Slicing for Augments in 1.2

I just want to say one word to you.  Just one word.  Augments.

Despite data-nerding-out about lockboxes, they aren't my main source of profits with 1.2.

I've been selling augments on the GTN as fast as I can make them, and the profits are absurd. An augment that costs less than 20k credits to craft will easily sell for 60-100k on my server. I'm considering buying the legacy-unlocked neutral GTN...

With 1.2 augments are no longer obtained via slicing missions.  Instead, they are crafted by the following professions:

• Armormechs: Aim, Cunning, Shield, and Absorb Augments.
• Armstechs: Endurance, Surge, Critical, Accuracy, and Power Augments.
• Synthweavers: Strength, Willpower, Defense, Alacrity, and Presence Augments.

Getting the Patterns
These patterns are only found with crits of 'Sliced Tech Parts' missions. 95% of the time, these will give to 1-2 schematics, though there is a 5% chance of no pattern on a crit (ht to GnatB on the forums for observing this first).

The patterns teach a premium (green) quality schematic.  RE'ing the premium items gives a 20% chance to research a prototype (blue) schematic; the blues have a 20% chance on RE to research a purple (artifact) schematic.

Gathering the Materials
In what follows, I'm going to focus on the top tier of augments (the 22s). While 25s are listed on Torhead, these do not appear to be in game.

In addition to some base components from the appropriate gathering profession (arch for synthweavers or scavenging for armor/armstechs), the blue augments require 4 Subelectronic Data Module and the purple augments require 4 Advanced Neural Augmentors.

The bottleneck for crafting the top-tier augments is the Augmentors.  At the moment, these can only be obtained via the 340 mission discovery 'A Test of Intelligence' or crits on the Grade 6 abundant missions Mysterious Funds / Devoted to Duty. I've listed the returns from each mission in the table below:

	Blue (reg)	Epic (reg)	Blue (crit)	Epic (crit)
A Test of Intelligence	8	4	10	5
Devoted to Duty	4	0	6	3
Mysterious Funds	4	0	6	3

After running just over 200 of these missions on companions with 10k affection, I'm getting a 20% crit rate.

Since the missions cost 1,780 credits to run, at a 20% crit rate and 3 purples per crit, that is about 1068 credits per purple material, or 4272 credits in slicing materials per purple augment made. Adding the cost of the vendor mats (1600 credits from vendor, 600 credits if gathered via a crewskill) and the AH price of the gathered components (around 500 -1500 per component), that puts each augment at around 9-17k credits to craft.

Given the prices on my server right now (60-100k), that is a phenomenal profit.

What is the catch?
There are two downsides to crafting augments.

The first is time. Each slicing mission takes just over an hour to run. That makes for 7 hours of slicing missions per augment. With only 2 tech parts missions available at any given time (3 with the discovery), this works best with several characters with slicing (or, selling in low volume).

The second downside is that players can recycle their augments, removing them from their gear for 22k credits. Eventually, this may serve to limit the demand for augments.

One more upside
In the near future, the market for augments is likely to grow. Right now, using custom gear with augment slots means losing set bonuses on Columi and Rakatta gear. As more characters acquire Campaign and Black Hole gear, there is no downside to picking up an augment slot for better stats, widening the market.

Happy credit hunting.

NOTE:  Take a look at the cost of the [Augmented] custom gear on the GTN - made via crit-crafting an orange item. At least on my server, even the lvl 11 oranges are going for 50-100k if they have an augment slot. (Another remarkable profit - since the items cost ~3-5k to craft each).