To date, I've not been a PvPer in this game at all.

 

However, I've been thinking about giving it a try.

 

My (Commando dps) main is currently geared in fully augmented black hole / rakata. I'm only a few pieces away from a complete itemized PvE set.

 

My question is, is the missing Expertise stat so significant that I should use the base Recruit gear instead? I'm concerned because when I put on the set, my health drops from 20k to 13k and my primary damage goes from 921-1202 to 658-914.

 

That's a 35% health loss and a 24% dps loss, which the Recruit set expertise doesn't seem to cover.

 

But seeing so many threads complaining about fools that don't use PvP gear, I figured I'd ask first.

Yes, expertise isn't optional for PvP.

Yes, expertise isn't optional for PvP.

 

This, get the free recruit set and maybe mix in a couple peices of your best PvE gear to offset the low HP and main stat you will have and that will be your best bet. It might even be worth it to just go full recruit for now.

You might want to mix and match some pieces for a little expertise, but at that gear level you are probably fine due to the much higher stats. Those stats should give more damage and health to last longer than the 900 or so expertise on the recruit set will. Edited August 2, 2012 by Draekos

Your top of the line PvE gear will be equal to bottom of the line PvP gear to put it simply. If you are rakata or better.... use it to get your coms for the BM set. It'll be about the same as recruit gear. Either way... grind BM... it won't take long.

Interesting.

 

One question I have about the unequivocal "Yes" I got for using a full set of Recruit over my PvE.

 

According to AskMrRobot, a full set of Recruit gives 896 expertise, which translates into 18% damage boost and 15% damage resistance.

 

Is there some other part of Expertise I'm missing? A 25% dps loss isn't made up by a 18% damage boost. And a 15% damage resistance doesn't make up for a 35% health loss.

 

I'm not trying to disagree here, I'm just trying to see if there's something I'm missing.

At level 40, you can start turning in Comms for RWZ comms at the PvP Items vendor on your fleet. At 30 regular for 10 Ranked, it might seem like a waste, but you'll have a LOT more Comms for BM gear by the time you hit 50. You should have close to 3500 Ranked comms and you can convert them back to Regular comms for the BM gear at a 10 for 10 ratio. I realize this is a little late for your current PvP toon, OP. Just for future reference on new PvP toons. Edited August 2, 2012 by Captain_Zone

Dude just try it first, i think that if u r in BH gear, u may be on par with other players

Interesting.

 

One question I have about the unequivocal "Yes" I got for using a full set of Recruit over my PvE.

 

According to AskMrRobot, a full set of Recruit gives 896 expertise, which translates into 18% damage boost and 15% damage resistance.

 

Is there some other part of Expertise I'm missing? A 25% dps loss isn't made up by a 18% damage boost. And a 15% damage resistance doesn't make up for a 35% health loss.

 

I'm not trying to disagree here, I'm just trying to see if there's something I'm missing.

 

 

You're not taking into account their expertise. If you see 18% damage boost plus they are getting a 15% damage resistance from their expertise that's 33% less damage you're doing and 33% more damage they are doing to you.

Edited August 3, 2012 by darthruff

I think their expertise has that effect (damage reduction/damage increase) regardless of whether he is wearing black hole gear or recruit gear. Meaning his expertise rating does not eliminate or push off the table their expertise. They will have 15% damage reduction (or damage boost) either way so he should not be considering his opponent's expertise at all in this analysis.

 

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.

Groovy.

 

I tried one warzone so far, and it went quite well for me. It was probably against a poor group seeing as how I'm a) very new to PvP and not very good and b) Commando dps which many complain is a terrible class for PvP.

 

I'll keep going and see how it goes.

I personally think ranged DPS PVE players transition well into PvP... You probably have your rotation down pat, and you're just going to stand back and pound people.... Not that different from running ops!

 

I think you'll have fun.

You're not taking into account their expertise. If you see 18% damage boost plus they are getting a 15% damage resistance from their expertise that's 33% less damage you're doing and 33% more damage they are doing to you.

 

Fuzzy-Math there man. You cant just add the changes like that. You cannot control other players EXP number. It is what it is. All you can do is say which gear gives me the most potential to do damage/heal. BH/RAK gear is far superior to recruit gear in PvP. In fact, columi is pretty close (better imo).

 

 

Here I am with 5RAK/7COL:

http://s1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh590/ldogg1579/?action=view&current=SWTORCOLUMI_RAK-1.jpg

Force in Balance rating: 1520-1584

HP: 16322

 

 

Here I am in Recruit:

http://s1253.photobucket.com/albums/hh590/ldogg1579/?action=view&current=SWTORRECRUIT.jpg

Force in Balance: 1249-1313 *1.1662= 1457-1532

HP: 12352

Just grind full BM gear... should not take more than a few days and BM is DEFINITELY better in PvP than any of your PvE gear.

 

Until you start acquiring BM pieces it doesn't really matter. Like I said, top tier PvE will perform near on par with recruit gear in the end.

Rakata/BH is better than recruit. BM is greater than Rakata/BH for PVP. Just grind for BM. Recruit is for people who have Columni and worse.

Rakata/BH is better than recruit. BM is greater than Rakata/BH for PVP. Just grind for BM. Recruit is for people who have Columni and worse.

Columi > Recruit, too.

 

500 expertise with high primary stat gives better results than 900 expertise with utterly crappy primary stat.

 

I've done some WZs with my PvE earpiece/implants lately (BH vs WH, BH belt and rest WH, all augmented), and there's not been that much difference as a heal merc played hybrid heal/DPS.

 

 

I've not seen any clear damage calculator, I should try on a dummy but I suspect augmented BM shells with WH mods/enhancements and offensive 26 PvE armorings could be a great combo (+32 main stat, +15 end, -50 expertise), at least on some pieces so that you still have a decent expertise. The issue is you take a little more damage in a bigger pool, so you're not so easily healed, but it's worth a try.

Edited August 3, 2012 by JMCH

Having done several warzones in my high-end PvE gear and several more in Recruit gear, the idea that recruit is on a par with the best PvE gear is a myth.

 

Whenever I would swap my BH/Rakata gear for Recruit it would take much longer to kill anyone, I died much faster and didn't accomplish much at all.

 

Only when I started getting Battlemaster gear did I notice any impact on my performance -- I'm replacing my PvE gear one piece at a time.

 

Granted, if you're a fresh 50, recruit gear is going to beat whatever you have. But if you're coming from a successful PvE endgame and want to give PvP a try, recruit isn't the way to go.