Welcome to the ultimate guide for gearing up in Star Wars⁚ The Old Republic! This guide will navigate you through the intricacies of obtaining the best equipment․ We will cover everything from understanding gear importance, progression tracks, level 80 basics, and fast gearing methods to crafting and legendary implants․
Understanding Gear Importance in SWTOR
In Star Wars⁚ The Old Republic (SWTOR), your character’s gear is paramount to their overall effectiveness in combat․ It directly influences your core stats, such as Strength, Willpower, Aim, Cunning, Endurance, and Mastery․ These stats determine your damage output, survivability, and overall performance in both Player versus Environment (PvE) and Player versus Player (PvP) scenarios․ Better gear will significantly enhance your ability to deal more damage, withstand greater amounts of incoming damage, and improve your chances of succeeding in challenging content․
Without proper gear, even the most skilled player will struggle against formidable enemies and other players․ Therefore, understanding how gear impacts your character’s stats is crucial for progression․ The type and quality of your equipment, including armor, weapons, mods, and enhancements, all play a vital role in shaping your character’s power․ The game’s various gear progression systems are designed to reward consistent effort and skill, enabling players to continually improve their character’s stats and abilities through strategic gear choices․ The right gear is not merely an aesthetic, but the cornerstone of a powerful and successful character․
Gear Progression Tracks⁚ Operations, PvP, Flashpoints, Conquest
In SWTOR, gear progression is structured around four primary tracks⁚ Operations, Player versus Player (PvP), Flashpoints, and Conquest․ Each track offers a distinct path to obtaining gear, tailored to the specific type of content․ Operations, the pinnacle of PvE, yield the highest-tier gear, essential for tackling the most challenging encounters․ PvP gear, obtained through Warzones and Arenas, is optimized for competitive player combat․ Flashpoints, smaller-scale group content, provide a stepping stone to better gear, bridging the gap between solo play and Operations․ The Conquest system rewards players for engaging in various activities, offering a steady supply of gear and resources․
While items of the same rating and rarity have similar stats across different tracks, PvP DPS gear features a slight adjustment in Accuracy․ This structured approach ensures players can focus on the content they enjoy most while still progressing their gear effectively․ The four tracks provide distinct experiences and rewards, allowing players to pursue multiple avenues for character development․ Understanding these different progression tracks is vital for efficiently gearing up and maximizing your character’s potential within the game․ Each track has unique vendors and currencies, further distinguishing the paths to high-level gear․
Level 80 Gearing Basics
Reaching level 80 in SWTOR marks the beginning of the endgame gearing process․ At this stage, your primary goal is to acquire gear that enhances your character’s stats, increasing your combat effectiveness and survivability․ Gearing at level 80 involves accumulating various currencies that can be exchanged for equipment․ These currencies are earned through different activities such as completing daily missions, participating in group content, and engaging in PvP combat․ The gear you obtain is often bound to your legacy, meaning it can be shared across all your characters on the same server․ This is particularly useful when gearing up multiple characters․
The process involves understanding different gear tiers and their associated item ratings․ Higher item rating indicates better stats․ Initial gearing at level 80 often involves acquiring a basic set of gear to prepare for more challenging content․ While the best gear is generally found in Master Mode Operations, there are many paths to achieving good gear through solo, PvP, and other group content․ Subscribing to SWTOR is not technically required, but it does provide a more streamlined gearing experience without the limitations that Preferred status players face․ Understanding the basic structure of gearing is crucial for progression to the endgame content․
Obtaining a Basic Set of Level 80 Gear
Upon hitting level 80 in SWTOR, securing a foundational set of gear is crucial for venturing into more challenging content․ A common starting point is the acquisition of green 324 Conquest gear, purchasable using Conquest Commendations, a currency earned by participating in Conquest activities․ This set provides a solid base for your character’s stats, offering a significant improvement over lower-level equipment․ Another method for obtaining initial gear is to complete the Legendary Implants quest, which will reward you with some starting pieces․ These pieces often include essential items like earpieces, relics, and implants, all at a 338 item rating․
You can also focus on acquiring 340 blue gear pieces, which can be obtained by turning in certain components․ This initial gearing process does not require high-level content participation, allowing new or returning players to quickly get up to speed․ Daily missions and heroic missions are great resources for acquiring currency․ By focusing on these activities, you can assemble a basic gear set that will allow you to participate in most of the game’s content․ This initial gear set is a stepping stone, paving the way for more advanced and powerful equipment․
Fastest Gearing Methods
For players looking to rapidly gear up in SWTOR, several strategies can significantly accelerate the process․ Focusing on specific activities that provide high rewards is key․ Completing weekly missions, especially those associated with operations, flashpoints, and PvP, will yield substantial gear upgrades and currency․ Participating in Conquest events at level 80 is also a fast way to earn Conquest Commendations, which can be used to buy 324 gear․ Additionally, using the group finder to participate in story mode operations or running flashpoints with a group can speed up gear acquisition․ These are repeatable activities that have low requirements․
Another efficient method is to prioritize content that rewards gear directly․ Master mode operations are the most rewarding but require a high level of coordination․ Veteran mode operations are also good sources of gear for those who are not ready for Master mode․ Completing the Legendary Implants mission will give you a good gear boost and access to the Legendary Implants vendor․ It is advisable to use the various currency exchanges to upgrade gear as you acquire it․ These methods, when combined, offer the fastest route to obtaining top-tier gear in SWTOR․
Solo Gearing Strategies
For players who prefer solo gameplay, SWTOR offers several avenues for acquiring good gear․ A primary method is completing daily and weekly missions, which can be found in the Activity Finder․ These missions reward currency and gear, providing a consistent path for solo progression․ Heroic missions, though technically group content, can often be soloed and provide gear, especially if you have a strong companion․ Participating in Conquest events and completing personal conquest goals, even solo, is a must to earn Conquest commendations for buying 324 gear․
Another good method is to farm story mode content․ Story mode flashpoints and operations can be completed alone if you are geared enough․ This can be repetitive but it is a reliable source of gear upgrades for solo players․ When you reach level 80, you should pick up the Legendary Implants quest, this is a one-time quest and provides a massive boost to your gear․ Remember that all gear is legacy-bound, meaning you can share it between all of your characters․ Focusing on these activities allows players to gear up efficiently, even without participating in group content regularly․
Crafting as a Source of Gear
Crafting in SWTOR, while not the primary source of top-tier gear, offers a valuable supplement to your gearing process․ Early on, crafting can provide useful modifications (mods) for your equipment, allowing you to fine-tune your stats․ Additionally, crafted gear can be a great option for leveling characters, ensuring they have suitable equipment as they progress․ While the ability to gamble on deconstructing high-level mods to learn recipes was removed in the past, crafting still has a place for players who wish to acquire gear outside the normal content grind․
With the new gearing system, crafting is not essential for obtaining the best gear, but it is a good source for customising or filling gaps in your equipment․ While not the best, it is still useful for some players․ For example, crafted enhancements can boost your character’s stats based on your needs․ It’s a reliable way to get some gear for alts and new characters․ It can also be good for making some extra credits․ While crafting is not what it used to be, it still has some use for some players and is still worth levelling up․
Legendary Implants⁚ How to Obtain and Their Benefits
Legendary Implants in SWTOR are a crucial component of endgame gearing, providing powerful effects that were previously found in set bonuses․ These implants are not obtained through traditional drops but by completing a special one-time mission․ This mission is unique, requiring you to charge a key by participating in various types of content․ The more challenging the content you undertake, the faster you will charge the key, allowing for faster mission completion․ Once the key is fully charged, the mission is completed, and you gain access to the Legendary Implants vendor․
The benefits of Legendary Implants are significant, as they provide unique passive effects that can substantially enhance your character’s performance․ These effects are tailored to different combat styles, making them a core part of your build and playstyle․ Unlike previous set bonuses, Legendary Implants are not tied to specific gear pieces, giving you more flexibility in your other gear choices․ This system allows players to customize their characters with specific playstyles in mind․ By choosing the correct implants for your chosen class, you can greatly increase your power in combat․ Choosing the correct implants can greatly enhance your character’s performance․
Gearing Vendors and Currency Exchange
Gearing vendors in SWTOR function differently than in the past, primarily focusing on upgrading existing equipment rather than selling complete sets outright․ These vendors are located on the Fleet in the Supplies section, with separate vendors for Flashpoints, Conquest, and Operations․ Additionally, there is a vendor for purchasing 320 Noble Decurion gear․ Instead of directly buying new gear, you’ll typically acquire gear through weeklies, bosses, and other activities, then use these vendors to upgrade your existing pieces․ This upgrade system requires specific currencies earned by participating in different types of content․
The main exceptions to this are the purchases of 320 Conquest gear, 316 PvP gear, and 326 Legendary Implants․ For PvP gear, vendors are located in the Combat section of the Fleet․ With the release of 7․1, additional vendors have been added to the Fleet, offering higher tier item modifications․ These vendors, known as Hyde and Zeek, allow you to purchase modifications for credits after obtaining specific pieces of 328 and 330 gear․ This currency exchange system allows for a more targeted approach to gearing, where you can focus on upgrading your chosen pieces with the currencies earned from your preferred content․
Upgrading Gear through Vendors
Upgrading gear through vendors in SWTOR is a core part of the endgame progression system․ Instead of simply buying new pieces, you enhance your existing gear using specific currencies․ These vendors are located on the Fleet, in designated areas for PvE and PvP․ For PvE, you’ll find vendors in the Supplies section, with different vendors for gear obtained from Flashpoints, Conquest, and Operations․ To upgrade a piece, you exchange the existing item and the required currency, obtaining a higher item rating․ This system encourages players to engage with multiple aspects of the game, earning different currencies to enhance their gear․
The process generally involves acquiring gear from activities, such as completing weekly missions or defeating bosses, and then using the vendors to improve the item rating, thus increasing the stats of the gear․ This method allows for a more focused and strategic approach to gearing, enabling players to target specific pieces for upgrades based on their needs․ It’s important to note that the vendors also offer specific pieces of gear, such as 320 Conquest gear and 316 PvP gear, as well as 326 Legendary Implants, which can be purchased directly․ Remember that the vendors also sell mods, which can be applied to your gear․
R-4 Anomaly Operation Gear
The R-4 Anomaly Operation in SWTOR features a unique gearing track, separate from the rest of the game’s equipment progression․ This means that gear obtained from this operation is specific to it and does not directly interact with other gear sources․ The R-4 Anomaly Operation offers gear with its own progression path, with different item ratings and rarities available depending on the difficulty level․ The operation has a gearing divide between Story Mode (SM) and Veteran Mode (VM); The difficulty level directly influences the quality and item rating of the gear you can obtain․
For players who are aiming for the top-tier equipment, progressing through the R-4 Anomaly Operation is essential․ NiM teams typically aim to reach the point where they can unlock the ability to purchase the highest-level gear offered by this operation, which could be item ratings of 336 or 340․ This gear is very valuable for players who are focused on end-game content․ The gearing system for R-4 Anomaly is designed to encourage players to engage with the content at various difficulty levels, rewarding them with progressively better equipment․ This is a must-do for those seeking the best possible gear in SWTOR․
Best Gear Sources in SWTOR
Identifying the best gear sources in SWTOR depends on your playstyle and what you are trying to achieve․ For those seeking the absolute best gear, Master Mode Operations are the primary source․ These operations offer the highest item-rating gear, often referred to as Rakata gear, with a potential range of 324 to 340, which can be upgraded to 344․ However, Master Mode Operations also present the greatest challenge and require a well-coordinated team․ For more casual players, Conquest activities also provide a good source of gear, especially for solo players․ Completing Conquest objectives at level 80 earns commendations, which can be used to purchase a basic set of 324-rated gear․
Additionally, PvP is also an option for obtaining top-tier gear, particularly for players who enjoy player versus player combat․ PvP gear, known as Thyrsian gear, is available in various item ratings, with purple gear being equivalent to high-end PvE gear․ Flashpoints and Uprisings also offer gear, albeit at a slightly lower tier than operations․ Ultimately, the best gear sources will vary based on your goals and the type of gameplay you prefer․ However, for the absolute top-tier gear, Master Mode operations remain the pinnacle of gearing in SWTOR․
