Which trade locations will become more valuable after all DLCs are free?

joshisanonymous · April 1

Right now, it's pretty clear that the guild traders who are in DLC zones are far less popular since traffic is limited to whoever has access to those zones. Once everything becomes part of the base game, though, how will that change in your opinion?

Soarora · April 1

I would guess the traffic of guild traders is influenced by how many people make that city their base city. My base is Alinor and I browse the traders there. So, there might be a small boost but probably no intense swings since base cities are mostly influenced by aesthetic (people who like the aesthetic probably bought the DLC), how good the crafting layout is, and how close amenities are.

Small boost for the random location traders too where people go to buy specific items after using a third party website, but probably nothing substantial.

PeacefulAnarchy · April 1

joshisanonymous wrote: »

Right now, it's pretty clear that the guild traders who are in DLC zones are far less popular since traffic is limited to whoever has access to those zones. Once everything becomes part of the base game, though, how will that change in your opinion?

This isn't that true for all DLC, chapter main hubs have generally been very popular. Vivec was popular even before it became base game, alinor, blackwood and other chapters are also popular. As Soarara said, the main driver is convenience, where people happen to already be for writs or pledges or dailies, and where wayshrines are relative to traders.

None of the small zones have good crafting areas IIRC, so they'll never be top tier, but I can see something like Markarth going up in value if it becomes base game for how convenient the trader locations are, whereas Fargrave or Thieves guild DLC have inconvenient trader/wayshrine locations so won't benefit much.

Also, we have no timeline for when zones will be base game, all we know is Skyrim and the two revamped solo dungeons for this year. So some zones may not be base game for years.

DenverRalphy · April 1

While there are a number of base game non-eso+ players in the game, I don't think that's why they're the most highly coveted.

Instead I believe it's because the Big 3 have the highest number of kiosks per zone (7), they're the only zone with the FG/MG/Undaunted daily quest givers, and most importantly the only zones where you can find the mastercraft mediators Rolis Hlaalu and Faustina Curio. As a result, Mournhold, Wayrest, and Elden Root see the most traffic.

I've long held the belief that should Rolis and Faustina decide to expand their network to DLC zones, the significance of the Big 3 would drop significantly.

Danikat · April 1

I suspect players who never buy any chapters or DLC and don't subscribe but do regularly buy the kind of high-end items big trading guilds care about selling are a tiny minority, and being able to sell to them in more locations won't make a big difference. As other people have said a lot of DLC zones were already popular. As well as Vivec and Alinor I know Markath, Clockwork City and Orsinium were always pretty active.

It might help people like me who are using social guilds that sometimes have a trader (who go for cheaper, less popular spots) and who mainly sell items like common crafting materials likely to appeal to more casual players, but there's not enough profit in doing that for the trading guilds to care, otherwise they'd be doing it already.

If it makes any difference I think it will be because of how guild see those spots rather than any actual change in how many people are buying from them. It might make more guilds willing to bid for them and push prices up on those spots, and maybe make spots elsewhere easier (but probably not cheaper) to get.

freespirit · April 1

Virtually none of the newer Zones are set up well for trading.

I know every time a new zone releases top guilds check them it out for potential "new" best locations, so far none have ever cut the mustard.

PC-EU is still Vivec, followed by the three Undaunted hubs, with maybe Belkarth in the mix but even Belkarth is not as popular as it was.

bmnoble · April 1

I doubt much will change, at most more flippers will gain access to the DLC locations to stock up.

For me I first check my own guilds traders, then whatever zone I happen to be in, followed by the three alliance capitals by then I either have what I am looking for or its off to Tamriel Trade centre to find a lead on what I am looking for.

DoofusMax · April 1

I'm kind of unclear on where the "after all DLCs are free" is coming from. Year One and Morrowind are, and Greymoor will be in about six months, but if you've heard something from the devs on the rest, please clue us in (enquiring minds want to know).

That out of the way and noting that it's the guilds doing the bidding who are going to set the value of those trader kiosks, I don't see much changing until maybe Greymoor in the fall.

Hew's Bane's traders are way far away from the wayshrine and really inconvenient to reach. I can see guilds maybe bidding it up a bit because everyone has access now, but it's not something which lends itself to casual browsing while in the area doing other stuff. I think there are one or two story quests which go into that section of town, but that's all. The players I see at those traders went there because TTC produced a hit on something they were looking for.

Orsinium's aren't any better. They're comparatively far away from any wayshrine, but they're lined up right there near one of the gates into town, so overland traffic maybe and perhaps some browsing in conjunction with a TTC item hit.

Gold Coast is somewhat better. They aren't clustered near wayshrines like most trade hubs, but they're straight down the docks from the wayshrine in Anvil (optional delve daily objective sends you right by them) and a quick trip up the main street in Kvatch near the WB board.

Solitude has potential with the traders clustered in a courtyard close to the wayshine and adjacent to crafting stations. If any location is going to get bid up by trading guilds, that one would be the most likely. I'll sometimes stop and browse if I'm in the area for something else.

wolfie1.0. · April 1

The issue with hews bane, and wrothgars 2 trading hubs are where the wayshrines are.

For hews bane just plop one right near the docks. And in wrotthgar move the wayshrines closer and they are good to go.

DoofusMax · April 2

wolfie1.0. wrote: »

The issue with hews bane, and wrothgars 2 trading hubs are where the wayshrines are.

For hews bane just plop one right near the docks. And in wrotthgar move the wayshrines closer and they are good to go.

Except for Mournhold's wayshrine fairly soon after launch (originally outside of town, I think?), I'm unaware of the devs ever moving a wayshrine beyond minor site adjustments, and the Rampart Camp wayshrine is the only one that comes to mind being added after an expansion launch. That one was specifically tied to the Writhing Wall event, so almost certainly planned rather than an afterthought. Not saying that it wouldn't be possible, but the track record says "not happening."

Twohothardware · April 2

Popularity of traders has more to do with the prices and inventory. Most of the guilds at the traders in the newer DLC zones have much smaller population than the ones in Deshaan and they list a lot fewer items.

Once Crossplay drops and there's larger guilds competing for spots you'll likely see more zones become popular for visiting the traders.

AllenaNightWood · April 2

i think fargrave is gonna be hot for traders when night market comes around

BretonMage · April 2

freespirit wrote: »

Virtually none of the newer Zones are set up well for trading.

I know every time a new zone releases top guilds check them it out for potential "new" best locations, so far none have ever cut the mustard.

PC-EU is still Vivec, followed by the three Undaunted hubs, with maybe Belkarth in the mix but even Belkarth is not as popular as it was.

Personally I find the layout of Leyawiin to be quite good for amenities. I don't really like the city for other reasons, but I think it's a well-designed city. Skingrad is not bad, great crafting area but traders are a bit further away. Necrom's traders are literally next to the wayshrine, so I don't really know why it's not more popular. Perhaps players get confused with the layout, I know I got lost in Necrom a lot at first. But then again, Necrom has a similar layout to Elden Root, in that the traders are on one of many routes leading away from the wayshrine. So perhaps it's also a matter of familiarity.

Askys94 · April 2

Id say Vivec will still be top, and its simply due to how easy it is to access all the amenities.

You got all the guild traders, all the crafting stations, the crafting writ drop off, the bank, normal traders all near each other and Without any loading screens/doors. Only the Thieves den is behind a door, but it is also very close.

Simply makes for the fastest and most convenient spot for it, thus high traffic, thus popular trade hub.

ganzaeso · April 2

It is all about how many offerings are being made in each trader location and even though offerings have dropped across all trader locations the major cities are still offering more than outlier areas. It would take a major swing in trader preferences to upset the status quo. Buyers generally go where they have seen the best prices first and then where they have seen the most availability of products though it depends on their personal priorities.

Blood_again · April 2

First guess. The moment in time when _all_ DLC are free may happen in 10 years, probably.
Second guess. Server population can be ~50-100 players at that moment. So nobody needs any guild trader. All the trading locations will be equally unpopular.

joshisanonymous · April 2

DoofusMax wrote: »

I'm kind of unclear on where the "after all DLCs are free" is coming from. Year One and Morrowind are, and Greymoor will be in about six months, but if you've heard something from the devs on the rest, please clue us in (enquiring minds want to know).

I was pretty sure this was announced as the plan, but you're right, I can't find any dev statement about it. Still, it would be strange for them to make all new zones part of the base game, merge some DLC zones into the base game, but still ultimately keep all old DLC behind paywalls. Perhaps that's exactly what they'll do, though.

El_Borracho · April 2

While convenience is key, just as important are guild traders that actually have a good supply of goods. Rawl'kha used to be a trading site that rivaled Mournhold and Elden Root, but has since declined as they don't have a reliable supply. Belkarth used to be a second tier trader but has since risen to a go-to location for the opposite reason.