Gunnery/Arsenal PvE gearing while leveling

[ZioGio]

I'm a returning player and I'd like to know if it's beneficial for Gunnery Commandos and Arsenal Mercenaries to gear accuracy and alacrity while leveling PvE (10-55? 60?) or should I stick to all crit enhancements (including earpieces and implants) until I reach a point where I'm doing operations? My intent while leveling is class story, side quests, special events, and flashpoints.

 

I've read through the SWTOR 4.0 Mercenary DPS PvE Guide by Marisi and an online gearing guide spreadsheet, but I know a lot of these guides are intended for end-game content.

 

I have lots of sub-50 characters (all Republic) and, for a change of scenery, I'm making an Arsenal Mercenary. My crafting alts can make earpieces, implants, enhancements, mods, and armoring so I'm not without resources to make whatever gearing I need.

 

Thank you for your time and assistance!

[andiegirl]

you get lockboxes with gear from the herioc 2s on planets.

i havnt crafted anything since 4.0 for leveling.

 

the boxes contain everything you can equipt aside from a mainhand

( dual wielders can use offhand if its a gun).

 

since you will be doing sidequests as you said, you will probly be lv 50 by the time you finish alderaan/act 1.

 

oh almost forgot, the old companion gear thats 192.

you can wear it on your commando now at lv 55, a big boost in stats that will last until 65.

 

levelings so easy now, you can put your companion in dps mode for most of the time, use heal or tank mode for h2s only.

Edited March 26, 2016 by andiegirl

[ZioGio]

Thanks, andiegirl. That's good advice.

 

For the sake of academic argument, are accuracy and alacrity beneficial to PvE leveling?

 

Being self-sufficient with crafting alts is just how I like to play my game.

 

Thanks, again!

[LordTurin]

Thanks, andiegirl. That's good advice.

 

For the sake of academic argument, are accuracy and alacrity beneficial to PvE leveling?

 

Being self-sufficient with crafting alts is just how I like to play my game.

 

Thanks, again!

 

Alacrity yes, as it lowers your global cooldown and makes your energy regen faster so it is certainly useful.

 

Accuracy, meh tbh. I think that champion mobs that sometimes show up do have a 5% defense chance, so theoretically some accuracy would be good to overcome that, but there is really no reason to go looking for it specifically.

[ZioGio]

Thank you, LordTurin.

[Floplag]

I could be wrong on this but i noticed something recently on a lowbie i was messing around with so someone is welcome to double check or correct me but with the new planet level scaling, im not sure it matters what your gear is anymore.

 

Bare with as i set the stage for this.... When i got off homeworld i get the first tier gear you can buy from the vendors on fleet. Now im one of those people that doesnt buy gear unless i feel like i need the upgrade, which is to say i wont replace it till i start to have trouble with mobs. I generally take the comms as rewards and dont spend them unless i have to with the idea being to maximize those at higher levels.

 

Now, with all that in mind i found myself having in my 30s still running that level 10ish gear, and i was having no issues still and didnt replace any of it till i literally got better drops at random.

 

I dont know if this is true, but it is what i observed.

[LordTurin]

I could be wrong on this but i noticed something recently on a lowbie i was messing around with so someone is welcome to double check or correct me but with the new planet level scaling, im not sure it matters what your gear is anymore.

 

Bare with as i set the stage for this.... When i got off homeworld i get the first tier gear you can buy from the vendors on fleet. Now im one of those people that doesnt buy gear unless i feel like i need the upgrade, which is to say i wont replace it till i start to have trouble with mobs. I generally take the comms as rewards and dont spend them unless i have to with the idea being to maximize those at higher levels.

 

Now, with all that in mind i found myself having in my 30s still running that level 10ish gear, and i was having no issues still and didnt replace any of it till i literally got better drops at random.

 

I dont know if this is true, but it is what i observed.

 

You are sort of correct. It depends on a what's going on with you being level 30. If you are still on a level 15 planet (quite possible these days) with level sync it won't matter as your stats (especially mastery) will be capped far below what level 30 gear actually is. But if you are level 30 on a level 30 planet, using level 10 gear things may get a little tough. But I do agree with level sync and streamlined leveling, that you can get pretty far without upgrading. I think I made it to level 45 before I upgraded a bit ago, and that was just my mh (things weren't dying fast enough for me lol). But you do make a good point as to when op should consider upgrading, he doesn't need to do it every level, every 10 or 15 is probably fine.

[sumquy]

worrying about gear while leveling is like worrying about your retirement fund while in high school.

[Floplag]

You are sort of correct. It depends on a what's going on with you being level 30. If you are still on a level 15 planet (quite possible these days) with level sync it won't matter as your stats (especially mastery) will be capped far below what level 30 gear actually is. But if you are level 30 on a level 30 planet, using level 10 gear things may get a little tough. But I do agree with level sync and streamlined leveling, that you can get pretty far without upgrading. I think I made it to level 45 before I upgraded a bit ago, and that was just my mh (things weren't dying fast enough for me lol). But you do make a good point as to when op should consider upgrading, he doesn't need to do it every level, every 10 or 15 is probably fine.

 

To clarify, im talking about finishing Act 1 content on the right planets in that gear which is to say i was on a level 30+ planet in gear that was literally half that level.