Guild Wars 2

So with the option of getting a few BLTC dyes with the new birthday present, I decided to take a look at the available options.

I have never looked at these dyes in the past because they were BLTC purchases and I tend to use my gems for convenience items not shiny things.

So I went to the TP and searched dyes. The results were, dumfounding to me.

Electro Blue Dye is selling for 1050gp. Wha what? This dye must be awesome looking, I thought. So off I went to take a look and see what awesomeness I was missing.

What I found was a light power blue dye.

So here is my question: What, outside its scarcity, makes a dye worth 1050gp?

Maybe I answered my own question with the rarity or maybe I am missing something about the dye? Someone enlighten me please.

Scarcity.

Some people must have everything. They are called “collectors”. When there are more collectors than there are collectibles, prices go crazy.

nothing. it is just that rare. it looks like, stuff that will make me say kittens.

I chose blacklight for my nightmare court styled Mesmer. I’m happy with this choice.

There aren’t really any dyes that are special anymore, where back in the beginning it used to be that celestial and abyss were the Hot Ticket Items because they were as pure white and deep black as you can get and nothing else came close.

Now there’s so many and most of them look alike on most armor that if you can’t afford the dye colour you want you can usually find one that’s similar enough.

But as Mtpelion said, it’s all about the collectors and the people that want to have the full bunch just because they can and the people that sell the dye at higher prices knowing this, thus driving the price up.

I think the scarcity is the main thing, but there are also people who collect all the dyes, people who will buy it simply because it’s rare and valuable (and then some of them will relist it to make a profit, driving the price up in the process) and people who like it and don’t care what it costs.

I got it using one of the birthday dye kits because I like bright colours and I like blue so it’s a good choice for me. I’m already using it on 3 characters and planning to use it on a 4th. I wouldn’t have paid that price for it, especially because it’s not the main colour on any of those characters, but I can imagine people deciding that is the perfect dye for the look they want and being willing to pay the price because they don’t mind a long term goal and/or are able to make gold relatively quickly.

For the case of Electro Blue specifically, there was a small number of people, possibly even just one, who spent a lot of money to buy all the EB dyes in the trading post after they were no longer purchaseable, and then put them back up on the trading post at a much higher price. Since there were no other Electro Blue dyes in the game other than the ones he bought, the price couldn’t come down below where he set it.

Interesting. So I would guess that all of the “Collectors” who just had to have those discontinued dyes are tickled Electric Pink right now and the group or individual who tried to gouge the market got pawned, since their captive collector audience would have just vanished.

Looks like ANet decided to readjust the high priced dye market.

The electric blue color also matches a lot of the glowy stuff in game like the Lumi armors. Which is helpful if you want to mix and match armors or just have the same appearance if you don’t like the look at all. Or as a dye for the Lumi armors, etc, as well.

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

So here is my question: What, outside its scarcity, makes a dye worth 1050gp?

Maybe I answered my own question with the rarity or maybe I am missing something about the dye? Someone enlighten me please.

You got it in one: before it was scarce, the dye sold at roughly the same as any other premium dye from a limited edition set that people liked a lot: 80-100g. With only a few available on the TP, it’s a sellers market.

Some try to speculate by putting in extreme buy offers and hope to resell later (usually a terrible investment, especially compared to others available). Others panic that the dye won’t be available later, so become willing to spend more. And some collectors feel that money is no object.

Most of those things are true all the time. When the supply is large, they don’t matter: someone (with the dye) is always willing to undercut the price to a more familiar price. When the supply is down to the last half dozen (as it was before the anniversary presents), those things drive what remains of the market: with only six items, it only takes 5 or 6 people willing to spend 1,000 gold to drive the price that high.

yeah, i heard it is best on Lumi armor also…. although i’m still undecided whether to take that color or the Imperial Red (or Shadow Abyss if they are included in the future)

You can preview dyes you don’t own in the hero panel. (Although the limited-edition colors tend to look much better in-game than in preview.)

I like the electro dyes on the shinier heavy armor, especially the asura cultural. (Each of the other premium colors has their own niche, too — mileage varies a lot for each player.)

If you have an electro dye and the wedding dress outfit, try it on the female Sylvari wedding dress. You might be pleased with how it glows.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

If you have an electro dye and the wedding dress outfit, try it on the female Sylvari wedding dress. You might be pleased with how it glows.

I love this. Unfortunately my sylvari is green and red with purple glow so it doesn’t really suit her, but I think it will look amazing on the black and white mesmer I’m going to make soon.

roachsrealm.9284:

nothing. it is just that rare. it looks like, stuff that will make me say kittens.

I chose blacklight for my nightmare court styled Mesmer. I’m happy with this choice.

=o I chose blacklight as well! kudos, mate! I’m loving it