Talk:Transmutation (historical)

Transmuting Named Exotic Armors

This is what I'm worrying, I want to transmute other skins to named exotic armors like Aidan's set, but if by chance Anet will decide to make a new Legendary armors set with Aidan being precursor, in that case I'll waste a precursor. I hear that they'll come up with a wardrobe system later. Should I wait ?

On transmuting soulbound items

in addition to white and blue items being able to transfer skins of soulbound items, you can also use the gold account bound toymaker's bag from wintersday to transmute and transfer a soulbound back slot item (in my case, the engineer starter backpack)

Microtransaction required?

"With the transmutation system, you’ll be able to acquire new items known as Transmutation Stones through our in-game store that allow you to customize your appearance" (from the Blog article). Does this mean transmutation requires real money? -- Frozzen 18:01, 3 October 2010 (UTC)

Unfortunately, yes :/ There's a blazing debate about it on guru. --Naut 18:04, 3 October 2010 (UTC)

So i got an idea. if these are able to use to weapons will you able get a wepon with waluable skin and low stats and switch them i think many people would get eesy money with that--Azertah 13:02, 6 October 2010 (UTC)

Rare skins will be valuable regardless of stats, because they are rare. And if you could do this for weapons as well, then everyone could do it, and nobody would be impressed at a max-stats Stygian Reaver any more than a Stygian Reaver with "Slashing dmg: 1-2". I mean, depending on the price for these stones, of course. Still, they've only been announced to work for armor so far. --ஸ Kyoshi 13:29, 6 October 2010 (UTC)

But I think the price would be more lover becauce you would have to use the stone so you propably would get more money from max stats weapon after all--Azertah 13:56, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

Erm, the very first article pretty clearly states that the stones will work on armours and/or weapons. --★KOKUOU★ 15:59, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

Personally, I expect any item that results from transmutation to be bound to that character for this very reason. It is meant to be a purely cosmetic benefit, but if you are able to notably profit as a result of the item, it provides an actual gameplay advantage over those without the stones. --Emelend 21:33, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

id like it better if we could pay, say 10k+ karma for 1 stone? needs o be hard enough to get but having to buy it with real mooney? meeeeh.. dont egt me wrong, if its cheap fair enough, but i think they should have an expensive version in game for game currency Getefix 21:14, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

More importantly is the question of whether transmuts and other MT items will be allowed into trading and/or the Marketplace --Sirrush 23:05, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

It would be a way to buy gold, so rest assured it won't be possible. - 84.31.15.202 23:34, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

(Reset indent) I had this brilliant insight. Let's wait for the game to come out and then check, instead of speculating on things that we will probably never receive an answer to until the game is released. Aqua (T|C) 23:38, 29 March 2011 (UTC)

Yeah. What kind of people speculate instead of waiting who knows how long for the game to be released? How dare they discuss something controversial? We should all just offer no feedback or opinions on anything, because we all know the Devs never take time to listen and adjust based on it. We should all just stop using the wiki that allows us the platform in which to freely discuss things without really harming anyone, as long as we keep it civil. We should all just not discuss anything and wait, because I'm sure the devs are never going to show/tell us anything till the game is released. Brilliant. 67.249.56.234 23:08, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

This is not the place for feedback, and it isn't likely devs will ever see this talk page. Besides that, the wiki is also not a place for numerous and trivial speculation, if you want to speculate take it to your own talk page. Last, being cynical never solved anything, and I have no idea what you want to create with this in a discussion started last year what it also out of fuel. -- Cyan 00:31, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

"of the same type" meaning

Does anyone know what "of the same type" means? For instance, can a longbow be combined with a shortbow, or can heavy armor be combined with medium armor? I assume no, but would like to get confirmation with testing. Sorry I don't have an account >.< —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.161.5.155 (talk • contribs) at 07:08, 24 August 2012 (UTC) (UTC).

No, you can't transmute between types of bows or between armor weights. talk 17:53, 29 October 2012 (UTC)

Untransmute?

Is there a way to roll back a transmutation? For instance, all the Guardians crying about their Fanatic's Shoulders being transmuted into Heritage Set - will they be able to change them back to look like the Fanatic's gear? Inucirrus 15:45, 9 September 2012 (UTC)

No, you cannot undo a transmutation, it is permanent. Seems kinda silly to me that anyone would expect otherwise. —Dr Ishmael 12:35, 10 September 2012 (UTC)

Considering this is exactly what can be done in the leading MMO at this time, it's hardly silly to expect other games to meet that benchmark is it?

The interesting thing about this though is that a transmuted item's chat link code still stores the ID value of the item from which it came. From what I can gather it seems to have the original ("left?") item's ID, a transmutation flag, then the ID of the second ("right?") item. I'm not sure which side, left or right, would count as the original. This suggests to me untransmutating a skin might be relatively easy to code, though the original runes/sigils would be lost. Not currently possible in game, probably won't ever be, probably worthless for me to speculate on. Just food for thought, I'm fascinated by these things. --64.250.78.14 02:22, 19 February 2013 (UTC)

transmute different armor classes

I tried to transmute heavy armor and light and it didnt work

That's correct, you can't transmute different armor classes. —Dr Ishmael 12:35, 10 September 2012 (UTC)

Problem notes

→ moved from Transmutation

I was going to give a particular example of what doesn't work and left me scratching my head as to why. I had a 46-rare boot with an aug I no longer wanted but the boot was still the best I'd seen up to that point. I had a 6-stat set rune (GW2 has set runes rather than set gear) that I wanted to put in it. Trying to apply the rune atop the old one did not work so I figured maybe transmutation would do it. Eventually it worked (about the 6th repeat try) but up to that point, when I'd get my selections finished (same ones that eventually worked) it would say:

"stat item cannot use that upgrade"

and I'd just have to back out. Never figured out if, or what, I did differently to get it to work but it did eventually take my choices and I completed the transmutation.

So the short story is: there may be some bugs, if you're pretty sure it should work, keep trying. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Whroc of Ehrmy Bay (talk • contribs).

If you're trying to transmute an item with a rune/sigil onto an item that has no sigil/rune slot, that's for sure.

Transmuting Soulbound items

Is it possible to obtain the appearance of items that have been soulbound to another character, provided the item is of a type usable by your race/profession? For example, suppose I just crafted my Mesmer a Masquerade armor set, and while I like the stats, I hate the appearance. Could I grab the old Apprentice armor set on my Necromancer (which is soulbound), and use that to transmute my Masquerade armor set? (By extension, would this also work by buying desired armor pieces on the Trading Post purely to obtain their appearance by transmutation?) - Zaxares 06:10, 5 October 2012 (UTC)

I would not be surprised if you cannot transmute soulbound items but cannot confirm/deny it as fact for you as I haven't tried it. You can buy stuff of the TP for the skin alone, I have done a lot of that to transmute items for the look I wanted. Bluestone 07:01, 5 October 2012 (UTC)

Nope you can't. I can't even get it into my inventory to transmute. I doubt you could, even if you could get it into your inventory. And when you transmute something, it becomes soulbound. --70.192.212.195 22:06, 9 October 2012 (UTC)

Yes you can, you transmute the soulbound item to a white non soulbound item, then put that item in your bank and swap to the character you want the item on, then transmute the white onto a piece of gear you want.Coltaine 22:13, 9 October 2012 (UTC)

What Coltaine says is correct... for now, anyway. After some testing by myself and guildmates, transmuted items become soulbound and while you can put soulbound items into your Bank, other characters cannot retrieve items soulbound to another character from the Bank. However, if you transmute the soulbound item (item A) onto a white/blue non-soulbound item (item B), and get item C, item C can be retrieved by any character even though item C's description says it's soulbound.

I suspect that this is a bug/oversight by ANet and it will be patched in the future, but in the meantime, it's a workaround for people who have accidentally deleted/sold their original masks from character creation and want to get it back. If ANet does patch this method so it doesn't work anymore, I hope they also include a way to get back the special headgear appearances from character creation, since there is no way to get the Harlequin's Mask/Wraith Mask etc. back if you sell/destroy them. - Zaxares 01:09, 10 October 2012 (UTC)

Does this mean that you need to use 2 fine transmutation stones to do this? So the white/blue/non-soulboundable item acts as a medium/intermediary? Here is an example of what I think you guys mean (please correct me if I'm wrong with any of the steps):

1. If I want my human character to wear armor that looks like norn cultural armor, I'll first have to buy the norn cultural armor with a norn character (making it soulbound to the norn character).
2. Then transmute the appearance of the norn cultural armor onto a non-soulboundable armor (usually whites/blues).
3. This white/blue item now says its soulbound, but to which character?? And is it really soulbound?
4. Then place the white/blue armor (whose appearance has changed to that of the norn cultural armor) in my bank.
5. Logoff the norn character, and login with my human character, then retrieve the white/blue item from the bank.
6. Use a 2nd transmutation stone to transfer the appearance of the white/blue item (which looks like the norn cultural armor) onto one of my armors. So my human character is now wearing armor that looks like norn-cultural armor.

1. Transmuted cultural armor is account bound, but still also race bound. You can only put your norn armor on another norn.

2. The white/blue item I get out of it is Account-Bound afterwards. I tested with different starter-headgear and order-armors.

3. I wrote to support about this, they state this feature is intended. --5.146.157.214 18:05, 10 December 2012 (UTC)

It should be noted that this also allows characters to obtain items belonging to an order to which they do not belong --Steelfist 22:28, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

Bug with transmuting equipped items

I just tried to transmute two shortbows together, one in my inventory, the other equipped and currently 'out' being used. The transmutation would not stick, even after the transmute button was clickable and clicked. It never used a stone, the box just disappeared with nothing happening. I tried this three times before removing both items to my bag and then attempting whereby it worked flawlessly. 174.110.163.143 01:14, 10 October 2012 (UTC)

transmuting equipped items was disabled to fix a bug I reported where if you were under the effects of a tonic and transmuted it would crash the client. I've noticed a few side-effects like that, myself. --Falseprophet 17:08, 18 October 2012 (UTC)

Another transmuting bug

Hi! I just bought the quaggan backpack cover. It came with backpack straps to equip to a pack. I'm not sure what these were for, but oh well. I transmuted my backpack item and the cover. I equipped it and clicked 'unhide', and it isn't showing up. I did that a couple times over again, and it wouldn't work. I equipped the straps (that don't show up either) and tried to equip the backpack over that, but it switches back out. This has never happened to me, and I need help!

Removed erroneous/misleading note

Quote: Please keep in mind that when transmuting two items, you are combining the stats of one weapon with the skin of another to create an entirely new item. When transmuting an upgradeable item, you will lose the ability to upgrade the new item. It becomes an entirely new item with the the appearance of one item and the stats of the other. If you wish to upgrade the item, you will need to wait until after you have upgraded it to transmute the appearance or the ability to upgrade will be lost.

Simply not true, tested 3 cases of transmutation: both items with upgrades, only one item with upgrade the other with unused upgrade slot, and both items with unused upgrade slots. In all 3 cases, a new upgrade could be applied to the newly transmuted item. -- Level100 03:14, 4 November 2012 (UTC)

This is not referring to upgrades, this is referring to Precursor items that can be upgraded to legendaries. If you transmute a precursor it cannot be used in the mystic forge to create the legendary item.

That's not upgrading, that's crafting. —Dr Ishmael 19:49, 3 January 2013 (UTC)

Guardian starter armor doesn't transmutate when placed on the right side of the window

If I place my starter armor into the right side of the transmutation window and try to use its appearance with some newer armor's stats (heavy, same armor slot), the Item Transmutation button is greyed out and no comment is made. However, if I place it into the left side of the window, the button is clickable and I'm given the "Good" comment. I logged out and back in and still had the same problem. The newer piece was not either not soulbound or soulbound to me, and so was the starter gear. Has anyone else had this problem? 129.116.45.134 05:19, 1 February 2013 (UTC)

Same issue with Mesmer starter mask. Putting it in the other side of the widow allowed it to work though. 3 February 2013, at 22:49

What level requirement does the new item have?

Something I don't know, and would probably good on the page is an indication of how level requirements transmute. Does the new item get the level requirement of the stats? Or does it get the level requirement of the highest piece of the two? Level 75 looks + level 10 stats, do you end up with a level 10 piece or a level 75 piece? 69.129.231.58

Level requirement is part of the stat block. I'll add a screenshot of the transmute box to the page sometime, should clarify without the need for additional text. --Aspirant Fool 20:04, 19 February 2013 (UTC)

Rarity bug

I have transmuted quite a lot of items and I found that some of them have the incorrect rarity colour... for example, I have a greatsword that is 'yellow' (i.e. rare) but the stats are for masterwork quality. This only happens rarely but it would be nice if it could be fixed as it is confusing to think that an item has stats corresponding to one rarity when it doesn't. --Combatter 23:46, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

Just to add some extra info, I remember that one of the items appeared 'yellow' until it was pinged to chat (Ctrl-click) and then it would appear 'green' --Combatter 23:52, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps the rarity is taken from the appearance/skin of the item rather the stats? --Combatter 14:54, 31 March 2013 (UTC)

Karma (soul-bound) to White/Blue (account-bound)

The main page stated that karma armor skins could no longer be converted to account bound skins by transmuting the armor onto white or blue items. I just did this successfully using the low level pit-fighter skins purchased with my ranger and then used on my low level guardian (basic transmute stones). So, if there is any basis for the statement about karma armor skins being non-transferable now, it's probably with some very specific caveats (eg. only certain armors or perhaps only via fine stones). Or, the person adding the statement didn't test it (blind copy from notes) or performed the test incorrectly.

So, if you have data that you obtained personally on this subject, it would help to share it by updating main page & this one. Okuza 02:55, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

I see this claim after every update or server maintenance period. Every time I've followed up, it's turned out the person attempting the transmutation made a mistake. Sometimes, they tried to include an upgrade, which automatically makes items soulbound. I've rephrased the note -- if it turns out people have evidence for specific exceptions, they can follow up here on the talk page and people can attempt to replicate the claims before we change the main page. 75.37.23.33 03:09, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Including an upgrade from karma/soul-bound item worked fine for me. BUT, the upgrade items were minor runes, not things like Lyssa runes. I do not know if it's significant, but I also put the target item into the box first, followed by the skin (soul-bound) item. And, I did the transmute with both items inside the bank, not on the character. BTW, tbanks for the detailed update on the page. I wasn't sure enough of the transmute details to do more than correct the erroneous "karma doesn't work" statement. Okuza 22:04, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Talked this over with a guildie and our suspicion is that only upgrades that are inherently soul-bound prevent skin transfer, such as dungeon runes. We both have had experience transferring skins successfully with upgrades that can be put on the trading-post, such as ruby orbs and (in my case), minor runes of flame legion & balthazar. Okuza 22:12, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

Updated main page with new details regarding final color of item and soul-bound upgrade requirements. If someone else could verify these details, that would be appreciated. BTW, the color part for non-legendary is what I've observed myself; ie. the color always equals the color of the stats, not the skin. I've heard that legendary items used to be like this, but that they were altered to retain their color/legendaryness when transmuted onto a different set of stats. Okuza 22:39, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

To complicate things further, I just noticed another lowbie character of mine with transmuted armor is showing the armor as exotic/orange, but with green stats. This contradicts my earlier observation of text color following the stat box (which is happened on my guardian with yellow skins showing a green text, matching the green stats). So, whatever is determining the final color of the text over the item is a little more complex than simply following the skin or stat colors. Okuza 01:16, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

More data on skin and rune transfers: I just transmuted Lyssa temple armor from one character to another WITH the runes. I also transmuted the same Lyssa armor to a cheap rare item and then used a BL salvage kit to extract the Lyssa rune. Temple armor isn't salvageable, but using this method, you can at least recover the runes from it. This is a somewhat soft confirmation that it's the soul-bound runes that prevent skin transfers. Those are the only ones I haven't tested; everything else transfers just fine. BTW, main page still needs an update with this info. Okuza 05:59, 30 April 2013 (UTC)

Transmuting to white to convert from soul- to account-bound worked for me. However, upgrades (runes) were not involved, and nothing was bought using karma. I wanted the Whispers light leggings on my ele, which is on the Vigil track, and this is what I did, in roughly this order:

• Buy cheapest lvl 80 white light leggings from TP.

• On my necro, which is on the Whispers track, buy the light Whispers Leggings from Armor Requisioner Betje in the Chantry of Secrets.

• (On my necro) Using a Transmutation Crystal, transmute the two: use the look of the Whispers Leggings, but with the (awful) stats of the white leggings.

• While the transmutation says that the result will be soulbound, the result is an account-bound yellow item: Whispers Leggings.

I was able to transfer this from my necro to my ele, via the bank. The next step for me is to transmute the leggings onto my ele's leggings, but I have not yet done this. MaryaBinteFool (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2013 (UTC)

Is it required that you have all the items on your person?

Do you have to have all of the components of a transmutation on your character? Or, does the game keep track of items you've "seen" before? I read the three articles, but I couldn't find this point. Daddicus (talk) 16:59, 13 October 2013 (UTC)

You have to have 2 actual items to transmute together, because you have to drag-and-drop the items from your inventory to the transumation window. —Dr Ishmael 17:03, 13 October 2013 (UTC)

Thanks! Daddicus (talk) 20:38, 13 October 2013 (UTC)

Transmute Legendarys

Is it still possible to transmute Legendarys? I want to transmute my Quip and I'm a bit afraid :O

I assume so, but why would you? You can change the attributes whenever you want now. —Dr Ishmael 17:31, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

I know, my engineer got Quip at the moment but I'd prefer it on my mesmer now. But thanks I'll try out later =)

Transfer Soulbound Runes (Dungeon Runes)

In the notes section, it says it isn't possible to use transmutation to transfer soulbound runes from one character to another. That is incorrect and I found a way to do this: 1. Buy 2 white <80 armor pieces (so you can use transmutation stones instead of crystals) 2. Apply the rune to one of the armor pieces. 3. Transmute the armor together. It will now be account bound instead of soulbound. 4. Place the item into bank and take it out with other character. 5. Black Lion Salvage item to produce rune soulbound to new character.

The first time I tried this, it produced an item that wasn't salvageable, but as long as the type of item you are using is the same as the final item you intend the rune to be placed on (Light glove -> Light glove), this still works, you just need to burn a transmutation crystal (if it is 80). Apologies for not signing this! -Deft.4691 23-January-2014

"Consumables"

From the April 15th patch notes: "Skins are unlocked by using consumables". Does this mean that there is/will be a consumable item that unlocks the skin of the item it's used on without binding it (so you can unlock a rare skin and still sell the base item), or does it simply refer to the consumables that unlock a skin when used? 96.33.170.19 18:56, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

Merge discussion

I do not think Transmutation and Wardrobe should be merged. The Wardrobe is more of a UI element Transmutation is a process. Anzenketh (talk) 20:33, 25 May 2014 (UTC)

I disagree. If we kept transmutation, what possible information could be found on that page that isn't already on the wardrobe page? Transmutation is just two clicks now, compared to the complex system before, and its features are the core of the whole wardrobe, so that information should not be separated. This page is just repeating the information found in Wardrobe. --Ventriloquist (talk) 10:57, 1 June 2014 (UTC)

I think this page should be kept but tagged as historical, with a reference to Wardrobe as the current system. The transmutation mechanic explained here has nothing to do with the current system ("pick a skin and pay a charge per item") but may be interesting for nostalgia or in the unlikely case ANet decides to revert. - Y0_ich_halt 00:19, 22 September 2014 (UTC)

Yes. The old transmutation system was replaced by the wardrobe and transmutation charge. The wardrobe does transmute stuff, But there's no need to explain the process in a different page than the wardrobe, as it's part of the mechanics of the wardrobe. But it's a fact that this is how it used to be. The wiki may register how things are now, but it also records history. I'd go with making the page historical, with a link at the top sending players to the skin wardrobe. MithTalk 00:28, 22 September 2014 (UTC)

Flavor Text & Re-Transmute

Does flavor text (Like the Crafted in the style of.. bit) stay on transmuted items? And does the transmuted bit of text disappear if you transmute the original skin back on it? Karuro 20:31, 5 September 2014 (UTC)

I know I'm responding to an ancient post, but since I found this while trying to look into this issue, I assume others will as well. From the few transmutes I've now done of weapons with flavor text, this is what I've found: Skins and flavor text are (unfortunately, in my opinion) completely separate. Flavor text is attached to the item itself, and cannot be moved, removed, or overwritten. Skins -- even ones that have flavor text in the wardrobe -- affect absolutely nothing except the outward appearance and the item's name. If you transmute an item that has flavor text to a new skin, it will retain the original flavor text. If you transmute an item that does not have flavor text with a skin from an item that originally did have flavor text, your end item will still not have flavor text. Disappointing, given that I have a uniquely-skinned/flavor-text-inscribed weapon of great sentimental value and of a type my character actually uses, which is, alas, only a rare. 76.196.236.118 21:34, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

That's a bug, in my opinion. Someone with a before-and-after should report it as a bug. Daddicus (talk)

This has apparently (based on some forum posts I've dug up and a few people in mapchat, as I personally am too new to know of the time before the current system) been true ever since the conversion to the "new" wardrobe system. If it's a bug, it's surely one they already know about and don't care to fix. 76.196.236.118 01:21, 28 January 2016 (UTC)

The plot thickens: Testing armor transmutations with the Hellfire achievement skins (the only armor skins with flavor text that I have access to) has given inconsistent results. Some transmutes gained the flavor text from the skin, while others did not (images attached below.) I currently have no idea what the "rule" is for armor, or even if there is one. Someone in map chat claimed they got different results if they withdrew a skin from their hero panel and then applied it vs applying it directly in the wardrobe without withdrawing it, but I was unable to replicate the behavior. Also, we might want to move this discussion topic to the Wardrobe article. Karawel (talk) 20:24, 28 January 2016 (UTC)

vs

It's still a bug. Failure to report it gives them an excuse to ignore it. Once a report is in, at least one person must make a decision. Daddicus (talk) 23:35, 28 January 2016 (UTC)

In the latest episode of the continuing saga, I just unlocked the Lightbringer's Pack collection; intending to get the item with the flavor text I wanted and then transmute it to the appearance I wanted. Guess what? The item ITSELF is lacking the flavor text that's present on the skin. Just for my own edificaiton, I decided to try reskinning a different item with the Lightbringer's Pack skin - THAT item acquired the skin's flavor text. In desperation, I tried skinning my actual Lightbringer's Pack into something else and then reskinning it BACK to the Lightbringer's skin to pick up the flavor text (this part worked -- I got a Lightbringer's Pack item and a Lightbringer's Pack skin flavor text together) and then reskin it for a third goddamn time to get the appropriate appearance overlaid onto the flavor text, but of course, the final transmute erased the flavor text again. Pretty bitter about wasting 5 transmutes (plus 80ish gold unlocking the collection to begin with) only to find out that "the way the transmutation systm has decided to work in this particular case means you're screwed :DD" and going to open a ticket and complain -- maybe if the issue starts costing them some customer service hours, they'll consider standardizing this trainwreck.Karawel (talk) 22:40, 20 February 2016 (UTC)

There may be some very odd/messy code left over from when transmutations were handled in a different fashion. While I applaud your tenacity, this may be one car not worth chasing, especially if it's costing you so many charges! And yes, I know what it's like to have something like this be a constant bugbear to you. The last one that I had was the skin ID for Caithe's Bloom Dagger (skin)... Damn gem store interface and hidden wardrobe skins... G R E E N E R 22:49, 20 February 2016 (UTC)