Althea's Ashes scam...

I've done AA a few times now, so, when I started a new char and finally made it to the post I decided to try it myself.... I thought it was a scam right up until the Duke took it from me.... So, I guess in my case it worked.... I kinda feel guilty , but I was really seeing for myself.... Mine cost me 50 gold

you should have been there when i was handing out free ashes... i got 10 people asking me at the same time for it

Is this 'scam' still running? It's been a while since I went to Piken Square.

I'm not entirely sure why anybody would 'buy' a quest item. WHAT IS THE POINT OF BUYING A GAME ONLY TO AVOID DOING AS MUCH OF IT AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN?!?!

I hate it when people are like that. Did you notice?

a few days ago i say someone claiming that it worked, he got the ashes from another player that had a few hundreds, there was a bug with fast clicking or so afaik. Therefore i think it might work and now you don't keep the ashes anymore, at least my second char didn't keep them, my first still has them, but i'm loathe to get another char there and try it. It's not that hard a quest to avoid it in that way.

I just handed one pile of ashes to a dude for free after reading this to see if it worked, sure enough, I watched him get the exp for it. So no it's not a scam. However I'd still rather people just do it themselves. The dude asking for it either missed out or hopefully just didn't want to do it again on his new character.

Even selling it though, I don't see much money to be made from it as most people just don't have too much money when they're at Piken square.

I still want to find out what to do with that tattered cape and Ralena's Cure...

Many of the ppl buying the ashes play with their 2nd/3rd character...and dont bother doing the quest.

why not...this quest is a PERFECT test of how well you play the class...generally you are outleveled...outnumbered...and at a massive disadvantage...being able to get through it is a great test of how well you know the class/team

There's still plenty more left in the game that will teach you how to play the class.

but if they can skip it...they will.

learning how to play your class as early as possible is better for everyone that enjoys the game....i'm doing the trials of ascension now...and it's impossible to find a competant group because nobody knows how to effectively play their class....it's rare that you get a PUG that knows what they are doing.

This is true. I did this quest in a party (all human) and found that afterwards I couldn't get the XP for completing the quest as I wasn't personally given any ashes, even after completition. However, the party leader ended up with 12 lots of ashes(!!!!), but he had left before I realised this! I ended up having to redo the quest (with some henchies). If buying ashes helps people get around this bug then good luck to 'em.

Welll...accually, a few weeks ago i was doin the quest, and as soon as i started the quest some guy gave me ashes for free, which i used immedeatly on the duke guy, and it worked, i got a bunch exp in less than 2 mins

This is another example of people trying to outwit the game and become godlike. They have no real purpose being at level 20. Just as a level 5 ascending, they don't know how to use their skills. I don't care if this is your 9th character, you still won't get the experience of actually using your skills.

The outcome is the shallow gene pool at the ascension trials.

Yea its not a scam its actually a pretty good way of makin money i think, tho iv never tried it

Not by a long shot. the charr are what.. lvl 10 tops? I've normally got my chara at least lvl 13 or 14 by that point in which case (with similarly leveled group members) it's quite an easy quest to finish so long as you dont aggro too many of them at once.

I'd venture that that's what he was talking about.

I bought the ashes with my 3rd character, and I've escorted several other players out to get the ashes and even more to Grendich where they can get a head start on both Ashes and Daughter quest.

I want my 3rd character to get out of Ascalon... I don't really like it anymore. I want Kryta and the Crystal desert...

I emailed Anet support on this and the reply I received was to send them info on time, location, and person selling the ashes.
Personally, I think it should not be allowed to be sold for it ruins a persons chance to experience part of the game...however, I can agree that it can be challenging for low level charcters and it takes alot of time..so a way to bypass is viewed as a help.

I usually skip the quests at Piken Square and come back to them after I'm at a higher level, usually when I'm like level 12 or higher. It just takes too damn long and difficult to complete those quests at such a high disadvantage.

I agree, Anubis. I wait until I'm at least a 10 and have finished quests through Nolani. Getting to Grendich is much easier from there and you're at a better advantage level-wise once you've reached that point. Add to that the fact that you're 1/2 way to finishing "Fires in the North", "Duke's Daughter", "Angela's Ashes" and "Grizzfang...err..whatever his name is", you've got a huge advantage and nearly a level's worth of XP just finishing those four.

I usually try to skip all the exp quests untill I have ascended. I have found that you need the exp at level 20 to get skill points far more than you need exp to be level 20 by Riverside.

On the other hand, I do every skill quest I can find as soon as I can. Because, it the skills, and the knowledge to use them that you need for this game.

BTW I bought the Ashes for my third character. It worked. I have run the Ashes quest so many times, (farming for Char Hides) that I just don't want to do it anymore. Besides, it it long, and not even remotely hard, compared to the desert. Hey, why not? 2000 exp for 85 gold, nice.