How Bolster works on 55 lvl and how min/max it

[Twighead]

I haven't read through this entire thread, but I wanted to comment on the relics that are recommended by some. Sorry if this has been addressed before.

 

Some people recommend/use the Serendipitous Assault power proc relics, one Partisan and one Conqueror. But I'm pretty sure they do not stack, as their tooltip explicitly states "Does not stack with other Serendipitous Assault effects". Do tell me if I'm wrong.

 

They used to stack, but not anymore.

[MagikFingerz]

They used to stack, but not anymore.

 

Yeah, I thought they might have at some point. Thanks for clarifying.

 

So now the best relics to use are the power proc + the extra damage proc (the type best corresponding to your class) for DPS, right?

[BoushhDC]

Yeah, I thought they might have at some point. Thanks for clarifying.

 

So now the best relics to use are the power proc + the extra damage proc (the type best corresponding to your class) for DPS, right?

 

There's a problem right now. People are reporting that the relic in the second slot is not triggering. I tested it with Serendipitous Assault (can proc no more than every 20 seconds) and Cerulean Nova (a lesser damage proc but can supposedly proc every 4.5 seconds) . I can tell you that no matter which slot I have what in, I'm only getting one damage proc (the only buff that appears reads "Power Surge") and it's not occurring more than once every 20 seconds. I can't determine whether one slot isn't triggering, the 20 second proc of S.A. is eating the 4.5 second C.N. proc, the C.N. relic isn't proc'ing at all regardless of slot, my personal bad RNG, or a combination of some or all of the above. Regardless, something is definitely not working.

 

As a result, some people are suggesting that the best two relics might be the Serendipitous Assault and the Matrix Cube with it's static bonus and the observation that it bolsters well in WZs.

 

The only thing I can tell you with a certainty is that once everyone figures out how the crap is working, and how to work with it (or around it, if it's broken), BW will "fix" ie. change it and we'll have to start all over again with this non-transparent system. lol.

[Aelaias]

I am using the conqueror SA relic in the upper with a partisan kinetic proc relic. While I haven't paid attention to the power proc the other one has an obvious sound effect which helps to orient you to the effect and it definitely procs. Edited June 1, 2013 by Aelaias

[derhirschi]

Great topic m8, thanks.

Seems to bring a little light into my current bolster darkness.

[Darth_Dreselus]

Do not use any 72 gear.

You need all 66 blue pve gear + purple 54 lvl crafted implants, earpiece and offhand (focus, generator, shield, shotgun, knife). And 2 pvp relics. Thats all for start grind Partisan/Conqueror.

 

When you get full min/max Partisan, you can finally change gear from blues 66, but left purples ear, implants and offhand until you get Conqueror ones.

 

You never must down your expertise less than 1900-1875.

 

No I already have Partisan/Conqueror but the 2 piece is worth sacrificing expertise (like 1-2% bonus to PvP heals) Because the 1.5s cd reduction of Healing Trance blows that out of water. I just don't know if having a full UW piece (or a lower piece like Campaign) would be better than having exp mod and enh (65s). Without Bolster stepping it it would be a loss of 136 exp rating from the 2 armourings, but I do not know if just having a bolstered PvE peice would result in less exp rating lost.

 

Essentially I am asking about a BiS setup not some set up 'until Partisan/Conqueror'. But that sacrifice outlined above is worth it.

 

Same thing with MH/OH, it would seem that you are suggesting that a BiS 72 PvE with Power crystal is better than BiS 65 PvP with exp crystal. Is that so?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Darth_Dreselus

[stevezags]

I've been gone from the game for a few months, so haven't played since pre-2.0 and wanted to make sure I understand this bolster properly. I was at 50 in my Sentinel (watchman) and Powertech (pyro). Both were fully kitted out in War Hero and Battlemaster gear, respectively. I also had complete sets Rakata and whatever the step below it was called for PVE, minus the weapons.

 

Bottom line, as I jump back into the game and PVP, am I better off not using the old PVP gear at all? If so, what gear is actually worth getting. And yes, I read the original post, I'm still confused after not following all the updates the last couple months. Thanks

Edited June 12, 2013 by stevezags

[DeadDogBarking]

BH Merc 2 piece PVE gear bonus == +15% crit tracer missile. 4piece Part/conq == +15% on railshot. If you switch and keep it to lvl63 mods you loose less than 1% damage and boosted health but go from an average of 2- 3k to 3-4k per hit. My goal is to get multiple hits above 5k without wz adrenals ( maybe not possible). I do not have all of the math but my tracer missile is almost always 3/8 - 5/8 total damage and with the crits it AVERAGES out to slightly less damage than heatseeker and railshot (especially in fast games when I use these for instant cast instead of fully procced - ie everybody is ducking a corner in huttball or I am on the move).

 

SO thumbnail guess (grab 400k based on uneven pug vs pug non balanced teams 2-4 spot high damages on Harbringer also higher numbers inflates the impact to much for amount of backing provided)

 

400k total damage (without 15% extra crit) x loss of 1% expertise damage == 396k ( loss of 4,000)

unboosted tracer missile damage: 1/2 of 396k == 198k

198k x 15% more crit == 29,000crit x 65% surge (low for guesses) == 47,000 extra crit tracer missile damage

divide in half for loss of rail shot crit == 23,500 adj damage (overly generous guess)

 

SO PVE SET BONUS FOR MERC TRACER MISSILE AFTER BOLSTER

LOOSE 4,000 gain 23,500

for an 800k match - loose 8,000 gain 47,000k

even cutting gains in half in half == good bet

NOTES

did math on spare piece of paper so let me know if wrong

loss of 1% was from 60% dmage 37% reduction and 20.38 heals with lvl 61 set armoring (66 purples in mod/enhancement for one piece and 63 in another)

 

The real kicker is from a BH thread about set bonuses. Keep in mind that our designated PVP set is eliminator for DPS. 2 piece PvE Eliminator (+15% crit on Tracer Missile) with 2 piece PvP Combat Medic (reduce cooldown of Hydraulic Overrides by 5 seconds). so loose maybe another 4,000exp damage to gain even one more Override is well worth trade. Also if you are not worried about the pvp set bonus you can buy the pvp gear with the best min max for power and surge which for me is mostly medic and tech not eliminator.

 

NOW why did I show this dirty little secret. I have spent alot of time and energy buying all the correct gear in partisan and then used leftover pve comms and then paid 8k per slot to exchange. Then find that my designated PVP gear is not as good stat/bonus wise as med or tech even with earpieces and implants. This is about a wash of 7,000 wz comms spent trying to do what is suggested for my class/build. I dont care if they nerf this bonus but I just want to know what I am buying. I hated getting beat to death in my old recruit gear, but I knew what to do to fix it. Now I go backwards unless I read the forums and inspect multiple players CONSTANTLY.

[skotish]

I've been gone from the game for a few months, so haven't played since pre-2.0 and wanted to make sure I understand this bolster properly. I was at 50 in my Sentinel (watchman) and Powertech (pyro). Both were fully kitted out in War Hero and Battlemaster gear, respectively. I also had complete sets Rakata and whatever the step below it was called for PVE, minus the weapons.

 

Bottom line, as I jump back into the game and PVP, am I better off not using the old PVP gear at all? If so, what gear is actually worth getting. And yes, I read the original post, I'm still confused after not following all the updates the last couple months. Thanks

Don't use anything with expertise in it in the 30-54 bracket

[Comfterbilly]

3. NEVER USE PvP and PvE gear in one set in general

You need or full PvP Armor gear, or full PvE Armor gear. If you will have, for example, PvE chest but PvP legs, you lose expertise.

 

Okay but is losing the extra expertise the only reason? How much expertise? At first glance it seems like the 2-piece set bonus would be better than a few dozen expertise points.

 

No?

[Kefer]

Problem, of course, is not the bolster itself, but the amount of maths/tests you have to do to actually get the optimal result... the whole thing looks like a typical, sloppily coded another layer added on top of the system probably to reduce the work effort required to implement it. I agree with one of the posts above, that first introducting expertise to make people grind pvp gear for pvp, and then bolstering the pve gear defeats the purpose of the former. Sadly, the game is not this golden egg laying $100m world-changing project it was at release, so I guess we have to live with it.

 

Of course, it could be argued that there are super simple bolster systems in other games, that don't cause your brain to overload, and do the job just as well. Like the simplest one:

 

For Each Gear Piece Worn

{

Has Expertise? Leave as it is for calculations.

No Expertise? Use the lowest pvp piece (recruit-like) for calculations.

}

 

Fixed.

[Zunayson]

Problem, of course, is not the bolster itself, but the amount of maths/tests you have to do to actually get the optimal result... the whole thing looks like a typical, sloppily coded another layer added on top of the system probably to reduce the work effort required to implement it. I agree with one of the posts above, that first introducting expertise to make people grind pvp gear for pvp, and then bolstering the pve gear defeats the purpose of the former. Sadly, the game is not this golden egg laying $100m world-changing project it was at release, so I guess we have to live with it.

 

Of course, it could be argued that there are super simple bolster systems in other games, that don't cause your brain to overload, and do the job just as well. Like the simplest one:

 

For Each Gear Piece Worn

{

Has Expertise? Leave as it is for calculations.

No Expertise? Use the lowest pvp piece (recruit-like) for calculations.

}

 

Fixed.

 

Maybe their intent wasn't to make it so non-pvp gear has a smaller yet competetive stats compared to pvp gear,

 

but to make it so high end pve gear is almost on par with high end pvp gear or something.

 

I like your way better. Fewer lines.

[Bilirubin]

Freshly back to TOR and wait, you are saying I am better off in my Rakata/BH set I am trying to upgrade than my WH/BM set with expertise?

 

...and it took so long to put that together

[TonyDragonflame]

Freshly back to TOR and wait, you are saying I am better off in my Rakata/BH set I am trying to upgrade than my WH/BM set with expertise?

 

...and it took so long to put that together

 

Information still actual, except some things:

 

1. Relics: for dps, best relics are conqueror for power proc and matrix cube (you dont loose expertise for matrix cube); for tank better new both relics for shield and defence proc; for healing its matrix cube + power proc or power proc + healing pvp relic

 

2. Ear and implants (purples crafted 54 lvl): since great forum whine of crying bads, BW make them worse and they lose more expertise now (around -25 instead of -2), but still viable and compared with Partisan ones. Good for start playing wz on 55 lvl, but get Conqueror when you can. Dont buy Partisan.

 

3. Mainhand and Offhand. Crafted purples 54 lvl one-piece ones are dont so good now (read p.2 about crying bads and nerf), but still crafted 66 purple hilt/barrel/armoring + power crystal + 63 purple pve mods and enchancement more than viable and compared with Conqueror, cuz you get more (+41) power and tech power (~+20) and lose only -10 expertise (for 66 hilt/barrel/armoring).

 

4. Armor gear. You still can use 66 grade crafted min/max blue or purple gear - blues compared with Partisan (and when min/maxed its better than stock partisan) and you dont loose many expertise with it.

 

5. Dont forget get all blue/purples 14 new 55 lvl augments, new biochem stim, and new cybertech grenades. Dont forget about datacrons -and you will be competitive when you start of 55 lvl wz.

 

Good luck in fight!

Edited August 6, 2013 by TonyDragonflame

[Bilirubin]

OK just to be sure I understand you: I can wear my Conqueror implants/earpiece, but ONLY PvE gear until I get a full set of at least Partisan armor?

 

ETA: I guess this explains why I kept getting focus burned lol

Edited August 7, 2013 by Bilirubin

[Turn-XGundam]

OK just to be sure I understand you: I can wear my Conqueror implants/earpiece, but ONLY PvE gear until I get a full set of at least Partisan armor?

 

ETA: I guess this explains why I kept getting focus burned lol

 

no bypass the partisan armor set, only get it to get the conqueror armor set prerequisite (since you need partisan to buy conqueror). so basically for the armor(7 items) conqueror > crafted 66 purple/blue armor > partisan

Edited August 12, 2013 by Turn-XGundam

[TonyDragonflame]

OK just to be sure I understand you: I can wear my Conqueror implants/earpiece, but ONLY PvE gear until I get a full set of at least Partisan armor?

 

ETA: I guess this explains why I kept getting focus burned lol

 

1. Bolster equation

Conqueror min/max > Partisan min/max > Conqueror stock > Crafted/pve 66 blue/63-61 purples min/max > Partisan stock

 

 

2. PvP Competitiveness formula

Competitiveness = min/maxing gear + augments + bio stim + cryo grenades + wz medpacks + wz adrenals + all class legacy buffs + all companions 10 k affection legacy buffs + cryo chamber + keybinding + 100% camera distance view

[warultima]

PvP gear mattered = QQ all gear no skill. /cancel sub

 

PvP gear doesnt matter = QQ no PvP gear progression. /cancel sub

 

PvE gear BiS in PvP = QQ lolwut /cancel sub

 

Its just how it is, I kinda like it this way tho all my rwz comm feel useless, I just keeps buying PvP gear to put in my cargo hold until one day I get full set maybe? And isnt that only like 10% better anyways?

 

If something to /cancel sub over, it will be the pvp balance is stupid at its finest.

[lifeiscrazy]

Are all those things about bolster from page 1 still valid? I am a bit confused what should be the best way to equip my new 55 character for PvP...

 

Any up-to-date links or hints are much appreciated.

[LtBombshell]

So how do you min/max gear?

[Neuromann]

What the **** did i just read

[TonyDragonflame]

Are all those things about bolster from page 1 still valid? I am a bit confused what should be the best way to equip my new 55 character for PvP...

 

Any up-to-date links or hints are much appreciated.

 

Most part still valid, especially about ZERO pieces with expertise in gear and main/offhands until you get full min/max pvp gear.

NEVER DONT MIX PvE gear and PvP in pieces of gear.

 

Start level playing on 55 lvl warzones until you get full min/max conqueror pieces:

 

1. Crafted 54 lvl min/max pve purple implants and earpiece

2. Mainhand and offhand - power crystals, 66 purple crafted barrel/hilt/mod, 58 makeb purple enhancement

3. Armor - 53 lvl (66 tier) blue crafted armorings (or 63 purple with set bonuse), mods and enhancements

4. New pvp (Conqueror or Oboran) relics - for power and mainstat proc (for dps and healer)

5. All augments with 55 blue or purple 28 grade augments

6. New Biochem stim (52 lvl)

Edited December 7, 2013 by TonyDragonflame

[TonyDragonflame]

Most part still valid, especially about ZERO pieces with expertise until you get full min/max pvp gear.

NEVER DONT MIX PvE gear and PvP in pieces of gear.

 

Start level playing on 55 lvl warzones until you get full min/max conqueror pieces:

 

1. Crafted 54 lvl min/max pve purple implants and earpiece

2. Mainhand and offhand - power crystals, 66 purple barrel/hilt/mod, 58 makeb purple enhancement

3. Armor - 53 lvl (66 tier) blue crafted armorings (or 63 purple with set bonuse), mods and enhancements

4. New pvp (Conqueror or Oboran) relics - for power and mainstat proc (for dps and healer)

5. All augments with 55 blue or purple 28 grade augments

6. New Biochem stim (52 lvl)

 

- you get 2018 *bolstered* expertise and around 29-30 k hp.

[lifeiscrazy]

Most part still valid, especially about ZERO pieces with expertise in gear and main/offhands until you get full min/max pvp gear.

NEVER DONT MIX PvE gear and PvP in pieces of gear.

 

Start level playing on 55 lvl warzones until you get full min/max conqueror pieces:

 

1. Crafted 54 lvl min/max pve purple implants and earpiece

2. Mainhand and offhand - power crystals, 66 purple crafted barrel/hilt/mod, 58 makeb purple enhancement

3. Armor - 53 lvl (66 tier) blue crafted armorings (or 63 purple with set bonuse), mods and enhancements

4. New pvp (Conqueror or Oboran) relics - for power and mainstat proc (for dps and healer)

5. All augments with 55 blue or purple 28 grade augments

6. New Biochem stim (52 lvl)

 

Thanks a lot, much appreciated!

 

But what exactly do you mean by "min/max"?

[naldoran]

Right now, with Bolster, I'm at 1799 Expertise in Warzones (Obroan relics + Conq armor / implants), with my 78 PvE main hand / offhand equipped. Would the extra expertise granted from a pvp main hand give me more benefit than the pve weapon's vastly higher stats?