Runner's Plight

Hello Everyone-
Lately I've been seeing a trend in GW. The purpose of a runner is to take his client(s) from point A to point B for a sum of money. Even though GW has its own economy and a runner tries his best to get the most clients, this poses a problem. I have seen runners go from Ascalon to Beakon's Perch for as little as 1 Platinum and seen some run for tips just to beat a runner like me that's asking 2.5 Plat. OK-so he gets the run from me, but in the end, everyone that wants a run in the future will expect it for that price and pretty soon, all the runners will be working for peanuts.
Believe me, if they really want to go, they'll pay your price. I'm not suggesting we rip off the people we run, but I feel as you are working to get them there-why do it for a tip? Trust me-there's enough players that want runs that you don't need to cut other runners throats and eventually your own and everyone else's in the future. Isn't it bad enough that we get scammed sometimes with no recourse like they have if a runner scams them?

I'm one of those that will do that to thiefs like you. 2.5 K from Ascalon to Beacons is thievery. So when I see a ripoff, I'll take your group from you and do the run for free. If you don't like it, be fair in pricing, and if you can't do that then don't run people. Let them fight it out like we did.

I do it for free. I never take money or tips. Usually run from Ascalon to every place in desert.

EDIT- (Person below me) That to, when the Mad Knight halloween contest was going, I ran new players there in bunches so they wouldn't miss their chance.

I missed the Mad King so i could do two seperate runs from Ascalonian areas to LA for FREE.

You're right- why should I tip someone, let alone pay to have someone run me?
I'd rather play myself thank you.

Do you want some cheese to go along with that whine?

you guys are pretty lame. People farm and get insane amounts of gold and ask insane prices for their "uber" items they found and want to sell. Its a form of income for them. Same as running. Running is also a form of income and no more an act of theft then farming and then spamming the towns with "WTS" crap which should be in the trade channel but isn't.

I will agree that 2.5k is a little much for a ascalon to beacon perch run. But nothing wrong with a runner doing what he/she has to to make money.

I agree with the point you're making, but I disagree with the "pretty lame" comment. People will do what people HAVE to to make a way in the game, and imho, from certain points to certain points, should have a money value set in stone; while others should be for "tips" and whatnot.

Plus, it's all player-character reliant. He/She charges what He/She thinks their time is worth, or at least how IT SHOULD be calculated.

--The Shim

It's a living player driven economy. I have nothing against running (except to be uber and faction farm in the strating arena's).

I was runed from Beckon -> Draknor's off of tips as two people tested a new build. I go for the chepeast. Be it tips (and I do tip what I can afford) or if I aggree to a set price, I abide by it.

I do admit the Frointer Gate to Ruins of Sumira and some runs are flat out rip off.

There are going to be the "profession" of running and people who do it for free / off of tips and I don't see it changing.

I also like to hook up with new players help them out in asclon, get them to new locations, and have done some free running too.

2.5k from Ascalon to Beacons is a blind ripoff!

You are simply taking advantage of newer players in the hope that they will find something new and exiting at Beacons. All runs should be free. If someone wants to run someone, it is because they want to think that they are superior in knowledge and pwoer in that game and that is not always the case. Although I've had runs in the past, it is out of pure kindness--not for profit.

Sheesh..you guys are taking it way too far on Loino. If there was no running, it would probably be quite hard for some people to progress through the game. If there was no such thing as running, I would be a very poor guy in game. Since they nerfed farming,etc.. I have a lack of money now. So runs are one of the dominant ways for me to make money. And 2.5k for a run from Ascalon to Beacon's is reasonable, I would say maybe 1.5-2k would be okay. Saying stuff like.."would u liek sum cheese wit that whine? lolz" is just extremely immature. I know whoever said that didn't say that exactly..but more to the point.

I run but I do tips when I just want to run, and when I do charge it's 15k for a 2 hour long run from Ascalon to almost all the desert cities.
15k is the average tip I recieve for that run, and I establish a average tip for every run I do, like Lion's Arch to TotA is 500 gold a person.

I guess most everyone here missed the point of this post. In order for me to run you from Point A to Point B, I spent many hours playing the game, doing the missions and quests, leveling my character and saving my gold to get my armor and runes so that I could run some lameass level 3 that's too lazy to do it to Beakon's Perch to get his armor because he BOUGHT his gold from EBAY. Not to mention the fact that the run takes a considerable amount of time to do. And you call me a "ripoff"-how funny is that. I think I may even raise my price now. And to all you "runners" that do it for free-you deserve what you get.
In reply to the post of me taking advantage of newer players-most of the people i run are players that have started a NEW character and want to power level it through.

Tell you what,next time you climb into a taxi, ask the driver if he'll take you for free or just for the tip and see how fast you're walking to your destination.

Funny I thought the point of spending hours playing is because it's fun.

You can easily play the game without anyone's help, I don't think you're ripping people off but facilitating a service I don't believe in. But since you are doing something that many people use to rush through the game, it doesn't surprise me the clientel don't tip or think your price is too high. Anotherwords consider your target clients.

Most, if not all people who pay runners have already been through the game and it's not at all difficult even for a casual player. If they're looking to pay runners then they dont want to do all the side quests, and missing those out it's very easy to finish the game in a few days maximum.

People pay for convenience, not because the trip is too difficult without.

The economy is player driven. If someone is going to offer the service cheaper than you are, and that is how they want to spend their game time, then you can't really complain about that.

Most people will pay some amount, so if you lower your price and make yourself competative then you will spend less time waiting for a fill group and you can make more runs and thus more money.

Another option is that since it is starting from Ascalon, you could petition Adelburn and ask him to impose a government regulated pricing structure in accordance with a competative free trade act. I have a feeling, however, that this might take some time to imlplement as he is spending most of his time arguing with Rurick at Nolani.

Good luck with business.

Edit:

Funny, I thought it was the "drivers" offering to take you somewhere for tips. Most people asking for a run will usually set a price, or wait for the runner to tell him/her what the price is.

1) Runners exist because there is a demand.

2) If someone is running to Beacon's for free, so be it. Let them waste 30 minutes running someone for free.

3) If a player can't afford the run, he doesn't need it. The same applies to weapons / armor.

FYI I charge 5k for a run from Ascalon to Beacon's. Do I get very many people? No, but I don't run as a profession. Besides, I'll only run people who can afford it. I've been with a few free / tip runners, a lot of them suck and waste my time. I'd rather pay more and get it finished quicker.

The standard prices for runs
Ascalon to Yak's: 1k
Yak to Beacon's: 1k
Beacon's to Droks: 3k
Beacon's to TOA: 2-3k
TOA to Sanctum: 1-2k
Sanctum mission: 500-1.5k

Each desert town: 400-500g.
Elona Reach mission: 500-1.5k
Thirsty mission: 4-10k

Camp Rankor to War Camp: 2k
War Camp to Citadel: 2-5k
War Camp / Citadel to Copperhammer: 5-10k

Ok, ok, so what everyone seems to be saying is they want something for nothing nowadays. That run should be 3k even because it would take you some time to make it there normaly. Im sick of people asking for handouts in this game, running is a legitimate form of making money and if you cant pay for a run there, maybe you dont deserve to be run there in the first place. Some people are not in it to be "nice", some actualy depend on that flow of money to purchase things they want to use. And really do you actualy think most people that run for tips are being nice? No. They usualy make more money doing that. As my friend has demonstrated with his 15k armor on each of his chars.

What Im trying to say is, stop bashing runners because you think they charge too much. Maybe you dont take it into account that they are the ones doing the work, not you.

people are free to charge whatever they want for goods or services that doesnt mean you have to pay that much if someone wants to charge 3k for ascalon to droks or something let them dont bother them about it by joining thier group and stealing thier clients make your own group and advertise

Awesome guide, Ancient. I use these prices, myself. You should have your own "Price Guide for Running" =)

--The Shim