My "Valor" rating is the same as my character's level, 39, but I've never understood what, if any, purpose it serves. Bragging rights? Brownie points? It doesn't appear to do anything. And while there's a stat for "Expertise," it stands at zero. Is that just something level 50s accumulate, or is there some sort of bug involved?

Also, WZ Commendations -- again, what's the point? They cap out at 2k, and you can't purchase anything useful with them. Someone mentioned "Mercenary Comms," although I haven't seen those for sale since 1.2. I'm sure there's a simple explanation for all this, but it frankly eludes me.

You gain valor as you play in WZ matches. You use commendations to purchase gear, lvl 20/40/50 gear. Expertise is a stat added onto 50 pvp gear that increases the damage you do/less damage taken/more heals given to other players in warzones. Sure they cap at 2k but there is plenty to spend them on. If you already have 2k, go ahead and buy some of your 50 pvp gear early.

And word of advice, DO NOT enter a lvl 50 warzone w/o at least full recruit gear. It's not that expensive and if you go in with full pve gear, players will drop out and you'll be blacklisted by some of the players.

Valor is like your 'pvp level'

Bragging rights is part of it, you get a title for each 10 levels you reach.

It used to be the case you needed higher valor to get the better pvp gear. That was done away with in 1.2, but you still need the correct valor level if you want to wear orange pvp gear (augmented).

Your valor level is capped at your current level, until you hit level 50, and then you can keep going. 60 is battlemaster, 70 is war hero... etc

Your valor level also determines who is the leader of your pvp ops group - highest rank is the leader (as long as you join at the start)

Expertise is a stat found mostly on level 50 pvp gear (little amounts of expertise is found on some pre 50 pvp weapons, but negligible amounts)

It is there to separate pvp gear from pve gear. pvp gear has less stats than pve gear, so it is beneficial to wear pve gear over pvp gear in ops.

Wearing pve gear in a warzone will destroy you though. if you have 0 expertise, against someone with 1300 expertise, you will be taking an extra 42% damage from them.

Alot.