Players/groups selling HM/EX wins with guaranteed loot

[Kabooa]

A: please enlighten me on why players pay to be fed clears/loot from trials?
B: how you view the Duty Finder is up to you. Is it officially stated what it is for? Personally I would specify practice runs in Party Finder, not impose myself as a practice runner with potentially a group who can clear and cause failure for all. That is definitely not to say you should perform perfectly either, everyone has their own expectations of themselves, some Duty Finder groups are accomodating and others perhaps not so much.
C: don't assume that Gil will never amount to anything in this game.

A: Impatient, not on at peak times, have rotten luck with their groups. Etc etc.
B: This one will just go in circles, so we can just stop arguing it.
C: Change this to "Don't assume" and follow your own advice.

[Delorean]

Furthermore, there are groups making a lot of Gil from the proceeds of this which gives them an unfair advantage over others who aren't focused on benefiting from incapable players.

I bought a Titan carry.

It wasn't because I was incapable. It was because I wasn't going to beg people to let a Warrior to join their group. It was also because I wasn't sure if I was actually going to keep playing the game or not and just wanted to complete the Warrior class look.

I also really really wanted it and didn't feel like waiting on my FC didn't have a static, wasn't planning on making or joining one at that point and time

Not every player who purchases a carry is an idiot. As a player who has purchased boosts and done some boosting themselves, I can tell you now that most players who purchase carries are not even terrible players.

Here on Adamantoise GoWar hosted an event called "Titan-thon" which was basically a bunch of free titan kills handed out to anyone willing to be waitlisted that day. Like, I guess they were pissed off at people for selling and there was a bit of drama there.

But anyway, we got their list and started running Titan carries with two carries in group (for free!). I don't know what those players have done, I don't know how they have performed, but I do know that the majority of them were wearing Darklight equipment.

More effort than people in the Duty Finder were putting in, that's for sure.

But FFXIV on Adamantoise also ran plenty of Titan carries and if you want, you can dig up their old thread at the bottom of Adamantoise's forum where you can see that the guy is getting pissed (basically said what I am saying to you now) about people talking shit on their customers. The people who performed those carries, my carry, were one of the first groups in the world to have killed Twintania. I'd think they have a pretty good idea of what players are and aren't good.

Honestly, I think it's more likely that someone who got carries for free are going to be more inept than someone who is willing to pay a price.

[bardaboo]

OP where do you draw the line on buying things from others is bad? Did you make your own relic weapon and convert your own materia? Did you make or farm all your equipment or mats for crafting? They are offering a service that people are willing to pay for for a variety of reasons.

[Seriat]

I bought a Titan carry.

That's really unfortunate, tanking Titan on WAR pre 2.1 was honestly the most exciting, sweat inducing fight I've done.

[Kelta]

I've been selling runs in other games for years (namely, WoW) and I can assure you of one thing that is consistent.

95%+ of the players who buy runs are NOT the noobs who couldn't beat it themselves, they are the good and dedicated players that either don't have the time, or can't find a competent group to down said content. Usually because they took a break from the game and came back with a large gear and experience gap they couldn't overcome to get into the groups on their skill level.

Noobs don't have the money and many probably don't even know you can buy runs.

Selling runs funds many guilds/FC's in new patches, a lot of them don't split the money between members and instead throw it all into the bank and hold it until it's needed for progression. Say if they release new gear that's crafted and equal or higher ilvl(this happens most often during a new expansion). The guild will dish out for multiple pieces to gear a player(s), which costs a lot.

[Vladislav]

...ok let's see , OP states that buying HM/EX/Etc runs with ->Drop<- (also known as piece of gear) is "not fair & bannable offence" . Let's imagine Player X have 2m gil , Player Y don't have , player X buying ilv 90 gear + materias , player Y have to spam "trash" to get DL etc cause he can't affrod ilv90 . This way we can clearly see Player X have advanced forward in progression that player Y , so should player X get banned because he bought ilv90 ???? O.o . Now let's back to mercenary talks lol , player X spotted in PF mercenary service (lmao) , player Y spotted also , but he have 10k only T.T . Player X paid & win run , player Y have to spam "trash" again .
In both situations we can clearly see that gil (fairly earned ingame) being used by Player X to Advance in game (in any means). Let's imagine Player X is horrible @ dodging/remembering stuff , but he --> GOLDEN <-- @ let's say SB runs , so he have tonns of gils . So player X actually put effort to earn gil , now he pays to mercenary -->service<-- by fairly earned gil and gets clear , this way Player X get def legit and also deserved clear + loot , while player Y was doing ... let's say "trash" , daily routine , relic , ex runs or w/e (Player Y btw can be awesome/skilled raider idk) and now he seeking "justice" on forums .

[ToffeeCoffee]

I draw the line on the understanding that the trials are there to be beaten by actually playing the game, and you roll on loot upon completion.
Buying from Market Board is a game feature, crafting anything is a game feature, Gerolt makes your Relic Weapon, it's a game feature. People shouting fee for clear/loot is not a game feature, it's what certain people are doing to profit from the unskilled, lazy or unfortunate (spiking connections), etc.. I don't think SE ever intended that to be the way for players to clear content. Yes there are statics in FC's who more or less feed and carry each other for all the spoils, but they aren't charging for the privilege.

Taking the time to beat a trial is part of the process, not having time or not being bothered to re-queue and try again with another group should not be an excuse to pay for it.

[Menriq]

I draw the line on the understanding that the trials are there to be beaten by actually playing the game, and you roll on loot upon completion.
Buying from Market Board is a game feature, crafting anything is a game feature, Gerolt makes your Relic Weapon, it's a game feature. People shouting fee for clear/loot is not a game feature, it's what certain people are doing to profit from the unskilled, lazy or unfortunate (spiking connections), etc.. I don't think SE ever intended that to be the way for players to clear content. Yes there are statics in FC's who more or less feed and carry each other for all the spoils, but they aren't charging for the privilege.

Taking the time to beat a trial is part of the process, not having time or not being bothered to re-queue and try again with another group should not be an excuse to pay for it.

Just playing devil's advocate, but putting up "merc" posting in party finder is a game feature is it not? Party Finder allows you to create a group for whatever, and I've seen PF used for buying mats, recruitment, etc. I realize I'm not going to change your mind, and I'm not going to try, but I look at it this way: If I meld materia for you, I'm providing a service. If 7 people carry you, they are providing a service. You might not want to craft, which is why you paid for the meld / items, etc. Some might not want to deal with pugging, etc. I don't think the differences are that black and white.

[Kyoreore]

Buyers help out the economy better than the market boards do since there is no fee to trade gil with another player. No gil is being deleted from the server upon a carry.

[ToffeeCoffee]

Just playing devil's advocate, but putting up "merc" posting in party finder is a game feature is it not? Party Finder allows you to create a group for whatever, and I've seen PF used for buying mats, recruitment, etc. I realize I'm not going to change your mind, and I'm not going to try, but I look at it this way: If I meld materia for you, I'm providing a service. If 7 people carry you, they are providing a service. You might not want to craft, which is why you paid for the meld / items, etc. Some might not want to deal with pugging, etc. I don't think the differences are that black and white.

I did post this for the feedback and am not closed to other people's views or changing my own, believe it or not. Thank you for this