The importance of Req9 and it's effect on trade

Now, this is not an attempt at flaming anyone, or a QQ about being ripped off for weapons, but a genuine query and desire for information.

My main question is, it seems to me that unless a weapon is req9 (or less) that it instantly losses value by quite a considerable amount. I can understand how weapon mods reduce in value, such as +29HP, 19% HCR/HST etc because they give less of an effect mechanically. However, weapon requirement to me is somewhat different.

Speaking primarily as a Necro, weapon requirement has never been a big consideration, as whatever attribute i'm using i'll generally have as high as possible, to make the spells i'm using more effective, and that the requirement only affects the damage output from the wand/staff attacks themselves; and I imagine that other casters will agree with this point.

I then thought about melee weapons and bows/spears, whose damage is a key component, and I realised that the same is true, if using a class who relies on weapon damage, then i'd have the attribute for that weapon as high as possible to make the associated skills with it that I would take more damaging in addition to the raw weapon damage.

The only possible exception I can think of to this would be assassins, for whom -HP runes would be detrimental, but for req13 daggers only a minor rune would be necessary to function, or possibly when using Way of the Master builds with bows or other non-assassin weapons (i'm sure that there are more, i'm open to suggestions).

The sum of this ramble is: is the reason for the massive difference in weapon costs that aren't req9 purely a mark-up for prestige, or is there some other reason that i'm missing?

People like req 9 because it is what you get with pvp weapons and green weapons.

Req 9 is merely the standard perfect requirement and it has been so for a long time.

It's just prestige as far as I know, which is stupid because people can't see your weapon requirements unless you put them in a trade window. And nobody really does that, they just ping their weapons when they wanna show off.

Its partially prestige/rarity of the item, as its harder to get a req9.

But alot of people also only spec 10 into a certain attribute, making a weapon swap work even with weakness on.

It's mostly a prestige thing, but for some non-casters maxing an attribute may not be practical.

For instance, a Ranger may not be able to have 13 in Marksmanship because Beastmastery, Expertise and Wilderness Survival all have useful skills which are usable with minimal investment, and that's before secondary professions.

EDIT Kooomar also makes a good point about weakness.

Several factors:
-rarity issue. Simply, more rare means more money. As all items are in surplus, lower requisites are the second criterium.
-some people still think it makes the weapon do more damage.
-functionality - getting a 9 in an attribute is much cheaper than getting a 10 due to the increasing attribute point costs.

Ok the reason is 2 part.

1. People are stupid and think that a lower req damage with maxed attributes will do more damage. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

2. With lower req weapons it is possible to run a specific build that requires it and to easily cover for weakness.

Don't see how PvP/green weapons have anything to do with people wanting req 9s.

The main reason people like req 7/8/9 weapons because they're rarer than req 10/11/12/13. People want rare weapons. It's as simple as that.

Man, tell me about it. I meet people who have been playing the game over 2 years and still don't get it. They tend to get discouraged from playing warrior because they can't kill things fast enough.

Req9 items seem to have an equal chance of dropping as req10 ,11, 12 and 13 stuff. Req7 items no longer drop and are rare, historical artifacts in the marketplace and req8 items are infrequent drops and rare commodities these days. This accounts for their values.

Req9 Shields are especially desirable in comparison to higher reqs because people often put 8+1 in their shield's attribute (Command and Strength, most notably). In which case, the lower req is functionally appropriate and/or convenient.

My guess is that the desire for low req items (from above) rubs off on weapons where the req doesn't matter as much. It's funny how trends mean that req9 Voltaic Spears are actually in lower demand than req13 versions yet the valuation method remains the same (low req = more $$$).

People just want the best of the best, r9. Most of the time the attribute exceeds over 10, so r11 can be good enough.

Besides the weakness and attribute spread builds, there really is only one other reason: Nothing else to do, might as well get perfect.

ok,i have read the above post and i tell you this, in a real game req is very important,some games if u don't have a certain level in strength you can use the weapon. but in GW req is meaningless for anything other than the prestige factor.

take a 55monk/derv farmer, the common setup is the totem axe (unless they have built or bought a different caster weapon) and the -50 necro offhand.

now a M/D will have 0 attribute points for the caster weapon and 0 attribute points for the -50 necro offhand and yet they get full benefit of the weapons.

so inconclusion the only importance of req 9 or any req is purely prestige.

The exception would be bows- most PvP ranger builds have 10 in marksmanship, so req 11 (accounting for weakness) would be the lowest you could go without gimping yourself.

Otherwise it's the rarity.

This is only partly true for weapons, but false for offhadns/shiedls.

Req 9 is basic
Req 10-13 is cheap, or crap
Req 8 is unusual, and desirable
Req 7 is rare.

I personally hate using anything over req 9, unless it's a rare skin or a caster weapon where the req doesn't matter.

What's one of the favorite words on here? "E-peen." I think that's it.

Since I only use staves on my casters I go for as high a req as possible, because I'm cheap. My Ele and Necro only do 3 damage on attack... big deal, that's not what they're there for. For attacking classes I typically just go with whatever my attribute is -1.

if they don't work for offhands then how do non necros get benefit from the -50 offhand and there is a running build that uses a high energy offhand but the runner is not profession of the offhand.

Kayel, the ENERGY gained by the off hand is less (Notice that that's the part the req is next to?)
The mods are the same though.
The req's only affect that's next to them, plain and simple.

Yes, you still get the (partial, 1/2 armor/energy) benefit of item even if you don't meet the reqs for it. My point is that there are builds that spec only 7 or 8 into the some attribute, just so they get full benefit of it. To those builds low-req item is not a prestige, but a must.