ETA on Advanced Class change?

My original comment of 'Allowing Advanced Class changes does not have any impact on game balance at a mechanical level. ' is levelled at the fact that should a player be allowed to swap their Advanced Class they do not in fact become some super hybrid of both ACs but remain firmly one or the other.

Of course the actual abilities and role change otherwise what would be the point.

For example a player who swaps back and forth between Powertech and Mercenary as they level only ever has access to the abilities and skill trees of the AC they are in at the time. This gives the player a greater amount of flexibility and does not impact on the balance of abilities.

Actual abilities and role change ARE fundamental mechanics.

IMO, a player should NOT be able to reverse a decision the ACKNOWLEDGED was PERMANENT. IMO, a player should NOT be able to simply reverse a decision they were advised at least 4 separate times by at least 2 separate NPC's was PERMANENT. IMO, a player should not be able to simply throw money at BW in order to avoid the modicum of effort required to actually level that new class they now want to play.

As I have said, I do understand that many players do have unique and no longer obtainable items on some characters and would like to keep those items while exploring the opposite class. I have posted several times a suggested compromise that would enable those players who have unique and no longer obtainable items to keep them while also addressing many of the concerns those against class changes have expressed.

You can't use a different game to define SWTOR's definition of Class.
Here's SWTOR's definition of Class -> http://www.swtor.com/holonet/classes

No, but a Druid can swap between; Melee Stealth DPS -> Ranged DPS -> Tank -> Heal
And, I believe all the roles can be covered by Paladins and Monks as well.

WOW does not have a story element to its Class system neither does it use a two tier specialisation system.

I see SWTOR's Classes just as clear cut as WOW's, but the Advanced Classes of SWTOR are an additional level of Specialisation, not a unique class.

That negates the design intent of the devs that NO SINGLE CHARACTER have access to all three roles AT ANY TIME, not just at the same time.

Specialisations determine the final role of the character. These can currently be swapped.


Lighten up, it's a game not a job. A player has no way at level 10 to know what the final playstyle of the character is going to be. Maybe you are lucky enough to casually throw 80 hours at a game every time you make a poor call. I'd be a little more lenient and give players the benefit of the doubt.


And from my recollection you just set the bar so high and of a punitive nature that no one would ever use it.

Design intents change, more so with MMOs and their live development cycle than any other form of game.

I seem to remember SWTOR being released as a subscription only game with a focus on class story and the ability to recognise classes through the armour they wear. All of that changed with the introduction of hybrid subscription (changed to keep players), faction story progression not class (production costs needed to be reduced) and adaptive armour (outcry on forums that social armour was light).

MMOs need to adapt to their player base and respond to requests from the forums and through analysis of their own in house metrics.

Then you are, IMO, trying vainly to justify your desire to see class changes implemented.

No player can know at CHARACTER CREATION how a class will play at end game in WoW. Can you change your class in WoW?

I have absolutely no desire to see SWTOR implement Class changes. For better or worse their choice of focusing on story locks the player down to the linear progression of the Class they have chosen and all the associated aspects such as appearance, equipment, and most importantly companions.

It makes no sense to me, within the current scope of Classes, to allow a Bounty Hunter to jump over to the Sith Warrior class.

Where I see less of a problem is allowing a Bounty Hunter-Powertech to put down their Shield Generator and retrain as a Bounty Hunter-Mercenary allowing them to use an offhand pistol.

Apparently not, but they are bringing up the option to buy a new character in at near max level.

I only ever got one character up to max level in WOW (back in the days of Burning Crusade) and when I got tired of playing it I walked away from the game because I couldn't stand the thought of having to grind up another Class.