Why aren't people gearing up anymore?

[chuixupu]

Yeah, I don't know, I run on multiple characters all the time and I heve never seen anyone that undergeared at 55 trying to run hard modes except one guy that got into my otherwise full guild's S&V SM on group finder. He said he had taken a break and just come back tot he game - guess he took a break wearing 49 blues and no relics.

But I think you guys are making judgements based on a couple of isolated incidents. I'm sure it happens, but I don't think it's a majority of people. There are always people that are too lazy to put the time in to gear up with the intermediate stuff in MMOs.

 

Also, as others said, if you were wearing campaign/Dread Guard prior to Makeb, Basic Gear is only a teeny tiny upgrade and running the 55 HMs are no trouble for that gear.

Edited September 6, 2013 by chuixupu

[Helig]

It's kind of idiotic if you think about it. 66 blue mods are dirt cheap. No one actually sells any of the blue 66 gear for over the default GTN value. You can get gloves, boots, belt, etc, for 35k each. Also, crafting artifact 66 gear is easy too. There is no reason a new level 55 shouldn't be in at least blue 66's. They're either fresh off of the turnip truck and are putting their gear together, or they're lazy as hell and are trying to get people to carry them through content.

Orange 66 gear is like 5-10k apiece on the GTN. Mods (blue) are somewhat more expensive - but still extremely affordable.

 

Tonight I ran a Labs HM on my alt, and we had a scoundrel healer in level 45-50 greens. Had to field respec to healing and carry this sack of fail throughout the entire instance.

 

Almost makes me want attunements back.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Helig

[Hessen]

Good players are good players, bad players are bad players - regardless of gear.

 

I levelled up my operative to 55 in full Rakata and then started doing S&V and TfB SM and 55 Flashpoints with ease.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Hessen

[SuspectDown]

Generally, if someone isn't in at least 66 blues for HM I try to initiate a kick. Other day kicked a 55 sentinel with 1,6xx strength. Not even 5 minutes later we got a sentinel with 2,7xx strength.

 

If you aren't properly geared, you shouldn't try to run 55 HM expecting to get carried so you can need on items for fights you didn't even really contribute to.

 

SWTOR IMO has one of the best, if not the best group fidners around. Everything is tiered and super simple to understand. Fresh 55? Run 50 HM's or Czerka FP's.

[chuixupu]

Generally, if someone isn't in at least 66 blues for HM I try to initiate a kick. Other day kicked a 55 sentinel with 1,6xx strength. Not even 5 minutes later we got a sentinel with 2,7xx strength.

 

If you aren't properly geared, you shouldn't try to run 55 HM expecting to get carried so you can need on items for fights you didn't even really contribute to.

 

SWTOR IMO has one of the best, if not the best group fidners around. Everything is tiered and super simple to understand. Fresh 55? Run 50 HM's or Czerka FP's.

 

I do kind of wish they'd put some kind of minimum requirement on it, though. It doesn't have to be high, but at least don't let people in 45 greens/blues queue up for a 55 operation -_-

[AlrikFassbauer]

I still don't quite understand whether PvP material would help me in FPs & in OPs or not. That's a thing that's nowhere described, and there is no guide about that, too. (My main character is a level 55 Gunslinger, and I'm currently mixing PvP gear with Sector X drops).

[ImpactHound]

I still don't quite understand whether PvP material would help me in FPs & in OPs or not. That's a thing that's nowhere described, and there is no guide about that, too. (My main character is a level 55 Gunslinger, and I'm currently mixing PvP gear with Sector X drops).

 

it's better than nothing, but it's usually end-heavier than you want it to be and expertise is a wasted stat that could be more crit/surge/shield/whatever. if you're a competent player, you can do flashpoints in pvp gear without a problem. There's a stigma associated with it across multiple MMOs though, that you by default stand in fire and can't understand pve mechanics until you prove otherwise.

[Helig]

I still don't quite understand whether PvP material would help me in FPs & in OPs or not. That's a thing that's nowhere described, and there is no guide about that, too. (My main character is a level 55 Gunslinger, and I'm currently mixing PvP gear with Sector X drops).

Partisan is about on par with blue 66 for FPs and Ops. Grab those off the GTN without looking back. They are cheap (10-15k apiece) and they let you build a custom stat base (if you treat 55 hardmodes and Operations seriously, softcapping Accuracy at 108% specials should be your priority. Once you upgrade to 66-69 purples, make it 110% on specials), and they let you customize your looks because of how adaptive, and moddable gear works.

 

Level 53 oranges are very, very cheap (like 5-10k apiece - for the entire part, armoring, mod, enhancement included), as well, because they drop like candy on Makeb and Czerka moon.

[Devrius]

I still don't quite understand whether PvP material would help me in FPs & in OPs or not. That's a thing that's nowhere described, and there is no guide about that, too. (My main character is a level 55 Gunslinger, and I'm currently mixing PvP gear with Sector X drops).

 

Easy to get rating 150 with set bonus, with a lvl 53 blue earpiece and 2x lvl 53 blue implants you have 26k+ health and 2.2k+ main stat, also I'm on a PvP server so having a full PvP set is never lost while questing in contested planets.

[GOTGK]

Sounds like you ran into a bunch of PvPers.

 

Except for the tank, Columi/Rakata is obviously a returning PvE player - it may not look like that, but he worked hard for that gear.

 

I just got back myself after about 8 months away. Your post is accurate-- I've yet to see any upgrades on Makeb, tho I am only about 60% done with it.

 

My Rakata/Columi stuff was top notch when I got hurt and stopped playing, but I can't imagine I'd jump straight into a level 55 FP once I ding, either. Someone who worked hard to earn the gear back then should know better than to flop into a level 55 HMFP without doing a bit of work.

 

The OP just got a bad group, I think. The joke is that he didn't come running to the forums when he got random'd into several straight runs with 3 overgeared folks who knew what they were doing.

 

People never complain when RNG shines on them, only when it *****s on them.

[Helig]

I just got back myself after about 8 months away. Your post is accurate-- I've yet to see any upgrades on Makeb, tho I am only about 60% done with it.

 

My Rakata/Columi stuff was top notch when I got hurt and stopped playing, but I can't imagine I'd jump straight into a level 55 FP once I ding, either. Someone who worked hard to earn the gear back then should know better than to flop into a level 55 HMFP without doing a bit of work.

 

The OP just got a bad group, I think. The joke is that he didn't come running to the forums when he got random'd into several straight runs with 3 overgeared folks who knew what they were doing.

 

People never complain when RNG shines on them, only when it *****s on them.

Sadly, this stops being an exception from the rule when you see them almost every time. Ran 3 55 HMs today - first one - abovementioned Scoundrel healer in 45-50 greens. Second, Infiltration (judging by procs) Shadow that DPSd in Combat Technique, third, Tankslinger who pulled everything ahead of the tank and caused several wipes.

 

Wish there was PvE rating similar to Arena/Ranked warzone rating which would affect matchmaking for pugs :S

[BadOrb]

...

 

They're not.

63 is rating 150, versus 144 or 148 for blue 66.

 

A competent player in 61/63 gear - e.g. a Campaign set with Hazmat mods but not armorings - is ready for all content short of Hard Mode 55 operations. Emphasis on "competent". With less skill, 66 purples are adequate. No blue main pieces are something players in 61/63 gear should bother with.

Blue RotHC implants, earpieces and augments are however superior to level 50 purples.

 

I mean't a mixture of blue and purple 66 mods , really easy to come by and I don't see why people don't have them for HM FP's 55. Mind you 63 gear with augments would be fine even without if they are good indeed.

 

Cheers,

 

BadOrb.

[Nempo]

it's better than nothing, but it's usually end-heavier than you want it to be and expertise is a wasted stat that could be more crit/surge/shield/whatever. if you're a competent player, you can do flashpoints in pvp gear without a problem. There's a stigma associated with it across multiple MMOs though, that you by default stand in fire and can't understand pve mechanics until you prove otherwise.

 

Those who stand in a fire and can't understand the mechanics fo a fight are not the PvPers, as a long time MMO player that in PvE circles completed a few world/server firsts and in PvP circles won tournaments and such...in a hard FP I will always take a PvPer over a PvEr. The PvPers know every skill they have and exactly what it does in every situation. No I am talking about hardcore players, not the casuals.

 

I have job and college to worry about so I am no longer such a player, yet again...I'll take the PvPer over the PvEr most times just because if things get truly hard (and in this game that isn't likely) we know for a fact that the PvPer can handle themselves and won't panic as the PvPer is used to being outnumbered, used to getting hit, and used to using every skill they have to survive for as long as possible.

 

I love how we have people on here complaining about HM groups not "geared enough". Seriously, a group in all 55 blues can handle a hardmode, it is not HARD, it just requires actual teamwork and survival skills. It only requires competant players. If you demand more than that of the equipment than yes, you are lacking skills or are looking for an easy-mode.

 

Have we forgotten what hard is? The Alpha stages of this game the devs were out to kill us on purpose. Act 3 was a slog so that you had downtime after every single pack of mobs in the open world, nevermind the planned class fights in which were originally designed to force you to use every skill you had to have a chance at winning. No surprise they tuned things down in beta, and everyone that was apart of beta is well aware they made things even easier for live...going from live to f2p...surprise surprise things got easier yet. People need to stop using gear as a crutch and actually try these things "undergeared", the game is far more enjoyable in the endgame if all of you are undergeared and nothing is a tank&n&spank. It'll up your skills and awareness as well.

[Lumpyone]

Have we forgotten what hard is? The Alpha stages of this game the devs were out to kill us on purpose. Act 3 was a slog so that you had downtime after every single pack of mobs in the open world, nevermind the planned class fights in which were originally designed to force you to use every skill you had to have a chance at winning. No surprise they tuned things down in beta, and everyone that was apart of beta is well aware they made things even easier for live...going from live to f2p...surprise surprise things got easier yet. People need to stop using gear as a crutch and actually try these things "undergeared", the game is far more enjoyable in the endgame if all of you are undergeared and nothing is a tank&n&spank. It'll up your skills and awareness as well.

 

As one who played in Beta, I completely agree. Those first level 50 HM FPs everyone finds so easy now were a real challenge, and I miss that. Even in the OPs, its not about the challenge anymore, its about how quickly the OP can be cleared.

 

That's an idea... start running 55 HM FPs in 50 greens and blues to bring the challenge back.

[Vinak]

What is the reason to gear up beyond 66-69? what exactly are you going to do with slightly higher stats? Do dailies 30 seconds faster? Ops haven't really changed much other than "higher difficulty." No real reason to gear up other than ego. Edited September 7, 2013 by Vinak

[Heal-To-Full]

I mean't a mixture of blue and purple 66 mods , really easy to come by and I don't see why people don't have them for HM FP's 55. Mind you 63 gear with augments would be fine even without if they are good indeed.

There's not much point in working on 66 if you start out as a proper 50.

 

I never owned a 66 piece. Except for a few drops that got bound to me, so it was wear or vendor.

Just no point. HM 55 FP drop 69's, and I blazed through in 63 gear, with other people in 63's. So do SM 55 ops, though they are a good bit harder and that gear actually helps.

 

The gain from 63 to 66 is just too small to bother.

Augged 63 is straight up ready for 55 operations (SM), not HM FP. For HM FP it's overgeared.

 

 

What is the reason to gear up beyond 66-69? what exactly are you going to do with slightly higher stats? Do dailies 30 seconds faster? Ops haven't really changed much other than "higher difficulty." No real reason to gear up other than ego.

You can't really do Nightmare ops without full augged 72 minimum. A couple 75's is called for for final bosses.

 

HM ops can be done in augged 69's, but you want at least a few 72's still.

Edited September 7, 2013 by B-Dick