Hit a wall at 43..

[Davvos]

Welp, guess I just don't know how to play my Gunslinger. Played pretty well up to lvl 43. Now I've hit a wall on Belsavis. I'm already outleveled my rewards on Belsavis missions by 2-4 levels.. and still am way to squishie. Started another character last night because my game is so changed now, I thought I was squishie on Tattooine but totally different on Belsavis.

 

Been pondering canceling my account because of rage quit, took a week off and still frustrated my game play now is so different then the previous 43 levels, I've played..

 

/vent off..

 

Guess that is what I get for being a casual gamer and not wanting to spreadsheet my character and wanting to faceroll my character to 50...

 

 

Gunslinger/Smuggler/SS

Edited February 13, 2012 by Davvos

[dcgregorya]

Welp, guess I just don't know how to play my Gunslinger. Played pretty well up to lvl 43. Now I've hit a wall on Belsavis. I'm already outleveled my rewards on Belsavis missions by 2-4 levels.. and still am way to squishie. Started another character last night because my game is so changed now, I thought I was squishie on Tattooine but totally different on Belsavis.

 

Been pondering canceling my account because of rage quit, took a week off and still frustrated my game play now is so different then the previous 43 levels, I've played..

 

/vent off..

 

Guess that is what I get for being a casual gamer and not wanting to spreadsheet my character and wanting to faceroll my character to 50...

 

 

Gunslinger/Smuggler/SS

 

I don't get it, are you asking for help or just insulting people who aren't having the same problems as you?

 

Are you using the healing companion and defensive screen?

[Davvos]

I'm stuck.. hit a wall and cannot solo anymore even though I'm out leveling my content by several levels. Frustrated because everytime I log into my Smuggler it feels more like work then fun now, since I cannot move forward, I might have to go back to Hoth and do bonus missions until I get a few more levels of power behind me

[dcgregorya]

I'm stuck.. hit a wall and cannot solo anymore even though I'm out leveling my content by several levels. Frustrated because everytime I log into my Smuggler it feels more like work then fun now, since I cannot move forward, I might have to go back to Hoth and do bonus missions until I get a few more levels of power behind me

 

Have you been keeping yourself and your companions up to date on gear? For myself I used the commendations from mission rewards to keep 'best I could use' mods in my orange gear and picked up drops and stuff for my companions (and switched to Guss once I got him).

 

If you're doing that and using defensive screen you should be fine squishiness wise. In PVE use natural cover btw, for the increased ranged defense it provides.

[Davvos]

I will give Guss another try tonight, yes I've been gearing up my companion and myself as I go, tis why I haven't made more then 200k at lvl 43..

 

I'll pull him out tonight.

[Whyld]

I'm stuck.. hit a wall and cannot solo anymore even though I'm out leveling my content by several levels. Frustrated because everytime I log into my Smuggler it feels more like work then fun now, since I cannot move forward, I might have to go back to Hoth and do bonus missions until I get a few more levels of power behind me

 

I strongly suspect you are having companion issues. Some folks forget to use the correct companion or forget to upgrade the equipment on tier companion. PVE with a GS should present no issues if you are on lvl with the mobs and your companion has gear within 1-2 lvls of you.

[Whyld]

I will give Guss another try tonight, yes I've been gearing up my companion and myself as I go, tis why I haven't made more then 200k at lvl 43..

 

I'll pull him out tonight.

 

With Guss PVE should be easy mode. If not, then I suggest you have gear issues. GS are terrible in PVP but they should present no major issues in PVE. If oyu ever plan to PVP, stop your GS now and do yourself a favor and switch classes.

[Anilon]

With Guss PVE should be easy mode. If not, then I suggest you have gear issues. GS are terrible in PVP but they should present no major issues in PVE. If oyu ever plan to PVP, stop your GS now and do yourself a favor and switch classes.

 

This is a tad harsh I would say. I do think there are improvements to be made to our PvP, but I quite enjoy it on my slinger. (For reference, I am 50, Valor 31, Nearly full champ gear/ a few centurion pieces)

 

When I go 1v1 with several classes, I come out on top. Against mediocre melee I can walk away unscathed. (Pulse detonator, Aimed Shot knockback, legshot, etc).

 

It's also important to remember we are in a non-arena PvP environment. This means that single combat or 2v2 is less meaningful. Playing a gunslinger is about not being seen. In Alderan if I can get in the rafters at mid and not be noticed I will absolutely destroy people.

 

Again, improvements? Yes. Totally broken? No.

[jazzllanna]

What spec are you using? You say ss but where are your points going? Are you using ccs? And yes Gus is a great companion to have out I never put him away after I got him.

 

Oh and I am a casual player and did not spreadsheet the game.....

 

If you really want help you could say what your issues and maybe get some help. Your post comes off a bit of an insult to those that made it to 50.

Edited February 13, 2012 by jazzllanna

[Davvos]

<--said I'm stuck at a wall at lvl 43, never insulting anyone but myself and my inability to play as I have been the last 43 levels. Frustration. I'll try Guss out again tonight, been using Akaavi mostly since I got her.

[jazzllanna]

appologies I must have read that wrong.. also what spec are you using..

 

I also found I hated using avari so that could help a ton to change that.

[Anilon]

<--said I'm stuck at a wall at lvl 43, never insulting anyone but myself and my inability to play as I have been the last 43 levels. Frustration. I'll try Guss out again tonight, been using Akaavi mostly since I got her.

 

Guss is definitely the way to go. Make sure he is in healing stance.

 

As others have mentioned, gear is also an issue. Try and keep it up to date with commendations.

 

Also, what kind of rotation/priority do you use? For example:

 

1) One Strong Mob, One Standard Mob

 

Have Guss attack strong mob (I bind this to my mouse) and he'll use his short term shock beam CC thing. Kill standard, kill strong.

 

2) Three Standard Mobs

 

AoE mixed in with single target. Throw grenade on CD and used standard single target abilities to focus each one down.

 

3) Areas with robots = awesome - our CC rocks.

 

 

A word on cover: Portable cover and real cover are different. Always try and use real cover. You don't have to "roll" into it, you can just drop down into cover behind something.

 

If there is a green shield above the enemy's head, you are in full cover from them. There are level 50 heroics that I solo with ease on a daily basis due to how strong cover is with ranged mobs.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Anilon

[Vengeful_Deity]

Talking with other Gunslingers, there is definately a wall you hit (particularly against melee elites) around level 43-45. Once you get past it though and start getting your final rank of your main abilities it evens out.

[Pack_master]

Never had any wall like that. I would even say it was more difficult before, because the moment you get Guss, it's easy-mode till the end.

[JoyProtocol]

How about some tips on Gunslinger gameplay, as well as general advice? This will be long, but useful

 

• Your gear is important. As a Sharpshooter, majority of your damage comes from weapon damage (white). Weapon damage is affected by (in order) dodge/deflect, shield, armor. It is also influenced by your weapon, NOT your tech power.
  
  You are also a pure DPS class. You don't have tanking or healing or long-term CC as an option

  
  

  As such, always - and I mean always - have a good weapon. I rolled Armsmith because I like having a purple gun at all levels, but I'm a perfectionist like this. If you have a poor weapon, your damage will suffer

  
  

• Your companion is important. You have a choice of Tank, DPS and Healing. From what I have seen, DPS companions are best for easy engagements, tank for difficult engagements, and healing for impossible engagements.
  
  I would STRONGLY suggest keeping your companion's gear at most 3 levels away from yours. Pick 1 or 2 companions, and gear them out as your primary companion. If in doubt, healing (guss) is always a good choice.

  
  

• Learn your abilities a little bit more thoroughly.
  
  You have WEAPON damage, and TECH damage. Your TECH damage is split into KINETIC - (Thermal Grenade, Sabotage Charge, Blaster Whip) and ELEMENTAL/INTERNAL (Vital Shot, XS Freighter Flyby).

  
  

  This is important to know, as tougher enemies (especially Gold-difficulty) will have very high armor. In the Sharpshooter arsenal, only 2 of your abilities bypass armor - Vital Shot and XS Freighter Flyby. Everything else will benefit from Flourish Shot. As such, use your Flourish Shot.

  
  

  If you care about modifiers, be aware that ACCURACY will decrease dodge/deflect chance, and CRITICAL will decrease shield chance.

  
   
  

• Use your support abilities.
  
  A Flashbang will take out a crowd for 8 seconds, letting you focus on a single target. That means don't use AOE (Thermal Grenade), and turn it off on your companions.

  
  

  A Diversion will essentially halve the damage output of any target.

  
  

  A Dirty Kick will remove 1 target out of combat for 4 seconds

  
   
  

• Understand cover. When you are in cover, you have 20% chance to avid ranged attacks (dodge).
  
  If you use NATURAL cover (ie. rubble, speeder, stairs), and it is facing the enemy, they will get a small green shield over their head. If you are in cover, and not using an ability, 100% of regular attacks, including Aimed Shot and Snipe, will miss you.

  
   
  

• Understand knockback and immobilize - as you can see from the above, you have good defense versus ranged, but not versus melee.
  
  In this case, use a combination of Pulse Detonator and Aimed Shot's built in knockback to keep the target away from you. Remember that Leg Shot lasts for 5 seconds for targets you are not attacking, and 2 seconds for targets you are. Using this, you can keep melee away from you.

  
  

  Of note, Knockback abilities work against virtually everything, including players and bosses.

  
   
  

• Advanced control tactic would be: shoot, leg shot, shoot, shoot. Target gets into melee. use Pulse Detonator. Shoot shoot. targets gets into melee, use Aimed Shot. Shoot shoot. Target gets into melee, Dirty Kick, relocate to a far location. Repeat from start.
  
  If you choose to change specializations, both Saboteur and Dirty Fighting come with a 30% slow ability. This noticeably increases damage you can deal before the target reaches you.

  
   
  

• Understand threat. If you are using a Tank companion, make sure to let them build "hate" on all targets, so you can focus fire. If you are using a healer companion, get hate on all the targets so the companion doesn't have to heal themselves.
  
  Of note - you need to exceed current threat by 20% to pull melee characters towards yourself, and by 30% to pull ranged characters to attack you. While you don't see the numbers, this is to illustrate the difficulty in changing targets once the NPC is focused. Tank companions come with Taunt, which completely bypasses those numbers.

  
  

• Understand LOS and interrupt. You can interrupt any castable abilities, and our interrupt (Distract) rocks.
  
  You can also use Flashbang and Dirty Kick and knockback as crutch interrupts.

  
  

  If you break line of sight to the enemy, they will pause and then come after you. This way, you can reduce damage you take while companion collects aggro, or your cooldowns refresh. You can also relocate the enemy to a place where they will, or will not, take AOE damage.

  
  

 

I hope this is useful. You don't need charts, just quick fingers! What you hit is the game's skill wall, but I'm sure you'll climb over it quickly.

Edited February 13, 2012 by JoyProtocol

[Grimgrey]

Had the same problem when I got to Belsavis vs melee elites - suddenly everything I'd used against them in previous levels wasn't enough. I could knock them back, root them in place, kite them around, blow all my defensive and offensive cooldowns, and still go down in defeat.

 

Then I realized that Risha (my usual choice in solo PvE simply because things die in a hurry) probably wasn't my best option for taking them on...

 

Gearing up Guss and using him instead solved the issue.

[Burzum_]

I had the same problem. The solution that worked for me was to deck the wookie with orange upgradables and commendation armourings. After that he could tank well enough for me to burn down the mobs before he went down.

[drgonstar]

I had leveled up a bit before going to Belsavis (I was about 44 or 45 when I did most of the quests) and it was a heck of a lot easier.

[MilesTeg_cy]

I've hit the same wall around lvl43 myself but it was only about my gears. After spending some money the problem was solved. I recommend a gear level up after every 4 levels.

[jsalemi]

Same wall, same place, in particular the one quest that has an Elite level 43 guarding every quest item. Even with Gus I couldn't kill them, as I had just hit 43 before going to Belavis. Ended up going to Alderaan and doing the bonus series there, which gave enough xp to almost get to lvl 44, so I'm shooting to hit that and then go back and try those elites again.

[Roethle]

Gear is huge I went cybertech for crafting so I've been able to keep my self in purple armor mods for the most part. Makes a huge difference.

[Davvos]

I will double check the gear and try it again, but I hate that it's such a big wall when I'm already 43 trying to do missions for 41 or so so any rewards are too low for the character so you have to take the commendations if they offer one..

[saidmo]

gunslinger is total faceroll in pve, u doint need any "spreadsheets"..its just a excuse

 

im lvl 47 and i never saw ANY wall.. and hardly do all quests, just take upgrade modifications and just rampage pve.

and im sitting on 700k credits.

i havent bought any skill upgrades since lvl 40.

even blasterwhip is on llv 1 and so many others.

 

u dont need to upgrade leg shot for example...

this is my first char and i never played swtor before

Edited February 14, 2012 by Meluna
rude

[Davvos]

congrats to you. You are not me or the others that are hitting the wall. Great, nice to hear! But, not the same for me, shoot me some credits. I haven't seen more then 200k in my bank since I started..

[Roethle]

what server are you on? If you're on Master Gnost-Dural I can shoot you a few mods.