I assume you are looking for pure DPS builds if you are looking between Marauders or Snipers. If so, you cant really go wrong with either of them as they pump out some of the best damage in the game. That said, I might recommend playing the Sniper simply because of how much fun the story for the Imperial Agent is. It is easily the best in the game, in my opinion. I see what you mean about it seeming boring staying in one place all the time, but all it takes is some adjustment before you realize how fun it can be. As was mentioned, ranged dps has the advantage of doing damage without itself taking damage, especially if you run with a tank companion or a group that can keep enemies off you. While it may seem odd to just sit in one spot and fire a few attacks, Agents as a whole utilize a wide range of abilities to help their groups in ways that dont really show up on scoreboards. I'll be honest in saying I haven't played the Sniper, just a bit of Gunslinger, but from what I've seen they look fun. With all that said though, this is a game of personal preference. If you feel like you would enjoy being up close and personal doing damage than staying in place, then by all means run the Marauder! This is a game, and the point is to have as much fun as possible, so go with what feels best for you!

Just to cover all the possibilities, did you talk to the guy when you first got on the fleet who actually gives you the mission to go over to the advanced trainer?

I'm not really a 'new' player, been around off and on since launch, but had to take a break during the summer when I went abroad. Just so happens that that was the time when a ton of changes came through, so much that I kinda lost track of everything at once. Mostly I've gotten caught back up, though I'm still a bit lost when it comes to the bolster in warzones. To be more specific, I've got old PvP gear scattered around on a few characters, mostly old Battlemaster stuff you cant get anymore. Is it true that wearing just simple PvE gear is actually more helpful than wearing this old gear because you get bolstered more? And if that's the case, what's the incentive to actually get good PvP gear if you simply get bolstered more for wearing PvE gear? Any help in clarifying all this would be greatly appreciated! EDIT: Also, another question that came to mind, if it's true that a lot of the old PvP gear is rather obsolete, is it better to just sell them all or keep the shells or what? Thanks again!

The Agent really is one of the few classes in the game where you can go either full light, full dark, or just a random mix and they /all/ feel completely natural to the character. The choices only get better and better the further in the story you go!

Without saying anything that would result in spoilers, just know that whatever ending you pick doesn't change the overall actions of what happens later during the game. There may be slightly different reasons as to /why/ certain things happen, but overall everything should still lead to the same eventual ending, at which point /then/ there are very different choices for you to pick. Again though, what you pick at the end of Act I doesn't effect any of the choices you can pick at the end of Act III. If you want specifics, I'd suggest just checking them out at Wookiepedia or typing them into Google or Youtube or something like that.

Cant say I've DPSed as an Op before but there seems to be one overarching rule when it comes to Operatives... the 'early levels suck' rule is pretty extended for Operatives than it is for other classes. It takes a while to get the abilities necessary for your rotation, but once you do get them things tend to go a lot smoother. Hang in there and keep grinding, things will pick up once you move further in the tree, that's a promise.

Allow me to play devil's advocate for a moment here... I've always felt that as long as you have good energy management and know how to keep your energy up, I see DS as more or less optional. A lot of people forget that they can use their Rifle Shot in between heals for an attack that doesn't cost any energy at all and can help it regen a bit. Now, that said, it never hurts to have DS available just in case or for bosses in endgame stuff that take a while to beat. I myself have DS specced up and I find it nice to have as an option, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it is 'required' so long as you are able to manage your energy well, and also know how long it takes for your Adrenaline Probe to get off cooldown. So if you want the option to keep your energy up or you feel you need an extra boost, by all means spec into it. You certainly don't use it for the heals it puts out, that's for sure!

I don't think people consider the Merc/Trooper healers as the 'worst' of the healers, as much as they consider them the least-played and/or the healer that, everything being equal, does the least best. As an Op healer for my main, Ops are usually seen as king healers in PvP and Sorcs are really the kinds of PvE, so that kinda leaves Merc healers without a real niche for themselves. That said, I wont ever complain seeing a Merc healer on my team in PvE or PvP, as they are perfectly capable of keeping people up with very few issues. If you want a Merc healer, by all means make one! They're a very different style of play than the Sorc or the Op and they are welcomed in any content, at least with a team of people who know what they are talking about. I'd say give it a shot and see if you like it!

From one noob to another, SWTOR was my first ever MMO as well and my first character was a healer. Oddly enough though, I went with the Operative healer and, to be honest, I've had a blast with it. I also have a Sorc healer so I'll just talk about those two.... I really need to play a trooper/bh healer so I can comment on them one of these days. I'm not gonna compare them to each other since the other posts have done a pretty good job of doing that. However I will say that if you're looking for a much lighter intro to healing then I would go with the Sorc/Sage class simply because the Op/Smug healing can be a bit much at times if you aren't ready for it. Sorcs are a good way to get the basics of healing down, since they have longer cast times so you aren't running around and doing a million other things which lets you focus on just healing. As was mentioned as well, they have good damage reduction with that bubble that everyone will love you for if you give them before a match starts, and they're always a welcome sight in PvE and PvP groups. They also put up the biggest heals in terms of numbers, all things being even, so even though they have longer cast times they are well worth it. Ops, on the other hand, can be tricky to get the hang of. I'm not saying they take experts to figure them out, since I was able to figure it out and it was my first ever character, but they definitely have a bit of a higher learning curve. I say this mostly because Ops are the ones running around everywhere and have a ton of different options they can use that aren't always healing related, filled with stuns, escapes, and an insta-heal that can keep people alive far longer than they would otherwise be. They can be an incredible annoyance to other teams if left unchecked, and are probably the best troll class out there if there ever was one. That mobility and the other options they have makes them, in my opinion, the best healers for PvP but it definitely can take a bit longer to fully grasp them than it does a Sorc. Like it was said though, find whichever one fits your style of play the best or, if it's your first time, what style you think you would enjoy. I'd definitely level one or two up a few levels to see if you enjoy them, though I'd say it takes probably until the late teens / early 20's before you get a good grasp of them. And if you realize you hate one, you can always get rid of it and start over with another. Hope this helps!!

Definitely watch your positioning when you are healing, but if I can also add one other tip in there it would be to move around a lot. That is one of the main things that sets Op healers apart from the rest of the other healers, so be sure to use it as much as you can. If you can find a spot where no one on the other team seems to notice you and you can heal most of your team from there, perfect. If that isn't an option, just keep moving around as much as you can. If you only have one person or so on you, odds are you can keep yourself alive with constant Surgical Probes long enough to where they will get bored or attacked by other people.

Well I see from your signature that you have a Scoundrel leveled up as well. I'm not sure if you play that as a DPS or a healer, but an Operative is the exact same as a Scoundrel just with different labels on abilities. As you will know from your Scoundrel, an Op technically does have abilities that can be used from range, but they are a primarily close quarters, in your face class. Trying to run an Operative as a pure range class just wont really work. That said, an Op healing is amazing fun. It takes a bit for the class to get going since you dont run into your main abilities until later levels but once you get them you can be a force to be reckoned with. They are very mobile healers and, once you learn how to manage energy, they are a reliable class to take in on PvE or PvP stuff. I haven't played a Sniper or Gunslinger into late levels, but I might recommend one to you simply for the 'changing it up' factor. Yes you give up a lot of mobility but Snipers can pump out tons of damage. Definitely a reliable class for PvE content and can be a real ball-buster in PvP if left unattended by the other team. Overall these two classes are great either way and you will have a blast playing them no matter which one you end up picking! Hope this all helps!

Alright everyone let's all calm down here. Yeah, its true you get a lot of people who are very rude and not helpful at all to people who have serious questions or a desire for help, but those are typically the loud minority. Other people who love the game and willing to help are usually too busy playing to focus on people asking for help is all. I'd say try and find a guild or at least expect some sarcasm with whatever you ask no matter what it is. Dont let it get you down if no one replies or just insults you or whatever, just roll your eyes and keep playing and maybe try to find it online.

Hey there! I wont bore you with how each class is played since I assume you know the basic mechanics of a close combat, mobile style vs. a long range, stationary style. That said, you can easily pick both and have a blast. Like you said, Agent is the best story in the game, so no one will blame you if you play both! Operatives are much more mobile, probably the most mobile of all classes, and this is what makes them probably the best healer in PvP right now. Despite being a bit squishy if focused, if you get left alone or simply go 1 on 1 you have a nice chance of surviving and annoying your pursuer enough that he gives up or keeps trying in vain to kill you. An Op healer left alone is a dangerous thing, at least if you go the healing route. An Op healer was my first MMO character ever, and I've had an absolute blast playing it. Once you get the hang of it, they are awesome. An Operative's damage is a bit more tricky to get the hang of. They are perfectly doable, by all means, although it takes a higher learning curve to learn how to play them, as they rely on a lot of DoTs and knowing when to cast certain abilities that lead to others, etc. You wont do as much damage as Sents/Maras in PvP but you also shouldn't be. You can be a giant pain in the ***** in PvP if you know what you're doing. Snipers have great damage for PvE and PvP, and can be a threat if left unchecked, which is easy to do since they hang in the background and can't be jumped to / pushed or pulled, another great PvP ability. Unlike Ops, however, they are very stationary, and you'll find you only move around when you need to re-position yourself. Otherwise you are basically a turret. Both classes are great, and I like the idea of creating the opposite class on the Republic faction just so you can get a feel for both if you dont want to make two Agents. It's all about finding the style of play you enjoy most, stationary turret, or running around stabbing/healing. Once you find that, run with it and have fun! Hope this helps!!

Being an Op healer is pretty awesome and a nice class to start healing as, although I will say that you dont get a true feel for the class rotation until you reach later levels and start moving up the talent tree. Until then, you act as a somewhat mix of healer and DPS, without being truly either of them. It's only for a short time though, so dont let the early levels discourage you, once you hit around mid 30s you will start having a lot more fun with it.

Welcome! Along with every other slice of advice that's been given here so far, I would put in to remind yourself that this is a game and, therefore, is meant to be fun. If you read the forums for answers, you'll come across a lot of people saying you should do a-b-c and other people saying you should do x-y-z. My advice is, if you find yourself having more fun playing with a-y-c or anything like that, by all means do it. This is a game and meant to be fun, so play the game however you want to play so you enjoy it, not anyone else's version of what is fun. Other than that, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the game!