Imperial Agent for Dummies

[mimartin]

Alright I have decided my second “mostly” solo character will be an Imperial Agent. I like the similarities in playing styles to the smuggler. So far I also really like the voice actor too.

My questions are:
For those that have fiddled with the Imperial Agent…

Sniper or Operative?

Then the next question is which tree?

I’m looking for something (listed in order of importance)
1. Fun
2. Easier than a solo healer
3. Not completely insane to attempt Heroic 2 with.
4. I liked the up-close and personal fighting style with my smuggler. Dirty Kicks and stuff like that.

I’m leaning towards Operative and since I’ve already done the healer thing, thinking about the Concealment tree. Although Lethality looks like fun too, but I am open to suggestions. Just don’t wait until I’m level 40 before giving them.

Last question is I remember running all over Ord Mantell why does Nal Hutta have taxi service to merely cross the street? Is the Empire just too lazy to walk?

Blue is the new green

[DarthParametric]

I played a Sniper up to the end of Alderaan in beta (lvl 28/29) and have one currently at lvl 15 on Dromund Kaas. I think your average person will probably prefer Operative just because the cover system that is the core of Sniper play is a bit clunky and mandates a very different play style than every other class. It's also probably not the best class for group play in general PVE, unless your group understands that you are not a run and gun class and need to take time to set up before each engagement. It would actually be interesting to run 2 or 3 Snipers together, as that might alleviate that problem.

Sounds like Operative would be more your thing, if you want to be up close and like the idea of stealth.

[Lynk Former]

Operative is definitely your thing, mim. Plus you get to stab knives into everyone/everything over and over and over until you look at the enemy npc and it has knives sticking out in every direction... very fun

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#401bcZGhModkrffzZhM.1 this is the build I'm going for with my operative

[Miltiades]

Originally Posted by mimartin

Last question is I remember running all over Ord Mantell why does Nal Hutta have taxi service to merely cross the street? Is the Empire just too lazy to walk?

The Empire has a lot more money, so they tend to spend it on taxi service. You call it lazy, I call it efficient.

[DarthParametric]

Technically that would be Hutt space, not part of the Empire.

The taxi from the starting cantina to Nem'ro's palace is the route I assume you are talking about? It does seem a tad extraneous, given that by the time you'd actually need to use it you pretty much never have to go back to the cantina again.

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

The taxi from the starting cantina to Nem'ro's palace is the route I assume you are talking about? It does seem a tad extraneous, given that by the time you'd actually need to use it you pretty much never have to go back to the cantina again.

those two and the one at the front gate. 3 right there together make no sense to me, efficient? I call it a waste of credits.

[Scorge]

Originally Posted by mimartin

Last question is I remember running all over Ord Mantell why does Nal Hutta have taxi service to merely cross the street? Is the Empire just too lazy to walk?

Blue is the new green

I guess.........

Not forcing you, but I think you should do a bouny hunter because smuggler and imp agent are two similar classes, so when you get your abilities, you will get bored real quick........Just as I did on my juggernaut, moves are similar to Jedi knight.

[DarthParametric]

Completely different specs though. A DPS Operative isn't really going to play like a healer Scoundrel.

[DarthParametric]

Heh, yet they are exact copies of each other, with the exception that Corso (for some reason) kept the harpoon cable pulling mobs to him, when every other tank companion (including Kaliyo) got their equivalent skill changed to pull them to the mob. Personality-wise though I agree. Kaliyo is lightyears ahead in that regard.

[mimartin]

I have no problem with them going into the mob. Corso not only put himself in the mob, but he put me in the mob. At least Kaliyo does not do that.

[Lynk Former]

The Agent story is pretty damn interesting. mim's gonna find a lot of intrigue in the agent story and I'm sure he's gonna use that flirt option aaaaaaaaall the time to get what he wants

Even if the Agent is just the Imp version of the Smuggler, there's gonna be a lot of interesting things happening that'll spice things up.

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by Lynk Former

The Agent story is pretty damn interesting. mim's gonna find a lot of intrigue in the agent story and I'm sure he's gonna use that flirt option aaaaaaaaall the time to get what he wants

Hey Bremiaha ended up pure, I even got the title to prove it.

Schutta may not have been appropriate, but is the title Bremiaha deserved

[JAvatar80]

I have an IA, level 17. I like up close as well, and went operative. I'm taking a DPS tree(forget which one, and work prevents me from bringing up any good sites), so my healing is a little lacking. I can off-heal in a group, but I get right up on my enemies, back stab, stab, stab and paralyze, blaster blaster blaster, flash grenade, back stab, stab, unload....it's a blast.

The way I know my healing is lack luster, I have a level 22 Sith Inquisitor, heal-speced.

[Lynk Former]

Only time you'd really need to heal yourself as an Operative or Commando or any other class that can heal or dps is after you've caught too much heat from DPSing too much too fast and ramping up the threat away from the tank. Take a little break to heal up a tiny bit to help the healer out and then resume DPSing.

[mimartin]

About the only time I heal as a Operative is in the middle of a boss battle when there was a mob around. Once the boss is the only one left, I will throw a flash grenade, use a med pack on myself (if needed) and then top of my tank (if needed), if it isn't needed I just let energy build back up.

So far Operative hasn't had any real problems even with battles coming out of cutscenes.

Not really sure if healing will get better for a Operative using DPS, but for my smuggler that was pure healer, it did not get really good until around level 41.

[DarthParametric]

I would assume a DPS Operative is in much the same boat as a DPS Merc/Commando in regards to healing. Not being spec'd into the healing tree means you really never have much utility in healing given the low power of your quick heal and the super long cast time of your big heal. Which is as it should be of course - can't have one super class that does everything.

[mimartin]

Originally Posted by DarthParametric

Not being spec'd into the healing tree means you really never have much utility in healing given the low power of your quick heal and the super long cast time of your big heal.

Also takes way too much energy to be useful. Better off using that energy for DPS and leave the healing to med pacs, when necessary. Still a little healing is nice to have if for no other reason than to keep my companion alive a few more seconds.

Takes some getting use to as I never used med pacs with my smuggler. Either space emailed them to guild members or sold them. Which has hurt me at level 50 in group play. When I get low on health using a med pac is not second nature to me. Really hope my agent gets me out of that bad habit. Learning that my healers death not only spells doom for me, but usually the entire group.

[Addlcove]

Originally Posted by mimartin

those two and the one at the front gate. 3 right there together make no sense to me, efficient? I call it a waste of credits.

I believe it's to avoid having to fight the annoying streetgangs that is all over the place, you can run around Ord Mantell starter city more or less undisturbedm but in Jinguuarinananan (whatever the city name is) those street gangs jump on you if you look at the right, (or wrong, depending on your point of view)

[mimartin]

I guess that is fine for those wimpy bounty hunter, agents don't need to avoid anything.