Guide: How to bridge the PVP gear gap for fresh level 50s in less than 2 days

[AndantePhist]

First of all, after playing many MMOs, I've found the modding system in SWTOR to be one of the most intuitive I've ever seen. With this system and some guidance, and a brain on your part, you can literally gear up your character in hours and become competitive.

 

What you will need:

 

1. orange armor gear and orange weapon.

 

2. 500-600k credits

 

3. about 10 hours of play time.

 

The Guide.

 

1. ORANGE GEAR! If you did not level with orange gear in every one of your main slots (weapon, helm, chest, gloves, boots, pants)... you're doing it wrong, Orange gear's flexibility is literally the cheapest option to keep your character in tip top shape until you get either tier 2+ PVE gear or PVP gear. If you don't have your full set, go to the GTN and pick up a full set/fill in slots you are empty. Buy the cheapest orange gear, the item level means nothing, because the power of your orange gear is literally determined by the mods placed in there. EDIT: Alternatively you can get orange gear through pvp, the level 40 orange gear is good for its level (low 40s), you'll still need to replace the mods which I will explain later when you get to 50.

 

2. Credits. By the time you hit 50, you should have 500k-600k credits saved up from just the questing. Skimp out on the 50 speeder training for now, gearing up is more important. What you want to do is find yourself a cybertech and a artificer for mods and enhancements specifically. Commission the artificer to make level 49 epic end/crit/surge enhancements(crit/surge is key for almost all classes) and the cybertech to make the level 49 epic mods with the main stat for your specific class. Epic level 49 mods/enhancements cost 25k-45k per depending on server. So expect to spend 300-500k on mods/enhancements for your orange gear.

 

3. TIME!(about 10 hours). Now if you don't have the credits... don't panic. Once you hit 50 and finish your class story, you unlock level 50 DAILIES. These dailies are located on Ilum and Belvavis (you grab starter quest from your fleet). Do the daily series in Ilum and Belvavis, and you'll be swimming in creds(100k+ creds per day!). Not only will you get credits, you also will get Daily Commendations (this is very important). Use these commendations asap to buy the epic level 50 hilts/barrels (depending on class) and armorings for your class. The heroic daily quests from belvasis and Ilum and definitely worth it, not only do they give you a lot more Daily Commendations, they also give you free mods/enhancers.

 

THERE YOU GO. Once you place all level 49 epic mods/enhance and level 50 armorings/hilt/barrel in your orange gear/weapon... you'll notice a dramatic increase in performance, and will give you a fighting chance against BM/champion geared level 50s.

 

Highly recommended additional tips.

 

1. Save 14 corelia commendations. You can buy a sweet level 50 blue offhand with 14 commendations.

 

2. level 49 epic crafted implants/earpiece. On most servers there will be plenty selection of these on the GTN, they'll cost 50k-100k each, but are highly worth it especially the (superior) versions.

 

3. Orange belt/bracers or epic crafted level 49+ (superior) belt/bracers. I've rarely seen orange belt/bracers on sale, but it could just be my server, but if you do have them on your server, don't be afraid to snatch them up and mod them with epic mods.

 

4. Matrix cubes. These relics are arguably the best for one of your relic slots. You'll need matrix shards to make a matrix cube. There are plenty of guides online that details how to get the matrix shards(datacrons) and forming matrix cubes. Just google "swtor matrix cube assembler" and "swtor datacrons".

 

EDIT: 5. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 1000 valor and 1000 merc commendations. Thx for the additional tip guys! Before you hit 50, you can do WZs to cap out on 1000 valor and 1000 merc commendations. Now with the level 10-49 bracket, its a very fun and worthwile endevour (I didn't do it since when I was leveling, there was no lvl 10-49 bracket ). Make sure you buy a champion bag that cost 200/200 commendations, and then cap out with 1000/1000 commendations. That way the MOMENT you hit 50, you can open up to 6 bags by buying them one at a time from the pvp vendor. You are now guaranteed 42 champ commendations and 90 cent commendations from opening the 6 bags (as of 1.1.2), that is enough to buy you a couple cent pieces.

 

 

Sub note regarding Tip 5.- Getting your first few pieces of pvp gear is highly recommended, I would recommend getting the centurion belt/bracers/implants/earpiece if you can't find epic surperior crafted versions on GTN. A reason why getting a few pieces of pvp gear is important is because expertise has gradual diminishing returns, meaning your first few hundred points on expertise has be best bang for the buck. Going from 0-100 expertise gives you rougly 2.6% PVP bonus, however going from 500-600 expertise only nets 1.3% pvp bonus. This is why lots of guides recommend getting top quality PVE gear for PVP once you hit the 500ish expertise mark due to the low returns at that point, however since this guide is for fresh 50s, I won't go into all that. Just make note however, that at this point, expertise isn't the end all be all stat in pvp.

 

Edit: 6. Expertise Enhancements. You can stock up on expertise enhancements with 25 expertise each. At the pvp vendor you can buy lvl 46 pvp weapons with expertise on them for 580 warzone commendations, and you can rip out the expertise enhancement out of the weapon. I would not recommend doing this at level 50 because its better to simply use your commendations for champion bags at 50. If you are already 1000/1000 commendation capped, and still want to PVP before 50, feel free to buy these pvp weapons from the vendor. These expertise enhancements ARE NOT mandatory or even an upgrade. They are level 45 blues and are a sidegrades to the level 49 epic enhancements (which has ALOT more other stats) for pvp. Would only recommend this if you are desperately short on credits or have no access to epic enhancements for your class.

 

Additional Note

 

When I hit level 50 on my Jedi Guardian, I joined a WZ and was hitting like a wet noodle against my opponents. I spent 2 days doing dailies and by doing all the things I listed and the optionals, in just 2 days after hitting fifty, I turned my character completely around.

 

My stats changed something like this.

 

-----------OLD-----------NEW

HP--------12k-----------16.5k

Power ---750------------1000ish

Crit-------14%-----------23%

Crit Mult.-55%-----------84%

Strength--1000----------1200

 

The transformation is insane and anyone can do it!

 

 

Disclaimer: My guide will NOT substitute for lack of skill or intelligence. If you are a Jedi Knight that mod alacrity and armor with cunning etc. Or if you mouse click all your abilities in pvp... no amount of guides will help you succeed. But for those that have the will, intelligence, and determination to improve your character, I hope my guide helps you immensely.

 

PS. Here is an old photo of how I used look like a few days after hitting 50 (I'm now in champ/BM gear now, its an improvement, but not THAT big of an improvement)

 

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2783/screenshot2012010913550.jpg

 

and yes if you follow my guide... you can look like a trooper as a jedi knight

 

PS. I am in no way saying you will be on par with full Champ/BM geared pvpers. This is a starting point, not an ending point (would be a pretty lame mmo if the ending point of gear progression can be reached in 2 days...). What I am saying is that you will be critting Champ/BM geared players for 2-4k damage on your biggest attacks depending on your class (instead of just tickling them) making you a threat that cannot just be ignored.

Edited February 22, 2012 by AndantePhist

[Evilbrood]

That is mostly the problem with fresh 50s. They que up for pvp with 12k health buffed and expect to have a chance. Today I kept running into the same person that had 12k as a vanguard. Looked at the gear and it was all lvl 40 below stuff.

[AndantePhist]

That is mostly the problem with fresh 50s. They que up for pvp with 12k health buffed and expect to have a chance. Today I kept running into the same person that had 12k as a vanguard. Looked at the gear and it was all lvl 40 below stuff.

 

Well he should have followed my guide hehe.

 

Keep this bumped so you won't be frustrated with so many fresh level 50s with 12k hp... and to help fresh level 50s with 12k hp not feel frustrated thinking that there is no easy way to gear up but the pvp bag grind.

 

win win imo

[ademnus]

This is pretty obvious stuff. It doesnt affect the fact you will be facing 50s with same/better gear + 550 expertise.

[AndantePhist]

This is pretty obvious stuff. It doesnt affect the fact you will be facing 50s with same/better gear + 550 expertise.

 

My guide is to "bridge" the gear gap not make a fresh level 50 on par with someone that have spent days and days at level 50 pvping and operation raiding.

 

No where did I say you would be fully equal to a full BM/champion geared 50.

 

But a skilled fresh 50 that follow my guide stands a good chance of killing a bad/average BM/champion geared level 50, and THAT is something a lot of players want to know is possible and not live in the misconception that they stand no chance whatsoever unless they devote their life to pvping and dealing with the bag system.

Edited January 23, 2012 by AndantePhist

[DarthVarrak]

Thanks for this. As a new level 50 I was wondering how I was gonna catch up. And as a cybertech you just provided free advertisement for me to anyone on my server who reads this.

 

Vendri

Iron Citadel

Empire

[Astarica]

You basically need at least 15K HP to stand a chance against a BM level DPS (other type will beat you but they will grind you down as opposed to just burst you down). 15K HP with 0 Expertise isn't nearly the same as 15K HP with 8% PvP bonus, but it's still a lot better than 12K HP with 0% PvP bonus. It kind of sucks that the level 50 PvP set was removed. That set gets you about 13K with 5% PvP bonus, which at least gives you a slim chance against BMs, and a decent chance against Champion class characters.

[AndantePhist]

You basically need at least 15K HP to stand a chance against a BM level DPS (other type will beat you but they will grind you down as opposed to just burst you down). 15K HP with 0 Expertise isn't nearly the same as 15K HP with 8% PvP bonus, but it's still a lot better than 12K HP with 0% PvP bonus. It kind of sucks that the level 50 PvP set was removed. That set gets you about 13K with 5% PvP bonus, which at least gives you a slim chance against BMs, and a decent chance against Champion class characters.

 

my guide makes you WAY better than 13k with 5% PVP bonus.... I had 16.5k hp plus top quality surge making my burst very competitive.

 

Also my guide makes you basically equal to cent/champ geared players. With my guide, you can maximize your effectiveness with mod choices.

 

A lot of cent/champ gear has terrible stat choices but make it up with expertise.

 

I'd say with my guide, your character will be ON PAR with a 50 geared with half cent and half champ if you are smart with your mod selections.

Edited January 23, 2012 by AndantePhist

[AndantePhist]

still seeing people believing they can do nothing as a fresh 50 and be competitive in pvp...

 

shameless bump

[Azin]

Subscribed and bumped.

[Bejita]

why would anyone waste 600k when they can just grind through illum or get carried by other 50s?

 

if you want people to get decent gear before pvping then put a gear rating requirement before joining pvp, but we know bioware wont do that, untill then i aint wasting my money on pve stuff so i can get pvp stuff

[Zekeiele]

Thanks the guide...I'm 39 and will now switch my focus to this. Cyber tech is going to come in really handy.

[Zekeiele]

Bejita *** else am I going to spend my money on ?

[Thatguy]

It's a great guide. It bothers me to no end when people complain about entering WZs with their 13-14k hp and getting rolled by people like me who are already in partial battlemaster gear with the weapon. There's a gear gap yea, but with minimal effort and time as you've shown you can make yourself useful. While it may take more time to be able to compete with the best geared players, there's always a few in each WZ that are in the same boat.

[Red_Cruiser]

This is a good guide. Next time some snot nosed kid with his 12K health smarts off and asks me what he should do, I'll know exactly where to point him.

[Red_Cruiser]

why would anyone waste 600k when they can just grind through illum or get carried by other 50s?

 

If you want people to get decent gear before pvping then put a gear rating requirement before joining pvp, but we know bioware wont do that, untill then i aint wasting my money on pve stuff so i can get pvp stuff

 

Because they are Republic?

[Adzzy]

it's not just pvp, this gear massively increases your pve potential with every class, esp since you get a free purple 49 enhancement with a heroic 2 quest tacked on in ilum (and if i remember, a mod on belsavis)

[Aetou]

Prototype Hyper Stims are also worth investing in for non-Biochemists. 20-30k for +1k health for 2 hours regardless of how many times you die isn't a bad rate to pay as thats 1-2 dailies plus a few WZs and the difference it makes is very noticable.

[Makhbet]

Nice post OP, well done. I might give it a try or just hope to be carried after hitting 50

[Delezar]

Nice guide, I will recommend it to others who have questions you address in this guide.

[doombomb]

Surprised to find this had some useful information in it. GJ.

[Waldorf]

I have a way simpler guide:

 

Once you reach 50, join WZs and AFK until you have all the gear you want.

AFKing is tolerated (promoted?) by Bioware so why not take advantage of it?

[calyptic]

if you dont have all orange gear your doing it wrong??

 

Im Armormech and have WAYYY better gear for all my leveling levels than any orange geared player. FACT!

[Sumire]

This guide is pretty useless, you need PVP stats to compete, not PVE gear. You will still get owned even if you get the best PVE gear so you might as well just go straight into PVP with your naff gear asap then at least you are gaining the right gear from the start. If you are Rebel, I would wait until something is done about the server inbalance and the poor design of Ilum.

[bennyrosso]

Nice guide.