101 Classroom : Getting Geared in Patch 2.4.X

Advancing your gear in SWTOR holds very few random dice rolls, if you know how to do it right.

Players have access to 90% of the best gear with out setting foot into an Operation. It’s also entirely up to them how fast they obtain it. In this classroom I’ll go over getting geared efficiently and enjoying every step of the way.

NOTE : This classroom is level 101. Intended for newer players that have questions about acquiring better gear. The information is sound and can be reviewed by advanced players, but this isn’t the recommended gearing path for a battle hardened veteran of SWTOR with a Presence level of 1000.

Pre Level 50

On your climb toward 50, chose your own route. The gear you obtain from Missions and the Planetary com Vendors are more than adequate to push you through.

While making that journey use the tactics from these classrooms to sharpen your group play tactics.

DPS 101
Tanking 101, 201, Jugg/Guardian Rotations, Jugg/Guardian Talents
Healing 101

The best place to find the Planetary commendation vendors is on your Faction’s Spacedock. Specifically in the Supply wing. Each vendor accepts the generic Planetary Commendation, which you start earning at level 1.

Yup… Level 50 gear can be purchased with commendations earned from the 1st Planet’s missions.

That level 50 gear is locked behind a level restriction, but the point is that at any time you could go back to an easier planet to earn commendations from the Heroic Missions to purchase gear for your current level. Which is exactly what I recommend you do at level 50.

The Makeb Planetary Vendor holds gear modifications with a designation of Mark 58. I highly recommend grabbing as many of those Modifications as you can afford.

NOTE : The Makeb Vendor sells only Modifications for gear, not entire ‘Shells’ of gear i.e. a Chestpiece. It sells the Armor Modification, Mod Modification, and Enhancement Modification you can slam into Slots in each of your Customize-able Pieces.

PRO-TIP : Your preferred Companion is an extension of you. They should be just as geared as you are!

This Article is out of date, but will bring you up to speed on Modifications and how gear levels work in SWTOR.

Here is a chart to review for Home study. It’s information is also dated, but the visualization could be helpful for some students.

Hit 50 & Pre 55

If you have hit level 50 and you have followed my above classrooms you are ready for the Planet of Makeb. Enjoy the story and play until level 55.

The Credit and Commendations you earn will set you up at level 55.

You can also que up, using Group Finder, for level 50 Heroic Flashpoints which are fun and can lead to some awesome gear upgrades.

Also, get familiar with the Mission Terminals in the Supply wing of your fleet. They have daily and weekly missions that can earn you Commendations and really speed up your gearing pace.

Level 55

Congratulations you have achieved level 55. Things get really interesting now.

NOTE : I’ve seen players geared to the teeth, fail hard. I’ve seen players with Duct Tape holding their gear together rock my socks off. Gear augments the player, but does not make them.

Stats and Weights

Now that you have achieved Max Level you need to have a working knowledge of your Class’s preferred Stat weights. Here is an article Min/Maxing, that digs deeper into what each stat does.

To understand the best purchases for your class, which I’m about to go over, you must know understand the information reviewed in the above Min/Maxing Article.

GTN

At level 55 I recommend purchasing from the player base your Earpiece and Implants.

Use the GTN to find an Earpiece and Implants with Stats preferable to your Class and Role. Specifically you are looking for the level 54 Earpieces and the level 53 Implants. The Stat weights on those items can be argued are better than many of the level 55 comparable pieces.

These pieces aren’t the best, but they are the most efficient items for a fresh 55 to obtain.

Don’t spend a million credits on them. These purchases should cost you no more than 200k total.

Commendations

With your GTN purchases out of the way, you can start spending the Commendations you’ve earned on Makeb. At this point in the expansion Basic Commendations can buy you Mark 69 level gear.

A combination of GTN, Mark 58 and 69, and Heroic level 50 Flashpoint gear you are more than ready for the level 55 Planets of Oricon and CS-198.

You are new ready for the Level 55 Elder Game challanges. Start off by learning the CZ-198 and Oricon Daily Zones. Click on the links to get a run-down of each area.

Preforming the Weekly and Daily missions in those zones alone will earn you Credits and Elite commendations for the use of purchasing Mark 72 level Gear from the Fleet Vendors and Player made Items from the GTN.

while running those missions you can Que up for Level 55 Hard Mode Flashpoints, polishing your group role in anticipation of Operation (8 and 16 Player) level grouping.

The Highest level of purchasable gear is bought with Ultimate Commendations. Earning Ultimate commendations is not hard, but you must complete group activities to obtain them. All of the Missions at the Terminals in the supply wing of your fleet have the information on completing those group activities. Keep your holocom open in the General Chat Channel of the fleets to join a group and complete those missions.