Star Wars: The Old Republic beta test signups

[Vasan]

I am interested in learning more about the character spec system in this game as development proceeds.

I understand that the ranged tank can opt to mix in more dps and less tanking, while the melee dps can opt out damage and gain more tanking ability. Who doesn't like the idea of picking the spec you prefer ranged v. melee, tank v. more dps?

Also hear the smuggler class can opt for less ranged dps and more of a healing ability, which is interesting since the main healing class seems to lack both healing ability and dps. Prehaps I merely haven't seen enough of the cc abilities of the main healer class, but then again who likes cc in any game with any element of pvp?

I would have gone for a ranged versus melee, dps versus healing style idea with those two classes . Prehaps that is the intent, and just most play the main healer class (who is melee based with the lightsaber) out of melee range, since one hears they are made of paper. One understands it's a hard balance between healing melee based classes who suck and healing melee based classes that are unstoppable however.

[Warseth]

Yah...I Signed up asap to.... Normally I have great luck on this... Well I have DC universe online. I am in the first beta wave when it rolls out for beta testing at the least. I was given a key by my EQ2 gm that went to SOE fan fair. The Dev by the name Domino sat their table and got drunk...handed out a bunch of goodies.

[Warseth]

I am interested in learning more about the character spec system in this game as development proceeds.

I understand that the ranged tank can opt to mix in more dps and less tanking, while the melee dps can opt out damage and gain more tanking ability. Who doesn't like the idea of picking the spec you prefer ranged v. melee, tank v. more dps?

Also hear the smuggler class can opt for less ranged dps and more of a healing ability, which is interesting since the main healing class seems to lack both healing ability and dps. Prehaps I merely haven't seen enough of the cc abilities of the main healer class, but then again who likes cc in any game with any element of pvp?

I would have gone for a ranged versus melee, dps versus healing style idea with those two classes . Prehaps that is the intent, and just most play the main healer class (who is melee based with the lightsaber) out of melee range, since one hears they are made of paper. One understands it's a hard balance between healing melee based classes who suck and healing melee based classes that are unstoppable however.

Dude at E3 when they showed how the groups played and I heard "Ranged Tank" i was like...SWEET... It was nice to see how it worked to.

[Drakhon]

Also hear the smuggler class can opt for less ranged dps and more of a healing ability, which is interesting since the main healing class seems to lack both healing ability and dps. Prehaps I merely haven't seen enough of the cc abilities of the main healer class, but then again who likes cc in any game with any element of pvp?

I believe you posted before E3, but the group combat video includes a Consular primary healer and a Smuggler throwing out some secondary healing (which seems to be the idea based on descriptions of the Smuggler). There's really no reason to think the Consular lacks healing ability or dps at this point - we haven't seen enough to indicate such at this point.

I would have gone for a ranged versus melee, dps versus healing style idea with those two classes . Prehaps that is the intent, and just most play the main healer class (who is melee based with the lightsaber) out of melee range, since one hears they are made of paper. One understands it's a hard balance between healing melee based classes who suck and healing melee based classes that are unstoppable however.

True, but as far as I know they've never made the claim that the Consular and Inquisitor are "melee healers" in the sense that the DoK and WP were theoretically supposed to be. Of course, actual combat information is still very limited at this point, so we can't know for sure.

Dude at E3 when they showed how the groups played and I heard "Ranged Tank" i was like...SWEET... It was nice to see how it worked to.

The thing that I find most humorous about that video is the community reaction to it. Oh no! Trinity! This game is doomed! Meanwhile the classes all seem to be able to fill multiple trinity roles (not at the same time), which is about all you can do since the trinity is really just a structure for the different things you can do in combat.

[Vasan]

Heh don't see a problem with a ranged tank. I am glad they are trying new and, dare I say it radical things with their game. Which is why I don't care for the brief bits of informationI've seen about the main healer class. Which is to say, and I agree, not alot of information to go on really.

First, however, when I say melee healer I don't really mean the warhammer variety since that was such a new and interesting departure from the normal system. I actually mean more of a wow paladin, someone who has a melee weapon and thus can be considered to supposed to be in the thick of combat using this weapon. My main observation is that unlike the paladin the republic consular and inquisitor seem to lack armor and healing, thus falling back to the stand back out of harm's way and heal mode. Heal bot with an attack or two on a long timer.

My disappointment in that is echoed in the video to which you refer, which I thought overall was quite good, but supported my early comments on where they are going with the healer class.

The ranged tank has an interesting role to play, as does the melee dps jedi class. The smuggler looks quite strong with the combination of firepower and healing.

It's not hard to tell what is going on with the consular class on the video and it's nothing too exciting. The player runs about alot, randomly, and uses a force slam on a low level repair mode. The blast seems to have a fairly beefy timer. The player rarely seems to use a 1.5/2 second heal that does like 15 percent health to the tank and even a commentator states the smuggler is also (mostly) in my view healing. Even when the healer stops running around randomly and starts to spamming healing, it's doesn't really seem sufficent or efficient.

Course we don't know everything and my main thought was this class looks quite unfinished, and the player was awful. The healer might not be using all her heals or might not yet have access to all her heals. As it stands, I am not enthused at the though of a role where you have access to one small 1.5 cast heal and one token attack. The jedi can tank and dps, the tank can move, tank and dps abit, the smuggler can heal and dps, the healer can.. heal abit, do a token cc and well I am bored now, back to the other class that seem to fill multiple roles better.

On the flip side, the smuggler class looks quite interesting. The cover style of play, ranged dps and healing may be more the class I hoped the healer class to be, leaving the consular class to be the heal bot many players actually enjoy playing. Personally I agree with you the rest of the classes seem to fill a variety of roles, and in a game with a few classes, that's a good call.

[Drakhon]

One thing to note is that the Consular was also the camera and thus not playing as effectively as he could. The video wasn't just a recording of a combat sequence, they were trying to get specific shots and such. Maybe not the entire cause, but it didn't help.

Amongst other things, more information about advanced classes has come out of Gamescom (quoted from Darth Hater):

Imperial Agent - Operative (uses blaster rifle or energy blade, stealth, burst ranged damage) & Sniper (sniper rifle, dps - counterpart of Gunslinger)
Sith Inquisitor - Sorcerer (force damage, single bladed lightsaber) & Assassin (double bladed lightsaber, stealth, burst damage)
Bounty Hunter - Powertech & Mercenary
Jedi Consular - Shadow (double-bladed lightsaber) & Wizard (healing / single lightsaber)
Trooper - Commando (heavy armor, tank) & Vanguard (dps)

More information about the Jedi Knight advanced classes:

Sentinel: Dual Light Sabers; Saber Fighting Specialist; Melee
Guardian: Single Light Saber/ Heavy Armor; Leadership/ Party Buffs; Tank

I notice that there is no mention of healing for the Inquisitor, which seems like a big thing to neglect to say if it was present. We know it's not the Warrior (from other releases) and not the Agent based on this, so I'm wondering if it's the Bounty Hunter since we just have the names of their ACs, not descriptions.

[Vasan]

With a shrewd nod to warhammer, the Old Republic dev team recently stated that only the "good" side will have a healing class, in order to keep the population of both sides evenly balanced.

They are also considering adding another ranged dps class to the good side what focuses on a wide variety of cc, and huge, massive game killing ae's. He will be called the fire jedi.

I look forward to it!

[Vasan]

Sith Inquisitor



Sith Sorcerer

• Single Saber
• Force Lightning / Force Drain
• Ranged DPS or Healer

Sith Assassin

• Double Bladed Saber
• Stealth
• Burst Melee DPS"

This is also interesting

Smuggler



Scoundrel

• Blaster ‘Shot Gun’
• Stealth / Medicine
• Burst ranged damage or Healing

Gunslinger

• Dual Pistols
• Quickdraw / Fast Attacks
• Ranged DPS"

Imperial Agent



Operative

• Blaster Rifle / Energy Blade
• Stealth
• Burst Ranged damage

Sniper

• Sniper Rifle
• Cover, Ambush, Orbital Strikes
• Ranged DPS

The good guys get a stealth healer like I've always wanted! The bad guys don't get a "backup" healer but more ae. Bold.