The Old Republic for Dummies

[snommism]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

Depends on your class. Knights/Warriors have lightsaber forms and Troopers/Bounty Hunters have ammo/gas types. Not sure about Consulars/Inquisitors and Smugglers/Agents. Presumably they must have some sort of equivalent passive abilities.

I'm a smuggler/gunslinger and I don't see any "toggle" type skills (except sprint) so I'm guessing we only have pewpew mode.

[DarthParametric]

At the very least, healing trees should have a passive ability you can spec that will reduce threat. I know the Sorcerer/Sage and Mercenary/Commando at the very least have such abilities in their respective healing trees. Again, not sure about Operative/Scoundrel.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

Again, not sure about Operative/Scoundrel.

As a Gunslinger I have a threat drop called "Surrender", I'll have to look in-game if it falls under a Smuggler skill or a Gunslinger skill, I think it is safe to assume it is a generic Smuggler skill though.

[snommism]

Originally Posted by Mav

As a Gunslinger I have a threat drop called "Surrender", I'll have to look in-game if it falls under a Smuggler skill or a Gunslinger skill, I think it is safe to assume it is a generic Smuggler skill though.

That is correct, I'm just trying to get my head around what a "combat stance" is and I am assuming my ignorance comes from smugglers not having it.

[Tommycat]

Smugglers don't have a toggled skill to reduce threat. We have a passive that comes from the tree. Seems all well and good except that it's pretty well useless in PVP. I got better stuff to spend the 3 points to reduce threat. Plus scoundrels have the in combat stealth. That's pretty handy in situations you find yourself outnumbered.

We also have the in combat revive. It's pretty dangerous to use though, because it locks out revives for 5 minutes. If you're in a group, and one of your group members dies, Get rid of any DOT's you have on you, stealth to get out of combat, revive the guy, heal him up BEFORE he attacks. If not in a group, in combat rez your companion, and heal them up if you can.

[mimartin]

Cover does not increase your threat? It seems if I stand out in the open, no one attacks, but if I get cover or if I crouch down the boggie man attacks.

Playing last night with my Wookiee and a Jedi tank. Really pissed when the big creature from the Jedi class quest attacked me instead of the Jedi and Wookiee. Used surrender to get it to attack something else. Of course it still didn't go after the Jedi or the Wookiee, but the Jedi's companion healer.

BTW: got to fight instead of heal most of Sunday goofing with Lynk and then in random group last night. Game is really fun when getting to actually fight without worrying about dying every 5 seconds.

[Tommycat]

Healing generates a LOT of threat. Also, when you are in cover or crouched, you have much more damage dealt. So you throw out big heals, big damage, and you are target A#1. As a rule, you should fire off a couple of the heal over times(the one that gives you a chance at the proc) but letting your companion just do all the damage. Bowdaar is good at pulling threat. just make sure he's in the tank mode, and make sure he has the flare gun going to pull aggro. Give him a few seconds of attacking before you heal. otherwise they like squishing the healer. Also if you find he's not getting the one attacking you, have him attack that one. MAKE him attack that one.

[DarthParametric]

In my experience, companion tanks have a much easier time holding aggro than player tanks. It is especially a problem for melee tank classes, like my Juggernaut, when paired with ranged companions/players, as mobs are constantly getting pulled off you and running 30m away. In the limited instances where I have used companion tanks (primarily my neophyte Sorcerer), as Tommycat suggests I give them a few seconds to generate enough threat before attacking myself or healing.

Originally Posted by snommism

I'm just trying to get my head around what a "combat stance" is

My references to this is specifically for toggleable abilities, like the lightsaber forms for Jedi Knights/Sith Warriors and ammo/gas types for Troopers/Bounty Hunters I mentioned above. To expound, here are the abilities for the two classes I have chars for (SW and BH). Not entirely sure that the tooltip descriptions are up to date, but you get the idea.

Sith Warrior/Jedi Knight lightsaber forms:

Shii-Cho Form - Enter a balanced lightsaber form, increasing all damage dealt and reducing all damage received by 3%.
This is the base stance all Sith Warriors/Jedi Knights start with.

Ataru Form - Enters an acrobatic lightsaber form. Saber attacks will trigger an extra attack against a second enemy in melee range for 1 damage every 1.5 seconds. Also increases movement speed by 15%, and reduces the cooldown of Force Charge by 5 seconds. Benefits from dual wield.
This is the base Marauder/Sentinel AC DPS stance.

Juyo Form - Enters an aggressive lightsaber form, causing your melee attacks to increase all damage dealt by 2% for 15 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 seconds.
This is an additional Marauder/Sentinel AC DPS stance.

Soresu Form - Enters a defensive lightsaber form, reducing all damage taken by 6%, increasing armor rating by 60% and increasing threat generation by 50%. Soresu Form also increases shield chance by 20%. While active, taking damage builds 1 rage, but all Assault abilities generate 1 less rage. This effect cannot occur more than once every 6 seconds.
This is the Juggernaut/Guardian AC tanking stance.

Shien Form - Enters an aggressive lightsaber form, increasing all damage dealt by 6%. All attacks that cost rage will refund 1 rage when used. In addition, you generate 1 rage when attacked, but this effect cannot occur more than once every 6 seconds.
This is a Juggernaut/Guardian AC DPS stance that has to be spec'd into via the appropriate DPS tree.

Bounty Hunter/Trooper gas/ammo types:

Combustible Gas Cylinder/Plasma Cell - Loads your blaster with combustible gas, giving all of your blaster attacks a 10% chance to deal [?] additional elemental damage over 6 seconds.
The base DOT DPS stance for BHs/Troopers. The bonus damage improves with increased levels of the talent.

High Velocity Gas Cylinder/Armor Piercing Cell - Loads your blaster with a high velocity gas cylinder. While active, armor penetration is increased by 35%.
The burst DPS stance for BHs/Troopers.

Ion Gas Cylinder/Ion Cell - Loads your blaster with ion-charged gas, giving ranged attacks a chance to deal [?] additional energy damage. While this cylinder is active threat generated is increased by 50%. Increases armor by 60%, decreases all damage taken by 5% and increases shield chance by 20%.
This is the tanking stance for Powertech/Vanguard ACs.

High Energy Gas Cylinder/High Energy Cell - Loads your blaster with a high-energy gas cylinder. While active, all internal and elemental damage dealt is increased by 5%.
This is the DPS stance for Powertech/Vanguard ACs.

Combat Support Cylinder/Combat Support Cell - While active, Rapid Shots charges your powercell with each use. Charges increase all damage and healing dealt, up to a maximum of 3% at 30 charges. In addition, targeting an ally with Rapid Shots will heal the target for 100% of your tech bonus healing.
This is the healing stance for the Mercenary/Commando ACs.

It seems I was wrong in my original statement about there being a healing stance that lowers threat. Maybe I was confusing them with the tanking stances that increase threat. There definitely are passive abilities that you can spec into via your healing talent tree to reduce threat though, as mentioned in previous posts. Sorry about the confusion.

[snommism]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

It seems I was wrong in my original statement about there being a healing stance that lowers threat. Maybe I was confusing them with the tanking stances that increase threat. There definitely are passive abilities that you can spec into via your healing talent tree to reduce threat though, as mentioned in previous posts. Sorry about the confusion.

Nothing to be sorry about whatsoever I was just making sure there wasn't a mechanic I was totally missing

Originally Posted by Tommycat

Also, when you are in cover or crouched, you have much more damage dealt. So you throw out big heals, big damage, and you are target A#1.

Cover affects a SawBone's heals?

[Tommycat]

Originally Posted by snommism

Cover affects a SawBone's heals?

No, but it does increase your damage. You're already pumping out big heals, add in good damage, and you are the big target.

[snommism]

Originally Posted by Tommycat

No, but it does increase your damage. You're already pumping out big heals, add in good damage, and you are the big target.

Ah ok, my SawBones is only lvl 13 (I spend 99.9% of my time on my lvl 50 gunslinger) so I don't have a lot of exp under my belt, but so far I prefer to play him standing and healing, throwing a dot in here & there. I wasn't sure if that was lowering my heal rate and I needed to rethink my style.

[mimartin]

Part of my problem with getting the aggro at the start of a fight is my playing style.

Using stealth and sneak I get behind the enemy, if a mob, I tranquilize the strongest enemy, then sneak up behind a lower level one. Use shoot first or back blast, followed by dirty kick, then sucker punch and if necessary blaster whip. Takes out even a strong enemy. If not, depending on the health left, I just use flurry of bolts or thermal detonator. I then use the flash grenade to get the hell out of Dodge and start healing. Come to think of it I really don't have a reason to moan about the baddies chasing me.

I'd be upset too if someone kicked me in the...

[DarthParametric]

Sounds like you need to respec. You are spec'd as a healer but playing as DPS.

[mimartin]

Nope, plan on doing another smuggler as a DPS. Just do that part my way because playing solo as a healer it would take forever if all I did was heal. Love the wookiee, but he is a Tank, not a DPS. He takes forever to kill anything. When fighting an a elite or champion, I do it more like a traditional healer. Although I still have to get a dirty kick in there somewhere even if it is at the very end.

[DarthParametric]

A healer is not really a solo play class. Only reason to roll a healer is for group content. Of course much the same could be said for tanks.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

A healer is not really a solo play class. Only reason to roll a healer is for group content. Of course much the same could be said for tanks.

Yeah.... I solo leveled a Shadow Tank, unless you accidentally agro two groups at once you're never in danger of being killed, but man does it take ages to kill stuff.

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

A healer is not really a solo play class. Only reason to roll a healer is for group content. Of course much the same could be said for tanks.

I love how you tell me this at level 48 and 1/2 in the middle of Voss Bonus Missions and others on Skype wait until I was around level 40. I made a thread call "The Old Republic for Dummies" it should be pretty clear to everyone I know nothing about MMOs. I did healer for the guild, I know it completely goes against my normal playing style, but it was what I was told the guild needed.

Who cares, I'm almost done now and I have had a blast doing it. Parts have been fustrating, but that made them all the more sweet when I completed them. Still annoyed at myself for having to get help at one point on Tatooine, but I do appreciate those that helped.

[Lynk Former]

I did tell you that you were a brave man for choosing to go through the game solo as a healer XD

[DarthParametric]

Hey don't blame me. If you'd come and played the one true faction I have a number of chars who you could have grouped with. Don't you have a whole mess of Republic types over there? Where have they been in your hour(s) of need?

[Lynk Former]

We came to help when he really needed it, otherwise he chose to go it solo.

[snommism]

Originally Posted by mimartin

Who cares, I'm almost done now and I have had a blast doing it.

This is actually the only thing you should do. Fun is the most important stat for any class IMO, unless I miss the point

[mimartin]

Everyone on the Republic side is either way ahead of me (Kus, Jeff, Mav and Lynk) or behind me. I was just the odd man out. Like Lynk said, they came when I needed them. I'm just too stuborn to ask until I'm ready to quit the game.

[snommism]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

A healer is not really a solo play class. Only reason to roll a healer is for group content. Of course much the same could be said for tanks.

I finally got a chance to play my SawBones some last night, solo'ed all the way through Coruscant (including side quests) with 2 deaths total, both of which could have been prevented had the rest of it not been such a snooze fest.
Finished & got my ship at level 15.75, 3-5 levels lower than my gunslinger was.

I'm currently using Corso (didn't have a choice) but I'm wondering, when I do have a choice, what would be a better team, healer & tank or healer & dps? I'm guessing healer & tank is pretty much invincible, but healer & dps would be more of a challenge & faster.

[ChAiNz.2da]

Originally Posted by mimartin

Everyone on the Republic side is either way ahead of me (Kus, Jeff, Mav and Lynk) or behind me. I was just the odd man out. Like Lynk said, they came when I needed them. I'm just too stuborn to ask until I'm ready to quit the game.

Same here.

Corso and I can raise enough hell on our own for the most part. I have grouped with some pugs for a few heroics 4 missions here and there, and it's actually pretty fun (the smaller than most MMO party groups I think helps) but I still have the "Social" Tutorial quest in my lineup because I haven't reached social level 1

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by snommism

I'm currently using Corso (didn't have a choice) but I'm wondering, when I do have a choice, what would be a better team, healer & tank or healer & dps? I'm guessing healer & tank is pretty much invincible, but healer & dps would be more of a challenge & faster.

I think that all depends on you. I have played at least some with all the companions. The melee tank is my go to companion, but more because I wanted a Wookiee sidekick rather than his tank ability.

I will say there have been a few fights were the Wookiee just hasn't cut it. The Melee DPS makes some fights so much easier. Corso is fine, except he has a habit of turning on that harpoon thing and putting the bad guy right in your lap. I turn it off, but he turns it right back on. I've also used the Ranged DPS and even the Healer some, but not against anything major and only when I was a level or two above the area. Both offer some fun alternatives to the normal fights.

I say go with whatever makes the game more fun to you, but don't be, like me, stubborn about it. If a fight with a boss doesn't go well with the melee dps, try it again with the tank dps... Also keep an eye on the companion gear as a healer, if you find way better gear for the Melee DPS than you do for the Melee Tank, then use the Melee DPS if the battle is difficult. The more adaptive you are, the easier and the more fun it is.

At level 49 as of last night, so I know it can be done and is fun. Now watch something happen on the last planet where I have to call Lynk or Mav again.

Originally Posted by ChAiNz.2da

I still have the "Social" Tutorial quest in my lineup because I haven't reached social level 1

Level 49 and I am barely over social level 1. I didn't even know what to do with that social coin until Lynk showed me while we were playing with alternative characters.

All three of my alternates have more social points than my original toon and the highest level they are is around 16.

[Miltiades]

Originally Posted by ChAiNz.2da

but I still have the "Social" Tutorial quest in my lineup because I haven't reached social level 1

Impossible. I did one Heroic +2 quest with two other people on Tython and already reached Social I. Impossible, that is unless your group never stays together to turn in the mission, because only then you get the Social Points earned during conversations (which is what has been stated before, but am now doubting myself because I remember leaving the group before turning the mission in but I did earn enough social points to reach I - whatever the case, 10 points is apparently all you need, so it'd be strange that a few Heroics wouldn't yield that much).

[ChAiNz.2da]

Originally Posted by Miltiades

Impossible. I did one Heroic +2 quest with two other people on Tython and already reached Social I. Impossible, that is unless your group never stays together to turn in the mission, because only then you get the Social Points earned during conversations (which is what has been stated before, but am now doubting myself because I remember leaving the group before turning the mission in but I did earn enough social points to reach I - whatever the case, 10 points is apparently all you need, so it'd be strange that a few Heroics wouldn't yield that much).

I have 6 marks on my social bar. I believe you need 10 to reach Rank 1.
Heroics only give you social points if you group. I have soloe'd all but (2) Heroic 4's on Taris (which is where I got my 6 marks)

I pugged a Heroic 4 on Coruscant, however for the conversation I didn't take part.. I "holo-called" in (the party leader reached the turn-in point well ahead of me) and apparently that doesn't give you an option to take part of the conversation to achieve social points, just the reward and whatnot. At least in my case it did

[DarthParametric]

Social 1 should be about 75 pts from memory. You aren't going to ding that from any single heroic. You only get 2 pts per party member for lines you win the roll for, and 1 pt per line you don't. Even with a 4 man party, for most quests you'd be likely to only average 20-25 pts or so (unless you use black magic to influence the dice roll, like Lynk).

[mimartin]

I'm 99.99999999999% sure Social Level 1 is 10 points. I don't have anywhere near 75 points and I am level 1. I'm just not very sociable.

Those around here that know me can vouch for me, I'm kind of a jerk.

[Miltiades]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

Social 1 should be about 75 pts from memory. You aren't going to ding that from any single heroic. You only get 2 pts per party member for lines you win the roll for, and 1 pt per line you don't. Even with a 4 man party, for most quests you'd be likely to only average 20-25 pts or so (unless you use black magic to influence the dice roll, like Lynk).

No, that's 750 for Social II. Social I needs 10 points.

@Chainz: I guess it depends on how many members there are in a group: 2 people get between 2-4 points, 3 people between 3-6 and 4 between 4-8. Also, I don't know exactly if you get social points if you holocall, but I do know that the codex says that you do not get dialog choices when holocalling if the mission requires you to do a physical action (like handing over an object, etc.).

[ChAiNz.2da]

Originally Posted by mimartin

I'm 99.99999999999% sure Social Level 1 is 10 points. I don't have anywhere near 75 points and I am level 1. I'm just not very sociable.

Those around here that know me can vouch for me, I'm kind of a jerk.

Yeah.. my 6 marks are on a bar that show a total of 10 (with a number) so I'm pretty sure Social Rank 1 is 10 marks (low since the 1st rank is under the Tutorial Quest section). Will still wind up taking me forever as I'm anti-social even in a social MMO

Originally Posted by Miltiades

No, that's 750 for Social II. Social I needs 10 points.

@Chainz: I guess it depends on how many members there are in a group: 2 people get between 2-4 points, 3 people between 3-6 and 4 between 4-8. Also, I don't know exactly if you get social points if you holocall, but I do know that the codex says that you do not get dialog choices when holocalling if the mission requires you to do a physical action (like handing over an object, etc.).

Pretty sure you're right.

When I grouped, it was just me and another player with our 2 comps. I won the roll on both turn-ins. Not sure of the values of the rewards though I do know that I've won 2 rolls, and have 6 marks. Haven't pugged/grouped/conversation-ed any other time (other than holo-call) but I know for sure I didn't get my first social mark till Taris because I kept thinking to myself that I'm going to be the only player to reach 50 that still has a Tutorial quest in my lineup

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by ChAiNz.2da

I kept thinking to myself that I'm going to be the only player to reach 50 that still has a Tutorial quest in my lineup

I had it in mine until the 20s too. I just untracked it so it wasn't staring me in the face. I didn't get rid of it until I was almost done with Taris and Lynk called me for some group stuff (world bosses) and we did a flash point too.

Out of sight out of mind.

[Miltiades]

A question about world bosses: seeing as these need a lot of players to take down, how is the loot, experience, codex entry and such divided? In normal situations, when someone attacks an enemy, other players cannot get experience or loot from these enemies unless you're in a group with this player. But because groups are restricted to 4 players, this in theory would mean the loot and experience (and the codex entry) for killing a world boss is restricted to a maximum of 4 players, even when a total of, say, 10 players contributed to its defeat. I'm guessing the world bosses work differently and everyone gets their share as long as they've contributed to the fight?

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Miltiades

A question about world bosses: seeing as these need a lot of players to take down, how is the loot, experience, codex entry and such divided? In normal situations, when someone attacks an enemy, other players cannot get experience or loot from these enemies unless you're in a group with this player. But because groups are restricted to 4 players, this in theory would mean the loot and experience (and the codex entry) for killing a world boss is restricted to a maximum of 4 players, even when a total of, say, 10 players contributed to its defeat. I'm guessing the world bosses work differently and everyone gets their share as long as they've contributed to the fight?

Regular parties are indeed restricted to 4 player groups, however you can form "Ops Groups" SWTOR's version of Raid groups that can accommodate up to 16 players. You could think of World Bosses as training dummies for boss encounters in Operations, the Hoth and Belsavis World Bosses in particular. Experience wise, you don't really get that much more than a regular elite mob, so xp is pretty much the last thing to think about when tackling a WB. Loot wise, most of the World Bosses drop purple or "Artifact" quality mods and sometimes equipment that is level appropriate for the WB. Again there are some exceptions loot wise, most notably for the Hoth and Belsavis World Bosses that have a chance to drop a Artifice crafting schematic that everyone seems to be after.

[JasraLantill]

Originally Posted by mimartin

Although I still have to get a dirty kick in there somewhere even if it is at the very end.

I find it very amusing to finish them off with a dirty kick or even a blaster whip, too. Especially when the guy is a huge hulking boss or a droid.

[Darth Avlectus]

I do have a question or two about gameplay mechanics: Is there a crouch function in the game? Can you rapidly go back and forth from stand and crouch?

Which leads me to my next question: What kind of shenanigans can a player get up to?

[ChAiNz.2da]

Originally Posted by Darth Avlectus

I do have a question or two about gameplay mechanics: Is there a crouch function in the game? Can you rapidly go back and forth from stand and crouch?

I believe just Smugglers/Operatives.. and their 'crouch' is the Take Cover function. Opens up several different attack/defense forms

Which leads me to my next question: What kind of shenanigans can a player get up to?

Depends on what you had in mind

Plenty of ways to grief PVE players. Just flag yourself for PVP and wait till some unsuspecting PVE'er (me) throw you a random buff and watch me RAGE as I hightail it to the nearest Cantina to unflag myself

Learned my lesson quick. NO BUFFS for green characters

[Darth Avlectus]

Originally Posted by ChAiNz.2da

I believe just Smugglers/Operatives.. and their 'crouch' is the Take Cover function. Opens up several different attack/defense forms

That was the class I had in mind for this particular shenanigan.
I'm guessing it isn't a rapid trigger that is easy to toggle on and off.

So ......no "humiliating" other players or NPCs after you kill them?
(if you get what I'm getting at, ho-hum)

Depends on what you had in mind

Plenty of ways to grief PVE players. Just flag yourself for PVP and wait till some unsuspecting PVE'er (me) throw you a random buff and watch me RAGE as I hightail it to the nearest Cantina to unflag myself

Learned my lesson quick. NO BUFFS for green characters

???


Guess it must be an mmo thing I'll have to see for myself to find out...

No. Sorta like just closing doors when other players open them to keep them from accessing the room--like in L4D. (actually that was a pretty useful tactic to exploit that gameplay mechanic sometimes). I guess I'll have to see on my own what kind of random jackass stunts I can try to pull off.

[Lynk Former]

Originally Posted by Darth Avlectus

I guess I'll have to see on my own what kind of random jackass stunts I can try to pull off.

*facepalm*

If you want to learn to become a griefer in an MMO, go learn to do it some place else.

[Astor]

There's very little you can do to grief players in PvE, or at least I haven't encountered much.

The only real jackass tactic is to loiter around areas with security chests or missions that require you to collect/destroy 'x' (x, for instance, on Alderaan, being House Ulgo's AA guns). As these nodes are usually guarded by mobs, the best way to be an ass is to wait for someone to start fighting the mob and then running in and harvesting the node while they're busy fighting, which means that the person fighting the mob then has to wait up to a minute for the node to respawn, or go off and try to find another one and fight more mobs.

But from what I've experienced, people doing that don't get many group invites.