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I was thinking of a system that could assist in modifying typical currency, as well as give players an alternate method of acquiring items, goods, and paying for services. In order for it to not just be another type of currency, it would have to be intangible and non-transferable between players.

Creating intangible wealth is also a very solid way of combatting gold sellers, and buyers. By this I mean collecting things that are not actual items or gold, but more akin to experience or reputation. I don't mean make all or most items be strictly purchasable by this means, but only as a modification/alternate method of the typical currency model that can be abused.

*Virtually all items purchased with the intangible points wouldn't be droppable, unless the item being purchased required only a very small amount of points*

For the sake of this post I'll simply call the intangible system "TERA Points" or "TP" for short. Here's some ways that these points could be utilized, and enhance gameplay:

Methods of gathering TERA Points: I believe the actual method(s) of accumulating the points would be the most challenging aspect from a design point of view, due to the glaring balancing issues. I personally think that all actions, big or small, should grant a certain amount of TP's. Such as questing, leveling up (certain amount given every 25% of each level perhaps, with the points scaling with the EXP demand, or my proposed idea in example 5), winning battlegrounds, killing raid mobs, completing instances, reaching certain reputation plateaus, and accomplishing just about anything noteworthy in the game.

You could even go as far as making separate types of "TERA Points", that can purchase different types of goods depending on which vendor you go to, or the type of item(s) you wanted to get. One method could be that you have to purchase vouchers (PvP voucher, crafting voucher, item voucher, etc.) which exchanged at a 1:1 ratio. That way you could put a cap on how many TERA Points you have, in order to prevent someone from simply hoarding or saving up all of their points for special purchases. *The vouchers themselves wouldn't have a cap*.

-To expand even further you could grant titles to those that reach milestones in TP accumulation, similarly to how you are granted levels for pure EXP gains. That way you'd know just how much advancement/time someone has on their character/account if they chose to display the title.

Example 1: Hybrid Vendors

By hybrid vendors I mean vendors that sell items that require you to give them X amount of tangible/trade-able currency (gold) and/or items, and Y amount of intangible "TERA points" for things ranging from small potions, to armor and weaponry.

Example 2: Instance Entry Fees

I've played quite a few games where the only way to step foot in a certain area, is to first use a disposable item, or pay outright to go in. After leaving you are unable to enter again without paying the entrance fee again.

These places are typically more rewarding and difficult than normal areas, due to the pre-requisite to enter.

If every time you wanted to enter "The Ultimate Dungeon" you had to pay a fee, it would make it a special hunting ground. One where you go to in order to really accomplish something and take care of business, and not just to play around.

Everquest 1 used such a system that required you consume a pricey reagent in order to teleport to some zones/instances.

Example 3: Exclusive Crafting Materials

It can be a pain trying to farm some absurdly rare material. It's also very frustrating when you're forced to spend an arm and a leg to purchase the key component for a recipe.

If certain recipes required you to get a component from a "TERA Point Craft Vendor", which is the only method of acquiring it, it would make you have to plan ahead about how you would use your points. Would you use them to go into dungeons in hunt? Do you craft a low level item, or save for a big one?

Example 4: Experience Exchange Rate

Perhaps make it possible to exchange "TERA Points" directly to experience (the number would have to be messed with a lot to make it balanced).

AND/OR

Example 5: EXP/TERA Point Toggle Slider

Make it so you can choose what % of experience you'd get towards your "TERA Points" bar, and how much you'd get towards your actual leveling experience. For instance if 1 "TERA Point" was equal to, oh, 10 EXP. So if you had the bar set to 50% EXP intake, and 50% "TERA Points" intake, then killed a mob that was worth 100 EXP you'd effectively earn 50 EXP, and 5 TERA points.

You could make the slider go up or down in increments of 5%, with the max being 100%/0% EXP:TP, and the min being 20%/80% EXP:TP (until max level, which would yield a set amount of TP's per kill that would not disrupt the systems balance).

Example 6: Skill/Stat modification vendors

There was a setup in Everquest 1 known as the "Alternative Advancement" system. In it you were able to gain experience in a tree that unlocked abilities for your character. They basically modified your stats, the way your skills behaved, and a whole lot of other nice stuff.

It was a great way to increase the customization of your character, without adding actual levels to the game. It also gave level capped players something to do and strive for. They would still group up with people and farm EXP, which really helped players that were trying to hit level cap a great deal, seeing as how they had a powerful player to assist them hunt.

I think this would be great in TERA seeing how the developers are implying that there will already be some mechanic that gives you the power to alter your skill effects.

Example 7: Aesthetic Alterations and Goods

It's nice being able to alter the way you look. Games like Ultima Online give you the ability to alter your hair style and color. Some styles and colors are extremely pricey and coveted. While I don't know if such a feature will be in game, it would be nice if you could alter the way your character looks in some form beyond the character creation screen, or at the very least get purely aesthetic items (robes, cloaks, party favors, pets, etc.)

While I am not suggesting that all such aesthetic tweaks be exclusive to the TP system, the best and/or specific modifications could be accessed through it.

Example 8: Alternate/Twink Goods

Being able to purchase items that were bound to your account and usable solely by your alternate characters is a great asset. Especially if those items could be traded from character to character, on your account, to always have some value. There have been some interviews where the developers claimed the actions of your "main" character could effect and help your "alternate" characters, and this could be yet another way to push that mechanic.

-One such twink item could be increased experience potions that give you double experience over an allotted time. You would however have to purchase that potion on your main character, and that main character would have to be of X minimum level.

-Others could range from playful titles/surnames like "is (insert name here)'s Alt", to aesthetic bonuses, weapons, armor, pets, and so on.

Example 9: ***Political Implications***

This one is EXTREMELY premature, since no one outside of BH/EM has a clue how the political system will function...but bare with me here...

If, depending on your success or standing in the political system, you were granted special modifiers for TP accumulation, an increased cap size perhaps, or some form of enhanced TP alterations it could encourage people to take interest in political activities that they previously wouldn't have. Any and all incentives for taking part in politics is a good thing.

There you have it, just a couple of ideas off the top of my head. There's really limitless ways you could implement and effectively utilize the system. Things like whether or not the maximum amount of TP would need to be capped would play a huge factor, as well as tons of other balancing issues like when do you start to gain TP (from the start, or at X level?), and so on would all need to be dissected. However, it would be a wonderful deterrent to gold sellers as well as a means to add great depth and longevity to the game as a whole.