Pay for Item Shop or Grind for same Item or .... Both ??? :)

[Despond.2174]

If an official says it's an unintended mechanic, that's enough for me to not risk my account - regardless on the technical definition of "in-game exploit". When it's also noted "if you feel it puts you at risk" that's a suggested grey area also enough to warrant to avoid it. There have been MMOs in the past who have randomly done a 180 on something and people have been punished, so I think to myself: "Why risk it?".

Either way there are intended farming methods for years now that can net you 15g/hour or more comfortably, that's not even going into TP flipping and crafting.

[Nilson.9865]

Make gold. Convert gold to gems. Gz! You have access to gemstore items. SIMPLE.

...are you guys literally that inept?

[maddoctor.2738]

@DakotaCoty.5721 said:

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

@DakotaCoty.5721 said:

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:I think there already is such a system in place: it is the Gold-to-Gems exchange. Anything offered in the Gem Store can be acquired with Gems, and Gems can be acquired with Gold.

Good luck.

Except every single gold per hour method that is being published or discovered gets heavily nerfed with the exception of RIBA being the only one that has been viable for the last 3 years.

I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP's suggestion. Regardless of the rate of acquisition, one can acquire Gold and trade them for Gem for use in the Gem Store. Thus, Gem Store items are already able to be acquired solely through in-game play.

My point is that "the grind" is becoming increasingly difficult due to ArenaNet's attitude on farming gold within the game.

What is making the grind increasingly difficult is the farm itself. The more people do the grind and then buy gems with the gold they make, the more grind will be needed by everyone to keep getting their gems. That's because every time someone buys gems with gold, their price goes up. Also, the higher the gold/hour ratio in some farm content, the harder it is for players not participating in it to get their gems. In my opinion really high gold/hour content shouldn't exist in the game as it's indirectly making the game harder for those not interested in doing said content.