Selling Runs and Clears

[Penthea]

Different strokes for different folks. For some people it's enough to get the kill no matter how it is done.

[Jeykama]

The PF run sales ads are obnoxious RMT-tier garbage with all the icons and such to make them stand out, but ultimately they're not forbidden or illegal as long as everything stays in-game.

Lot of players I know don't know how to make a gil but they sure can kill bosses, so whatever works for them.

[loreleidiangelo]

Former run seller here, biggest reason people bought clears (at least from my group) was that they needed the clear to get into PFs or raid statics that required they clear the content first. Actual loot was pretty low on the concern list for my clients, surprisingly enough (half the time they weren't even sure if they were "allowed" to roll on it, haha).

[Enla]

Honestly I don't see why they're a problem. I've never touched one and relish the feeling I get when I finally beat a particularly hard encounter, but not everyone is the same. If someone wants to throw around gil in order to beat an encounter they're having trouble with or want the mount from, that's their right. It's not like house selling where the RMT element is deliberately withholding a piece of content from the general public in order to turn a profit. The people who sell runs generally will never mix in with clear groups. Plus, like Jeykama said it's a legitimate way for people to earn in game cash.

[lilflava]

I used to sell runs back in 2.0 alot. Clears were required to get to the next raid tier. Although that business wasn't as good as selling EX fights. Sold so many ponies to people who didn't want to deal with rolling against other people. It's just like buying an item off the mb at the end of the day. And my group used the gil to buy food pots and crafted armor for the newest tiers.

[Welsper59]

In one sense run selling is interesting - in that it is a player initiated business that isn't run or necessarily authorized by the game itself, although it is facilitated by party finder. And unlike RMT it doesn't seem to affect the game balance so far and it isn't banned by the terms of service.

Selling runs will never affect game balance. This type of service has probably existed since MMORPGs became a thing. Hell, as far as video games go, it existed since the very moment someone needed help beating something and handed the controller to another person. It's a strictly in-game service, not unlike the selling of goods from crafters/gatherers, albeit one that is more direct and involved. For the same reason that people would claim that players that buy wins/gear through such services should not do it, the same can generally be argued for people who buy crafted/gathered goods. The willingness to do what needs to be done is not there, hence you partake in the services of others.

I do not sell clears, nor do I partake in them. I just don't care in general. As a neutral observer, there is a clear cut understanding of what is and is not a legit in-game service. Selling clear runs (or the gear that drops as a result) through a strictly in-game medium is a legit service. Unlike things like reselling houses in the game for profit, it does not negatively impact players across the board. Biased feelings towards run selling are based around morals and can often be considered petty because of it. Speaking in broad terms here, but who cares what someone else does when it doesn't meaningfully impact you? That's like saying someone that undercut Zelkova Logs on the MB are going to, as a result, ruin everything else on the market board. Someone elses feelings do not dictate what another player harmlessly does for themselves.

[Zarabeth]

While I neither sell or buy runs ti's not against the TOS nor should it be. If a raid group or fc or linkshell is good enough to carry people why not sell? How is this in any way worse than SE selling jump potions? Jump potions provide the same service (getting things done without having to put in the effort) on a much larger scale than a run seller. If you don't like the practice simply don't buy a run.

[Ametrine]

I hate it, but, it's not at all against ToS.

Technically, it's not much different from me taking newbie FC members into content I've cleared. They get a faster queue and clear, I get newbie bonuses and a WT reroll point.

But, it just comes off a bit skeevier since you advertise content carries and players a can make millions doing it.

There was also an underlying concern with this in ARR days (where selling clears was EVERYWHERE) that it encouraged RMT buying since players who, for one reason or another, couldn't complete content suddenly had something the felt obligated to spend mass gil on. So, they bought gil and bought the win.

[BlastHardcheese]

This. I will dance happily the day they outlaw and terminate runsellers accounts. There is zero difference between a runseller and rmts. They are both exploiting cheaters.

I will dance happily when they terminate people for ridiculous hyperbole.

OT: I've sold roulette spaces before I don't really see a problem with letting people fund my glamour habit so they're not staring at 30 minute queues.

[Jas710]

It may seem questionable on the outside, but if people are that desperate to trade their shame for clears, why not? Some care about doing things legit, while others could care less. Their end goal is to keep moving forward as quickly as possible for any number of reasons. Some folks also can be in fc's that don't/can't help. Statics are another beast altogether.