First look at SWTOR 7.0 Legendary Items for Sages/Sorcerers, Scoundrels/Operatives, and Vanguards/Powertechs, new gearing and UI on PTS!
This gearing PTS update is only available on the Republic side, though I will be providing translations for Imperial players.
What are Legendary Items
With 7.0, old 6.0 set bonuses are going away and instead we’re getting Legendary Items, which basically just put set bonus effects on your implants. This change has several benefits:
- Faster Gearing – You’ll only need 2 pieces of gear to get the full effect of a full set bonus as opposed to 6.
- Greater Customization – Since the 4 and 6 piece bonuses are essentially decoupled, you will be able to mix and match them. There will clearly still be optimal builds.
- More Inventory Space – Some disciplines even in the same role require completely different set bonuses. This took up a lot of space in inventory. With Legendary Items, you’ll only need to keep 2 pieces of gear for each discipline as opposed to 6.
- Slightly Simpler Gearing – By making it so you get a full benefit from a single piece of gear, it’s a bit easier for new players to understand.
You might notice that what I just said is a bit different from what BioWare announced yesterday. BioWare has since updated their article to reflect what is actually on the PTS.
I am very curious if BioWare plans to merge tactical item effects into the earpiece slot since that would help to cut down on gearing even more. I do have a couple of concerns about the current PTS implementation of Legendary items:
Tertiary Stats
Just so we’re clear, tertiary stats include Crit, Accuracy, Alacrity, Shield, and Absorb. If these stats remain on the implants (and ear if that will have tactical items), they will be obnoxious to manage and reduce the amount of inventory space freed up by the change since different disciplines often have different stat requirements. This could be mitigated by just making the tertiary stats for each discipline align with the differences in stat requirements, but I think it would be much better to just move tertiary stats off of implants (and ear) altogether and redistribute them to the armor.
Visual Differentiation
With tactical items and set bonus gear, it’s easy to tell at a glance what effect the item has because they have a distinct picture. The icons for implants (and earpieces) have different colors to denote the tertiary stat they provide, but otherwise have the exact same icon. This may not be too much of an issue thanks to loadouts, but it would be better if they had completely different pictures.
UPDATE: You can learn more about Loadouts in SWTOR 7.0 from my guide. It explains what this system is, how it works, what is saved in a Loadout and other tips and tricks you can do with them.
Available Legendary Items List with Effects and Stats
BioWare has said that this is just the first batch of Legendary Items and that there may be more.
Here are all of the Legendary Items effects currently available on the PTS broken down by Combat Style.
Sage and Sorcerer
- Dynamic Force – The cooldown of Force Potency / Recklessness is reduced by 15 seconds.
- Empowered Restorer – Activating Force Barrier puts a barrier on nearby allies, absorbing some damage and granting them an additional 25% elemental damage reduction while active. Lasts up to 8 seconds. (Unyielding Protector 4-Piece)
- Unmatched Haste – The duration of Mental Alacrity / Polarity Shift is increased by 5 seconds and using Force Speed reduces the active cooldown of Mental Alacrity / Polarity Shift by 5 seconds. (This is the current effect of the 6-piece for the Gathering Storm set)
- Gathering Storm – No effect listed, but has the same name as the set bonus. Given that the 6-piece effect is provided by Unmatched Haste, I bet this is just the 4-piece effect: “Force Speed makes your next Force attack deal 20% more damage and you deal 20% more damage while Polarity Shift is active.”
- Revitalize – While Rejuvenate / Resurgence is active on a target, it has a 15% chance to spontaneously heal the target whenever it receives non-Rejuvenate healing from you.
Vanguard and Powertech
- Shock Trooper – The Energy Cell / Heat cost of Shockstrike / Flaming Fist and Stockstrike / Rocket Punch is reduced by 4. Shockstrike / Flaming Fist, Tactical Surge / Magnetic Blast, and Energy Blast / Burst increase damage dealt by 10% for 15 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds. (Meteor Brawler 4-Piece)
- Specialist – Battle Focus / Explosive Fuel increases damage done by 20% while Ion Cell / Gas Cylinder is being utilized and increases damage reduction by 10% while Ion Cell / Gas Cylinder is not being utilized. (Right Price 4-Piece)
- Squad Leader – Whenever you take damage with Reactive / Energy Shield, a weaker shield is applied to nearby allies for 3 seconds. (Squad leader 4-piece)
- Supercommando – Activating Power Yield (or equivalent new ability) grants a shield that absorbs 1.62 million damage. Lasts up to 3 seconds. (Emergency Power 6-piece)
- Veteran Ranger (1) – Each Shoulder Cannon rocket has a 75% chance to trigger an additional rocket. (Part of Veteran Ranger 6-Piece)
- Veteran Ranger (2) – When Shoulder Cannon is put on cooldown, it applies Autocannon to you for 60 seconds, firing a rocket at your current target whenever you deal direct damage. This additional rocket can fire once every 10 seconds. (Part of Veteran Ranger 6-Piece)
I’m personally surprised that the Meteor Brawler 6-Piece (big explosion + Firefall) wasn’t present given that it’s one of the most popular sets of 6.0. That said, it was pretty obnoxious to deal with and gave VGs / PTs a ton of extra burst. In addition, Vanguard and Powertech changes appear to be in a more complete form now, so I will have an analysis article about that soon.
Scoundrel and Operative
- Field Medic – Activating a healing ability has a 15% chance to grant Field Medic’s Critical Bonus, which causes your next Underworld Medicine / Kolto Injection to automatically critically hit. Cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds. (from pre-6.0 Field Medic set bonus)
- Locked and Loaded – Activating Defense Screen / Shield Probe creates an absorb shield around each ally within 5m. Lasts up to X (10?) seconds and absorbs X amount of damage. (Probe Tech 4-Piece)
- Mini Shield – No description. I think that this one is supposed to have the effect of Locked and Loaded. I have no idea what the other effect could be though.
- Tactician – Gaining Upper Hand / Tactical Advantage increases your crit chance by 10% for 10 seconds. This effect can only occur once every 18 seconds. In addition, Hot Streak / Tactical Overdrive resets the cooldowns of Tendon Blast / Sever Tendon (note: this ability is pruned) and Triage / Toxic Scan.
- Tactician’s Focus – No description. Given the name, I think it might be the 6-piece effect of the Tactician’s set bonus, which has the following effect: “Upper Hand / Tactical Advantage can gain an additional stack and having a(n) Upper Hand / Tactical Advantage increases your damage and healing dealt by 5%.
- Trapper – Bushwhack / Toxic Haze refunds an Upper Hand / Tactical Advantage and no longer costs Energy.
Commando and Mercenary
- Advanced Scanning – Reduces the cooldown of Advanced Medical Probe / Healing Scan by 1.5 seconds and the cooldown of Bacta Infusion / Emergency Scan by 3 seconds.
- Concentrated Fire – Activating Supercharged Cell / Gas makes your next High Impact Bolt / Rail Shot, Mag Bolt / Shot, or Bacta Infusion / Emergency Scan critically hit or heal. (Concentrated Fire 6-Piece)
- Random Charge – Damaging an enemy or healing an ally has a 10% chance to generate a stack of Supercharge. Cannot occur more than once every 5 seconds. (Concentrated Fire 4-Piece)
- Target Eliminator Package – Demolition Round / Heatseeker Missiles and Serrated Bolt / Shot increase damage dealt by 2% for 15 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds.
Guardian and Juggernaut
- Champion’s Precision – Combat Focus / Enrage (or equivalent ability) grants Champion’s Precision, increasing your critical chance by 5% for 8 seconds.
- Force Resistance – Increases Elemental, Internal, Kinetic, and Energy damage reduction by 3%.
- Retaliator – Riposte / Retaliate has no cooldown. (Flawless Riposte 4-Piece)
Sentinel and Marauder
- Dispatcher’s Challenge – Activating Twin / Dual Saber Throw grants Dispatcher’s Challenge, making your next Dispatch / Vicious Throw critically hit. (Culling Blade 6-Piece)
- Retaliator – Reduces the cooldown of Valorous Call / Frenzy by 15 seconds. Additionally, activating Zen / Berserk increases all damage dealt by 3% for 10 seconds. (Pre-6.0 Weaponmaster set bonus)
- Vicious Thirst – Slash / Vicious Slash, Blade Rush / Massacre, and Cyclone / Sweeping Slash add Vicious Thirst stacks to their targets, stacking up to 5 times. Killing an enemy with Vicious Thirst stacks increases your damage by 3% per stack for 10 seconds. (Perfect Form 6-Piece)
- Shadow and AssassinForce Resistance – Increases Elemental, Internal, Kinetic, and Energy damage reduction by 3%
You can now find the new and complete Guide to Legendary Items in SWTOR 7.0. It includes instructions on how to unlock them and a full list of all currently available Legendary Implants in the game.
Here is a quick preview of what the items UI looks for the moment:
In case you missed the initial release to the Empire mirror classes in earlier versions of PTS, below are links to the changes preview and analytics articles for each one. Each one also contains translations from Empire terms to Republic:
- SWTOR 7.0 Sorcerer Changes Preview and Analysis (October PTS)
- SWTOR 7.0 Powertech Changes Preview and Analysis (PTS)
- SWTOR 7.0 PTS New UI and Sniper and Operative Changes
Changes to Gearing in 7.0
Here is detailed info taken from a forum post by BioWare:
In this PTS, you can obtain starting gear at the 318 Gear Vendor on the Fleet. Once you have this gear [sic] completing Conquest, Flashpoints, Operations, Heroic Mission, and Daily Mission will provide players with gear or materials for upgrading gear.
When completing Flashpoints and Operations, bosses will have a chance to drop a piece of their gear set or upgrade materials. Gear that drops will be an equal item rating to gear you already have, or at the minimum item rating which is currently 320 for all content.
Weekly Missions for Flashpoints and Operations reward the player with a crate containing a guaranteed upgrade. This crate will scan your equipped gear and give you an upgrade for the slot with the lowest item rating, up to the item rating cap for that content.
The primary source of gear and gear upgrades will come from completing Weekly Missions instead of defeating bosses. They will be available for picking up on the Priority Missions Terminals on the Fleet.
Gear Sets in 7.0
Gear progression has been divided into content types to provide progression no matter your preferred difficulty. The following gear sets are available:
Decurion Set
- Purchased from Vendor with Medal of Commendations
- Upgraded with Medal of Commendations
Noble Decurion Set
- Obtained from Veteran Flashpoints
- Upgraded with Decurion Isotope Stabilizers
Elite Decurion Set
- Obtained from Master Flashpoints
- Upgraded with Decurion Isotope Stabilizers
Tionese Set
- Obtained from Story Operations
- Upgraded with Hazardous Matter Catalyst
Columi Set
- Obtained from Veteran Operations
- Upgraded with Hazardous Matter Catalyst
Rakata Set
- Obtained from Master Operations
- Upgraded with Hazardous Matter Catalyst
Important Materials for Gearing
Medal of Commendation
Medals of Commendation are earned through most in-game activities but primarily come from Conquest completion. Medals of Commendation are used to purchase Decurion Gear and are a requirement for upgrading gear.
Aquatic Resource Matrix
Aquatic Resource Matrices are earned primarily by completing Daily Area and Heroic Missions but can be earned in smaller amounts in various activities. Matrices are required for gear upgrades.
Decurion Isotope Stabilizer
Decurion Isotope Stabilizers can be earned by defeating bosses in Flashpoints and completing Weekly Flashpoint missions. More stabilizers are given for clearing on higher difficulties.
Hazardous Matter Catalyst
Hazardous Matter Catalysts can be earned by completing weekly Operations missions and by defeating Operations bosses. More catalysts are given for clearing on higher difficulties.
How gearing will work in 7.0
There will be a deeper dive into 7.0 gearing early next week. It seems like you’ll start with 318 or 320 gear, probably the equivalent of the green gear given to you on Onderon and Mek-Sha, and then upgrade that by trading in your current armor with the new Medal of Commendation currency that will replace Tech Fragments and endgame crafting materials.
It seems that you get guaranteed steady progression through the upgrade system alongside random leaps forward through direct drops from bosses, if you’re doing harder content.
This sounds like it might be a return to 3.0 days where you have to do the hardest content to get the best gear.
There also appears to be a separate gearing track for PvP gear with the prefix Thyrsian (as opposed to Decurion), though this wasn’t mentioned in the forum post. It seems like there is supposed to be independent gearing progression for Conquest activities, Operations, and PvP.
It’s unclear how they will differ in terms of stats, though I don’t see any Expertise on the base PvP gear, so it’s likely that stats will just differ in terms of distribution, like you need more accuracy for raiding than PvP. I wonder how useful gear for one type of content will be in another.
It is unclear how crafting will connect with this new gearing system. If you have to turn in your old piece of gear to upgrade it, are you going to have to augment it every time you get an upgrade? Are you going to have to remember to rip out the augment before upgrading?
Implants are currently made by Biochem, which already has reusables. Will implant crafting remain useless at level 80 as it’s been for so long or will Biochem become the premier endgame crafting skill if it can craft Legendary Items? Same question for Cybertech if tactical items end up getting rolled into earpieces.
What Gear Prefixes mean
Here’s what the gear prefixes mean:
- Tionese, Columi, Rakata – These were the names of the original 3 tiers of endgame gear back in 1.0. Each of them refer to a different race / planet in the Star Wars universe.
- Decurion – The word for a Roman cavalry officer. Fitting name for Conquest gear, though unfortunately not Star-Wars themed.
- Thyrsian – Refers to an Echani subspecies from the planet Thyrsus.
BioWare posted an official announcement revealing more details on how EndGame Gearing will work in SWTOR 7.0. You can read my recap and analysis in this linked here post.
Brand New Character Customization Interface
There is a brand new Character Customization interface UI that encompasses the Character Sheet, Abilities Window, Inventory, and Combat Proficiencies Window.
I am most intrigued by the simplification to the 3 stats shown above. You can still see a WIP detailed breakdown where I imagine the current stats would go, but SWTOR’s stats don’t currently fit neatly into Damage, Survivability, and Support and stat thresholds don’t mesh well with the 3 stats system at all.
It’s unclear how those numbers are being calculated as well. This 3 stats system is fairly popular nowadays though, so I’m not surprised that BioWare is trying to integrate it into this game.
Stats in SWTOR as we know them would probably need to be thrown out if BioWare wishes to use this system, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing since stats are extremely overcomplicated in this game.
Below are a few more screenshots from the newly redesigned, but still work-in-progress UI elements.
You can also check them out in Vulkk’s video: First Look at the NEW SWTOR 7.0 UI on PTS.
Concluding Thoughts
A lot of what was introduced onto the PTS today seems to be pretty preliminary. There are definitely some issues and potential concerns that need to be worked out, but there is still time before 7.0 is released, and it’s possible these things could be fixed by the time Legacy of the Sith is released.
You can follow everything that is happening with the development of SWTOR Update 7.0 and beyond by regularly checking up on VULKK.com for updates!
UPDATE: In the last days of January 2022 BioWare revealed some tweaks and changes they plan to introduce to SWTOR 7.0, based on PTS feedback. Some of these changes include Legendary Items and EndGame Gearing.
