**OFFICIAL** Star Wars: The Old Republic Thread

[KeithTalent]

CC the healer, kill everything I can while the CC is active, and then focus on the healer when the CC expires.

Cool, thanks. Not sure what level you are, but are you using Concussion Grenade or something else?

KT

 

[SunnyD]

Yeah same, but I definitely realized I had to take out the lower level mobs first, then focus on the others, otherwise I would get creamed.

How do you guys handle healers? Hit them first or last? Freaking hate the healers, makes every fight so much more difficult.

KT

As of late, I've started taking them out FIRST. Being a gunslinger, I have a couple of fairly huge alpha attacks, so it's not terribly difficult (usually Aimed Shot + Charged Burst or a couple of Quick Shots floors them before they manage to fire off a single heal).

But up until this point, I really largely ignored them - my pulls usually were:

1. Queue up Aimed Shot on whichever target I feel like taking out (usually a crit would 1-shot a weak mob)
2. As Aimed Shot was going through it's cast timer, send companion in to agro everything. He'd get there usually just as Aimed Shot fired.
3. Throw Thermal Grenade (AoE).
4. Fire Blaster Spray (Ground Target AoE)

5A. If any weak mobs are left or the AI moved them out of Blaster Spray's line of fire, tab target and throw another Thermal Grenade to clean them up, and then...

5B. Target remaining "Strong" mobs, and through a Sabotage Charge then blast away with Charged Burst or the normal Auto Attack.

If it's an Boss/Elite that's left, tactics up to this point are pretty much the same, but I'll normally get a little creative to take him out (such as running up and kicking him in the nuts - Dirty Kick which is a stun - then pistol whipping him - Blaster Whip -, and/or slapping a Shock Charge on him as well).

My point in all this is I have enough AoE up front which usually takes out the weak healing mobs without too much effort, also causing collateral damage to the other mobs I'm fighting as well in the process.

The only time I really use CC is against multiple droids, since the only true CC I have is Slice Droid which is effective against... well... droids only.

 

[Rhezuss]

So...worth it?
I'd like a new MMO but I can't seem to find one that'll grab my attention. I tried AoC, Rift and now playing WoW from time to time (shame on me).

SWTOR look interesting but, here comes the dreaded question, how is it for casuals?

 

[nageov3t]

So...worth it?
I'd like a new MMO but I can't seem to find one that'll grab my attention. I tried AoC, Rift and now playing WoW from time to time (shame on me).

SWTOR look interesting but, here comes the dreaded question, how is it for casuals?

between dungeon finder, raid finder, and cross-realm PvP, I'd say it's pretty hard to beat WoW for casuals.

but even looking at SWTOR as a single-player game, I don't feel like it was wasted money if i cancel my subscription after repeating my class quest chain.

 

[SunnyD]

So...worth it?
I'd like a new MMO but I can't seem to find one that'll grab my attention. I tried AoC, Rift and now playing WoW from time to time (shame on me).

SWTOR look interesting but, here comes the dreaded question, how is it for casuals?

For Casuals - that's the million dollar question with ANY mmo.

Frankly, casual mmo gaming is more of what YOU make of it rather than what the game makes of it. There's a ton of content that you can do solo should you so desire. There's a ton of group content should you so desire.

Really though, you need to consider taking yourself into a well populated game (which SWTOR is right now) with a group of like minded friends or a guild that is okay with you being casual... and that's where ANY game will shine.

Right now I do warzones with PUGs, and it gets frustrating when our pug filled with 6 or 7 level 20-30's is going up against a full premade level 50 group. But honestly, I don't care so much because I know I'm still going to be getting XP, Valor, Commendations and Credits no matter what at the end of the match.

There also seems to be enough going on on the server I'm on (which I'm NOT on the ATOT server mind you) that at level 32 standing around the Republic Fleet station I get whispers asking if I want to run various Flashpoints without me asking. All that and I'm not in a guild.

If you want to play SWTOR, like the genre and the IP of Star Wars... then get it and play it casually. Nothing or no one is going to stop you.

 

[s44]

How do you guys handle healers? Hit them first or last?

First. Are you Vanguard, though? Not sure about your single-target alpha strike ability.

SunnyD, what tree are you using? You should generally not bother with AoEs if you're Sharpshooter. Well, except for trash cleanup/mindless encounters. Saboteur is another story.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

between dungeon finder, raid finder, and cross-realm PvP, I'd say it's pretty hard to beat WoW for casuals.

but even looking at SWTOR as a single-player game, I don't feel like it was wasted money if i cancel my subscription after repeating my class quest chain.

The class story itself is worth it.

 

[darkewaffle]

I'd think of SWTOR as an extremely friendly casual game. There's enough quests/planets/content that a casual player would likely feel a strong 'direction' in the game for quite some time. Monetary rewards are relatively high from quests, and the integrated quest tracker is just about flawless (far as accuracy goes) though the quests themselves are still subject to some bugs. With space battle dailies and PVP dailies you can get a pretty significant part of a level each day in something like a half hour, and between daily/class/bonus quests it's pretty easy to keep yourself overlevelled to the planet you're on if you prefer an easier experience.

 

[Merad]

As of late, I've started taking them out FIRST. Being a gunslinger, I have a couple of fairly huge alpha attacks, so it's not terribly difficult (usually Aimed Shot + Charged Burst or a couple of Quick Shots floors them before they manage to fire off a single heal).

If you don't already have it get the perks that let you insta-cast your first Charged Burst after you go into cover. Then when you start a fight:

-Use the skill that makes Charged Burst crit (name escapes me)
-Drop into cover
-Start Aimed Shot
-When the GCD ends, queue up Charged Burst (Aimed Shot will still be casting)

That way when your Aimed Shot goes off it's instantly followed by a crit Charged Burst. Will take down essentially all normal mobs.

 

[TheUnk]

The class story for the smuggler is awesome and I've enjoyed it more than many single player stories.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

So I bought and am setting this up...it forces you to choose a subscription plan. It's not charged until the end of your 30 days, right?

 

[KeithTalent]

First. Are you Vanguard, though? Not sure about your single-target alpha strike ability.

Combat Medic. Not really sure why since I mainly play solo, but at least I can send my playmate in and heal from safety.


I think the game is super casual-friendly. I have not even hit level 25 yet since I play sporadically, an hour or two here and there, yet I don't feel behind or anything. There is enough to do on my own but there are people around should I need them. Still having a lot of fun.

KT

 

[SunnyD]

First. Are you Vanguard, though? Not sure about your single-target alpha strike ability.

SunnyD, what tree are you using? You should generally not bother with AoEs if you're Sharpshooter. Well, except for trash cleanup/mindless encounters. Saboteur is another story.

Sabo, of course.

If you don't already have it get the perks that let you insta-cast your first Charged Burst after you go into cover. Then when you start a fight:

-Use the skill that makes Charged Burst crit (name escapes me)
-Drop into cover
-Start Aimed Shot
-When the GCD ends, queue up Charged Burst (Aimed Shot will still be casting)

That way when your Aimed Shot goes off it's instantly followed by a crit Charged Burst. Will take down essentially all normal mobs.

I do not have the talent that makes CB instant since I'm in the sabo tree.

 

[sigurros81]

I'm enjoying the game but one thing I have to gripe about is the art direction of the armor/clothing you wear in the game. There really isn't much diversity, and I feel like when you PVP, everyone just look like each other and you can't really differentiate your enemies. One thing that stood out for me in WoW was when you kill or be killed, you can easily identify your victim or attacker if you see him later in a different zone. I think that's one thing that WoW nailed was just the look and progression of the armor you pick up.

I feel like Bioware is a bit handicapped by the SW universe, in keeping in line with the lore and established style, they really can't stray too far away.

 

[lupi]

Combat Medic. Not really sure why since I mainly play solo, but at least I can send my playmate in and heal from safety.


I think the game is super casual-friendly. I have not even hit level 25 yet since I play sporadically, an hour or two here and there, yet I don't feel behind or anything. There is enough to do on my own but there are people around should I need them. Still having a lot of fun.

KT

Wonder if you'll be able to keep up like that at the end of tat/start of aldaraan.

 

[KeithTalent]

Wonder if you'll be able to keep up like that at the end of tat/start of aldaraan.

You mean as a Combat Medic? Probably not if I am being totally honest with myself, but the times I've needed a group I've not had any trouble, so as long as that continues to hold true, then I should be fine. It will be interesting to see; probably helps that I am, apparently, somewhat overlevelled for where I am right now. Not sure I will be able to sustain that either. :hmm:

KT

 

[pontifex]

ewww....i just noticed that the standard edition is $60. f-ck that! I don't mind paying monthly and i don't mind laying down an initial amount, like $40 but to charge $60 for the regular edition and then charge monthly? f-cking greedy a-sholes.


It is EA, so i guess I shouldn't be surprised

 

[xSkyDrAx]

I'd wait a little and see if the price will come down. Mostly it should come down pretty fast. I'm hoping to pick this up for the single player run throughs since I keep hearing they're pretty decent.

 

[KidNiki1]

So I bought and am setting this up...it forces you to choose a subscription plan. It's not charged until the end of your 30 days, right?

correct

 

[KidNiki1]

as far as class stories go, they make this game pretty amazing. i can totally see myself rolling every class at some point, just to see the stories. the bounty hunter one was incredibly fun and engaging. so much so that i basically just did all my class quests on every planet just so i could see how it ended up. i'll go back now and do the other quests, for fun and the experience (of seeing the planets, not just for actual game xp). the story was just that interesting to me.

(although grand champion of the great hunt is one hell of a mouthful (screenful?) of a title)

 

[lupi]

new minor patch maintenance in the morning.

 

[s44]

This morning's maintenance was cancelled/postponed. So the servers are and have been still up.

 

[crackerjacks]

Wonder if you'll be able to keep up like that at the end of tat/start of aldaraan.

yeah, i've noticed the difficulty increased somewhat when I got to Tat. My Shadow has been effortlessly wiping through everything up till I got there then I got rolled hard in my first quest there. struggling a bit right now, need to look at gear and stats I think or switch from Shadow to Kinetic Combat and tank while my companion blasts and heals.

 

[Grooveriding]

I like the game a lot, but am looking on it as a glorified KOTOR to play through to the completion of story/max level and put away. There just does not look to be much depth or anything compelling in the game after that, but the play through/story experience is excellent.

FWIW I used to play WoW a fair deal and most of that at end-game and I don't like/can't stand the game anymore. So I may just be over wanting to play MMOs which are essentially grinding games once you are at maximum level.

The game is excellent so far in terms of being a story-driven RPG, but I don't see much potential for it once you are through the story/max level. I think it will hold some players, but people who came to the game from WoW will go back to WoW. WoW just has the lock on quality end-game content if you are into that still.

 

[lupi]

Somewhere around 1/3 done with aldaaraan now, and I've gotten my aoe swing and low health finisher so I'm back to mowing down mobs again. Seeing non-strong groups bumped up to 4 per though so if you are casual about it you could still be in trouble .