While the Envoy in does have an actual level, a large component of their strength lies in the gear they have equipped. Part of the reason for this is because of the way 's attributes function: they are incremental in nature.
A few extra points in strength to boost damage is nice, but it pales in comparison to gear quality when looked at it in terms of raw power increases.
As such, gear is an important piece in the power progression puzzle of Gear in takes a similar approach to its predecessor RPG, with five tiersof weapon quality: common, fine, exceptional, superb, and legendary.
With so many avenues of acquisition and so many types of weapons and armor available, it can be difficult to know if it's worth it to upgrade common weapons or armor.
While the power of gear has been tuned down in 's launch day patch,upgrading gear is still essential, with some important caveats.