Exotics
Selling them would probably be your best bet. RNG means you could put in 4 and get a precursor, or put in 1000 and not get anything.
the chance of getting precursor in the mystic forge by using exotics is higher than using rares. However RNG is RNG. you may get a precursor on your 5th attempt or you may spend 1000 gold worth of items before you get one.
the problem when using exotics to forge a precursor is that the cost for each attempt is a lot higher than rares. you may spend around 1g in rares pr attempt, while an exotic attempt may cost 5-6g+. Which means you get a lot more chances when using rares.
Also when using rares you also get exotics back which can help recover some losses when using hte forge. While with exotics your likely to get an exotic back worth max 1-2g in return.
have you considered saving money to buy the precursor of the trading post?? its the safest way to get one.
that’s what i’m doing now. I guess i was mostly wondering if I should just save up for a precursor or risk the forge…don’t know which usually ends up costing more.
there is a 3rd option.
Do world boss events. your guaranteed to get 1 rare pr event in a daily chest pr day pr account. thats not counting what you can get in the large chest you get after the boss.
Put the weapons you get from the events in the forge, sell the exotics you get and save up money for the precursor.
use a world boss event timer to see when the events is up.
with the armor pieces you either sell or salvage ( dont use them in the forge, not worth it ). you can sell the ectos and runes you salvage for more money or use yourself.
this way you dont have to spend of your saved up money to make attempts in the mystic forge. May not give you many attempts fasts but it adds up.
I use my dungeon tokens that I don’t want to buy weapons and MF them and sell the results. Its probably not the most profitable way but I quite enjoy the dungeons and am in no rush for my legendary.
I also don’t mix armour I always sell the exotic armour and salvage the rares.