I doubt this will gain any traction, but it’s my $0.02 so here goes.
First off I’m playing on the PVE Anniversary server and I keep reading about people saying the price of herb’s or flask’s is out of control. For me it’s the simple fact that low level Green’s are expensive anymore, 20-40 gold for level 30-40 greens is ridiculous (I’m looking at you Shadow Wrath anything). And it doesn’t stop there, it’s everything.
The other night I decided I’d start an undead character to see if the prices were any better for the other faction and it was exactly the same. You wouldn’t have any trouble convincing me the same people ruling the market on both sides. The prices were nearly identical for everything I was looking for on the alliance side.
Anyway, as unpopular of an opinion as it may be, it might just be time to implement price caps on the auction house to curtail the excess. Make item price caps based on level, quality, rarity, and type etc. Anything to move prices away from the point where it’s practically impossible not to give in to buying gold. Sure, I know prices will be hovering at the cap for everything, but it will make it a lot less efficient for the gold farmers to squeeze every copper out of people.
Here’s the thing… either it’s the people buying gold who are making it unbearable to find anything affordable at the auction house, or it’s the people selling gold, or both. Sure would be great to hit them where they would feel it.
What are some examples of price caps that you think would be a good idea?
That is a far more challenging question than it would appear. I won’t pretend to know the average amount of gold a person leveling up their first character would have at any given level. All the same that is where I would start for gear price caps.
If I was to use information gathered through Auctioneer up to about three or four weeks ago… I would say that on average the “desirable greens” (Eagle, Falcon, Shadow Wrath etc) for each class leveling up would be capped around 3 - 5 gold from level 30 - 40 (or about 10% of what it is on average now). The prices went from this range to 30 - 60 gold for the same items about four weeks ago and stayed there.
Just saying, for an average player on their first character (without a wealthy kitted out level 60 alt or gold purchases), 30 - 60 gold for one piece of gear while saving up for a mount at 40… that’s unobtainium range.
Won’t work… they will buy up everything on the cheap and sell it via 3rd party sites.
High level herbs can now proc Black Lotus. Flask prices will be dropping hard. Woohoo.
And while, yes, people are basically preying on established 60s with alts, this should also mean mats are good money.
Just by fishing Oily Blackmouths, I was at 200+ gold and the character wasn’t even level 15 yet.
While I don’t like the bloat of the gold right now, you can still sell those bloated items, too.
truth is, getting rid of GDKP was only half the job. now they gotta get rid of the AH too. yes, just get rid of it. desperate times, desperate measures 