But why Ists?

I've played D2 since the summer of its release, but this is the first time I actively engage in the trade market. I'm still getting used to the scene! I've known that Ist is the go-to currency before and was happy to find one in game even though I was strictly SSF. It felt like picking up a dollar Bill off the Ground.

Though, now that I'm trying this, I got curious... Why Ist in particular? It's not as if Ists drop so often that it's a token of convenience. It's not as if Ist is the highest non-high rune (if my assumption that Vex is the first high rune is correct). What market forces drove Ist to be the denomination of choice?

I guess these are some reasons:

- Usage in many useful runewords, including some that are likely to be rerolled like Call To Arms
- being the highest rune able to drop thru countess' runedrop
- Ist is useful on it's own cause of MF
- Gul has not got enough usecases, Vex is too rare to be a currency for mid - high-mid gear

First, about currencies, there are many.

The "low" one is Perfect Gems.
Then, between 20x and 40x pgems, you have Ists

On high runes, things are generally expressed in Jah (sometimes Ber, more often Jah), between 8x and 30x Ists

Finally, on super high end, prices are expressed in small charms like 5/20 (5@ res and 20 life) or 3/20/20 (3 maxD / 20 AR / 20 life).

Why those ?
> Pgems are logical, they are used to craft, reroll.
> Jah is the highest value rune
> 3/20/20 is the rarest of the useful to many characters small charm
> Ist case is more complex, but still is the most common currency as being :
>> One of the highest dropped by Countess
>> Consistent in use for MF-ing (e.g. in a 6 os Phase Blade)
>> A high mid-rune

Now with Renewed Sunders, Mal could actually take the spot as standard unit - both are actually pretty much the same value.

And now that everyone is used to using Ists, well, the convention is self fueled.

(PS. Got oversped but the idea is the same )

honestly the bigger question to me is "why Jah?"
Ber seems to be way more valuable.

Both have many end game items attached to them: Infinity, Last Wish, Faith, Ice, Enigma, Chains of Honor...
Their drop rate is similar.

But Ber can be obtained through 2 (much less useful) Sur, while Jah needs 2 Ber.

I remember when Runes were first introduced. Magic Find was the everything back then. Unqiues and rares were everything, meaning the more MF you had the better. Since there were no runes, essences, keys, or statues there was no farming you did without being stacked with MF.
Now when those runes came out and we all read what they did, Ist stood out as the MF god. EVERYONE wanted Ist runes to boost their MF. It was also a low enough rune that is was fairly easy to get. It was easily the most sought after rune at the time and it just became the currency of choice. I think its status just never left.

Necrarch wrote:

But Ber can be obtained through 2 (much less useful) Sur, while Jah needs 2 Ber.

Furthermore, Ber can drop out of super chests in Lower Kurast, Jah not Maybe this is a further reason why it has higher value.

Knappogue wrote: 5 months ago

I remember when Runes were first introduced. Magic Find was the everything back then. Unqiues and rares were everything, meaning the more MF you had the better. Since there were no runes, essences, keys, or statues there was no farming you did without being stacked with MF.
Now when those runes came out and we all ready what they did,
Ist stood out as the MF god. EVERYONE wanted
Ist runes to boost their MF. It was also a low enough rune that is was fairly easy to get. It was easily the most sought after rune at the time and it just became the currency of choice. I think its status just never left.

That's a great historical fact! Thank you for sharing that.

Also, thanks to everyone who posted in this thread on elaborations.

oOKIWIOo wrote: 5 months ago

Necrarch wrote:

But Ber can be obtained through 2 (much less useful) Sur, while Jah needs 2 Ber.

Furthermore, Ber can drop out of super chests in Lower Kurast, Jah not Maybe this is a further reason why it has higher value.

yeah but i can't imagine people run LK online right?

Spectie wrote: 5 months ago

yeah but i can't imagine people run LK online right?

Unfortunately, I have encountered such a person while trading. They said they ran LK on Ladder all day and got 3 Amn for it. ;_;

Knappogue wrote: 5 months ago

I remember when Runes were first introduced. Magic Find was the everything back then. Unqiues and rares were everything, meaning the more MF you had the better. Since there were no runes, essences, keys, or statues there was no farming you did without being stacked with MF.
Now when those runes came out and we all read what they did, Ist stood out as the MF god. EVERYONE wanted Ist runes to boost their MF. It was also a low enough rune that is was fairly easy to get. It was easily the most sought after rune at the time and it just became the currency of choice. I think its status just never left.

Love the Diablo meta-Lore