### Overview: Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120) The **Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120)** is a prestigious cosmetic override that was introduced as part of the Fresh Start Worlds (FSW) promotion, which launched on **September 22, 2022**. It is obtained through a unique mechanic tied to achieving 120 Herblore within FSW and subsequently transforming the traditional 120 Skillcape into an “inverted” recolor. Once FSW ended, these capes became untradable until the transitional opt-out period concluded, allowing some capes to re-enter the broader market. Their supply is limited because they are only accessible to players who actively participated in FSW and achieved the milestone within the timeframe. Given that Herblore is one of the more gold-intensive skills in RuneScape, fewer players pursued it as compared to other inverted skill capes, like Cooking or Firemaking, making it one of the rarer inverted capes. ### Rarity and Market Dynamics Rarity for this cape is just below the elite tier of the inverted capes (e.g., Inverted Slayer or Farming), but much higher than common ones like Cooking or Strength. The price history demonstrates its scarcity and status as both a collector’s item and an investment vehicle in RuneScape’s cosmetic and rare market. - **Release Date & Peak Price:** The freshest wave of transcendent pricing was shortly after Fresh Start Worlds ended in **November-December 2022**, when the cape sold for eye-watering sums upwards of **5.5B GP**. - **Rapid Decline Factors:** By **January 2023**, prices had dropped to below **1B GP**, influenced by wealth recovery exploits (Scrimshaw dupe) and player hacks flooding the market with gold, drastically inflating GP availability and taking the attention off rare items. - **2023 Onward Trends:** Prices began stabilizing in the **900M–1B GP range**, as collectors absorbed the limited supply in late 2023 through early 2024. --- ### Price Prediction for the Next Few Months Given historical patterns and market factors, the **Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120)** will likely mirror the behavior of other legacy FSW items. These are the key factors to watch: 1. **Introduction of Similar Promotions:** If Jagex announces another Fresh Start Worlds or rare cosmetic-event like **a new inverted series**, rarity perception may shift, potentially leading to initial speculation but eventual negative pressure on this item. 2. **Rare Market Disruptions (Dupes/Exploits):** Historical events show that economy-breaking updates (e.g., January 29, 2023 Scrimshaw dupe) significantly affect prices across even stable rare items. A new exploit or dupe could drop demand for non-unique mid-tier rares like the Inverted Herblore Cape. 3. **Major Patches & Seasonal Demand:** Large updates—like the **2024 Combat Update on March 4**—drive GP redistribution as players shift focus to PvM-related items, often dumping cosmetics or flipping them for quick cash. Expect potential dips during spring 2024. **Price Prediction:** - **Short-Term (1–3 months):** Expect modest fluctuations between **950M–1.2B GP**, with potential minor sell-off spikes (~850M) as players prepare for RuneScape combat updates. - **Mid-Term (4–6 months):** If no significant updates or exploits occur, collectors may begin hoarding in anticipation of price normalization. Values could creep up to **1.3B–1.5B GP**. --- ### Flipping Margins & Tips Given its high-value rarity, the Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120) offers lucrative flipping margins for experienced merchants. Here's typical flipping data: - **High Liquid Market Average Spread:** ~30M–50M GP per trade. - **Peak Flipping Opportunities:** Occur during **holiday seasons (e.g., Christmas or Easter)**, when players purchase GP en masse to acquire "status" items. - **Risk Periods:** Avoid flipping right before economic destabilization events forecasted by major updates (e.g., **Jagex adding GP to Treasure Hunter on April 10, 2024**, or recent black market GP influx via major hacks). **Strategy:** 1. Look for buyers and undercuts around **850M–950M GP** during updates’ peak hype cycles. Turn those items around for **1.05B–1.15B GP** within a week. 2. Avoid long-term hoards unless GP sinks are announced, ensuring item appreciation. --- ### Complementary Investments Based on Trends To diversify investments alongside the Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120), consider these complementary items: 1. **Other Inverted Skillcapes:** Farming, Slayer, and Thieving inverted capes are highly sought after, with Slayer holding naturally higher rarity due to skill difficulty during FSW. 2. **Holiday Rares/Discontinued Items:** Items like Partyhats (any tier) benefit from long-term GP sink trends and increased hoarding interest after major exploits. 3. **Black Partyhat:** Released in December 2023, this rare currently has strong speculative hype but could rival holiday rares in the future. 4. **God Wars Dungeon 3 Armour Sets:** These will rebound after OP PvM metas post-combat rework in mid-2024. ### Seasonality’s Impact on Prices 1. **Positive Pricing Periods:** - **Late Q4 (e.g., November-December):** Buyers are active due to holiday demand, gifting, and rare-related speculation during Treasure Hunter events. - **Post-major GP Sink Announcements:** If Jagex announces a significant economy rebalancing change, rare prices spike due to collector interest. 2. **Negative Seasons for Rares:** - **Springtime Updates:** Combat-focused meta or PvM-centric updates (like the **March 2024 combat changes**) often lead to players dumping rares for equipment. - **Post-Dupe Panic:** Any exploit or economy-breaking dupe creates a gold surplus, pushing cosmetic demand temporarily into decline. --- ### Conclusion The Inverted Herblore Skillcape (120) is a collector’s item with stable mid-to-long-term investment potential but high susceptibility to broader economic disruptions. Skillfully timed flips (~5–8% profit margins) can yield strong short-term profits, but for seasoned investors, pairing it with other capped-supply items like the Inverted Slayer Cape or Black Partyhat ensures optimal portfolio balance. Watch for updates this spring and adjust accordingly!