Melee healer like Warrior Priest / Disciple of Kaine from WAR.

Those were fun. That was the class I liked most in my brief stay there.

Those were fun. That was the class I liked most in my brief stay there.

Yeah I played WAR probably less than SWTOR at this point, but there were many facets to that game I will never forget! I really enjoyed the gameplay of that class in particular. I never really found another class like it, on any other games either. This is also why I still have a soft spot for EQ1 too, they had classes that could do things I never seen on any game, too. Which is remarkable seeing how old EQ1 is now.

Don't forget that the cost is significantly more than you think:

* One new base class

* Two new advanced classes

* *Six* new Disciplines as part of the two new advanced classes

* Balancing.

* Much of the above doubled for animations, ability names, etc. because of Imp/Pub differences.

* Two new class stories with five new class companions and a new starter planet(1) and a new class ship(2) each (one Impside, one Pubside)

* Dialogue tweaks *everywhere* to account for the fact that e.g. an Imp Trooper shouldn't be called "My Lord" or "Hunter" or "Commander", but instead "Lieutenant", "Captain" etc.

On this we agree... particularly if the class were started at the beginning of the entire story line.

Adding new advanced classes to existing base classes costs less because they can avoid building new stories / starter worlds / ships.

 

Actually you would have many of the same issues with a new "advanced class" as you would adding a new class mid-stream... there would simply be a lot of "gaps" in the dialogue from the past. One thought in particular is why said advanced class is never mentioned through out any of the stories of SWTOR ? So there would need to be a means of incorporating this new class.

 

Adding a "Hero" class (starts at near max level) would be considered seriously lame, I think, because it would be story-deficient in a story-heavy MMORPG. Not really a good fit.

 

Respectfully IMO this actually has one of the better options. This would be true particularly if the new class has been mentioned in SWTOR already .. or at least a branch from which it has been developed. IF said NEW class has been created as a recent development from the rise (and fall) of the events surrounding Zakuul (the eternal throne … etc.)

that could easily give rise to the NEW CLASS. And from that justification would rise a whole new group of stories, characters, companions etc.. etc.. etc.. And would require less concern over impact over the earlier parts of the game.

In short: the new class or even an advanced class should have established roots in SWTOR lore !

Please note: I have the utmost respect for the work, opinions and input on this forum of SteveTheCynic. I hope that any comments or points to be taken will be seen in light of that !

EDIT: this part of the discussion is based on feasibility concerns vs minimal cost aspects. If we were not looking at a cost aspect then .. well without going just total hog wild with expense... IMO the new class should still be rooted in SWTOR lore as a base to work from.

Thanks !

Actually you would have many of the same issues with a new "advanced class" as you would adding a new class mid-stream... there would simply be a lot of "gaps" in the dialogue from the past. One thought in particular is why said advanced class is never mentioned through out any of the stories of SWTOR ? So there would need to be a means of incorporating this new class.

Except that a new advanced class would be something like e.g. "Combat Engineer" as an alternative to Commando or Vanguard for Troopers.

I sense a terminology problem... What follows is a broad-strokes view that uses Troopers as an example, but all the eight base classes work the same way.

 

When the game released, up to (but not including) the release of v4.0, new Troopers began the game as, well, Troopers ==> the "base" class. When they reached the Fleet after completing Ord Mantell, they were offered an "advanced training" mission where they could train to take an "advanced" class, either Commando or Vanguard. The NPCs involved in this mission were the only ones in the whole game that mentioned the Trooper-Commando-Vanguard thing.

 

v4.0 (Oct 2015) made that mission almost meaningless, since you were then allowed to choose your advanced class in the Disciplines panel ("K") as soon as you reached level 10, which usually happened (and still does) somewhere just before you assault the big sep base. The choose your training mission still existed, and you could, if you wanted, still use it as your means of choosing an advanced class.

 

(That said, there was a memorable screenshot - sadly no longer available - that someone published of beating the Voss Destroying the Star Fortress mission on a plain Jedi Consular. Not a Shadow or a Sage, but a *Consular*. http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=866822 )

 

v5.0 (Dec 2016) moved the choice point to the character creation process and deleted the mission. It's no longer possible to create a "Plain Old Trooper" - instead, you start directly as one of the advanced classes.(1)

 

Since the removal of the "choose your advanced training" mission in 5.0, no NPC anywhere ever mentions Commando or Vanguard.

 

Terminology recap over.

Combat Engineers would follow the Trooper story just like Commandos and Vanguards do.

(1) Surviving pre-5.0 base-class characters (Trooper, Jedi Consular, etc.) were supposed to be switched to the player's chosen advanced class when 5.0 was released, but it was possible to bypass the choice and continue playing as the base class, which is the only reason it is useful to even consider the distinction between base and advanced classes.

For everybody being disrespectful to the OP for his thread he didn't say he was trying to get them to add a class to the game. He was just starting a conversation to see what other people think would be cool additions to the universe. (Sorry if I am wrong here but I don't think I am) The OP was just looking to start a light conversation about SWTOR with people that like SWTOR in the GENERAL DISCUSSION forum. Sure he could have necroed somebody else's thread but you all would have given him the business for reviving a dead thread.

The most obvious easy point to make, are you the op?

can you read the OP's thoughts if you arent?

When will the OP return to make his/her own case to confirm or deny?

you can't answer any of those points before you start. Like it or not, you don't know what the OP was thinking. i have to take it at face value and leave it at that, just like everyone else until the OP elaborates, assuming the OP ever returns.

Except that a new advanced class would be something like e.g. "Combat Engineer" as an alternative to Commando or Vanguard for Troopers.

 

 

 

Combat Engineers would follow the Trooper story just like Commandos and Vanguards do.

 

(1) Surviving pre-5.0 base-class characters (Trooper, Jedi Consular, etc.) were supposed to be switched to the player's chosen advanced class when 5.0 was released, but it was possible to bypass the choice and continue playing as the base class, which is the only reason it is useful to even consider the distinction between base and advanced classes.

I follow what you are suggesting. And there is undeniably a sound supportive reasoning for much of it. It may be that I'm just throwing up a mental block of sorts (if that makes sense). BUT... IMO there would still be issues to resolve in that even a new "sub class" or new "advanced class" that has little or no mention throughout the story line might (for some .. particularly RP ) prove to be detrimental.

I also understand clearly you statements.. and truthfully I don't disagree as strongly as one might think. I'm just looking over some of the details.

Another possibility would be … why not both.

An additional subclass in the realm of the "force user" category (both Empire and Republic) such as has been suggested. This would not change any of the stories or content as it now stands. No real new material other than a new character (perspective) on playing the game. The other would be a genuine new class. IMO... add said class IF (and only IF ) it were written soon enough that could be warranted as a result of the devastation brought about from the events of KotFE / ET. Both sides: the Empire and the Republic... could easily be eager to establish a very sophisticated counter intelligence network with a group of operatives.

At any rate. I do appreciate the response.

Laying aside the question of $$$ and investment.. If there are other matters or questions regarding this I'd be glad to continue reviewing them. I know that my background in this area is not as extensive as yours Steve... but I'd still appreciate looking over them ! Let's face it... you're good at what you do. Asking tougher questions can be challenging … but still well worth it !

It's a post i've done many times so i won't explain everything nor point out that they can just do new advanced classes, to reuse existing class stories, or they can simply start at a high level and have a short introductory scenario.

My suggestion has been a Jedi/sith spec based on starkillers unique lightsaber stance.

A staff user based on the one from rogue one and a teras kasi are also other choices.

I don't expect them to ever make new classes but if they did I'd probably like them to fill the gaps they created in the current line up. The rep side doesn't have bounty hunters and the imp side doesn't have imperial troopers. So Freelancers (more conscientious bounty hunters) and Imperial Troopers could be interesting from a story, flavour point of view.

I also think that smugglers should be renamed to scoundrels where you have sub-classes SIS agent and smuggler rather.

Well let's stop the idle dreaming there. It's not going to happen anyway

I follow what you are suggesting. And there is undeniably a sound supportive reasoning for much of it. It may be that I'm just throwing up a mental block of sorts (if that makes sense). BUT... IMO there would still be issues to resolve in that even a new "sub class" or new "advanced class" that has little or no mention throughout the story line might (for some .. particularly RP ) prove to be detrimental.

Given that the existing (advanced or sub) classes aren't mentioned anywhere, as such, this is less problematic than you're thinking. People talk to your Trooper as "Sir" or "Lieutenant" / "Captain" / "Major" (according to where you are in the story) or mention the fact that you're a *soldier*, but never anywhere are you referred to as "Commando" or "Vanguard". (At one point in KotFE Chapter XIV, Shae tells you that "tonight, the vanguard is yours" or something like that but (a) she says that to everyone and (b) she means the position of "leading from the front".)

On reflection, however, "Combat Engineer" is a bad idea as the name for the "third way" of Troopers, since Harron Tavus introduces you as having been top of your Academy classes in "Forward Assault, Search and Destroy, and Advanced Recon", which isn't normally something that a combat engineer (military role) does. In essence, it would be a "turret" class similar in some ways to a "core" Engineer from GW2. The other failing of that is that I'm not sure how to build, in lore-friendly terms, an Impside mirror of it as a "third way" Bounty Hunter.

Laying aside the question of $$$ and investment.. If there are other matters or questions regarding this I'd be glad to continue reviewing them. I know that my background in this area is not as extensive as yours Steve... but I'd still appreciate looking over them ! Let's face it... you're good at what you do. Asking tougher questions can be challenging … but still well worth it !

Tougher questions are challenging for the questioner, too, although my post was primarily oriented toward explaining my end of what looked like a misunderstanding over slightly out-dated terminology. (And that's my fault for proceeding as if everyone in the audience knows all the ins and outs of the terminology that hasn't really been relevant to the game since 5.0 dropped, which is nearly three years ago.)

Given that the existing (advanced or sub) classes aren't mentioned anywhere, as such, this is less problematic than you're thinking. People talk to your Trooper as "Sir" or "Lieutenant" / "Captain" / "Major" (according to where you are in the story) or mention the fact that you're a *soldier*, but never anywhere are you referred to as "Commando" or "Vanguard". (At one point in KotFE Chapter XIV, Shae tells you that "tonight, the vanguard is yours" or something like that but (a) she says that to everyone and (b) she means the position of "leading from the front".)

 

On reflection, however, "Combat Engineer" is a bad idea as the name for the "third way" of Troopers, since Harron Tavus introduces you as having been top of your Academy classes in "Forward Assault, Search and Destroy, and Advanced Recon", which isn't normally something that a combat engineer (military role) does. In essence, it would be a "turret" class similar in some ways to a "core" Engineer from GW2. The other failing of that is that I'm not sure how to build, in lore-friendly terms, an Impside mirror of it as a "third way" Bounty Hunter.

 

Tougher questions are challenging for the questioner, too, although my post was primarily oriented toward explaining my end of what looked like a misunderstanding over slightly out-dated terminology. (And that's my fault for proceeding as if everyone in the audience knows all the ins and outs of the terminology that hasn't really been relevant to the game since 5.0 dropped, which is nearly three years ago.)

I understand your concerns. I can also appreciate your ability to focus on certain aspects of the over all conversations. Even though there could potentially be an over all misunderstanding over the conceptual ideals of subclass (or perhaps also termed advanced class) extensions of the game. If I'm not mistaken even most of the classes within each of the current groups still have some variants of a story … until KotFE. After that the stories all pretty much blend together.

BTW.. no worries on any particular part of communication issues. You do an outstanding job in that regard. If anything I lack a few skills in attempting to convey that spark of hope that two ideas can and should be seen as equal possibilities.

The entire affair could be moot … as many have stated from time to time. Additional class (or as proposed by others: subclass AKA: advanced classes) .. may not ever happen. " May not" , " can not" , "WILL NOT" … ???

Unless a representative from BW were to post a more definitive and conclusive statement .. IMO … there are ALWAYS possibilities. And while I may personally disagree with some of the "new class suggestions" … I would never discourage anyone from continuing to make them.

I'm personally hoping that those possibilities will turn into a reality !

The most obvious easy point to make, are you the op?

can you read the OP's thoughts if you arent?

When will the OP return to make his/her own case to confirm or deny?

 

you can't answer any of those points before you start. Like it or not, you don't know what the OP was thinking. i have to take it at face value and leave it at that, just like everyone else until the OP elaborates, assuming the OP ever returns.

You are absolutely right I am not the OP nor can I read his/her thoughts however I can read their words they typed and I will highlight the ones that say it is a mental exercise for fun implying it is not a suggestion but a conversation starter.

I just wanted to see what people's views and ideas are if Bioware were to bring out a new class, what do you think it should be and why?

I always though they could bring back the Echani for rep and impirial guard for empire. They could be the first non force using close combat with swords and staves class.

For those of you who like going off on one saying it will never happen, it's not the point. It's just fun to throw ideas out there and see what people come up with...

As you can see their own words for fun. With that said I have no more to say to you than to wish you well.

I think we all know it's never going to happen, but sure just for fun.

If it did then maybe some sort of neutral class neither Imperial or Republic. So a fringe class not aligned with either for chapter one. Then by the start of chapter two the player then has to decide which faction to support. Then the story splits in two direction on which you pick. That way it also cut costs down a little as chapter one is for all, and only separates into two stories from chapter two & three , dependant on if supporting Imp's or Pubs. It would still require a huge investment though as a new fringe class would mean new starter world, plus not sure how viable it would be not going to either Capital worlds, so may require two new planets. On the other hand two new planets for next xpac, so maybe? Ok this is sort of the premise of Ossues and beyond storyline but without the saboteur element which I really really do not like.

Still if there was ever a new class so many want different things, ultimately it course more problems than solve. Just reading this thread tells me than.

This thread evolves another question whether new class will become a reality or not.

This question is very easy to answer from business point of view, i.e. whether it can make money (after deducting cost of production etc) for the game.

And fundamental to the above is whether there is a customer demand for it. Do the customer want it?

This thread evolves another question whether new class will become a reality or not.

 

This question is very easy to answer from business point of view, i.e. whether it can make money (after deducting cost of production etc) for the game.

 

And fundamental to the above is whether there is a customer demand for it. Do the customer want it?

Well said.

Two simple points to go with that.

1. Investment: EA is the real owner of the answer. Unfortunately EA made most of its initial profits from games that were more of a "One and Done" development design. One classic example is the Madden Football series. There are no patches … etc that are done with a game like that. Simple... one and done upon release.

Let's face it.. MMO's are nothing like that. So attempting to convince the CEO or board of directors that reinvesting extra capitol into a game that is now 8 years old may be a difficult task. BUT … since this is a game that is based upon Star Wars (one of the most iconic movies ever released) … there might be a chance. If Disney doesn't screw up The Rise of Skywalker the way it did The Last Jedi ***(see note at bottom) then there is a HUGE opportunity for EA to cash in. And yes a new class would be an excellent place to add fresh new material. Even if it takes months to develop (and it will take every bit of that .. if not maybe a year or more) .. it is still well worth it.

2. I believe that many .. Scratch that.. I'll go out on a limb and say that if it were done correctly most players would welcome a new class.

Note: Not trying to derail the discussion .. but a LOT of SW fans (me included) were seriously disappointed in several things that were done in the movie. BUT … I'll save that list for another thread … another day !

This thread evolves another question whether new class will become a reality or not.

 

This question is very easy to answer from business point of view, i.e. whether it can make money (after deducting cost of production etc) for the game.

 

And fundamental to the above is whether there is a customer demand for it. Do the customer want it?

Yea, most of us know it's not going to happen and have said so in replies. Still for a fun topic away from all the other threads at present time, It's ok to have a little fun.