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

[TonyDragonflame]

Thanks a lot, much appreciated!

 

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

 

Min/max means mods/enhancements with maximum power/crit and minimum endurance.

For example, its so called "Adept" enhancement to power/surge. Same stats for ear and implants - max power and surge, minimum accuracy, alacrity etc trash stats.

[Neuromann]

Min/max means mods/enhancements with maximum power/crit and minimum endurance.

For example, its so called "Adept" enhancement to power/surge. Same stats for ear and implants - max power and surge, minimum accuracy, alacrity etc trash stats.

 

Is that just for your class? Or do you want max power/surge on every class? I'm a Carnage Marauder in PvP...lvl 53

[Nerdimports]

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?

 

Great question. I was thinking about buying the 67 mod and enhancements for my weapons and keeping my 72 hilts and snagging some war hero crystals. The force power gain seems more significant than 50 expertise.

[Smuglebunny]

Its better to use the expertise crystals in a WZ, outside power is better, and if you are using all PVE gear and getting bolstered then power is better. But if you are full Conq or Obroan then you want to have full EXP it boots ALL damage healing defense etc.

[Ottoattack]

Great question. I was thinking about buying the 67 mod and enhancements for my weapons and keeping my 72 hilts and snagging some war hero crystals. The force power gain seems more significant than 50 expertise.

 

Inside WZs bolster works provides for MH and OH weapons the same force power/tech power as if you have 180 hilt/barrel equipped. There is no reason what so ever to use any PvE weapons that will lose expertise. Expertise provide the highest bang for your buck, because there is no soft caps anymore. As bolster currently stands, if you are using any PvE gear in modable pieces you want to make sure of three things:

 

1- Do not mix PvE and PvP mods/armoring/enh in the same piece.

2- When you use PvE gear, make sure no gear is above the level of 69.

3- PvE gear sum of levels of all pieces of gear has to be equal or less than 193. Example, if you have a piece with 69 armoring, 66 mid and 58 enhancement, you will still maintain full expertise (69+66+58 = 193). If you upgrade the enhancement to level 61 (69+66+61 = 195) you will lose around 50 expertise on the spot.As dumb as this seem, this is exactly how it works.

 

There is an extremely long debate wither obroan or PvE gear MH and OH weapons using a format that provides max expertise is BiS. What I can tell you for sure is the difference is marginal at best, making using PvE weapons preferable, because they are much easier to get.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Ottoattack

[TheDanski]

3- PvE gear sum of levels of all pieces of gear has to be equal or less than 193. Example, if you have a piece with 69 armoring, 66 mid and 58 enhancement, you will still maintain full expertise (69+66+58 = 193). If you upgrade the enhancement to level 61 (69+66+61 = 195) you will lose around 50 expertise on the spot.As dumb as this seem, this is exactly how it works.

 

So for Min/Max would you want 72hilt/barrel/63purple mod(classic pve)/58 enhancement = 193 for max hilt/barrel? Or does it take int account 193 total and none over 69? or is the only cutoff the total? And if this is the case, would having the 72 hilt overtake even the 67 pve weap? Thanks!

 

PS - Would love an official writeup by BW about this. Kind of silly that they wouldn't clarify exactly how they programmed their game mechanic. If I missed it, if someone could link the official explanation. Thanks!

[Ottoattack]

So for Min/Max would you want 72hilt/barrel/63purple mod(classic pve)/58 enhancement = 193 for max hilt/barrel? Or does it take int account 193 total and none over 69? or is the only cutoff the total? And if this is the case, would having the 72 hilt overtake even the 67 pve weap? Thanks!

 

PS - Would love an official writeup by BW about this. Kind of silly that they wouldn't clarify exactly how they programmed their game mechanic. If I missed it, if someone could link the official explanation. Thanks!

 

I haven't tried the 72s myself, but others did and mentioned you lose expertise. I know the sum of levels of 193 is beyond doubt and the expertise lost for crossing it is slightly above 50 expertise, and increases the higher your PvE gear level gets.

 

I remember when BW mentioned they will give a "mathy" post explaining how the bolster works. I guess it will never happen.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Ottoattack

[ingenuityfails]

So I was just informed of this in a completely different thread;

Bolster is very messed up in its current state for pvp' date=' for example if you use high endurance mods and high endurance enhancements in a full dps spec bolster treats you as a undergeared player and gives you more mainstat than you should be getting.[/quote']

 

 

And after previously finding this one of the more informative (read: correct) threads about bolster and expertise, I'm encouraged to repeat it here to verify the truth of the matter. Because it doesn't sound legit to me.

 

Actually, there are 2 conditions under which it would make sense;

1) Sub 55 PvP. In which case, who cares. Anyone who needs to min/max to do well in sub30/sub55 isn't worth taking seriously.

2) 55 PvP, but (as discussed previously in this thread) only while deliberately wearing weaker PvE gear to avoid the expertise nerf.

 

However, in the case of the second example; it was my understanding that in 55 PvP, bolster only effects your expertise. It doesn't effect your mainstat/endurance. Which is exactly why you aim to get your stats as high as possible, as close to perfect as possible, while carefully straddling the expertise nerf line.

 

So I ask you fellow vets of swtor. Legit or not legit in 55 PvP?

Edited January 21, 2014 by ingenuityfails

[ZillaElite]

Inside WZs bolster works provides for MH and OH weapons the same force power/tech power as if you have 180 hilt/barrel equipped. There is no reason what so ever to use any PvE weapons that will lose expertise. Expertise provide the highest bang for your buck, because there is no soft caps anymore. As bolster currently stands, if you are using any PvE gear in modable pieces you want to make sure of three things:

 

1- Do not mix PvE and PvP mods/armoring/enh in the same piece.

2- When you use PvE gear, make sure no gear is above the level of 69.

3- PvE gear sum of levels of all pieces of gear has to be equal or less than 193. Example, if you have a piece with 69 armoring, 66 mid and 58 enhancement, you will still maintain full expertise (69+66+58 = 193). If you upgrade the enhancement to level 61 (69+66+61 = 195) you will lose around 50 expertise on the spot.As dumb as this seem, this is exactly how it works.

 

There is an extremely long debate wither obroan or PvE gear MH and OH weapons using a format that provides max expertise is BiS. What I can tell you for sure is the difference is marginal at best, making using PvE weapons preferable, because they are much easier to get.

 

One of the above posts quote blue 66 amorings. Do they have to be blue or can I use the purple 66 armoring.

[L-RANDLE]

So I was just informed of this in a completely different thread;

 

 

 

And after previously finding this one of the more informative (read: correct) threads about bolster and expertise, I'm encouraged to repeat it here to verify the truth of the matter. Because it doesn't sound legit to me.

 

Actually, there are 2 conditions under which it would make sense;

1) Sub 55 PvP. In which case, who cares. Anyone who needs to min/max to do well in sub30/sub55 isn't worth taking seriously.

2) 55 PvP, but (as discussed previously in this thread) only while deliberately wearing weaker PvE gear to avoid the expertise nerf.

 

However, in the case of the second example; it was my understanding that in 55 PvP, bolster only effects your expertise. It doesn't effect your mainstat/endurance. Which is exactly why you aim to get your stats as high as possible, as close to perfect as possible, while carefully straddling the expertise nerf line.

 

So I ask you fellow vets of swtor. Legit or not legit in 55 PvP?

 

Bolster works the same at all levels. What happens at 55 is that some PvE modifications exceeds the bolster floor, while simultaneously avoiding the EXP nerf. As far as I know only MH/OH have this problem... See the sticky for further details...

[Uber_the_Goober]

What the **** did i just read

 

I believe it's referred to as a "SIGNIFICAL LOSE"

 

[Cloud-X]

Why bother even having separate sets of gear for PvP and PvE at this point? Why are PvE'rs getting their gear bolstered so they can play PvP "equally" and yet PvP'rs are not getting bolstered so that they can do PvE "equally"? This game seems to be clearly PvE-centric because the PvE'rs are getting to have their cake and eat it too. I find this mind boggling as PvE consists mainly of watching youtube video, do what they did on youtube video, collect phat loots. Tired of that? No problem, just jump in to some PvP and we'll make sure that your gear works there too.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. This is the one aspect of the game that has me un-subbing from time to time.

[DiscipleXIII]

I couldn't agree with you more. This is the one aspect of the game that has me un-subbing from time to time.

 

Why was this necro'd?

[Icykill_]

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=7659884#post7659884

This is a great sticky that provides all the answers that you are asking... Randle has taken the time to test this... The beginning is out of date... Skip to near the end... I have done extensive testing too on the bolster terminal and in WZ...

The sweet spot for PVE gear is 156-162... Anything over this reduces bolster... Anyone running 180+ gear is doing your team a disservice... I have seen this over and over since the introduction of conquest PVE people joining PVP... They may have 40k health... But they die like they have 20k... They also do less damage

 

 

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