Should I purchase this Limited Edition Loot?
Purchasing Limited Edition Loot (LEL) can be tricky business. Many players, like myself, will purchase at least one of any new LEL just for collecting and posterity's sake, but hold off on acquiring massive amounts of it. This is because of the nature of the game's combat math.
Sadly, many players learn too late (if at all) about the non-intuitive nature of combat math and how the game determines 1) what equipment to use and 2) that it uses the total power of that equipment. They end up purchasing a lot seemingly-great equipment early on, only to find down the road that they are now stuck with a lot of sub-optimal LEL and/or Godfather equipment, thus feeling somewhat statistically handicapped.
It may be helpful to compare any LEL you are considering stocking up on against the following items. They are among the best items that can be gotten "freely", meaning either purchased for money or drop loot. You probably want avoid investing heavily in LEL that isn't better than this.
Remember that you want the highest total combat score possible; while the highest defense or attack items will be used, it is the total combined score that will determine outcome.
- Weapons:
- AR-15 Assault Rifle - 32 Attack 10 Defense (drops for an Underboss, total combat score: 42)
- Bonus Weapon - 20 Attack 20 Defense (purchase @ lvl 99, total combat score: 40)
- Armor
- Federal Agent - 15 Attack 25 Defense (drops for lvl 105 job, total combat score: 40)
- Falsified Documents - 2 Attack 30 Defense (drops for an Underboss job, total combat score: 32)
- Vehicles:
- Humvee - 26 Attack 22 Defense (drops for an Underboss job, total combat score: 48 )
- Private Jet - 12 Attack 38 Defense (drops for lvl 110 job, total combat score 40)
A glance at Verbaldi's Weapon Stats doc at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcr4zcqs_1cbgjrvck may also be helpful to place the LEL's stats into context of what's already out there or available through normal channels.
As a final note, the research done by BigG, The Wanderer and others suggest that if you have high attack & defense stats (meaning you're putting skill points into Attack and Defense), equipment contributes diminishing amounts to your overall combat strength. While equipment can be important, wise use of your skill points is even moreso.
Cuba's items
Will you be updating this post to include the new items from Cuba?
Weapons:
Garza 9 - 25 Attack 10 Defense - Smuggle In Some Supplies (El Sodado)
RA-92 - 29 Attack 11 Defense - Establish Contact With The FRG (El Sodado)
M16A1 - 30 Attack 12 Defense - Transport A Shipment of US Arms (El Capitan)
Ru-38 Pistol - 20 Attack 24 Defense - Capture An Army Outpost (El Capitan)
Cane Knife - 18 Attack 28 Defense - Ransack A Local Plantation (El Capitan)
Para 322 - 34 Attack 14 Defense - Help The FRG Steal A Truckload Of Weapons (El Jefe)
Gaff hook - 20 Attack 30 Defense - Pillage A Shipyard (El Jefe)
Avispa Machine Gun - 54 Attack 24 Defense - (Reward for Mastery)
ASC45 "Conquistador" - 36 Attack 18 Defense - Pass On Some Intel To The FRG (El Patron)
Aguila HV .50 Sniper Rifle - 40 Attack 16 Defense - Assassinate An Opposing Consigliere ( El Patron)
TNT - 42 Attack 20 Defense - Raid The Arms Depot (El Padrino)
Armor:
Street Gang Member - 20 Attack 14 Defense - Intimidate The Locals (El Soldado)
Camouflage Body Armor - 18 Attack 28 - Meet With The FRG Leadership (El Capitan)
Guerrilla Commando - 38 Attack 35 Defense - (Reward for Mastery)
Che's Beret - 46 Attack 34 Defense - (Reward for Mastery)
Guerrilla Squad - 34 Attack 30 Defense - Supply The FRG With Some Extra Muscle (El Padrino)
Vehicles:
Mara Serpiente - 24 Attack 18 Defense - Assault A Snitch's Hideout (El Soldado)
El Rey Roadster - 40 Attack 34 Defense - (Reward for Mastery)
Chucho FAV - 25 Attack 20 Defense - Ambush A Military Patrol (El Capitan)
Ocelot Armored Truck - 18 Attack 28 Defense - Burn Down A Hacienda (El Capitan)
Montaine 320 - 27 Attack 23 Defense - Shake Down A Hotel Owner (El Jefe)
Cigarette Boat - 25 Attack 27 Defense - Take Over The Docks (El Jefe)
Mini-Sub - 30 Attack 25 Defense - Sink A Competing Smuggler's Ship (El Patron)
Si-14 Cargo Plane - 31 Attack 31 - Defense Capture The Airport (El Padrino)
Hu-9 Helicopter - 36 Attack 27 Defense - Attack The Army Command Post (El Padrino)
Armored State Car - 30 Attack 38 Defense - Storm The Presidential Palace ( El Padrino)
Cocodrilo APC - 42 Attack 56 Defense - (Reward for Mastery)
Verbaldi maintains the Items
Verbaldi maintains the Weapons Stats document that I linked to, and I believe that yes, he's already updated it with lots of Cuba stuff!
It's right at the top of the document and is marked CUBA. Just searching for a few random items that you mentioned in your post, they are in there already. He's just that good :)
I'll update my post to add any other easily-gotten loot that's likely better than the typical LEL once Cuba goes live. Right now they keep changing how fighting works and it's hard to get a clear understanding of when/where/how you can use the Cuba equipment, plus not everyone can access Cuba for the time being.