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