Is this item a bug or something else?

[Elric_VIII]

http://i59.tinypic.com/4jrepu.jpg

 

So, I decided to grab a MYSTERY BOX! from the commendation vendor since I nearly hit the limit. I opened up this item and it confused me. It's a purple with a tag that says [prototype], 3 mod slots + dye, and what appears to be no stats of its own.

 

If this isn't a bug, how is this different from a custom item?

Edited September 11, 2014 by Elric_VIII

[eartharioch]

http://i59.tinypic.com/4jrepu.jpg

 

So, I decided to grab a MYSTERY BOX! from the commendation vendor since I nearly hit the limit. I opened up this item and it confused me. It's a purple with a tag that says [prototype], 3 mod slots + dye, and what appears to be no stats of its own.

 

If this isn't a bug, how is this different from a custom item?

 

I'm not sure what you mean by a "custom item" -- most moddable shells don't come with anything installed, and this item clearly has an armoring, a mod, and an enhancement installed.

 

The best way to explain what is better about this item than a "custom item" is to look at the stats for the orange version of this item -- see http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/16428/Muse-Lower-Robe

 

The purple version (which is what you received) has more main stat, more secondary stat, and less endurance -- i.e., it has *better* stats.

 

So yes, once you outlevel this item, it is essentially no different than a regular orange version, but if you get it "at level", it will be better than the orange version.

 

Also, unlike many orange items you get from quests, flashpoints, comm vendors, etc., this one is BoE -- it can be sold on the GTN or traded to other characters.

[Elric_VIII]

I'm not sure what you mean by a "custom item" -- most moddable shells don't come with anything installed, and this item clearly has an armoring, a mod, and an enhancement installed.

 

The best way to explain what is better about this item than a "custom item" is to look at the stats for the orange version of this item -- see http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/16428/Muse-Lower-Robe

 

The purple version (which is what you received) has more main stat, more secondary stat, and less endurance -- i.e., it has *better* stats.

 

So yes, once you outlevel this item, it is essentially no different than a regular orange version, but if you get it "at level", it will be better than the orange version.

 

Also, unlike many orange items you get from quests, flashpoints, comm vendors, etc., this one is BoE -- it can be sold on the GTN or traded to other characters.

 

Those are actually mods I put on myself; it came with Force Wielder and I switched them with Resolve. By "custom" I do mean orange (that's the term the game uses for it on the GTN). If you look, you'll see that for both, all of the stats are determined by their mods. That's what I'm asking. Is there a difference between the orange version of this item and the purple [prototype] version.

 

I've never encountered this. In a previous thread I was, in fact, told that the only mods that non-orange items can get are augments via augment kits.

[eartharioch]

Those are actually mods I put on myself; it came with Force Wielder and I switched them with Resolve. By "custom" I do mean orange (that's the term the game uses for it on the GTN). If you look, you'll see that for both, all of the stats are determined by their mods. That's what I'm asking. Is there a difference between the orange version of this item and the purple [prototype] version.

 

I've never encountered this. In a previous thread I was, in fact, told that the only mods that non-orange items can get are augments via augment kits.

 

tl;dr: Purple is like orange, only better.

 

You linked the image, so I assumed that's what you got...according to Ask Mr. Robot, the stats for the item you received are -muse-lower-robe"]http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/16431/[prototype]-muse-lower-robe

 

As you can see, the orange version (that you can buy from the Alderaan comms vendor) has Blue mods while the purple version you got has higher quality purple mods. So my answer to your question is still "yes", both sets are moddable, and both sets come fully modified, but the purple version comes with better mods. Also, as mentioned, the orange set is BoP (meaning only the character that buys it can use it) and the purple version is BoE (meaning you can trade it to other characters or sell it for credits).

 

Another thing to note is that all of the planetary vendors have various boxes to sell, so if your gear is close enough to what you can buy and use from the Planetary Comm vendors right now, you can go to a "higher level planet's" comm vendor and buy a box, and get something you (or a companion) might be able to use in the future, or just sell for credits. CAVEAT: To my knowledge, nothing really good comes from boxes that aren't purple, so don't waste your comms on them.

 

Historical Note: Originally all gear was potentially moddable, but not always completely. Orange gear is essentially Beta green and blue gear, which is why it usually has lesser quality mods than the purple gear. Not all purple gear is moddable, but it will usually be better than green, blue, or orange gear of the same level.

 

Finally: whoever said only orange gear is moddable was wrong -- in addition to moddable purple gear, there are a very few pieces of moddable green gear as well -- usually companion gear, and non-lightsaber melee weapons (since many melee companions can't use lightsabers).

 

Final caveat: while both orange and (some purples) are moddable, IIRC, there are some purple versions of orange gear that have slightly different coloring, so even the shells aren't necessarily the same.

Edited September 12, 2014 by eartharioch

[DawnAskham]

Assuming you put the same mods into both, there would be no difference in stats. The stats all come from the mods themselves, not the shell (regardless of whether the shell has orange, purple, blue, green color text).

 

The difference in stats between the two similar items, along with the purple text on the lockbox item, comes from the mods (and their quality / rating) installed.

 

The orange version has lower rating blue mods while the purple version has higher rating purple mods.

 

If you look at the blue mods you added, they are all rating 76, while the purple enhancement you left in is rating 80.

 

Of course just because the mods have a higher rating doesn't mean they are better.

 

As you pointed out, you replaced purple rating 80 Force Wielder (higher endurance / lower willpower) mods for blue rating 76 Resolve (higher willpower / lower endurance) mods, and probably saw an increase in willpower and damage / healing.

Edited September 12, 2014 by DawnAskham

[Elric_VIII]

tl;dr: Purple is like orange, only better.

 

You linked the image, so I assumed that's what you got...according to Ask Mr. Robot, the stats for the item you received are -muse-lower-robe"]http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/16431/[prototype]-muse-lower-robe

 

As you can see, the orange version (that you can buy from the Alderaan comms vendor) has Blue mods while the purple version you got has higher quality purple mods. So my answer to your question is still "yes", both sets are moddable, and both sets come fully modified, but the purple version comes with better mods. Also, as mentioned, the orange set is BoP (meaning only the character that buys it can use it) and the purple version is BoE (meaning you can trade it to other characters or sell it for credits).

 

Another thing to note is that all of the planetary vendors have various boxes to sell, so if your gear is close enough to what you can buy and use from the Planetary Comm vendors right now, you can go to a "higher level planet's" comm vendor and buy a box, and get something you (or a companion) might be able to use in the future, or just sell for credits. CAVEAT: To my knowledge, nothing really good comes from boxes that aren't purple, so don't waste your comms on them.

 

Historical Note: Originally all gear was potentially moddable, but not always completely. Orange gear is essentially Beta green and blue gear, which is why it usually has lesser quality mods than the purple gear. Not all purple gear is moddable, but it will usually be better than green, blue, or orange gear of the same level.

 

Finally: whoever said only orange gear is moddable was wrong -- in addition to moddable purple gear, there are a very few pieces of moddable green gear as well -- usually companion gear, and non-lightsaber melee weapons (since many melee companions can't use lightsabers).

 

Final caveat: while both orange and (some purples) are moddable, IIRC, there are some purple versions of orange gear that have slightly different coloring, so even the shells aren't necessarily the same.

 

Okay, I see. I appreciate the in-depth description. Thanks.

[eartharioch]

Okay, I see. I appreciate the in-depth description. Thanks.

 

NP.

 

BTW, just so you know, when the game launched, every planet had it's own comms -- if you were on Tatooine, you would get Tatooine Comms, if you were on Nar Shadda, you would get Nar Shadda comms, etc. These comms were only usable at the specific comm vendor -- i.e., you could only use Tatooine Comms at the Tatooine Equipment/Mod vendors. As I mentioned, all the stuff you buy directly is BoP, so if you and your companions have as good or better gear than what the vendor sells, you can either buy gear you don't need and sell it to the vendor (since it's BoP) or buy that planet's [purple] lockboxes and get something better than what the vendor sells, although it could be for any class/spec -- it might be useful to you, it might be useful for a companion, or at worst you can sell it for [in all likelihood] more than what the vendor would. If you look for items your level on the GTN and see purple ones listed, they'll probably be selling for more than the oranges, and there's a good chance they came from boxes like you bought.

 

Now (as of RotHC, 2.0, released last year), all the Comm vendors have united and take a common currency -- Planetary Comms. So if you've bought everything you can from the vendor selling stuff at your level, you can just hold the Comms until you gain some levels and then buy from the next vendor. But there will still be times that you get in danger of hitting the Planetary Comm cap, so if you don't want to "lose" comms, you can buy one or two purple artifact boxes. Remember that you can buy artifact boxes of any level, so you can go to a higher level planetary vendor to get higher level boxes (and open them) -- you'll have to wait until you level before you can use the gear, but might have something better waiting for you than what you can buy directly with comms.

[hhafglop]

where you get the mystery box? i want to check it out. Edited September 21, 2014 by hhafglop

[eartharioch]

where you get the mystery box? i want to check it out.

 

You can get "mystery boxes" at various Planetary Comm vendors -- the good ones will be purple and called something like "Artifact Storage Box"; they'll also be about the most expensive items at the vendor.