How to deal with this kind of friend?

[Kassiekane]

So I invited one of my old friends to this game.

He was playing FFXI up to this point, and wanted to play FFXIV. So I said, okay come to my server and we'll get started. Well, he went to the wrong server, and made a char there. Whatever, I made a char there too and we started playing.

So we was in the process of sneaking to Mor Dhona so he can preview the high level gear on his character. However, before we even started he was talking about how he bought gil on his character in FFXI and he's rich because of it. I should've raised a red flag there, but whatever, we started our journey. Along the way he was stopping a lot, and by the time we got to the Cerulem Processing Plant, he asked me "Where is the moogle" and I pointed it out for him, and then suddenly has 2 million gil on a level 2 character that hasn't even unlocked Return yet.

The worse part is that he plans on making a character on Lamia, meaning he's going to buy EVEN MORE GIL. What do I do!? I want to play with him but I don't want him on this game if he's just going to ruin the game like that.

Edit: I decided to just leave him alone. Hopefully SE will detect his suspicious income and confiscate it. Seems pointless to invite a friend to a game just to make him leave.

[CUTS3R]

If i was you, id get him to admit he bought gil on the chatlog by "genuinely" asking, then screenshot and report him.

Friend or not, anybody who buys gil is hurting the game on many levels and needs to be dealt with accordingly.

[SpookyGhost]

Talk to him about it.

[Vespar]

If i was you, id get him to admit he bought gil on the chatlog by "genuinely" asking, then screenshot and report him.

Friend or not, anybody who buys gil is hurting the game on many levels and needs to be dealt with accordingly.

I second this sentiment. I'm sorry, but folks like that are driving the economy in our game to hell.

[Kassiekane]

Well if he's just going to abandon his old character then maybe I can prevent him from buying gil on his new one.

I don't really want to report him, but if its necessary I'll do it. But shit, I've been waiting forever for him to come to this game just to learn that he's a shameless gil buyer :/

[Gamer3427]

If i was you, id get him to admit he bought gil on the chatlog by "genuinely" asking, then screenshot and report him.

Friend or not, anybody who buys gil is hurting the game on many levels and needs to be dealt with accordingly.

I agree as well. Just because he's a friend doesn't mean you should let him get away with buying gil. It does a lot to ruin the in game economy, and thus the experience for everyone. I'm sorry, but the only response you really can do is to report your friend......

[Shyluv]

I'd report him. He doesn't have to know it's you. He will most likely be caught either way. Sounds like he'd be a repeat buyer. He would get caught eventually. Pretty sure even if you have all crafts at 50 and get a sudden huge spike in gil in a legit way, it will still be flagged.

Unless you tell him, there will be no way for him to know you reported him. Well, other than this thread.

[synesthetic]

If you want to be an upstanding member of the community, report him.
If you want to be a good friend, talk to him and see if you can still be friends. If you're not comfortable with how things are, you're not going to be happy, and that wouldn't be a healthy relationship.

You can do both, if you want.

And even if your friend is caught and banned for buying gil, you'll probably still be able to play together.
If we go by SE's near-weekly reports, they only suspend accounts for that offense.

[Vespar]

Well if he's just going to abandon his old character then maybe I can prevent him from buying gil on his new one.

I don't really want to report him, but if its necessary I'll do it. But shit, I've been waiting forever for him to come to this game just to learn that he's a shameless gil buyer :/

I realize he's your friend, but it comes down to morals. Think of it this way. What would you do if this was real life and your "friend" was robbing banks?
Buying gil in a game, is essentially the same thing. You may not personally feel wronged, but the act of buying gil has serious effects on the economy in the game, and it makes it harder for other players to get the items they need at reasonable prices.

Back in XI when I played, the RMT messed up the economy so bad one xmas that simple items like a scorpion harness (which originally sold for 1-2mil, was selling for 15-20mil) You cant tell me that normal players didnt struggle through that difficult time. Everything on the auction house back then was ludicrously priced because no one could afford to sell it for less otherwise. That's what RMT will do to this game if it gets out of hand. Truthfully, it is out of hand. Ive seen items that normally take 3-4k worth of mats to make, selling for 100k+ on the MB.

[Urthdigger]

Report him, don't tell him you did it. Let his lost funds be just the price of cheating.