fissure armor = wealth redistribution

It's VERY easy now for anyone to get rich without grindage, and to have pretty much anything they want item wise EXCEPT for two things:

1. The most sought after weapon types with good mods (although the same/better mods on a different weapon are very attainable). Ok so your using a collector's longsword +15% over 50 instead of a gold fellblade - so what.

2. Fissure Armor (same stats as Drok's)

In the course of just questing in UW you are bound to come across ecto, even in 8 person teams, and if you don't then 3-person farming teams are viable for anybody. A few hours and you'll have a few ecto.

What do you do with this ecto? It depends, if you like grindage and want to show it, save them until you have over 100 more and get that precious fissure armor thats the same stats as the 1.5k Droknar's. OR sell them, and use the money to buy pretty much anything else you could ever want.

Also fissure excursions, which I think are great fun, will (with a good group) often net you 1-2 shards at least plus all kinds of other stuff. On a long run you'll be 5-15k richer at least.

Fissure armor was a brilliant move on anet's part - it is the great wealth redistribution machine. As long as you can live without it, you can capitalize off the insanely wealthy/grinding people who must have it.

Actually, I wouldn't say that ecto is as common as that in UW. Each time I've gone, I've seen either 0-1 ecto drop. Everything else is either gold or demonic remains (and maybe the odd unremarkable weapon). Of course, you can potentially salvage Ecto out of Demonic remains, but even then it's a lottery.

You're right though, it is the same as Dye, only with a more complex background to it. Dye you either apply or sell. Ecto needs to be hoarded, then delivered with other materials in the FoW, and that's IF you make it there, and IF your country has favour blahblahblah.

OK, so Fissure Armour is overrated. Same stats as the 1.5k armour at Droknars, and very difficult and expensive to get. It is also a great way for players who have completed everything else to try a new challenge. If they don't want Fissure Armour, they don't have to get it. For those who do, it will remain an excellent challenge and motivation for playing the game.

Can you really? I've never heard of anyone succeeding, and I certainly haven't.

Have like 25 of the bloody things now just for the sake of having them.

It doesn't not really redistribute wealth. The people who go to UW/FoW regularly are those who are rich. My mesmer/necro cannot farm as fast as Warriors, Monks, and Eles and she won't get into any group that is going into UW/FoW. And it's highly unlikely that you will get that Uber gold Fellblade without farming anyways (most of the more desirable items are found in UW/FoW anyways, somewhere that my char can't ever get into a group to go). Something like black dye does redistribute wealth. People in pre-searing can get them and make a few thousand off rich people.

I cant get to the underworld to get ecto ...europe never has favor /pout

:\

Yeah, I mean Esoteric Warriors haven't held for Europe the entire day...

Oh yeah. 15% above 50 swords aren't collectors items yet.

actually... Europe has been getting favor quite a bit... Esoteric Warriors seem to be winning HoH a lot lately

EDIT : ^^ beat me to it

Honestly you son't need to be "rich" or grind that much to get 10-12 ecto. Get in a 2-3 person smite run. Ten hours of this and you'll have all the money you will ever need for the causal player. And before you jump on the 10 hours thing, it doesnt have to be 10 hours all at once - over the course of a week maybe, or a month whatever.

BTW the 3 man runs are not exclusive to certain classes. You need a tank, a healer/protector, and a high damage dealer. Rangers can form trapping groups, etc. Invinci-monks often seek out necro primaries with bip for smite duos, ect. And ANY class can take monk as a secondary and tank using only major runes (though they can't solo with those). Mesmer TANK LFG 3-man Smite run!

These runs can get boring, but again unless you want 105 ecto, they aren't necessary for very long.

that hasnt been proven yet. still waiting on the pics for proof.

Don't be so sure. You're lucky to see 1 or more ectos drop questing in the UW, and the chances of you getting it in an 8 person party is slim at best.

Heh, recently I lucked out and found a Superior Smiting, now I have all the money I'll ever need for casual playing

Hmm this poses a big question: to sell or not to sell? With the economy as it is and ANet promising to fix it, should we sell our hoarded items at sky-high prices in hopes that the extrodinary prices will come crashing down as items flood the market, or should we wait to see if this tower will climb any higher? Such a puzzle this economy is.

Not much of a challlenge per say, since you repeat the same dam quests over and over...

More like grind

Some people consider gaining the items for it a challenge. It's a matter of personal opinion.