How to make Crew Skills Relevant

[Omgthisnamesux]

Step 1: Remove all modifications from purple/deep purple PvE & PvP items.

 

• End Game PvP/PvE Items would simply drop with empty slots.
  

• End Game PvP/PvE Items would have bonus base stats, i.e. the base Rakata items would have +20 (stat1), +20 (stat2) and all empty slots.
  

 

Explanation: You've now made all crew skills that can create item modifications relevant at end-game, while not alienating hardcore PvPrs and PvErs - as the End Game items they recieve will have base stats incorporated into them that once fully modified will keep them as best items in game.

 

 

Step 2: Redistribution of Modification and Items across crew skills, and addition of crew skill restricted items.

 

• 
  Armortech Mods: Creates Armor Modifications & Enhancements for Tech Armor
  Armortech Items: Medium/Heavy Tech Armor
  

• 
  Armstech Mods: Creates Barrels and Crystal Modifications for Tech Weapons
  Armstech Items: Tech Based Weapons + Tech Off-Hand.
  

• 
  Synthweaving Mods: Creates Armor Modifications & Enhancements for Force Armor
  Synthweaving Items: Medium/Heavy Force Armor
  

• 
  Artifice Mods: Creates Hilts and Crystal Modifications for Force Weapons.
  Artifice Items: Force Based Weapons + Force Based Off-Hands.
  

• 
  Cybertech Mods: Creates Mod slots for all items.
  Cybertech Items: Earpieces, Grenades, Mounts, Gadgets....
  

• 
  Biochem Mods: None.
  Biochem Items: All Consumables, All Implants + Add Food/Drinks (as from Cantina)
  

 

Explanation: In redistributing the balance of item crafting and item modifications more evenly across all crew skills, you "balance the wealth" in essence.. and thus balance the relevancy of each crew skill at end-game. Biochecm remains king of the consumables, but sacrifices the ability to make any item Modifications to do so.

 

Step 3: Rework the functionality of Reverse Engineering

 

• 
  Add 100% chance to learn schematic equal to item you are reverse engineering (if applicable to your crew skill)
  

 

Explanation: This keeps the "luck" associated to Reverse Engineering discovery, while alleviating the frustration associated to Reverse Engineering discovery at the same time. With the new system, some people will get lucky and continue to discover blue/purple schematics through Reverse Engineering. However, those people who experience bad luck aren't limited to spam RE'n and keeping their fingers crossed - they can go to the GTN, and purchase the Blue/Purple item if available and Reverse Engineer it in order to learn the pattern. This also makes it so people could collect mats for blue/purp item and use Trade to find a person who has the discovered item... ask them to make it for them, and then RE it.... expanding even more upon the social aspect of Crew Skills.

 

The End.

 

P.S. I'm not delusional enough to think this is the end all be all. However, these changes would make crew skills relevant at end game + expand the social aspect of crew skills. There is also talk about adding unique bonuses' to each crew skill, but that is beyond the scope of my suggestions.

Edited January 29, 2012 by Omgthisnamesux

[crimtor]

Couple questions:

Armortech Mods: Creates Armor Modifications & Enhancements for Tech Armor

Synthweaving Mods: Creates Armor Modifications & Enhancements for Force Armor

 

Would this be that Armormech would craft Cunning & Aim Mods & Enhancements, and Synthweaving Strength & Willpower?

And in a similar vein:

 

Armstech Mods: Creates Barrels and Crystal Modifications for Tech Weapons

Artifice Mods: Creates Hilts and Crystal Modifications for Force Weapons.

 

How exactly would this work? Unless "Base" stats (Strength, Aim, Willpower, Cunning) are added, Artifice Crystals, aside from color, are +Crit or +Endurance (at least, from all the patterns I've seen so far); kinda hard to differentiate. Unless this change would make Crystals "Tech" or "Force", and only be applicable to one type of weapon.

Edited January 29, 2012 by crimtor