The morning sun crept over Kastleton in 2026, and a rookie named Theo strode toward a row of merchant stalls with a pocket full of Sollant. A veteran named Mara watched from a nearby crate, arms crossed. 'Hold your horses,' she called out. 'Not every shiny thing on that shelf is worth your coin. Some of it is a straight-up money pit.' Theo soon learned that in Throne and Liberty, the best way to grow rich is knowing what not to buy.

Basic Equipment: Leave the White Gear Alone

First, Mara steered Theo away from the basic white-gear rack. In Throne and Liberty, the early game can feel slow, but it picks up in a hurry once the second and third codex entries are done. From that point on, quest rewards and open-world drops are a dime a dozen. Weapons, armor, accessories—you name it, the game floods your inventory. 'You'll replace that vendor sword before the paint dries,' Mara said. 'Better to let your Sollant sit tight.' The lesson? Basic equipment from merchants is dead weight for anyone paying attention.

Recovery Crystals: The 500-Sollant Oversight

Naturally, Theo's eye drifted to a stack of Recovery Crystals. They looked practical, but Mara rolled her eyes. By level 20, players are usually sitting on around 200 Recovery Crystals just from activity rewards. The real workhorse is the Amitoi, which heals constantly as long as you have World Tree Leaves. And those leaves cost only 20 Sollant each, while a single Recovery Crystal sets you back 500 Sollant. That math is a no-brainer. Add in cooldowns and the fact that food offers extra regeneration, and buying Recovery Crystals is like paying a toll on a road you barely use. Save the Sollant for something that actually pulls its weight.

Mana Recovery Potions: Paying for Air

The next stop was the Guild Merchant, home of the Mana Recovery Potion. Theo thought it might be essential, but Mara tapped her staff. 'Many skills chug mana, sure, but you've got options,' she said. The Staff's Inner Peace skill actively recovers mana after casting, and plenty of cooking recipes provide the same boost. Better still, these potions drop constantly as standard rewards. Wasting Guild Coins on them is a slippery slope. If you're really in a bind, craft them with Cooking—don't hand over hard-earned currency for something the game almost hands you on a silver platter.

Guild Base Teleport Scroll: The Laziest Tax

Then Mara held up a Guild Base Teleport Scroll and laughed. 'This little thing is practically useless,' she said. For 5 Guild Coins, players can teleport straight to the Guild Base, but Throne and Liberty already has one of the fairest teleport systems around. Pick a city, teleport there, and the Guild Base is usually a short stroll from the arrival point. Spending 5 Guild Coins just to avoid a few steps is peak laziness. It also eats inventory space. If you're short on time, maybe it's a convenience buy, but calling it a waste is being kind. Keep those Guild Coins in your pocket.

Green Tier 1 Gemstones: Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

At the Contract Coin Merchant, Theo spotted a display of green tier 1 gemstones. They come in all shapes and colors, useful for crafting, skill books, and special recipes. But here's the kicker: they are absurdly abundant from normal play. Dropping hard-to-farm Contract Coins on them is a textbook case of penny wise, pound foolish. Mara pointed to the better alternatives: the Epic Weapon Selection chest for 1,500 Contract Coins, or Precious Blessing Pouches for 200 coins. Those pouches can yield armor, accessories, materials, and even tier 2 or tier 3 gemstones. 'You can find basic gemstones falling out of your pockets after a few quests,' she said. 'Spend your coins where it counts.'

The Golden Rule of Solisium

At the end of the tour, Theo had learned the golden rule of Solisium: not every merchant is trying to help you. Some stalls are siren songs for rookie wallets. Avoid these five items, and your Sollant, Guild Coins, and Contract Coins will stretch much further.

Here is a quick cheat sheet to keep the traps straight: