What are some of the good ones? I wasn't really sure how it all worked but I am trying to get into crafting, specifically for my IA sniper. I would like to be able to make my own weapons and armor, as well as maybe my own mods. Can I make better stuff than what I can buy with credits/comms? I lucked out with a pretty good sniper rifle on Drommund Kaas but I am on Nar Shaaddaa now and I could really use a new rifle. I picked up Armortech but haven't tried it out. What are some good skills in general and what would be useful for an IA sniper?

If your sniper rifle is orange (moddable) don't forget that you can spend your planetary commendations to buy barrel, mod and enhancement in order to upgrade it.

 

As for your question, here is a copy/paste from another post of mine:

- you can only have one crafting skill (so you cannot make both armors and weapons, you have to pick one)

- a self sufficient character would have: a crafting skill + a gathering skill + a mission skill

- they are listed in your codex (shortcut "L", select "Codex" tab at the bottom) in the crew skills chapter. For each skill, you have the list of the other compatible skills.

 

for example, armormech (crafting) + scavenging (gathering) + underworld trading (mission)

 

From a leveling point of view

- armormech for the armor pieces or even the odd orange gear schematic you can pick along

- armstech for the barrels (since they're expensive to buy with planetary commendations). Also for the weapons for your companions and your offhands.

- biochem for the stim and medpack

- cybertech for the armoring, mods, droid parts and ship upgrade components (if you like to do space missions)

 

From an endgame point of view:

- biochem is good to make your own stims /adrenals

- cybertech for your own armoring/mods

- slicing for the 1-click quick money return (if you don't like to craft and sell on the GTN), or the purple missions you can use or sell, or the purple component for augments

- armstech and armormech for the augments crafting

 

Enhancements are made with the artifice skill but for a non Force user it's not worth picking unless you want to sell hilt and cristal to Force users...

I think the main answer is you can buy just about anything you can craft (some endgame exceptions, but if you're that hardcore about PvP get info from your PvP guild). Problem is its usually pretty expensive to buy.

I'd craft to sell, whatever you craft you can use yourself and you can make enough money to buy the rest. On my server there aren't a lot of armstech for sale but they don't sell well either. Armormech on the other hand sells quite well. Try to learn purple level armors, they sell for good money. You can buy mods and weapons with your profit.

After having tried them all, I would say (in order of most useful / pays off best)

 

- Cybertech / Artifice : most useful across toons. You can make armoring, mods, enhancement and crystals. Also, most of what you craft sells very well. You also make droid parts, speeders and spaceship parts.

 

- Biochem for adrenals and implants. Good sellers as well. You can also make medpacs.

 

- Armstech for barrels, blasters and rifles.

 

The others have been marginally useful. Armortech and Synthweaving are ok but with so much armor dropping from the quests and missions there isn't much special you can produce.

After having tried them all, I would say (in order of most useful / pays off best)

 

- Cybertech / Artifice : most useful across toons. You can make armoring, mods, enhancement and crystals. Also, most of what you craft sells very well. You also make droid parts, speeders and spaceship parts.

 

- Biochem for adrenals and implants. Good sellers as well. You can also make medpacs.

 

- Armstech for barrels, blasters and rifles.

 

The others have been marginally useful. Armortech and Synthweaving are ok but with so much armor dropping from the quests and missions there isn't much special you can produce.

 

I would almost agree with this, but would add some explanation.

 

I have a 400 level crafter for each of the skills (Cybertch, Artifice, Armstech, Armormech, Synthweaving, Biochem).

 

1. The one I use/used the most both for leveling up initially and for gearing up alts is Cybertech, hands down. It allows you to craft for yourself 2/3 slots on Orange Armors and a slot on Orange Weapons/Offhands. The armorings and mods available from planetary comm vendors are almost always the higher endurance versions (Guardian, Force Wielder, Commando, Patron). While the others are available, level-wise, they seemed to be behind. So, on Drommund Kaas for example, the comm vendor sells Guardian Armoring 4 and 5, but only Might Armoring 4. Same with mods. So, Cybertech allowed me to keep my toons' orange gear updated. Which also allows you to spend the planetary comms on other things, which is nice. And as has already been pointed out, the things you can make with Cybertech generally sell well on the GTN.

 

2. Artifice was the second best for leveling up my main and alts, as it allowed me to craft items to fill out the remaining slots on all Orange Armor/Weapons/Offhands. It also sells quite well on the GTN.

 

3. Armstech was helpful for the Barrels I could make, and is helpful at Endgame for being able to craft Augments and Augment Kits.

 

4. Armormech and Synthweaving are generally the same. They both craft Armor (including Orange Armors) that can be used by alts/companions or sold on the GTN. Similarly, it's helpful at endgame for the Augments and Augment kits, as well as the Rakata level belts/bracers that are Bind on Pickup that can be made. So, by no means are these skills worthless.

 

5. Biochem is the one I used the least while leveling up. I always seemed to have plenty of medpacks from just looting mobs. However, it's certainly helpful since you can make your own medpacks (of better quality) and stims as well as implants. And the Rakata level medpacks and stims are wonderful for endgame. Plus, being able to make Exotech stims for the GTN or a guild/friends is extremely helpful at endgame as well.

 

TLDR: All the skills are viable and decent. For leveling up both a main and alts, Cybertech and Artifice seemed to be the most useful. For endgame utility, I think Biochem is the most useful. For moneymaking and help both leveling and for a jumpstart on endgame gear, Armormech/Synthweaving are fantastic. It all just depends on what you want/need and what class you're playing.

I would almost agree with this, but would add some explanation.

 

I have a 400 level crafter for each of the skills (Cybertch, Artifice, Armstech, Armormech, Synthweaving, Biochem).

 

1. The one I use/used the most both for leveling up initially and for gearing up alts is Cybertech, hands down. It allows you to craft for yourself 2/3 slots on Orange Armors and a slot on Orange Weapons/Offhands. The armorings and mods available from planetary comm vendors are almost always the higher endurance versions (Guardian, Force Wielder, Commando, Patron). While the others are available, level-wise, they seemed to be behind. So, on Drommund Kaas for example, the comm vendor sells Guardian Armoring 4 and 5, but only Might Armoring 4. Same with mods. So, Cybertech allowed me to keep my toons' orange gear updated. Which also allows you to spend the planetary comms on other things, which is nice. And as has already been pointed out, the things you can make with Cybertech generally sell well on the GTN.

 

2. Artifice was the second best for leveling up my main and alts, as it allowed me to craft items to fill out the remaining slots on all Orange Armor/Weapons/Offhands. It also sells quite well on the GTN.

 

3. Armstech was helpful for the Barrels I could make, and is helpful at Endgame for being able to craft Augments and Augment Kits.

 

4. Armormech and Synthweaving are generally the same. They both craft Armor (including Orange Armors) that can be used by alts/companions or sold on the GTN. Similarly, it's helpful at endgame for the Augments and Augment kits, as well as the Rakata level belts/bracers that are Bind on Pickup that can be made. So, by no means are these skills worthless.

 

5. Biochem is the one I used the least while leveling up. I always seemed to have plenty of medpacks from just looting mobs. However, it's certainly helpful since you can make your own medpacks (of better quality) and stims as well as implants. And the Rakata level medpacks and stims are wonderful for endgame. Plus, being able to make Exotech stims for the GTN or a guild/friends is extremely helpful at endgame as well.

 

TLDR: All the skills are viable and decent. For leveling up both a main and alts, Cybertech and Artifice seemed to be the most useful. For endgame utility, I think Biochem is the most useful. For moneymaking and help both leveling and for a jumpstart on endgame gear, Armormech/Synthweaving are fantastic. It all just depends on what you want/need and what class you're playing.

 

 

Very helpful thank you

Personally i dont craft anymore.

 

I have found that diplomacy, scavenging and slicing were the most useful.

 

Why?

 

Well when i do flashpoints there are very often short cuts that can be used by either a slicer or a scavenger. Extremly helpful for the entire group.

 

Diplomacy gives me control of my dark/light alignment and a heafty supply of companion gifts.

 

Slicing provides the credit boxs which are a great source of second income.

 

That is just my 2 cents on the matter.

Edited November 29, 2012 by kirorx

I craft mostly for my own alts as I level them up. Once you get to L50 there isn't much you can do but go on to dailies and upgrade at vendors. At 50, Artifice (+41 Crystals) is about the only thing you can make of great value. I have some Rakata recipes on another skill but they are bound on pickup, so they only serve my own char , which is kind of silly to me.