All classes and class balance will shift, this from the dev notes. Pretty exciting. What class will be the new flavor of the month?

 

We know you're all very interested to hear about how the new level cap is going to affect your class, and I wanted to share a little information about the upcoming changes with you. As part of the new content, every skill tree will be expanding and you can expect significant updates. Players will earn a new skill point with each level, and new skills will be available in each skill tree. Additionally, a new active ability will be introduced for each Advanced Class. We'll have more details about many aspects of Rise of the Hutt Cartel as we approach launch, so keep your eyes on the website and dev tracker!

All classes and class balance will shift, this from the dev notes. Pretty exciting. What class will be the new flavor of the month?

 

We know you're all very interested to hear about how the new level cap is going to affect your class, and I wanted to share a little information about the upcoming changes with you. As part of the new content, every skill tree will be expanding and you can expect significant updates. Players will earn a new skill point with each level, and new skills will be available in each skill tree. Additionally, a new active ability will be introduced for each Advanced Class. We'll have more details about many aspects of Rise of the Hutt Cartel as we approach launch, so keep your eyes on the website and dev tracker!

 

I wonder if they plan to "lock" the current trees and introduce higher tiers. There will be some crazy (possibly OP) hybrid builds otherwise

Don't even think about hybrids

 

If they simply give you 5 basic points some examples are....

 

 

Full Combat sentinels with overload saber

 

Healing operatives with a corrosive grenade

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

Healing sorcs with chain lightning

 

This isn't even the worst part....

 

Think of all the op hybrid specs possible

 

Bioware must tread carefully with how they do this

More stun a and buble? Awesome!

xD commandos would still suck!

Don't even think about hybrids

 

If they simply give you 5 basic points some examples are....

 

 

Full Combat sentinels with overload saber

 

Healing operatives with a corrosive grenade

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

Healing sorcs with chain lightning

 

This isn't even the worst part....

 

Think of all the op hybrid specs possible

 

Bioware must tread carefully with how they do this

 

This^

Healing stunbubble sorcs would get an interrupt immunity cd with only one more skill point.

 

Yes I know the stunbubble is going to get nerfed while lolsmashers get a 100% damage buff, but oh well.

 

Also nerf operatives, they stunlock keyboards

I can see it now,cooldowns for Scoundrels and Operatives will be doubled,all damage cut by 25% and healing by 50%.

Assasins and Shadows damage will be upped 15%.

Sent's and Marauders damage upped 20% and cooldowns cut to three seconds.

 

All classes but Operative and Scoundrel's will recieve a anti Op/Sc Heroic that kills them on site with a 1 minute cooldown.

Don't even think about hybrids

 

If they simply give you 5 basic points some examples are....

 

 

Full Combat sentinels with overload saber

 

Healing operatives with a corrosive grenade

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

Healing sorcs with chain lightning

 

This isn't even the worst part....

 

Think of all the op hybrid specs possible

 

Bioware must tread carefully with how they do this

 

Pyrotechs with hydraulic overrides

 

Full lethality/concealment ops w/ koltoprobe (3 more points until they get the useful talent though LOL how funny. even operatives still get the worst!)

 

my viggy guard will enjoy warding call!

Don't even think about hybrids

 

If they simply give you 5 basic points some examples are....

 

 

Full Combat sentinels with overload saber

 

Healing operatives with a corrosive grenade

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

Healing sorcs with chain lightning

 

This isn't even the worst part....

 

Think of all the op hybrid specs possible

 

Bioware must tread carefully with how they do this

 

you forgot about rage juggernauts with unstoppable. This would probably be the most overpowered "hybrid" 4 sec of cc immunity and 20% dr on leap. Bubble stun can't compete with that.

xD commandos would still suck!

 

I thought about this already.

 

It will be possible to make an Assualt/Gunnery Hybrid with the CD reset for Full Auto on Grav Round and the reset for HiB on Full Auto.

 

You'll be able to spec high enough in to the healing tree to get the interrupt proof shield. So Assault Commandos would be able to to spec in to the lower CD on Reactive Shield and the interrupt immunity on Combat Shield.

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

seriously I think you ment full smasher with cc immunity after each leap

Fuc*ing lottery. "Congratulations, commandos/mercs get a new very strong channeled ability, hoooraaay!"

I thought about this already.

 

It will be possible to make an Assualt/Gunnery Hybrid with the CD reset for Full Auto on Grav Round and the reset for HiB on Full Auto.

 

You'll be able to spec high enough in to the healing tree to get the interrupt proof shield. So Assault Commandos would be able to to spec in to the lower CD on Reactive Shield and the interrupt immunity on Combat Shield.

 

Yup wish we could do that now.

That Assualt Gunnery Hybrid isnt very ammo friendly, and the interrupt immunity won't do much of anything for Assault tbh considering all the massive buffs other classes/specs would get. Plus if we picked the immunity would miss out on some key gunnery talents:(

 

On a side note the Classes that scare me the most if everything stays the same plus the extra 5 points(better not stay the same) are assassins(already have the most hybrids),Juggies with unstoppable and Pyro Pts getting all the flame talents that give those shiny 2k flame bursts while still being able to pick up TD.

 

I hope bioware moves certain talents around or locks spcefic moves to that tree so it can't be used by the other(this would upset alot of people but idc commandos don't even having working hybrids.)

I think it's too early to start worrying about hybrid specs at the moment. We both do not know how BioWare will change the trees, and we do not know how good the new talents will be.

 

For example, some of the important abilities which could make a hybrid very strong might be moved further down the tree than what they are currently.

 

Even if the only thing they do is to just add new tiers to the existing trees, it's still not guaranteed that hybrids will be good. As an example, Operative healer with Corrosive Grenade (not that useful IMO but just a simple example), you can already do that right now, but the thing which keeps healers from taking Corrosive Grenade is that Recuperative Nanotech is so good. It's possible that the new abilities which are coming will make the same thing happen with those, you could go hybrid but you won't because it might not be worth it because the new talents might be so good.

 

Again, there is a lot which we do not know at the moment.

I wouldn't worry about hybrids yet since they said they are expanding the skill trees. You will probably have to spend 33 points or more to get the top tier skill in one tree which would probably kill viable hybrid specs for many classes.

you forgot about rage juggernauts with unstoppable. This would probably be the most overpowered "hybrid" 4 sec of cc immunity and 20% dr on leap. Bubble stun can't compete with that.

 

Ummmm can't you pretty much do this now?

 

 

Rotate between Choke and Enrage? Get some PvE set bonus for Enrage CD buff? Mix in some slash/rav/scream in between?

I would hope they're smart enough to arrange the trees a bit to avoid some insane hybrid possibilites. And give sorcs some burst and I'm calling them the next FOTM. Edited December 20, 2012 by UGLYMRJ

To late to tell if the new tier of talents will be good enough to discourage hybrids or not, not to mention other class balance things.

 

As for new abilities, here's my predictions!

 

Knight/Warrior: Cooldown buffing Bonus Damage and Force Bonus Damage by 20% for 12 seconds, 2 minute CD.

Shadow/Assasin: New defensive cooldown. Maybe armor buff? 2-3 minute cooldown.

Sage/Sorc: Ability which instantly restores 50% of your force, 2 minute cooldown.

Smuggler/Operative: 25% extra Crit rating for 12 seconds, 2 minute CD.

Vanguard/PT: 15% armor penetration for 12 seconds, 2 minute CD.

Commando/Merc: Cooldown which makes the next Hammer Shot/Rapid Shots crit on the first hit.

 

Calling it now.

I've been working on my crafting and finishing leveling some toons so I will have one of everything in some form, and will be able to make my own augments, nades and stims. Hopefully I have enough time. Seems I haven't been able to get in my SWTOR much lately.

 

I actually don't care what is FOTM though. If I did, you might actually catch me on my Marauder or Assassin (although I do kind of like the swiss army knife of assassin.) Sniper has been my favorite, but so has my merc at times, and my scoundrel depending on my mood. So it will come down to how fun they are once it goes live and I like having options.

Someone should make a thread about problematic hybrids builds possible with level 55 classes, then keep the initial post updated with builds posted by the community (and why they're a problem). Then we should all request sticky.

Someone should make a thread about problematic hybrids builds possible with level 55 classes, then keep the initial post updated with builds posted by the community (and why they're a problem). Then we should all request sticky.

 

Someone should make a skill tree app with access to 46 points. I'd be for this.

 

Knowing my luck, the implications for everyone not a commando or merc are pretty awesome.

Don't even think about hybrids

 

If they simply give you 5 basic points some examples are....

 

 

Full Combat sentinels with overload saber

 

Healing operatives with a corrosive grenade

 

Full juggernaut tanks w/ leap cc immunity

 

Healing sorcs with chain lightning

 

This isn't even the worst part....

 

Think of all the op hybrid specs possible

 

Bioware must tread carefully with how they do this

 

LOL Healing sorcs with chain lightning would be the least of my concerns. Chain lightning only hits for around 3.3 on crit and 1.8 on non crit. Thats hardly scary

I hope that sorc/sage will see some improvements but not to the point that they become fotm. Sorcs and sages have the most annoying abilties so I'm fine with the current population and would probably prefer if the smashnewbs continued their reign instead of being slowed and dotted all the time.

I hope that sorc/sage will see some improvements but not to the point that they become fotm. Sorcs and sages have the most annoying abilties so I'm fine with the current population and would probably prefer if the smashnewbs continued their reign instead of being slowed and dotted all the time.

 

Sorcerer's scale horribly (from what I've been told) so I figure already that they will be very weak in the new expansion unless BW increases the multipliers for certain abilities.

 

It just is a real shame some a/c's and specs are shafted right now. The PvP in this game is very fun. I personally don't have big issues with the amount of stuns like everyone else. Time to kill is fast and I feel without being able to stop people from attacking it would be much faster. Do I wish it didn't have to be this way? Sure. But currently, the stuns are needed.

 

When it comes to my own class and spec (corruption hybrid sorc), my only real gripe is force management has been terrible since the 1.2 nerfs. I feel we need some sort of buff to this and an instant heal usable on any teammate. We went from "never having to worry about running out of our resource" to "always having to worry about running out of our resource." Our only ability to regen our force kills us over time. This may be fine as a dps but as a heals, if you are forced to steal your own life to gain force back, it is not easy to then heal yourself back up and your teammates without eating right back into the force you just regenned. It is a vicious cycle. If you have one person on you, stealing life for force just isn't an option 99% of the time. We are the only class that is forced to flee from attackers and consume our own health pool at the same time while regenning force. It really is quite a joke.

 

As far as solutions? I feel the healing spells sorcs have should have their force costs reduced. If that isn't something that seems fair, then create some sort of proc so when we use our force regen ability, it doesn't consume our health. The proc could come from successfully landing a full Innervate. Each tick would reduce the health consumed by one use of Consumption by a percentage until the last tick that would make it free. Or they could even add to the Force Bending talent. So when you cast your heal over time, one of the buffs is that your next Consumption would not consume health and not give you degenerating force.

 

So TLDR: Healing sorcs have to stop moving to heal. They should get one instant heal to use on teammates. Healing sorcs have horrific resource management. They should get some sort of buff to this.

Edited December 20, 2012 by Hairyzac