Advice for Returning Player (Lvl 50)

[Cerec]

OK, so I played in beta, leveled to 50 on my powertech, and quit (about 2-3 months after launch.) I was wondering if anyone would have any advice or steps to follow in order to get back into the game. I found a good thread here for leveling with a Pyro spec, so I figured I'd try that route; however, if there are other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

 

What's the best companion for leveling 50-55? Are there any special quests or items I should try to get at 50 that might not have been around when I left? Etc..etc...

[Cerec]

Actually, now that I've played a little bit, I think I can clarify my post into a few questions:

 

1. Is Pyro the best leveling spec from 50-55? If not, which would you suggest?

 

2. Which companion would best support the spec you suggest for #1 above?

 

3. What is the best skill rotation for the spec you suggested for #1 above?

 

4. Is there any crafted or easily-acquirable gear that I should try to get right now before I start the 50-55 grind (I'm wearing decent lvl 50 gear from 1.0)?

 

5. Any other advice/suggestions?

[ellenbec]

Actually, now that I've played a little bit, I think I can clarify my post into a few questions:

 

1. Is Pyro the best leveling spec from 50-55? If not, which would you suggest?

 

2. Which companion would best support the spec you suggest for #1 above?

 

3. What is the best skill rotation for the spec you suggested for #1 above?

 

4. Is there any crafted or easily-acquirable gear that I should try to get right now before I start the 50-55 grind (I'm wearing decent lvl 50 gear from 1.0)?

 

5. Any other advice/suggestions?

 

1) If you are wanting to level PvE, all three specs are perfectly fine and acceptable to go from 50 to 55. I leveled my PT part of the way as Shield Tech and the rest AP (when I felt bored with dealing squat damage but living forever I went AP). Pyro will bring perfectly fine burst dps as long as you know how to play Pyro effectively.

 

If you want to level PvP, the 30-54 bracket will support all three specs, but AP and Shield Tech are bringing better results for some.

 

2) Compaions - Mako is always a good choice, in that healing recieved, particularly with some of the more difficult pulls and groups out there will help out quite a bit. You can also look to purchase the Mercenary Contract from the Cartel Market/GTN to aquire Treek, who is a Tank/Healer companion that uses Aim gear. DPS wise as long as you both are in level appropriate gear for what you are doing you both will be fine.

 

3) Rotations are listed in the appropriate threads for each spec really. The rotations really haven't changed a whole lot from 1.0 to 2.4 for Powertech if you are running a full tree spec.

 

4) Your "decent gear" is subjective truthfully. It may be decent for you, but those of us who leveled when 2.0 released came in with "decent gear" for our progression level. If you are in blues and greens going onto Makeb, you may be in for a rough time then. I would suggest, depending on how much money you have, tracking down either a) A armormech and have them craft you some stuff, b) a cybertech/artifice/armstech and have them make you mods, armorings, a barrel, and enhancements to upgrade any moddable shells you have, c) hit the GTN up to see what is in your price range, or d) level via PvP, Bolster will buff your stats to that of a level 55 in Biowares opinion of basic, entry level PvP gear. My level 35 Vanguard gets bolstered up to 29k health with his gear.

 

5) The only advice and suggestions I can give you really is to see just where you are at gear wise compared to others starting out on Makeb as well. Doing Makeb may not be the best idea for you. Most of us who are running alts through there are using Planetary Comms to purchase mods/enh/armorings/ect for our alts to wear, or are legacy gearing them so our experience with Makeb compared to you is quite a bit different.