Like many of you I had a chance to test out the gunslinger during Thanksgiving weekend and really enjoyed my time with the class. Even though I found the cover system fun, I am starting to question the real benefit to going gunslinger. From what I understand, commando gets better armor, high dps, and more mobility. From a PVP/raid standpoint, what can the gunslinger bring to the table that a commando can't?

I am still leaning towards the smuggler class strictly for story, but I was hoping some of you experienced players can weigh in and tell me what attributes I would have that a commando wouldn't?

Both have their good and bad points. With gunslinger your a pure dps. thats your main and really only function be it pve or pvp. You can subspec into different styles of dps such as ST, dots, or AoE but thats about it.

With commando you have the option to go healing, and you get access to healing abilities whether you go healing or not, so overall you have slightly less dps than gunslinger but a bit more utility.

You also get heavy armor and a bit better defensive stats.

If your looking to fill a group support role, or if you want to be an rdps but have the flexibility to go healing when needed commando might work better for you. But if you just want to lay down dps with a cool hat, then gunslinger is the way to go imo.

Its been a tough choice for me since I love the rdps playstyle, but also like to act as a more support orientated player. But I simply like the look and feel of gunslinger so much that I don't want to play anything else!

Gunslingers do still bring a lot of great utility to any group, just not in the form of healing. Beyond top dps we also have our armor debuff, accuracy debuff if specced into it, and of course Scrambling Field which is a great ability giving 20% reduced damage taken to anyone close enough when its up.

Theres a number of other things as well but altogether everything is pretty balanced in SWToR as in every class/AC can bring something useful to the group. I highly recommend simply picking the class with the playstyle and personality/story and roles they can fill that you are most interested in rather than dps/utility.

Thanks for the good replies. I didn't think about the utility side of gunslinger. Bottom line is no one wants to role based off of "style" and be left out of raid/pvp groups until balancing hits. With this in mind, I am just trying to be pre-emptive. Outside of that, I agree with the fact that the idea of smuggling is awesome.

Another thing to keep in mind though is that if the paradigm shifts and lets say Gunslinger becomes a very weak or underpowered class, or if another gets buffed to be really strong, you can at least enjoy the story lines of another class if you end up re-rolling later. It will not be quite as painful as it is in some other games I hope, were your stuck doing the same quests and the same zones from the same perspective every time around.

You should never start playing a class because it does more dps or hps vs another class, but instead play a class you like the looks, story, gameplay and having real fun playing it. This is a game not a job.

Yes, but that being said I think i'm would have a far easier time finding a group as a tank or healer then as a pure dps. But I still want to do gunslinger!

Oh, and the point about storyline making alts a far easier route then other games? Very true.

Quick Update:

I answered my own question by getting to play gunslinger. We have a very specific purpose in PVE/PVP and that is single target damage. With that said, it is awesome being in the back and dying maybe 3-5 times in a warzone while racking up 25-30 kills by taking out stragglers. What we lack in utility we make up in damage.

Gunslinger here. I just like Han solo and Chewy since 1977. Han Solo made Star Wars. He is still the best personality of all 6 films.

this guy knows where its at

Originally Posted by Mabian

Gunslinger here. I just like Han solo and Chewy since 1977. Han Solo made Star Wars. He is still the best personality of all 6 films.

 

this guy knows where its at

Dont forget princess Leia.... Cant remember how many nights I have spent in her in my arms.... Just to woke up cuddling with a plush Chewbacca

Play the class that's fun, not what does "better." Better is always subjective.

Personally I love the story and overall feel of a gunslinger-type character. The jury is out on the Cover system -- I have had some fun with it, but also some ugliness.

However, Trooper also appeals to me... because really, you're a space marine with a lot of fun gadgets and a rifle or heavy-cannon. My current Commando feels like a walking battalion with the firepower I can summon up, and also the amount of control I have... sticky-bomb a guy, cryo-bomb another, lay down mortar fire over an area or pepper a single guy with Full Auto. Feels powerful, and doesn't have the 'gimmick' of Cover.

You should never start playing a class because it does more dps or hps vs another class, but instead play a class you like the looks, story, gameplay and having real fun playing it. This is a game not a job.

This. I like the looks of commando but damn. All they can freaking do is Grav round(SPAMM) and I like sage but where did the story go>GONE I like Powertech yay nothing bad

i think if you convert the titles to other games you will get a beter sense... for example...

gunslinger = hunter and in games like wow or lotro we all know what a hunter does

commando = champion...

anyway... thats how I view the differences... so while both do great dps, they both have different raid roles...

From a PVP/raid standpoint, what can the gunslinger bring to the table that a commando can't?

Since you said PvP go Gunslinger. Just go to the PvP forums and read the 5345834753478 posts about Commando/Merc sucking. Commando is the worst healer and the DPS is also basically a gunslinger but without all the CC and leap immunity and ways to escape

Like many of you I had a chance to test out the gunslinger during Thanksgiving weekend and really enjoyed my time with the class. Even though I found the cover system fun, I am starting to question the real benefit to going gunslinger. From what I understand, commando gets better armor, high dps, and more mobility. From a PVP/raid standpoint, what can the gunslinger bring to the table that a commando can't?

 

I am still leaning towards the smuggler class strictly for story, but I was hoping some of you experienced players can weigh in and tell me what attributes I would have that a commando wouldn't?

Hey, no matter what anybody tells you, a commando can't outdo gunslinger in DPS unless the slinger is really bad. My main has been a commando for a long time and I'm just nearing 50 on my gunslinger to replace him. The reason I'm doing this (and these are my opinions) is becaue for one, I think Commando DPS is EXTREMELY boring, the rotations you use as any of the 2 DPS specs are very very simple and in my opinion boring. Even though they do good damage, raiding with my guild I've come to the point where I'm getting sleepy and feel like I'm going to fall asleep using my commando. The option to become a healer is great though but still I'm glad I'm replacing it with my gunslinger. The gunslinger is also much better at PvP vs a DPS commando imo, we have waaay better cooldowns and survivability even if th commando has heavy armor. We have a knockback, leg shot (root), Dirty kick (stun), Flash Bang (stun) our shield probe, dodge, the giant shield thing which decreases damage taken byy 20% done to everybody that's inside of it. If you're going to DPS I'd pick Gunslinger BUT It's not for everybody. A lot of people get tired of the cover system and find the class boring just like I find commando boring. I love my gunslinger and have a lot of fun with my spec...so....yeah just my take on it.

Not to mention Smugglers in general are so much cooler than troopers xD

lol @ necroing a thread that was discussing classes before the game was even out

sorry folks, but version 1.6 and an old beta from 2011 are _slightly_ different