Guild Wars 2 - Possible gear enchantment concept

The stats attributes for the gears are fixed in GW2. Unlike Diablo 3, the stats are dynamic. There are pro and con to either gear attribute mechanics.

As the attributes are fixed for the gears, enchantment mechanic can give a little edge to power seeker players.

For example, before enchantment:

Berserker's Pearl Broadsword (Exotic)
Weapon Strength: 995 - 1100
+179 Power
+128 Precision
+9% Critcal Damage

After enchantment: (Possible concept)

Berserker's Pearl Broadsword (Exotic)
Weapon Strength: 1045 - 1155
+179 Power
+128 Precision
+9% Critcal Damage
+5% Weapon Strength (Enchant)

Some possible enchantment addon:

• +50 Power
• +50 Precision
• +2% Critical Damage
• Any other attribute strengthening the gear only.
• +80Power, -30 Precision (Could be fun too for glass cannon)

To make this a mechanic to erode gears economic, it can be implemented in a way that once the gear is enchanted, it is character bound (soulbound).

So what is needed to enchant? I guess the best would be premium items in gem store. You would be thinking that it is somehow becoming pay-to-win? I would prefer to think it as premiums for the rich players, be it real money or in-game gold, or ways to become stronger. It is really great that gems can be trade for using gold. Hence, indirectly, you do not need to spent a cent to get the premiums.

Let's call it enchantment scrolls likewise as the transmute stone there are 2 grade (Normal and Fine), one for item level below 80 and for item level 80. What's more, there are 3 levels of each grade. Example:

• Fine Enchantment Scroll Level 1 (For rolling or re-rolling the first enchantment for a level 80 gear)
• Fine Enchantment Scroll Level 2 (For rolling or re-rolling the second enchantment for a level 80 gear)
• Fine Enchantment Scroll Level 3 (For rolling or re-rolling the third enchantment for a level 80 gear)

The final possible outcome:
Berserker's Pearl Broadsword (Exotic)
Weapon Strength: 1045 - 1155
+179 Power
+128 Precision
+9% Critcal Damage
+5% Weapon Strength (Enchant Level 1)
+2% Critcal Damage (Enchant Level 2)
+80 Precision -30 Power (Enchant Level 3)


Stakeholder Summary

• Player would find any means to get stronger and more power in game. I would see this feature as positive impact. Player could get an edge with the enchantment. Typical gambling experience to obtain the perfect attributes by using the enchantment scroll.
• Anet could erode gold economic when players use gold to exchange for gem to enchant their gears.
• Anet could make revenue when players purchase gems.

Similar Mechanic exist in game:

• Torchlight 2 - http://www.torchlight2game.com

Guild Wars 2 - Possible gears durability concept

Gears in Guild Wars 2 only get more and more over time, there is some game mechanics design implement to erode the quantity of gears in the game. In a long run, this could be a negative impact to the game economic when there are fewer players in time to come.

Some game mechanics to erode the quantity of gears:

• Mystic Forge any 4 gears of the same grade for a roll of a random gear of the same grade and a chance to obtain one grade higher. E.g. 4 rares roll 1 rare or 1 exotic. Also used to obtain the base weapon for crafting legendary.
• Salvage the gear to obtain crafting materials. E.g. Obtain Glob of Ectoplasm from rares.
• Sell the gears to NPC (usually for the low end grades)

Thus, you just need to own one set of end-game gears and you can used the gears forever on your character. There is no demand for the gears thereafter from the same character.

To create a demand, durability on gears can be implemented. In GW2, there are different grades of gears namely:

• Normal (White)
• Fine (Blue)
• Masterwork (Green) Character bound on use.
• Rare (Yellow) Character bound on use.
• Exotic (Orange) Character bound on use.
• Ascended (Pink) Account bound on acquired. (Trinkets only from Factual of the Mists)
• Legendary (Purple) Character bound on use. (Weapon only)

Currently, gears suffers damage when a character dies. There are a few stages of damage.

• Not Damage
• Damaged (Red shield on gear)
• Damaged that can be repair (Red shield with cracks on gear)
• Totally Damaged (Gear is not in effect)

Your character will be naked when all the gears are totally damaged. You will need to repair your gears in order to use them again.

Here, durability mechanic design can be implemented. Each gear will have a durability counter based on the grade of the gear. When the gear is repaired, durability counter decreased by 1. Once the counter reached 0, it cannot be repaired any more.

For example,

• Normal (White) - Durability counter 5
• Fine (Blue) - Durability counter 10
• Masterwork (Green) - Durability counter 15
• Rare (Yellow) - Durability counter 20
• Exotic (Orange) - Durability counter 30
• Ascended (Pink) - Durability counter 40
• Legendary (Purple) - Durability counter 100

When durability counter can decrease, there should be a way where it could be increased. Here are some possible cocept:

• Using Mystic Forge, slot in the intended gear, an durability scroll, and 2 items.
•  Legendary - 2 Gifts (E.g. Gift of Metal and Gift of Light for greatsword)
• An premium durability scroll from Gem Store which restore the gear to it former glory.
• It could be likewise as the transmute stone (item below level 80) and fine transmute stone (item level 80).

Stakeholders Summary

1. Crafters would love demands. Game economic for gears would have more demands. More demands usually yield better profit.
2. Players would not like it as it would cost more to maintain the gears.
3. Anet could erode ingame gold from this mechanic when players exchange gold for gems to buy the premium items. 
4. Anet could get revenue when players purchase gems to buy the premium items.

Similar Mechanic exist in game:

• Luminary: Rise of Goonzu  - http://luminary.ijji.com