There are many ways to make money. Most people hunt for rare runes and weapons to sell, but I prefer to farm out raw materials. Why?
I used to go out looking for rares all the time but I got tired of the whole scene.
1.) If you find a place that's fertile with rares - inevitably it gets nerfed. That's just a fact of life.
2.) Even when you find a nice rare - it's always heartbreaking to fail a salvage of one component. Before the rune salvaging was patched I farmed out rare runes. Found 2 Sup Vigors and lost them both to salvage. That really hurts.
3.) You have to haggle in Lion's Arch or Ascalon with people who will always call your price a ripoff even though you know it's fair.
4.) Many people just want to see your item instead of buy - they say "I can't afford it anyway" or "I just wanted to see it."
5.) I hated it when people arrange a meeting to buy and change their mind without telling you. So you're left waiting until you have to PM them.
6.) Because of all the above and other reasons farming for rares and having to sell them is inconsistent and often disappointing. Sure you can make 50k or 90k in a single transaction - but it doesn't happen every day.
On the other hand
1.) Raw materials will never be nerfed.
2.) They're everywhere - and if you keep a couple of salvage kits on you and your raw materials supply you can always collect.
3.) Expert salvaging even ordinary items gives you Steel, Silk, Linen and Leather.
4.) With consistent saving you will always make money - it isn't hit/miss.
5.) With more time farming raw materials rather than haggling - you're playing more and chatting less.
Sure, raw materials isn't as sexy as rare items but I'm just trying to earn a buck. I realize that smart rare dealing means the sky's the limit when making money off of a good item - but it's tough to do that on a daily basis. And don't underestimate the earning potential of raw materials - I just hit my 900k gold mark.
Why it's better to farm raw materials than hunt for rares
Xue Yi Liang
Aniewiel
Bravo! *plans to go materials hunting* 
Reiden Argrock
Was just wondering, cause I did this for a while to, and prices started dropping.. Do you just farm the common materials, like wood hides and iron, or do you go and turn into rare materials?
Kuku Monk
Totally depends on the raw materials you are salvaging... You'll spend more on the Expert Salvage kit than you will get in return for some of the materials...of course the exceptions are the more rare materials...but you get the picture....
Aracos79
I used to do this, but falling material prices have made it much less profitable. Parchment was an example. Farm wood, turn wood to parchment, sell parchment. But the more people that do this, the lower prices will go. I'm afraid all the OP accomplished here is reduce his profits. :/
Sofonisba
But when I had to keep running to buy more and more and more and more wood planks to get my monk's ascetic armor crafted, do you think I have learned my lesson about collecting materials that "seem" worthless?
I salvage almost everything, and I just store it later for myself and other guildmates. Even if I don't make much money from each quest/hunting trip, I consider it an investment for later on, when I can walk up to the crafter and immediately have everything I need.
No more desperation trips to the materials trader for me!
I salvage almost everything, and I just store it later for myself and other guildmates. Even if I don't make much money from each quest/hunting trip, I consider it an investment for later on, when I can walk up to the crafter and immediately have everything I need.
No more desperation trips to the materials trader for me!
Teufel Eldritch
I've been doing this as well. The main prob I have is the 'special' drops. I hate to salvage a Chaos Axe or a Storm/Eternal Bow so I hold onto them & place them into storage. Eventually I get inventory overlflow on this excess 'special' inventory & I either end up giving it away to friends or I force myself to deal with the Trade Channel. I hate doing business with humans in this game.
Aracos79
Ugg... trading is probably the most painful aspect of this game for me. Everytime I unmute the Trade Channel I cringe. Why is it that people buying and selling are the most abusive? Does that really help you sell your stuff faster or get a better price? Seems to me that the best "customer service" would get the most business, not the childish, abusive spammer.
KvanCetre
If I remember correctly, I sold a set of 10 silks for 2 plat to the trader
And they're so easy to get from the RoF webs
And they're so easy to get from the RoF webs
Xue Yi Liang
Amen.
When I have some weapon to sell in Lion's Arch - I price for quick sale so I don't have to haggle. Adept players will know a good price when they see one and we both end up happy. The people who insist on haggling obnoxiously even when the price is fair are frequently surprised to find that someone beat them to the purchase.
The way I see it - when selling rare weapons - you don't lose money for selling it below someone else's price because you didn't pay for it to begin with.
When I have some weapon to sell in Lion's Arch - I price for quick sale so I don't have to haggle. Adept players will know a good price when they see one and we both end up happy. The people who insist on haggling obnoxiously even when the price is fair are frequently surprised to find that someone beat them to the purchase.
The way I see it - when selling rare weapons - you don't lose money for selling it below someone else's price because you didn't pay for it to begin with.
Creston
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Originally Posted by Xue Yi Liang
There are many ways to make money. Most people hunt for rare runes and weapons to sell, but I prefer to farm out raw materials. Why?
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Then to be followed by a dev post saying "Oh, but we're not against farming, really, it's okay if you want to."
Hehe
Creston
Ollj
hehe funny, now prices for raw materials will drop also
thanks guys.
thanks guys.
Xue Yi Liang
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Originally Posted by Ollj
hehe funny, now prices for raw materials will drop also
thanks guys. |
Izzy Izumi
Yeah, even if you don't get a lot of money out of *each* wood plank, that's still 3 (or was it 5?) gold per piece. Imagine if a Ranger must REALLY need that Druid Armor set?
Hell, most of us here probably have a few 250-count stacks of Iron Ingots. I know I do.
If everyone's trying to farm the rare materials, nobody's selling the BASIC stuff.
It is farming after all, and it'll take a while....most times longer than others.
Hell, most of us here probably have a few 250-count stacks of Iron Ingots. I know I do.
If everyone's trying to farm the rare materials, nobody's selling the BASIC stuff.
It is farming after all, and it'll take a while....most times longer than others.
wallin
I've started doing this as well. Out of curiosity, would you say it's better to expert salvage all the items you find? (increasing you chances of getting rares/more commons) Or just expert the highly salvagable ones?
Also, seeing as how much prices fluctuate through the day, I'm thinking I'll hold off on selling everything till the weekends, when prices are at their max (I think). Is this what you all do as well?
Also, seeing as how much prices fluctuate through the day, I'm thinking I'll hold off on selling everything till the weekends, when prices are at their max (I think). Is this what you all do as well?
Loviatar
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Originally Posted by wallin
I've started doing this as well. Out of curiosity, would you say it's better to expert salvage all the items you find? (increasing you chances of getting rares/more commons) Or just expert the highly salvagable ones?
Also, seeing as how much prices fluctuate through the day, I'm thinking I'll hold off on selling everything till the weekends, when prices are at their max (I think). Is this what you all do as well? |
as for expert salvage keep a record of what gives good and which it doesnt make a difference
if i mention my favorite source of a good rare they will nerf it
just keep records and they will stand out
also dyes are dropping so fast some colors are almost worth only giving away
Izzy Izumi
Yeah, dyes are dropping pretty fast now. I remember going to the trader and seeing like...98 for an orange. LOL.
Sir Skullcrasher
speaking of dye drop, i used to get two or three dye whenever i went on a killing spreed. But now, i get zero dye drops? is it because i got to many dye that why no more drops for me 
Aracos79
They seem to come in bunches for me. I'll go days without seeing one, then I'll get 3 or 4 in one night. Still no black ones tho. 
Loviatar
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Originally Posted by Aracos79
They seem to come in bunches for me. I'll go days without seeing one, then I'll get 3 or 4 in one night. Still no black ones tho.
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on the other hand i average 1-4 per hour of the others and the last price i got for 3 of the colors was 40 so i will try later
i have not (for the last few weeks) gone more than 1 hour on any day without at least 1-2 dyes
Ollj
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Originally Posted by Xue Yi Liang
Well - that's why I didn't specify WHICH raw materials are my best sources of revenue. A well motivated person can figure it out, but those looking for a quick buck will have a harder time. Still, it's hard to LOSE money farming raw materials - no matter what they are.
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Deathlord
Mm.... Use Expert Salvage easily farmable monsters drops... The money isn't as fast as simple as finding a rare godly bow and selling it off for 200k, but it's much more stable and reliable. I've been using expert salvage on about atleast a 300 items now (Salvage armors/non-magical weapons) and I have 61 steel ingots ^^, even if I sell them for 200 each to the trader, that's still a rather decent 12k along with tons of iron/wood/etc. for a the cost of 12 expert salvages (4800). Still a profit!
Sofonisba
For me, I have found at least one reliably lame object to expert salvage: charr carvings.
Whether I use the expert or regular, they always always seem to salvage into one lousy wood plank.
Whether I use the expert or regular, they always always seem to salvage into one lousy wood plank.
Izzy Izumi
Personally, I don't risk an expert salvage kit on *any* basic drop until I get Kryta. I've never seen anything good happen from drops in the Ascalon area with an expert salvage kit.
Khift
I passively farm materials, and my bank account thanks me for it. I never sell to traders, just to people, and I never go out looking for buyers, I just happen to bump into a dude buying 400 Iron Ingots, and I say to myself - Hey!, I've got that in my storage. And then, of course, I set a price between what I'd get for selling the whole bunch to the trader and what it'd cost him to buy the whole bunch from the trader, and everyone is happy.
Steel, though, is probably my most profitable trade. Well, besides Ectoplasm. (But I don't get much of that.)
Steel, though, is probably my most profitable trade. Well, besides Ectoplasm. (But I don't get much of that.)
Khift
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Originally Posted by Izzy Izumi
Personally, I don't risk an expert salvage kit on *any* basic drop until I get Kryta. I've never seen anything good happen from drops in the Ascalon area with an expert salvage kit.
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aB-
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Originally Posted by Izzy Izumi
Yeah, dyes are dropping pretty fast now. I remember going to the trader and seeing like...98 for an orange. LOL.
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After the nerf of some popular farming spots that dropped rares and purples, i have also begun this process in different areas, and i can say it works great. You don't have the huge gain fast gain of getting a superior vigor or incredible item, but you have a constant flow of less valuable items which is enough for me.
unclearconcept
i dunno if i was insane or not, but last night i could sell orange for 1g at the dye trader... i thought "holy... crap" but it was very late and i mighta been at the material trader? i don't even know if you can put a dye in his window.. but i know for sure it wasn't a merchant!
Alderman Sweet
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Originally Posted by unclearconcept
i dunno if i was insane or not, but last night i could sell orange for 1g at the dye trader... i thought "holy... crap" but it was very late and i mighta been at the material trader? i don't even know if you can put a dye in his window.. but i know for sure it wasn't a merchant!
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Sofonisba
FYI - I put orange dye over my original green mesmer armor - and it turned out a beautiful velvety chocolate brown.
Go orange dye, go!
Go orange dye, go!
Xue Yi Liang
Yeah - the trader's prices sometimes do odd things.
Once the materials trader was only paying 10gp for 10 steel.
Once the materials trader was only paying 10gp for 10 steel.
wallin
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Originally Posted by Xue Yi Liang
Yeah - the trader's prices sometimes do odd things.
Once the materials trader was only paying 10gp for 10 steel. |
Xue Yi Liang
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Originally Posted by wallin
I wonder if that means he was selling 10 steel for 30 gp?
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