Hey guys. I've started a Smuggler and went for Armstech. I know Armstech requires Investigation and Scavenging for materials, but I've already got 3 toons with Scavenging, and it really feels pointless to take it again when they can easily provide the mats.

 

Any good alternative?

Slicing isn't related to any skill and can give good GTN materials and lockboxes to stop money loss (but not much profit). Underworld Trading sells well on GTN I think.

 

Just mail the mats over or buy them off GTN.

Slicing is always a good 'filler' crew skill, and Risha does have a small +1 bonus crit chance for slicing.

 

Depending on what other crew skills you have or don't have across your character, you could add anything, though for an increased crit chance, Akavi is the only other companion with a bonus for Smugglers with +2 for Bioanalysis.

Edited April 17, 2014 by DawnAskham

Depends on what you do on your other toons (are you running out of anything?), and who your Primary Companion is, and who is running the shop.If you do not lack anything, I would just pick something depending on the market on your server, which material sells. Highest Crit on TH, or Efficiency on UWT, efficiency on Arch (I think there is +10 on Tuno) on the crafting companions from my limited experience, and I did not try Bio/Bio/Dip yet. UWT seems to be the most valuable atm, but I keep expecting everyone to start running UWT and market collapse.... just when I start my second phase toons that are UWT heavy. Edited April 22, 2014 by DomiSotto

Treasure hunting provides gifts for companions. And better than gifts, you can also receive gift fragments that allow you to choose the gifts you need the most.

Good for all your companions and you future alts.

 

Companion have better results (crit rate and efficiency) when affection is 10000/10000. (1)

 

Edited April 23, 2014 by Umbura

Treasure hunting provides gifts for companions. And better than gifts, you can also receive gift fragments that allow you to choose the gifts you need the most.

Good for all your companions and you future alts.

 

Companion have better results (crit rate and efficiency) when affection is 10000/10000. (1)

 

Personally, I hate gift fragments. Why? because I am always either a couple short or a couple over what I need.

 

Furthermore if one is looking for companion gift missions, the better choice is Underworld trading for the simple fact that the materials from UWT are more sought.

I find that UWT/Invest is better for levels 1-4 AP AND when you have many more toons to develop, for obvious reason that you get what you've asked for and you have dozens of companions to please. But as your toon cast matures, TH becomes a better choice, because from ground up, from level 1 you get something you are marketing towards people on levels 30+ who presumably have money to spend on trying to max out AP achievements on Ashara, Qyzen, Risha, Malavai.... Heck, you can always use some of lvl 5 if you are stuck to get your Lvl 4 APs cheaper than buying most lvl4 gifts. At least on my server.

 

Or maybe I just see TH through the rosy glasses of someone who is right now running Vette and Zenith in parallel.... while UWT is still waiting to happen.

Edited April 23, 2014 by DomiSotto

Personally, I hate gift fragments. Why? because I am always either a couple short or a couple over what I need.

If one plans on having multiple crafting alts, than Treasure Hunting's gift fragments can be a great boon.

 

11 out of all 44 companions in the game gain the most affection from Weapons gifts making them the most valuable both for use and for sale. One can make buckets of credits selling Unique Rakata Grenades and Energy Blade Bayonettes without a lot of effort. And gift fragments are the very best way to do this.

 

Cultural Artifacts are the second most commonly-liked type of gifts (among all companions) and are particularly useful in getting one's ship droid to 10,000 and equipping a +5 crit sensor.

If one plans on having multiple crafting alts, than Treasure Hunting's gift fragments can be a great boon.

 

11 out of all 44 companions in the game gain the most affection from Weapons gifts making them the most valuable both for use and for sale. One can make buckets of credits selling Unique Rakata Grenades and Energy Blade Bayonettes without a lot of effort. And gift fragments are the very best way to do this.

 

Cultural Artifacts are the second most commonly-liked type of gifts (among all companions) and are particularly useful in getting one's ship droid to 10,000 and equipping a +5 crit sensor.

 

OK, I can see that.

 

But the fact of the matter is that I run UWT gift missions all the time (they are my fall back when no other "good" mission is available), so I literally have a cargo hold tab full of them (all types) just waiting to be used.

 

Furthermore, one can get a companion from 0 to 6k affection buying the Grade 1 gifts from the vendor in the GTN quadrant; all it takes is about 60,000 credits and 15 minutes. One can push that to 8k affection with another ~120k credits and 10 more minutes. So all it takes is 20 or so of the right grade 5 gifts to get to 10k affection.

Sure, if credits are no object... I usually sink credits in the Legacy AP unlocks; continuously hunt the GTN for discount gifts and run missions. Don't get me wrong, I do want UWT. In fact I crave UWT. Just did not happen on my first trio. Part of the fun Edited April 23, 2014 by DomiSotto