Since the advent of the exobits, many have been wondering what the smeg is going on with them, why are they & what can be done with them. I have thankfully experienced enough (by trial & error & some very well-timed questions to those more knowledgeable than I) that I can now provide something of a Primer for those who have been asking me to help. Unfortunately, the in-game chat window scrolls far too fast for me to follow (especially when the Shouts outnumber the Group posts) sometimes, and I can only type so fast without losing my mind in typos. So, with your indulgence, i have decided to post this “primer” of sorts, to help with those out there who have questions & I cannot answer fast enough due to lag, the floor of people in the chat, and my own dwindling patience.
To those whom have better knowledge than I post here, feel free to annotate & clarify, but be kind & respectful please. This *is* a work in progress. Of course I am speaking from the Tech faction side, so those of Magic & Meta please do post your perspective.
EXOBITS; these are broken/damaged pieces of exobytes that did not activate when Future Luthor detonated them in the earth’s atmosphere some time ago (see the intro video). Some landed on the Moon (the Hive moon Base instance), other were spread far & wide across the world. They are represented by a little glowing rainbow-star with a high-toned hum. NOT to be confused with the briefing, Investigation or Collection icons’ sound, which is a slightly different sound. (here is a close up shot of an unclaimed exobit.)
It takes 8 exobits to make 1 exobyte. it takes a combination of certain exobits to make certain exobytes.
Exobits come in Agggressive (Red), Support (Yellow), and Fortified (Blue) each. It is RANDOM what you get when claiming the exobit.
EXOBYTES; these are the reassembled exobits you ‘craft’ through Research & Developement Tables in the Watchtower/Hall of Doom or the Safehouse. The R&D machine looks like a table with a BIG strange looking device on it. You use this table to make exobits into exobytes, or to combine exobits into special exobytes (see below). Reassembled single exobytes are: Aggressive (Red), Support (Yellow), Fortified (Blue), Tenacious (Orange), Durable (Green), and Vengeful (Purple).
BASIC INTERFACE (Alpha, Beta, ect.): This is the ‘plug’ you use when enhancing your gear with Exobytes. You *MUST* start out with an Alpha level Interface FIRST.
R&D PLAN(S): You get these by buying them at the Vendor where the R&D table is, or in drops after defeating the boss at the end of the mission. When you get them, no matter what the type, EQUIP THEM. This is called “Researching” on how to make a specific type of Exobyte. It will help you in the long run, trust me so DO THAT RESEARCH.
Now, you need Exobits. LOTS of exobits. Look around in Metropolis, Gotham (or Central City, if you’re based there). Find & claim them. Each color will stack to a max of 16 per ‘pack’. You can divide them up to trade with others by double-clicking on the pack & slecting how many to separate.
BEFORE you craft, look at your Equipment. If you see in the description that it now has a “Blue Socket”, “Yellow Socket” or “Red Socket”, THAT is they type of Exobyte it needs to grant you the bonus that is listed.
Make sure you have the right plan(s) researched. My advice is to Research ALL the plans you get. If the Plan you get reads “Already Researched” in it’s description, trade it to someone who needs it. They may thank you with additional exobits.
Once you have researched all the plans, gotten enough exobits & know which Interface goes where, now you can craft. Look through the list in the R&D window & see what you need to craft to add to the Interface. Once that’s done, get out of the window & back to your Equipment. Drag & drop the completed Interface device to that item. This will consume the Interface & activate the bonuses. *shing!* You now upgraded your equipment.
We would like to say a big THANK YOU to HorndOne for making this guide. We think this will be extremely helpful for all of the DCUO community members and we hope you will enjoy it.
now if only more ppl in the gameknew about this site????
Dont forget that to activate the bonus:
yellow slot = yellow, orange OR green mods
red slots = red, orange OR purple mods
blue slots=blue, green OR purple mods
Also, try not to ninja plans that are ideal for other roles.
Tanks will usually use plans that involve Dominance
DPSs will want plans with precision or Might
Trollers will want plans that contain Vitilization
Healers will want plans with Restoration
Everyone wants plans containing Health and Power.
Be nice, don’t get it cos you “need 1 more for that feat” or “My other char can use it” or especially “someone is offering 50 Mill for this one” or even “am sure one of my mate/leaguers etc might need this”. The other(s) have just done a duo/alert/raid WITH YOU.
Couldn’t disagree more. Plans are for everyone, they benefit leagues. They just did a raid/alert/duo with ME. As in, I’m there. So I deserve the loot if I can use it.
We all can use each others plans, Dominance in particular allows for your power to last that much longer before it is broken by targets (higher dominance = longer control/effect of power). So I agree with Dr Pwn, if everyone needs to add to their collection, they have a ‘need’. It wouldn’t make sense to greed since you can’t normally sell to vendor. So need or pass it’s ok for all.
All I was trying to say is that a DPS would have less use for a Vitilization plan than a Troller. Where as a DPS would have more use for, say, Precision+Might II.
I think it goes hand in hand with whether you should greed/need on a tank/troll/healer item if you’re currently playing DPS.
Totally agree with you Fire Bug. A tank wouldn’t take a piece meant for a DPS if someone else in the group could legitemitly use it as an upgrade, it should be the same for plans. There’s a reason the greed button exists.
If it wasn’t for me and my league leader taking plans we needed… We would not be able to benefit the rest of our league members who cant run Raids, with better equipment mods. Sorry if people think I’m greedy, but in the long run it’s about making ME and people I run with stronger and better.
as a fire tank i already have high dominance, defense and health stats. it would be nice to up my precision stats with some plans and do more damage. i hit need when i see them.
The only way you could classify it as to Ninja the plans is if the person already has it and just wants to sell it, otherwise why shouldn’t they take it?
I am the researcher in my league, so I’m obviously going to try and get plans that I don’t have….
Of course I always pass on anything I already have, unfortunately many people don’t, but I suppose if human greed were only limited to games, the world would be a better place.
not to bring up a old subject but i feel a need to weigh in..just because a plan benefits a role it does not mean it is for that role, role specific items are marked as such except for dps which is blank and can be used by all but if it should be for roles then it would be for a dps to roll on, after all it is like all other dps items just helps certain stats. So if anyone has a right to complain it would be a dps complain that all other roles had rolled on a plan. before you all start saying dps isnt a role your wrong, dps is the first role you get, in fact the second role you can use is more a secondary class role (not saying the second roles are not needed, just saying they need to be unlocked so they are a secondary.)
Glad to have helped in any way.
I like that I have collected those Yellow I need for those armor’s that need the Yellow Exobyte and those bonus needed. But, I wonder if there is a complete listing of all the R&D plans.
Seems that there are 7 single stat plans per level (alpha, beta etc) plus another 21(?) double combinations.
Salvaging also has feat(s). It would be nice to know how to make complex material.
Salvaged green gear/weapons = not useful except to material
Salvaged blue gear/weapons = simple material
Salvaged purple/pink gear/weapons = simple material (or complex material?)
Perhaps it’s the level of the item that determines type of material or perhaps it type of gear/weapon (dps/tank/healer/controller) that determines either simple material or complex material.
IF anyone has a definitive answer, everyone will appreciate it.
On another note, many of the alpha and beta plans are dropped at the end of a lot of the lower level missions. I’ve went back in multiple times and was surprised to receive plans, sometimes the same, sometime a new plan.
It seemed that Alpha Level plans drop from lvl 10-19/20 missions, beta level plans drop from lvl 19/20-30 missions.
Duos seem to give Lvl I plans
Alerts Lvl II plans.
I have gotten simple materials from green items before. I have gotten complex materials from blue items too. It doesn’t happen often though. It’s hard to say if it’s random or item level based. I also don’t understand why sometimes you can salvage items you have equipped but most times you can’t.
Just like how sometimes you get Marks of Distinction in The Vault instead of Marks of Triumph, getting Complex Material, or other items like Focusing Elements are just a roll of the dice. I have gotten crap from high level stuff, and Focusing Elements from crappy equipment.
Any chance at creating an exobit location map for farming?
That’d be really hard to do considering that they can spawn pretty much anywhere
Exobits spawn in the same locations always, but mostly get collected. If you farm in early morning or late at night in an area without missons you will find more. Also try a R&D scaner in farm area, but a map for the whole world would be too big as there are often 4 or more spawn locations on one structure.
Your bets bet for exobit ‘farming’ is to pick a low-occupied area of either Gotham or Metro & just search, like you would for collections. Sweep in a grid pattern & look for the exobit token (see the pic included in the above entry) in EVERY POSSIBLE nook & cranny that is around. Then after your sweep, double back.
how does one obtain focus element 3? i have fe 2 but I am saving to buy prec and might III before i even get to FOS so Im curious as to if it is possible.
Thank you
Do you gain an advantage by socketing alpha then beta, etc or is it the same boost if you socket type I right away?
Thanks in advance.
wondering about that too…
BASIC INTERFACE (Alpha, Beta, ect.): This is the ‘plug’ you use when enhancing your gear with Exobytes. You *MUST* start out with an Alpha level Interface FIRST.
I’m confused, I just slot Equip I mods without having ever used alphas or betas? am I doing something wrong? Seems like a waste of time to mod any gear you get before level 30 since once you get there the grinds to each marker begin where you sit at certain armor levels…well unless you have another 30 who can send Armor from the Earth Duos and Shady Nightclub…Finally got precision and might III to drop, gonna have to spend a week exobit hunting for all those reds
So, now I am double confused because you denied Somedude’s statement. Did you find out finally how does the system work? Do I need to mod every single item I have from A (alpha) to Z (III) or maybe there is higher modifier? Anyways, would be glad if anyone aware in this matter comment.
You do not need to sequencially equip mods from alphas to level 4. If you have level 3 mods and the can contruct a desired mod, by all means do it. It will bring your CR up more quickly than equiping any lower tiered mod. There is no bonus for equiping them sequentially from level alpha to level 4.
ok so now my head hurts…so lemme see…I need simple matirials. I dont understand it. Where do i get simple matirials again? I have silicone wafers and idk wut 2 do with them. Go slow….
You can find Simple Materials, Complex Materials, ect., in the Broker. Check what you need when you access the R&D table menu for that particular mod. Zip over to the Broker, check the bidding lists, see what comes up. You may be able to get a full stack (16) rather cheaply. Save/Bank what you don’t use for future mods, or for later Trading. You may need combinations of Components (Simple plus Complex plus Cayalyst, ect.)
Also, when you Salvage an item at the R&D table, you may get a Material or Component you need.
Hey Buddy. I appreciate this info is good for the basic equipment sockets, but how do I use the new 2nd sockets on some kit? Any help would be good…
It applies to ALL levels of mods, not just basic (Alpha & Beta). You can ‘upgrade’ your gear with the next level/type mod (an Alpha to a Beta, Beta to Type I, ect.) You cannot go backwards. Once you put the next level of mod on that gear, the previous mod is consumed by the new mod. You cannot salvage the old mod (not yet anyway; the DCUO devs are working on that idea).
I have 24 red exoBITS…that should be enough to make at least one red exobyte, but I dont know how to make it…when i go to thr R&D station, it still says i need an aggressive exoBYTE…HELP!!!
@ shock trooper
when u start the quest to learn about the R&D station u are given the Plans to CREATE the EXOBYTES from BITS. They are put into your inventory till u manually “use” them.then when u use the R&D station they are the first to appear and are ALWAYS at top of the list. Hope that helps!!
This is part of this new age human reaction, where we wait for outside forces to take away our options to do evil things… all I am reading here are comments made by people that are afraid to do the right thing and help out their fellow players. “If the game creator’s did not take away the option to need or greed something heaven forbid we as players be unselfish and let someone else have it.” I agree with opp, if you are REALLY taking plans so you can make things for others than fine-i guess. Basically he was trying to encourage human dignity and niceness that doesnt have to be enforced. It is amazing how many people are against this.