Update:

Our 4 most popular (from top to bottom)

PVE questions with revisions

#3 about Lethality vs Hybrid care of SandsS - Scyras - Operative Healer - POT5

New - A specific 5/18/23 hybrid spec appears to be quite popular at current due to higher dps. In your play tests, do you have any numbers that support this theory in comparison to numbers for full lethality snipers? Is Lethality in a good place right now in relation to the Hybrid and what, if any concerns, do you have about balance?

#5 http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=6535681&postcount=13 AngelsFlutterSky

#5 - Engineering snipers currently use a strategy of rolling Cluster Bombs to target a large or predictable boss. However, this strategy becomes unworkable when encountering less predictable opponents like Kephess the Undying or multi-target fights like Cartel Warlords and Dread Master Styrak. Engineers tend to fall behind Marksman and Lethality snipers in situations when they are unable to set up Cluster Bombs. In addition to Cluster Bombs, Plasma Probe's effectiveness suffers in high movement or quick target swapping fights, like Kephess the Undying and Styrak. This is due to the issue that Plasma Probe has no way of continuing damage to targets who have already left its radius. With Plasma Probe being a large portion of Engineering DPS, this is problematic in multiple encounters. Tight DPS requirements to clear Nightmare Operations can lead to players feeling forced to choose the “safer” option and switch to Marksman or Lethality, instead. What are your views on this perception of the Engineering sniper? How would you assess the Engineering sniper’s PvE performance – both strengths and weaknesses – in relation to Marksman and Lethality, and what might be done to address those weaknesses?

#8 http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=6599141&postcount=20 Synavix

Old - A lot of work has been done to shift the emphasis away from PvP grinding for the sake of PvE gearing with recent changes made to many relics. However, many Snipers and Gunslingers are still finding it far more advantageous to stack a 2 piece PvP set bonus along with their 2 piece PvE set bonus. The PvP set bonus not only provides more DPS in most single target situations, but provides significantly more utility in giving our best AoE a longer uptime... Our 4 piece PvE set bonus, on the other hand, is almost useless for every spec except for pure Lethality... Are there any plans to (once again) rework any of the set bonuses with a future tier?

#11 http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=6604723&postcount=47 Mathemagica

New - Sniper Spec-Design care of SandsS - Scyras - Operative Healer - POT5

Marksman, Lethality, and Engineering are all unique skill trees with unique playstyles. What are the guiding design philosophies or goals for the performance of each tree? How do these goals change or evolve when designing for all levels of endgame PvE content, and how do you know if each spec is meeting those goals? Finally, where do hybrids figure in the design process?

WILDCARD QUESTION

Is looking to be either 8 or 11. 11 with only a 1 point lead.

If 11 wins, we can adopt GalnarDegana's sneaky adaptation for question 11 and slip in "ranked PvP" next to "endgame PvE"

Meh >_< they're probably going to say something like

(PVE)

MM = single target burst

Lethality = sustained mobile and dot oriented

Engineering = aoe and gimmicky rolling for legit DPS on certain bosses

 

Did you guys miss the memo?

See what i did there

lol jk

"What changed between design and Live performance for each of the four specs have occurred and how do you see their performances compared to each other?"

Now that I look at the revised version of #11, I think you guys misunderstood what I was trying to ask when I made the suggestion: I didn't want to ask: 'How are MM, Engi, Lethality, Hybrid supposed to work?'.

I want to ask more along the lines of the quote above: 'Do you guys think these 4 specs all perform approximately equally well? Is the choice of spec in NiM/ranked setting only personal preference (which niche do I want to fill with my sniper/what is more fun for me), or do you feel a spec is underperforming (lethality) or to depending on the right situations (cluster bombs + plasma probe)? Finally: Is the viability of the hybrid spec (which is one of the problems of lethality) intended?'

What I am hoping to get is insight on whether they think that <insert spec> is behind or fine. In the same way, I want to know whether they are happy with the situational dependence of <insert spec>. I include all of the 4 most used specs in the question because we don't know what they know and what they are thinking (yet) and maybe they would insert different specs above than we would. To include these eventualities MM is included.

I think this gets lost in the revised version of #11.

I am aware that this is coming very late, probably too late to make another revision. If it is too late, there still is a next iteration.

I really like question 8 for both PVP and PVE. For PVE, the 4pc is worthless for all specs save Lethality. For PVP, the 4pc is underwhelming.

I agree completely. The PvP piece can be situationally useful, but to be perfectly honest: not being albe to finish somebody off is much more likely to be due to LoS rather than range.

Why the PvE bonus is bad for most specs goes without saying, but I also dislike how it limits Lethality's accessibilty. Here are my reasons:

1. How many would choose to play Leth just after hitting 55 when they have a similarly playing spec handy that is actually complete straight away? I know I have personally done very little full Leth since 2.0, because not only is the damage without the 4pc not representative of what it is with it, but not even the gameplay of the spec is 100% accurate.

2. Even after getting the 4pc, people already using the hybrid have little incentive to switch to full Lethality; they're already used to hybrid, and hybrid does better in terms of numbers atm. If they were playing a full 36-point build already maybe they'd stick with it despite the numbers, but as it is now: why switch?

3. If you're looking to maximize your performance you probably already have a 2pc PvP bonus. If you also tend to switch specs depending on the fight, going full Lethality would also include either swapping armorings or full items. While this isn't an unthinkable thing to do, why bother when the hybrid is right there and doesn't require any of it?

I agree completely. The PvP piece can be situationally useful, but to be perfectly honest: not being albe to finish somebody off is much more likely to be due to LoS rather than range.

 

Why the PvE bonus is bad for most specs goes without saying, but I also dislike how it limits Lethality's accessibilty. Here are my reasons:

 

1. How many would choose to play Leth just after hitting 55 when they have a similarly playing spec handy that is actually complete straight away? I know I have personally done very little full Leth since 2.0, because not only is the damage without the 4pc not representative of what it is with it, but not even the gameplay of the spec is 100% accurate.

 

2. Even after getting the 4pc, people already using the hybrid have little incentive to switch to full Lethality; they're already used to hybrid, and hybrid does better in terms of numbers atm. Why switch?

 

3. If you're looking to maximize your performance you probably already have a 2pc PvP bonus. If you also tend to switch specs depending on the fight, going full Lethality would also include either swapping armorings or full items. While this isn't an unthinkable thing to do, why bother when the hybrid is right there and doesn't require any of it?

Very good points!

Unless I'm mistaken, PVE question 3 is in the lead right now, but PVE 8 (set bonus) is in 2nd. If PVE 3 wins, I think PVE 8 should be the wild card question, since it's both PVP and PVE. That and mixed in with the fact the author of PVE 11 is saying that the revised version is not what he had fully intended. But that's just me and my own personal bias.

Very good points!

 

Unless I'm mistaken, PVE question 3 is in the lead right now, but PVE 8 (set bonus) is in 2nd. If PVE 3 wins, I think PVE 8 should be the wild card question, since it's both PVP and PVE. That and mixed in with the fact the author of PVE 11 is saying that the revised version is not what he had fully intended. But that's just me and my own personal bias.

Yea was thinking about this as well...

For OTHER: pve 5 and pve 8 has 7 votes. pve 11 has 4 votes...

Should we use either 5 (is Engineering working as intended?) or 8 (2pc pve/pvp versus 4pc pve)? In the meantime i closed the top 3 sniper thread. (eric) I have it saved, hopefully we can get a tie breaker soon

Yea was thinking about this as well...

 

For OTHER: pve 5 and pve 8 has 7 votes. pve 11 has 4 votes...

 

Should we use either 5 (is Engineering working as intended?) or 8 (2pc pve/pvp versus 4pc pve)? In the meantime i closed the top 3 sniper thread. (eric) I have it saved, hopefully we can get a tie breaker soon

Both are pretty solid questions, and I'll definitely be supporting whichever we do not choose over on the Gunslinger side for our second round of questions.

The biggest advantage I can think of for PvE 5 is that it could be something we could see a change to relatively quickly. It's a pretty favored PvP spec as well, so might be something changed with the upcoming PvP patch.

On the other hand, I feel PvE 8 has a far larger significance to the overall Sniper community, because it affects all of our most played specs right across the board and it would give a lot more consistency to balancing and comparing specs.

for OTHER i added the pve and the wildcard column

8 = 11 votes

5 = 11 votes

11 = 9 votes

Engineering and set bonus question is a tie

Didn't get back from work as early as I had hoped but could go with something like this for the next batch of questions

We are seeing a lot of available spec choices for snipers such as; Marks, Engi, Lethality, Lethality-Engi Hybrid (not including the variations within each spec). What are the guiding design philosophies or goals for the performance of each tree?

 

For instance we see the 4 set bonus is specifically only really beneficial for full Lethality spec which leaves a situation where other specs must grind for the PVP 2 set bonus. Currently the choice for most in NIM raids would be between Marks or Lethality-Engi with Engi full only being used in very limited situations, if at all, (Large hitbox or very predictable bosses due to plasma probe being static and use of cluster bombs on rolls) and full lethality not really in use. Is this how you intended the specs and set bonuses to be used?

 

How do these goals change or evolve when designing for all levels of endgame PvE and Ranked/Arena content?

Well the questions are up. That concludes this round's Class Rep duty. Oh i don't want to do this again -_-

lol

I'm sure BW has their reasons for not having a poll option for the forum users but that would've definitely made this voting method (that i chose to do! other class reps are doing it differently), 100x easier.

Well the questions are up. That concludes this round's Class Rep duty. Oh i don't want to do this again -_-

 

lol

 

I'm sure BW has their reasons for not having a poll option for the forum users but that would've definitely made this voting method (that i chose to do! other class reps are doing it differently), 100x easier.

This method seems to have the easiest clarity and allowed for easier tracking of all the questions and people have to take the time to post to vote (shows they care more). Personally thing it was better than a forum poll

Well the questions are up. That concludes this round's Class Rep duty. Oh i don't want to do this again -_-

 

lol

 

I'm sure BW has their reasons for not having a poll option for the forum users but that would've definitely made this voting method (that i chose to do! other class reps are doing it differently), 100x easier.

*pat!* You did an excellent job Paowee. Thanks for running the show.

Well the questions are up. That concludes this round's Class Rep duty. Oh i don't want to do this again -_-

 

lol

 

I'm sure BW has their reasons for not having a poll option for the forum users but that would've definitely made this voting method (that i chose to do! other class reps are doing it differently), 100x easier.

I can only imagine how the last few days were for you. Thanks again for your time, efforts and your patience with all our short-time changes etc.

Kinda funny looking thru the other classes' stuff. All of them are "change this" and "fix this" rather then actual questions

I saw some class rep threads and they basically put down what buffs they think the class should get. >_<;