There are a few potion "strengths" available for purchase, differing in the amount of time each one lasts as well as the percentage bonus given when you consume it. The one I went with gave me a 55% XP bonus for 2 hours, and it cost 2500 Station Cash — the equivalent of $25.00.

Spending so much on a potion made me not want to waste a single drop of it. As long as my main was logged in, she was going to be chained to that crafting station! This sounds like exactly what I was hoping for, except for one thing: Vitality.

At those levels, 100% vitality will only last a couple of levels. With my vitality bonus and the XP potion, I burned through them within about 30 minutes. Oh hey, look! I have this, which will refill my vitality once a week! That's another couple of levels down, woohoo! Wow, I still have a whole HOUR left on my potion!

…But the vitality is gone, with no way to refill it except to not play that character for a few days. Continuing to try and level with no vitality — XP potion or no — isn't exactly my idea of a good time.

And that's how I spent the last few weeks. I spent almost the entire time on my secondary characters (a Tailor and a Carpenter), running the daily tradeskill missions for fun and profit.

Here comes the best part:

Not only have those two alts gained just as many tradeskill levels as my main, but they've earned a boatload of plat AND earned max faction with their respective crafting groups. Buying that potion and doing my best to take full advantage of its benefits has left my main WEEKS behind in faction and coin — not to mention $25.00 lighter.

My advice? Don't purchase the Marketplace potions unless you have money — and time — to burn.

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The excellent bit about this — if it could be any more excellent — is that the items cost 500 SC credits, which is the equivalent of $5. You heard it right: SOE will match every $5 donation/purchase with another $5.

I, like everyone else, was quite wary of the Station Cash concept at first, but when you look at the available items, they're really no threat to the "pure" game world. Besides, this is a charity for kids…nobody loses here!

Peter bought me a load of SC for my birthday yesterday, and I had enough for 2 Bouncing Baby Bear Cubs (Riannon got "Bugaboo," and Dionaea will be getting "Boogaloo") plus a set of Ironforge Plate for Ria. Screenshots really don't do the set justice…it looks like it's made of pearl. Shiny!

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