Me and three friends are doing a four man team, and since we are getting near to the end of the current team (were I am a Sorc Healer) it's time to start planning our next team up. To make sure every stat gets picket up (unlike our current team ) there will be one BH, one IA, one SI, and one SW. I am the IA, a DPS IA. There won't be much use of Stealth, and if our current play style is consistent quite mobile fighting.

 

So I would value any suggestions, since (unless you count an IA at level 5) I have never played an Imperial Agent before.

 

Given that stealth isn't really going to play any big role, and I probably won't have to do even off-healing would the Operative still work , and how in that case? If not what are your suggestions for the Sniper?

Edited February 28, 2013 by Pson

Honestly, I am loving my sniper. There isn't a whole lot I can't kill with her (provided I have a comp to take the brunt of a beating).

 

The cover system takes some getting used to at first, but once you adapt to a different fighting style it can be pretty fun.

 

35m is not really what I would consider "sniper" range, but the extra attack range is nice.

 

I started an Op a few months ago, but never really took to it. I leveled her to 20ish and haven't been back to her since. I like the blaster/blade combo and the stealth component, really makes you feel like an assassin. But, the play style needed just didn't suit me. I really liked the IA storyline though, thus the re-roll with Sniper

 

I guess you could sum it up with: "I prefer a straight up fight to all this sneaking around";)

Edited February 28, 2013 by Stressfire

I find sniper kinda boring. Animations are bland, and it's really repetitive. Don't sell Operative's DPS short. Play what you prefer, but I've shelved my sniper to play my Leth. Operative.

I suppose it really all depends what kind of advanced classes your friends choose as well, but to spare everyone from going into each and every situation I'll just say this: play what you want to play as. Honestly, I love playing an Op since they are always on the move and take a lot more skill to use properly, but it all comes down to what you enjoy.

 

If you've been a Sorc healer already, you might find the play style of a Sniper to be pretty similar, since both classes kinda hang back and do their business from the background, as opposed to an Op who is right in an enemy's face. Snipers are definitely the better of the two when it comes to DPS, though an Op DPS is certainly viable as well but it just takes more time to really learn how to play one. The option to throw out some off heals are always nice, though you said that's a non-issue.

 

So, bottom line, play what you think you would enjoy more. Snipers can pump out higher damage but are pretty stationary, like the Sorc you've played before, while Ops are much more mobile and close range but take more time to learn and adjust to their rotation, and their damage isn't as high as other classes. Both are totally viable and a total blast to play, so have fun with it no matter what you choose!

I suppose it really all depends what kind of advanced classes your friends choose as well, but to spare everyone from going into each and every situation I'll just say this: play what you want to play as. Honestly, I love playing an Op since they are always on the move and take a lot more skill to use properly, but it all comes down to what you enjoy.

 

If you've been a Sorc healer already, you might find the play style of a Sniper to be pretty similar, since both classes kinda hang back and do their business from the background, as opposed to an Op who is right in an enemy's face. Snipers are definitely the better of the two when it comes to DPS, though an Op DPS is certainly viable as well but it just takes more time to really learn how to play one. The option to throw out some off heals are always nice, though you said that's a non-issue.

 

So, bottom line, play what you think you would enjoy more. Snipers can pump out higher damage but are pretty stationary, like the Sorc you've played before, while Ops are much more mobile and close range but take more time to learn and adjust to their rotation, and their damage isn't as high as other classes. Both are totally viable and a total blast to play, so have fun with it no matter what you choose!

I have to differ on the damage part. A good operative in Lethality, even Conc. can do well. Yesterday, I saw a Leth operative nag 540k~ damage, topping anyone elses by 200k. Note, he wasn't even in full WH. Play what you like, get good at it, then faceroll sons of *****es.

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions. Yesterday I played most of Hutta with the Bountyhunter (to be Healer) of the team and felt out gunned since getting into cover and the Snipe build up took enough time for the BH to most of the killing. Moving forward while tossing a grenade and doing the rickity stab, with a follow up of takatakataka if needed seemed to work better. Will this stay a constant in a four man team that getting ready for action will take half the action? Can you be mobile as a Sniper, or do you need to go into cover to be efficient? I looked and the Engineer Sniper and the Lethality Op seems the two most team friendly DPS choices, could anyone who know comment on this?

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions. Yesterday I played most of Hutta with the Bountyhunter (to be Healer) of the team and felt out gunned since getting into cover and the Snipe build up took enough time for the BH to most of the killing. Moving forward while tossing a grenade and doing the rickity stab, with a follow up of takatakataka if needed seemed to work better. Will this stay a constant in a four man team that getting ready for action will take half the action? Can you be mobile as a Sniper, or do you need to go into cover to be efficient? I looked and the Engineer Sniper and the Lethality Op seems the two most team friendly DPS choices, could anyone who know comment on this?

 

I'm currently running a Marksman Build on my sniper (only level 28 atm) and once you get into cover, you got some pretty handy options for doing some high DPS like Ambush and thermal probe (or whatever its called). Higher you get the more options will have. In Warzones I normally am in the top 1-2 for damage the whole match. Just Learn your abilities and you will be able to out DPS all your buddies in no time.

Just for the record, I totally believe DPS Operatives can put up great numbers if they know what they are doing, but on average and everything being equal a Sniper is /more likely/ to put up higher numbers.

 

And if you decide to go into a Sniper build, you'll be using cover a lot. Just know that early levels can be tough since you dont have some of your main abilities until later, but once you get them they are a total blast to play.

Given that stealth isn't really going to play any big role, and I probably won't have to do even off-healing would the Operative still work , and how in that case? If not what are your suggestions for the Sniper?

Full-on Lethality spec. It barely relies on stealth at all and does some crazy single target damage with Culls and spreads some decent DoTs/slows (30% slow + DoT AoE on 3 targets) around. If the SW in your team is going lolsmash spec, he will love the AoE slows to keep groups of players in range of his smash. This spec basically revolves around zipping in and out of melee as you set up your DoTs for Cull bursts. It isn't a constantly in your face-spec like concealment.

 

Problem is that it has a higher skill requirement compared to the usual DPS specs and classes to play effectively. You'll have to have good awareness of your surroundings since you're not sticking to your target like glue. It took me quite a bit of experimenting to get it right, but I prefer it above and beyond Concealment now. Mainly because you aren't effectively dependant on stealth for good damage.

 

I also find snipers boring, so I really can't recommend them

Many thing to consider.

 

From what you wrote, I can see the team will be either a jug tank or sin tank, and I'd bet on mara or sorc as the last dps.

 

At any rate, operative has the + of bringing an extra cc compared to healer. However, if you have a mara dps, you might still want to consider sniper to bring the "normal" team of 1 rdps, 1mdps.

 

If its a sorc, then operative mdps might be nice. However, in blunt number sniper outperform operative.

 

I personally have both in a way (scrapper scoundrel, marksmen sniper) and so far (sniper 48, scoundrel 35) I preferred sniper slightly dps wise. For solo play, I can't say I don't enjoy the quick respec possibility of the scoundrel however. Since you are in a set 4-man team, I personnaly find the sniper's sustained works well, altough operative opening burst sure can be nice in many situations.

Full-on Lethality spec. It barely relies on stealth at all and does some crazy single target damage with Culls and spreads some decent DoTs/slows (30% slow + DoT AoE on 3 targets) around. If the SW in your team is going lolsmash spec, he will love the AoE slows to keep groups of players in range of his smash. This spec basically revolves around zipping in and out of melee as you set up your DoTs for Cull bursts. It isn't a constantly in your face-spec like concealment.

 

Problem is that it has a higher skill requirement compared to the usual DPS specs and classes to play effectively. You'll have to have good awareness of your surroundings since you're not sticking to your target like glue. It took me quite a bit of experimenting to get it right, but I prefer it above and beyond Concealment now. Mainly because you aren't effectively dependant on stealth for good damage.

 

I also find snipers boring, so I really can't recommend them

 

Yeah, I run full Lethality, and it's pretty faceroll. In 2.0, it will be the "DPS" spec for Operative. Concealment, while good, won't have the burst that Cull in the new patch will. The roll, IMO, benefits Lethality more because of the Melee/ranged hybrid of the spec. I find it really fun because you can choose how you fight your fights. You can run in and DoT Cull spam people to death, you can play more defensively, staying back, DoTing, and throwing up some heals when needed, or a mix of both.

 

Just as a heads up, the potential of this spec has a cost. It's tricky to learn it, because you can't run in a spam flameburst or lulsmash people to death. But once you get the class, you'll be the one loling.

I ended up with making a Sniper (starting on the Engineering tree), one of the reasons being that I already have a 50 Scoundrel (healing spec) that I hardly ever play. After the last two comments I almost regret it, and might consider running one more IA through Hutta, just to try the Lethality spec.

 

Thank you all for the constructive comments, a big bowl of virtual peanuts stand at the virtual table right next to you.