Setup some stones for 10k an ill give u some gold to get u started.
With gear over 40k in total u want atleast a 20 maybe 30k buffer in between good rounds and bad rounds.
If u start out with less then 10k in gold buffer wearing gear worth around 40k you will get caught unaware by bad luck streaks ect ect..
Imho i think upkeep have done what it was supposed to do an could at this stage might aswell be removed since so much changed since the need for upkeep in the first place.
I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather be able to support myself. The thing is I usually play in my normal gear from about 15k down to around 5k, at which point I go cheap mode and die a lot. But my normal gear isn't that expensive! My bad luck streaks must be legendary or something.
What was upkeep supposed to do? I only recently started playing so I wasn't here for that.
I just checked and found out my total equipment value is 18805. Huh.
Not that good with "how to earn much gold" tactics, apart from winning/reducing total gear cost, but post your full equipment list (and build too) and I'll help you downgrade your equipment without losing too much efficiency. Some "top tier" weapons are hilariously costly for their bonus (Knightly Arming Sword compared to Long Arming Sword for example). Having 50k worth of gear and breaking even is really, really long term and mainly for people in clans/individuals who win a lot. What gamemode you play also affects your income a lot.
Also, a buffer of 40k or more is really needed. Sometimes you repair all items all day Those times sucks.
PS: Post a marketplace link and I'll also buy stones for 10k.
To the last bit first, I play battle a lot, but if I start taking big gold hits I usually switch to siege because I tend to earn more there since there are more ticks per round. Sometimes though, even siege breaks me.
My build is 21/17, going for 18 agi (though that will be at level 31 so, whats the point of that? lol). 5wm, 5ath, 7ps, 7if. I use a bec, crossbow, and steel bolts for my normal setup. Barbuta / Heraldic Mail with Surcoat / Mail Mittens / Iron Greaves.
I mean, I know I could downgrade and save money, but I already wear 38 body armor.... its the weapons that have the highest repair costs, but I've tried lesser polearms, and they suck. The crossbow is the first thing I unequip during lean times..
EDIT:
40k in gear is kinda high unless you're on a horse. If I'm wearing my full armor set up I have 40k in gear. That also includes 3 weapons and a shield. So I have a feeling you're wearing too much stuff. Even with that gear though, I still make money. I also have another setup that I use a lot that only costs 14k. I make a shit-ton of money with that.
It's terribly easy to make money even if it's your first gen. There's really no reason why you'd need to go over 35k in gear. You can easily make money with that and have great gear.
There's a few things that can cause you to lose money though, even if you have reasonable gear costs:
1. Low WPF. The lower your WPF, the higher chance of upkeep.
2. You use bodkin arrows. Arrows have a higher chance of breaking than any other item. Combine that with bodkins being expensive as hell and you have yourself a problem.
3. You ride a horse. Shouldn't do that first gen anyway.
4. You play a lot of siege. The longer the round, the higher chance of upkeep.
5. You play battle on a high population server. Again, the longer the round, the higher the chance of upkeep.
Best way to make money is to play on a low population battle server. The rounds will be quick and you have a better chance of reaching higher multis.
I've made MANY new characters after the upkeep changes. It's still WAY easier to make money than it was before the multi system. Honestly, no one should have problems making money. But, time after time some new person comes in, doesn't read the forums, spends all their money on expensive shit and claims that the upkeep system is broken.
My gear is above, please tell me which part I am not allowed to use because I'm new.
My WPF in polearms is 140, 54 in crossbow. Oh I forgot to mention that I use steel bolts amongst my gear, but those don't cost much to repair anyway. I do play siege when battle starts costing too much, but I tend to make more there than I lose (?).
Also, I read the forums quite a lot before buying ANY of my gear, and made what I thought at the time were well informed decisions, so kindly take your condescension and shove it up your ass.