Exalted Orb Decay - A tiny change with potentially very large impact to the economy

Currently there's a growing problem on standard and now in anarchy league. Exalted orbs are becoming so valuable they're moving into territory of uselessly expensive. The absolutely absurd inflation on their prices has other issues as well. Items that were worth more than an exalted originally, when exalts were around 5 gcp, are still considered to be worth more than an exalted today. This is in spite of the fact that even though the piece of gear hasn't changed, it's price has, because of inflation on the price that it's 'supposed' to be worth. This item is and always will be worth 2 exalted regardless of how expensive exalted become. Is this 2 exalt item worth 30 chaos or 100 chaos? It could be either, just depends on what ratio exalted orbs go for. Trading for items priced into the exalted range is barely even possible without expelling almost every other owned orb, even doing that causes problems as exalted are so valuable that some people outright refuse other orbs for items that are valued at exalted orb prices.

In short, exalted are too valuable. They should be valuable but not this valuable and due to the inflation of the 'pure' currency, always at least this valuable. I shouldn't want to have basically nothing but exalted at all times regardless of whether or not I'll use them. There should be a penalty for actually holding exalted so they wouldn't be viewed as an indomitable gold brick that at any point in time, will always be worth at least as much as it is when it was acquired.

So my suggestion is this. Add a timer to exalted orbs when they're dropped. If they aren't used within that time limit, they expire and decay into a different orb. I'd call it a 'Fallen Orb' that works just like an exalted orb, but can only roll up to ilvl 35 or so mods which crushes the exalted's ability to roll mirror-worthy gear. Maybe it decays to a chaos orb or something entirely different, my personal suggestion for what could happen when exalted expire is there. In whatever case the timer would be decently long, around a week or two. Alternatively the decay timer is randomly generated at the time of drop with a standard distribution so dying exalts and long lived exalts could further disrupt how much people value or devalue them.


How might this impact the value of the exalted orb?

Holding massive amounts of exalted orbs becomes a liability and not the only sign of wealth. The risk associated with the inability to use exalteds or trade them away by their expiration dates would change how people value them and items that are considered to be worth them. It might also enable some people to actually use exalted as they could buy exalted that were just about to expire from a desperate seller for a much better deal, possibly at a rate cheap enough to where personally crafting gear becomes a viable form of attaining gear to more than only the richest, hardest farming players. Currently it's not difficult to pay 1-2 gcp or 3-8 chaos per piece of fairly nice gear, with 1 exalted selling for 10-15 gcp, a whole character could be geared up on just one. Unless the investment into a single character is absolutely tremendous, the idea of even using 1 exalted to gain just one near completely random item mod is out of the question.

This small change might also throw a small wrench into RMT sites. RMTs might not always want to buy up every exalted orb possible at overly high rates to sell as holding them might destroy them. Players utilizing RMT sites might not always want to be buying nothing but the highest level currency which could drive down the RMT price and thus the incentive for them to acquire exalted orbs. This could also help drive down the in-game exchange rates because RMTs might not want to bother trading at inflated rates for them which I believe is a large factor in what is driving up their price. It could also cause the prices of more standard orbs on RMT sites to rise which could raise the value of lower level orbs for players in game. It could also raise the price of the eternal orb. I can't be sure how much RMTs are influencing orb rates currently or after a change like this suggestion, but I know their affect is noticeable.

There might be other ways of making exalted and other extremely high value currency a liability, instead of a bank, to own but I feel this is the simplest change.

And what about those people that happen to have an exalted drop and just don't have something they want to buy or use it on?
And what about the fact that with this sort of change exalts will now have a variable worth depending on how much time is left?

I haven't been playing for long enough to really know what it was like before when exalts were cheaper but this sort of system on a form of currency is flawed beyond belief. It's basically saying, well if you have over $1000 in the bank in x amount of time we're just going to erase $100 of that.

Suddenly everyone is being forced to spend their exalts. It might stop inflation but it would cause deflation. Exalts would be worth next to nothing (IMO) because they aren't permanent. Why would you want to sell an item for a currency that is just going to disappear soon?

There would also be a lot of QQ'ing from people who sold their items for an exalt without looking at that timer. I know it's their problem for not looking would just be annoying for the rest of us to read it.

I'm sure there are more reasons to not do this, just can't think of anything.

Seems like a decent idea. It would make sure that orbs would actually be *used*, which is why they exist in the first place.

I'm not sure if it would play out nicely for players like me, though. I don't have tens of hours a week to spend on a game, so a "timeout" of -say- 2 weeks on an exalted orb would make it next to impossible to gather the amount of orbs I need to achieve a decent outcome when crafting. Basically, it would make it impossible for me to save up for crafting.

Maybe you could set a maximum of orbs per account, although I understand the implication: it would encourage the creation of many "saving accounts", so to speak, accounts that are only used for stashes for orbs.

Exalts are valuable in part because of RMT trade flipping, and in part because of their massive scarcity. If you manage to accumulate 3 in 1000 hours; enough to attempt to roll up one alt/regaled item, you've been very lucky. A system like this would ensure that a regular player would never have more than 1 exalted at a time, which isn't much use for trade or craft, and increase their scarcity, driving up their price, as far as I can see.

I'd say double up the orb drop rate, and cut the value of the RMT sites stock in half, hopefully inflicting a heavy loss on them, while making crafting more viable.

"

And what about those people that happen to have an exalted drop and just don't have something they want to buy or use it on?

They can trade it to someone who can, they'll be plenty of time to do it. It's not like after an exalt would decay it's suddenly worthless as well, worth less yeah, not worthless. My 'fallen orb' idea would still be incredibly valuable as it would still add stats, just not the absolute best stats possible. It could also introduce a cheaper version of the exalted orb that can be used to improve less than perfect items.

"

And what about the fact that with this sort of change exalts will now have a variable worth depending on how much time is left?

Variable worth does not mean large variance. Even if there was still only like a day left that's still plenty of time to trade it off or buy your own item that could potentially be exalted. If you found an exalt and it's about to decay it also means you've been sitting on that Exalt for a long time doing nothing. Outside of freak scenarios that prevent you from logging in for a week to quickly ditch them, there's no reason why any semi-vigilant player would have an exalt decay.

"

It's basically saying, well if you have over $1000 in the bank in x amount of time we're just going to erase $100 of that.

Exalteds have steadily climbed in price and inflated all the other currencies by comparison. This is technically already happening, but instead it's just happening to people that don't have exalteds. The non-exalt orbs got poorer, they just didn't get to notice.

"

Why would you want to sell an item for a currency that is just going to disappear soon?

Well yeah, if you don't want exalteds there are like a dozen decently valuable other orbs that you can trade for. Alterations, Chromatics, Jewelers, Fusing, Scouring, Regret, Alchemy, Chaos, Gemcutter's Prism, Eternal and with the new patch even whetstones and armor scraps should become decently valued.

"

Suddenly everyone is being forced to spend their exalts.

For almost every player there's no good reason TO spend exalts. It's not like the timer is short. There should be plenty of time to figure out what to do with it but sitting on an exalt for 3+ months is no longer the wisest option. Stockpiling exalted orbs for the sake of stockpiling exalted orbs should not be a good investment strategy like it is now. An exalt can always be traded away for other orbs or items, it's not like you personally have to spend it.

"

There would also be a lot of QQ'ing from people who sold their items for an exalt without looking at that timer. I know it's their problem for not looking would just be annoying for the rest of us to read it.

An obvious visual indicator on the stack could proclaim how many days or hours were left before the next orb in the stack decays. We already have stack size numbers. I've never heard of people complaining that they mistakenly traded for the wrong number of chaos orbs. Adding a second number to the exalted orb stack that you didn't have to hover over to see could probably fix any issue with that.

"

If you manage to accumulate 3 in 1000 hours; enough to attempt to roll up one alt/regaled item, you've been very lucky.

An item doesn't need to be exalted 3 times at the same time. An exalt can be applied to it again when another exalt is acquired. Alternatively they can be traded away to more stable orbs which could then be traded back for exalts all at once when the exaltable item is finally obtained.

One simple, easy solution for GGG. Fix exchange rates. Add possibility to buy all orbs (maybe except Mirror) at vendor at some rate, can be even high, but fixed. Nobody will buy higher. End of problems.

But they probably never do it, as they are idealistic dreamers and would like people to barter item for item.

So they will be fighting with RMT endlessly and unsuccessful till the end of days of this game...

EDIT:

"

tmaciak wrote:

One simple, easy solution for GGG. Fix exchange rates. Add possibility to buy all orbs (maybe except Mirror) at vendor at some rate, can be even high, but fixed. Nobody will buy higher. End of problems.

A little too fast ;) I mean, that this way it will be more attainable for "ordinary player" without touching drop rates, so it should lower their price. Exalts are just too rare.

"

Ghudda wrote:

Exalteds have steadily climbed in price and inflated all the other currencies by comparison. This is technically already happening, but instead it's just happening to people that don't have exalteds. The non-exalt orbs got poorer, they just didn't get to notice.

Exalteds have steadily climbed in price because the RMT sites offer a margin on all lesser orbs, creating a supply chain. If you want to combat this, call for the implementation of a vendor exchange rate for all orbs, and destroy RMT margins, and thus their supply chain.

"

Well yeah, if you don't want exalteds there are like a dozen decently valuable other orbs that you can trade for. Alterations, Chromatics, Jewelers, Fusing, Scouring, Regret, Alchemy, Chaos, Gemcutter's Prism, Eternal and with the new patch even whetstones and armor scraps should become decently valued.

"

An item doesn't need to be exalted 3 times at the same time. An exalt can be applied to it again when another exalt is acquired. Alternatively they can be traded away to more stable orbs which could then be traded back for exalts all at once when the exaltable item is finally obtained.

Sounds like more trading than I like to do with the current chaotic and cumbersome system. I don't want to be forced to try to maximize the value of my one extremely rare orb that is constantly losing value. I'd be more open to making exalts BOA if not used than decay into a worthless orb (which an orb that can only roll up to lvl 35 mods is just that. Worthless.), and I hate BOA. It's hard enough to get an exalted. Being forced to part with it is just insult to injury, really.

i think you have something with the decay to fallen orbs... but it could be something where the fallen orb is the exact same as an exalt but not tradable, craft your heart away but the people who cause the grief for the rest of us causing the super inflation would be forced to craft or sell their exalts. i do feel this still isnt a good solution to the problem..

the prices in standard are so retarded since beta started that without a jump start from getting something very expensive its hard to buy anything.. i mean with 700+ hours and finding 2 exalt and nothing worth more than 1 ex what is a person to do..

"

Sounds like more trading than I like to do with the current chaotic and cumbersome system. I don't want to be forced to try to maximize the value of my one extremely rare orb that is constantly losing value. It's hard enough to get an exalted. Being forced to part with it is just insult to injury, really.

I'd imagine that since more people wouldn't especially want to hold onto exalteds, trading for them would be easier to do, especially for desperate people that want to exchange them away before they decay down. The exalted market would likely be more fluid and frantic instead of a hoarding mentality that it has now.

Ghudda, you know that by forcing people to use them, it actually makes them more valuable?

Because what was once sought-after and available, suddenly becomes sought-after and ephemeral.
From the perspective of someone who wants to buy (trade) an Exalted Orb, not only must you find someone selling them, you must be lucky enough to find someone with them unexpired.

You kinda shot both your feet with your idea.

Otherwise I agree with your overall thinking.
Perhaps separating certain Orbs into multiple "qualities" would be good.

This could go for Exalted, Jeweler's and Fusing, at least.
You'd have:
Minor Exalted Orb - More common than Lesser Exalted Orb, but lower iLvl on the properties.
Lesser Exalted Orb - More common than Exalted Orb, but lower iLvl on the properties.
Exalted Orb - Does what it does now.

Minor Jeweler's Orb - More common than a Lesser Jeweler's Orb, upgrades a 1-slot to a 2-slot.
Lesser Jeweler's Orb - More common than a Jeweler's Orb, upgrades a 2-slot to a 3-slot.
Jeweler's Orb - Does what it does now.
Greater Jeweler's Orb - Rarer than a Jeweler's Orb. Never downgrades.

Minor Orb of Fusing - More common than a Lesser Orb of Fusing, upgrades a 1L to a 2L.
Lesser Orb of Fusing - More common than an Orb of Fusing, upgrades a 2L to a 3L.
Orb of Fusing - Does what it does now.
Greater Orb of Fusing - Rarer than an Orb of Fusing. Never downgrades.