I got a phone call yesterday from Tobril. And he opened with “Hey, I got a question for you. I need a prise check on a +1 greater heart?”

And it got me thinking, how do you assign a value to a given item?

I think you have to start with what currency are you talking about. In this game there are a ton of different currencies. Plat, larges, epic scrolls, scales, other items.

Me I do most of my thinking in larges. Namely scales and stones. Although I am working in red scales mostly do to others valuing them higher then I do. Think strength of the scale(dollar) vs other(global) markets.

Before I move on I value 2-3 stones to a scale, a scale + stone to a red and 350K- 500k per scale. I have seen a bit over the last few days to say that a red might be worth 2 scales. But I am not there yet.

So now that we have our currency we need to think about setting a price. How do you do that? Well since there is no manufacturing or material costs we have to go with what would we pay for said item. Me I wouldn’t normally trade for a heart. Why? Because a few dollars on TP costs me less then the time I spent in game “earning” the item/s I am trading away. But I try to put myself into the mindset of a person that refuses to pay for a in game item.

Then I look on the forums and the AH (-30% at least on AH prices) and see if I am high or low.

Then I have to say what is the lowest I would take? Any thing below that point is a no go.. Somewhere in that number range I set a mental price. And of course have to add in a little for am I going to use this? Does a guildie/friend have a need? Because they get the “buddy” rate. Sometimes that rate is lower, others higher. It depends on how I felt trades with that person has gone in the past.

Tobril often thinks I make trades that are way in my favor. So he wont trade with me most of the time, he things I would gouge him. Other then one trade were I unknowingly way undercut current market value, I would say all of our trades have been fairly even.

So how did I answer his question at the start? A red and a scale, may be a red and 2 stones. And I would hope for 2 reds.

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I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend. Mine was good. Bought and planted a few things. Picked up a BB gun for the son/wife so they can learn some basics of shooting giving us something we can play around with that doesn’t required a range, vs a 90 min drive to my dad’s place. And it gives a me cheep way to do some (very) small game, birds and squirrels in a ShtF world. Saving real bullets for real game and looters. 🙂

But most of the weekend was filled with Xp grinding. I leveled to 14 early in the weekend, Friday night early. Now until 14 the xp is fast and levels come at a fair pace. 12 used to be a real hump, being mostly sands quests. But the Lordmarch quests helped that out a lot. And gives you something other then undead to fight.

Now at 14 the real work is just starting. 14 is my banking level. Here is were I start to hold the levels back until I have to take them. Before then xp is easy to come by, to much longer after that and you will run yourself in to shallow water. And find yourself taking massive xp hits or working explorer zones for max kills. Did that with Java’s last life, wont do it again.

The other nice thing about 14 is that is the level for Abbot loot comes on line. And I think until 18 and ToD rings it is the last big loot level. Some of you might say 16 for DT armor, but really I could do with out DT on many of my Alts.

Something I got for Java last life that I never used before is the staff from the Abbot raid.

Staff of the Petitioner – +5 Quarterstaff: Power Store (-10% sp cost), Greater Enchantment Focus, Greater Necromancy Focus, Concentration +5, Spell Penetration VIII

Power Store is amazing at this level. It allows me to almost run thru a quest casting BB when ever then swap to my sword and turn and mop up when ever I want to. Even with my poor DC. I was able to get Feast or Famine to 4 mins. That is faster then the 5 min runs I got on Samius’ sorc life. And Java is mostly melee.

I am also using the Fleshshaper’s Docent: +5, Negative Energy Absorption 20%, Fleshmaker, Disintegration Guard, Trace of Madness (Obsession), Power Drain. I am really liking it. I don’t know if the Disintegration Guard procs 3% or not but if feels very low. But I notice that Obsession procs a ton. And it rolls on my attack rolls. So a lot of my attacks are 100%+ hate gen. I like it enough that I am debating about making another suit Mania or Hysteria for the dance or curse guard for times I don’t need all that hate, but don’t want to be in the DoD in case it procs.

After running GH most of the weekend, some times with the wife, but mostly solo I am about ready to be forced to level. That will be good as I am tired GH quests. I want to bloody and then pillage Tor at 15 and try to get a few for xp reavers in for XP before u11.

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Once again I popped over to twitter for a topic. It was that or another last night on ddo I blah blah blah. And while those are fun it was time for something else. To days topic comes from HeavyCeee, he askes
It seems soo many people waste time in the forums rather than actually play the game. Why?

Now I don’t have any solid numbers of players vs active forum accounts. But remember hearing once that it was something like less then 10%. It is just that 10% is a fairly active group. No I might not post very often, but I do hit the new posts once or twice a day. And I check out my server’s trade forum. Just last night I swapped some GS blanks for some epic scrolls and what not via the forums to help a guy out. I think we both were very pleased with the deal.

But I think the group that is active on the forums are the people that are super active in the game. And can’t get enough of the game when they are able to play. Like myself I check the forums while at work. Don’t tell my boss but I write these posts at work too. I also hit the forums to see other people’s builds and see if there is something that I might like or want advice on.

You also have the people like Lessah, who are lerkers. They might not check it out every day but once and a while and mostly to feed their drama lama, maybe comment here and there. But most just see what everyone else is doing.

And you get a lot of people that want to be helpful and/or mean well if they don’t always come across that way.

Well I hope you all find yourself cheking out the forums from time to time. If nothing else search for samiusbot and feed me the greenies 🙂 (you don’t have to do that really, but do 🙂 )

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So last night I was full of fail. Okay, that was a little much. But I screwed up as bad as I could and not hurt anyone else. What did I do? Walked off the bridge in Evon6, on my FvS… Go a head and laugh until you sore, I will wait……

Luckily the other FvS was able to handle the healing with out me. But I still get a little hot under the collar when I think about it.

How did it happen? I let Real Life interfere at a critical moment but left my hand on the keys. And that was all it took. The best part was after I died falling out of von 6 and released I jumped off the airship tower to get to the air ship and forgot Feather Fall again and died…. So much fail.

So in my rage/ for my punishment I lead a group through edeep. It went well. Many of the group just came from that evon so tobril was able to take some good jabs at me and 2 or 3 of them got it… Before long I felt a little better.

It was a good chest, lots of fair to good shards, and very smooth run. Most of the group sticks around and we do a last stand. I guess the game was feeling sorry for me because I got a scroll. That is the first scroll I have gotten not solo farming alone or off the AH or in trade….

We also knock out a claw. By this time the group was getting a little nuts. To the point that someone tried to loot the giant’s grave. Let me tell you that guy is not that hard. But he was able to comet fall and BB while I was down on top of me. Grrrrr.

Other highlights from the night. Got my warding shield seal from evon2. Managed to not screw up a eDQ and took a lot of jokes on the chin it mostly good spirits. Mostly.

Oh and got to do 4-5 quests with the wife on Java. She is about to out level me however.. So much xp needed on double Trs vs first lifers.

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