Guild Wars 2

I wish that transmutation did not cost charges. I know that even before the feature pack, transmutation cost stones. Arena.net needs to make money somehow but it would be so nice if I could change my look more often without worry of having to buy gems. Perhaps instead, transmutation could simply cost in-game gold?

It’s true that you can acquire charges without ever paying for gems but not at a comparable rate to earning gold. I guess the spirit of this request is that I want to be able to change my look frequently with as few roadblocks as possible.

transmutation has always cost you, this hasn’t changed. You can buy gems with in-game gold and buy charges.

The wardrobe systems is amazing and I"m glad to not have to deal with crystals/stones/splitters anymore.

Oh I know it has always cost gems. I just wish it didn’t. I don’t like the idea of paying real money to adjust cosmetics. That feels like an area of the game that should be free.

This have been the case since release.
The only difference now is the name more or less. You can still get loads of free transmutations charges by playing the game as well.

EDIT:
And if that area of the game was free, what should fill that cost?
Something that actually effect game-balance and such?
Because that is basically the options that exist. Either it is cosmetic, or it is stats.

I’m pretty much fine with everything else you can buy in the gem store. Gaining exclusive cosmetic items is fine, boosters, etc. But paying to simply shift between gear you already own feels…wrong to me.

You CAN adjust your looks without paying real money. You seem to be avoiding this fact with your request for FREE stuff (that has NEVER been free).

DanielIsAwesome.6039:

But paying to simply shift between gear you already own feels…wrong to me.

So clear a map instead?

It’s pretty easy to get free transmutations. They simply allow you to skip playing the game by paying, if you want to speed up the process.

It still can cost in game gold, you just buy gems with it.

It’s expensive ofc, but still an option so you don’t have to spend real money.

I don’t recall what the transmutation crystals costs before (since all of mine were gained from area completion or whatnot). Yeah, 5 charges wlll cost 15 gold – or US$ 7.50 for 25.

So, I take it this is an unreasonable request? All the responses seem a bit negative. :-/

There is a cost associated with anything and everything in this world.

What is keeping you from using in-game Gold to obtain Charges? Or, for that matter, using any of the in-game methods of obtaining Charges at no cost whatsoever?

Not only can you support the game through gems, but you can also receive charges from the new PvP tracks for free, only cost is your time, and are fairly easy to complete the small tiers (2-3 games per mini tier). Even if you stink at PvP, they’re not hard to get.

DanielIsAwesome.6039:

I’m pretty much fine with everything else you can buy in the gem store. Gaining exclusive cosmetic items is fine, boosters, etc. But paying to simply shift between gear you already own feels…wrong to me.

But you’re not paying to switch your gear. It’s just like before patch – gear works exactly the same. You can switch between them, for free, just like before the patch. The only thing that has changed here is how the transmutation system functions – in which now you can transmute skins you’ve previously owned across your whole account.

DanielIsAwesome.6039:

So, I take it this is an unreasonable request? All the responses seem a bit negative. :-/

We all would love to be able to transmute freely, just like it was in PvP, but I understand that Anet need ways to rise their income and also gold sinks, and we also have many ways to get transmutations in game (besides gold to gem, you can complete a city map with a lvl 2 toon to get a guaranteed transmutation), so this cost sounds very reasonable imo.

Well, just answer this: if you could choose between the current system of spending charges to transmute or a system where it simply cost a small amount of in-game currency, which would you choose?

I would choose both, as both is exactly what we have now. And had before.

DanielIsAwesome.6039:

Well, just answer this: if you could choose between the current system of spending charges to transmute or a system where it simply cost a small amount of in-game currency, which would you choose?

The current one for sure.
Assuming that the fee would be equivalent to our current cost of 1 transmutation charge.
EDIT: If not the same, then the comparison wouldn’t be fair.

Belzebu.3912:

you can complete a city map with a lvl 2 toon to get a guaranteed transmutation

I mean, that isn’t the most compelling gameplay. Why not just use gold, which is a resource you can earn in any game mode/type of play?

For pete’s sake. Why aren’t you using Gold to obtain Charges, then?

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

For pete’s sake. Why aren’t you using Gold to obtain Charges, then?

Because the gold to gem ratio is incredibly low. It would translate to an incredible time investment.

The idea I’m trying to convey is that I want to be able to change my look without such an investment. Because it’s fun to do that and shouldn’t be a time/money sink.

DanielIsAwesome.6039:

Belzebu.3912:

you can complete a city map with a lvl 2 toon to get a guaranteed transmutation

I mean, that isn’t the most compelling gameplay. Why not just use gold, which is a resource you can earn in any game mode/type of play?

Because that is when you are actively need more transmutations.
When you create a new toon you’ll complete several maps, finish dailies, open BLCs until you reach lvl 80, and when you finally start to work into the way you’ll look, you’ll notice that you ended getting several transmutations for free.

Get cracking then, those charges won’t magically appear by arguing here. The price for transmutation charges is half of what crystals used to cost.

You either do boring stuff, or you pay real money.

That’s how cosmetics were designed to work in this game because that’s how ArenaNet makes money on this thing.

O…k….

If time is of the essence to you, and you would rather not use any of the methods to obtain free Charges, then I suggest the old ‘real cash to gems’ method is your best bet. Good luck. =)

It is simply not going to happen. As someone said, we’d love it if it was free (ala Lotro), but this is the trade off for a non-sub game. Non-game mechanic play will be funded by the gem store. Too much money will be generated from thsi for them to change it, agree or no

Randulf.7614:

It is simply not going to happen. As someone said, we’d love it if it was free (ala Lotro), but this is the trade off for a non-sub game. Non-game mechanic play will be funded by the gem store. Too much money will be generated from thsi for them to change it, agree or no

I know, you’re right. Wishful thinking I guess.

On the other hand, doesn’t it feel like double dipping that you can buy cosmetic gear from the BLT and then have to pay more gems to get charges to transmute that gear?

Yes and no since you can still use that skin once w/o charges iirc. Consequetive uses cost charges and that’s where the borderline double dip may come from.

For me, the benefits outweigh this. I’d rather have it as it is than how it was.

Yes, the 1st time you use a skin it is free (like the aetherblade gear, tormented weapons …) but you need to pay a fee to change the skin again, and that looks reasonable imo.

I’m with the OP on this. To my mind the issue isn’t simply paying for cosmetics, it’s the ‘pay-per-use’ mechanic that grinds my gears.

A player can spend cash on two different gem store skins, and still incur the cost of additional transmutation charges every time he switches between them. Is there any other game that does this? That’s a major dis-incentive to change your character’s look at all. The ‘wardrobe’ we have now is fine for those who don’t intend to switch their looks up frequently, but those of us who were expecting a system that would allow us to do this freely are pretty disappointed.

What we need is a high-cost unlock that allows us to store multiple skins and swap between them freely. The operative word, ladies and gentlemen, is freely. I suspect this is in the works though. We’ve got extra bag slots, bank tabs and even stack expanders. The next logical step should allow for multiple pages of gear (best case scenario) or at least skins.

Jahroots.6791:

I’m with the OP on this. To my mind the issue isn’t simply paying for cosmetics, it’s the ‘pay-per-use’ mechanic that grinds my gears

THANK you. Your post eloquently got to the root of my point.

I am still waiting for an alternative way for ArenaNet to make the same amount of income if transmutation was free.

Hey there, since we are getting a lot of feedback on this topic right now, we are collecting it all in dedicated threads. You are very welcome to repost your questions comments and concerns here “https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Game-Updates-Wardrobe-Transmutation-Outfits”