Sharpshooter Gunslinger

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

PVE: I am highly valued in any ops due to the versatility owed to my high dps output at max range. I can maintain a high level of dps indefinitely or spike everything into a lethal burst (which drains my energy) if needed to get a target down quickly. Though mobility is always an issue, because of my high dps, my raid leader tends to take the time to develop strategies that allow me to remain stationary as long as possible. So far I haven't really encountered too many ops bosses where this weakness is prohibitively difficult. Hardest for this particular issue might be the last boss in HM Esseles.

PVP: My numbers w/ this spec are lower than I've experienced while Sab or DF/hybrid spec'd. As a result, I often get tells after matches from people saying I need to switch specs if I want to pvp, and this even with my war hero tag up. I think most people see the lower raw dps numbers and the immobility and toss this spec aside without much further thought.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

PVE: I know I'm at the very high end of dps when it comes to PVE. This makes me a valuable asset to any group. I generally have every tool I need to deal with any situation so long as I am in a group. I do wish there was a better way of picking which cover position I would like to roll into though.

PVP: I stick with SS because I value the ability to burst down opponents if needed. I feel like it would be easier if I went with a different spec but even though my numbers would be better, I don't feel like I would be contributing as much by depending on dots and other teammates to finish people off, though I admit I've been avoiding pvp since 1.3 as our sustained dps has taken a hit (energy regen) and survivability seems to be as low as ever. Stealth opponents are almost always a death sentence due to the lack of mobility and limited number of distance creation abilities. I wish we had more of a counter in these cases. A stealth detection ability would give us more of a fighting chance.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

1. Sharpshooter Gunslinger specced here. I think other classes see us as highly immobile turret like class and highly dangerous if left alone. Point of focus fire at the start of every WZ. In PvE great addition to group DPS but can be a pain when mobility is needed. Most think of us as a squishy target without many or even no defensive CDs or escape mechanism.

2. In PvP mobility is not an issue for me unless fighting greater numbers of good geared players. Energy management in prolonged fights is an issue especially if I need to change position often. All in all I am very happy about my DPS and survability to some extent but I do feel a bit gimped in cramped spaces where I cannot take advantage of (or use even) my range or cover mechanic.

In PvE I do feel like a burden to my group when mobility is needed, cover mechanic makes it difficult to stay with/near people I want to be, be it for heals or support.

I also do miss some group utility because except for the group shield (which is super awesome btw) I cannot really aid my allies in any way. This leads to the problem of being able to only spec into 3 different pure DPS roles which makes certain content like "not designed" for Gunslingers.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Utility, burst damage, one of highest sustained damage classes, lots of choice in skill trees

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

My gunslinger is too good. Compared to my commando in campaign, my gunslinger SS in rakata can out dps him by a moderate amount, even when I'm in saboteur I get the same dps as SS (slight decrease in 1v1 for a big bonus to 1vMany DPS). It's fun to play but a lot about him seems OP, which makes me kind of regret playing my other characters. They aren't penalized enough for all their benefits. We're given the best ranged dps sustained and burst (versus commandos, sages) the best utility (stun, aoe 8sec sleep, snare, high defense, moderate armor, low cooldown defensive abilities such as shield probe and dodge, and tons of options in our skill trees to increase our utility further) and the farthest range. The commando has 5% damage reduction and a full CC, other than that the gunslinger murders them in every other field. Sages have great longevity, good cooldowns, DPS, and good utility but still don't match gunslingers.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

PVE Sharpshooter

1. Common misconception that we are lower than normal mobility. We're no less mobile than any other ranged class. Snapshot/Trickshot combo or toss a sab charge can be used when we have to reposition with minimal movement loss.

2. We handle Operations quite well. A little bursty on our opening since we have next to zero setup time but once the fight gets rolling we can pound out damage all day. Plus our 35 meter range lets us stand off a bit and be out of danger in some encounters making 1 less person for the healers to keep track of.

Hi everyone,

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

Sharpshooter - PvE only

1. Low mobility with high damage. Due to the low mobility and cover mechanic somewhat difficult to master as it is a different play style to all other classes

2. Great. Good sustained damage with high burst available. Mobility is not really an issue for me as I have got used to the "turret" game play now (although it took me the better part of 45 levels to feel comfortable in my skin). I do not see a lot of GS on my server and I dont remember the last time I saw one in my ops group (slinger is my alt, Guardian tank is my main) I think that a lot of people have a GS and get them to end of chapter 2 and give up as the play style is very different to all others. Is this a bad thing? No, honestly, I find it a refreshing change and I love the cover mechanic, even though it is a bit buggy at times.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

I play all three specs in PvP and Sharpshooter in PvE. People usually feel that Sharpshooter is a lot of burst, and they are probably angry when they die quickly. Dirty Fighting is usually laughed at by classes that can cleanse. By no stretch of the imagination do people feel we are overpowered, that is for sure.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

Sharpshooter: Good burst, but highly unpredictable on when a target will be able to shield your attacks. Since it is so reliant on cover, it would be nice if the damage were a little bit more predictable. Still burst, but maybe with a 45 second cooldown on some massive armor penetration. I hate being outbursted by Powertechs. They are still hard to kill, but they burst better than we do.

Saboteur: I love this for the survivability and the AoE, but I feel like the survivability is dropping as people are getting more geared. I still get killed quickly by Powertechs even with Defense Screen, as it just isn't doing the job. I think the latest changes to Defense Screen was a step in the right direction.

Dirty Fighting: We need more defense from cleanses. It is difficult enough to outlast our competition in this spec, since we have to wait awhile for our damage to start rolling in, but for them to completely negate it is not cool (yes, Nice Try is good, but not good enough).

Sorry for doing 2-3 sentences per spec, instead of per question. I couldn't consolidate it enough.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

I do a lot of damage in PvE, but I can be something of an immovable feast, reducing effectiveness in fights on the move. When running and gunning, options are limited, which may be part of why the class is not popular. In PvP I like to think I'm well regarded for my burst DPS (focus fire), CC (adds to tactical effectiveness) and AOE, (largely for interrupts but helps damage) however, lots of people I know dislike the cover mechanic treatment of the hotbar which perhaps unfairly leads people to think the GS is "hard" or otherwise "bad".

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

Since 1.3 I have been mixing up builds to find something optimum and enjoyable, there are a LOT of options, but the different trees flow and mix very well together. Cover in place is far preferable to roll to cover, which is almost always a liability, breaking LoS or otherwise getting in the way of things - and besides there are not nearly enough viable physical cover options in most boss encounters or the PvP maps. The different trees make sense to me, and I know where to go if I'd like some variety in my play style, so all in all it's a great spec and I haven't finished with it yet at all..

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Easy kill, needs to be shutdown fast. D

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I use a SS/Sab hybrid, semi mobile& high burst and feels like the best trade off between the 2 trees.

Stuns and knockdowns pull me out of cover and sometimes it bugs the hell out of it so can't re-enter cover.

Can shine only with support.

I play sab spec mainly pvp, some pve.

1. Sab spec is perceived as a support class with limited burst, not good for pve. Basically good for area denial in pvp. Damage is bloated in pvp due to aoe.

2. I LOVE my spec. My damage in pvp is not all aoe, and my burst is fine. I have a lot of survivability tools that help me stay alive a long time, especially with the support of a good healer and/or tank. I think sab is underestimated in pve. I can pull out the same numbers as others with comparable gear. Plus, our added survivability and utility of the 30 fewer seconds on scrambling field is undervalued.

(this is from a PvE perspective, I have no real interest in PvP)

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

For most parts, people seem to like having a Gunslinger in their party/raid for the defensive CD standing near healers, for actually not standing in the tanks faces (like the million of melee's around) and other DPS by not needing on others loot (again, lots of melee around). I do think that alot of people (purely from a PvE perspective) underestimates our kiting abilities. Also, it seems alot of people are having problems getting the cover mechanics into their head for some reason.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I've always been melee in all MMO's to date - but this spec has changed my mind. We got strong bursty and sustained DPS, good defensive abilities for "oh-bugger" moments and of course, we're a bit smug for being Smugglers

1.Gunslinger seems pretty balanced comparing to another classes.He winning some and weak for some. And ofc good in cooperation with other classes.

2. I tried all the specs. Each spec is for different playstyle, so cool.

Gunglinger:Sharpshooter

How others see us:

PvP: Easy kill, primary target. We don't have alot of survivability unless there's a Guardian with guard on us. Marauders will tear us apart in seconds. Marauders/Sentinels do hate us because we're capable of killing them at range and are therefore one of the few classes capable of being a real threat to them, and this causes great butthurt as they're no longer completely invincible. It is rather hard for us to keep or take objectives solo.

PvE: A reliable, yet extremely squishy source of dps. People like us in FPs and OPS. With good gear people will ask for you by name.

How we see ourselves:

PvP: Kamikaze DPS in warzones. But, if I have a good team that understands the value of giving me a bodyguard they will find that I can push back attacks with the pressue I can apply to the opposing team. If I've got bodyguards I can work magic. If my team leaves me to hang then I'm queuing alot.

PvE: We are the bringers of the thunder. We're good at what we do but we're very vulnerable especially to a zergrush. Bugs with cover cause a delay in movement which in some FP HMs can cause frequent premature discorporation.

Current Spec: Sharpshooter

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

A: (PVE) For the most part, most people seem to see my class and spec as a high damage, slightly stationary class. We generally don't have a whole ton of crowd control per-se, but for the most part we do what is needed, take out the enemies, and do it well.

A: (PVP) I believe people see me as someone who needs to be downed quickly, otherwise I can cause a lot of problems for them. Because I am more stationary, it is easier to pay attention to objectives being guarded, and I can often whittle down the opposing players while still making sure that an objective is not being captured.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

A: I enjoy the fact that it is fairly simple to keep someone away from me for a while, however cooldowns and energy management make it difficult to keep someone off indefinitely, and generally when stuns are added into the mix, someone has joined them to kill me off in PVP. In PVE the distance away from the enemy makes it simpler to take less damage, which allows healer an easier time generally. My damage output is fine, and enemies fall quick enough.

Overall I quite enjoy gunslinger, and it is one of my favorite classes to play, the few slight issues with mobility I find to be easy to overcome, and in general as long as I am paying attention to what I am doing, energy management is simple enough.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Marksman- High damage, low mobility, with a few helpful CDs. We are usually perceived as a turret, that dies quickly if we need to move.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I have been Marksman from the beginning, and enjoy the burst damage and the general survivability, my only concern at the moment, is that I have had to re-learn my class with each game update, (1.1.5, 1.2, 1.3), and I really want to get set into my class and just roll, instead of taking weeks to experiment until I find my perfect play style again.

I'll write this from the perspective of a PvE Slinger that recently changed from Sharpshooter to Dirty Fighting.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Solid DPS, the 35m range makes Slingers a tremendous asset on certain boss mechanics (KP Fabricator Droid, staying out of Toth Fearful). Limited utility with Scrambling Field and droid CC's. With the DF spec the set-up for DPS takes too long to be reliably nuking trash packs with any consistency, but Flyby helps. People enjoy bringing me to HM Denova because they know I wont roll on any of the Campaign drops since my Campaign gear, is horrid.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I was pleased with the DPS output of the Sharpshooter Spec until the last patch, SS relies heavily on weapon damage and the de-stacking of armor debuffs in Ops really hurt our DPS. Combined with the recent changes to the top tier skills and being unable to chain 3 consecutive Speed Shots, I saw a significant enough dip in DPS to cause me to switch to Dirty Fighting. That being said I've been extremely pleased with my DPS output in the DF spec, no doubt the switch to internal damage helped immensely.

My primary complaint with the Gunslinger class is the absolutely abysmal selection and itemization of Campaign gear, it is extremely Endurance heavy across every piece except the Boots. We are the only class (Smuggler) that can't Advance Class into a Tanking spec, there is no need for such Endurance heavy gear.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

as a danger, we deal high damage and it can mean the difference between a won pvp match or a quick death for npc's,we are living proof that Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good pair of blasters at your side.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

as a sab spec i have found that my damage output is great, i played a marksman sniper and found the stationary attacker to be unappealing and my sabotage smuggler gives me the freedom to move about (dont get me wrong i still pop into cover during fights but it normally only to throw sabotage cgarge and if im luckly a charged burst)

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

In PvP, I believe that most other classes perceive the Sharpshooter spec to be a threat to light-armored healers and a decent "defense turret" for friendly healers to stand beside, but little else. This belief is continually reinforced by the fact that other DPS classes (Sentinels, DPS spec'd Vanguards, and even Sages) frequently out-DPS Sharpshooters in PvP matches.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I believe that the Sharpshooter has a lot of potential, but that issues regarding the weakness of their primary damage type (white/ranged) and the ability for enemies to use CC or anti-cover skills to negate the Sharpshooter's signature skill, Hunker Down (a bug that has been present for months now), cause the spec to be less enjoyable to play. In many cases, the Sharpshooter feels more useful as a knockback/CC turret than as an actual DPS class. While this play-style is still useful on occasion, it does deviate drastically from the intended function of the Sharpshooter: a ranged DPS spec.

I play as a L50 Sharpshooter Gunslinger

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Solid damage, with limited mobility, and under the right conditions can dominate.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

Pretty much in line with the general perception. In PvP I noticed that as ranged I die a lot less and generally rack up more kills than my Vigliance Guardian DPS. If I start doing too well I will be marked. If you have some friendly melee distracting the other team in PvP you can absolute bring the pain. If its a 1 v 1 situation, you can find yourself in trouble against certain classes that like to get in close if you can't get space. The limited mobility can be rough at times but its a fair trade to the gains slingers get. In PvE I have no trouble getted pugged or performing well in ops. No one questions that I won't be able to perform my roll.

1. (PvP) Sharpshooter: Low mobility, squishy, can sometimes offer some good burst damage. Doesn't provide a lot of utility.

2. (PvP) Sharpshooter: Low mobility, squishy, easily countered by using line of sight. Damage falls off on targets that aren't lightly armored. Solid burst damage when attacking said lightly armored targets.

PVE - Best DPS in the game. Bordering on boring.

PVP - Can hold it's own, slow to catch up movement wise due to mechanics. Best if played at a control point and not moving back and forth in support. Useless if out of position. Hunkerdown makes this class...which is sad considering other abilities that could have been improved to increase dynamics.

Played sharpshooter since the beginning, actually changed to dirty fighter few weeks ago.

Answers based on sharpshooter spec.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

PVP: High damage spec but pretty easy to kill. Low mobility.

PVE: Good damage with excellent burst. Challenging spec to play efficiently.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

On ability level sharpshooter is a fun class to play, but the last update hit sharpshooter too hard. Sharpshooter really shone with stacked armor debuffs and in situations that needed high burst. Now one them is gone and the other took a significant hit. Currently can't really justify keeping my favorite spec.

I play all specs but have been more often than not playing sharpshooter. Unranked matches make the class more fun as the problems with gunslinger is less pronounced. Ranked matches are a frustrating nightmare. I based my answers regarding ranked matches.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes? High Damage/high Threat priority target due to our lack of survivability

2. How do you perceive your own spec? High damage potential similar to vanguard and sentinel without the survivability and/or utility of those clases. Our damage is easily eliminted by line of sight or simply focusing us down. We are an easy kill.

Strictly PVE SHarpshooter spec

Percieved by others:

A necessary component to any raid group. Armor debuff, and can pump out sustained damage, and extreme burst when popping almost all cooldowns.

Percieved by me:

I love the slinger. The only complaint i have is there is an issue of some abilities lagging when activated. It will say instant but the ability will take a second or two for any damage numbers to show up. (forgot which ability was the channeled one, where he crosses his arms and shoots continuosly for the channel). Otherwise i feel like a necessity to my raid group (farming HM EC). The only thing i'm worried about is needing an out of control amount of accuracy in the future.

1. How do you think your Gunslinger spec is perceived by other classes?

Very dangerous but squishy. In ranked warzone pvp against a competent group it doesn't matter what spec you are when they los you, you become useless, or they just stun-lock destroy you. And yes I understand dots are meant to help with los except that healers just cleanse them...

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I switched back to SS because it is stronger than Sab for pve and white damage now rules in pvp since healers learned to cleanse everything.