I'm not the type of person to enter something into a suggestion box, as I'm aware that my thread will likely go unread, and if if read will never happen, but this idea hit me today and I think a lot of people would like it, and...ya never know. Sure, it'd be a ways off from implementing but BIOWARE could put it in the "crazy ideas that we'd like to do down the road box."

Here's my idea:

At a certain alignment value (i.e. Light Side: 1000; or Dark Side 200), depending where the game has developed to, players can choose to "become one with the Force" and become a Force Ghost.

Here are some possible details:

--This would inherently change your class into one whose sole function would be to buff and debuff.

--Force Ghosts cannot be defeated, nor can they enter combat in order to attack. They only buff group members and debuff enemies.

--There would be no more need to obtain gear, but perhaps there could be certain levels of "buff/debuff" abilities along an all new trajectory of development. Or perhaps just be static and buffs could be based on percentages or scale to group sizes.

--Force Ghosts would be "tethered" to particular locations. Maybe even to a destroyed planet formerly inhabited by many Jedi (Dantooine or something). They could leave their tethered location only to join groups and be then be tethered to the group leader (instance included) by a range of 15 meters or something. This way, there wouldn't be a fleet full of force ghosts ruining the immersion factor.

--The Reward System would have to be tweaked in order to incorporate the Force Ghost role.

--Only force-sensitive classes could become Force Ghosts, as doing so requires learning the mysteries of the Force.

--A cool quest-line, working with some Master, Vrook or Exar Kun for example, where you choose to "die" in order to become one with the force (Jedi) or suck the life force from others (Sith) would commence the Force Ghost process.

One can imagine running an Operation with one character and seven Force Ghosts guiding him.

I bet a lot of people would choose to do this. It would also give a sense of "completion" to a particular character that is so often lacking in MMO's. I know companies would like us never to feel that, so we keep playing our toons and giving them money...but the role would still be social in character, be difficult to obtain, could possibily still contain a progression dynamic, and would be unique and very cool. This would be very unique and BIOWARISH

Imagine the implications for World Events...

Thoughts?

So...explain to me why I would actively WANT to forfeit my ability to fight in combat, and potentially forfeit any future installations to my class story from expansions, just to be a ghost.

I'm not really seeing the charm.

Well I'm just in the ideas phase here. The charm primarily lies in the Star Wars Lore, which obviously has its appeal to a wide audience. Though I am not a role-player, this would certainly appeal to that crowd. The development of "Force Ghost Class Stories" could also be an option. Remember also, multiple Advance Classes have the same class story. We're at the point where lots of folk have multiple max level toons. It's not as if you HAVE to miss your class story. Many players will have to experience it twice as it is (I personally will have to view the Knight and Smuggler stories twice). It's not as if you HAVE to miss the story.

Also, it's not as if you have a wouldn't have a role in groups, it would be just more passive. You couldn't "attack" or "be defeated" As it is, there's no real CC/BUFF/DEBUFF class per say as there is in other games where they are often necessary, as these roles are distributed rather evenly in SWTOR.

Not sold.

Who in their right mind would give quests to a ghost? Besides, what kind of Force Ghost just lingers? You're just banking on the whole "wouldn't it be cool to be Shiny Obi-Wan" theory.

Not sold.

Who in their right mind would give quests to a ghost? Besides, what kind of Force Ghost just lingers? You're just banking on the whole "wouldn't it be cool to be Shiny Obi-Wan" theory.

I honestly think a lot of people would do it. I know I casually pitched it to some of my guildies and they thought it was very cool. And like I posted earlier, it's sort of a "retirement" of a character. You gain a sense of completion, but also accomplishment. You're just so good that you've transcended time and space.

I'm not the type of person to enter something into a suggestion box, as I'm aware that my thread will likely go unread, and if if read will never happen, but this idea hit me today and I think a lot of people would like it, and...ya never know. Sure, it'd be a ways off from implementing but BIOWARE could put it in the "crazy ideas that we'd like to do down the road box."

 

Here's my idea:

 

At a certain alignment value (i.e. Light Side: 1000; or Dark Side 200), depending where the game has developed to, players can choose to "become one with the Force" and become a Force Ghost.

Here are some possible details:

--This would inherently change your class into one whose sole function would be to buff and debuff.

--Force Ghosts cannot be defeated, nor can they enter combat in order to attack. They only buff group members and debuff enemies.

--There would be no more need to obtain gear, but perhaps there could be certain levels of "buff/debuff" abilities along an all new trajectory of development. Or perhaps just be static and buffs could be based on percentages or scale to group sizes.

--Force Ghosts would be "tethered" to particular locations. Maybe even to a destroyed planet formerly inhabited by many Jedi (Dantooine or something). They could leave their tethered location only to join groups and be then be tethered to the group leader (instance included) by a range of 15 meters or something. This way, there wouldn't be a fleet full of force ghosts ruining the immersion factor.

--The Reward System would have to be tweaked in order to incorporate the Force Ghost role.

--Only force-sensitive classes could become Force Ghosts, as doing so requires learning the mysteries of the Force.

--A cool quest-line, working with some Master, Vrook or Exar Kun for example, where you choose to "die" in order to become one with the force (Jedi) or suck the life force from others (Sith) would commence the Force Ghost process.

 

One can imagine running an Operation with one character and seven Force Ghosts guiding him.

I bet a lot of people would choose to do this. It would also give a sense of "completion" to a particular character that is so often lacking in MMO's. I know companies would like us never to feel that, so we keep playing our toons and giving them money...but the role would still be social in character, be difficult to obtain, could possibily still contain a progression dynamic, and would be unique and very cool. This would be very unique and BIOWARISH

Imagine the implications for World Events...

 

Thoughts?

The red is what will never make this beyond a flawed idea. Take this out and just make this an advance-advance / Alpha Class idea.

Although the story I consider beyond non-canon, The Force Unleashed Ultimate Sith Edition, Obi-wan's force ghost is able to attack you wiht powerful force attacks, in Star Wars lore force ghosts of wraiths have been known to violently attack other beings, etc.

Your idea to take away gear and combat would be the death of TOR because it makes no sense. If anything this "Force Ghost" would the the ultimate healer or dps. The "retirement" aspect wouldn't be something to look forward to to be hoenst. It would make one feel like "wow I did all this work...and I can do jack **** with this character now but X and Y ....might as well stop playing on this one...."

I like the buff idea, but in general this class would be beyond OP in PvP most likely. IF TOR had a duel skill tree for PvE and PvP I'd be for this 100%, but for the moment, if you tweak this idea more realistically I'd be for it.

The red is what will never make this beyond a flawed idea. Take this out and just make this an advance-advance / Alpha Class idea.

 

Although the story I consider beyond non-canon, The Force Unleashed Ultimate Sith Edition, Obi-wan's force ghost is able to attack you wiht powerful force attacks, in Star Wars lore force ghosts of wraiths have been known to violently attack other beings, etc.

 

Your idea to take away gear and combat would be the death of TOR because it makes no sense. If anything this "Force Ghost" would the the ultimate healer or dps. The "retirement" aspect wouldn't be something to look forward to to be hoenst. It would make one feel like "wow I did all this work...and I can do jack **** with this character now but X and Y ....might as well stop playing on this one...."

 

I like the buff idea, but in general this class would be beyond OP in PvP most likely. IF TOR had a duel skill tree for PvE and PvP I'd be for this 100%, but for the moment, if you tweak this idea more realistically I'd be for it.

I guess I was thinking that if the group crashes, the group crashes, seperate from the Force Ghost, who is not engaged in combat per say, though he is a part of the group. He cannot be the last one standing against a Boss, he cannot complete objectives in PvP.

I think my idea is largely influenced by LOTRO where there classes whose primary role was buffing and debuffing. It's not as if the Force Ghost would just sit there. You can keep them very active by casting constantly, with buffs/debuffs with very short cooldowns.

So my thought would be that you would still be engaged in "combat" but a modified version.

I think your'e right about the gear/progression. It would be necessary to have some continued development. Again here I'm a bit influenced by LOTRO. You hit max level and development takes a whole new direction, you're no longer trying to level, but enhance a particular "legendary weapon." True, you also still get gear. I'm just thinking of the process dynamic. So in the case of the Froce Ghost, you may not go after a "chestpiece" but learn a deeper "mystery of the Force" to improve your debuff or something like that.

Thanks for the suggestion and being open to the idea!

I actually like this idea. But inside of being a whole new class I think it should be a race unlock. If the ghost were to become a class it might screw some people over of they became one without knowing the consequences. As a race people could keep their original class while going through the experience of a ghost. The stories will have to be tweaked a bit but all of that can he added into a full blown expansion.

I also thinking the requirements of unlocking it should be higher. The alignment sounds good but the requirements are simply too low. Most people could unlock this either by the time they leave their starter planet or as the land on the capital. Instead new levels of alignment should be added for this unlock. Such as light/dark 6 or even 7. That way most people won't unlock it until they are either at the end of their story or close to it since each level of alignment seems to double the points needed. So for a alignment 6 you would need something like 40,000 and 7 would be 80,000.

This could also lead into racial buffs instea of racial emotes

I actually like this idea. But inside of being a whole new class I think it should be a race unlock. If the ghost were to become a class it might screw some people over of they became one without knowing the consequences. As a race people could keep their original class while going through the experience of a ghost. The stories will have to be tweaked a bit but all of that can he added into a full blown expansion.

 

I also thinking the requirements of unlocking it should be higher. The alignment sounds good but the requirements are simply too low. Most people could unlock this either by the time they leave their starter planet or as the land on the capital. Instead new levels of alignment should be added for this unlock. Such as light/dark 6 or even 7. That way most people won't unlock it until they are either at the end of their story or close to it since each level of alignment seems to double the points needed. So for a alignment 6 you would need something like 40,000 and 7 would be 80,000.

 

This could also lead into racial buffs instea of racial emotes

My only thought would be that it'd be easier for BIOWARE to build new stories on already existing ones, rather than go back and restructure. I agree that unlocking the Force Ghost should be a difficult task.

I like it Logan-Won. There are definatly a lot of ways to go with a Force Ghost idea! If not a playable character, as I am partial to companions and pets, I would LOVE to see a Force Ghost as either!

Keep thinking outside the box, and maybe someday Bioware will as well!

This is crazy... but I like crazy. It's an idea, and just an idea. I think with a lot of thought and work, this might just work. Maybe the ability to change between normal and ghost?

BrigandsAuthor

So, generalizing: create a new category of Mentor character. These characters do not have an XP track and cannot participate directly in combat, but they can join groups and do indirect things like buffs, debuffs, and perhaps in-combat distractions, and earn legacy XP for being in a group with non-Mentor characters. Mentor characters go through the usual character generator for appearance, with an additional option for adding signs of age (weathering, wrinkles). They can be spectators in any conversation, but never make conversational choices. They can perform out-of-combat revives. They can send and receive mail to your legacy alts, but cannot interact with items otherwise. There can be as many Mentors in a group as there are non-Mentors.

If you reach level 50 in a Jedi class, you unlock the Force Ghost. If you reach level 50 in a non-Jedi class, you unlock the Veteran, an old codger who is too infirm to participate in combat or carry gear and too scrawny to be worthwhile for NPCs to target in a fight.

Read the idea, loved it.

Expect a lot of negativity from envious posters.

Expect Bioware to read the post, be marginally intrigued, and then discard it completely on account of said negativity.

Rinse and repeat.

Then fast-forward to 1.7 and we'll be dancing around the ready-check/hood-toggle/dual-spec campfire.