Itemization in 7.0

[Exly]

I just heard from @JackieKo looks like we made enough noise.

 

While it's nice to know that they are al least talking about the issue, I seriously expect that even if they do make some changes, they will be lackluster, and will do little to improve the system that they have already announced.

[JakRoanin]

Hope is a powerful thing but I feel like at least I didn't just rage and threaten to quit, it's so important to try.

[JackieKo]

Hi everyone,

 

This is a follow up post to the OP to answer some of the questions that we've based off of the initial information that was shared. Please see below:

 

Clarification on gear ratings

What is the max gear level?

• In the 7.0 release, players can upgrade up to level 330 via Legacy Master Mode Operations. The max obtainable gear level for all modes will rise over time throughout the expansion.
  

 

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game (Conquests).
  
• 322: Story Mode Legacy Operations
  
• 326: Veteran Mode Legacy Operations
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations
  

 

In the 7.0 release, it is only possible to upgrade to level 330 via Master Mode Operations. Over time, all other game modes will be able to upgrade to level 330 as the ceiling is raised, so essentially, gear progression is built into all modes.

 

What is the PvP experience like with these changes?

• PvP will have a stat floor and ceiling, so players with higher levels of gear will have their gear reduced to the stat ceiling (326). GSF will be awarded akin to the PvP upgrade loop.
  
• GSF will be awarded akin to the PvP upgrade loop.
  
• There are no current plans for Social Achievements for PvP.
  

 

PvP Gear and Accuracy clarification.

• Thyrsian armor, acquired by participating in PvP, will not contain any accuracy
  
• Thyrsian offhands will come in two stat distributions, one with accuracy and one without. Players will be able to choose which version of offhand they desire, or collect both.
  

 

Can I acquire mats to max gear and mods without having to do grouped content?

• Over time, as more patches are released in the expansion, you will be able to upgrade your gear more and more, including unlocking the moddable gear vendor.
  

 

What is happening with Tech Fragments?

• Tech Fragments will remain, and will still be able to be spent on Tacticals, Cosmetics, Augment Components, and Kai Zykken’s offerings.
  

 

Will the achievements currently categorized under "Spoils of War", the Equipment Sets and Tactical Items also be moved to the Feats of Strength category or will they still be achievable in 7.0?

• The Spoils of War equipment sets will no longer drop from content nor be able to be directly purchased from a vendor. As a result, the achievements will be moved to the Feats of Strength category. The sets will still be obtainable via Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items box.
  

 

While the above is true, we’ve added a new Legacy Title for each Equipment Set achievement unlocked before the 7.0 release. If you already have any of these achievements, upon 7.0’s release you will be automatically granted the appropriate titles. If you do not yet have them, the achievements will still be obtainable in 7.0 as the sets can still be purchased via Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items box.

 

The full list of titles is:

 

 

• Quick Thinker
  
• Probe Tech
  
• Escape Artist
  
• The Slow Road
  
• The Authority
  
• Superiority
  
• The Tactician
  
• Aggressive Treatment
  
• The Debilitator
  
• Outlaws Parlay
  
• Precise Targeter
  
• Ballistic Concentration
  
• Established Foothold
  
• Repositioning
  
• Game Plan
  
• Squad Leader
  
• Hunter Killer
  
• Woad's Instinct
  
• The Notorious
  
• Concentrated Fire
  
• Apex Predator
  
• Tech Medic
  
• Restorative Drive
  
• Emergency Power
  
• The Right Price
  
• Veteran Ranger
  
• Meteor Brawler
  
• The Strategist
  
• Taskmaster
  
• Final Breath
  
• The Preserver
  
• The Victor
  
• Trishin's Retort
  
• Rapid Response
  
• The Berserker
  
• Dying Precision
  
• The Avenger
  
• Stationary Grit
  
• Stimulated
  
• The Entertainer
  
• Dire Retaliation
  
• The Controller
  
• Decelerator
  
• Soulbender
  
• Shadow Purger
  
• Efficient Termination
  
• Ballast Point
  
• The Rebuking Assault
  
• Death Knell
  
• The Murderous Revelation
  
• Saber Master
  
• Unyielding Protector
  
• Endless Offensive
  
• The Gathering Storm
  
• Empowered Restorer
  
• Revitalized Mystic
  
• Descent of the Fearless
  
• Perfect Form
  
• Force Bound
  
• The Undying
  
• Nimble Master
  
• The Tormented
  
• Lord of Pain
  
• Fulminating Defense
  
• Flawless Riposte
  
• Comet Champion
  
• The Culling Blade
  
• Dashing Blademaster
  

 

What will happen to all the armor sets being sold by vendors in the supplies section of the fleet in exchange for tech fragments and credits?

• They will not be available for direct purchase, but will be available in Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items Box
  

 

Will the DvL items be available for credits instead of tokens?

• No - DvL items will remain available for tokens. We will add back in the ability to acquire tokens in a future update via the DvL bosses.
  

 

Is the only way we can get moddable gear is if we can clear VM 80 OP? Is there no more min/maxing for players who can't clear the hardest content in game?

• No. Over time, as upgrade ceilings raise with new game updates, moddable gear will be accessible to all players. At 7.0’s launch there will be no moddable gear awarded above level 306
  

 

Are Renown Caches going away?

• Yes as the Renown system is being removed. *Players will want to open the caches before 7.0 launches.
  

 

Are individual characters that already have a social level keeping their social level and access to the associated items in 7.0?

• Yes, you will keep your current social level and access to all unlocked rewards.
  

 

How do these changes affect story players in terms of getting rewards toward gearing?

• Story players will still earn materials and gear via Conquests and Story mode missions, Dailies, and Heroics.
  

 

How does this affect crafting?

• Augments and Augmentation Kits are still craftable, and able to be used on all 7.0 gear. We are not raising Crew Skills, Gathering or Crafting levels upon the 7.0 release, but they are a part of our 10-year celebration plans.
  

 

Where is the vendor for command crate shells?

• These will be available for purchase on a vendor with 7.0’s launch for 3,500 Tech Fragments and 500,000 Credits.
  

 

For additional clarification on how gearing works in 7.0, to advance your character’s gear, you’ll want to do the following:

 

1. Play Conquests/Daily Missions regularly - currency from this is used for gear upgrades across all other content, and the gear pool from this alone will upgrade you beyond what's needed for any solo activity. Max gear from this source is 326 at launch, and will increase in future patches - see #4 below.
   
   • All other solo (and most multiplayer) activities for 7.0 and beyond are balanced for 318 gear.
     
   • For comparison, completing the 7.0 storyline rewards gear up to level 320.
     

 

[*]Play Flashpoints, Warzones, and/or Ops as you like - gear drops from those activities will upgrade you regardless of where your currently-equipped gear came from.

[*]For Players with a favorite activity type, currencies and sidegrades from that activity will allow you to upgrade to the max needed for that activity, simply by playing that activity (plus Conquests/Daily missions).

[*]We will introduce higher tiers of gear in future 7.x updates. Even as the max gear rewards go up, the balance target for all solo and most multiplayer activities will remain at 318 for all 7.x content.

• The balance target for new Operations/Lair Bosses/etc (8-player) will increase as new tiers of gear become available in later patches, starting with the R-4 Operation in 7.1. Legacy Operations will remain balanced for 318.
  
• The item rating floor and ceiling for Warzones will also raise over time.
  

I hope this has been helpful!

 

EDIT: Added list of titles.

EDIT 2: Added clarification regarding the removal of Renown caches.

Edited January 18, 2022 by JackieKo

[JaeOnasi]

So, let me bullet-point the problems with 7.0 "itemization."

 

How gearing is in 6.0:

1. 6.0 was advertised as "play as you like." You could get any gear set, any tactical you want, and mod it any way you want. Yes, a meta, best-in-slot (BIS) build developed. That happens in every single MMO. But that's irrelevant. We still had the ability to min-max to our heart's desire.

 

2. One gear set could be theoretically used anywhere in game--flashpoints, Ops, PvP, heroics, planetary quests, conquesting, etc. I could switch out left-side items quickly to go from Ops to PvP to adjust my accuracy percentage from 110% (for Ops) to 105% or less (for PvP, which doesn't require as much). I don't PvP much, so I didn't worry about building out a separate PvP set with optimized amplifiers.

 

3. Because I min-maxed my Ops gear, I was able to pursue full VMOps in 6.0 and then even a few more NIM Ops bosses besides just Nefra. I don't pursue NiM raiding outside a few of the easier bosses because I have a Real World job to pay for my subscription to this game, and I don't have the time to spend with a dedicated group for multiple, multi-hour sessions a week for months to learn the needed mechanics. I don't want a second job, I just want to enjoy the game with friends helping them do Ops.

 

What happens in 7.0 which I loathe, despise, and otherwise bear negative sentiments towards:

 

1. I will need multiple sets to do everything I want to do. PvP? Gotta have the PvP set. Conquest? Conquest set. Flashpoint? Flashpoint set. Ops? One set for SM/VM. Another one for NiM. Not ONE set, now I need at least FIVE, and TWO just for Ops. That's not counting what I'll need to get for left-side items to try to get better stats. That's insane.

 

2. Stats are unmoddable in any gear except NIM. If BioWare doesn't optimize the stats right out of the gate with 110% accuracy, correct alacrity for the different GCDs, and crit, then that armor is substandard. Since BioWare hasn't optimized past unmoddable (or even moddable) gear, I highly doubt they'll do that this time, and PTS information confirms my doubts. And I won't be able to do jack about modding my gear. That's insane.

 

3. If I do want to mod my gear, I'm now required to do NIM raiding instead of SM/Vmops/Conqust/etc. to earn the items to min-max my gear. I don't have months to spend learning NIM raid mechanics because that would be a second job for me, and I have a Real World job I need to do to pay for my subscription to this game.

 

4. My other option is to do what we did in 5.0 for Nim gear: grind Nefra over and over and over. Because that sounds like so much fun to do again. Congrats, BioWare, on moving the gear grind from flashpoints/Smops/Vmops/PvP/Starfighter--where at least those of us who were gearing could help bolster the group-finder numbers in flashpoints and SMops--back to endless rounds of NiM Nefra. (yes, that's sarcasm).

 

 

5. Once a certain level of NiM raiders get all of their gear, we'll once again see what happened in 5.0 and earlier: calls from players for full-NiM-geared only raids, and anyone un-geared or under-geared is locked out. Good luck to anyone new to higher level Ops trying to join after the hardcore NiM raiders gear up completely. (yes, that's sarcasm).

 

So let's get to the bullet-point recap here.

1. My min-maxed BIS gear will be gone. BioWare can't even make set bonuses remain useful until level 79, they have to kill the set bonus at 76.

2. I will have to have 5 or more different sets of gear per spec instead of one per spec. You're taking away my ability to have just 1 set per spec (with a few extra left side pieces).

3. The stats aren't optimized so I can't even maintain 110% accuracy on sub-NIM gear--that will make doing master mode flashpoints and other Master Mode activities substantially harder since we won't be able to maximize DPS. You're taking away my ability to play my dps spec to the best of my personal skill, it's now dependent on your arbitrary assignment of stats to the gear.

4. The stats aren't even moddable except for NIM gear. You're taking away my ability to min-max any of my gear.

5. Instead of gear-grinding anywhere in game, I now have to gear grind 900 bazillion runs of NiM Nefra. You're taking away my ability to gain max BIS gear anywhere and limiting it to one single elitest activity (let's face it--NIM requires much better than average/elite skill playing a spec).

6. Once a threshold of NIM raiders are fully geared, I and every other raider not fully NIM geared will be locked out of hard-core NiM and even harder VMOPS until we can get all min-maxed NIM gear--which can only be obtained in NiM raids....You're taking away my ability to join hard mode/Nightmare activities until I grind out enough Nefra raids to get the gear.

7. It is far more difficult to find NIM Nefra gearing runs than it is to find group-finder at times convenient to my schedule. I can find group finder activities virtually any time. I can't find NIM Nefra grinding runs at virtually any time.

 

And my reward in 7.0? Being able to have glowy lightning effects instead of rock-throwing effects for my sages? Whoopdy-do.

 

I've had 2 guildmates already tell me they're not going to continue subbing due to this gearing change ALONE. I'm even re-considering continuing my sub--and I've been subbed the majority of the last 10 years. I have heard many more people in the various swtor guild discord groups I'm in saying the same darn thing.

 

BioWare, you need to rethink this gearing decision and rethink it fast. This is a huge mistake. You've seen that already on the PTS, you've seen it in these threads, you've seen it on Discord. Don't go through with this change as it is currently.

Edited November 10, 2021 by JaeOnasi

[Darthjantom]

Will the achievements currently categorized under "Spoils of War", the Equipment Sets and Tactical Items also be moved to the Feats of Strength category or will they still be achievable in 7.0?

• The Spoils of War equipment sets will no longer drop from content nor be able to be directly purchased from a vendor. As a result, the achievements will be moved to the Feats of Strength category. The sets will still be obtainable via Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items box.
  

Ouch, don't think its even possible for me to complete all those achievements then before 7.0 XD

I guess it's too much to hope there will be some sort of big kai zykken/spoils of war vendor sale before 7.0?

 

The rest of gearing sounds perfectly fine to me, just depends on how grindy it is going to be to gear each character.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Darthjantom

[Saeten]

What about gear from Vet and MM FPs? I don't see any clarification or information here yet. I would hope they provide the same as PvP and GSF for Vet, but for MM FPs they should enable us to get to highest gear 330 rating.

[RikuvonDrake]

Will the achievements currently categorized under "Spoils of War", the Equipment Sets and Tactical Items also be moved to the Feats of Strength category or will they still be achievable in 7.0?

• The Spoils of War equipment sets will no longer drop from content nor be able to be directly purchased from a vendor. As a result, the achievements will be moved to the Feats of Strength category. The sets will still be obtainable via Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items box.
  

 

thank you

[The-Kaitou-Kid]

What about gear from Vet and MM FPs? I don't see any clarification or information here yet. I would hope they provide the same as PvP and GSF for Vet, but for MM FPs they should enable us to get to highest gear 330 rating.

 

Vet FPs go to 324, MM to 326. That's what the Itemization blog mentioned.

[Sarova]

Hi everyone,

 

This is a follow up post to the OP to answer some of the questions that we've based off of the initial information that was shared. Please see below:

<snippetty-snip-snip>

I hope this has been helpful!

Yes, your post is very helpful and clears up a lot of my questions, especially about those with higher gear & PvP. Nice to know I have a chance of not getting instantly pulverised by higher geared players. Thanks very much

Edited November 10, 2021 by Sarova

[Dmnqwk]

Hi everyone,

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game.
  
• 328: Story Mode level 80 Operations.
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations & Veteran Mode Legacy Operations.
  

 

In the 7.0 release, it is only possible to upgrade to level 330 via Master Mode Operations. Over time, all other game modes will be able to upgrade to level 330 as the ceiling is raised, so essentially, gear progression is built into all modes.

 

Are you able to re-write this to make sense please? You say Story Mode level 80 Operations, but all operations will be 80 so could you not just say R-4 for now, or Legacy of the Sith ones?

Secondly, you have Veteran Mode Legacy Ops on the same footing as Master Mode at 330, but then explain how ONLY 330 upgrades can be achieved via master mode operations?

 

I appreciate it seems minor, but it'd be great if you could re-write this into a cogent piece of information.

[divinecynic]

Firstly thank you the clear answers. It's appreciated.

 

Well at launch of the expansion, it really doesn't look like there is any point to running Ops, unless they are your jam. Well or you want the cosmetics. If everything is tuned to 318 and you can get 326 in any content after all. Speed likely will be a factor but not for long. Even if you want the new raid gear the most you need to run is Vet at that.

 

It really sounds like with the delay of the new Op we aren't going to even see the full picture of the new gearing systems. I keep saying basically "You'll see as time goes on."

 

Honestly I don't see how this doesn't tick everyone off. For non-dedicated raiders, they don't get max gear. For raiders an rating increase of 2-4 isn't that much and Master mode isn't even in the equation for gearing. So no increase in draw.

 

I do find it funny that if the raids are tuned for 318 and it drops 328-330, raiders don't need top tier gear to do the content. So no one needs the new gear.

 

So what portion of the player base does this actually benefit? Am I missing something? 7.1 gearing really doesn't look good at this point.

Edited November 10, 2021 by divinecynic

[Voemel]

Been sub’d since launch for all but 2 months.

I can’t express enough how much I hate these changes.

However, this is their game and they can do with it what they want. But I don’t have to be a part of it.

I’m done. Sub has been cancelled.

 

Good luck to you all.

[Katushe]

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game.
  
• 328: Story Mode level 80 Operations.
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations & Veteran Mode Legacy Operations.
  

I hope this has been helpful!

 

Thanks, Jackie. It's been helpful. Also, disappointing, but I realize it's not your fault, so, I won't vent on you.

 

The fact that there is gear in the game that I can not get because it is put behind grouping up with people, and NOT behind difficulty or risk, makes it extremely frustrating for my OCD as is the lack of reward for reaching the maximum.

 

Also, the use of expressions like "you have the gear that you need" is felt like contempt towards us, the ones that do not want to cope with the arrogance of ops players. But, I guess, that is probably what the ones that designed this system wanted us to feel.

 

But, frankly, thanks! It's god to see that we are heard and we are at least replied to.

[The-Kaitou-Kid]

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game.
  
• 328: Story Mode level 80 Operations.
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations & Veteran Mode Legacy Operations.
  

 

As additional clarification for everybody, confirmed by Chris on the Discord, not all 326 gear is the same. Story/Conquest gear will not be the same as Flashpoint gear or 326 Ops gear and this needs to be made clear. This isn't just in how they're upgraded, either. They have different qualities and, thus, different stat distributions. Due to how level sync works now this means, in downscaled content (ie, most of the game), 326 gear from Conquest will be worse than 306 gear in every way. You will have better endurance with the 326 gear, but less mastery, power, and tertiary stats.

 

Solo players that have already obtained 306 gear have no reason to go through this gear grind. Even on Manaan the stat difference between 318 gear and the better optimized 306 gear would result in it not making that much of a difference. The sense of character progression is not there, and in fact in most content it'll feel more like a regression. I tested this on the PTS, so I'm not guessing blindly here, this is what came of my testing. My main will not be removing her 306 gear.

 

In addition, I'm still curious how the stat capping in PVP is going to work with the different gear optimizations, especially once R4 VM comes out and Ops players have access to the moddable gear. Chris confirmed on Discord that the PVP stat capping is the same system as the new level sync, in which stats aren't capped at a hard value, they're capped to a combined value and then distributed based on your gear (at least that's how level sync seems to be working). If PVP gear ends up being more endurance heavy with less power/mastery for DPS characters, and a smaller tertiary stat budget, it seems like that would be reflected even with the stat capping, and R4 Vet Mode players could then theoretically build a set via mods with less accuracy and better stat distributions that would be better than any set a PVP player could get, even in ranked. Maybe Chris could clarify this as well, either here or on the Discord.

Edited November 10, 2021 by The-Kaitou-Kid

[Eli_Porter]

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game.
  
• 328: Story Mode level 80 Operations.
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations & Veteran Mode Legacy Operations.
  

 

In the 7.0 release, it is only possible to upgrade to level 330 via Master Mode Operations.

 

The part about Veteran Mode Legacy Operations having 330 max gear upgrade contradicts with what the original article said and what you said about 330 right afterwards, clarification would be great.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Eli_Porter

[HKtheindomitable]

Thanks, Jackie. It's been helpful. Also, disappointing, but I realize it's not your fault, so, I won't vent on you.

 

The fact that there is gear in the game that I can not get because it is put behind grouping up with people, and NOT behind difficulty or risk, makes it extremely frustrating for my OCD as is the lack of reward for reaching the maximum.

 

Also, the use of expressions like "you have the gear that you need" is felt like contempt towards us, the ones that do not want to cope with the arrogance of ops players. But, I guess, that is probably what the ones that designed this system wanted us to feel.

 

But, frankly, thanks! It's god to see that we are heard and we are at least replied to.

 

It's not contempt, it's truth. Don't read everything as negative. We solo players do not need max gear. It's need vs want. Currently we don't need max gear. It's pointless. The same will be true of 7.0.

[ebinhovdloca]

So, let me bullet-point the problems with 7.0 "itemization."

 

How gearing is in 6.0:

1. 6.0 was advertised as "play as you like." You could get any gear set, any tactical you want, and mod it any way you want. Yes, a meta, best-in-slot (BIS) build developed. That happens in every single MMO. But that's irrelevant. We still had the ability to min-max to our heart's desire.

 

2. One gear set could be theoretically used anywhere in game--flashpoints, Ops, PvP, heroics, planetary quests, conquesting, etc. I could switch out left-side items quickly to go from Ops to PvP to adjust my accuracy percentage from 110% (for Ops) to 105% or less (for PvP, which doesn't require as much). I don't PvP much, so I didn't worry about building out a separate PvP set with optimized amplifiers.

 

3. Because I min-maxed my Ops gear, I was able to pursue full VMOps in 6.0 and then even a few more NIM Ops bosses besides just Nefra. I don't pursue NiM raiding outside a few of the easier bosses because I have a Real World job to pay for my subscription to this game, and I don't have the time to spend with a dedicated group for multiple, multi-hour sessions a week for months to learn the needed mechanics. I don't want a second job, I just want to enjoy the game with friends helping them do Ops.

 

What happens in 7.0 which I loathe, despise, and otherwise bear negative sentiments towards:

 

1. I will need multiple sets to do everything I want to do. PvP? Gotta have the PvP set. Conquest? Conquest set. Flashpoint? Flashpoint set. Ops? One set for SM/VM. Another one for NiM. Not ONE set, now I need at least FIVE, and TWO just for Ops. That's not counting what I'll need to get for left-side items to try to get better stats. That's insane.

 

2. Stats are unmoddable in any gear except NIM. If BioWare doesn't optimize the stats right out of the gate with 110% accuracy, correct alacrity for the different GCDs, and crit, then that armor is substandard. Since BioWare hasn't optimized past unmoddable (or even moddable) gear, I highly doubt they'll do that this time, and PTS information confirms my doubts. And I won't be able to do jack about modding my gear. That's insane.

 

3. If I do want to mod my gear, I'm now required to do NIM raiding instead of SM/Vmops/Conqust/etc. to earn the items to min-max my gear. I don't have months to spend learning NIM raid mechanics because that would be a second job for me, and I have a Real World job I need to do to pay for my subscription to this game.

 

4. My other option is to do what we did in 5.0 for Nim gear: grind Nefra over and over and over. Because that sounds like so much fun to do again. Congrats, BioWare, on moving the gear grind from flashpoints/Smops/Vmops/PvP/Starfighter--where at least those of us who were gearing could help bolster the group-finder numbers in flashpoints and SMops--back to endless rounds of NiM Nefra. (yes, that's sarcasm).

 

 

5. Once a certain level of NiM raiders get all of their gear, we'll once again see what happened in 5.0 and earlier: calls from players for full-NiM-geared only raids, and anyone un-geared or under-geared is locked out. Good luck to anyone new to higher level Ops trying to join after the hardcore NiM raiders gear up completely. (yes, that's sarcasm).

 

So let's get to the bullet-point recap here.

1. My min-maxed BIS gear will be gone. BioWare can't even make set bonuses remain useful until level 79, they have to kill the set bonus at 76.

2. I will have to have 5 or more different sets of gear per spec instead of one per spec. You're taking away my ability to have just 1 set per spec (with a few extra left side pieces).

3. The stats aren't optimized so I can't even maintain 110% accuracy on sub-NIM gear--that will make doing master mode flashpoints and other Master Mode activities substantially harder since we won't be able to maximize DPS. You're taking away my ability to play my dps spec to the best of my personal skill, it's now dependent on your arbitrary assignment of stats to the gear.

4. The stats aren't even moddable except for NIM gear. You're taking away my ability to min-max any of my gear.

5. Instead of gear-grinding anywhere in game, I now have to gear grind 900 bazillion runs of NiM Nefra. You're taking away my ability to gain max BIS gear anywhere and limiting it to one single elitest activity (let's face it--NIM requires much better than average/elite skill playing a spec).

6. Once a threshold of NIM raiders are fully geared, I and every other raider not fully NIM geared will be locked out of hard-core NiM and even harder VMOPS until we can get all min-maxed NIM gear--which can only be obtained in NiM raids....You're taking away my ability to join hard mode/Nightmare activities until I grind out enough Nefra raids to get the gear.

7. It is far more difficult to find NIM Nefra gearing runs than it is to find group-finder at times convenient to my schedule. I can find group finder activities virtually any time. I can't find NIM Nefra grinding runs at virtually any time.

 

And my reward in 7.0? Being able to have glowy lightning effects instead of rock-throwing effects for my sages? Whoopdy-do.

 

I've had 2 guildmates already tell me they're not going to continue subbing due to this gearing change ALONE. I'm even re-considering continuing my sub--and I've been subbed the majority of the last 10 years. I have heard many more people in the various swtor guild discord groups I'm in saying the same darn thing.

 

BioWare, you need to rethink this gearing decision and rethink it fast. This is a huge mistake. You've seen that already on the PTS, you've seen it in these threads, you've seen it on Discord. Don't go through with this change as it is currently.

 

6.0 gearing was the worst gearing system of the entire game, you could reach max gear by playing on the starter planet, sure it might take you long but you can do it, the harder the content u do, the highest gear rating should drop, its a universal rule in MMORPGs, just flip it upside down and the harder the content u do , the lower gear rating u get as a reward(makes no sense)

As said in the post "The balance target for new Operations/Lair Bosses/etc (8-player) will increase as new tiers of gear become available in later patches, starting with the R-4 Operation in 7.1. Legacy Operations will remain balanced for 318"

same thing with solo content "All other solo (and most multiplayer) activities for 7.0 and beyond are balanced for 318 gear." if you get the 330 gear u will be ridiculously overgeared,even with 326 u will be overgeared, there is no point in having BiS gear if all u do is Sm's.

 

This gearing system is the best gearing system the gave has ever had, prior to this it was the token system(220,222,224) problem there was expertise gear was already removed and pvpers needed to do pve to get max gear, now with pvp capped they wont even have to touch pve at all, if u only do solo content who cares what gear u have

[HKtheindomitable]

Hi everyone,

 

This is a follow up post to the OP to answer some of the questions that we've based off of the initial information that was shared. Please see below:

 

I hope this has been helpful!

 

Yes ma'am! Thank you ma'am. Very much appreciated! I think it would help if it were demonstrated visually too at some point soon.

[ebinhovdloca]

As additional clarification for everybody, confirmed by Chris on the Discord, not all 326 gear is the same. Story/Conquest gear will not be the same as Flashpoint gear or 326 Ops gear and this needs to be made clear. This isn't just in how they're upgraded, either. They have different qualities and, thus, different stat distributions. Due to how level sync works now this means, in downscaled content (ie, most of the game), 326 gear from Conquest will be worse than 306 gear in every way. You will have better endurance with the 326 gear, but less mastery, power, and tertiary stats.

 

Solo players that have already obtained 306 gear have no reason to go through this gear grind. Even on Manaan the stat difference between 318 gear and the better optimized 306 gear would result in it not making that much of a difference. The sense of character progression is not there, and in fact in most content it'll feel more like a regression. I tested this on the PTS, so I'm not guessing blindly here, this is what came of my testing. My main will not be removing her 306 gear.

 

 

In addition, I'm still curious how the stat capping in PVP is going to work with the different gear optimizations, especially once R4 VM comes out and Ops players have access to the moddable gear. Chris confirmed on Discord that the PVP stat capping is the same system as the new level sync, in which stats aren't capped at a hard value, they're capped to a combined value and then distributed based on your gear (at least that's how level sync seems to be working). If PVP gear ends up being more endurance heavy with less power/mastery for DPS characters, and a smaller tertiary stat budget, it seems like that would be reflected even with the stat capping, and R4 Vet Mode players could then theoretically build a set via mods with less accuracy and better stat distributions that would be better than any set a PVP player could get, even in ranked. Maybe Chris could clarify this as well, either here or on the Discord.

 

"Is the only way we can get moddable gear is if we can clear VM 80 OP? Is there no more min/maxing for players who can't clear the hardest content in game?

No. Over time, as upgrade ceilings raise with new game updates, moddable gear will be accessible to all players. At 7.0’s launch there will be no moddable gear awarded above level 306

"

 

why does it matter that 326 conquest gear is worse than 306 gear? if all u are doing is solo content, its irelevant what gear u have u will still pretty much 1 shot everything

Edited November 10, 2021 by ebinhovdloca

[JackieKo]

Max new gear ratings (7.0 gear upgrade caps):

• 326: This can be obtained by doing anything in game (Conquests).
  
• 322: Story Mode Legacy Operations
  
• 326: Veteran Mode Legacy Operations
  
• 330: Master Mode Legacy Operations
  

 

Apologies for the misinformation that was initially posted. This section has been updated.

[Katushe]

It's not contempt, it's truth.

 

Yes, it is truth. But it's still contempt.

 

 

... We solo players do not need max gear. It's need vs want. Currently we don't need max gear. It's pointless. The same will be true of 7.0.

 

Correct. It's something that I want and I do not have a path to get it. Putting up with ops player is NOT an option. So, it will be forever frustrating. Just like it was in 4.0.

[ebinhovdloca]

Yes, it is truth. But it's still contempt.

 

 

 

 

Correct. It's something that I want and I do not have a path to get it. Putting up with ops player is NOT an option. So, it will be forever frustrating. Just like it was in 4.0.

 

you will pretty much 1 shot everything if you are doing solo content with 326 gear since its balanced for 318 gear, if u dont do group content u have no need to even worry about gear, it wont change your perfomance u cant get faster than 1 shotting everything

 

and you will be able to get higher gear from conquest as said here

"Can I acquire mats to max gear and mods without having to do grouped content?

Over time, as more patches are released in the expansion, you will be able to upgrade your gear more and more, including unlocking the moddable gear vendor."

 

eventualy every route will have 336 gear(max gear for 7.0)

Edited November 10, 2021 by ebinhovdloca

[BenKatarn]

What is happening with Tech Fragments?

• Tech Fragments will remain, and will still be able to be spent on Tacticals, Cosmetics, Augment Components, and Kai Zykken’s offerings.
  

 

Will the achievements currently categorized under "Spoils of War", the Equipment Sets and Tactical Items also be moved to the Feats of Strength category or will they still be achievable in 7.0?

• The Spoils of War equipment sets will no longer drop from content nor be able to be directly purchased from a vendor. As a result, the achievements will be moved to the Feats of Strength category. The sets will still be obtainable via Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items box.
  

 

What will happen to all the armor sets being sold by vendors in the supplies section of the fleet in exchange for tech fragments and credits?

• They will not be available for direct purchase, but will be available in Kai Zykken’s Random Unique Items Box
  

 

Where is the vendor for command crate shells?

• These will be available for purchase on a vendor with 7.0’s launch for 3,500 Tech Fragments and 500,000 Credits.
  

 

 

For some further clarification, will Tech Fragments still be earned from content in 7.0, or is this just spending what we have left of that currency? I assumed that Tech Fragments would be deprecated and thus fully removed from the game, so I started getting rid of what I had left. Or will we still get more Tech Fragments from disassembling old and new gear in 7.0, along with Jawa Junk?

Edited November 10, 2021 by BenKatarn

[Schlumpfine]

you will pretty much 1 shot everything if you are doing solo content with 326 gear since its balanced for 318 gear, if u dont do group content u have no need to even worry about gear, it wont change your perfomance u cant get faster than 1 shotting everything

 

MM FPs are no Solo Content and the 7.0 gear from MM FPs are not much better then the current 306 Gear. So why should i do the gear Grind with FPs when its not worth it?

[The-Kaitou-Kid]

"Is the only way we can get moddable gear is if we can clear VM 80 OP? Is there no more min/maxing for players who can't clear the hardest content in game?

No. Over time, as upgrade ceilings raise with new game updates, moddable gear will be accessible to all players. At 7.0’s launch there will be no moddable gear awarded above level 306

"

 

why does it matter that 326 conquest gear is worse than 306 gear? if all u are doing is solo content, its irelevant what gear u have u will still pretty much 1 shot everything

 

It matters because supposedly gear progression is important and should include all playstyles, right? But if gear for one playstyle is worse than the previous expansion's gear, that playstyle isn't included, despite the previous expansion including all playstyles.

 

I could explain to you why solo players either need better gear (a hint for you: not all solo content is that easy) or having access to it would be a good thing for group content too, but you seem to be in the camp of "solo players don't deserve anything" so I'm not gonna bother. Read some other posts from other solo players that have explained this if you actually care, but I'm not gonna sit here and have this conversation when you're starting from that kind of dismissive attitude.