Okay Deej. I get all the reasons both for and against a gear trading system and I've done my best to think over a solution that combats the possibility of a real world economy / game-breaking progression / bullying / extortion etc., etc., etc.,. It works on the premise that weapons and gear - being something meaningful that you have found and sweat blood and tears for are occasionally something that you would like to GIFT to a fellow guardian. Perhaps you have duplicates. Perhaps the guardian in question has carries your ass through the raid and whipped Atheon on your behalf more than once. On multiple occasions. You would need to be willing to pay to do so.
Here goes:
If you'd like to GIFT a weapon or piece of gear to a friend - it will cost you a different amount of glimmer depending on your grimoire score. The higher your score, the higher amount of glimmer that will need to be paid to the game (maybe the postmaster or special requisitions) as fee for the transaction. As a reward for sending the item, you'll receive a reward package containing an engram equal to - possibly decoding to lower than (looking at you R) the weapon/armour you gifted, materials and maybe a consumable. Whatever.
If you would like to receive an item - you would need to pay an amount of strange coins/glimmer/sacrifice another piece/pieces of gear for that item - the amount of strange coins/glimmer increasing with your grimoire score.
EXAMPLE 1:
Blue wishes to gift his second Suros to Red. They have been playing together for weeks and Blue is feeling all fuzzy inside. Blue has a grimoire score of 1800. Red has a grimoire score of 1000.
Blue will need to pay 5000 glimmer (Red would need to pay less if carrying out the same transaction, say around 2000) to the postmaster for the transaction. He bites the bullet and sends his second Suros on its merry way, knowing that he’s done a good thing that his fellow guardian shall always remember.
Red will need to pay 25 strange coins (exotic primary – Exotics would carry the same amount of strange coins for everyone as if buying from Mr Xur), 3000 glimmer (blue would need to pay around 5000) and sacrifice one exotic engram in order to secure his very own Suros. He’s more than happy to have bagged the gun of his dreams and super grateful to his mentor. The upgrade tree on the gun is reset.
Blue receives a package in return containing three legendary engrams, a boatload of weapon parts, some relic iron and 5 Cabal consumables.
EXAMPLE 2:
Red is really grateful for the opportunity to rock the Regime and – seeing as how Blue was unlucky decoding his purple engrams (two blues and a strange coin, goddammit) wishes to gift his Zombie Apocalypse to Blue who’s always wanted the undead killer but never landed one. Red has a grimoire score of 1000. Blue has a grimoire score of 1800.
Red will need to pay 2000 glimmer (Blue would need to pay around 4000) to the postmaster for the transaction. He makes peace with his decision and sends his Zombie on its merry way, knowing that he’s repaid a good deed.
Blue will need to pay 12 strange coins (legendary weapon – coins increased because of Blue’s higher grimoire score – red would only need about 9), 5000 glimmer (red would need around 3000) and sacrifice one purple engram in order to secure the machine gun of his dreams. He’s relieved to have the beast in his inventory at last and Red goes up a notch in his esteem.
These numbers are very loose – I’m sure the math wizzes at Bungie could pin it down given a couple of hours in a quiet room with some coffee.
The important thing is that Red and Blue’s friendship has never been stronger. Both have helped one another out and the debt has been repaid.
Feel free to tweak this and up-vote if you think there might be something, ANYTHING in the idea!
Happy Holiday, Guardians.
Jon
thewickedway (PS4)
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I wish we could trade.