Guild Wars 2

If you spend money in the Black Lion Gem Shop, what do you think are the top 5 best values? I mean, which items are totally worth the price asked, not what is the cheapest stuff? Here’s my list (in no particular order), I’d like to see what others think though.

1. Copper-Fed Salvage-O-Matic. You will need salvage kits at some point if you play the game for a while. The Copper-Fed Salvage-O-Matic takes up only 1 inventory slot, can be traded between different toons on 1 account, and in the long run is cheaper in gold than buying the kits from vendors. Occasionally, the BL Gem Shop will run a special that also includes the Silver-fed version. Hands-down, I get more use out of my Copper-Fed Salvage-O-Matic than ANYTHING else I’ve ever bought from the Gem Shop.

2. Watchwork Mining Pick: If you are going to buy a permanent gathering tool, this should be your first choice. Others may have cooler looks, but this is the tool that gives you extra free stuff for using it. Every swing has a chance of giving you a Watchwork Sprocket in addition to the normal ore. This is incredibly useful if you intend to make the Spinal Backblade backpiece AND because Watchwork Sprockets have a good resale value. A stack of Sprockets can get you 5-7 gold profit, depending on the current sale price. And this is the only permanent gathering tool that gives you an extra item on gathering!

3. Storage Expander: If you play for long, you are going to wind of with lots of materials. Each storage expander lets you store 1 extra stack of EVERY material, and maxes out at 6 stacks (1500 mats). Some materials will never get close to filling the storage, but others will quickly overflow (Mithril). This is not a flashy item, nor is it an item you actively use. I think the best part of it is when I look at my Materials storage and realize how much gold I can quickly make selling off the stuff I’ve just been depositing to storage every day.

4. Character Slot Expansion: Unless you ENJOY deleting characters, this is the only way you can play all the classes on 1 account. Again, not flashy but SO worth the cost.

5. Black Lion Keys: These are just FUN. I love getting a Black Lion Chest drop, and seeing what amazing (or disappointing) items it holds. Further, the drops from the chest often include BL Gem Shop items that would not be worth buying directly.

This is my list of items I have bought definitely got my money’s worth out of. Please share yours.

Bank tabs are more valuable and useful (to me) than storage expanders. And I honestly don’t consider black lion keys to be of good value. But I do agree with the other ones on your list.

By and large my list would be similar, except Storage Expander would be #5 and Bank Tab Slots would be #3.

Black Lion Keys (along with the random dye kits) would be the absolute furthest thing I consider as good value.

Good post, OP. I agree with Rose: bank tabs save me more space (and are more versatile) than the collections expanders. I do love the fact that you included something fun along with the practical: economic efficiency is not the only important factor when deciding how “best” to spend gems.

One thing missing from your list:

• Save 800-1,000 gems — nearly every month, new stuff comes into the store and old stuff goes on sale; it’s always good to have a few available so that you don’t have to scramble to convert gold (at premium rates) or buy gems with cash.

PS to moderators: this is a good type of thing to sticky, since people ask all the time what are good ways to spend excess gems.

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

Wouldn’t a character slot be better then a bank tab, a character slot in theory could hold up to 100 more items over the 30 the bank tab gives?

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

This. Honestly it’s not in my top 5. I’d much over replace it with bank slots or other gathering tools.

Either a marketing rep in disguise or someone who somehow does not have any idea what the term ‘value’ means.

The copper fed salvage-o-matic is not cheaper from a real world monetary perspective no matter how long you use it, it will never give a rate of return that outweighs its gem cost because of the continual copper cost whch could be converted to gems and the fact that it doesn’t even give you the hightest salvage level. It is actually a better value to buy or convert MF stones and make mystic salvage kits in both the short and long run.

Black Lion keys have a near zero rate of return on your investment until you open hundreds. That’s like saying the state lottery is a good deal.

Number five seems odd to me. If the result of spending money on a key is an item not worth purchasing, havent you described a bad value?

My purchases:

1. New outfits. Essential if you want to look good on early levels, and who doesn’t want to look good even on early levels? Also great for roleplaying, if you’re into that stuff.

2. New hairstyles. Make you look a bit more special than all those standard-hairstyle-characters.

3. New skins. Again, this has to do about looking good and feeling special. That’s why I’m running around with a princess wand and top hat.

4. Extra crafting license. Not exactly essential, but with three crafting professions pr character, I have all covered with just three characters. Not bad. Less characters to focus on means more time to enjoy the ones I do focus on.

5. Character slots, so I have one of each profession. Kinda makes the last point a bit silly, but nevermind that. I like having one of each profession around lvl 30ish to see how they feel to play, before I commit to one.

BL Keys, not really unless you love all the stuff you normally get out of the chest.

I would replace it with the Consortium Sickle. It’s not money making like the Watchwork Pick but it is noticeably faster at foraging.

Not a true gem store purchase, but it comes out of black lion chests so… one of my top buys was a permanent bank access. I got mine when it was ~700 gold and it’s been worth every copper. (Seriously, ANet should take that out of the chests and make it a direct sale from the gem store).

Another item that is gem store but only occasionally available to buy is the Royal Terrace pass. That item gives you a port to that site from anywhere in PvE (and no waypoint cost) and it has a mystic forge, crafting, regular bank, guild bank, Laurel merchant, regular merchant, a portal to all the cities, a trading post and guild NPCs all within a few steps of each other as well as an easy free waypoint to your home instance. For one stop shopping, it can’t be beat.

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

If you buy them to “get anything good,” they are a horrible buy. If you buy them for the excitement you get as you roll for that “anything,” then they are as good a deal as you want them to be.

As stated in the original post, they are in the list because the OP considers them to be “fun”, not because they are “useful.”

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

If you buy them to “get anything good,” they are a horrible buy. If you buy them for the excitement you get as you roll for that “anything,” then they are as good a deal as you want them to be.

As stated in the original post, they are in the list because the OP considers them to be “fun”, not because they are “useful.”

Still not a good deal. You are just letting them take your money for a few seconds of that addictive gambling rush. Which is the whole point of the keys and chests, to exploit that.

Pockets.3201:

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

If you buy them to “get anything good,” they are a horrible buy. If you buy them for the excitement you get as you roll for that “anything,” then they are as good a deal as you want them to be.

As stated in the original post, they are in the list because the OP considers them to be “fun”, not because they are “useful.”

Still not a good deal. You are just letting them take your money for a few seconds of that addictive gambling rush. Which is the whole point of the keys and chests, to exploit that.

No doubt. There are a lot of things that aren’t a good idea but people do them anyway (like watching televion for several hours a day). As long as the person isn’t taking it to an extreme and is happy with it, then I’m not seeing any problems.

The copper-fed salvage-o-matic is by far the best item on the shop.

Pockets.3201:

[Black Lion Keys]
Still not a good deal. You are just letting them take your money for a few seconds of that addictive gambling rush. Which is the whole point of the keys and chests, to exploit that.

As opposed to letting them take your money for a few hours of that addictive gaming rush?

People need to remember that anything that’s entertainment can be considered a “waste” of money. People spend money on it because they enjoy it – it’s a quality of life thing.

As long as you don’t destroy your real life to feed your entertainment addiction, it’s not a problem. If you find it fun opening black lion chests and you have the money for it, then knock yourself out. Same goes for gambling in Vegas, playing video games, watching sports, going to concerts, etc. All those are fine in moderation. In fact they’re arguably helpful and worth the money if they let you recharge so you’re more effective when you’re working and earning money.

Conncept.7638:

The copper fed salvage-o-matic is not cheaper from a real world monetary perspective no matter how long you use it, it will never give a rate of return that outweighs its gem cost because of the continual copper cost whch could be converted to gems and the fact that it doesn’t even give you the hightest salvage level. It is actually a better value to buy or convert MF stones and make mystic salvage kits in both the short and long run.

Basic salvage kits are 3.52 copper per use (88 copper, 25 uses). The copper-fed salvage-o-matic is 3 copper per use, so you actually are coming out slightly ahead. Of course at 0.52 copper saved per use, making back the 800 gems (@ 18 gold per 100 gems) would take 2.8 million uses so you won’t realistically ever make it back in terms of raw monetary cost.

For me though, it’s more than paid for itself by cutting down the number of trips I had to make to a merchant. During the Scarlet invasion event, I missed out on a lot of champ bags because I had to leave fights to find a merchant to sell or buy more salvage kits. That’s when I broke down and bought a copper-fed salvage-o-matic. Because you’re out in the field playing more instead of running back to a merchant every 15-30 min during a high-loot event, the extra loot I gained in the time saved paid for the item in a few months of play. (In fact I wish they would let us program macros for selling loot, since I have some very specific patterns for what I sell to a merchant, what I salvage, and what I list on the BLTP.)

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

If you buy them to “get anything good,” they are a horrible buy. If you buy them for the excitement you get as you roll for that “anything,” then they are as good a deal as you want them to be.

As stated in the original post, they are in the list because the OP considers them to be “fun”, not because they are “useful.”

To be fair, if the OP wants to list things they find fun rather than give you the most bang for your buck, they shouldn’t have titled the post “Top 5 best values in Black Lion Gem Shop”.

Conncept.7638:

Either a marketing rep in disguise or someone who somehow does not have any idea what the term ‘value’ means.

The copper fed salvage-o-matic is not cheaper from a real world monetary perspective no matter how long you use it, it will never give a rate of return that outweighs its gem cost because of the continual copper cost whch could be converted to gems and the fact that it doesn’t even give you the hightest salvage level. It is actually a better value to buy or convert MF stones and make mystic salvage kits in both the short and long run.

Black Lion keys have a near zero rate of return on your investment until you open hundreds. That’s like saying the state lottery is a good deal.

I found it worth the $ because I was sick to death of taking up valuable pack space with multiple stacks of basic salvage kits, and constantly running out of those. I prefer the basic salvage to the MS kits because they have a lower rate of extracting upgrades (which take up a LOT of bag space, and have to be tossed because the minor upgrades from all the blues and greens I salvage are worthless. Plus, I get more silk ($$$) than gossamer(-$) and even some linen and wool.

If I wasn’t currently trying to build my ascended armor set, I’d be making bank on mats from salvage (still do, just not as much since I’m no longer selling cloth or leather)

If you do a lot of SW runs then it is definitely worth it.

As for BL keys, I think that’s subjective. No, they aren’t an investment that is guaranteed to make gold, but they’re still a lot of fun to many of us, and I’ve gotten some really nice stuff from the chests It is like buying a scratch ticket, lol. I’ve had way better luck with those chests than I ever have with the lottery tho, lmao.

A lot of the posters missed my point. This is not about economic advice, it’s about what items I found to be most valuable for the price I paid. And my list is “in no particular order”.

Some people feel BL Keys are a waste of gems. To them, the keys have no value. To ME, the keys are quite valuable because I enjoy using them. I know that the odds of getting anything worth the price of the key is low, which is why I don’t buy BL Chests on the TP. I only open the ones I find randomly. But finding a BL chest and opening it makes me happier than finding an exotic trinket or armor piece (generic ones, not the ultra-rare collectibles everyone is hunting for). So that makes keys valuable to ME.

Some people feel that a bank expansion tab is more valuable than a Storage tab expander. To them, the Bank Tab is more valuable, they get more use out of it. I, however, have a hard time walking by any gathering node without using it. I’ve maxed my Storage tabs, and still have spillover of a LOT of mats, enough that an extra bank tab would not hold them all. (I’m not a hoarder, really!)

The point of this post is to discuss what in the BL Gem Shop is valuable to people, not to objectively evaluate what the optimum use of gems is for maximum financial return. As far as I’m concerned, the #1 return I want is FUN. My list is heavily influenced by that.

I agree with all of these except the keys. They are just not worth it for most people. Unless you have a good disposable income where the purchase may not even put a slight dent into it at least anyway. That or you just like throwing money at any old thing.

Personally tho I do key farm from time to time just for a quick thrill and to use up those lvl 20 bump items or any tomes I may have, otherwise they just sit there doing nothing. So for me these chests and doing a key run is kind of like when you buy a scratch and win ticket. A small thrill with a chance at getting a good prize (perm bank etc for example) but more than likely you will just win the smallest prize (perhaps a scrap) or not even get that and a total waste (boosters, just another revive orb/armour repair to add to my pile).

At one point I had 2 and a half stacks, it would have cost me hundreds if not thousands of dollars to open them all if I had bought them. Totally not worth it…

Edit: after reading your post above this one it seems to me you get the same kind of feeling and excitement as I do from opening the chests. But for you that even seems to extend to just getting a chest drop lol. Like I said above at one point I had 2 full stacks and another starting, all from drops. Maybe you don’t play as many hours as myself or get them as often if I do. But to purchase keys to open all of those chests would have been a rather big price tag. One that I feel the “excitement” or value of what you get from opening is totally not worth it in the long run.

But hey, each to their own and all that.

Edit 2: “The point of this post is to discuss what in the BL Gem Shop is valuable to people, not to objectively evaluate what the optimum use of gems is for maximum financial return”

I think your title (Top 5 best values) gives the opposite impression to this statement, thus people replying why they have.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Not a true gem store purchase, but it comes out of black lion chests so… one of my top buys was a permanent bank access. I got mine when it was ~700 gold and it’s been worth every copper. (Seriously, ANet should take that out of the chests and make it a direct sale from the gem store).

Another item that is gem store but only occasionally available to buy is the Royal Terrace pass. That item gives you a port to that site from anywhere in PvE (and no waypoint cost) and it has a mystic forge, crafting, regular bank, guild bank, Laurel merchant, regular merchant, a portal to all the cities, a trading post and guild NPCs all within a few steps of each other as well as an easy free waypoint to your home instance. For one stop shopping, it can’t be beat.

I also agree about the Royal Pass Ticket, this would be on my list replacing the BL Keys. It is a free teleport to DR at anytime like quoted here as well as access to all of these npcs etc.

CaelestiaEmpyrea.2617:

A lot of the posters missed my point. This is not about economic advice, it’s about what items I found to be most valuable for the price I paid. And my list is “in no particular order”.

Well, look at your title and post: you use “best value” in the title and you start the post talking about the financial benefits of the items. It’s not until you talk about BL keys near the bottom do you actually start talking about fun over value, it’s kinda hard not to miss your point when the only example of such is the odd man out.

Other items that are totally worth getting

1) Royal terrace Pass
2) Candy Corn Guzzler

Wasn’t Candy Corn Gobbler nerfed to oblivion this week?

Lakshmi.5941:

Wasn’t Candy Corn Gobbler nerfed to oblivion this week?

No it was buffed into oblivion.

My personal top 5:

• Bank Tabs – hoarding account/soul bound made easy
• Storage Expanded – hoarding materials made easy
• Extra Character Slots – now in your favorite profession
• Copper / Silver fed Salvage – convenience
• Infinite Gathering Tools – convenience

Those that didn’t make the cut:

• Total Makeover Kits – now with a new hairdo, essential if you really like your alts, but don’t want them looking the same to dig into the exclusive options.
• Extra Crafting License – no more jumping about wondering who had that skill at 400+/500. would be useless if craft skills were in the login screen.
• Home Instance Gathering Nodes – will you ever get your money back for them? nope! but still once a day to get some low-grade materials.
• Bag slots – I have them on my /main/ but they’re too expensive to get for everyone
• Skins/Outfits – personally only bought one, but they are a unique way to express yourself (until everyone is doing it!)

i agree that the infinite use salvage kits and tools are great, but it kills me that they aren’t simply unlocked across your account (in the same way hellfire/radiant gear is)
it’d be sooooo much better if you could open a tab and get it rather than having to remember which of your 13 alts was using the tools last, and after all that relogging you need to head to the bank twice to put it in and get it out. >_<

just let us have them on all our chars!

Pandaman.4758:

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Pockets.3201:

Black lion keys are a horrible buy. Its very unlikely you’ll get anything good.

If you buy them to “get anything good,” they are a horrible buy. If you buy them for the excitement you get as you roll for that “anything,” then they are as good a deal as you want them to be.

As stated in the original post, they are in the list because the OP considers them to be “fun”, not because they are “useful.”

To be fair, if the OP wants to list things they find fun rather than give you the most bang for your buck, they shouldn’t have titled the post “Top 5 best values in Black Lion Gem Shop”.

Getting fun from a purchase is getting bang for your buck, particularly when speaking of entertainment expenses. Fun factor is an intrinsic aspect of value when evaluating something that exists primarily to be fun.

My 2 copper cents worth:
1. Copper Fed Salvage O-matic – It was until they made the changes to the silver. I find I get better results from the silver now, so hardly use the copper.

2. Watchwork mining pick! yes, agree there. I have gained so many watch work pieces that I would have never gained before. Sold a lot of crafted pieces. It has paid for itself.

3.Storage expander- yup, needed that very early on. Got tired of filling up my bank space with mats. But this was more of a convenience value to me.

4. Additional character slots: Agreed. I am an alt hound, with about 22 toons now.

5. black lion keys : I love opening chests. Sure, sometimes it is a waste, but yes, I get enjoyment out of just opening things. I don’t like paying for the keys, I do think they are too expensive. I am keeping about 30 black lion skins in storage, as the value matures. Would not have the skins had not gotten keys.

Additional items:
6. dye kits – like the black lion chests, I enjoy opening dye kits. I have had pretty good luck, they specifically have kept me in the gold, when I needed it.

7. Any of the permanent mining, logging, foraging tools.

8. extra bank slots

Yeah I don’t really agree on Black Lion keys being good value. I guess if you’re a slot-machine kind of person, then maybe they’re fun, but I recently gave up buying them ever again (pretty much). I mainly got them for black lion ticket scraps to get weapon skins, but unless you’re really lucky it’s cheaper just to convert the gems to gold and buy the skin off the TP. Same with dyes and minis, and I don’t really care about the other stuff in BL chests.

Bank tabs are definitely good. I upgraded to maximum fairly early on, and they’ve been 90-99% full most of the time. Can we get some more bank tabs plz? Though I got some more free space recently when I cleared out all the dragonite ore to feed Princess.

I’ve got about 5 hairstyle kits from loot, and at least 2 total makeover kits. So unless you like to change looks regularly, or want to specifically change one of your characters now, then most people can probably wait for a drop.

I got copper-fed salvage recently too, but I heard that silver-fed isn’t that good a deal, maybe because mystic salvage kits are better value? Is that true?

Another good reason to keep some gems (or gold that can be converted to gems) on hand is that sometimes they do very short duration sales on items (such as the wings, which are usually only available for 24 hours at a time), and its better to not have to scramble.

I’ve also purchased at least 4 of the total makeover kits, because the unique hairstyles/faces/eyes/etc on Asura (ASURA MASTAH RACE) are superb. My mesmer has flame red asura dreads. xD

snowgim.6327:

I got copper-fed salvage recently too, but I heard that silver-fed isn’t that good a deal, maybe because mystic salvage kits are better value? Is that true?

Hm no, not what im aware of, 60c each salvage and that ecual as a kit iirc.

Edit: Master kit is 61.,44 each salvage and as I said, silvermatic is 60c so even better.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Salvage_kit

CD673141-975B-42E9-8500-F0FEFF861A7D:

Hm whats up with ur display name? O.o