PSA - Transmute tool tip is still incorrect re: binding

cambo1682

First let me say the idea of changing the new main and off hands to bound to account was a nice idea. Being able to move it around and use character bound RP, especially on a toon that has max level weapons is a step in the right direction, its something new that I'd actually like to see more of.

The fact that these weaons are account bound is the source of my folly, and while I am still angered by the circumstances, and the obvious inability of Tech Support to grasp what the true issue is, I would hate for someone else to go through this.

I've run several toons through the Drowned Shore. I decided to go after the Howling weapons in Spinward on my GWF. After recieving it I moved it over to my CW and used some of his surplus RP. Since my wizard is also my main, that is where my trade bars are. I know I can move them around, it's just more convenient to keep them on one main toon. So I bought the GWF sinsister transmute and applied it to the GWF weapon. Now I have been playing since mod 1 and I already know what some are thinking, transmutes bind items. They did in the past on BoE items. But I did check the tooltip on the transmute, and since this item is already account bound, something relatively new to the game, I went ahead and transmuted it. The tooltips states exactly this: "You are about to change the appearance of your Howling Great Axe, It will keep ALL its properties but look different" ... "You wil destroy Sinister Polearm" (I confirmed this again afterwards using my TR main hand).

The transmute changed the bind properties to Bound to Character. So basically I'm choked now, my CW has a terrific GWF weapon, my GWF is now running around with a Mulhorrand (which I'm actually contemplating on switching to on 4 or 5 other toons to save the headaches), and I cannot even pick up the quest for the air weapon again if I did want to run through it.

So I know it would have been safer to move the trade bars over to the GWF, I didn't think I'd have to, nor do I think I should have to check every tooltip for accuracy over on preview when doing something as simple as a transmute. At the time I actually didn't give it much of a thought because to my mind the item was already bound, just to account not a single character.

I submitted a ticket and not surprisingly Support obviously has no understanding of the true issue, that the tooltip for transmuting is absolutely incorrect.

While the issue itself is infuriating and a bit embarassing considering I've been around awhile, and should know better than to trust what makes sense, I really felt others should know, so that the few who may move a weapon around and stumble down the same path can be forewarned.

Happy gaming and best of the Season.

malakut

Same thing can happen and has happened to the XVIM set in the past. This isn't news to them unfortunately. You'll just have to find a way to get that RP back onto your GWF. Try running the Fire quest, move the Fire weapon to the CW, drop the howling weapon into the fire weapon then move the fire weapon back to the gwf and see if you can re-accept the howling quest.

beckylunatic

While the devs have acknowledged that there needs to be actual in-game warning about transmuting causing items to bind (reminder to @asterdahl about that), it's completely consistent that the item being transmuted takes on the bind status of the item being used to skin it (or keeps its own bound status if that is the less forgiving of the two). If you had used a BoE Nightmare sword, or a BoA CTA skin, you'd have been safe, but the Sinister skins are BoP.

"Properties won't change" means the items stats and powers.

The Elemental Heart quests are also problematic in that there is no recourse for replacing the weapons if you lose them. A few people have gotten burned by binding from transmutes and other have managed to donate to their SH coffer, and with no reclaim/re-earn/re-buy, they're just screwed. I assume the devs don't want to make the weapon reclaimable, but I am thinking in case of total emergency, once one of these quests is finished, the claim agent should be able to give you a new heart.

asterdahl

beckylunatic said:

The Elemental Heart quests are also problematic in that there is no recourse for replacing the weapons if you lose them. A few people have gotten burned by binding from transmutes and other have managed to donate to their SH coffer, and with no reclaim/re-earn/re-buy, they're just screwed. I assume the devs don't want to make the weapon reclaimable, but I am thinking in case of total emergency, once one of these quests is finished, the claim agent should be able to give you a new heart.

It's on our radar to add a way to reclaim these weapons for significantly less investment than the original quest, should you accidentally/purposefully rid yourself of them and want them back. Although it does not help the original poster with their problem immediately, we are continuing to examine ways to make more items and functionalities account bound safely.

two30

asterdahl said:

we are continuing to examine ways to make more items and functionalities account bound safely.

Pfft, safety. Just flip the switch and hide in a bunker until the screaming stops.

Every move toward account-bound is appreciated.

cambo1682

Support did finally seem to understand the true nature of the problem, and I know that I cannot get into details of that exchange here on the forums, but Chancellor Knuckles did make an effort. In the end I actually held my nose and killed 100 more crabs, moved that weapon to the CW and fed the air weapon to it. I just could not afford to lose the existing 80% in that weapon. So ultimately I ended up losing 36% of my RP, so that is an ouch.

The Air speed bonus on GWF is pretty fun so a way to retrieve those weapons if they are destroyed probably makes sense. I agree account bound in the place of character bound items would be my preference too. (But we need more BoE stuff too!)

Probably the easier solution to avoid situations like mine would be to remove binding properties from transmutes or fix the tool tip. I just don't wish that sinking feeling on anyone!