Hello,

I have been working on getting the "best" standard patterns on my different character's crafting abilities with the intent of gearing up my companions quickly and easily. Before you say anything, yes, I am aware 152-quality crafted gear isn't "great" compared to the moddable 148 drops or raid gear. That is irrelevant to this topic.

The problem: There are significant inconsistencies with the available green (134 quality, level 54) patterns you can buy from the crafting vendors as an artificer, as in, some of them that should be there, simply aren't. I've noticed this so far in armstech with sniper rifles and artifice with aim generators.

At 106-quality (level 48) you have the following patterns:

- Willpower (DPS/heals) - Focus of Devastating Power

- Willpower (Shadow DPS) - Hyperaccelerated Power Generator

- Willpower (Tank) - Transmodal Shield Generator

- Aim (Tank) - Hyperaccelerated Defense Generator

- Aim (DPS/Heals) - Reflex Enhancement Generator

- Strength (DPS) - Relentless Battle Generator

- Strenght (Tank) - Hyperaccelerated Shield Generator

This is the standard model for each new tier of gear you can craft. One offhand for each class and role (Cunning obviously is missing because those are made by other crafting skills)

The problem comes in at the higher skill levels.

At 122-quality (level 52) you get the following patterns:

- Willpower (Tank) - Expeditious Power Generator

- Willpower (DPS/Heals) - Focus of Destructive Power

- Strength (Tank) - Expeditious Shield Generator

- Strength (DPS) - Unrelenting Battle Generator

At 134-quality (level 54) you get the following patterns:

- Willpower (Tank) - Hypersonic Power Generator

- Willpower (DPS/Heals) - Focus of Overwhelming Power

- Strength (Tank) - Hypersonic Shield Generator

- Strength (DPS) - Unyielding Battle Generator

Both of these tiers of gear of missing three possible patterns. They are both missing Aim (DPS/Heals), Aim (Tank), and Shadow (DPS). The Shadow DPS can be forgiven because there is no reason they can't use the focus, but to not have Aim offhands at all seems like a very large oversight to me.

There is a similar problem with Armstech. There is no 134-quality (level 54) sniper rifle, though all other weapons and stat variations are fairly represented.

So...by design? Mistake? Could we please get some word on this?

The problem: There are significant inconsistencies with the available green (134 quality, level 54) patterns you can buy from the crafting vendors as an artificer, as in, some of them that should be there, simply aren't. I've noticed this so far in armstech with sniper rifles and artifice with aim generators.

 

So...by design? Mistake? Could we please get some word on this?

Searching for some developer response on this as well

IMO (only a guess), is that the design philosophy of crafted gear underwent a paradigm shift. With the implementation of the following:

• the CM
  
• adaptable orange quality shells
  
• the consolidation of planetary comms into a single currency
  
• the fact that planetary comms items are BoE
  

...simply put, static stat crafted gear was all but abandoned in the current grade (9) of crew skills and beyond because its usefulness was radically decreased...to the point of all but useless/worthless. It's only purpose now is to get one to the skill cap.

Another possible explanation is that those archetype patterns were left out by accident (as you propose) and the issue was never fixed because no one cared enough to complain (until now) - see the above as to why.

^ This...

First, you are both replying to a year old post, just FYI.

Second, there are a number of places in crafting across many levels that make little sense. They were never fixed and at this point, are very unlikely to be.

I do still see some people actually using some of these items, mostly new players who don't know any better.

The 152 implants for example, tons and tons of them, most of them are junk. Actually, all of them are junk, they are lvl 54 required items and have lower stats than the lvl 53 purples that you can craft with a 156 rating.

I know, I used to make tons of 152 implants a year ago, today, none... why when the 156 gear comes a lvl sooner and is much nicer gear.

The past year, various updates, lvl 55, and the CM have rendered very large sections of crafting pointless in this game.

And it simply is very unlikely to change.

The 152 implants for example, tons and tons of them, most of them are junk. Actually, all of them are junk, they are lvl 54 required items and have lower stats than the lvl 53 purples that you can craft with a 156 rating.

 

I know, I used to make tons of 152 implants a year ago, today, none... why when the 156 gear comes a lvl sooner and is much nicer gear.

Earpieces are the same way. It is annoying that level 53P gear is better than level 54P, since people often search the GTN for the "best" they can wear. Which probably explains why I still see it selling

That said, new players (i.e., on their first character) will likely have access to the 54/152 pieces before the 53/156 ones, since the schematics for 54/152 gear are obtained from the regular crew skills trainer, and the 53/156 gear schematics are in the same area, but on the Basic Comms person next to the supply vendor. Besides (obviously) requiring Basic Comms, you need a min reputation level with the Makeb Security Forces. Fortunately, that is legacy wide, and the schematics are BoL, so you can mail them to lower level alts (if, for example, your first char to be able to buy the schematics isn't the one with Bio or Cybertech -- there are other schems, but none you'd want).

While it is true that new toons who are also crafters can get the 54/152 implants first, you can buy the 53/156 implants off the GTN for less, unless you have a pressing need, just buy them there, they are no longer expensive.

Frankly, unless you do crafting for income, the 60 or 120 basic comms required to buy the schematics would be better spent on a 162 implant from the comms vendor.

While it is true that new toons who are also crafters can get the 54/152 implants first, you can buy the 53/156 implants off the GTN for less, unless you have a pressing need, just buy them there, they are no longer expensive.

 

Frankly, unless you do crafting for income, the 60 or 120 basic comms required to buy the schematics would be better spent on a 162 implant from the comms vendor.

I wasn't actualy *advocating* crafting 54/152, just explaining that it's often craftable before the 53/156, and many people don't think to look at lower level gear.

I craft the 54/156 for three reasons -- money, mo' money, and because I can have them waiting for my alts when they hit level 53 (I think all Basic Comm gear is 55 now). In fact, my Biochem alt that makes 53/156 is only level 26 -- I bought the schematic with Basic Comms from my main who already had 162 implants. The schematics require Makeb Reputation to use, and Basic Comms to buy, but they are transferable, and can even be sold on the GTN.

But I agree -- if you are doing it for personal use, not for alts or for sale, just buy the 162s (unless the stats are that bad -- I know some specs (tanks) often get crappy stat allocations with comm gear).