Guild Wars 2

As the title suggests, Im just wondering what the point of the exorbitant cost of cultural armors is?

I mean the skins are nice enough, but they are only “rare” quality. Im not about to spend 50+ gold to get a set of armor thats underpowered compared to karma exo gear or TP stuff. Im serious, what is the point of the high cost? Skin alone? If so make it Exotic, and worth the money. Right now, its completely pointless to spend the gold on them since the gear is rare only especially when I can get exotic armor for 40k or so karma a piece ,or spend a one or two gold in TP or even just use exo dungeon gear.

T3 Cultural armors – waste of time and money.

They are vanity pieces, and people use transmute stones.

Wretchedscar.4796:

They are vanity pieces, and people use transmute stones.

Indeed you can use fine mutey stones on them. But even so, the cost of the piece is far to high for the item itself.

I mean I “get” that higher scaled items cost more, thats understandable logic. But these armors are needlessly expensive for its stats.

Again, Vanity item.

It’s really just a end game skin grind. The price is high, but its meant to be a goal for people to work towards at 80 if they want it.

It is accessible, but it takes a bit of time. I’d say the most casual of player could probably get a set in 6 months if they wanted, 3 or 4 if they can pull 2g a day. Its a good way to learn money making methods at 80 thats for sure. At least it was for me.

I will admit the price jump for tier 2 to tier 3 is substantial. And the “rare” color makes it even more misleading. None of the cultural armor really seems to exist for their stats, thats for sure.

Yea I don’t buy them for the stats, I buy them for the skin. You don’t have to have them so the price is ok and its easy to make that money in a month or so.

People that defend the price will tell you, that it is necessary because if they were cheaper then anyone would be wearing them and because of this they would not look so grand (for some reason). The same people five minutes later will tell you that you can easily get enough money, so they don’t see what the problem is.
No, i don’t see any logic in this either.

As I said I could understand the price if they were exotics, though I would still think them a little pricey. But at “rare” level, they are over-priced just for a skin.

If the devs up them to exotics, the price makes a bit of sense. But imo currently its nonsensical. Making the money to buy them isnt a problem. I simply cannot justify in my mind any reason for purchasing them currently.

Lexandro.1456:

But these armors are needlessly expensive for its stats.

That’s the point—no-one is buying cultural armour/weapons for the stats; they’re buying them for the unique look that cannot be found anywhere else.

They are expensive because they are luxury items i.e. items you only look to buy once you already have a full set of level 80 exotic/ascended gear and just want to customise your character to look perfect as well.

Sports/luxury cars are expensive for the exact same reason; you sure as hell do not need something that expensive to drive to work 5 days a week.

Decemberween.6098:

Lexandro.1456:

But these armors are needlessly expensive for its stats.

That’s the point—no-one is buying cultural armour/weapons for the stats; they’re buying them for the unique look that cannot be found anywhere else.

They are expensive because they are luxury items i.e. items you only look to buy once you already have a full set of level 80 exotic/ascended gear and just want to customise your character to look perfect as well.

Sports/luxury cars are expensive for the exact same reason; you sure as hell do not need something that expensive to drive to work 5 days a week.

Yes but you dont buy a Ferarri new with a Fiat engine in it. You pay for the quality, expertise AND the technology.

Same logic applies here; I buy items because they look good AND they improve my characters ability. For that money I expect them to be at least on par with dungeon gear for stats.

Logic failure by the devs;
Dungeon gear = easier to get, better stats, and some really nice skins.
Cultural gear = expensive costs, crapper stats, some decent skins to chose.

These are legendary armors in disguise

Hmm. Personally I nearly always prefer t1 or t2 over t3 things. Lucky me.

Decemberween.6098:

Sports/luxury cars are expensive for the exact same reason

Alternatively, you can consider the high price itself as a desirable aspect of the item, since it serves as an explicit indication of the owner’s wealth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

The rare part doesn’t really matter,you can use fine mutation stones to change them to exotic,and if you’re spending that much gold on the armour,I doubt the 4g for the gems will be too much of a hassle for you.

Gelltor.3015:

The rare part doesn’t really matter,you can use fine mutation stones to change them to exotic,and if you’re spending that much gold on the armour,I doubt the 4g for the gems will be too much of a hassle for you.

Perhaps you failed to read the part where I said getting the money is not an issue. Its justifying the cost of the armor. Legendary cost a packet because they are time consuming to make and will always be top tier gear, exotics cost a bit because they are top statted atm. Cultural armors are illogically expensive for a rare item. It is precisely because they are “rare” that makes them illogical to buy.

I think they make them rare quality so when you buy them, you’re paying for the skin alone.
This is because they’re supposed to serve as prestigious skins to show off your wealth. Kind of how legendaries are incredibly expensive because they look awesome. Unfortunately, cultural armors don’t really look good enough to fit this role (imo).

Lexandro.1456:

As the title suggests, Im just wondering what the point of the exorbitant cost of cultural armors is?

I mean the skins are nice enough, but they are only “rare” quality. Im not about to spend 50+ gold to get a set of armor thats underpowered compared to karma exo gear or TP stuff. Im serious, what is the point of the high cost? Skin alone? If so make it Exotic, and worth the money. Right now, its completely pointless to spend the gold on them since the gear is rare only especially when I can get exotic armor for 40k or so karma a piece ,or spend a one or two gold in TP or even just use exo dungeon gear.

T3 Cultural armors – waste of time and money.

This gear was extremely easy to get pre-Nov.15th, if you played before then you have no excuses, but now, good luck! With DR’s and ANets continuous nerfs to the game the pieces should be dropped to half, or less of what they were on release.

I don’t personally think the game is fun anymore since DR’s, and now that they have added laurel system (aka daily quests) it’s only getting worse. I had enough of that kitten in WoW. GW2 is a joke.

I think Anet needs to clarify what they want to do with cultural armor and dungeon equipment. Either they sell stats or they sell skins, but selling both feels like a scam (especially when the stats are not amazing at all). After all, all these pieces will end up transmuted anyway, so there’s no reason to pay extra for stats we’re not going to use. That doesn’t mean vanity items shouldn’t have a high price, but we should be able to buy only the vanity.

Well, of course it’s very unlikely we actually get to buy skins because of fine transmutation stones being accessible almost only through the gem store, but still…

Lexandro.1456:

How about reading the thread eh? Its the JUSTIFICATION of spending that amount of gold on sub par gear, why would I do so? I wouldnt of course because it does not make sense to do so.

Logic fail again by people with no concept of value.

You still don’t get it, do you? You don’t by it to equip yourself with, you buy it to apply the SKIN to exotic armor. YOU DON’T BUY IT FOR THE STATS. So stop saying, that T3 armor is only rare. IT DOESN’T MATTER.
I guess you only created the topic because you want the skin and you can’t afford it.

There is no need for lowering the prices, they are totally fine. Even in the first two months of the game, ppl got the skins. Now, with ongoing inflation, ANet should think about making things more expansive.

No you might not buy items for stats and say that it doesnt matter. Thats not what I do nor many other players. In point of fact I do NOT want any of the cultural t3 armors as they are all extremely fugly.

My point is that if they want to sell it as a “skin” they can do so via the TP with a costume set. Its not however, its ARMOR of RARE quality. The stats for a high cost item should reflect its costs.

How about you stop saying that stats dont matter. If that was the case, people would not grind for gear. Oh but wait they do, because stats matter to them.

Total logic fail on your part AGAIN.

Ps its not “inflation” its “deflation” when prices go down. LMAO.

This thread is not about me wanting them, its about getting the developers to realise Cultural armors are now pointlessly expensive in comparison to the rest of the items in the game.

Lexandro.1456:

As the title suggests, Im just wondering what the point of the exorbitant cost of cultural armors is?

I mean the skins are nice enough, but they are only “rare” quality. Im not about to spend 50+ gold to get a set of armor thats underpowered compared to karma exo gear or TP stuff. Im serious, what is the point of the high cost? Skin alone? If so make it Exotic, and worth the money. Right now, its completely pointless to spend the gold on them since the gear is rare only especially when I can get exotic armor for 40k or so karma a piece ,or spend a one or two gold in TP or even just use exo dungeon gear.

T3 Cultural armors – waste of time and money.

Honestly I don’t like they look. They don’t look epic like the endgame armor skins in gw1 did.

I’m not understanding this thread. If you don’t want the skin, don’t want the stats or think it’s not worth the money, then don’t buy it. I worked hard and enjoyed saving up for my t3 armor pieces. You aren’t forced to buy it at all.

People need to stop making these threads every week.

Lexandro.1456:

My point is that if they want to sell it as a “skin” they can do so via the TP with a costume set. Its not however, its ARMOR of RARE quality. The stats for a high cost item should reflect its costs.

So you are playing GW2, which’s endgame is based on your look.
In GW2 you have vertical progression, not horizontal (just for you: progression in GW2 means looking cooler).
So in GW2, which’s endgame is based on your look (like laready said), cooler looking items should cost more, because you don’t grind for better stats, but instead for better skins. if you don’t understand that logic, please quit the game and play WoW for your better stats.

Lexandro.1456:

Ps its not “inflation” its “deflation” when prices go down. LMAO.

I was never saying, that prices are going down…. (learn to read pls). Just for you to read it again:

There is no need for lowering the prices, they are totally fine. Even in the first two months of the game, ppl got the skins. Now, with ongoing inflation, ANet should think about making things more expansive.

When I say, ANet should makes things more expansive, that’s a reaction to INflation. MORE money, means money is worth less. This lead’s -in a normal econmy- to rising prices. If you doubt, that there is inflation in GW2, look at the TP now and compare it to what you have seen 4 months before.
Just saying, Dusk was for 5g on the TP, when it was listed the first time.

Jrunyon.3012:

People need to stop making these threads every week.

^Thanks…

I wont be buying them, can you not understand the concept of pointing out flaws in a system?

Again – The stats should reflect its costs, this is SOP in a game economy based on gear. If its sold as a “skin only”, that can be done via the TP. Its not however, its sold as a armor set, and as such at “rare” quality its over-priced for the skin alone.

Value – Cost – Worth ; Concepts its seems some people have real trouble grasping.

Remember that these armors count for a Title-granting achievement. That probably ups the price a bit.

Legendary Weapons are priced around 1500g-2000g and they’re just a cosmetic skin as well.

Lexandro.1456:

Again – The stats should reflect its costs

why.

why why why.

why?

Why does it need to? Please answer that.

Btw, my t3 gear does reflect its costs because I love the look of it. I didn’t even think about the stats when I bought it and I don’t understand why people do.

Kaizer.7135:

Legendary Weapons are priced around 1500g-2000g and they’re just a cosmetic skin as well.

No they are not “just cosmetic”. They will always be top tier statted, no matter what other gear is released. Anet stated catagorically that when gear is released that has better stats than a current legendary, said legendary will be bumped up in stats.

Thats value for its high cost, in that it will never be superseded, it is the pinnacle of gear stats.

Jrunyon.3012:

Why does it need to? Please answer that.

Economics. An item that is percieved to be “expensive” only maintains its value when said expensive is in comparison to its worth. In a game based on gear stats, an item on the higher end of the price scale should reflect that in stats, or it wont sell as it should.

Less gold sinks is a bad thing and ruins game economies.

Again – for the skin alone Anet is better served selling it on TP.

Lexandro.1456:

Kaizer.7135:

Legendary Weapons are priced around 1500g-2000g and they’re just a cosmetic skin as well.

No they are not “just cosmetic”. They will always be top tier statted, no matter what other gear is released. Anet stated catagorically that when gear is released that has better stats than a current legendary, said legendary will be bumped up in stats.

Thats value for its high cost, in that it will never be superseded, it is the pinnacle of gear stats.

Well at the moment it’s got exotic stats, therefore it’s just an expensive skin.

Katreyn.4218:

I’d say the most casual of player could probably get a set in 6 months if they wanted, 3 or 4 if they can pull 2g a day.

No way! In my view a casual play does not play every day. And even than if you have an hour to play, (saving) 2g is a lot.

Only person I’ve seen in T3 was my friend who randomly picked up a precursor in WvW in his first hour of WvW. He then blew the entire profit of his precursor on t3 medium char cultural thought they looked cool and hasn’t played since a week after he got it.

Would be nice if Anet knew how to make acquiring armor and weapons they thought was special actually epic and fun. Instead of the grinding like most of the items are set up at the moment. They should just turn cultural armor back to karma like they used to be the only reason they did it before was people were doing the karma glitch in the first few weeks of launch. At least that way i can earn Karma the way I want to and not threw a select amount of ways that net the most gold per hour usually one or two being better than the others.

It’s basically an optional “I am like, totally rich” item. It makes as much sense as buying booze that has no in-game advantages.

On the other hand, even if they were exotics, the differences would be pretty marginal, since it’s like what? 8 more gold to transmute it onto a armor with the proper stats?

Ultimately, they should have cost karma.

TheBlueI.3486:

Katreyn.4218:

I’d say the most casual of player could probably get a set in 6 months if they wanted, 3 or 4 if they can pull 2g a day.

No way! In my view a casual play does not play every day. And even than if you have an hour to play, (saving) 2g is a lot.

That was me failing at punctuation I guess. I didn’t mean a person that doesn’t play every day could generate that 2g, but someone that plays more moderate (I only play about 2 hours a day and can get a gold a day at least depending on my luck; generally maybe even more if I didn’t hoard everything nowadays). Someone that plays every now and then was the 6 month or so theory if they generate 50s-1g a day. This is assuming you are already 80 and vendor/sell a lot of your drops obviously. But its hard to make math theories for generating income since its all in how a person plays and their general luck and time and effort. :P

But yeah, back on topic, I understand you wanting to make “awareness” to the price/quality thing. But its one of those horses that has been beaten to death on this forum since they changed the price a long time ago. Personally I opted for the armor over the legendary, as either way I was saving for one or the other when I got 80. /shrug

What do you mean by selling a skin via TP? Do you mean the gem store? Because TP is players selling to players. Anyway, I don’t thinkt hey had “skin” items that just affect item appearance except for gems items before, and that’s why it was introduced as non max tier armor. That way it’d still be paying for skin.

Point is, you were only meant to be paying for the skin, thus stats don’t matter. So it shouldn’t be about the stats matching the price, but the looks matching the price. I don’t really see why you’re so fixated on those stats.

The gem store in game is accessed via the TP. I assumed people would understand that with the TP shorthand.

Effectively it should be the same manner as “guild” armor skins. That then gives us players the “skin” for sale solo. Effectively reducing the cost overall, as it would translate to gems.

Lexandro.1456:

Effectively reducing the cost overall

Why are you pushing so hard for the price to go down. Seriously.

Would you be okay with it being just skins, no stats, but still keep the price at 119g?

Astralporing.1957:

People that defend the price will tell you, that it is necessary because if they were cheaper then anyone would be wearing them and because of this they would not look so grand (for some reason). The same people five minutes later will tell you that you can easily get enough money, so they don’t see what the problem is.
No, i don’t see any logic in this either.

See, there’s a reason you don’t understand it.

People assume easy automatically means fast, in reality that is not always the case. This would be an example of it.

That being said, personally I am still in favor of cultural armor being expensive karma bought skins.

Vatras.2806:

Lexandro.1456:

How about reading the thread eh? Its the JUSTIFICATION of spending that amount of gold on sub par gear, why would I do so? I wouldnt of course because it does not make sense to do so.

Logic fail again by people with no concept of value.

You still don’t get it, do you? You don’t by it to equip yourself with, you buy it to apply the SKIN to exotic armor.

Then why they do have stats in the first place, instead of being only a skin, like Heritage set?

Celestina.2894:

People assume easy automatically means fast, in reality that is not always the case. This would be an example of it.

The people i was talking about meant “easy AND fast”. You can check it, the original thread should still be somewhere on the forum.

Lexandro.1456:

No you might not buy items for stats and say that it doesnt matter. Thats not what I do nor many other players. In point of fact I do NOT want any of the cultural t3 armors as they are all extremely fugly.

My point is that if they want to sell it as a “skin” they can do so via the TP with a costume set. Its not however, its ARMOR of RARE quality. The stats for a high cost item should reflect its costs.

How about you stop saying that stats dont matter. If that was the case, people would not grind for gear. Oh but wait they do, because stats matter to them.

Total logic fail on your part AGAIN.

Ps its not “inflation” its “deflation” when prices go down. LMAO.

This thread is not about me wanting them, its about getting the developers to realise Cultural armors are now pointlessly expensive in comparison to the rest of the items in the game.

I don’t see your point. Let’s say the prices where cut in half and were adjusted to be of exotic quality. They would -still- be more expensive than things on the trading post. Ignore the stats all together, as you can buy rares on the AH for -much- cheaper and the same stats to boot.

You are not paying for the stats on cultural armor, you are paying for the skin.
You are not grinding dungeon armors for the stats, you are grinding for the skin.
You are not grinding Legendary weapons for the stats, you are grinding for the skin.

Stats are bought off the trading post, skins are not. (For most part)

Ya know what would be great? If this post would stop happening every week.

They are prestige skins. They are not easy to get, nor are they meant to be. This is not WoW. Deal with it.

Jrunyon.3012:

Lexandro.1456:

Effectively reducing the cost overall

Why are you pushing so hard for the price to go down. Seriously.

Would you be okay with it being just skins, no stats, but still keep the price at 119g?

The games economy can suffer badly when people percieve prices to be exorbitant for items in comparison to its percieved value. This is an issue for GW2 and its gem store as it allows direct purchase for real world cash.

Its perception; A player see’s an item in the game and likes them. They then see the costs relative to other comparible pieces with same stats. They quickly notice the price discrepancy for exo vs rare and can then percieve that if one thing is priced “funny”, there must be others. They are then less likely to buy gems from the store as the perception is that prices across the board may not be correct.

Its the cost – value – worth decision that people make for any purchase.

Though if both items are of exotic quality with similar stats, but one is more expensive and restricted to one particular race they then can see its because of its rarity that the cost – value -worth is altered making it more expensive.

Just so people reading get this – I dont want them, I can afford them if I did want them but I still would not buy them as I dont percieve them to be “worth” the “cost” because I dont “value” it.

Lexandro, that’s the entire point I think. YOU don’t like them, so you don’t think they’re worth the 119g cost. That’s fine. But other people do like them, or just want to be in a ‘rare’ armor skin, so they WILL buy them.

The entire point is that the skin is rare. It’s made more rare because it’s not exotic so less people buy it.

I personally am saving up for the T3 Human cultural for my Guardian. Why? Because I like the armor skin, and don’t have much else I really need the gold for atm.

Well, clearly the stats on these T3 sets are completely useless and should no way factor in the cost.

But, even without those “stats”, I bet it’ll cost the same lol. You’re paying for the look basically, and the “Rare” status and useless stats on it is just … something that’s there. The stats are pointless since they could just make it Rare with no stats. In the end, it doesn’t matter, and not many people will care because it’s bought for its looks.

@OP, it doesn’t matter. It’s a skin, and even if they just suddenly strip the stats, it’s not going to matter much and the prices would be the same because those items are purely for looks (though you could say the stats are extra and are useful if you want to just stay at Rare level stats…).
And as you said, if it’s not worth it to you, then oh wells. The “worth” is the looks, and that’s really up to whoever is looking at it.

The “worth” of a skin isn’t really something to debate about though. It’s just: Do you like it or do you hate it?
It’s perception, as you said. A player sees an item in the game and likes it. They see it is expensive, so they’ll have to work for it if they want it. Do they see one thing is priced “funny”? Not really. They just see it as expensive due to its looks (unless it is a stats specific gear). They are not any less likely to buy gems or farm gold for the item. It’s really just up to the player at that point whether or not they will go after the item.
Also, as you said, it’s the cost/value/worth to a player. T3 just happens to be expensive because it’s T3 culture armor used purely for aesthetics. It works like this in the real world too. Go take a look at some really expensive brand clothes, and you’ll realize you can get similar quality and amounts of “cloth” for way less.

The point of them is this, look around you at the armor people are wearing. 90% of it is either Orr temple karma armor, CoF armor (ridiculously common) or AC armor. Or for people who are a bit more creative it is transmuted items, giving them a more unique look.

You buy the T3 why? Just because you like it. You transmute it onto your exotics, job done. If you don’t like your T3 set you don’t buy it. I persoanlly think the T3 norn armor is the best looking armor in the game and so I bought it. It cost me nothing to transmute it as I have over 80 fine transmutation stones from area completions….

And if you really think A-Net are going to offer free upgrades to legendaries when they release ascended weapons, I think you will be disappointed. For a start it wouldn’t be fair, you only have to look at the current ascended gear and the grind it requires to get it to realise that people will have to grind 50 laurels or some other nonsense. Why should people with legendaries get that for free?

Lexandro.1456:

Gelltor.3015:

The rare part doesn’t really matter,you can use fine mutation stones to change them to exotic,and if you’re spending that much gold on the armour,I doubt the 4g for the gems will be too much of a hassle for you.

Perhaps you failed to read the part where I said getting the money is not an issue. Its justifying the cost of the armor. Legendary cost a packet because they are time consuming to make and will always be top tier gear, exotics cost a bit because they are top statted atm. Cultural armors are illogically expensive for a rare item. It is precisely because they are “rare” that makes them illogical to buy.

Its for the looks,just like for legendaries,I doubt most of the people who made them made them soley just because they’ll always be top tier,they were made to show off,and cultural armour has the same effect.
Logic and economics do not always go hand in hand dude.

As someone who has just completed his ‘Sylvari project’ (T3 Cultural armor for a Thief, Elementalist and Guardian), I can only say I did it purely for the unique skins.

Heck, even if the vendor sold the pure skins without any stats for 119g I would still have gotten it. It is a steep cost, but for me the unique, race-dependent gear is nothing else but amazing.
I love my ele in her leafy dress, I love my Guardian in his Bamboo armor with his branch helmet and I love the looks of my thief in her slim Sylvari attire.

There is nothing wrong with some more exclusive or higher priced equipment at the moment in my opinion, despite ‘lower stats’ on it.

pricer.5091:

And if you really think A-Net are going to offer free upgrades to legendaries when they release ascended weapons, I think you will be disappointed. For a start it wouldn’t be fair, you only have to look at the current ascended gear and the grind it requires to get it to realise that people will have to grind 50 laurels or some other nonsense. Why should people with legendaries get that for free?

Im afraid its you that is disapointed. Yes Anet already stated legendaries will rise in stats to the highest available tier, they will always be the “top tier” in statistics. Thats why they are “legendary”. It is why ascended items are priced lower and easier to aquire than a legendary, because it is stats will never change.

Ascended gear is not that much of a grind. I mean I already have some and Ive only played since the F&F patch late Jan.

Sorry browser failure, please ignore post

No amount of gold is too much to pay, WHEN YOU GET TO LOOK LIKE RYTLOCK!!! OMG

KingTruffle.1752:

No amount of gold is too much to pay, WHEN YOU GET TO LOOK LIKE RYTLOCK!!! OMG

Lol, ok I can’t dispute that :p