Better gold caster wands/staves/offhands

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

It seems that the only drops and chest drops that are worth anything, or even usable, are the warrior and ranger weapons. There are so many different mods, skins, etc for axes, swords, and hammers (and maybe bows, not sure). Asthetically, most of the caster items suck, but even if they don't, there's nothing out there that compares to the usefulness of the collector items, or the green items. Whenever I play the deep, as soon as someone sees an effigy or a staff or wand drop out of a chest, there is an immediate groan, because they will never sell for anything. Hammers, axes, and sword can go for insane amounts of money. Hardly a day goes by that I don't get some sort of warrior weapon that people would actually consider usable. Even the end-game caster items were not so special. (I won't get into how much more imaginative and creative that warrior armor is compared to caster armor). Howbout giving us casters some love?

Savio

Savio

Teenager with attitude

Join Date: Jul 2005

Fifteen Over Fifty [Rare]

Arenanet doesn't do price controls beyond altering drops.

Had you been arguing for a more realistic change - like, say, eliminating the dreaded 3 attribute caster item - I would be all for it. But what you're mainly complaining about is that caster items generally sell for less than ranger (?) and warrior weapons.

Well guess what the majority of casual, e-peen-loving players want? Not flimsy sticks, not straw dolls, not scrolls. They want huge shiny weapons (or small shiny weapons in the daggers' case.) Making caster weapons "better" (that is, both innate mods of the same attribute) will actually drop prices more (supply and demand). So what is it: do you want better, cheaper weapons, or do you want crappier weapons that occasionally sell for good amounts?

Ira Blinks

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2006

I want rare skin market for staves. I wanted good shadow staff for ages, but they just don't drop with mods that even remotely resemble anything usable.
Also customization should give some useful bonus.

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Savio
Had you been arguing for a more realistic change - like, say, eliminating the dreaded 3 attribute caster item - I would be all for it. But what you're mainly complaining about is that caster items generally sell for less than ranger (?) and warrior weapons.

Well guess what the majority of casual, e-peen-loving players want? Not flimsy sticks, not straw dolls, not scrolls. They want huge shiny weapons (or small shiny weapons in the daggers' case.) Making caster weapons "better" (that is, both innate mods of the same attribute) will actually drop prices more (supply and demand). So what is it: do you want better, cheaper weapons, or do you want crappier weapons that occasionally sell for good amounts?
I was just using the actual prices as an example. They sell for less than warrior weapons, because simply, they are crap. Even if the straw effigies looked decent, even if the zodiac staves looked ok (Which they do)...they are still crap, and they still don't compare to the collectors or green items. I don't care how much or how little they cost, I want to be able to trade for or achieve in a drop a caster item that is actually usable.

Undivine

Undivine

of Brackenwood

Join Date: Oct 2005

Ontario, Canada

The best mods you can get on a staff is Enchanting, Insightful, and maybe the 2 health ones. A caster generally doesn't care about armor as their tactics involve avoid attacks in the first place. Even if that isn't the case, +5 or +7 vs something is negligable.

The "physical" equipment on the other hand: Lengthens daze, deep wound, cripple, and many other conditions; change damage type to fire, ice, and the other elements; life stealing, energy gaining; and all the suffix' that staves get. Here's the list.

The innate mods is where it gets good, where you have the 20/20 cast/recharge of a spell line. Or +1 to a spell line 20% chance. But all the collectors have those. In fact, there isn't much point in even bothering with most greens because it is easy enough to just modify the collector's with the mods you want.

I think the OP has a point. Nobody has the same craze for caster equipment that they do for fighter equipment.

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

The only mod that I use for my elem is the 20% chance of cast/recharge...the health is ok, the +1 isn't so great...reducing dazed (or something extremely stupid, like weakness) by 20% is just ridiculous...I've never seen an axe mod that says "reduces dazed by 20%" so why does anet bother putting in staves reduce weakness by 20%?

lyra_song

lyra_song

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
The only mod that I use for my elem is the 20% chance of cast/recharge...the health is ok, the +1 isn't so great...reducing dazed (or something extremely stupid, like weakness) by 20% is just ridiculous...I've never seen an axe mod that says "reduces dazed by 20%" so why does anet bother putting in staves reduce weakness by 20%?
I found a reduced Dazed by 20% Summit Warlord Shield just last night.

I do agree though that caster drops suck because of the huge amount of randomness in it. Theres usually two inherent mods built into every max staff. The randomness of drops allows for any two mods to be matched up. And theres a LOT of mods.

What needs to happen is the random drop for staves needs to be changed SLIGHTLY.

If a staff drops for a specific profession attribute, all the mods on it HAVE to be within the same profession AT LEAST. >.< So those 3 attribute or 4 attribute with multiple primary staves will disappear forever.

Example: A gold stave, max drops with a Communing requirement. There should be ZERO chance for it to have any attributes thats not a ritualist.

While some of you may disagree with this, because some mixed staves are actually useful, but not if its 3 primaries.

Age

Age

Hall Hero

Join Date: Jul 2005

California Canada/BC

STG Administrator

Mo/

I would like to see better wands with energy bonuses on par with PvP wands which are way better and can do more damage.

Undivine

Undivine

of Brackenwood

Join Date: Oct 2005

Ontario, Canada

Quote:
Originally Posted by lyra_song
If a staff drops for a specific profession attribute, all the mods on it HAVE to be within the same profession AT LEAST. >.< So those 3 attribute or 4 attribute with multiple primary staves will disappear forever.

Example: A gold stave, max drops with a Communing requirement. There should be ZERO chance for it to have any attributes thats not a ritualist.
Reminds me of those staves that have +12 energy (req Divine Favor) +1 Illusion (16% chance). WTF Divine Favor? My Mesmer is going to have Divine Favor? My monk is going to use Illusion spells?

Trylo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2006

[Here] | CKOD

E/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Undivine
The innate mods is where it gets good, where you have the 20/20 cast/recharge of a spell line. Or +1 to a spell line 20% chance.
Sorry to break it to you, but the +1, 20% chance is a wrapping.

I would enjoy saying goodbye to those horrid 3...4 attribute stuff... PLZ!

(Its like having a "Marksman's Sword of Dagger Master", +1 20% to bow, sword and dagger, to bad wars never get that golden weapon mentioned above... then i'd be happy!)

The Great Al

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2005

ALOA

E/Me

is 20% really a wrapping? I've never seen one before

pork soldier

pork soldier

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Great Al
is 20% really a wrapping? I've never seen one before
Yep.

I'd like to see wands that are at least as good as a +5e sword with an enchanting or fortitude mod, then I might use a wand for a change.