ETA on Advanced Class change?

The threads more about the basic merits of allowing a Advance Class change rather than getting an actual answer from a Dev. I suspect that they are happy with the last answer that was given... they've considered it and it's likely to happen in the future.

Given comments the Devs have made about no new Classes but possibly new Advanced Classes (although not in the immediate future) I could see AC swapping having the potential to be rolled out at that time or there abouts (in much the same way the ability to swap species came out with the first new Species for purchase)

I would certainly hope the Devs would put the ability to have custom keybinds and ability maps savable to a character before development time on AC swapping.

And I much prefer the term Buccaneer to pirate

Can you please provide the part where the devs mentioned possible new advanced classes as opposed to a new class?

I'd rather have Faction change

I feel we've been here before.

Mechanically there are 8 distinct Advanced Classes...
1) Juggernaut - Guardian
2) Marauder - Sentinel
3) Sorcerer - Sage
4) Assassin - Shadow
5) Sniper - Gunslinger
6) Operative - Scoundrel
7) Powertech - Vanguard
8) Mercenary - Commando

Which are separated into 8 Classes with their unique story across the two factions...
1) Imperial - Sith Warrior (Juggernaut/Marauder)
2) Imperial - Sith Inquisitor (Sorcerer/Assasssin)
3) Imperial - Imperial Agent (Sniper/Operative)
4) Imperial - Bounty Hunter (Powertech/Mercenary)
5) Republic - Jedi Knight (Guardian/Sentinel)
6) Republic - Jedi Consular (Sage/Shadow)
7) Republic - Smuggler (Gunslinger/Scoundrel)
8) Republic - Republic Trooper (Vanguard/Commando)

WoW didn't have any separation based on story, the only real aspect was whether you were Horde or Alliance and then the abilities of the class were identical, there may have been one or two class quests that differed but everything else was set by the questing area.
SWTOR muddies that water considerably with its introduction of story and the separation of its Classes into Advanced Classes. Once a player has invested a little time into them but not enough to get a meaningful gauge of how that Advanced Class will play by endgame.

So, you admit that a juggernaut and marauder are mechanically different as a guardian and sentinel are. Good. we're making progress. Now, sorcerer and sage have different skills and while those skills may do the same damage, they are NOT identical. Ask any sage what they think of throwing pebbles versus lightning.

That would make 8 classes per faction, and while each class may have a mirror class, the two are NOT identical, making 16 classes total across two factions, stemming from the 8 story lines.

It seems to be a stock answer at the cantina events if they are asked about more classes.
I'll leave these links here for you

http://dulfy.net/2013/08/23/swtor-ge...na-tour-files/

and

http://www.esoteric-order.com/forum/...hoto-intensive

How official you wish to consider these as they are paraphrased rather than a direct quote/transcript.

There are many valid reasons for and against.

Whether or not AC is a class is not one of them.

Whether or not it is a class, or how the devs define ACs has next to nothing to do with whether or not the change will happen IMO. Either they will decide it is a good idea or bad idea...I do not think the foolish design choices by the prior dev team will constrain them in any way.

I certainly hope they decide against it, but arguing against it by claiming ACs are classes is like shoveling sand against the tide IMO.

Of course they differ mechanically I've never said they don't. But story wise they are identical and in considering the difference between a Juggernaut and Marauder it comes down to whether they use one lightsabre or two and whether they wear heavy armour or medium (and even that effect is lessened with adaptable armour types). Those players invested in their character struggle to understand why there is such a penalty to picking up a second lightsabre if you are a Juggernaut, or why can't a rage specced Marauder only use one lightsabre and a focus.

The mirror Advanced Classes differ only in animations used, not in mechanics. You match up the ability names across the two mirrors and you can use exactly the same rotation. I've read several threads out there where darkside Sages want lightning and lightside sorcerers want pebbles (well maybe less of the second as lightning is far cooler )

I would place the defining distinction of Class on the story chosen not the mechanics of the character, that places the Advanced Class choice as a little bit more important than the specialisation choice but not as important as the story choice.

From a neutral point of view on game balance the Advanced Class acts as a good separator of character Role and makes sure no core healing abilities are available to tanks.
From a slightly more cynical view I would say Advanced Class artificially inflates the 'bum on seat' time required which works well for a subscription only model but not necessarily as well in the hybrid model.

It's obvious that many of those desiring class changes simply CANNOT admit that AC's are different classes, despite the words of the devs. I think this is due to the fact that actually admitting that they are different classes would mean that they would have to admit that they are asking to be able to change class. By sticking their fingers in their ears and going "NAHNAHNAH", they can pretend that they do not want to actually change their class, something which almost no other MMO allows, if any allow it.

You cannot change your class in WoW. A rogue cannot simply decide that they want to be a hunter and change. A priest cannot simply decide he wants to be a rogue and change.

Even the great and wonderful Rift, which several people have used as an example of a game that allows class changes with the souls system, does not allow class changes. Rift was designed from the ground up to have 4 classes, each with several souls to help customize the particular character. While it was designed from the ground up to allow for the switching of souls on the fly, it was also designed from the ground up to allow for the combination of souls. You can take some from one soul, some from a second soul and combine them with some from a third.

Can you take some skills from a paladin and some from a warrior and combine them with still more from a DK? No. DK, warrior and paladin are all separate classes. Can you take some skills from a vanguard and some from a commando to have access to skills from both? No. that would be because vanguard and commando are different classes, just as a warrior, paladin and DK are different classes.

I can admit that Advanced Classes are different Advanced Classes. They have some mechanical difference, usually a unique role as well as a generic DPS role. But They are fundamentally the same Class in sharing the same story and companions. I do not want to swap class (as SWTOR currently seperates class) I would like to see the functionality of swapping Advanced Class (with a reasonable cost and time restriction).

I'm not playing WoW I'm playing SWTOR. I'm not asking for a Sith Warrior to be able to change to a Bounty Hunter or any other form of class change. WoW has no real story with regards classes as far as I recall (maybe one or two quests per class but nothing on the scale of SWTOR) and so doesn't have to worry about the additional sub-division. Not sure why WoW's way of doing things should be a valid argument for why SWTOR shouldn't do something.

Never played Rift. Not likely to. Unsure why Rifts mechanics should have any bearing on what happens to SWTOR.

I'm not asking to be able to mix and match classes. I'm certainly not asking to play a Republic Trooper with access to both Vanguard AND Commando abilities. But rather a Republic Trooper that can choose whether to employ their specialist (Advanced dare I say) training as a Vanguard OR Commando.