GW2: Magic Find Part II

by · February 6, 2013

Gearing Up

Building a Magic Find set is the best thing you can do for farming gold.  It’s much more efficient for you to farm and get better quality drops.  You will also make your money back quickly.  I bought my armor first, then my runes, then my trinkets.

Explorers vs Travelers Armor

Which is better?  Think about when you’re going to be equipping your Magic Find set.  For me, it’s only when i’m farming (for gold). That means all I am trying to do is get a hit or two on as many mobs as possible.  I also want them to die as fast as possible.  Explorer’s gear is slightly better for this, as Precision increased Critical chance.  If you are farming in groups however, the difference becomes negligible.  I still have a couple of Travelers pieces, and am not looking to switch.  If you can find a full set of Travelers gear, and aren’t out farming solo alone in the wilderness, you’re going to be fine.  As you can see in my Group Loot Demo video, there are always other players around the good farming spots.

Travelers vs Pirate vs Scavenger Runes

Travelers and Pirate runes only differ in the 6 point set bonus.  Traveler Runes give 5% to run speed.  Pirate Runes give a chance for an annoying bird to spawn and fly to the four corners of Tyria, aggroing every mob in the zone to you before it disappears.  Scavenger Runes provide a smaller magic find bonus, but the 6 piece bonus is 40% extra gold from mobs.  This might be more compelling if there were a (known) cap on Magic Find, or more coin dropped from mobs.  In my experience, outside the Mad King Labyrinth, there is not a significant amount of mobs dropping coin as loot.
My suggestions is to grab 5 Pirate Runes, and one Traveler Rune.  Pirate Runes are cheaper than both.  This way you maximize your Magic Find.  Running faster and having annoying birds are not the goal of gold farming.  More and better drops are.  Besides, you know what they say.  “Money talks, and bird—- walks!”

Masterwork vs Exotic vs Rare

You are looking at a total of about 6 points difference between each step in stats.  You are also looking at a difference of 8s to 2g50s in price.  The good news is you do not get more Magic Find with exotic armor.  Exotic trinkets upgrade components can give 4% Magic Find, but you can buy those for around 40s a pop.

My suggestion is to buy Rare armor, and either Masterwork or Rare trinkets.  You can buy the upgrade components for your trinkets and save BIG.  I have Rare armor and Masterwork trinkets with no 4% upgrades.  1% is not worth the extra 2g+ to me.  If it is to you, buy the exquisite gems and add them to your masterwork trinkets.

Your Thoughts On Magic Find

Got any tips or gearing strategies of your own?  Leave ’em below.

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