I guess I should know the answer to this, but for the life of me I do not understand orange gear and the way it is implemented in game.

 

My question is simple, is there any difference between Orange gear crafted for level 20 and Orange gear crafted for level 50 (or any level in between) other than the level requirements and the mats required to make them?

 

For example, I can craft Orange light armor legs at level 20 and Orange light armor legs at level 50. Both seem to have exactly the same base stats and take the exact same mods. If they have the same mods they seem to provide the same stats. Of course they look different, but as armor they seem to be identical. The level 20 item takes cheap low level mats to make and the level 50 takes more expensive higher level mats. The level 50 items are listed at a higher price on the GTN than the level 20s. I do see a class restriction on the lower level gear, but the restriction appears to be for the class that would use the gear in any case. The same seems to be true for Orange light sabers.

 

So I don't get it and would appreciate it if someone would tell me what I am missing. If indeed there is no difference between different levels of orange gear, then the whole concept of multiple level schematics for Oranges seems to be totally bogus and does not make any sense.

I'm not aware of any difference - the mats for level 20 are much less onerous, so those are the ones I kept crafting in the hopes of a critical augment slot, to then sell. Especially since they can't currently be RE'd.

 

I've been meaning for a while to make a 20 and then 50, slot the main hilt (I'm artifice) of the same level, and see if they have any difference in base stats. That should give us what we need to know for certain, at least until augment slots get their ratings in 1.3 (Slot your highest level junk augments now, folks!)

My question is simple, is there any difference between Orange gear crafted for level 20 and Orange gear crafted for level 50 (or any level in between) other than the level requirements and the mats required to make them?

No other differences, all orange gear of the same weight will get the same stats. Orange gear of different weights (light, medium, heavy) will get otherwise the same stats but different armor rating.

Update: Just tested it. I thought I remembered one of the orange lightsaber hilts having 51 force power and the other 58 - turns out that was between the single and double. Both the Custom and the Elegant lightsabers had a base of 51 force power - I added the Resolve Hilt 22, rating 106, 24 endurance, 34 willpower to each. Final stats are identical - 24 end, 34 will, 403 force power. Currently there's no difference between them.

 

When Augments come in tier levels, they will create augments of their item level upon crafting, at which point it's better to make the Elegants hoping for a crit, or if you'll be using an augment kit regardless, it will still make no difference, except for mats cost.

When Augments come in tier levels, they will create augments of their item level upon crafting, at which point it's better to make the Elegants hoping for a crit, or if you'll be using an augment kit regardless, it will still make no difference, except for mats cost.

 

This. There will be a big difference once the new augment slot system is implemented, as any crit-crafted items will have an augment slot matching the item level by default.

Weird, I just asked this question about augmented lightsabers.

The difference is in appearance.

 

The higher level stuff is supposed to look 'better', at least according to the people that decided what gear would be what level.

 

That is it.

 

People can make up their own minds as to what they like, but from the crafters perspective the higher level stuff costs them resources that are harder and/or more expensive to get, so they have to charge more for that gear.

 

It's up to each player to decide what they like and are willing to spend for the gear.

So basically if I want to craft Orange gear, I should just choose the lower level orange schematics as they use cheaper materials?

So basically if I want to craft Orange gear, I should just choose the lower level orange schematics as they use cheaper materials?

 

You should ideally go with the one you like the appearance of more, since you'll be seeing it and have to live with it. Statistically, there's no difference between them.

 

That being said - the only times I can tell the difference between the Custom and Elegant lightsabers on my Jedi Knight are when he draws the weapon in a cutscene. And now that I've finished the story arc, I don't even have that.

 

If you're more concerned about saving the 3k difference between the lower and higher level ones, that's on you as well.

Thanks all for taking the time to answer.

 

It is not clear to me what augment ranking means and how slots will be classified, but I guess that will be something to fool around with and perhaps post another stupid question after the patch becomes live.

It sounds like the augments are restricted to prevent some level 20 running around with a level 50 augment, so even if you have a level 20 custom light sabre, if you've fitted it with level 50 upgrades, its only usable by 50s so will receive any augment you wish.

 

Unless someone on the test server can confirm differently?

It's more the augments you can slot in.

 

Come 1.3, a lvl 20 custom lightsaber (or any other lvl 20 orange recipe) when crit crafted, will start with a mk 2 augment slot. You will only be able to slot in augments up to lvl 27 (I think? maybe 25? Not really sure exactly what the cutoff is when I don't have the game up). into that augment slot. To slot in higher level augments, you will need to upgrade (or create) a mk 3, (for augments up to lvl 34ish?) mk 4 (up to 41ish?) mk 5 (up to lvl 47ish) or mk 6 (lvl 49) augment slot.

 

Whereas that lvl 50 elegant saber, when critted, will start with the appropriate (mk 6) augment slot, which will already accept the highest lvl (lvl 49) augments.

Not much of a difference. Most of it is the look of the item. The higher level items look better and once you hit those levels you'll probably want to swap the mods out so you don't look like you've just crawled out of a sarlacc pit. There are actually level 48 orange schematics you get once you hit 400 with your specific craft that require the biometric alloy or whatever. Those actually have level 50 mods in them and you can use at level 48 in that particular weapon. Other than those there is no difference in stats or mods you are able to put into them, just the look.

It sounds like the augments are restricted to prevent some level 20 running around with a level 50 augment, so even if you have a level 20 custom light sabre, if you've fitted it with level 50 upgrades, its only usable by 50s so will receive any augment you wish.

 

Unless someone on the test server can confirm differently?

 

While leveling my synthweaver, at around level 40 I crafted a lvl 37 augment and put it in a lvl 20 saber, which was empty, and I noted that its level immediately got up to 37. That restriction is already in the game.