WOD was a truly horrible expansion... Honestly, PVE class/spec balance is far and away better in SWTOR than WOW. Every class at least has an option to spec DPS in PVE, and because updates are relatively few and far between, some semblance of balance is preserved. My biggest grief with WOW is the routine and deliberate unbalancing of classes/specs, which is to compel players to regear in order to increase time-played metrics.

Thanks. I can confirm I was able to use the CM item to start the arma rasa quest (after completing to find a findsman) and ultimately secure Z0-OM as a companion. This was on an alliance character. Interestingly, he already has HK-55 as one of his companions (available at time he was boosted to 70). Curious about what you mean by the quest-given HK-55 being different from the original HK-55. Any mechanical differences?

Is it possible to get HK-55 on a character boosted using a commander token? I understand the CM purchase provides access to the Shroud of Memory (KOTFE) mission. Looking at the mission log for the character in question, it is unclear to me if the KOTFE story missions are completed by default or if I have to complete them. The Shroud of Memory quest is grayed out, which either implies that I need to complete the earlier KOTFE story missions or need to purchase the CM item to start the mission.

The one thing that is missing from this discussion that I'd like to see is consideration of the viability of the different crafted augments at max level and under what conditions. For instance, level scaling makes the versatile augments useless for PVE at levels below 75, and I am not sure there is sufficient level 75 content to warrant their use. I have read that the secondary dps stat augments (accuracy, crit, and alacrity) are of more general usefulness. However, some sources indicate that any necessary accuracy or alacrity can be obtained though other sources (e.g., a stim, enhancements), so the need for these augments may be limited. I have seen limited discussion of tank augments, but what I have seen coupled with what is posted on the GTN tells me that shield augments are the most viable and redoubt augments are the least viable in PVE. To a large degree, I am left with the impression that most of the crafted augments outside of crit and shield serve niche roles in PVE and support a max-level PVP market.

Thanks again. I think I am set on going with armstech and slicing. Would I be better taking investigation or scavenging as my third crew skill? I think investigation given that the blue/purple mats for armstech appear to be more costly on the GTN than the white/green mats yielded by scavenging. However, more of the latter are probably used in armstech recipes than are the blue/purple mats.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I have biochem/bioanalysis/diplomacy on my main and was hoping to have slicing for the ability to support augment crafting. Your response suggests the value of this may be limited, due to the limited value of the three referenced crafting skills, though everyone wants/needs augments. Any points of view on the relative value of the various dps augments (accuracy, alacrity, and versatile... I have crit covered with synthweaving alt)? I understand accuracy is the highest priority stat at end game but have also read that some elect to get it through means other than augments.

I am looking to level crew skills for an alt (an operative) and want him to have slicing to support augment generation by another alt with synthweaving. However, I am not sure what to combine with slicing. I would like to take a crafting skill and for this skill to be useful for the character. Three options spring to mind: 1. Armstech: PROs: Can create barrels and accuracy and overkill augments. CONs: I read that weapons created are generally worse than gear obtainable from heroics. 2. Cybertech: PROs: Can create mods, enhancements, grenades, and ship parts. Slicing produces a handful of cybertech schematics. CONs: I have read that earpieces created are generally worse than gear obtainable from heroics. 3. Armormech: PROs: Can create armorings and absorb, shield, and versatile augments. CONs: I have read that armor created is generally worse than gear obtainable from heroics. While my main is a tank spec (juggernaut), he uses dps item modifications, so armormech augments would be of limited use to him. All three options would ostensibly be paired with scavenging. The value of investigation for armstech or underworld trading for cybertech or armormech over scavenging is unclear to me. Overall, I am leaning toward armstech or cybertech. However, any thoughts on the relative usefulness of the above choices for my operative would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reply. Of course shortly after posting I learned the schematic. Still there definitely seemed to be something fishy. I generally learned the schematics in a particular order (bulwark and bastion first, adept last) even though I was not attempting to RE them in that order. Adept was particularly costly to learn.

Anyone have an idea of the RE percentage for this schematic? I had no trouble learning the other War-Forged MK-3 implant schematics. However, I have created and RE'd scores of the adept package MK-2 implants with no success. Is there a guide that discusses RE rates for the various level 75 implant grades? SWTORISTA has a great Biochem guide but glosses over the implants.

Well, I finally learned Advanced Kyrprax Versatile Stim MK-2 today. This was after probably creating another 30+ stacks of Advanced Kyrprax Versatile Stims and 10-15 stacks of Advanced Kyrprax Proficient Stims. Proof that the reusable stims *can* be crafted with level 700 Biochem and class level << 75 (26 in my case).

Well, I'll keep at it then. Hopefully there is no level restriction. Will reply again to confirm if I am successful.

Yes, have become fully aware of that but would like to have the recipes on at least one character.

I have leveled Biochem to 700 on a level 26 character and have been reverse engineering stims and adrenals in my spare time to learn new schematics. I have deconstructed many (probably 25-30 stacks of 4) of the purple stims but have yet to learn a recipe for a reusable variant. Does one need to be level 71 (or higher) to learn the schematics, or am I just unlucky? I understood the probably is 0.05 of learning a schematic for each stack that is deconstructed.

Latest data suggest carnage is topping (or close to it) dummy parses: http://parsely.io/parser/stats

Note my current level is 25, 700 Biochem, located on Imperial Fleet. I reverse engineered the Prototype Battle Medpac to learn the Advanced Battle Medpac schematic. However, the advanced medpac appears to be worse even though it has a higher rating: Prototype Battle Medpac Rating 46 Heals 1804-2241 + 800/15s Scales up to level 24 Advanced Battle Medpac Rating 50 Heals 1168-1397 + 318/15s Scales up to level 10 Curiously the same relationship is not observed for the Prototype and Advanced Bio-Enhanced Medpacs. The former heals for 1593-1947 + 708/15s (scales to 40), while the latter heals for 2677-3201 +728/15s (scales to 24). Any explanation for these differences? Is the Advanced Battle Medpac bugged (or Prototype Battle Medpac bugged in a positive way)?

Thanks for the replies. I have some further questions about the reverse engineering of Biochem schematics. I reverse engineered the Prototype Battle Medpac to learn the Advanced Battle Medpac schematic. However, the advanced medpac appears to be worse even though it has a higher rating: Prototype Battle Medpac Rating 46 Heals 1804-2241 + 800/15s Scales up to level 24 Advanced Battle Medpac Rating 50 Heals 1168-1397 + 318/15s Scales up to level 10 Curiously the same relationship is not observed for the Prototype and Advanced Bio-Enhanced Medpacs. The former heals for 1593-1947 + 708/15s (scales to 40), while the latter heals for 2677-3201 +728/15s (scales to 24). Any explanation for these differences? Is the Advanced Battle Medpac bugged (or Prototype Battle Medpac bugged in a positive way)? Also, I do not see explicit level restrictions on any of the crafted medpacs but assume that the scaling has an impact on how much they heal (so that a medpac that scales to level 75 would heal less on a low-level character than one that scales to nearer to the character's level). Is this correct?

I have read many posts and guides suggesting to take Biochem for PVE. However, the legacy-bound stims and adrenals I possess seem to be better than the stims and adrenals I can craft with Biochem and use at my level (26). For example, the Expansive Versatile Stim appears to be much better than the Prototype Field Tech Versatile Stim. Am I missing something?

I realized my query was based on a misread of the word "recombinator."

Can anyone help reconcile what I see on these two sites? My understanding is that the dps leaderboards on Parsely represent target dummy parses and that the automated ratings on Star Parse represent aggregate class performance in operations. Is this correct? For instance, marauders top the dps leaderboards but are average among the automated ratings. Additionally, what is the distinction between the 1M, 3.25M, and 6.5M dps leaderboard listings on Parsely? In which context should each be interpreted? Last question: What do the "damage taken" automated ratings on Star Parse for tanks mean? Should I interpret lower as better?

This week, I saw this incredible-looking male togruta while questing on Dromund Kaas. He was wearing white armor with red detailing that looked a lot like the Callous Conqueror set (e.g., ornate pointed shoulder guards). I tried to create a togruta similar to the one I saw, but the best I could do was use the Callous Conqueror set dyed red and black. When I previewed white dye options, there were still elements of the set that remained black. Additionally, I found that with body options 1 or 2 the lekku either clipped through the armor collar in the front or the back. Only when I selected body option 3 was there no clipping. However, I am not a fan of body option 3. It makes everything bigger (including the face), and the cloak on this set makes it look like my togruta has a caboose (see linked screen shots). The fact that the character is a sorcerer and has a voice that sounds like John Hurt also works against body style 3. Can anyone suggest a similar "plate" armor set (especially the shoulders) that will not clip? The only other remotely similar armor set I am aware of is the Sinister Warrior's armor set. That doesn't clip but is also not nearly as ornate. Also makes my togruta look a bit like the Falcon Marvel super hero action figure from the 1970s, which is not necessarily a good thing... http:/photos.app.goo.gl/zPpqkfQh7nXQF8wy8

I tried to create a togruta similar to the one I saw, but the best I could do was use the Callous Conqueror set dyed red and black. When I previewed white dye options, there were still elements of the set that remained black. Additionally, I found that with body options 1 or 2 the lekku either clipped through the armor collar in the front or the back. Only when I selected body option 3 was there no clipping. However, I am not a fan of body option 3. It makes everything bigger (including the face), and the cloak on this set makes it look like my togruta has a caboose (see linked screen shots). If the player of the togruta I saw reads this (or anyone else who knows of a similar "plate" armor set that will not clip), then please respond. http:/photos.app.goo.gl/zPpqkfQh7nXQF8wy8

This week, I saw this incredible-looking male togruta while questing on Dromund Kaas. He had red skin and was wearing white armor with red detailing that looked a lot like the Callous Conqueror set (e.g., ornate pointed shoulder guards). I would be very interested in know what armor he was wearing since I do not think the Callous Conqueror set can be dyed entirely white.

Corran and LordZiost, thanks for the replies and validating my experience. I started leveling both an operative (24, conc) and an assassin (23, dec) and agree with the comment that the quality of the leveling experience varies widely between specs. At this level, the concealment operative feels much better given the availability of evasion and healing as well as the shorter CD of backstab as compared to reaping strike. The assassin has stronger CC but relies more heavily on it. I also feel that the tank abilities the assassin gains at lower levels (guard and the single-target taunt) have little value in solo (or duo with my son) PVE.

I interpret the lack of response as indicating that my question is not germane to others' experiences. However, would it be fair to say that lethality is more gear dependent (or scales better with gear, or has better BiS gear) than other disciplines? My stats at level 70 are nowhere near the desired (level 75) quantities presented in the guides. However, the rotation for lethality is not as hard as those for some other disciplines, while its performance seems to be quite consistently lower.

I am returning to TOR after being away for 5+ years. I boosted a character to 70 so that I could try out some of the classes I'd not played before on a training dummy, including the operative. Does lethality perform poorly relative to other disciplines at level 70 with starter gear? I have read multiple guides and have tried multiple openers and rotations but cannot get it to perform as well as hatred, deception, concealment, arsenal, etc. on a target dummy. I think I have a relatively good understating of the basics (build and spend TAs on corrosive assault, maximize uptime on the two dots and toxic blast), but my parses for lethality (over ~1.5 min) are probably 7-15% worse than what I get with the other disciplines (dot or burst). My basic rotation is: Cloak-Holo-Stim boost and then a priority of lethal strike, the two dots and toxic blast, and shiv using corrosive blast whenever it is available and being careful to not exceeding the TA cap. However, I probably average 2600-2800 dps compared with 3000-3600 for deception, hatred, and concealment (with highest numbers for the last two disciplines). Again, these numbers are based on starter gear that comes with the boost. I recognize that the operative is a bit tougher by design, with two resources to manage, and make no pretenses at being an exceptional player. However, I am getting pretty consistent dps numbers across the classes/disciplines, so I am left to think there is something I am missing.