Premium Transformation Stone "Crystal" question

[NorbertTheOpinionated]

2 Questions:

 

NCsoft recently introduced the concept of Premium Transformation Stone Crystals.

 

1) Similar to how:

Sacred Orbs turn into Sacred Crystals.
Soulstones turn into Soulstone Crystals.
Moonstones turn into Moonstone Crystals.
Elysian Orbs turn into Elysian Crystals.

 

You see the pattern I am sure. The crystal is the non-tradeable version of the item, but they are used for upgrading items. You can turn Premium Transformation Stones into Premium Transformation Stone Crystals. you can get a hold of Premium Transformation Stone Crystals a lot easier and cheaper than getting a hold of Premium Transformation Stones though, so you should rather use the Premium Transformation Stone Crystals. Theoretically, since the upgrade system uses Crystals and not the trade-able version for upgrades, you should be able to use the Premium Transformation Stone Cyrstals too right?

 

Is this the case, or do upgrades that say they require Premium Transformation Stones require specifically ONLY Premium Transformation Stones, and it will not accept the crystal version?

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) I see that Premium Transformation Stone Crystals are used to upgrade the Raid Weapon side of the Equipment Upgrade Paths, but not for the PVE or PVP paths. My second question is about the "intent" of this. Why do that for one path, but not the others? If it was intentional to bring down the cost of the Raid Weapon path by comparison to the cost of the other 2 paths then is it reasonable to presume that they will not be switching to using Premium Transformation Stone Crystals in the PVE or PVP paths? Alternatively, if they are planning on switching to using Premium Transformation Stone Crystals for the PVE and PVP paths, then it makes sense for us to sit and wait to upgrade until they do that because you can save a lot of gold if you wait. You see what I mean? Therefore, are they going to switch to using Premium Transformation Stone Crystals on the PVE and PVP path soon if we wait, or is that only for the Raid path?

[Grimoir]

1. Upgrades that say they require premium transformation stones will use only those. Those that say they need the premium transformation stone crystals will only use the crystals.

2.The crystal versions of the stones are used in both paths, PVE and Raid, however only up to Grand Celestial Stage 3 and the PVE equivalent so shadowforge stage 3.

Everything above that requires the normal stones. This may shift once we get cost reductions in weapon upgrades again.

[KlausFlouride]

They added the crystal versions of mats so you would have to buy the inventory expansion items. Same goes for 8+ raid buffs we have now.