How to Craft level 43 item modifications?

[XEROKYOUNO]

I am currently working on my crafting but cannot seem how to figure out how people are creating level 43 item modifications. I have tried looking at numerous websites and explanations, but they seem not to actually explain how it is done. I already know one way is to reverse engineer stuff from operations, but I am looking to do this without running operations. I have my main character currently running Star Fortresses and getting Exarch items but I am not able to transfer them to Armstech and Cybertech Alts. No matter what I seem to try, I end up with the game blocking me from making or even learning the schematics. Frankly I am getting quite upset with the so called easier crafting system. Does anyone have any idea what I may be doing wrong or a link to a guide the is a step by step walkthrough.

[PiiTarr]

I am currently working on my crafting but cannot seem how to figure out how people are creating level 43 item modifications. I have tried looking at numerous websites and explanations, but they seem not to actually explain how it is done. I already know one way is to reverse engineer stuff from operations, but I am looking to do this without running operations. I have my main character currently running Star Fortresses and getting Exarch items but I am not able to transfer them to Armstech and Cybertech Alts. No matter what I seem to try, I end up with the game blocking me from making or even learning the schematics. Frankly I am getting quite upset with the so called easier crafting system. Does anyone have any idea what I may be doing wrong or a link to a guide the is a step by step walkthrough.

 

It seems to me you're discussing two different issues here. Item modifications (armorings, barrels, enhancements, hilts, mods) rated 216 and 220 can be learned only by reverse engineering. You can reverse engineer the ones from the crystal vendors, or the ones from operations, but REing them is the only way to learn them. (I believe they have different stat distributions, with the ones from Operations being more desirable.)

 

As for gear dropping from Star Fortresses, that's not something you can RE to learn schematics from anyway, and so far as I've experienced, it's all been 208 gear at the highest, (which you can learn by crafting 200 gear and REing it). To craft gear with a 216 or 220 rating you need to learn the 212 schematic from the trainer, craft and RE that to learn the one for 216 and craft and RE the 216 piece to learn the 220.

[psandak]

I am currently working on my crafting but cannot seem how to figure out how people are creating level 43 item modifications. I have tried looking at numerous websites and explanations, but they seem not to actually explain how it is done. I already know one way is to reverse engineer stuff from operations, but I am looking to do this without running operations. I have my main character currently running Star Fortresses and getting Exarch items but I am not able to transfer them to Armstech and Cybertech Alts. No matter what I seem to try, I end up with the game blocking me from making or even learning the schematics. Frankly I am getting quite upset with the so called easier crafting system. Does anyone have any idea what I may be doing wrong or a link to a guide the is a step by step walkthrough.

 

The transfer of item modification for RE has not changed at all with 4.0...it has been the same since the Bound to Legacy (BoL) gear was introduced. You have to...

1. get the right BoL gear piece (i.e. if you have an off-hand blaster pistol that you want to RE the barrel, you have to have a BoL blaster pistol to install it into for transfer; you cannot install that off-hand blaster pistol barrel into a main hand blaster pistol, or an off-hand scattergun. Same thing goes with armorings: a chest piece armoring has to go into a BoL chest piece for transfer; mods and enhancements are not affected by this).
   
2. Rip the item modifications out of the original gear piece
   
3. install them into the BoL gear piece
   
4. transfer the BoL piece by mail or legacy storage to the appropriate character
   
5. rip the item modifications out of the BoL piece (yes that means two removal charges per item modification)
   
6. Reverse Engineer the item modification
   

 

The good news is that all the alliance crates you get from running the Star Fortresses have BoL pieces within (turn them in and they unlock, open them and you get a random BoL piece). You can also purchase BoL gear from several sources: Gree and Rakghoul event vendors, and class specific gear vendors on the capital planets (the class specific only means that a specific class can equip the BoL gear; transferring item modifications through this gear does not link the item modifications to the class)

 

My guide (in my signature): "High End Schematics" might help too.

 

Fair warning though chances are you are trying to craft these item modifications cheaper than you could buy them off the GTN. If you do not run operations, that will be VERY hard to accomplish due to the requirement of Dark Matter Catalysts (DMC; an exotic material that only drops in operations but can be purchased for 300 Radiant Data Crystals).

 

Just to fully clarify there are three paths to acquire operations level (grades 42 and 43/rating 216 and 220) gear:

1. Run Operations: Operations bosses drop tokens that offer Best in Slot (BiS) optimized stats equipment (not to mention the set bonuses). To craft these you need DMCs and Exotic Isotope Stabilizers (EIS; available from Star Fortresses [rare], tactical FPs [rare], HMFPs [bonus bosses and last bosses; uncommon], and Ops [all bosses])
   
2. Craft static stat but adaptive gear: you need EISs and Strategic Resource Matrices (SRM; only available by completing personal conquest goal). This equipment is adaptive but has no item modifications slots (except main hand and off hand have crystal slots), but the stat distribution and overall stat allocation is only slightly lower than Ops token gear.
   
3. Purchase equipment from data crystals vendors. This equipment is moddable and adaptive, but has the worst stat distribution and lowest stat allocation.
   

I am not saying it is impossible for a non-operations player to acquire and craft operations quality item modifications. I am saying that you may be in for a rough road. As a say in my guide:

The point is if you do a little research of your server's GTN, you will probably find that the value of the exotic materials is HIGHER than the value of any top grade item modification.

 

Yes, there is the chance to crit. And with the right crew skill, with a max influence companion (a significant investment unto itself, and the legacy crit craftng unlocks, you have a decent chance to get two of them. Tell that to all those folks who claim the RNG is broken because they don't get crits (in crafting or missions) for 20-30 in a row.

[Storm-Cutter]

Not trying to be rude, OP, but unless you are running ops, you probably can make do with regular comms gear between ~198 and 216 rating. Once augmented, It will be good enough for any solo content and HM FPs / story mode ops.

 

Unless of course your ops groups are making it a requirement to have >=220 gear to join them - which is their prerogative, but is a bit steep for someone starting operations.

 

A longer route is to buy 220 gear with crystals- but you'll have to grind a lot ( a lot, a lot) to kit out even 1 character fully. - Running through Ziost weekly ( for a pitiful 4) , and handing in many hundreds of H2 reward boxes to your alliance specialists - on multiple characters, and using the commander's datapad every 2 ranks)

 

But TBH a competent player can do most every solo thing in the game with 208 gear - even 208 pvp gear with a companion over rank 10 - so is there much point in gearing up to the eyeballs?

 

Unless you're doing it to make money crafting - but there's dozens of other ways just as easy for that, OP.

 

And bear in mind that with another expansion on the cards, there my yet be another level cap increase, which may make all your gear obsolete in a few months anyway.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Storm-Cutter

[XEROKYOUNO]

It seems to me you're discussing two different issues here. Item modifications (armorings, barrels, enhancements, hilts, mods) rated 216 and 220 can be learned only by reverse engineering. You can reverse engineer the ones from the crystal vendors, or the ones from operations, but REing them is the only way to learn them. (I believe they have different stat distributions, with the ones from Operations being more desirable.)

 

As for gear dropping from Star Fortresses, that's not something you can RE to learn schematics from anyway, and so far as I've experienced, it's all been 208 gear at the highest, (which you can learn by crafting 200 gear and REing it). To craft gear with a 216 or 220 rating you need to learn the 212 schematic from the trainer, craft and RE that to learn the one for 216 and craft and RE the 216 piece to learn the 220.

 

I have not tried it on Glowing or Radiant Crystals, but I know it does not work with Common Crystals. I can only assume it works with Glowing or Radiant crystals then. The ones from the operations I have also heard are better, but I don't run operations because I have no guild and I have no time. NOTE: During my first Star Fortress I was awarded both the mount and a piece of 220 armor (Exarch's Boltblaster MK-4 Belt) The mods that were in this piece of armor were unlearn-able. It seems they screw the solo player once again.

[XEROKYOUNO]

The transfer of item modification for RE has not changed at all with 4.0...it has been the same since the Bound to Legacy (BoL) gear was introduced. You have to...

1. get the right BoL gear piece (i.e. if you have an off-hand blaster pistol that you want to RE the barrel, you have to have a BoL blaster pistol to install it into for transfer; you cannot install that off-hand blaster pistol barrel into a main hand blaster pistol, or an off-hand scattergun. Same thing goes with armorings: a chest piece armoring has to go into a BoL chest piece for transfer; mods and enhancements are not affected by this).
   
2. Rip the item modifications out of the original gear piece
   
3. install them into the BoL gear piece
   
4. transfer the BoL piece by mail or legacy storage to the appropriate character
   
5. rip the item modifications out of the BoL piece (yes that means two removal charges per item modification)
   
6. Reverse Engineer the item modification
   

 

The good news is that all the alliance crates you get from running the Star Fortresses have BoL pieces within (turn them in and they unlock, open them and you get a random BoL piece). You can also purchase BoL gear from several sources: Gree and Rakghoul event vendors, and class specific gear vendors on the capital planets (the class specific only means that a specific class can equip the BoL gear; transferring item modifications through this gear does not link the item modifications to the class)

 

My guide (in my signature): "High End Schematics" might help too.

 

Fair warning though chances are you are trying to craft these item modifications cheaper than you could buy them off the GTN. If you do not run operations, that will be VERY hard to accomplish due to the requirement of Dark Matter Catalysts (DMC; an exotic material that only drops in operations but can be purchased for 300 Radiant Data Crystals).

 

Just to fully clarify there are three paths to acquire operations level (grades 42 and 43/rating 216 and 220) gear:

1. Run Operations: Operations bosses drop tokens that offer Best in Slot (BiS) optimized stats equipment (not to mention the set bonuses). To craft these you need DMCs and Exotic Isotope Stabilizers (EIS; available from Star Fortresses [rare], tactical FPs [rare], HMFPs [bonus bosses and last bosses; uncommon], and Ops [all bosses])
   
2. Craft static stat but adaptive gear: you need EISs and Strategic Resource Matrices (SRM; only available by completing personal conquest goal). This equipment is adaptive but has no item modifications slots (except main hand and off hand have crystal slots), but the stat distribution and overall stat allocation is only slightly lower than Ops token gear.
   
3. Purchase equipment from data crystals vendors. This equipment is moddable and adaptive, but has the worst stat distribution and lowest stat allocation.
   

I am not saying it is impossible for a non-operations player to acquire and craft operations quality item modifications. I am saying that you may be in for a rough road. As a say in my guide:

 

I have read this too and have tried that but kept running into strange errors saying the mod was meant for a different piece of equipment, or when I tried to place it an item it said that item would then become bound to me, all of which is contrary to everything I have read. No its not impossible it just improbable for the solo player.

[XEROKYOUNO]

Not trying to be rude, OP, but unless you are running ops, you probably can make do with regular comms gear between ~198 and 216 rating. Once augmented, It will be good enough for any solo content and HM FPs / story mode ops.

 

Unless of course your ops groups are making it a requirement to have >=220 gear to join them - which is their prerogative, but is a bit steep for someone starting operations.

 

A longer route is to buy 220 gear with crystals- but you'll have to grind a lot ( a lot, a lot) to kit out even 1 character fully. - Running through Ziost weekly ( for a pitiful 4) , and handing in many hundreds of H2 reward boxes to your alliance specialists - on multiple characters, and using the commander's datapad every 2 ranks)

 

But TBH a competent player can do most every solo thing in the game with 208 gear - even 208 pvp gear with a companion over rank 10 - so is there much point in gearing up to the eyeballs?

 

Unless you're doing it to make money crafting - but there's dozens of other ways just as easy for that, OP.

 

And bear in mind that with another expansion on the cards, there my yet be another level cap increase, which may make all your gear obsolete in a few months anyway.

 

Your not being rude, your just stating an opinion. I do quite well with my heroic and crystal gear but I run two specific weapons for their look and have to mod them to make them equivalent to crystal gear. I don't run ops unfortunately because I have very limited time to play. The crystal system is nice for common data crystals, but getting radiant and glowing become a daunting task to the point it is pointless. I strive to keep making my character stronger and pushing the boundaries of what my character can do. I see it as what is the point of a crafting system if your forced to do other stuff you don't want to do just to be able to craft a piece of gear. However i will say it has got better from when the game first started.

Edited July 25, 2016 by XEROKYOUNO

[Storm-Cutter]

Point taken. - I'm not trying to start an argument- far from it. - But uprating your weapons and keeping the cosmetics will only grant you a few more DPS- so unless you're trying to speed-run something, you'll probably never notice the difference - certainly it won't matter much on lower level planets because of the sync.

 

TBH I don't notice any drop in DPS and therefore TTK between my VG tank ( all 220s) and companion at ~50 and my Sniper in 208 PvP gear with companion at ~35.

 

They both put out so much damage, that all solo stuff in game is a cake-walk. Apart form an Exarch, I always use DPS companion. - I'm kinda tired of Heroic SF, TBH, otherwise I'd try 2xDPs-ing the bosses down.

[psandak]

I have read this too and have tried that but kept running into strange errors saying the mod was meant for a different piece of equipment, or when I tried to place it an item it said that item would then become bound to me, all of which is contrary to everything I have read. No its not impossible it just improbable for the solo player.

 

As I said, barrels, hilts, and armoring are slot specific. For example if you are trying to install a barrel that came from an off-hand item into a main hand item...it won't work, you have to have an off-hand item to install it into. furthermore, with barrels specifically not all off-hands are alike either; if you rip a barrel from a scattergun (that a scoundrel smuggler would use) and try to install it into a BoL off-hand blaster pistol (that a merc or slinger would use) that won't work either.

 

As for the Binding message it can probably be ignored so long as you are installing the item modification into a BoL item. BoL items will never change to Bind on Pickup (BoP).