Which Investigation option to choose for schematics?

[Rawrsong]

Heyas folks, anyone know which missions Investigation missions I should send my companions on for a chance at rare schematics? Should I be sending them out for companion gifts, materials, or does it just not matter?

[Ixator]

From what Ive noticed it seems completely random

[Deleted]

I don't know if sending them out for gifts gives you schematics, I think it's a cheaper alternative to leveling up the skill, when your crafting skill pulls ahead of it. In the beta I fond that Archaeology pulled ahead, simply because there were nodes to collect in the game, and these fueled my making of green items, leaving my underground missions a bit behind.

Doing missions for blue mats, allowing the making of blue items, and thus the Reverse Engineering of the blue items leads to learning epic patterns.

Doing missions for gifts, levels up the skill so you can get appropriate level mats for your crafting profession. I recommend not letting it fall behind as you level up.

[Rawrsong]

Ah thanks also as a bit of a side tangent, anyone know where Self-Perpetuating Power Cells and Rakata Energy Nodes come from? I'm assuming they're an Operation drop or rare node/mission crit.