I think you about summed it up for all the Herbalists out there.

I'd love to see a rift-expanding artifact.

They're called pocketbelts.

I wouldn't like to see that because it'd mean herbalists X, Y and Z would then harvest an extra hundred or whatever of each herb just so they can have a full rift, making it that much harder for everyone else.

Those are called pocketbelts, Dlanod.

There is a difference. I was imagining the artifact to increase rift capacity by, say, 500. This is a fair bit more than a pocketbelt and is across all herbs.

You have to be kidding me, with the blood thirsty harvesting that is going on, people are going to harvest more, and get pocketbelts if they feel the need. I am talking more for people who are getting insane comms, but yes, it would be good for herbs.

Also, it is another artifact that would be -helpful- to people, without making them overpowered in combat. What I am trying to think of here is artfacts people would want, and buy that wouldn't (Edit: was would, haha) pump themover 1300 damage a hit =P

People who have thousands of herbs, chances are they could probably spare the extra few hundred gold for a pocketbelt, and would pay the credits for convenience sake. The point of the rift, as mentioned in other IRE muds to to reduce strain on the system. This clearly would help with that as well. Although the number of people who have that many, and the number of pocketbelts they buy probably wouldn't have insane effect on rapture, it would certainly help, and make them some profit as well.