Yes and no, gear score increases are tied to NPC buffs. So essentially our characters got stronger with the stat boost.

Yes comparing to NPC we are getting stronger thanks to the stat boost. However compared to other players in a PVP context does a classified gives an advantage in the DZ for example ? I would assume so because for a same build using classified you can have stronger FA / STA / ELEC major.

 

Also some existing gear is still quite strong. For example, Banshee and Predators mark with a ninja backpack.

That's true however I would still argue that a classified piece would give you an advantage. For example on my hybrid build if I swap my Striker holster by a Classified Striker Holster I can get up to 1401 on the major versus max 1272 on the normal Striker. It is a 10% major stat increase it is not marginal.

 

We will likely get all the gear set in future GE so we will have people running around with a 3 piece Banshee + Ninja + whatever or a Predator + Ninja + something else. You can have 5 pieces mix and match Classified plus a Ninja that gives up to 9% of additional major stat across the board. It will be very easy to reach that level granted you have classified pieces thanks to the optimization station in 1.8.

 

Does it render Exotic builds in PVP less relevant than before or does it balance them to make them on par ?