Thank you for providing me with a thread post to respond to regarding this....

 

I am officially reminded why I stayed away from grade 30 and 31 crafted item modifications: there's a significant loss of credits unless you crit.

 

I just looked up the GTN values of the crafting materials involved in making the grade 34 item modifications and even after nearly a week of having craftable 34s, the materials are valued at 2.9 million credits and the typical item modification runs at 2.5 million on the high side (on the Harbinger); you HAVE to crit to profit :( .

 

Furthermore you HAVE to hawk your wares in chat to make any sales right now. I've sold a total of three grade 34s on the GTN this week: two barrels and an enhancement.

 

I'll stick to grade 28s, they sell like hotcakes and at a profit before crits .

The part where you have to stand in Fleet and hawk 'Trading XXXX 34 for mats, free' is why I don't bother.

That and as you stated, they don't sell in mass quantities so while it looks highly profitable even accounting for a moderate crit rate, unless you are churning through large quantities and can spend all day in game hawking mats for crafted items in trade, the actual results are much lower.

Done casually over the course of a week or two however, and it can be a way to get free or very cheap upgrades for your alts.

There is a 3rd reason for wanting to get the 30,31,34 schematics that wasn't mentioned. The person looking for them is an OCD completist (looking in a mirror right now, oops, *puts it away* ) & wants them just so he can have them. I'm w/ you Psandak, I make my bank crafting to the lower levels, the mats are cheap & craft time is low so I can make a lot & get a substantial profit. However, & I'm Speaking solely of myself as a 450 crafter (of any kind) not having a top end schematic is an embarrassment. Its like I'm not really a 450 crafter but a 449.75 crafter.

IMO that is a silly reason for going for schematics. Never understood it, never will. Just a HUGE money sink with no end...ever. DarthTHC and I are on the same page: "make credits not stuff," and being completionist negates one's ability to make credits.

Personally, I would rather be a 449.75 crafter that makes millions of credits a week than be a completionist struggling to get that next schematic that no one - except completionists- will ever want, and getting frustrated over not getting it.

Updated the OP to reflect the ability to RE grade 34/rating 180 items.

The message is the same: the materials are worth more than the crafted stuff. If you are willing and able to hawk your wares for materials in gen chat you can profit. Otherwise you are probably better of selling the materials to get as doing so will generate more profit.

The grade 28s are the stuff that drops from the oricon quests right? Where do you get the schematics to craft those?

Yes, Oricon stuff is grade 28. Premium/Green quality Grade 28 schematics are available at the trainer. You then have to craft the greens and RE to blue, then craft the blues to RE to purple.

The grade 28s are the stuff that drops from the oricon quests right? Where do you get the schematics to craft those?

Grade 28 Barrels, Hilts, Armoring, Mods and Enhancements are available at the Armstech, Cybertech and Artifice vendors. They're only green (138 rating), so you'll have to craft and reverse engineer them until you learn the purple (156 rating).

The schematics for the [Artifact] level earpieces, implants and offhands can be purchased with Basic Commendations at a vendor on the fleet (standing next to the white crafting materials vendor) so long as you have a high enough standing with the Makeb faction.

Just as a note, some of the grade 28 crafted gear is good enough to last you quite a ways into end game gear, as you can craft the low-endurace versions. Examples:

http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/49900/[artifact]-microfilament-reflex-d-enhancer

has better stats than this grade 30 implant:

http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/47577/black-market-boltblasters-mk-1-enhancer

http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/46349/advanced-immunity-enhancement-28

has almost the same mitigation budget as this grade 31 piece (gotten from Verpine gear)

http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/46103/advanced-bastion-enhancement-31

Awesome post, Psandak, thanks!

There's one or two (or six or seven, lol) things thing still not too clear for me though:

1 - I've read a rumor that some stuff bought from the GTN didn't give schematics anymore? Not true, right?

2 - I get the legacy shell trick, especially if you send it to an alt, and already tried with some lowbie stuff, but is transfer to a legacy shell a NECESSARY STEP NO MATTER WHAT? Namely when your toon is the one doing both the buying/looting and the reverse engineering? I'd hate to destroy hard-earned 72 modifs just because I wanted to save 30k-50k on extraction...

Example: My arms crafter buys a 69 (162) offhand blaster with 140 basic comms. I take out the barrel: can I RE it right off the bat or do I still have to put it in a legacy gun first, and extract it a second time???

I know it is (was?) the case for authored crafted items, so as to remove the name, but what of stuff looted/ bought with coms? Can't you RE the modifications right away without the hassle of paying twice to extract them? (once from the original skin, then from the legacy gear?).

+2.1 - I'm guessing you don't have to do the above, cause otherwise, it also would bring a question: how can you successfully RE equippables like earpieces and implants or weapon shells or skins, given you can't put them in a legacy container?

+2.2 - tell me legacy weapon shells DO take offhand barrels/hilts, please

3 - My cyber and my arms crafter have found two 156 schematics each, the usual way, starting from greens, but you could try the other way round, from actual purples? So level 50 purple is the level you can start doing things this way and never before?

3.1 - can you confirm only lvl 50+/rank 26 and above PURPLES can and will yield schematics? i.e. if I RE a makeb commendation purple 156 armoring or barrel etc, from a legacy shell, I can find a schematic, but any looted/bought purple before level 50 will only yield mats if I RE it? (except tier 2 purples from blue schematics, right?)

4 - I've also read that some rank 26 items (black hole for instance - ilvl 61, 146 index) COULDN'T BE RE'd, especially some armorings from some ops or FPs, and some could. Is that still true? The guides dated from 2012 mostly.

5 - can you learn the schematic of a Makeb reputation item you own (microfilaments etc) if you don't have the reputation to buy that plan? My biochem has old microfilament implants lying around and I'd love to try and RE them, but Makeb is a major PITA for me.

6 - Orange shells: what of them? can you RE any orange shell (except Cartel stuff)? Or only above a certain level?

7 - you speak of a 28% chance on a RE - base 20%, 3% from legacy perks, but what of the remaining 5%? I thought the pet's max affection or craft bonus didn't count towards RE percentages. What I have read and confirmed by devs is that items of a lesser crafting level/grey-green-yellow difficulty are easier to find schematics with - but we're talking 450 for everything here, so where do those missing 5% come from? Confused here.

I do have a couple modifications on my guardian I won't be using so I want to send them to my cyber to RE. Same with an offhand saber hilt (and I hope the Czerka Sword WILL take it, now that I can finally get it!!)

Thanks a million!

1 - I've read a rumor that some stuff bought from the GTN didn't give schematics anymore? Not true, right?

Already crafted/GTN stuff is REable if you bind it to you. example: legacy shell mailing thing works or install it into any item, rip it out again, and it should be REable for schematic.

2 - I get the legacy shell trick, especially if you send it to an alt, and already tried with some lowbie stuff, but is transfer to a legacy shell a NECESSARY STEP NO MATTER WHAT? Namely when your toon is the one doing both the buying/looting and the reverse engineering? I'd hate to destroy hard-earned 72 modifs just because I wanted to save 30k-50k on extraction...

 

Example: My arms crafter buys a 69 (162) offhand blaster with 140 basic comms. I take out the barrel: can I RE it right off the bat or do I still have to put it in a legacy gun first, and extract it a second time???

 

I know it is (was?) the case for authored crafted items, so as to remove the name, but what of stuff looted/ bought with coms? Can't you RE the modifications right away without the hassle of paying twice to extract them? (once from the original skin, then from the legacy gear?).

I have honestly not tried since my item modification crafting characters (cybertech, artifice, and armstech) are not ones I play regularly enough to acquire enough comms to buy stuff with; I have always done the legacy shell thing. My guess would be the former: once you rip it out of the shell you bought it should be REable for schematics.

+2.1 - I'm guessing you don't have to do the above, cause otherwise, it also would bring a question: how can you successfully RE equippables like earpieces and implants or weapon shells or skins, given you can't put them in a legacy container?

Again not 100% sure but I think token acquired gear is REable but comms purchased gear is not. So Black Market, Verpine, and Oriconian gear is not REable but Arkanian, Underworld, and Dread Forged is. Basically you have to raid to get the tokens to get the chance to RE. Doing that is tough because there is always someone who can use the token gear.

+2.2 - tell me legacy weapon shells DO take offhand barrels/hilts, please

Yes. As a matter of fact they recently added more legacy offhand items available at the Gree event vendor on Ilum. It used to be there was only a lightsaber and blaster pistol designed to accept both main hand and off-hand hilts and barrels. The vendor is always there but the event is not. Furthermore, I believe these legacy pieces do require some of the event tokens.

3 - My cyber and my arms crafter have found two 156 schematics each, the usual way, starting from greens, but you could try the other way round, from actual purples? So level 50 purple is the level you can start doing things this way and never before?

3.1 - can you confirm only lvl 50+/rank 26 and above PURPLES can and will yield schematics? i.e. if I RE a makeb commendation purple 156 armoring or barrel etc, from a legacy shell, I can find a schematic, but any looted/bought purple before level 50 will only yield mats if I RE it? (except tier 2 purples from blue schematics, right?)

 

4 - I've also read that some rank 26 items (black hole for instance - ilvl 61, 146 index) COULDN'T BE RE'd, especially some armorings from some ops or FPs, and some could. Is that still true? The guides dated from 2012 mostly.[/quote

 

5 - can you learn the schematic of a Makeb reputation item you own (microfilaments etc) if you don't have the reputation to buy that plan? My biochem has old microfilament implants lying around and I'd love to try and RE them, but Makeb is a major PITA for me.

I take it you are a "completionist" (one who wants all schematics just because they exist). I am very much not that and therefore I have never tried any of the above. Furthermore, when I have an overabundance of planetary comms on my level 55s, why would I go through the frustration of trying to RE for those schematics when they are easily acquired from a vendor and shipped to whatever character I want (no shell required, they are BoE)? As a matter of fact, as I say in my OP, I do not even actively seek the top end stuff (If the opportunity presents itself I take it, otherwise I don't bother).

6 - Orange shells: what of them? can you RE any orange shell (except Cartel stuff)? Or only above a certain level?

Do not quote me on this, but I think the battlemaster gear sets are REable for schematics. otherwise, you have the trained schematics and that's it.

7 - you speak of a 28% chance on a RE - base 20%, 3% from legacy perks, but what of the remaining 5%? I thought the pet's max affection or craft bonus didn't count towards RE percentages. What I have read and confirmed by devs is that items of a lesser crafting level/grey-green-yellow difficulty are easier to find schematics with - but we're talking 450 for everything here, so where do those missing 5% come from? Confused here.

You misread/misunderstood. RE is always 20%. I was talking about why players want these schematics and why those reasons are flawed. The profitability of all the top end stuff is predicated on crit crafting; the overwhelming majority of the time the materials to craft the item modifications are more valuable on the GTN than the item modifications themselves. My point in the OP was that while 28% chance to crit craft and get an extra unit is pretty good but not in the short term i.e. someone who is crafting one unit in the hopes of getting two units is three times more likely to only get one unit, so spending the 3.1 million credits on materials when you can buy the item modification you want for 2.5 million (I'm talking about the latest and greatest grade 34/rating 180 stuff), is a little wasteful IMO.

Already crafted/GTN stuff is REable if you bind it to you. example: legacy shell mailing thing works or install it into any item, rip it out again, and it should be REable for schematic.

 

 

 

I have honestly not tried since my item modification crafting characters (cybertech, artifice, and armstech) are not ones I play regularly enough to acquire enough comms to buy stuff with; I have always done the legacy shell thing. My guess would be the former: once you rip it out of the shell you bought it should be REable for schematics.

 

Correct. It is bound the moment you first modify it, even if you rip it out of an unbound shell.

 

Again not 100% sure but I think token acquired gear is REable but comms purchased gear is not. So Black Market, Verpine, and Oriconian gear is not REable but Arkanian, Underworld, and Dread Forged is. Basically you have to raid to get the tokens to get the chance to RE. Doing that is tough because there is always someone who can use the token gear.

 

Again, correct, only tokengear is REable for implants, earpieces and relics, so Arkanian, Underworld and Dread Forged, but not Black Market, Verpine, Oriconian. Also, Nightmare mode gear isn't REable (Kell Dragon, Dread Touched). Arkanian relics bought with Basic Comms are also REable.

 

Yes. As a matter of fact they recently added more legacy offhand items available at the Gree event vendor on Ilum. It used to be there was only a lightsaber and blaster pistol designed to accept both main hand and off-hand hilts and barrels. The vendor is always there but the event is not. Furthermore, I believe these legacy pieces do require some of the event tokens.

 

The Gree Weapons cost 8-24 Gree Tokens and you can get any type of weapon but for mailing you will only need one blaster/rifle, one lightsaber (and one knife if you don't want to spend tokens on learning the Sniper barrels).

Edit: The Gree Tokens are called Gray Helix Components

 

It is my understanding that you can skip a step by acquiring rating 156 blue quality item modifications from items dropped by level 55HMFP bosses. You also might be able to RE the oriconian story line quest rewards' item modifications (they are grade 28/rating 156 purple), but by the time that story came out I had done all the Cybertech and Artifice trained grade 28 greens to blues to purples, so I had no reason to try.

 

You can RE the purple 28s BUT they WON'T give you the schematics, but the blue ones will give you the purple ones.

 

I take it you are a "completionist" (one who wants all schematics just because they exist). I am very much not that and therefore I have never tried any of the above. Furthermore, when I have an overabundance of planetary comms on my level 55s, why would I go through the frustration of trying to RE for those schematics when they are easily acquired from a vendor and shipped to whatever character I want (no shell required, they are BoE)? As a matter of fact, as I say in my OP, I do not even actively seek the top end stuff (If the opportunity presents itself I take it, otherwise I don't bother).

 

As far as I know all 26 and 27 gear is REable (Campaign and Hazmat).

 

Do not quote me on this, but I think the battlemaster gear sets are REable for schematics. otherwise, you have the trained schematics and that's it.

 

I also think that battlemaster is REable, but nothing else.

 

You misread/misunderstood. RE is always 20%. I was talking about why players want these schematics and why those reasons are flawed. The profitability of all the top end stuff is predicated on crit crafting; the overwhelming majority of the time the materials to craft the item modifications are more valuable on the GTN than the item modifications themselves. My point in the OP was that while 28% chance to crit craft and get an extra unit is pretty good but not in the short term i.e. someone who is crafting one unit in the hopes of getting two units is three times more likely to only get one unit, so spending the 3.1 million credits on materials when you can buy the item modification you want for 2.5 million (I'm talking about the latest and greatest grade 34/rating 180 stuff), is a little wasteful IMO.

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I'm just gonna ask a question on this. I don't need to know all about RE I already knew this and such and also going over everything on this post helped me confirm what I knew. Now here is my big issue.

So I understand what was said about the whole RE mods and such but what about implants with comms? Can those be RE'd to get schematics? Because my big issue is I had a couple random drops of arkanian and underworld implants from OPs and it would not let me RE those for whatever reason. Now I have 2 toons maxed on elite comms and my 3 toon has all the gear he will need the minute he hits 55 by using legacy gear for him. But I want to use my elite comms to get the elite implants and start to RE those and try to help out my alts and as well any upcoming guild mates that need them. Is this possible or should I now start gearing my companions again?

I'm just gonna ask a question on this. I don't need to know all about RE I already knew this and such and also going over everything on this post helped me confirm what I knew. Now here is my big issue.

So I understand what was said about the whole RE mods and such but what about implants with comms? Can those be RE'd to get schematics? Because my big issue is I had a couple random drops of arkanian and underworld implants from OPs and it would not let me RE those for whatever reason. Now I have 2 toons maxed on elite comms and my 3 toon has all the gear he will need the minute he hits 55 by using legacy gear for him. But I want to use my elite comms to get the elite implants and start to RE those and try to help out my alts and as well any upcoming guild mates that need them. Is this possible or should I now start gearing my companions again?

No.

The Verpine and Oriconian implants, as well as the Arkanian relics bought by basic comms can't be RE'd.

You should spend your comms on offhand weapons to craft the hilts/barrels (if you have artifice/armstech), that's everything you can do with comm-gear exept for outfitting companions.

btw. I have noticed that Dread Forged Gear (I mean the shells) can be RE'd and they actually show the 20% chance. I didn't get a schematic from one yet but I will try to find out if it's correct that you can actually learn them.

Yes, Oricon stuff is grade 28. Premium/Green quality Grade 28 schematics are available at the trainer. You then have to craft the greens and RE to blue, then craft the blues to RE to purple.

if you haven't done any RE for low level mods etc would it affect the chances of getting the shematic when you RE the level 53 greens?

if you haven't done any RE for low level mods etc would it affect the chances of getting the shematic when you RE the level 53 greens?

It should not. The 20% chance is constant.

Thanks for this info - you're at the top of Google when searching for that question, and you answer it beautifully.

+50 internetz

Thanks for the info. I didn't search well enough and started a thread asking the very question that this thread answers. Sorry bout that.

I appreciate the info. I was looking for them just to update my own stuff. But I didn't realize the massive cost. So I think I will be happy with all my mods, enhancement and armor as well as earpieces, implants and so on at the max level I can make....53 or 54. I don't need aggravation and frustration and can't afford the bother of making the 55.

Great guide by the way, Really well written and gives all the info without coming across in a snarky or condescending way. Again thanks for this post.

Is there a reason this post has not been stickied? It certainly should be if for no other reason than to prevent people like me starting other threads that this one could answer right on the first page.

Would be nice to have this stickied.

When makes came out 162 rating was top in FPHM and my toons were min/maxed on it. Was great for Oricon and smashing through those FPHM's.

Do makes at 53-54. You'll hit 55. Then hit Oricon and get easy 156 gear. Now do FPHM till you get a full set of 162/168 which ever comes first. Drops or comms.

Now in Operations and geared up 180 rating. Still have not changed my mind as 162 is just fine and a great start to operations. Get your set bonus of course.

Banging out ops and elite comms will be maxed each week. Great for alts and comps.

Crafting wise I was on my own so alts did my crew skills. I made purples every 8-10 levels. So fresh gear from level 9-13 depending on stat and every 8-10 levels I have a set in legacy gear waiting for my lowbies and their companions.

Saved tons of credits this way and built up a lot of mats. This made leveling up new characters and gearing them properly a breeze.

Again not 100% sure but I think token acquired gear is REable but comms purchased gear is not. So Black Market, Verpine, and Oriconian gear is not REable but Arkanian, Underworld, and Dread Forged is. Basically you have to raid to get the tokens to get the chance to RE. Doing that is tough because there is always someone who can use the token gear.

 

Again, correct, only tokengear is REable for implants, earpieces and relics, so Arkanian, Underworld and Dread Forged, but not Black Market, Verpine, Oriconian. Also, Nightmare mode gear isn't REable (Kell Dragon, Dread Touched). Arkanian relics bought with Basic Comms are also REable.

Just to be on the safe side, the above is for directly equippable stuff like earpieces, implants or relics.

It does work with hilts, barrels, armorings, mods, enhancements. Augments, I don't know, would tend to say it doesn't (I've never had the "green light" on them to RE after taking them out of an augmented legacy shell)

Right after posting on this tread a few months ago I gave it a try and RE'd the hilt of the first thing I ever bought with basic comms - http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/47075/black-market-foestoppers-mk-1-offhand-saber

= Got the 162 hilt schematic on my first try.

My knight had sent it to my artificer Sorcerer via a legacy sword: http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/50995/sword-of-the-vigilant

The fact that the mats are simply not worth the effort, as a side topic, is another thing, and is true. Mass manipulation generator... keep that for 180 grade stuff, at any rate.

+2.2 - tell me legacy weapon shells DO take offhand barrels/hilts, please

Yes. As a matter of fact they recently added more legacy offhand items available at the Gree event vendor on Ilum. It used to be there was only a lightsaber and blaster pistol designed to accept both main hand and off-hand hilts and barrels. The vendor is always there but the event is not. Furthermore, I believe these legacy pieces do require some of the event tokens.

So I confirm this, sword of the vigilant http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/50995/sword-of-the-vigilant works for offhand weapons as well.

The blasters and rifles at the BBA on the Cartel Market used to sell for 250k, now they cost 12 completed bounty contracts apiece. Sniper wookie bowcasters were 750k, don't know the token cost today. Reputation requirements vary.

The Gree weapons on the western shelf of Ilum sell for 18-24 gray helixes. Champion reputation with the Gree.

The sword of the Vigilant costs half a million credits and requires Champion standing with Czerka (Adjudicators/Ordinance Corps)

Note: I edited this answer, as I had missed on the specifically mentioned implants, relics and earpieces.

So I confirm this, sword of the vigilant http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/gear/50995/sword-of-the-vigilant works for offhand weapons as well.

 

The blasters and rifles at the BBA on the Cartel Market used to sell for 250k, now they cost 12 completed bounty contracts apiece. Sniper wookie bowcasters were 750k, don't know the token cost today. Reputation requirements vary.

The Gree weapons on the western shelf of Ilum sell for 18-24 gray helixes. Champion reputation with the Gree.

The sword of the Vigilant costs half a million credits and requires Champion standing with Czerka (Adjudicators/Ordinance Corps)

 

 

Note: I edited this answer, as I had missed on the specifically mentioned implants, relics and earpieces.

Just wanted to add:

Gree is the only Vendor that sells Legacy OH with Armoring slots and they only cost 8 Helixes.

Just to be on the safe side, the above is for directly equippable stuff like earpieces, implants or relics.

ALL equip-able token gear is REable including "clothing" (head, chest, hands, wrists, waist, legs, feet) and held items (weapons, shields, generators, foci). BUT when you get the schematic it is only for the empty shell (no item modifications included), and apparently the "clothing" becomes adaptive

Just wanted to add:

Gree is the only Vendor that sells Legacy OH with Armoring slots and they only cost 8 Helixes.

Really? I didn't notice that. Cool! Shields, foci, generators...

ALL equip-able token gear is REable including "clothing" (head, chest, hands, wrists, waist, legs, feet) and held items (weapons, shields, generators, foci). BUT when you get the schematic it is only for the empty shell (no item modifications included), and apparently the "clothing" becomes adaptive

I was focusing on the non-token part of that talk / elements for moddable shells.

It becomes adaptive? How cool is that...

so can you RE any of the drops (mods/armoring/etc) to pray/hope you get the schematics for those?

You got it

The catch is acquisition of the items to RE and the 20% chance to get the schematic.