Diablo 3 Radiant Gems are long term

[morbidjbyrd]

Gems are intended to be a long term min/max upgrade path. One rank to the next probably won't make or break the game for you, but it will surely set you apart.

Long term is an understatement, never mind expensive.
Since rank 5 is currently the best dropping gem, you have to create all the others.

Assuming the price of a rank 5 gem on the RMAH(Real Money Auction House), then
Rank 5 ($0.05) x3 --> Rank 6 ($0.15) (3 rank5 gems)
Rank 6 ($0.15) x3 --> Rank 7 ($0.45) (9 rank5 gems)
Rank 7 ($0.45) x3 --> Rank 8 ($1.35) (27 rank5 gems)
Rank 8 ($1.35) x3 --> Rank 9 ($4.05) (81 rank5 gems)
Rank 9 ($4.05) x3 --> Rank 10 ($12.15) (243 rank5 gems)
Rank 10 ($12.15) x2 --> Rank 11 ($24.30) (486 rank5 gems)
Rank 11 ($24.30) x2 --> Rank 12 ($48.60) (972 rank5 gems)
Rank 12 ($48.60) x2 --> Rank 13 ($97.20) (1944 rank5 gems)
Rank 13 ($97.20) x2 --> Rank 14 ($194.40) (3888 rank5 gems)

Equation for the # of required gems, max rank 10, 3^(x)
x = difference in rank: max rank of 10
For rank 10:
3^5 = 243 gems

1 rank5 gem = 5 cents
Multiply that by price, 0.05*243 = $12.15


Equation for the # of required gems, rank10-14, 3^5*2^x
Rank14: 3^5*2^4=3888 gems

1 rank5 gem = 5 cents
Multiply that by price, 0.05*3888= $194.40



Note: If they reduce the required gems to 2 per charge it would drastically reduce the price.
The equation would be, 2^(x)*p

p = 0.05
Rank 14: $25.60
Gems: 512

p=0.01
Rank 14: $5.12
Gems: 512

[terrahero]

im sorry i do not keep up with Diablo3, for the uneducated could you tell us what this means and how this is relevant?

At first glance it looks like a massive money sink, but i dont know if its neccesary or not. And what those gems do and why i should care about gems. If they are fancy fluff i wouldnt care, but if this is used for unlocking powerfull gear/skills then its basicly Pay(alot)-to-Win.

[morbidjbyrd]

im sorry i do not keep up with Diablo3, for the uneducated could you tell us what this means and how this is relevant?

At first glance it looks like a massive money sink, but i dont know if its neccesary or not. And what those gems do and why i should care about gems. If they are fancy fluff i wouldnt care, but if this is used for unlocking powerfull gear/skills then its basicly Pay(alot)-to-Win.

It means that the costs of the top gems, rank 14, are going to be very expensive.
It will take a lot of money and/or time, to acquire rank 5 gems and turn them into rank 14 gems.

Of course they are permanent, but still the price could become outrageous, especially considering the huge demand these gems are going to receive. Even if rank 5 gems sell for a nickle, it could add up to nearly $200 to 1 rank 14 gem.

[Zulandia]

I haven't really been looking into the gems in D3 much, but going off D2 they work a lot like the gems in WoW, only opposed to having to buy new gems as you go (green > blue > epic > next expansion) you simply combine multiple of the smaller gems to make a higher tier one. lower tier gems will also drop while you play the game (if we believe the OP, the highest tier gem which will drop is 5) and then to reach the higher tier will require you "build" them. It should be noted he is assuming the prices of gems on the RMAH, they will also be able to be farmed to an extent or be bought with in game currency as well. He's trying to make a big deal out of a small thing more or less.

TL : DR if you choose to buy them instead of spend time to get them, much like anything convenience costs you.

[VanillaO]

Are rank 5 gems the highest that will drop in the entire game? Or just what's going to be initially available - i.e., normal mode? (I know they have that Inferno setting or whatever that's going to be for the elite of the game?) Maybe I'm talking out my ass here... fill me in.

[morbidjbyrd]

I haven't really been looking into the gems in D3 much, but going off D2 they work a lot like the gems in WoW, only opposed to having to buy new gems as you go (green > blue > epic > next expansion) you simply combine multiple of the smaller gems to make a higher tier one. lower tier gems will also drop while you play the game (if we believe the OP, the highest tier gem which will drop is 5) and then to reach the higher tier will require you "build" them. It should be noted he is assuming the prices of gems on the RMAH, they will also be able to be farmed to an extent or be bought with in game currency as well. He's trying to make a big deal out of a small thing more or less.

TL : DR if you choose to buy them instead of spend time to get them, much like anything convenience costs you.

I am not assuming, the current info states that rank5 is the highest that drops atm.
However, there is some talk about making higher ones drop in INFERNO.

Yah you can say I assumed that price, but I would say that the price is a variable, and I gave an example.

I made the equations so you can put w/e price you want...even a fraction of a penny.
But even at a penny, thats still $38.88 each.

Are rank 5 gems the highest that will drop in the entire game? Or just what's going to be initially available - i.e., normal mode? (I know they have that Inferno setting or whatever that's going to be for the elite of the game?) Maybe I'm talking out my ass here... fill me in.

Nope, there is some talk around the water cooler that there will be higher rank gems in inferno.

[Aammadan]

Honestly I think the OP has a point, it's something that kinda made me go 'WTF?' when I first read that out of 14 ranks you can only get drops up to rank 5.

It's possible to remove gems from their sockets and keep/reuse them in Diablo III though, isn't it? I think just like with the beginning of every WoW xpack, there will be huge price inflation initially, but there's no way we'll see prices sustained at $200 after the initial rush.

[Caiada]

If that's true, rank 5 gems will probably decrease in cost, depending on the drop rate. I can't see them honestly selling for anything on the AH.

[zaoly]

Assuming the price of a rank 5 gem on the RMAH(Real Money Auction House)

This is manipulating number to your argument at its best:
What if rank 5 gems are $0.01 each?
What if rank 6 gems are $0.01 each?
The cost would look much more reasonable

[Jaerin]

If that's true, rank 5 gems will probably decrease in cost, depending on the drop rate. I can't see them honestly selling for anything on the AH.

If you need 3k+ of them to make a single rank 14 gem there will be HUGE demand for them. They will likely become a possible alternative currency to gold just like SoJ's did in D2.

[morbidjbyrd]

If you need 3k+ of them to make a single rank 14 gem there will be HUGE demand for them. They will likely become a possible alternative currency to gold just like SoJ's did in D2.

Not likely, the RMAH will likely dictate things for the most part, gold will remain the 2nd currency.

If gold does not cap, like in D2, it could be on par with the cash.
It is hard to predict the effect of the RMAH, but it does ensure that items certainly wont become a currency.

[Deleted]

i thought that rank 6 or 7 was the highest drop

[Dhurn]

Good, something to work towards. If it's that hard, getting a max rank gem will feel like quite an accomplishment. Any word on whether the gems will effect weapons with a glow/color change?

[Daviddishere]

Why are you assuming they will be 5 cents? Remembering D2, anything less than perfect gems were worthless. Maybe someone would pay a penny for a rank 5 gem? Maybe the price will be 5 rank 5 gems for a penny?

[Caiada]

If you need 3k+ of them to make a single rank 14 gem there will be HUGE demand for them. They will likely become a possible alternative currency to gold just like SoJ's did in D2.

I'm assuming (hoping?) they'll be fantastically common on Hell+, else the system is straight-up broken market-wise. Else, the inferno drops will have to be 5-8 or something and relatively common to make them even remotely obtainable. They're not having that SoJ crap happen again, I'm sure of that.

[Edge-]

The only thing I can think of is that the rank 6-7 ones are the ones you will see on the AH as the starting ones (for very cheap). If not, then wow, AH prices will be nuts.