Gearing Changes in Eternal Throne

[Sareeph]

My follow up question would be; under the Command Rank system, do both toons you want to share legacy gear have to be the same Command Rank to use the gear?

 

I have a Merc Healer and I want to share gear with my Commando healer, do both characters need to be the same Command Rank to accomplish this or can a Command Rank 1 wear the gear earned and placed into legacy shells by a command rank 100 toon?

 

Great question (+50 GRP)

Edited October 18, 2016 by Sareeph

[DragonDai]

Eric, basically everything you wrote in that clarification box a few posts back? It's all bad. No. Bad doesn't begin to describe it. It's all so awful that it will, almost for sure, kill your game. Seriously, this is the single worst major design change any major MMO has ever done ever. You're not JUST resetting your game back to square one, undoing all the good, progressive measures your game has taken to modernize itself over the years, you're actually regressing to a point so very anti-player, so very anti-consumer that it's hard to remember the last time a game had mechanics THIS awful for the player.

 

I think that without a few key changes, 5.0 isn't just going to be a complete disaster, it's gana be the end of SWTOR. It will certainly be the end for me and likely the majority of people in my guild (no joke, there's a thread on our forums of people simply saying "I'm out if this is in").

 

• Loot has to be somewhat player-controlled. Some randomness is fine, but there needs to be a "fail safe" for ****** luck so that players can get EXACTLY what they want, eventually, with 100% guarantee.
  
• Loot needs to be 100% transferable to any of our alts and usable by said alts regardless of their class/faction (aka look likely needs to be based on tokens that you turn in, not actual loot)
  
• There needs to be SOME way for Prefered members to access this content WITHOUT subscribing (weekly passes or some such)
  
• There needs to be a hard rule that CEXP boosts will NEVER be avaliable by ANY means for Cartel Coins
  

 

These are the sort of "hard" sticking points that your new system fails to meet. And there can't be any real compromise on these things. If these fixes aren't part of the system, that's it for me for sure, and for a lot of people I know. Please don't drive us out of your game by making some of the worst decisions you could possibly be making. PLEASE listen to your community who is telling you this is the worst idea ever. And please please please please PLEASE don't push this out and think you can fix it later if it's a real problem. Because you won't be able to fix this later. "Later" will be far, far too late.

[Gessabel]

I'll take a crack at these!

• It is based on Advanced Class, not Discipline.
  

 

Could you please explain why you think it is a good game design that it is possible i will never be able to get a full set of gear for my Discipline not because i cant grind the CXP but because of of bad luck?

[Quraswren]

My follow up question would be; under the Command Rank system, do both toons you want to share legacy gear have to be the same Command Rank to use the gear?

 

I have a Merc Healer and I want to share gear with my Commando healer, do both characters need to be the same Command Rank to accomplish this or can a Command Rank 1 wear the gear earned and placed into legacy shells by a command rank 100 toon?

 

I don't know that BW put this much effort into all this but I feel the answer is probably something along the lines of , "you have to be this command rank to use" (that rank being whoever got the drop to stat with)

 

But, maybe they didn't put any restrictions on it and the set bonus is the only real difference when it comes to healing classes like you mentioned. I know my commando healed with my sage bonus set for a long time before I finally put his set together.

[DarthBatemanJ]

I'll take a crack at these!

• Yup. Having an item rating advantage would mean that you have higher stats. In Warzones especially there would be other factors at play such as any stat optimization and of course individual player skill.
  
• There will certainly be some gear that has Accuracy, but the current intention is that the armor sets will be moddable so you could always change the mods to add or remove a stat, such as Accuracy.
  
• We are still working out exactly how this will effect relics.
  
• It is based on Advanced Class, not Discipline.
  
• The gear will be bind on pickup, currently the other items in the crates (such as cosmetic items, etc) are bind on equip.
  
• Currently, the end-game gear that comes from crates is moddable so you can add/remove the mods.
  
• We are now best friends SnEaKy
  

 

What about an issue of getting dps gear while tanking or healing

[QuiveringPotato]

My follow up question would be; under the Command Rank system, do both toons you want to share legacy gear have to be the same Command Rank to use the gear?

 

I have a Merc Healer and I want to share gear with my Commando healer, do both characters need to be the same Command Rank to accomplish this or can a Command Rank 1 wear the gear earned and placed into legacy shells by a command rank 100 toon?

 

They're modded... so logically, pull the mods out and put them into transferrable legacy gear like usual.

[DragonDai]

What about an issue of getting dps gear while tanking or healing

 

As of this moment, Eric has made it very clear that getting DPS pieces on your tank or healing pieces on your DPS in 100% working as intended. Why they are making this decision, he hasn't explained. It IS basically the worst part of this entirely irredeemable crapfest. But as of now, DPS WILL get non-DPS gear, Tanks WILL get non-Tank gear, Heals WILL get non-Healer gear, and that is 100% by design.

[DragonDai]

They're modded... so logically, pull the mods out and put them into transferrable legacy gear like usual.

 

The DvL armor set is TECHNICALLY moddable too...except you can't pull out the important part. I'd bet money that when Eric says that this gear is "moddable" he means "like DvL stuff is moddable," not like what you're thinking.

[Death-Hammer]

Eric,

Why can't you guys guarantee a full set of armor upon reaching max Galatic Command level? Maybe even a full set at certain level intervals?

[Aowin]

Will Ranked PvP gear (208) be upscaled to be the equivalent of NiM Op gear (224) with the changes in 5.0? Otherwise, raiders will have a gear advantage in PvP the moment 5.0 drops until everybody is able to get the new best gear at level 70.

[JargoFett]

The DvL armor set is TECHNICALLY moddable too...except you can't pull out the important part. I'd bet money that when Eric says that this gear is "moddable" he means "like DvL stuff is moddable," not like what you're thinking.

 

Most likely since the stuff from GC is supposed to be BiS... that'd be so dumb to have a full armory of "set pieces" for healing gear on my tank.. I'd be a bit more understanding if the items were BoL so I could transfer the healing armor to my healer and my DPS armor to my DPS but instead it feels like Bioware is like "SURE HOPE YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON GALACTIC CONQUEST CAUSE YOURE GONNA NEED IT TO GET THE RIGHT GEAR LOL ."

[DarthDymond]

Eric,

Why can't you guys guarantee a full set of armor upon reaching max Galatic Command level? Maybe even a full set at certain level intervals?

The entire point of having gear come from RNG boxes is to keep players on the gear treadmill longer (that, plus add a bit of the gambling "thrill" to spice up that particular Skinner Box button). Giving out a full set at max command level would have the complete opposite effect (on both counts).

[Icykill_]

I'll take a crack at these!

• Yup. Having an item rating advantage would mean that you have higher stats. In Warzones especially there would be other factors at play such as any stat optimization and of course individual player skill.
  
• There will certainly be some gear that has Accuracy, but the current intention is that the armor sets will be moddable so you could always change the mods to add or remove a stat, such as Accuracy.
  
• We are still working out exactly how this will effect relics.
  
• It is based on Advanced Class, not Discipline.
  
• The gear will be bind on pickup, currently the other items in the crates (such as cosmetic items, etc) are bind on equip.
  
• Currently, the end-game gear that comes from crates is moddable so you can add/remove the mods.
  
• We are now best friends SnEaKy
  

 

Eric, how big of a gear gap can we expect in pvp?

Only a few years back you guys recognised there was too big of a gear gap in pvp and moved to make both the reg and ranked sets close in stats.

Will this new system be similar, only a small gear gap. Or should we expect something bigger?

[darthjanus]

Eric,

 

As I understand how the gearing system works, it seems the following very problematic situation is possible:

 

Even with the most diligent and consistent gameplay, it is entirely possible with very poor luck that I could spend all of 5.0 collecting gear and never receive that final set bonus piece I need.

 

Even with disintegrating repeated pieces, the next gear drop from a crate is still random (within your advanced class), therefore it is likely I could consistently miss out on a crucial piece of gear. Please let me know if there is some safeguard in the system so that this does not occur. If this is in fact how the system will operate, that seems like a very serious design flaw that does not reward player effort at all!

 

Thanks for answering!

Edited October 18, 2016 by darthjanus

[Jamtas]

I'll take a crack at these!

• Yup. Having an item rating advantage would mean that you have higher stats. In Warzones especially there would be other factors at play such as any stat optimization and of course individual player skill.
  
• There will certainly be some gear that has Accuracy, but the current intention is that the armor sets will be moddable so you could always change the mods to add or remove a stat, such as Accuracy.
  
• We are still working out exactly how this will effect relics.
  
• It is based on Advanced Class, not Discipline.
  
• The gear will be bind on pickup, currently the other items in the crates (such as cosmetic items, etc) are bind on equip.
  
• Currently, the end-game gear that comes from crates is moddable so you can add/remove the mods.
  
• We are now best friends SnEaKy
  

 

Will the gear drop be a set bonus piece or is is a chance for Xrating gear with a smaller chance at it also containing a set bonus?

[WheresMyWhisky]

Most likely since the stuff from GC is supposed to be BiS... that'd be so dumb to have a full armory of "set pieces" for healing gear on my tank.. I'd be a bit more understanding if the items were BoL so I could transfer the healing armor to my healer and my DPS armor to my DPS but instead it feels like Bioware is like "SURE HOPE YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON GALACTIC CONQUEST CAUSE YOURE GONNA NEED IT TO GET THE RIGHT GEAR LOL ."

 

But at least their metrics will show everyone loves GC Ignoring the fact its all those poor tanks trying like **** to get a shield but they keep getting a focus instead.

[DragonDai]

Please let me know if there is some safeguard in the system

 

Eric has already said that loot will always be random within your Advanced Class. There are currently no plans for a "safeguard."

 

Will the gear drop be a set bonus piece or is is a chance for Xrating gear with a smaller chance at it also containing a set bonus?

 

Set bonuses have been confirmed as ONLY existing on the random gear. Crafting gear will never have set bonuses.

[SHAVEDKILLER]

So I have to grind that sh*tfest of a new UI to get access to the highest lvl gear to be able to play PVP. If I dont grind, I am disadvantaged against others in the game mode I play almost exclusively.

 

Get rekt, f*cktards. I am outta here.

Can we confirm they just declared a clustertfck grindfest.This would be a deal breaker for me too.Sitting on 500k warzone comms dont want to grind nothing ever again.

[kismetization]

Can you comment on whether we will still be able to find MK-2 and MK-4 varieties of gear through some means (particularly mods and left side pieces)? This is particularly important for tanks who often prefer a bit of health buffer over an excess of defense.

[micmitja]

Will Ranked PvP gear (208) be upscaled to be the equivalent of NiM Op gear (224) with the changes in 5.0? Otherwise, raiders will have a gear advantage in PvP the moment 5.0 drops until everybody is able to get the new best gear at level 70.

 

I don't think u will have to worry bout that for long, raiders are expecting new raid content and if they wont announce it soon, they will be gone. whats the points of grinding same **** over and over again even if its in new gift wrap.

[casirabit]

I'll take a crack at these!

• Yup. Having an item rating advantage would mean that you have higher stats. In Warzones especially there would be other factors at play such as any stat optimization and of course individual player skill.
  
• There will certainly be some gear that has Accuracy, but the current intention is that the armor sets will be moddable so you could always change the mods to add or remove a stat, such as Accuracy.
  
• We are still working out exactly how this will effect relics.
  
• It is based on Advanced Class, not Discipline.
  
• The gear will be bind on pickup, currently the other items in the crates (such as cosmetic items, etc) are bind on equip.
  
• Currently, the end-game gear that comes from crates is moddable so you can add/remove the mods.
  
• We are now best friends SnEaKy
  

 

 

 

Eric,

 

Can I suggest you all consider basing the drops on the Discipline trees that a person has instead of focusing on the advanced class as most of the advanced classes have at least 2 in the Discipline. This would make more sense than what you are doing.

[LordBritain]

Would everyone please stand and bow your heads for a moments silence for what was a great game.

 

I have been waiting to hear about 5.0 with baited breath. Now I've seen the changes I'm gutted. Part of the fun was grouping with people and raiding to get the gear for higher raids. You may make friends and you can learn from watching others play (I learn't some good things this way) and you can help others.

 

When I've completed KoTET I'm out. Been getting bored anyway and the changes listed in this thread have taken the wind out of my sails.

[DragonDai]

I think that we really need Eric or someone on the dev team to answer this simple question:

 

"Why would you go back to AND expand on a system that has failed utterly in the past?"

 

Because that's what this is. This is PvP bags from Launch all over again. Those failed, big time. EVERYONE hated them. And yet they're being brought back and applied universally to everything. W...T...F? Seriously, this question NEEDS an answer.

[LordTurin]

I'll take a crack at these!

• Currently, the end-game gear that comes from crates is moddable so you can add/remove the mods.
  

 

Just to clarify, this includes the armorings that hold the set bonus correct? So we can remove the armorings and put that in legacy gear as well? (side note, you guys should change the name of "mod" to something else like "refinement" or something like that, so when you say mods, you mean everything, and it's not confusing (especially given you released the gear for DVL that did not have removable armorings.

Will the set bonus be stackable with the 4.0 set bonuses?

[Khaleijo]

Well, i guess thank you for making it this easy for me...

My sub is running out with this month, because of now new things to do for my raid group. I planned to stay around as preferred with ops passes and one month sub maybe in january to have a look at the story after most bugs are hopefully fixed and wait for the omnious stream about group content in the new year.

As it is this, game isn't worth my sub, but has enough potential for fun to stay around and doing what i like most, raiding HC and Nim with my group and working on 100% HC FPs whenever the mood strikes me.

I looked up how to prepare for the restrictions of prefferred but luckily i didn't spend real money on artifact authorisation yet, only ops some passes for ingame credits, although somewhere someone bought these with RL money.

 

I thought to keep tabs on what 5.0 will bring while playing preferred, but this is just ridiculus, not only that gearing the characters i like to play as tank/dps or as heal/dps and my beloved alts, will be nightmarish to equip with rng, i won't be able to gear them at all without a sub.

In all honesty, where is the reason to sub after the story is played? There are no new Ops, probably no full fledged out FPs (like the old classic ones, not the sad excuse of star fortresses or the beautiful looking but mechanic wise totally boring SOR ones(except bonus boss of Rishi))

Why should i sub ? I'm certainly not resubbing only to gring gear.

 

But how can anyone really expect that players stay subbed under these conditions, this rng grind, if there is no new content to play in PVE or PVP.

Why should even a story player stay subbed, one month is enough for what he likes.

 

I really don't get it, it seems that someone is really dedicated to crash the game against the wall.

 

After the more NIM oriented raiding team already disbanded last week, after the cantina tour informations, and my group struggled to keep enough players be able to run until december, I guess my more casual team will disband now too or probably with 5.0 at the latest.

We have several great players (skill and personality) who are raiding with ops passes and some more who planned to do so until there are new operations, myself included. Now we will just leave to other shores.

 

As if this change with F2P/preferred incites anyone to resub... who thought this a good idea...

It's quite the contrary, those who stayed because they like the game, only think it's not worth enough to currently sub, will quit. As the lack of non story content which is why most preferred players i know don't sub, isn't changing one bit....

 

Seems that the KOTFE experiment didn't work well, let players pay for the content that is delivered, as in pay monthly for story.

I didn't mind it that much. I minded that that the story was so weak and inconsistent. (and that there was almost nothing else)

But it seems there were too many players who waited to sub one time in the end for all. Only the dumb raiding players are always paying their sub for access to ops and will certainly pay another year without content.... Oh look, most of the raiders dropped to f2p and use Ops passes now... no they cant do that, let's force them to sub again, to be able to gear up in the worst possible way we can think of....!!!

Edited October 18, 2016 by Khaleijo