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This topic came up recently, so I set myself on a mission to prove what was truth.
Question posed: Is converting fine steel an economical way to collect HQ ore?
The answer is ... yes, and no. It depends on the weapon.
Many people do fine steel conversions to collect HQ ore for ornate chain. For ornate chain, you need large bricks of HQ ore to convert into rings.
Most fine steel weapons, except for spears and two-handed swords, drop small bricks of HQ ore. You need 3 small bricks of ore to convert into 1 large brick of HQ ore. So, I'm going to introduce a concept here: the ore value of a fine steel weapon.
In the case of HQ rings, what you are trying to get are large bricks of ore. Therefore, the ore value of a fine steel weapon is equal to 1/3 of the cost of a large brick of HQ ore. For two-handed swords and spears, the ore value is equal to 1/3 plus 1/9, since it yields both one small brick and one small piece of HQ ore.
With good faction and charisma, a large brick of HQ from an NPC vendor costs 17p 3g 2s 5c. 1/3 of this would be 5p 7g 7s 5c, and 1/3 plus 1/9 would equal 7p 7g.
However, there is one more factor to work in. If this conversion process is trivial, you still have a 5% chance of failing the combine that turns 3 small bricks into 1 large brick. When you purchase a large brick, you have a large brick, but when you combine 3 small bricks into 1 large brick, you CAN lose all the ore. So, we need to reduce the ore value somewhat to adjust for this 5% failure chance. The adjusted ore value of most fine steel weapons, therefore, is 5p 4g 8s 6c, except two-handed swords and spears, which is 7p 3g 1s 5c.
Any fine steel weapon that would sell back to a vendor for less than its ore value is worth converting. Any fine steel weapon that sells to an NPC vendor for more than its ore value is not -- it makes more economic sense in those cases to sell the fine steel weapon and use the proceeds to buy ore.
As it turns out, there are only four weapons that sell below their ore value. These are: daggers (sells to vendors for 4p 2g 8s 6c), short swords (sells to vendors for 5p 2g 3s 8c), two-handed swords (sells to vendors for 6p 6g 6s 7c) and spears (sells to vendors for 6p 9s 5c).
All other fine steel weapons are worth more money sold back to vendors than they are being converted to ore.
So those in the camp of "fine steel conversions are worthless" and those in the camp of "false economy" both have their points. For those who watch their bank accounts, converting those weapons that are profitable to convert can help. Even small profits can add up over time.
For those who choose to sell their weapons and buy their ore, realize there is a small loss to doing so with some weapons, although that loss may only be 6g - 1p apiece for daggers, short swords, two-handed swords, and spears. For some, the hassle of carting them around is worth the loss.
...Zera
Question posed: Is converting fine steel an economical way to collect HQ ore?
The answer is ... yes, and no. It depends on the weapon.
Many people do fine steel conversions to collect HQ ore for ornate chain. For ornate chain, you need large bricks of HQ ore to convert into rings.
Most fine steel weapons, except for spears and two-handed swords, drop small bricks of HQ ore. You need 3 small bricks of ore to convert into 1 large brick of HQ ore. So, I'm going to introduce a concept here: the ore value of a fine steel weapon.
In the case of HQ rings, what you are trying to get are large bricks of ore. Therefore, the ore value of a fine steel weapon is equal to 1/3 of the cost of a large brick of HQ ore. For two-handed swords and spears, the ore value is equal to 1/3 plus 1/9, since it yields both one small brick and one small piece of HQ ore.
With good faction and charisma, a large brick of HQ from an NPC vendor costs 17p 3g 2s 5c. 1/3 of this would be 5p 7g 7s 5c, and 1/3 plus 1/9 would equal 7p 7g.
However, there is one more factor to work in. If this conversion process is trivial, you still have a 5% chance of failing the combine that turns 3 small bricks into 1 large brick. When you purchase a large brick, you have a large brick, but when you combine 3 small bricks into 1 large brick, you CAN lose all the ore. So, we need to reduce the ore value somewhat to adjust for this 5% failure chance. The adjusted ore value of most fine steel weapons, therefore, is 5p 4g 8s 6c, except two-handed swords and spears, which is 7p 3g 1s 5c.
Any fine steel weapon that would sell back to a vendor for less than its ore value is worth converting. Any fine steel weapon that sells to an NPC vendor for more than its ore value is not -- it makes more economic sense in those cases to sell the fine steel weapon and use the proceeds to buy ore.
As it turns out, there are only four weapons that sell below their ore value. These are: daggers (sells to vendors for 4p 2g 8s 6c), short swords (sells to vendors for 5p 2g 3s 8c), two-handed swords (sells to vendors for 6p 6g 6s 7c) and spears (sells to vendors for 6p 9s 5c).
All other fine steel weapons are worth more money sold back to vendors than they are being converted to ore.
So those in the camp of "fine steel conversions are worthless" and those in the camp of "false economy" both have their points. For those who watch their bank accounts, converting those weapons that are profitable to convert can help. Even small profits can add up over time.
For those who choose to sell their weapons and buy their ore, realize there is a small loss to doing so with some weapons, although that loss may only be 6g - 1p apiece for daggers, short swords, two-handed swords, and spears. For some, the hassle of carting them around is worth the loss.
...Zera
), but I'm glad to see it.
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