This idea will bring some of my/community ideas into one singular idea that would also make people actually WANT to go into Dark Citadel–new scrolls that summon merchants or improving the scroll of forging.
The idea of auto-converting non-GA gear on T4 into mats/gold is not a new idea, but if you don’t wanna implement that, then give players the option by adding new scrolls that let you do either. If metrics are showing that no one is engaging with DC as often, then scrolls that could be bought with Citadel coins to summon a merchant Loot Goblin or add a salvage functionality to the forge scroll would definitely uptick engagement.
Mind you, the scroll merchant/salvage could offer just half of what you would get if you went to town to salvage/sell, but you are giving players control of what is more valuable to them. Also, a scroll to enable torment version of bosses from a couple seasons ago (required triple mats + 2 stygian stones) to summon. Scroll gives a “buff” while active, turns all altars into torment versions, which just let you offer more mats for more reward. do the same for UC with that scroll: make into a torment, offer like 3-4 tribs, more penalties, get the rewards of the 3-4 tribs offered (all the same trib, of course).
S9 needs lots of QoL help.