I really like the artifact armor sets, even though my character is set with a job agnostic glam, but I'm terrified of, like, opening the chests for the older sets or taking ones off the SHB vendor unless I plan to use them somehow because I'm not sure how recoverable they are.

So I want to ask this question once and for all:

If I destroy an artifact piece, is it gone forever? I remember seeing NPCs that refund various sets but I can't recall with that distinction was. I know it can't go in the armoire so I'm kind of really nervous about creating clutter or destroying them as an omnijobber.

So yeah, that's my question: will the game have my back if I just pitch these, accidentally or otherwise? Can I ever get them back?