19.10.13 Artefact Tradein

(see also HELP ARTEFACTS, HELP ARTEFACT TRANSFERS, and HELP CREDITS)

Artefacts may be traded in, by the owning adventurer only, in return for Bound
Credits only. Since these are _already_ bound credits, there is no lesson bonus
gained by trading in artefacts.

Artefacts are traded in at two-thirds value, based on the current price of the
artefact. If it sells for 300, you'll get 200 in trade. If it sells for 400,
you'll get 266 in trade. And so forth. There are exceptions for multi-priced
artefacts and artefact level upgrades, detailed below.

Many Promotional Items can also be traded in, if these do not trade in with the
ARTEFACT TRADEIN command, PROMO TRADEIN may be used.

Multi-priced Artefact Trade-ins
-------------------------------
One special case relates to items that have multiple prices, such as bows. In
all such cases, the trade-in price is two-thirds of the current price, and
taking into account whatever class or other qualifications you may have had at
the time of purchase.

Example: You buy a Lupine bow. The price is 1000 credits if you have the
darkbow ability, or 1500 credits if you don't. You have the darkbow ability at
the time of purchase, so you pay 1000 credits). You change class, losing the
darkbow ability. In the meantime, the price goes up to 1200 / 1800 (with
darkbow ability, without darkbow ability). Now you want to trade in your Lupine
bow.  The trade-in value would be 800 credits (two-thirds of the current
darkbow ability price of 1200) because we are counting you as having the same
qualifications that you had at the time of original purchase.

(In short: no, you can't get a cheap bow, change class, and get a refund on the
higher value! We also won't let you pay the higher price, change class, and get
a lousy refund on the lower value!)


Artefact Level Upgrades
-----------------------
Many of our artefacts are level-based. For example, we offer three levels of
artefact broadswords, with each level having better stats than the previous.

You may upgrade such artefacts to higher levels at ONLY the cost of the
credit price difference between the levels. For example, if you purchase a
level 1 longsword (a Meteoric longsword) for 350 credits, and you later wish
to upgrade to a level 3 longsword (a Logosian longsword) which costs 1600
credits, you would only need to pay 1250 credits. 

Level upgrades can only be from one base type of artefact to another. If you
have a level 1 rapier, you cannot upgrade in this manner to a level 2
broadsword, for example. 

If you have purchased the "asp" ability on an artefact weapon, if you later
upgrade the weapon, the "asp" ability will transfer. 

To upgrade your artefacts, simply use the ARTEFACT <artefact> UPGRADE command.


Themed Artefact Tradein
-----------------------
If you have a regular artefact and then acquire the same artefact but with a 
themed description from an event, talisman, or promotion, you can now tradein
the special version while retaining the description!

A 25 credit charge comes with merging artefacts, and all of the commands are listed under ARTEFACT <artefact> DESCRIPTION.

ARTEFACT <artefact> DESCRIPTION LIST 
                               - What descriptions are available!
ARTEFACT <artefact> DESCRIPTION SHOW <slot> 
                               - Show a specific description.
ARTEFACT <artefact> DESCRIPTION MERGE INTO <other artefact>
                               - Merge one artefact with another.
                               - The first referenced artefact will be 
                                 destroyed and traded in.
ARTEFACT <artefact> DESCRIPTION SWITCH <slot>
                               - Switch your artefact's description!

When you merge an artefact, you receive the same number of credits you would if
trading in the merged artefact normally, and that artefact will be destroyed.

Note that you may not merge an artefact that possesses multiple artefact powers
on it (though the artefact you're merging into may have any number), and the
artefacts must be of the same base type. I.e. you could merge a firependant with
another fire pendant, but not a blood pendant with a fire pendant.

This cannot be done with ice figurines.

Commands
--------
The command is ARTEFACT:
   ARTEFACT <artefact> VALUE
   ARTEFACT <artefact> UPGRADE
   ARTEFACT <artefact> ADD <ASP|SHOOTING>
   ARTEFACT <artefact> TRADEIN [CONFIRM]
   ARTEFACT REMOVE <tattoo> TATTOO [CONFIRM]

Use ARTEFACT ... VALUE to check what the tradein value will be.
Use ARTEFACT ... UPGRADE to upgrade a multi-level artefact.
Use ARTEFACT ... ADD to add functionality to an artefact.
                    - ASP for bladed weapons.
                    - SHOOTING for artefact bows if you lack the skill.
Use ARTEFACT ... TRADEIN to do the trade. If you CONFIRM, it's irreversible.
Use ARTEFACT REMOVE <tattoo> TATTOO to remove permanence from a tattoo.
  The tradein value of artefact tattoos (permanent) is 66 credits.

The result of a tradein is to give you Bound Credits. These Bound Credits
will now appear separately on STAT, and can only be spent on lessons and
other benefits for your character. See HELP CREDITS for details.


Customisation Has No Tradein Value
----------------------------------
The trade-in value does not include any credit for customisations. The value or
cost of customisations is lost when you trade in an item. This means if you get
an item customised with a custom description, or if you get your item to reset
to your inventory, or if you get your item set to non-decay, none of this will
have any trade-in value.


No Change, Refund, OR Lessons
-----------------------------
No change or refund is given - if you trade in an artefact, all of the
return will be given in Bound Credits, which can only be used on your
character. You will not be given normal Credits you can transfer to any
other character. 


Limitations
-----------
Many things may not be traded in at all:
- Pets may not be traded in.
- Collars of Lupus may not be traded in.
- Houses (personal dwellings) may not be traded in.
- Room credits may not be traded in.
- Artefact Beds (items of furniture).
- Item customisations (non-decay, descriptions, reset) may not be traded in.

Other exceptions may be added from time to time. Please be sure to ISSUE ME
<your question> if you have questions.


Requesting A Tradein
--------------------
To request a trade-in, email artefacts@achaea.com. Please be very clear as to
what you want to trade in, with item numbers please, what you want in exchange,
and what you believe your trade-ins to be worth.

Alternatively, use the ARTEFACT commands listed above.

If you are requesting an artefact level upgrade, please do NOT use the
ARTEFACT TRADEIN command at this time. Email artefacts@achaea.com with all
relevant information.


Examples:
---------
Aeyr purchases a Meteoric longsword for 350 credits. He also decides that he'd
like to customise the description of the sword, which he does for fifty
credits. Later, he decides that he wants to upgrade his customised Meteoric
longsword to a Logosian longsword. A Logosian longsword costs 1600 credits. 
The cost for this level upgrade is 1250 credits. Note that the cost of the 
customisation was not factored in to this transaction. Customisations may not 
be traded in, and do not affect trade-in value.

Now Aeyr has used his Logosian longsword for some time and decides he really
wants to trade in the longsword and purchase a Hammer of Forging. Aeyr gets 
two-thirds value for his trade-in. The Logosian longsword still costs 1600, 
so the trade-in is 1066 credits. A Hammer of Forging costs 400 credits, which
means that Aeyr now has 666 credits left over. Aeyr is using the new ARTEFACT 
xxx TRADEIN system, so those 666 credits remain as Bound Credits, to be used 
at any future time for the purchase of more artefacts, converting to lessons,
or other purchases for that character.

In neither case may Aeyr purchase a new item on behalf of any other adventurer.
The new Logosian longsword and the new Hammer of Forging must both be owned by
him.

See another example at Multi-priced Artefact Trade-ins (near the top).


(see also HELP ARTEFACTS, HELP ARTEFACT TRANSFERS, and HELP CREDITS)