I took a tremendous risk leaving my pen name the same as my in game character's. Should this blog have failed or become the subject of ridicule there would be no anonymity to hide behind; no place of refuse. Luckily for me, a vast majority of readers have found this blog to be both inspiring and thoughtful, which only empowers me with newfound enthusiasm.
Every day there are literally a combination of hundreds of emails/whispers thrown at me regarding making gold in wow, pvp, and/or just wow in general. Sometimes they make me laugh with openners such as "Dear sir, gold making master," but other times they inspire me. When a complete stranger comes up to me and says thank you it really excites the creative authorship within me. Surprisingly, one of the best whispers I've received in game came from a guildy:
"Hey Markco, I have no money and need to pay for raids, give me some cash."
I don't normally give people money, instead I give them information. For instance, if a no-name begger comes up to me asking for change I point outside of orgrimmar and say "See those boars, what if I told you the meat they drop is worth 50 silver a peice." You'd be surprised just how many beggers literally run for the boars.
Oh where was I, yes the guildy. Now this guildy had two hours before the raid and I had to come up with a fast way to make him some cash. "What are your professions," I asked. Profession X and Mining was the reply. There were multiple answers I could of given him, and I had decided against many of them because explaining more detailed cross profession plans would of taken too long. He also had no epic flier so a quick farming run would not be enough nor was it possible. I took a look at the AH and noticed that there were only a few saronite bars up and not too many eternal airs.
I sent him here to farm scions of storm as well as a few saronite nodes. He farmed for forty-five minutes and came back with four eternal airs. He immediately posted the airs and crafted the ore into bars to resell one at a time. I disenchanted his greens and he posted those as well, with lesser cosmic essences posted instead of the greater form. I then instructed him to buy out the saronite ore for 21 gold a stack and reform it into bars to be resold as well. Just before raid started he checked his auctions and made 600 gold with some of those auctions sold but not in his pockets yet. Not bad for one hour of farming/ah'ing.
I don't beleive in kharma, but that night I did get a shiny new pvp/pve epic from ulduar.
For the comments, what do you say to beggers?
REMINDER:
Don't forget about the gold contest guys! It's your chance to win a free copy of 20kLeveling!
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17 comments: on "Only Two Hours Till Raid - HELP!"
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 8:36 AM
A few things to deal with beggars :
-Automated Goblin Therapist
-Send them on an impossible quest
My favorite :
- tell them that this toon has no money, that I will give them some as soon as I log on my alt (which is purposefully the name of the previous beggar I had to deal with, or any other previous beggar that is online at the moment)
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Automated Goblin Therapist - never heard of it until now, but that's just too funny!
I gotta have myself that addon!
I like to open trade, put 500g in there and go /afk - oldie but a goodie.
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 9:35 AM
I try to be polite to everyone, even beggars, and so I tend to explain to them that I've just bought epic flight on said character (true, I just bought epic flight on my rogue two days ago, and thank you Marko for the advice that helped me get him there) or that I've made some other big expenditure if the character is below seventy.
It doesn't hurt that my level 48 paladin actually -is- dual-specced, so I'm not lying.
I also try to look at their level and suggest to them some place where they could farm up money fairly swiftly, which this guide has helped with.
The strangest one was getting a whisper from a level 61 that still couldn't afford his epic land mount. I saw the guild tag on him and assumed him to be a friend of mine (who happened to lead said guild), since he was so forward about it. I gave him the money, named a few spots to quickly/easily farm for the money to pay me back, and went on my way. When I noticed my friend log in I asked him why he hadn't just sent himself the gold from his main...and that's when I found out the person that I gave the money to was not my friend.
Thankfully I was paid back two days later, in full, and the person has gone on to become something of a friend to me himself (okay, more like an annoying kid brother that's always asking advice, but still, somebody to talk to during rep grinds).
-Tufak of Feathermoon
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 9:46 AM
"All of my money has been stolen by the creatures of this land. If you kill them, you can get my money back and I'll split it with you."
Mobba said... May 6, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Am I the only person that just gives them gold?
I make plenty of gold just reselling on my server, and with only darkmoon:greatness left as a major purchase It's not a big deal just to give it. Tonight a pug healer we had in heroics was complaining about his repair bill, but when I tried to give him some g he turned it down. A lot of people do that when I offer gold, they feel like its cheating.
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I don't mind giving out gold, mats and stuff.
But just don't come and go : "Hey can I have some gold plz?"
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 11:52 AM
@ Mobba
To be honest, if I were in a similar situation (all major expenditures over) then I probably would too.
However, since I have ten alts across two accounts that -aren't- eighty yet...I spend most of my money on things for them as they level up.
That and raiding can get -expensive-.
Even wearing leather, it's seven gold a death on my rogue, and more on my hunter, who is in mail.
Since we're just now starting Malygos, that means a lot of wipes while we learn the fights, so I might end up with a bill of fifty gold from a single night (I cringe to think how it will be on my paladin someday), not to mention the cost of elixers/flasks/buff foods.
Until I have my alchemist leveled, I'll still be paying for that.
Better, for now, to teach a man to fish than to give him one.
-Tufak of Feathermoon
Kohaku said... May 6, 2009 at 2:29 PM
BRK's "Go get me 1000 light feathers from those birds and I'll give you 100g" is awesome.
But I like the Anonymous's " the creatures of this land stole all my gold. kill em and get them back and we'll split " XD
Psuedo said... May 6, 2009 at 2:39 PM
If they want 10g or less I have them sing "I'm a little teapot" or other song and have them break out in a dance.
Higher numbers are more humiliating, I figure if I'm going to give away money it need to be balanced with my own twisted amusement
Anonymous said... May 6, 2009 at 3:26 PM
I believe I got this response from an old Gevlon post over at Greedy Goblin.
When a begger asks if he can have money I simply say, "Sure, anyone can have money."
I really like the one suggested by darkmeanplate and Skrooge though.
HokieJayBee said... May 6, 2009 at 3:40 PM
if i'm on my major mule/AH toon, i like to open trade with a beggar and show them 50 or 60k. then close the trade window.
it always ensues an "Oh MY GOD dude you have so much just let me have 100".
they always get the same from me, "no way, no gifts - but i will tell you there's a glitch in loch modan fishing right now. the loch modan striper is vendoring for 35g each right now. i made all this since 2 days ago."
i just wonder how many fish these poor souls have caught chasing the elusive loch modan striper.
if it's a friend or guildmate, i don't do loans or gifts [not even to family as my brother plays on the same server]. but i do severely overpay for mats i might need. trade goods or prof mats, depending on whatever their professions are. paying double or triple for stacks of ore/leather/gems/herb/etc. i figure at least this way i'm getting something i need in return. it also works paying it forward this way, because i'll never have to ask for gold back, and i'll typically get a random mailing of ore/leather/herbs back in the future. funding friend's who are gatherers epic flyers is not always a sunk cost :)
Sparks said... May 6, 2009 at 7:18 PM
http://www.wowhead.com/?item=5368
You can actually sell those if there's been a surge of beggars recently. Trade loves a good joke.
Seth said... May 7, 2009 at 2:02 AM
I usually just start discussing why should i? what could you mean to me? can't you make your own? etc etc, after a while they stop replying, and he will think twice before asking someone for money XD
And I need it myself for all my alts (im Seth and im a altoholic)
if it is someone i know, i give them info on how to make money, and if needed some starter capital (if they are in my guild)
grtz
seth
William said... May 7, 2009 at 11:20 AM
I like the idea of sending them on a simple task. I'll have to use that one some time. It isn't giving them money, but it isn't too taxing on them either.
It's been my experience that most just want a handout though.
I tell you who I would give gold to, a beggar that said something like "I'm just gonna level with you, I just want a drink. Can you spare a few silver?" That would make me laugh, and that's worth a gold or two.
Noak said... May 7, 2009 at 3:16 PM
@ anonymous 2:
I do the exact same thing, except I make it more believable. It's usually something like, "I'll give you 1 silver for every boar meat you give me". I then sell the boar meat on the AH for about 50s each.
Marcko, your next farming area should be Beggars in Orgrimmar, they give a very nice amount of gold per hour.
Anonymous said... July 16, 2009 at 5:15 AM
My pally banks with traveler's tundra mammoth in tb and gets quite a few beggars. What I do is group invite them and as soon as they hop on I open trade and enter the amount they wanted. Then I jump off of tb, dismiss the mount and bubble myself.
Anonymous said... October 26, 2009 at 1:39 AM
I've only found your blog today but I love your tips and they are already helping me. I need to point out that server economy's fluctuate so wildly that I can make a killing on my horde dk (alone, not even 80 yet)then go do the same things on my alliance toons(80,75,60). The only difference is what server they live on.
As for gold beggers, I have an unusually soft heart for poor/new players. I go out of my way to help them. If they don't want to much or I see they need something they can't buy I usually pass them a few gold.
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