The Shattered Star

Okay a general question to the masses for discussion.

With regards to advanced classes in TOR, you have two skill trees specific to your advanced class and one shared.
Do you think it will be viable to specialise in the shared trees?
Which means you are picking your advanced class on asthetics and secondary skill trees.
For instance I intend to play Bounty Hunter at release.
Advanced class (at the moment) will be Powertech, because I prefer the one large blaster and heavy armour
over the two blaster/ medium armour approach.
Yet from the basic information provided I am seriously considering specialising in the shared tree (Firebug)
over a class specific tree.

With regards to differing builds, most modern MMOs encourage this specialisation approach,
although I may be tempted to go hybrid for levelling and respec at end game,
as the word on the forums seems to indicate that dual specs will be brought in after release,
which probably include a free respec.

I remember in Neocron that a hybrid monk was actually a valid build initially, until later nerfs demanded you specialise.

Thoughts?

That's a good question. I'd like to know more about the advanced classes and what their specializations will bring compared to the shared branch. I think advanced class specs might be able to fill a particular role better than a shared spec while a shared will be able to help fill in gaps should a group find themselves missing a specific role to do their activities for the day. But until they've released the actual abilities and how they fit into a solo/group role it will be hard to know just which way to go.

I do know that with my Agent I am looking at going Sniper with a focus on Marksmanship for single target DPS with some Engineering to help with AoE DPS and possibly CC if such skills are options. Again, it will be hard to know what is viable and what isn't until a more completed set of information about Advanced Classes and skills are provided to the eagerly awaiting public.

I don't appear to be able to embed the youtube link with the "#t=4m20s" code on the end but;


From 4:20 to 6:11. This may answer some of your questions on the viability of hybrids

From the looks of it the shared tree is mostly support to the specialised. They to increase the shared skill (I assume, haven't seen much of the skill trees), but I doubt there will be many that will go deep into the shared.

Cheers MS,

Looks like I'll see how I feel at the time and with my early level experience on
which way I'll go initially.

From other things I have read, the specialisation trees count for about 50% of your build whilst
the rest is the skills you purchase as you level, so the advanced class is not just asthetics even if you go for the shared tree.

For instance I could go Firebug for my Bounty Hunter, but if I go Powertech i can get DPS and tanking skills
whilst the Mercenary would give me access to DPS and some healing skills.

Decisions decisions decisions, atleast I have some choice rather than a need to pick a certain build to be viable.

Mmmm mmm mmmmm mmmmm mmmm mmmm mm mmmmm

What can I say, NDA's suck.

Oh yeah and check this out:

http://biowarefans.com/2011/09/star-war ... lculators/

Zephir wrote: What can I say, NDA's suck.

Yep i agree, but I expect you to spill your guts once it is lifted........

Zephir wrote:What can I say, NDA's suck.

What are the NDA's conditions? Wondering if this could be solved through the same thing we did for the TR beta - a private forum invisible to the public where you could talk about it...

Anubis wrote:What are the NDA's conditions? Wondering if this could be solved through the same thing we did for the TR beta - a private forum invisible to the public where you could talk about it...

Nope, afraid not.
The only thing we're allowed to divulge is that we were invited to the testing program, anything else you say outside of the beta discussion areas you have been given access to is regarded as confidential and in breach of the NDA. Screenshots & videos included too obviously. Unless you were invited to one of the public testing sessions like Scorp however and then you can say what you want as I don't think they had to sign it.
Of course they wouldn't see a hidden forum of ours but anyone posting info would still be breaking it. The story elements of the game are probably their main worry so it would be my guess that they won't remove it until very close to release as spoilers would be everywhere before many even get to play, the database sites which would have quest walkthroughs and stuff too.

Yup what's he said.

Basically you can admit that beta exists and that you are in it, and that is it.

The NDA also applies to anyone accepting weekend beta invites.

So far the only exception is the recent press event.

Of course there are people violating the NDA as evidenced by the link.

Just having a play with those calculators now ^^
The Agent Operative specced as a Medic might be one for me to aim for perhaps, if solo play is just as viable with that as well as supporting a group. Though a sniper is still tempting...
So is the inquisitor.. hmm

Depending upon how up to date some of those trees are,
I am still looking at a Powertech Firebug at the moment,
but like everyone else who hasn't snuck into Beta ,
I will reserve final decision once I play the game.



EDIT: After looking at those skill trees I'm actually swaying towards a hybrid advanced prototype/firebug.
Seems I can't take my own advice and wait for release......

Damn... roll on December.

I'm currently thinking that I'll be going Inquisitor upon launch, and am running up against this problem myself too.

I'm looking at quite a Lightning/Madness split, and not reaching the Thundering Blast talent because of the 18 points invested in Madness - but those 18 are points I (believe that I) need/will want to spend in order to buff up my Force Lightning and generally beef up my abilities.

I am very curious to see if such a split will be a viable option. Maybe not for raiding or PvP, but for progressing. I hope it is - might have some hard choices otherwise.

I've had a fiddle around with the talent trees but I'm just gonna wait until I get ingame and play it by ear I think. Until I know how useful some of these skills really are by having first hand experience with them, seeing what I rely on and use the most and what will benefit the people I'm grouped with too I don't really know where I'll spend my points tbh. I still have a healer Agent in mind so that would be the Operative spec'd medic. If viable I suppose I could go heavy on that tree but it doesn't leave many points for Concealment or Lethality which would likely screw me over when I'm playing solo and I don't know which skills in each tree are "must get" and which I could take or leave to split the points more evenly. Then again I don't want to put a bit here, there and everywhere and as such be useless within a group compared to other players of my class and gimp myself for solo play too. Never a good idea to try do a bit of everything lol.
Thankfully we'll be able to respec so I expect I'll be doing that a few times until I'm happy heh. The only worrying issue would be if I decided I wanted to play sniper instead which I'd also been toying with, since I'm betting that won't be possible due to class storylines?. Will see ^^

Yeah I been debating my class route myself. I think the last time I played a non-healer character was for Star Wars Galaxies way back before they re-vamped it. Even though I'm not sure the route I will take as yet; I think I will be a "tank" class. Juggernaut has a nice ring to it

Now that I have actually had hands on gametime with the Trooper
I have a firmer idea where my Bounty Hunter Powertech will go spec wise.

1. go 11 deep into Pyrotech to get Incendary Missile, allowing me to add a DOT to any mob at any range and thus activating Rail Shot.

2. switch to advanced prototype and go down as far as Kolto Vent (21 points) picking up Prototype Cylinders and Prototype Cylinder Venting

3. add an additional 6 levels in Pyrotech to get Rapid Venting

4. Use remaining 3 levels in Advanced Prototype

http://db.darthhater.com/skill_calc/bou ... 2de2f4ef3e

This is going to the basis of my hybrid build, the intention is to be able to self heal due to continuous venting of heat whilst High Energy Cell is in place,
also to juggle between the three cell types (alla Warrior stance from another fairly famous game) although I can forsee it being just between Combustible and High Energy.



PS I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms already.... roll on release.

You may or may not know this, but it appears that Rep and Sith classes are exactly the same (stories are all unique of course ).

During the stress test this weekend, I played every base class (some up to lvl 11 due to great story telling ) on both sides.
While playing, I began to see similar powers given out to each similar base class type (Bhounter/Troop, Sith/Jedi, Smug/Agent, etc).
So I looked it up on bioware testing forums and sure enough, the names and animations are different, but the powers/dps/buffs are all EXACTLY the same.

Which means there are 8 classes in the game, not 16 (as there are 2 advanced per base class).

I've only played the republic classes so I did not realise this. I figured the smuggler would be similar to the agent for example but wasn't expecting them to be idential other than names & animations.
The only reason I'd roll an alt on the opposite side (which I will at some point in the future once our guild is running nicely) would be to see their stories so this doesn't bother me too much really. Also in terms of pvp it may be a good thing, people won't be able to complain that one side's classes are overpowered heh.

Yes I was aware of this, so based on my Trooper experience and skills I used upto lvl 17
I came up with my first Hybrid build.
Ofcourse this may well change as I level up and experience the higher level skills.

And agree although this may seem a cop out innivation wise, it makes perfect sense balance wise.
Warhammer Online suffered from this issue, especially at low levels Choas tended to rule PvP as
they had a natural tank Choas Warrior, in later patches additional classes were added to balance it out.

Funnily enough a number of the former WAR folks are working on TOR,
so I assume they didn't wish to repeat the error.

btw if any of you want to share your character builds when you have one decided the skill calculators on Torhead & DHDB let you link directly to them

So indecisive atm lol...
I'll either go with build1 for a full on medic. Or I go with build2 which should still be decent healing wise but will free some points up for things like Infiltrator & Slip Away which would probably be better for pvp/solo. Still may tweak which ever one I go with but those will be the basis methinks.

[Last updated: 7th Dec]

Was thinking maybe something like this but it could very well change as I grow into my Sniper. Engineer tree seems interesting.

I'll try and throw something rough together later this week and link it. I did one a few weeks ago, but that has long since been consigned to the ether.

Okay here is my initial thoughts on my Hybrid Powertech BH.....

http://www.torhead.com/calculator/skill ... zZcGrrzM.1

the aim is to switch between Combustible Gas Cylinder (DOT) and High Energy Cylinder (self healing),
also contains a number of movement CC immunity and a number of DOT skills.

maybe......

Finally found time to sit down and plot out a rough build to join the collection!

Can find it here if anyone is interested: Sith Inquisitor Build