Finally, I'm level 300 Enchanting on my Warlock. This was a long and bitter road, peppered with time-sinks and a large investment of my own gold. So frustrating at times, that I gave up again and again, until being stuck at 266 burned a hole in my gut that I just couldn’t stand any longer. This past weekend I made up my mind to finish out – one way or another I would get to level 300.
It cost me 320 gold to complete my last 34 points. I might have gotten 10g in tips along the way but I don’t think it was that much. Depression sank in as I began having to sell my stashes of dusts, shards and Mooncloth on the Auction House at discount prices to fund this little adventure. Why did I have to sell my own items in order to do the enchants? It seems that the average player has become spoiled and inconsiderate. They’ve become accustomed to getting free enchants (including the comps) from others that are desperate to level this profession. As a result, someone trying to charge even the smallest amount or request that the comps be provided, is jeered like a thief. At one point I was advertising, “Free enchants – just bring comps.” Someone replied that if they had to get the comps it wasn’t free. I said, “Enchanting is a profession, not Social Services. If you can’t even be bothered to provide the comps, then you don’t need the enchant.”
I’ve heard from many, that people expect the low-level enchants to be free because we use them as skill-ups. Excuse me?? Do you get low-level alchemy pots, armor, weapons, tailored items or anything else player-crafted for free just because it was a skill-up item? I think not! Are people standing in IF giving away free Iron, Tin, Peace blooms, Silver leaf, etc? No. All of these items are sold on the AH for a small compensation to the player pursuing the profession. Why would enchanting be any different?
I don’t think the players who thoughtlessly expect these low-level enchants for free realize, that they are the VERY reason that Enchanters charge so much for the level 300 enchantments. It’s to recover our lost time and the huge cost incurred on the way up. We are jaded by the end of this profession and have little compassion for people that were rude and selfish to us, as we endeavored to reach the level cap. Still, I think it’s unfair that regardless, Enchanters are forced to spam in order to sell. I really wish Blizzard would package the enchants similar to the Totem concept adopted in AC2 or Scrolls in EQ. Yes, the comps are expensive and you don’t’ always have them to make an item to sell. However, when you *do* have them, you should be able to sell the item on the AH like every-other-profession.
To some players 320g might not be a lot. It was to me. All I’ve done on Saylah, when I even been on Saylah, is raid these past few months. And raiding is pure cost – potions, buff food, bandages and repair bills. You get great loot, when you are the person who wins the loot, but you don’t have vendor/trash items given to you to help pay for the raiding. I wasn’t playing my Warlock which meant I wasn’t farming to pay for raiding. I was, and am still, using saved gold, Mooncloth and DE’d items to keep Saylah solvent. Finishing out Enchanting has made a huge dent in my savings, not to mention the minor twinking here-n-there for my Priest. Oh well, just as in real life – you can’t take it with you so spend with abandon. *Smile*
The one shining gem in the situation is that I’d won the +15 AGI enchant during our early days in AQ20. If I can get a few of the other dropped recipes like +22 Mana, Fiery or Crusader, I will be set. Notwithstanding having to spam to sell the enchants, I’ll make my gold back and then some. Not everyone was an ass about the enchants. There were a few people that brought the comps without a word, two or three who tipped and one that left a couple of extra Illusion dust as a tip. I noted their names and told them that they could have the +15 AGI enchant for free when they had the comps.
The last thing I did before signing off with my 300 skill-points was to fight my way to the trainer in Uldaman to train the standard Artisan level enchants. Might I say, that this is another pain-in-the-ass about this profession. Me and Blue-boi fumbled around a bit until I found the right pit, burned the little scorpions then out came shy Annora, the Enchanting Trainer.
I'm not pretty set with professions across my three toons. I have 300 Herbs x2, 300 Alchemy, 300 Tailor x2 and 300 Enchanter. If I can just get the others at least into their 50s I can make some decent money off the harvestable drops and rarer recipies.
I liked this even though I am not an enchanter I have placed a link on my guilds forum for this entry.
Nice One.
Posted by: Liber | July 21, 2006 at 06:00 AM
Ahh I remember my run to 300 enchanting quite fondly. Luckily I found some Wizard Oil formulas on the AH and used them with my herbalism to hit the big 3-0-0. I've got a couple rare 300 enchants from faction grinding but still dont have the +22 int, crusader, or the 15agi one. If you got the time I suggest grinding friendly with furbolgs to get the +25 agi to 2handers enchant. Hunters love to put it on their ice barb spear.
relmstein.blogspot.com
Posted by: relmstein | July 21, 2006 at 11:03 AM
I do understand your grief but all crafting professions share in that same grief some. Most crafted items must be sold to venders or far below imput prices during the skilling up phase on most servers. The one offset to enchanting is it is IMO the ONLY profession that is both crafting and gathering. Both as an enchanter skilling now, as well as a consumer of enchants,I would like to see enchants be made into "items" that could be bought vwndored sold at the ah mailed and applied by the end users. I do think this would put the enchanter in the same boat as any other crafter and end the expectations of free chants.
Posted by: mark | August 07, 2008 at 12:01 PM
That's true that enchanters can also disenchant and make money which is great because that's how most enchanters make any money anyway. I would have loved to see enchantments packaged in a way to the be sold on the AH. Spamming in trade got old very quick.
Posted by: Saylah | August 07, 2008 at 05:20 PM