Each elemental rune requires 8 pure essence. Assuming that the most efficient way of making combination runes is using air runes + essence at an earth altar and using water runes + essence at a fire altar, seeing as each pure essence (usually) produces more than one air/water rune, it means that the actual amount of pure essence required to make the combination rune is between 1 and 2. Making two combination runes would therefore take on average between 2 and 4 pure essence and yield the same value as an elemental rune, which takes 8 pure essence.
Whether elemental runes can actually be produced more quickly or not depends on how often you can get the assignment to make them, the distance from a bank, etc. Personally I'm more inclined to making these runes through a combination of using existing altars, rather than having this "artisan altar". I'm not too concerned about it, though, as elemental runes would regardless be quite expensive and rather impractical to use in large amounts anyway, more or less a luxury item for the rich (or skilling-inclined) to use.
Combination runes are more practical for the person who wants to use some combat magic in everyday use (for example, on quests), which sounds more like me.
If problems do come up with an over-abundance of elemental runes, they can raise the skill requirements or tweak the essence requirements accordingly.
To respond directly to what I read, though, I think it's an interesting idea. I'm still kind of confused why an old-school game for nostalgia-hungry players needs updates and new skills, but if it did need updates, I think this would be a good direction. It seems like it would make skilling less of a grind in the same way slayer makes combat less of a grind (good loot, mix up the location, etc).
I also like the (apparently exclusive to the old-school team) attitude that new content shouldn't make old content useless, just add new ways of using it. Like antipoison sharks. *cough* polypore staff *cough*
18-Jul-2014 05:27:06
