The "GET QYZEN A MODDABLE TECHBLADE" thread

[Onager]

Power cells makes sickeningly good sense. Very universal idea, can fit both lightsabers and other powered weapons in a generic technology sense. at that point its a simple choice of what stats do you want to buff on your weapon?

 

and then make Da lizards starter technoblade modifiable, problem solved!

 

Agreed, plus 'hilt' and 'barrel' are actually built into the frame of the moddable item anyways. The orange part where you put the components? That's a hilt already.

[Zhulari]

The impact of difficult-to-equip-companions on fraction (im)balance - A theory

 

Background:

My experience relies on a Sith Inq. played to level 30 and a Jedi Sage played to level 21. My Qyzen still uses his first or second weapon in lack of anything better, except greens I can buy at the store. I am rigt now middle Taris, and did every Quest I encountered until here and allmost never found an upgrade for Qyzen, especially the weapon. By now I am healing and Tanking, cos I always aggro, even the mob I asign to Qyzen.

Assumptions:

- the lower level you get the problematic companion are the more severe is the problem.

- the lower level you are the easier it is to fraction change.

- especially healers suffer most from this problem because they need a Tank, especially in the beginning of the game.

- as a low level player you save credits for your speeder, for leveling proffesions etc. so you do not want to pay too much extra monay to get your companion at least having ok(=level appropriate greens) outfit.

- the problem affects Melee companions with Aim as main attribute.

 

Ok, lets have a look at the companions affected. In brackets I add at around which point in the game you get this compaion. I used the list a few treads above, since I did not play all classes there might be an error, but I tried to look up the companions on the web, especially around what time you get them. Please correct me.

 

for the Empire:

Bounty Hunter: Toria Caldera (mid, Taris)

Imperial Agent: Scorpio (late, Belsavis)

 

for the Republic:

Trooper: - Tanno Vin (early, Balmorra), Yuun (late, Hoth)

Sage: - Qyzen (first, Tythoon)

 

Analysis/Conclusion:

All right, from the above assumptions and the list we see the following. The Republic suffers twice. First the Trooper has two companions affected. Second at least two affected companions are early in the game (Yuun is not so problematic, as well as Scorpio). This is especially dramatic for a Jedi sage, since Qyzen is your first companion.

 

I started playing as a Sith Inquisistor (played till lvl 30), but than changed to a Jedi Sage, actually to do something against class imbalance on my server (Jar'Kai Sword). Well, well, compared to Khem Val (the first companion as a Sith Inq.) Qyzen is a problem to equip and hence falls behind. It is a peace of cake to equip Khem compared to equip Qyzen. So, considering the general fraction imbalance between republic and empire I see this as an additional problem. Any player testing Sith Inq. and Jedi Sage will find it much more easy as a Sith Inq. in the first 20-25 levels because your companion is better equipped. After testing both classes a bit you will simply stick with the easier, more comfprtable side and rarely people switch the fraction at level 30. So BW, if you ever plan to do something against fraction imbalance, this could be a starting point. Actually this should be done better yesterday than tomorrow, than with every level that passes a fraction switch gets less realistic.

 

Solution:

- Quick: Add an orange weapon to the commendation vendors for this classes in the early game.

- Better: Reconsider companion stat designs. (As proposed by others in earlier threads, just saw them now. So credits to them.)

 

PS: - I could add that my SI has Biochem/BioAnalysis/Diplomacy as a profession whereas my Jedi Sage has Synthweaving... Guess what. Since Qyzen needs Aim I cannot equip him properly, I guess I could easily equip Khem, since he uses strength as his main stat. this is further an imbalance. So I assume all this is a problem of the above mentioned last minute change of Qyzen in the beta (I was not in) and too me it looks like BW did not really think about the full consequences of it. Well it is now time to act and fix this issue for the rest of the game and not let it slack for the next two years. That's why I would consider an appropriate stat redesign for Qyzen the better solution than a quick fix. But yeah, a quick fix would a t least help us now.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Zhulari

[tufy]

Option 1: give Qyzen the ability to wield guns and make him a close range tank (Vanguard) - that would make him different from the Inquisitor dude, but it would also considerably ease gearing.

 

Option 2: give Qyzen fixed looks through customization option and change his gear to strength. That way he's identical to the Inquisitor dude and can use moddable vibroswords

 

Option 3: include moddable techblades

 

That's all there really is to it. Even a single moddable techblade would be just fine.

[ShadoeWrayth]

Option 1: Give moddable techblade (really not that hard, it's only a cosmetically different vibrosword anyways!)

 

Option 2: Merge servers (since there are people that work on armstech, this would make a better selection of REALLY good Techblades on the GTN)

 

Option 3: Move him to Str based

 

Option 4: Allow him to use Vibroswords as well so people can grab the orange VS's, or if they don't care about the extra bonus to his tech AoE's (I don't) they can just equip him with str gear OR aim gear and not care.

[MJHoyle]

From my opinion what the devs did for Qyzen was sloppy. From what I learned he was originally based on strength, but people said he looked stupid running around in a robe and said he needed to be more trooper looking so he got modified to rely on aim. Thus the techblade was born, a new blade with aim to make up for the fact there was no other aim-based melee tank weapons around. Only BW forgot to change his codex and forgot to add in suitable moddable techblades.

[Cordarn]

First, the facts:

 

1. We all know there was a last minute design change to make Qyzen Aim based.

 

2. We all know his codex entry says he uses Vibroswords. In reality, he can ONLY use a techblade.

 

3. We all know the oversight of not giving him either:

a. The vibrosword ability, OR,

b. A moddable techblade

 

IS, in fact, an oversight.

 

4. We know this is not a "game breaking" issue for everyone, but it IS a serious and ever-present annoyance that costs consulars who wish to use him:

a. time to find upgrades (when available or comparable).

b. money well over and above what other classes must spend to manage their

correctly available, moddable weaponry.

c. angst and frustration upon entering new hunting grounds with what is often

under-level gear and no reasonable way to see to it but grit the teeth and

take the extra effort to get the cash to re-engage (a) and (b) as above noted OR hope there is

a craftman about willing to sell you one.

 

5. This is NOT an extravagant nor even a difficult fix to implement.

 

6. There have been numerous maintenance windows and two patches in which this could have been addressed.

 

All the above said, this post is an attempt to show BioWare that, while we're not unreasonable and we're not angry... yet... this matters to the many of us who are playing consulars and would very much like to have Qyzen be "comparable" to both our other companion options AND to other class companions in this game.

 

Khem val gets this huge vibro sword that has lightning on the sides. What does a consular get? A club with lights on it. Seriously they must love empire more then republic for some reason.

Edited February 12, 2012 by Cordarn

[Panthian]

It's not gonna happen. Wanna know why? Because you'd also be forcing BW to create an entire slew of additional Hilts with Aim on them, relatively pointless since it's only for specific companions and completely useless for player gear.

 

Or let the tech blade and staff use a barrel. Problem solved.

 

But regardless it is rather strange that Vic, Yuun and Qyzen can not use moddeble weapons but the imp equivelents can.

[Panthian]

Option 2: Merge servers (since there are people that work on armstech, this would make a better selection of REALLY good Techblades on the GTN)

 

 

This doesnt change anything. A crafted tech staff/sword can be a 124 rating weapon max.

While Vidro weapons "can"get upto 140rating. The damage ratio nor stats from the best crafted weapon is no where near to that of the vidro-electro weapons. Not to mention the difference in ease to get them.

[Kitty_Whoopass]

Don't care how you fix him but please fix him. At level 35 I think I've had 3 different weapons total because they just don't exist.

[Ibaesha]

I tried to stay out of this, but I can't.

 

Selfishly, as an Armstech crafter, I hope they never make moddable techblades and techstaffs. Ya'll keep me in business. If it wasn't for techblades, I'd have nothing worth crafting.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Ibaesha

[rhirne]

/signed

 

Qyzen needs some sort of fix for his weapon. Either a moddable Techblade or move him to VS's or something

[Dorilin]

Also Qyzen can only use TechBlade, and my Arms tech can only make Tech Staff with AIM! Whats the point.... BW has to think things through and listen to its CUSTOMERS!

 

Dont Confuse us

[Ibaesha]

Also Qyzen can only use TechBlade, and my Arms tech can only make Tech Staff with AIM! Whats the point.... BW has to think things through and listen to its CUSTOMERS!

 

Dont Confuse us

 

Armstech can craft techblades with AIM.

[Vaayne_S]

seriously no armstech will make techblades or techstaffs my server there is a total of like 10 of each on the GTN and they are for level 50

 

The way i see you your guys got 3 options

 

1] put a orange techblade or techstaff in the game

 

2] allow him to use vibroswords so we can get him one and mod it with aim

 

3] change his main stat to strength like Khem so we can use virbosowrds for him

[Phydra]

Please see the link in my sig file (for that matter, please consider making it your own until this is fixed).

[Lijun]

Please see the link in my sig file (for that matter, please consider making it your own until this is fixed).

 

I am signing this. It is pretty half assery the way his gear works and he is too important to be this way.

 

Also I would like him to be able to wear helmets, he is a lizard.

[Orsian]

I'll chime in here and say yes, he should have a moddable spot there.

 

Also, get him a freaking muzzle! His gargling crap scares my cat!

[Nocadoj]

We have been asking Bioware to do something about this since early beta, they either don't care or don't care. Just use another companion if it bothers you that much.

[Phydra]

We have been asking Bioware to do something about this since early beta, they either don't care or don't care. Just use another companion if it bothers you that much.

 

Obviously you get the point that it matters to know if it is (a) intended to be this way (which seems unlikely) or (b) not and, that, if not, it should be fixed. I see no need to make it more convoluted than this, personally.

 

I do not feel "BioWare is ignoring us" as much as "BioWare doesn't think (or we have not been effective at communicating that) it is that important".

 

Perhaps in the overall scheme of managing the game, ongoing development for expansions and additional content, the sure-to-be-overwhelming list of tweaks, fixes, et al, it's "not that important", but that hardly means it isn't important at all and, for those of us who prefer the aim-based melee companion, it is a an ongoing disappointment.

 

Hence, the continued attention; first and foremost in hopes of getting visibility on it, but also because tolerance of it will decrease over time and, of course, because if it is broken, it's among the more obviously broken elements in the game. (I mean, let's face it, to have roughly 1/5th of potential companions in the game unable to be equipped/outfitted as the remaining 4/5ths is hardly a small thing; particularly for those specs that rely upon "tankage" and avoiding melee.)

 

Worth note - I am sorry you feel you were ignored in beta, but I'm keeping a realistic mindset and not assuming that we're being ignored. If anything, I'm assuming most people are so convinced they can't push at it that they're just not trying. It is my hope that this thread along with some others in progress (and the signature, the armstech by server post running over in the consular forum, et al) will help change that.

 

Naturally, any and all support and, in particular, adoption of the below signature file is grealty appreciated. The same goes for pointed feedback in-game, by email, etc.

 

After all, the most anyone can do is actively try.... this is me, actively trying.

Edited February 17, 2012 by Phydra

[Kaphik]

We have been asking Bioware to do something about this since early beta, they either don't care or don't care. Just use another companion if it bothers you that much.

 

That's completely unacceptable. I've been doing the Open Communications Heroic 4, and every other companion of mine gets a moddable weapon as a reward, except for Qyzen.

 

He is the first companion a Consular gets, and getting him a decent weapon while leveling up is bad enough. It's borderline ridiculous that every other companion I've seen so far can get a moddable weapon from the start except for Qyzen.

 

It's almost as if there is a bias against Trandoshans...except we even get Trandoshan emoticons!

[Brdrker]

As has been mentioned already, one of the 4 Heroics (lvl 50) on Belsavis dailies does, indeed, provide a mod-able weapon for Qyzan (and all your other companions if you so wish).

 

Since I leveled all the way to 50 with Qyzan as my primary NPC (only time I used another NPC was the healer was on the very last class quest), while he sometimes showed times of being problematic or maybe brittle, he was never impossible in every other situation I used him (and I think if I had been better at NPC management, I could have done the last fight with him as well).

 

I get that his gear is odd but I found enough gear doing FP's to keep him alive and well through out my grind to 50, offsetting with commendation rewards and general drops. I never bought him anything off the AH.

 

I have heard of people outfitting Qyzan with STR/END mods with good result (I have not done so) so, if you are early in with Qyzan, maybe there is some answer there which would be non-fatal to try. As I'm 50 now, it makes no sense to me to do so at this time.

[Phydra]

As has been mentioned already, one of the 4 Heroics (lvl 50) on Belsavis dailies does, indeed, provide a mod-able weapon for Qyzan (and all your other companions if you so wish).

 

Sorry, this is incorrect; Qyzen's reward from this mission is, in fact, a non-moddable blue.

 

The quest is "Open Communications", I have run it several times, and would be happy to screenshot it if you should wish.

 

That we've managed in spite of it isn't really the point; at end of day, it's broken and should be fixed... that is the point. And not just for Qyzen, but for all the aim-based melee companions who are similarly situated (there are a few, you know).

[Brdrker]

I stand corrected. I was remembering from the reward about a week ago and hadn't been back in game. You are correct. It is a blue, non-moddable weapon.

[Tantala]

I've recently started a sage healer and at level 16 this guy is still using his starter weapon, as a result of which I'm doing 3 kills to his one against normal opponents. I'm not too concerned what his primary stat is provided I can get him upgraded weapons in a timely fashion.

 

As for appearance, I've seen other cases where gear put on companions does not look like the same gear on PCs. I'd be quite content if I could give him Jedi heavy armour and have it look like the same-level Qyzen-specific armour piece. Of course, that would still leave the tech-power/force-power issue I suppose.

 

Whatever, it should be fixed. It may be that later in the game we get alternative companions but he looks like the prime levelling companion for a healer so I'd like him to be a bit less bugged.

[Zhulari]

@Tantala

 

I am Level 33 Sage, Heal. As somebody pointed out in this thread it is wise to equip his weapon slot for cash at the weapon seller, otherwise you may have to wait long for an upgrade. I typically buy a weapon every second planet for Qyzen.