When Do You Upgrade Equipment?

[Theron]

Most attention is paid to the 'best equipment', but unless you're using the Cheat Menu, you don't have access to the best items right away.

So, when do you like to upgrade equipment, and what do you upgrade to? Do you generally buy things, or to you try to get along with quest rewards and item drops?

 

[Bast]

I recently replayed the game with Tech Specialist, and honestly, I just picked up whatever until Dhaal. I've put zero thought into gearing until endgame and when a fight was too hard, I just switched to lust attacks from regular ones as it usually works in the game.

 

[Theron]

I recently replayed the game with Tech Specialist, and honestly, I just picked up whatever until Dhaal.

Were you Melee or Ranged?

 

[Bast]

I was playing melee right right up until level 13. I wasn't feeling it, so I decided to switch it up.

Unrelated: Whenever a game comes out like First Berserker Khazan that allows players to respec on the spot, so that they have an easier time testing out all the builds, the game gets praised for it by its audience. It's inconvenient that players have to activate cheats in TiTs to do so.

 

[Theron]

I was playing melee right right up until level 13. I wasn't feeling it, so I decided to switch it up.

Really? Melee Techs have a bigger selection of weapons. Charge Weapon is the most Energy-efficient ability in the game*, even after the nerf, and works with anything. Overcharge requires an Energy Weapon, which pretty much restricts you to Burning/Freezing/Electric.
*Which is important for a class with Energy management issues.

I've been thinking of trying Ranged, but I'm not sure what weapon to use late-game. Shock Bow is good, but it eventually falls off, especially if you're not a Smuggler.
XTR-8 Peer would give a 25% Crit. (5+5+15)