firamas

So, this was introduced recently, and it was a suitably game-changing effect to justify it as a rare drop off T8 dungeon mobs. If you wanted one you could go to Sebilis or Chardok with a group, farm for a few hours (netting chances at masters and legendary loot, just like any other contested dungeon), and likely pull a shard out as well. Nice bonus for whoever got it that time around. They were also obtainable solo, off the entrance mobs. Prices stabilized on the broker at around 80p, which provided an alternate method to obtain them for those with the financial ability (i.e. any raider who's getting guildsplits or anyone else affected by the massive T8 plat inflation). At any time there might be 3-4 on the broker. People wanted them (doubly so on PvP servers where it makes a critical difference), and they were willing to spend the time to get them.

So why was the drop rate astronomically increased with LU42? There are now half a dozen pages on the broker, and the price has fallen below 50g each (and will fall much further as people realize they aren't going to even sell at that price). It's now essentially trash loot. It's gone from a decently hard to obtain, nice to have, utility-rich status symbol, to just another globally available ability.

If the intention was to make this AA switch ability available to everyone, it would have made more sense to do it upon its release. Consumers don't respond well to companies who provide retail products that are introduced at an artificial scarcity and high price, then flood the market with another run of production at a lower price point shortly after. Apple, for instance, took a lot of shit for the iPhone with that tactic.

And don't say "you're just crying because you spent all that time [or money] on yours when it first came out, boohoo, don't ruin it for the rest of it"... that's not my intention here, and that's a cop-out to avoid a serious answer to my question. It was introduced as a rare, useful item, and then a few months later the paradigm completely changes and everyone gets one for pennies. I'm just curious to hear why, if any dev can offer some info.

Valanthe

It's not as much that the drop rate is substantially increased as much as everyone and their mother being in the zones that drop them for Epic Updates.

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firamas

No, the drop rate is most definitely increased. Having one drop on average every ~15-20 mins as you do a dungeon crawl is SIGNIFICANTLY different than once every 3-6 hours. The increase in people populating those zones only amplifies that. A dirge in my guild walked away with TWENTY shards during his Sebilis farming to get his epic starter.

Like I said, on the Nagafen broker pre-LU42 these were 70-90p each, and there were maybe 3-5 up at any time. Now, its flooded with 6 pages (and growing) of shards and the price has completely bottomed out, down to literally a handful of gold each.

Pinski

I thought that at first, then I saw 5 within an hour. I guess they wanted to make them "uncommon" rather than "rare", so they changed it. I mean, it's not like they are game breaking or anything. They're useful to everybody, and now they're cheap for everybody too.

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All of the reasons why I've felt this way
So long...
So long
Then lost in that feeling I looked in your eyes
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Vainamoinen

I would say the consumers who have paid hard-earned dollars and cents certainly have more to be dissatisfied with than those that spent plat (hard-earned? perhaps, but it was hard-earned in your leisure time) to purchase an item dropped by the RNG gods.

Yes, it is kinda shitty when everyone is running around with your status symbol in tow. I mean, you can by a Jag these days for around 30K. How do you think those old bastards, unable to actually enjoy the material wonders of the world, feel in their Jag XK's?

Thing is, there's always other status symbols. Chalk it up to a bad investment and move on.

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Karel

Not really, I got mine before changes after farming frogs in Sebilis for almost a week. No complaints, not blaming the rng, it was the way meant to be.

Post GU#42 while farming solo sarnaks at the entrance to Chardok I got 6 shards in the span of roughly 2 hours. The drop rate was ridiculously increased. They are so excessively common that on my server they are selling for 1g and change.

Lesdat

I agree, we saw three drop in our group last night in a single instance.

Hoss

Did anyone ever figure out of we can have multiple mirrors in our houses and use them all?


-h

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Amen

Illuminator

I got one off a KJ solo mob.

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dakkota

IMO it gives function we should have had all along. I never saw what was game breaking about being able to change up specs whenever you want - you can only spec the fair amount of points at a time anyhow. by the 3rd respec having to drop 10p was the stupidest fucking thing I had seen - this seems to be the creative way to fix it.