So, can we finally get rid of transmutation charges?

[Gibson.4036]

Without vertical progression, we know one of the major endgames for GW2 is Fashion Wars(tm). Over the years we've built up an impressive array of skins, to the point that you can race in raciing gear, visit the Shiverpeaks in fur-lined warmth, and swim in a chainmail bikini (yeah, the one thing we don't have is actual swimwear, smh).

Transmutation charges are clunky, largely penalizing new players and rpers, because veterans are more likely to have settled into looks and acquired a hoard of the things. But even veterans like myself would burn through our stack if we took fashion wars to the limit and changed looks each time we entered a new biome or jumped into one of the many... many... many festivals.

Now, with the new ability to randomize armor choices, we have the perfect time to do away with transmutation charges altogether. It'd be great to cut us free to frequently roll the dice on all those wonderful skins we've collected over the years without counting down the number of charges we've got stored.

So how about it, ArenaNet? Unleash the fashion!

[Sobx.1758]

I don't exactly care either way (never really had issues with transmuation charges), but I don't see how adding an option to pick looks at random is somehow supposed to be a huge step (or tbh even a tiny one) towards removal of transmutation charges.

[vares.8457]

No. That would take away one advantage of legendary gear. 
And it is super easy to get more than enough transmutation charges, just play the game and you’ll get more than you can spend. 

Edited February 14 by vares.8457

[Gibson.4036]

1 hour ago, vares.8457 said:

No. That would take away one advantage of legendary gear. 

Oh noes!

Because ascended level stats, infinite stat swapping and free upgrade changes aren't enough?

Yeah, nobody would get legendary gear if transmutation charges went away.

1 hour ago, vares.8457 said:

And it is super easy to get more than enough transmutation charges, just play the game and you’ll get more than you can spend. 

Did you read my post all the way through?

Yeah, as a veteran player, I'm sitting on several hundred. Especially as a PvP player.

But if I changed looks to suit zones, or because I was hanging out at the beach, or because I want to go festival themed just for each festival... and especially if I started regularly randomizing just for the giggles... I'd burn through them fast.

They're archaic and clunky for a game that prides itself on its Fashion Wars.

It's an annoying, unnecessary mechanic right up there with armor repair. Remember repair cannisters? Just play the game and you had plenty of them. Were they still annoying enough to remove? ArenaNet thought so.

Edited February 14 by Gibson.4036

[Holgarf.6581]

25 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Without vertical progression, we know one of the major endgames for GW2 is Fashion Wars(tm). Over the years we've built up an impressive array of skins, to the point that you can race in raciing gear, visit the Shiverpeaks in fur-lined warmth, and swim in a chainmail bikini (yeah, the one thing we don't have is actual swimwear, smh).

Transmutation charges are clunky, largely penalizing new players and rpers, because veterans are more likely to have settled into looks and acquired a hoard of the things. But even veterans like myself would burn through our stack if we took fashion wars to the limit and changed looks each time we entered a new biome or jumped into one of the many... many... many festivals.

Now, with the new ability to randomize armor choices, we have the perfect time to do away with transmutation charges altogether. It'd be great to cut us free to frequently roll the dice on all those wonderful skins we've collected over the years without counting down the number of charges we've got stored.

So how about it, ArenaNet? Unleash the fashion!

Considering how ArenaNet are envisioning a monetise everything approach, I'd say no.

[yoni.7015]

26 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Oh noes!

Because ascended level stats, infinitely stat swapping and free upgrade changes aren't enough?

It’s never enough 

 

Edited February 14 by yoni.7015

[Gehenna.3625]

I don't mind the transmutation charges, but I would like to swap easily between looks. Perhaps we should get something like equipment templates but then purely for cosmetics. I cba to switch between looks if it takes more than a click of a button. 

[Randulf.7614]

/signed

[Khisanth.2948]

Biggest problem with this complaint is that it is already achievable.

[Gibson.4036]

4 minutes ago, Khisanth.2948 said:

Biggest problem with this complaint is that it is already achievable.

There was a way to never need to use repair cannisters or anvils, but they still ended up getting rid of them for everyone.

[vares.8457]

8 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

There was a way to never need to use repair cannisters or anvils, but they still ended up getting rid of them for everyone.

Apples and oranges. 

Why take something away people with legendary gear have worked for?Never have to worry about transmutation charges ever again was one motivation for me to craft three legendary armor sets.

You get a lot of of transmutation charges in WvW and PvP, why take this reward away from these game modes? 
 

I really don’t see a reason why they should get rid of them, getting enough transmutation charges is not a problem, if you are not into WvW and PvP you can craft legendary gear and don’t need transmutation charges  

 

Edited February 14 by vares.8457

[Gibson.4036]

18 minutes ago, vares.8457 said:

Apples and oranges. 

Why take something away people with legendary gear have worked for?Never have to worry about transmutation charges ever again was one motivation for me to craft three legendary armor sets.

You get a lot of of transmutation charges in WvW and PvP, why take this reward away from these game modes? 
 

I really don’t see a reason why they should get rid of them, getting enough transmutation charges is not a problem, if you are not into WvW and PvP you can craft legendary gear and don’t need transmutation charges  

 

They were annoying enough to motivate you to pursue legendaries.

But they're really not an issue.

Got it.

They're definitely not a huge deal, but they are a minor annoyance, and the game would be better without them.

[Khisanth.2948]

41 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

There was a way to never need to use repair cannisters or anvils, but they still ended up getting rid of them for everyone.

I am just pointing out that if this is what you want you can have it with some effort.

I have no love for the transmutation system but it also doesn't bother me. If it bother me I know what the solution is.

Anvils and canisters were also mostly useless.

Edit: Repairs were also in a ridiculous situations. With the masteries in place the main group impacted by armor damage are people who play open world solo.

- wvw has had auto repair at spawn for years

- fractal had auto repair from mistlock singularity

- raids had repair on the rift

- open world group content - you'll probably be rubbed back to life by someone with https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Noblesse_Oblige

- dungeons still have repair but those have been abandoned for years so they don't count

- open world solo players would still need repairs if they die often enough

In order for transmutation charges to be in the same situation as repairs the majority of the player base needs to have full legendary armory or maybe at least 1 full set since some people only play one character. At THAT point the claim about being mostly affecting new players becomes factually true.

3 hours ago, Gibson.4036 said:

Transmutation charges are clunky, largely penalizing new players and rpers, because veterans are more likely to have settled into looks and acquired a hoard of the things. But even veterans like myself would burn through our stack if we took fashion wars to the limit and changed looks each time we entered a new biome or jumped into one of the many... many... many festivals.

People having to pay more for a thing because they consume more of it is not a penalty being applied against them.

Edited February 14 by Khisanth.2948

[vares.8457]

6 minutes ago, Gibson.4036 said:

They were annoying enough to motivate you to pursue legendaries.

But they're really not an issue.

Got it.

They're definitely not a huge deal, but they are a minor annoyance, and the game would be better without them.

No they weren’t annoying, I play a lot of WvW and PvP so I never run out of transmutation charges. They are not even a minor annoyance and the game wouldn’t be better without them. You would take away one of the few rewards where WvW and PvP is better than PvE and you would take away one benefit of legendary gear. 

Edited February 14 by vares.8457

[lezbefriends.7516]

2 minutes ago, vares.8457 said:

No they weren’t annoying, I play a lot of WvW and PvP so I never run out of transmutation charges. They are not even a minor annoyance and the game wouldn’t be better without them. You would take away one of the few rewards where WvW and PvP is better than PvE and you would take away one benefit of legendary gear. 

So improve PvP rewards and make legendaries not suck? Why punish people?

[Sobx.1758]

1 minute ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

So improve PvP rewards and make legendaries not suck? Why punish people?

Saying "make the legendaries not suck!" while actively trying to lower the benefits they bring is an interesting position to put yourself into. Nobody is being punished here.

[Gibson.4036]

1 hour ago, lezbefriends.7516 said:

So improve PvP rewards and make legendaries not suck? Why punish people?

Walking uphill through the snow both ways builds character, bygummit! 

[Mistwraithe.3106]

Huh. Reading OP I figured this would be widely accepted as a good idea with the only reason not to do it being that Arena Net might rely on them for a bit of revenue.

Bit surprised to find so much resistance. It sounds like a good idea to me, being able to show off your skins without the current cost seems like an obvious improvement (other than revenue loss for Arena Net as mentioned).

[DeanBB.4268]

I agree with OP. Even though I have hundreds, I'd change up my looks much more frequently if there wasn't a cost.

[Obfuscate.6430]

I love the idea of not needing transmutation charges. 
But they would have to think of new rewards for map completion, black lion chest rewards, pvp rewards and of course the gem shop transmutation charge bundles. What would replace the transmutation charges?
Take away those, you take away some degree of incentive to play or purchase. 

When considering ideas it is important to also think about 1) the longevity of the game (does it support Arenanet, does it support development.) 2) does it impact important incentives for certain areas of the game? (it is a reward that players used to earn?) 

If your idea has a negative effect on these two areas, you must also come up with solutions. 

As much as I love the idea of not needing transmutation charges, they currently perform a minor role in adding incentive to various  game modes and for purchasing. (I use black lion statuettes for example to purchase them) 

[Smoky.5348]

38 minutes ago, Obfuscate.6430 said:

I love the idea of not needing transmutation charges. 
But they would have to think of new rewards for map completion, black lion chest rewards, pvp rewards and of course the gem shop transmutation charge bundles. What would replace the transmutation charges?
Take away those, you take away some degree of incentive to play or purchase. 

When considering ideas it is important to also think about 1) the longevity of the game (does it support Arenanet, does it support development.) 2) does it impact important incentives for certain areas of the game? (it is a reward that players used to earn?) 

If your idea has a negative effect on these two areas, you must also come up with solutions. 

As much as I love the idea of not needing transmutation charges, they currently perform a minor role in adding incentive to various  game modes and for purchasing. (I use black lion statuettes for example to purchase them) 

That is a very fair argument. There does need to be something else to replace map completion in particular since its only big reward is a charge. Oh, and maybe a key if you're lucky.

However, l do want to expound upon a perspective for further consideration: how transmutation charges feel for newcomers. You get a better armor piece, so you equip it. But, what if you don't like the skin; what do you do? Spend a charge for it when you only start with a few? At the rate you get better equipment in the early game, it's always a balancing act figuring out if this skin is palatable or if you want to gamble that you'll pick up more charges later. Even if you save up fifty, all it takes is a personal fashion overhaul to lose eight to ten of them. But, no, I admit it's not likely you'll want to change a skin every time, though I know l was always worrying about my balance throughout my first year of playing.

I just have to wonder how important it is that changing your cosmetics is something a new player has to work up to do when they already have to work up the skins themselves. And of course, what are ANET gonna do to adapt something else to its reward placements this late in the game? Hm...

Edited February 15 by Smoky.5348
Oh, I left in an unfinished thought. Always proofread!

[Linken.6345]

29 minutes ago, Smoky.5348 said:

That is a very fair argument. There does need to be something else to replace map completion in particular since its only big reward is a charge. Oh, and maybe a key if you're lucky.

However, l do want to expound upon a perspective for further consideration: how transmutation charges feel for newcomers. You get a better armor piece, so you equip it. But, what if you don't like the skin; what do you do? Spend a charge for it when you only start with a few? At the rate you get better equipment in the early game, it's always a balancing act figuring out if this skin is palatable or if you want to gamble that you'll pick up more charges later. Even if you save up fifty, all it takes is a personal fashion overhaul to lose eight to ten of them. But, no, I admit it's not likely you'll want to change a skin every time, though I know l was always worrying about my balance throughout my first year of playing.

I just have to wonder how important it is that changing your cosmetics is something a new player has to work up to do when they already have to work up the skins themselves. And of course, what are ANET gonna do to adapt something else to its reward placements this late in the game? Hm...

They could always use one of the many many outfits to keep the same look while leveling up mate.

[SuavePuppy.2809]

Despite having 3 sets of legendary armor, I would still see no wrong in removing transmutation charges from the game, as long as there is a small way for players to cash in on the ones they currently have.

[Smoky.5348]

1 hour ago, Linken.6345 said:

They could always use one of the many many outfits to keep the same look while leveling up mate.

Okay, and what about all the other new players who don't see an outfit they want? That's not gonna help them.

[AlenaVolkova.8179]

That's why I saved up a lot of underlevel armor piece and just treat them like clothing, then when I am back into actions, I wear my lv80 gears.