Keep in mind that we're not just talking about the Heal Kit economy when we're discussing consumables.Mithreas wrote:If it wasn't necessary to use a few heal kits per encounter in level-appropriate areas, for example, the problem basically goes away.
The higher you go in level, the more likely enemies will be casting save-or-die spells. This means that stacks of clarity pots, Death Ward wands, and Freedom wands become real costs for mundane characters.
Additionally, an unhealthy number of spellcaster mobs use Acid Sheath and other damage shield spells. This means the Lesser Spell Breach wand becomes mandatory adventuring gear in certain areas.
The recent changes in dungeons have only made higher-level adventures even more dependent on consumables at a time the gold supply has tightened tremendously. Also, these requirements are often only available to characters in wand form. As much as people complain about the UMD-dominated meta, trends in monster design seems to be reinforcing the idea that you must have UMD to survive.
Or you roll up a spellcaster.
There's no mystery behind why so many of the new player shops end up wand and scroll shops. Melee characters are dependant on UMD like never before and the new economy strongly encourages playing a spellcaster.