Cultural Armor Prices

[Miolnir]

So I am very interested in making some cultural armor, particularly high elf armor. However since the patch from 10/8/13, it seems impossibly difficult and expensive. I was doing some math, and for 1 full suit of Mystic Koada'Dal Armor, you are required to have 85 Blue Diamonds, just to enchant the metal. Then you still need the metal itself, which is not cheap; the temper, the imbued gem, molds etc. Additionally, you need access to a 49 chanter to enchant the metal, and another character to imbue the gems, not to mention raising your blacksmithing to well over 200 skill. Then you still have the ability to FAIL. Do the stats on this relatively low end gear, which will eventually get replaced with planar really justify the outrageous cost?

The only reason I care so much is because I love doing tradeskills, and it's a shame to see the cultural tradeskills are basically inaccessible unless you have access to a guild bank.