That is not the question.
The question is the amount of time it takes to get enough transmuting experience to make decent items in the mid- high levels.
IF you stick to it and go hard you can make something decent in a month or two and it just gets better from there. Also you can buy a lot of cheap items for 1-5 fg off the marketplace. I have seen a lot of 50-100 enhanced effect items up for those prices. RIght now is the best time for someone new to get started in ladder slasher.
Essences are worth rerolling into items more than selling. They are worth very little.
If you buy fg or play another game like runescape, d2, avabur, etc. you can make a little bit of side fg to start purchasing items for your account
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Hope to see ya around.