New PVP patch notes are completely bogus

The idea of a PvP stat is not BioWare's invention. Rift had pvp gear with "Valor" which was a stat that mitigated damage from players, so defensive. Aion had "PvP Attack" (offensive, increased damage to players, on pvp weapons) and "PvP Defense" (defensive, mitigate dmg from players, on pvp armor). WoW: "PvP Attack" (offensive increase to damage) and "PvP Resilience" (defensive dmg mitigation). BioWare's *design*, as I referred to it, is the all-purpose stat of Expertise which Is both offensive and defensive, as we know.

And no, I confuse nothing, which should be apparent from my clarifying statement: "Do I think it was all PvE'ers? No. Was it enough of who you describe as the "loudmouths" to elicit a response from BW? Clearly it was." In either iteration, the point stands: those that complained to the point that BW responded w/ the changes, were members exclusively from one group... those that solely PvE'd. PvP'ers never asked for Expertise to begin with and they absolutely didn't appreciate it's expansion and, as one poster recounted above, widely and vociferously roiled against it.

There are a number of things I don't like about the PvP in SWTOR -- many of which we may agree upon -- but again, for the purpose of this discussion, I solely provided the timeline of the actions, reactions, and evolution of the changes relating to Expertise, inflicted upon those who PvP either voluntarily (War Zones) or involuntarily (open world where the factions converge).

For those that PvE, the system of gearing has been straight-forward and pretty linear in it's progression with ever increasingly powerful sets to acquire, to allow players to experience new content and/or harder modes of existing content. With PvP, the stats, rules, currency, and acquisition requirements have all changed numerous times IN ADDITION to the increasing tiers. For those of us that have continued to PvP, despite all it's flaws, there has been an opportunity cost to adapting to each of the changes. You make it sound that you've largely abandoned PvP in order to PvE. That's your choice, but with the changes, it clearly benefits you in that you don't need to spend the time PvP'ing in another gear grind to the previous extent (the current version prior to 2.0's release) for a separate set of gear in order to be viable. That's all well and good, but for those of us that have ground out our gear, to the comparatively limited/exclusion of grinding out a PvE set (since that was the result of the Expertise boost BW did earlier), where is our quid pro quo? Where is our bolstering of PvE Ops etc. to allow us access to that content? *That* is my issue: fine with the changes, but where is our trade-off for all the time we spent, adapting to BWs various systems (plural) grinding our gear?

You may consider PvP a mini-game to you, or you may consider that BioWare relegates PvP to the status of a mini-game (which I might even agree with), but for many dedicated PvP'ers, it isn't a mini-game to us as indicated by the hundreds and hundreds of hours we spend doing it. Speaking for myself, I know I spend exponentially more time PvP'ing than PvE'ers having to wait for groups to form and then running their Ops.

I know, thats why it has no sense asking for no bolster in rankeds

PvP should be all about Skill not gear. As a Hardcore PvPer, i also approved the new system.

well whether it is there or not, having Partisan or Conqueror gear is going to be better 10 times out of 10. if you try to do RWZ relying on Bolster, youre gonna have a sore butt

OP is completely backwards with this and it's pretty hilarious.

This game never catered to the more skillful pvp crowd. It was a huge gear grind from the start that only got worse when they reworked expertise. If any good pvper walks into level 50 pvp now, they get owned by largely bad players who rely on their fully augmented gear set to do well in pvp. Coming back to the game a week or two ago it's extremely frustrating when you get beat by a player that backpedals and keyboard turns only because you're in recruit vs their war hero, ultimately leading you to not want to pvp at all.

Now maybe those terrible players who suck without their gear will actually improve their gameplay.

What grind? It's stupid easy to gear in this game. If you pvp the gear will come fast but if you only do pvp daily then I can see why the gear is a problem for you.
There's always gonna be a gear gap because hardcore pvp'ers will min/max while more casual players will just use regular vendor gear. Most people who complain about gear, at least on my server, are not very good but hey, it's easier to moan on forums then actually play the game and work on improving your skill/gear.

Look what a person does weather is pve and pvp does not mean they cant play there class or know how to gear up. The type of game u expierance plays no part on if you no how to to play. You either learn to play your class or not.

Do I think rhese changes are good. No do I think there the end of pvp as we no it no. If it brings more ppl into pvp who may want to pvp every so often without the crappy recruit slaughterfest that goes on.


However yes it may bring some bads to pvp but it may also brings some good players to pvp who decide to actually do gear up. Your judging ppl based of no fact and before this has even hit live so wait and see before you condem pvp and ppl

Statements of bolster being a free give away are fine and makes sense. It feels like a cheat for anyone who gears regularly and min maxes. Even worse however is that new bolster means there is no reward for pvp and pvp is simply a pastime for pve'rs who are not in their raid at the time. That pve'rs get to be in the pvp wz for less time to get their pve bis relics may be helpful but I don't get the feeling they will be leaving. And pvp in pve gear will continue to be a mainstay as long as bolster is in effect.

This isn't to say that bolster during leveling isn't a good idea considering the add of 10-29, 30-54, and 55 wz's. Because without this bolster and the removal of WH and EWH gear at 50 the middle bracket would be impossible for current leveling. It is not explicitly stated but 55 and 55ranked should have no bolster and that would be just fine for me as it keeps in tact an actual use and reward at top level will be needed.

Still, the problem with pvp is still with reward as the only reward for pvp is to stomp others..indeed that is the entire goal. BW needs to add a new and more dynamic rewards for level cap pve progression as well as pvp rewards. One or two pvp speeders or pve speeders and gear grind are not valuable rewards. Stomping recruits isn't a reward, ranked pvp shells are not rewards.

Give me a cap unique wz. Give me gear balanced single queue ranked. Give me pvp drops to roll on for victors. Give me a bonus mini-game. Give me victor only adaptive shell drops.

I'd rather they gave me the April fools dance WZ than just this..more of the same wait and see we are bringing you new stuff you want and need, btw here's a 15th cartel pack with low drop values for anything you would actually like.

Edit: P.S. Bolstering at higher levels should cost the bolstering player money. Money should be delivered to the non bolstered players. Well to be fair maybe not that extreme, but bolster should not be a free add you just give and it should be optional so you have the choice to disregard the penalty for it in leu of a more beneficial reward or bonus at the end. The continuing "something for nothing" giveaways have to stop. Power leveling, something for nothing, and recruits ruin wz's no matter which side they are on.

even the low tier of the new PvP gear (partisan) is better than what bolster can give you.

getting really annoyed with all of these completely infactual posts. whether its that people dont know or dont understand, idk. Bolster in 2.0 will put you at a level equivalent to "recruit"; ie below a full set of current PvP gear, but enough to maintain a semblance of effectiveness.

the sky is not falling, in either direction. Bolster is doing nothing but leveling the playing field, even at level 55. it is a good thing.

Ah, your tears are delicious. Nom nom nom.