Tools being 1.5x-3x the cost of the AH individual tools might be the case on Valefore but on Phoenix NPC tools are 3-5k cheaper then their AH counterpart. Also, a NPC would help set a baseline that could be affordable and not crazy over priced. Plus a crafter could still HQ and make profit off that and everyone wins.

It's 2011. Why is having the most basic function of a RNG only accessible to the rich?