Well the game has changed a fair amount. These swords are less effective against pretty much all players than they used to be due to the addition of armor training that dawn brought.
So are a lot of things that are valuable, e.g. pyrite if you dont play a mage. Also its not exactly a by-product, since there are other uses for magmum. You can choose to make maalite with it, or the other tier two materials if you wish. Even with the increased supply of late I consider anything below 40g per 1k as cheap, its not easy or safe to get in significant quantities unless you live in GK.
Even with 40g per 1k... how much could it honestly take to make a greatblade? 125? At 40g per that makes 8 swords. Market value for the materials for a sword would be 5g total (excluding spw, which is fucking easy). So I guess with the effort going into weaponcrafting, 8g per would be reasonable. That's if you price it at 40g per k and it makes 8 swords with it. I don't exactly know the math. I honestly still consider it a byproduct though. Most people mine tephra for the red bleckbende. Magmum is just another added bonus.
All armour training did was to increase your max weight of equipment weight, meaning if you have no armour training your max waight would be what 2 or 4? Can't remember. It doesnt add damage migation, however it does give you the ability to wear more heavy armor with heavy armor training, which does make the maalite sword less effective. But against light targets its very effective. Or am I wrong here? I haven't made a maalite sword in a very, very long time. Dip: You are wrong about people mining tephra mostly for red bleckbende, you obviously don't have a clue! Why even bother in the profession as a (weapon)crafter if all you get is a 8x8g-40g=24g profit? Honestly, people can go make them themselves if they want to be that cheap!
Sounds like the perfect mage killer, at a very low strength rating What do they mine it for then? I need to learn somewhere! I am not above admiting I'm wrong, but at least tell me why I'm wrong! I was only speculating at the cost. Why do people only sell steel swords at 15g per when it takes 205 steel?! I also didn't think there was actually a market for these. No demand = low price normally
Redbleck bende gives Sangunite which is a catalyst for Oghmium, but is not worth getting Oghmium currently on live. You primarily mine tephra to get Galbinium which leads to Cronite. You're right on the no demand = low price, but any crafter or salesman for that matter wouldn't sell a product for a loss - I wouldn't, I'd rather see it rot in my bank (mind you, I'm not a salesman nor crafting for people outside the guild, much). If we go by the calculation above, 24g is nothing if you consider the grind and cost it takes to mine the tephra and ultimately getting Maalite from it. Maalite is the poor man's cronite, imo
No, not in my opinion, I don't think you can consider Maalite as a byproduct, compared to calamine, electrum, red bleck blende or even magnum which leads to Maalite. You can't use Maalite as a catalyst anywhere, you can't extract/refine Maalite beoynd Maalite, and so forth. I would rather call it a lesser product than a byproduct, but I guess it depends on the eye that see.
I used to buy Niteblades when I was a noob, they were awesome! Then I helped knock down the store during the crusade.
