Forgotten Ankhs: what Reagent Economy takes off your shopping list

Reagent Economy takes one chore out of a character’s routine, the vendor run for class reagents, and very little else. That narrow scope is worth holding on to when reading the case one player made against it. On 10 October, while the beta was still running, they posted a long essay on Blizzard’s US forums under the title Legacy Talents. The argument: most Legacy perks swap friction for convenience, and friction is where much of the social game lives. For Reagent Economy, the essay chose a pointed example. A shaman forgets their Ankhs, and the routine that prevents it (hearth, repair, restock, sell the junk) is part of what makes the class feel like itself.

That is one player’s position, and a forum thread is not a measure of what most players want. The example is still useful, because it shows precisely where the perk bites.

What the perk removes

Blizzard’s Legacy system guide, published on 23 September, describes Reagent Economy in one line: class abilities no longer require purchasable reagents, and tier 1 camping features require no materials to craft.

The important word is purchasable. The perk removes a vendor run. Nothing in the guide says it lowers mana costs, waives crafting materials in general or shortens travel. Soul Shards, which Warlocks collect rather than buy, sit outside it: the 16 October development notes fixed a bug that let a Warlock with the perk summon an Incubus without spending a shard.

The guide also does not define which camping features count as tier 1, so do not assume every skill-20 camp item becomes free to make.

What it costs

Legacy points are earned across your account but spent per character, and each character’s choices are independent. At launch, a character can spend at most 16 points, and the guide says every character advantage can be unlocked on one character.

So the real decision is narrower than convenience versus friction. Reagent Economy competes with every other perk for one character’s 16 points. A shaman who likes the Ankh run can leave it off. A different character on the same account can take it.

Two weeks later

Nothing published since the essay has changed the perk’s description. Whether forgetting a reagent is a lesson or a nuisance remains a matter of taste. What the perk takes away is the shopping. Your mana, your shards, your route and the rest of your preparation still belong to you.