I used Pierce for quite a bit on Hoth and got crazy amounts of affection from him. I play a dark side sith with some mercenary tendencies. Vette, Quinn, and Pierce have the highest affection for me, but that is because I don't farm affection items. I did start buying the cheap affection items to get new companions to 2000 affection before using them, but I only started that with Jaesa.

Did you go back to planets to check for the bonus series quests? Those are higher level quests for the various planets. You either get them at the end of the main quest line or when you go back to the planet, you'll get a new quest giver.

Other than bug fixes, here is s summary of suggested new features I've read about... 1. GTN and mailbox on player ships 2. Ability to turn off ship droid talking 3. View history of completed quests 4. Improved searching on the GTN (a topic all its own) 5. Improved sorting and filtering of crew skill schematics 6. Dual spec 7. Rename characters 8. Server transfers 9. Web-based character maintenance 10. LFG tools & FP finder

For comparison, since I am also a level 48 SW juggernaut: Here is my information: Level 48 juggernaut vengeance spec (12/27): blue mods from quest rewards on Voss amd some crafted stuff from Artifice. Did all non-bonus quests on Voss Using Quinn or Vette, neither are up-to-date with level 48 gear. Damage 427-532 (PRI) Bonus Damage 218.5 Accuracy: 94.94% Critical Chance 12.80% Critical Modifier 60.17% Health 13448 Armor Damage Reduction 46.69% Defense chance is 19.46% Shield 25.76% chance Shield absorption 21.61% I've yet to try Corellia and I hear the two strong healing mobs will be a *****. But up to this point I've been fine with Vette or Quinn (mostly Quinn). Two strong mobs can be a PITA, but are doable.

Is there confirmation that custom armor cannot be critically crafted or is it speculation based on large sample sizes? Critically crafted custom armor seems like a really good way to allow those trades to make items that would be valuable to any level player.

I am about to switch to the 14/27/0 spec as well for PVE. The top-end talents rampage and shatter in vengance don't do much compared to the better defense and mitigation from blade barricage and invincible. I'd rather use the rage for impale+force scream over impale+shatter for better burst damage. A 12 sec. DOT is way too long for most content. This build gives unstoppable, invincible, saber ward, and intercede as the DR buffs and impale + 0-smash for the improved DPS. You give up the stuns from backhand and force charge.

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#101cMGZhGMMrhdzGR.1 Are people tanking in Soresu form but with the vengence talents? The 10/31/0 spec.

QFT. It be very handy if we could gather from dead bodies like bioanalysis. My friend levels biochem much faster and cheaper because he can gather from what he kills and just craft green gear without bothering to run missions.

No idea. So not much help, but I do know that my sith juggernaut spec into vengance does more DPS than my friend's immortal juggernaut. If you want to be a heavy armor tank, then you spec juggernaut. I tend to fill the off-tank role, so specing vengence works well for me. I'm squishier than an immortal, but there's good stuff like Unstoppable, Ruin, and Impale that come in handy. Smash is really nice with vengance: less cooldown, more damage, no rage; great for clearing trash as an off-tank. Immortal is the way to go for main tank. That is why people really want the dual-spec toggle option.

Agree, no facts to support my supposition, just observations of experience. I've gotten lucky getting advanced schematics on the first try from a same-level item, while other times I've still not learned a prototype with numerous tries. However, I seem to learn lower level prototype schematics more reliably. But that could just be random luck.

My understanding of the progression is premium (green) >> prototype (blue) >> advanced (purple) >> [prototype] advanced (purple). I've not actually tried to RE an advanced item to see if I learn the tier2 version. You don't skip tiers.

No facts, but my observersations are that the skill level differential does impact the likelihood of gaining the new schematic. I've gone back to lower level items and quickly learned new schematics, while same-level schematics take considerable luck to gain.

My take on crafting is that what I am doing now is more for my next characters. It is nice that I get some cool gear now, but I'll be able to make some really nice gear for my later characters. There are so many different play-through options with each class, male/female, dark/light, and companions. I am thinking that 8 character slots is not enough to see all of the content for both sides on one server. The play-style and dialogue of a male dark sith warrior immortal focusing on Quinn/Pierce is way different than a female light sith warrior vengence focusing on Vette/Jaesa.

The fragements are currency, like commendations. You don't need to split them. Just buy an item that uses the fragment type.

Artifice. For prototype and advanced items (hilts, enhancements, and mods).