Usefulness of The Artifact Authorization Unlock

[JannusFex]

I have been researching this for quite a while now, but, alas, the information on the Internet is contradictory to say the least. I'd like to create this thread and use the forum's collective efforts in order to once and for all (or at least until the next patch) determine the usefulness of the Artifact Authorization Unlock, so that f2p and preferred players know whether to ignore this hefty investment (2700 cc for account!) or put it on their priority list.

 

Here is the contradictory info I've got (please help me clarify it, and I will update the OP):

 

1) On some threads I have seen that if players have RotHC, then they have access to all artifact equipment that requires level 51 or more. On other threads people have argued that either this is no longer the case or it doesn't apply to end-game gear. Which is it?

 

2) Some people say that since as of patch 5.0 f2p and preferred players won't have access to end-game gear and set bonuses, anyway, the Artifact Equipment Unlock has purely cosmetic value. However, other people claim that the unlock is required for final tier crafted gear, so it is still very much useful.

 

3) Most people say that the unlock is required for purple mods, but I have seen posts arguing against this (both on this and other forums - sadly I didn't save the links of these threads).

 

4) Once a player ends their subscription, they keep all equipped purple gear, but they can't equip any new purple gear (this isn't controversial, but I put it in for the sake of complete information).

 

Once these points are clarified, I will update them with the relevant data and write a short recommendation with regards to the uses of the Artifact Authorization Unlock.

[Punakaali]

You need it to equip even the greens and blues that you can loot from enemies at the max level. Meaning that if you don't want to spend the rest of your lives in lv 61 gear, this is very useful.

 

(Wait, why can I still post? Wasn't this forum sub only?)

[Docdim]

Sorry, thought I'd be able to help you since my main account (this is an alt) is Preferred. But I remember I used an account-wide Artifact Equipment Authorization on it a long time ago (how long ago? Well, got it for 900K credits, LOL!)

 

But looking at GTN, I see nothing that says "Artifact Equipment Authorization Required". Strange. Maybe since I already have it, but I thought in the past it would still list it, but in green.

 

I'll be able to tell with this account in 2 weeks ... but then I won't be able to post

 

(Wait, why can I still post? Wasn't this forum sub only?)

Did you just unsub? Sometimes it takes a day or so for them to block forum write access.

[JannusFex]

You need it to equip even the greens and blues that you can loot from enemies at the max level.

 

That's yet another piece of info that's completely different from everything I've found before... Was this written in some patch notes or something?

[SteveTheCynic]

spend the rest of your lives in lv 61 gear

We won't discuss the level 65 green mods you can buy on the Fleet, I guess.

 

Nor the level 65 blue mods you can craft.

[JannusFex]

We won't discuss the level 65 green mods you can buy on the Fleet, I guess.

 

Nor the level 65 blue mods you can craft.

 

By "won't discuss" you mean people can use them without the unlock or not? How about higher level crafted gear? Also, please explain how you found out: testing with a preferred account or learning from an official source.

[SteveTheCynic]

By "won't discuss" you mean people can use them without the unlock or not? How about higher level crafted gear? Also, please explain how you found out: testing with a preferred account or learning from an official source.

No idea whether they work, but I'm guessing that the other poster doesn't know either, since he didn't mention them.

 

And for higher-level crafted gear, are you thinking of the req-68 228-purple mods or the req-66 228-purple and 220-blue fixed-stat gear? Or the req-70 REed 230+ stuff? (No idea there either...)

[JannusFex]

And for higher-level crafted gear, are you thinking of the req-68 228-purple mods or the req-66 228-purple and 220-blue fixed-stat gear? Or the req-70 REed 230+ stuff?

 

Any and all of the above.

 

(No idea there either...)

 

Great, so it's not just me

[JannusFex]

Bump.

 

Doesn't anyone find it odd that there is so little clarity and so much controversy about what exactly players receive in exchange for paying real money (about 26$, according to rough calculations) for an in-game item?

[SteveTheCynic]

Bump.

 

Doesn't anyone find it odd that there is so little clarity and so much controversy about what exactly players receive in exchange for paying real money (about 26$, according to rough calculations) for an in-game item?

There was always a bit of doubt, with an assertion floating around that *some* (unspecified) purple gear could be worn anyway. Buying it let me, while I was playing Preferred, use the 140-rated "Makeb purples" in the late-2.X / early-3.X days when they were among the best mods you could get without doing high-rated end-game content. (I committed major genocide against the savrips on Ord Mantell for those mods, thanks. I should qualify for the mythical title "Butcher of Avilatan" (?sp) on that character.)

[Punakaali]

We won't discuss the level 65 green mods you can buy on the Fleet, I guess.

 

Nor the level 65 blue mods you can craft.

 

Oh, I forgot those! Forgive me!

[Shatterstar]

Bump.

 

Doesn't anyone find it odd that there is so little clarity and so much controversy about what exactly players receive in exchange for paying real money (about 26$, according to rough calculations) for an in-game item?

 

This for a preferred account (at the time) but maybe this will help you. When I came back, I was allowed to use gear with purple mods that were made (that I had equipped), but the purple ops gear I had acquired, it told me I needed an authorization for. (That included armors, relics, earring, and implants.) Some I had the "prior authorization" message, but the raid gear I had gave the red armor symbol above my portrait.

[JannusFex]

There was always a bit of doubt, with an assertion floating around that *some* (unspecified) purple gear could be worn anyway. Buying it let me, while I was playing Preferred, use the 140-rated "Makeb purples" in the late-2.X / early-3.X days when they were among the best mods you could get without doing high-rated end-game content. (I committed major genocide against the savrips on Ord Mantell for those mods, thanks. I should qualify for the mythical title "Butcher of Avilatan" (?sp) on that character.)

 

Thanks! This is evidence against the claim that 51+ purple gear can be warn without the Unlock. It is also very helpful that you experienced this for Makeb-related gear, since the claim is directly tied to the RotHC. It never made sense to me that having an expansion would suddenly make the most expensive unlock on the cartel market and the GTN completely useless. The "mystery" is slowly being uncovered.

[JannusFex]

This for a preferred account (at the time) but maybe this will help you. When I came back, I was allowed to use gear with purple mods that were made (that I had equipped), but the purple ops gear I had acquired, it told me I needed an authorization for. (That included armors, relics, earring, and implants.) Some I had the "prior authorization" message, but the raid gear I had gave the red armor symbol above my portrait.

 

Thanks! OK, so the claim that the Unlock is needed for raid gear is now confirmed . This, however, isn't important for preferred players, since they don't have access to this gear anymore. Do you remember if you could also use unequipped crafted gear?

[Shatterstar]

Thanks! OK, so the claim that the Unlock is needed for raid gear is now confirmed . This, however, isn't important for preferred players, since they don't have access to this gear anymore. Do you remember if you could also use unequipped crafted gear?

 

My daughter just started playing, thinking I will pay for her first months sub. So, we may be able to answer this on our own in a month's time.

[Docdim]

Okay, I'm now preferred (even though they haven't disabled my posting access). Here's what I've found so far...

 

My conclusion (details below under "quote"):

It is pretty much what they intended: unbound purple gear is artifact authorization locked. And, all L65 and above non-crafted gear ... including green as well! So all those "Outlander xxx" green drops are unavailable.

 

So, I'll probably be spending the 2700 CC for the unlock.

 

If you don't want to, at L65, your paths as I see them are:

By cheap L65 green mods for your custom shells and live with 210 gear.

Buy crafted L66 blue 220 gear.

Craft, or spend a lot for blue mods on GTN for 220 gear.

 

 

1) Nope, L51-70 (actually pretty much ALL L1-70) purple gear (armor, weapons, ear, implant) is Artifact Authorization Req'd and unavailable to me.

There were a few 64 purple pieces that were oddly available (ear, implant, and a couple of offhands). And a couple of armor pieces (Dread Forged)

Cartel items are usable.

 

2) Can't say much here. Again, all GTN-available purple was locked. My L70 Command gear, including set bonus pieces, are all usable. But I had them on. All the gear in my command stash are usable, but none are purple.

 

3) Purple mods are AA locked. All of them.

 

4) Yes, that's the way it is. Sort of as intended. Purple gear is generally locked except for what you already bound.

 

Some more observations:

5) As previously mentioned any gear L65 or above non-crafted gear is locked! That includes Green L65.

 

6) However, all green and blue mods are usable up to the highest rating.

 

7) Advanced crystals are a mixed bag. L1 (non-CM) are mostly locked, a few are open. L10 (CM) are mostly unlocked, but a fair # are unavailable. Seems random to me, as if they just bugged the implementation.

 

8) Looks like crafted L66 blue implants are available. Uncrafted blue 66's are AA locked.

 

[Vercundus]

I doubt this will ever go away as long as the present business model is in effect. This unlock is not cheap, whether you buy it with CC or In-game credits. For preferred, CC is the only option.

 

I remember buying mine for some 27M on GTN.

[ALaggyGrunt]

I doubt this will ever go away as long as the present business model is in effect. This unlock is not cheap, whether you buy it with CC or In-game credits. For preferred, CC is the only option.

 

I remember buying mine for some 27M on GTN.

 

For preferred, you could always trade a stack of crafting mats or companion gifts to someone for it.

[BenduKundalini]

Couple years ago I crafted some nice blue 148's for a F2P guildie that was stuck at level 50. Couldn't equip them. Only 116's (also level 50 stuff, still around on drops. Btw crafted 148 now would be lvl 46).

 

6 months ago I created a secondary F2P account. Now go figure this with CRYSTALS :

 

- you can equip crafted crystals UP TO THE +27 ONES. Not the +41 ones. So that rules out CM crystals right? Yes! And... nope! You can't equip old ones but you can equip the most recent!!!!

Edited January 24, 2017 by BenduKundalini