an extremely annoying mechanic, and (I suspect) open up options for the Devs in terms of future changes to underwater combat.

Agreed. Plus +1

There is a problem with this, some people actually buy cultural as levelling gear since they plan to eventually unlock the skins anyway.

GOSU.9574:

There is a problem with this, some people actually buy cultural as levelling gear since they plan to eventually unlock the skins anyway.

I wouldn’t be opposed to offering the option: buy the gear or buy a skin.

However, I’m not sure how widespread the practice is (I’m sure ANet has the stats) or if those same people wouldn’t prefer skins anyhow. After all, it’s relatively cheap to get L35 Masterwork and L60 rare armor with the stats you want, instead of being locked into e.g. Carrion armor if you play an asura.