Lvl 120 Starting Gear

[Krakenheim]

Hi

I leveled up my Captain to lvl 120 using a token or similar and I also got some gear: armor, cloak and jewels all rating 402, some stuff is "yellow" and some "purple".

I cant find anything for lvl 120 in the market and looking at Tier 12 crafting recipes it seems the gear I have is good (it has almost the same rating as Tier 13).

Is this correct ? Can i get better crafted gear around lvl 120 ?

Thanks

[WeirdJedi]

Something that is yellow or purple can still be considered good, and sometimes the only thing available, for a lot of content. Crafting requires a lot of rare material that people are using to barter for Ember around that level. It won't be something that they would be willing to spend on crafting gear unless you provide the goods. There are ways to get the material, but it isn't worth extending for a fresh Valar. Some of the best gear that you can get at level 120 can be obtained from the dailies in Vales of Anduin, which can only be unlocked if you do all the quests in the region. But all of this is rather moot when you consider that the level bracket jumps up in stats between 120 and 130. What you find from the quests will suffice until the level cap. I recall getting a full armor set from the Black Book of Mordor through Minas Morgul. Whether that is better than what you get from a level boost is up to you to figure out.

[DoRonRon]

If you stick with gear rewards from questing and finishing playing out each area ahead of you, you by default also open up the means to gain Mote's of Enchantment. These can be used barter for cyan gear largely superior to craft and quest gear. The amount you can earn lags behind your levelling speed however and at level 130 (Cap minus 10 levels) your ability to access "Mote Gear" is effective barred. Beyond this point the currency changes to a hunt for Embers.

The danger is if you are tempted into Missions to level going beyond 130 your gains in appropriate level gear dries up, along with those missions becoming harder as you level. Though Missions earn motes and other valuable rewards they don't gear you to match the level gains. An exp disabler from the store is your means to make it your choice when to enter the131 game. The advantage of opening up the various sources that earn motes is that when no longer useful to your main character they are a boon for use by alts from 20 to 50 and 51 to 130. I very good investment. Motes and Embers effectively replacing gear crafting in the game, if and when you have access to earn them.

Stone of the Tortoise, the exp Disabler. Can't stress it's value!