Well said. Alchemists rest their case.

I realize it breaks the monopoly, which is good.

You must also realize my tradeskill is useless. I demand satisfaction.

It doesn't do anything regarding balance.

Since when do herbalists give herbs away for free? Why would they just give it away?

All this means is that you can't sell for more than 6/5 (200 gold+price of herbs).

I know of one herbalist who would supply me for free if I asked. Anyone who has a herbalist friend in Lusternia, IC or OOC, can probably get free herbs.

So because you know a guy who provides free herbs, that means that now all herbalists will take peoples vials, run to Rowena, provide their own herbs, refill, and give it back for no profit?

No, they will sell at a profit. But to make the same profit we make, they can sell them cheaper then us.

I would have expected health to be close to 400

Read what Nementh said. We already make dismal amounts on our refills, now we are restricted on how high we can ever think of making our prices. Our overheads are huge. Granted, the customer base is huge, but unless we want to spend 90% of our time filling vials, we make no money. We have to spend a hell of a lot to make very little on what we spend.

Now, herbalists can cut us out of the loop. They have no cost other than time (which all tradeskills have) associated to their trade skills. For 200 gold and no herb cost, they can make vials.

Rowena is charging 200 gold for -just- the ability to refill. Alchemists are lucky to make 50 gold for the ability to refill plus the time spent buying herbs and powerstones and filling vials.

Also right now we are ONLY talking Health, there are other more herb expensive potions...

In the end, you are all going to be in competition for business with another commune, with alchemists who can get those 'free herbs' and then brew potions themselves - No Rowena Fee! So, I don't see what the whining is about. I think it worked out well - the point is, to go to an alchemist if possible. If you can't, well, prep extra cash to purchase herbs so you can have Rowena refill them. ONE outside source, it just seems like you feel a whole army of Rowena-clones have been released, just TOSSING potions everywhere.

Will you be all be complaining that the new commune has taken away your previous monopoly, too, once it comes in?

No, you wont goto an Alchemist, because herbalists USING Rowena will be able to produce the EXACT same crap cheaper.

It is the herbalists using Rowena that worry me. Not everyone else. That is the problem.

Just remember, Rowena selling refills is not an OOC "feature" of Lusternia--she is merely filling her role as a rather bored undead wiccan who sees an opportunity to raise funds for whatever her own nefarious goals may be. Hmm, what will she be doing with that all that gold, one might wonder? No one ever said she would permanently sell potions nor that her prices are fixed. After all, what she considers "expensive" is a few hundred years out of date.

It's not competition if their prices are fixed above what you sell at. Using the same stuff to get less sip for more gold is not going to undercut anybody.



Explain to me how 200 gold + herbs + profit can be cheaper than 175 gold. I'm really interested in this antigold profit.

Because unless you get herbs for free, or at a SEVERE discount, you lose more money then you make at 175. It costs us about 200 just to get the damn herbs, not all of us, in fact most of us, don't have herbalist connections.

We can hope.

Honestly, I'm sorry that we are whinging about this. I know you are trying to keep us all happy and I do very much appreciate that. I'm sure (hope) you can see where we are coming from though.

So? You don't seem to grasp basic math.

175 and 200. Which is cheaper?

Maybe the alchemists should use this as a reason to set a pricing minimum, or even require people buying refills to supply their own herbs like Rowena does.

Your failing to take convenience into account. It is a definite economic factor.
A herbalist can make a vial for 200, sell at 250 and make 50 profit.

An alchemist can make a vial for anywhere between 130-150, depending on their supply, and the current market sale price is 150-175. What is the point of an alchemist bothering to fill vials when they make, at most, 25-45 gold per refill (not including cost of powerstones).

That's probably about the only thing we could do. Still, I've tried this and have never had a single customer willing to spend their own time looking for the herbs.

If Serenwilde makes it a rule, then they'll have to do that, and you're saved!