Companion skill trees

[DOOA]

I am a Gunslinger.

I am stuck with Gus. I hate Gus, his comments are inane, his looks hideous and I disagree with the answers he wants me to give for quests. But I geared him because he heals. I can solo a lot of content with Gus.

 

I want Risha, she is hot, says the right things, agrees with how I think. But Risha cannot heal. Risha is geared but since we are both DPS I have to stop a lot and heal up. I can solo only regular content with Risha.

 

A tank does me no good, I cannot heal them. I geared Corso, he does not hold agg and slows my game play even more than Risha. I did not even try the other two in end game.

 

I am suggesting each companion have a repeatable lvl 50 quest. Make it fairly hard. But in that quest make available choices to change their role. Light armor, heavy armor, medium armor, heals, DPS or tank should be chosen as the quest progresses. This is a good tie in for romance as well when romance is expanded.

[Dolroni]

I do like the idea of some better flexibility and customization of Companion abilities.

 

 

This sounds like an interesting idea.

[Muskaan]

Other option is to allow multiple companions while soloing so that you can use both Risha and Gus at the same time.

 

Some of the companions are restricted to specific role because of the story-line.

[Urael]

I am suggesting each companion have a repeatable lvl 50 quest. Make it fairly hard. But in that quest make available choices to change their role. Light armor, heavy armor, medium armor, heals, DPS or tank should be chosen as the quest progresses. This is a good tie in for romance as well when romance is expanded.

 

I don't think this would work from a "story" point of view.

 

I like this idea but instead make the reward for the quest a NEW companion that you can choose race/gender/role with a "choice" of story "plot" to attache the character. The models for this could be a generic male/female for each option of role/race all voice acted with the same male or female voice.

 

This would get the OP what he wanted without messing with the overall Story.

 

Thoughts?

[Redacted]

I am a Gunslinger.

I am stuck with Gus. I hate Gus, his comments are inane, his looks hideous and I disagree with the answers he wants me to give for quests. But I geared him because he heals. I can solo a lot of content with Gus.

 

I want Risha, she is hot, says the right things, agrees with how I think. But Risha cannot heal. Risha is geared but since we are both DPS I have to stop a lot and heal up. I can solo only regular content with Risha.

 

A tank does me no good, I cannot heal them. I geared Corso, he does not hold agg and slows my game play even more than Risha. I did not even try the other two in end game.

 

I am suggesting each companion have a repeatable lvl 50 quest. Make it fairly hard. But in that quest make available choices to change their role. Light armor, heavy armor, medium armor, heals, DPS or tank should be chosen as the quest progresses. This is a good tie in for romance as well when romance is expanded.

 

Good idea dude. I feel you there. As a marauder I have to either use my dumb robot who annoys me, or Quinn.... who also annoys me.

 

I want to use vette or Jaesa... I like that Vette uses sarcasm, and Darkside Jaesa is Crazy... which is awesome.

 

Unfortunately, neither heal.

 

Good to see some constructive feedback on the boards.

[SnapWolf]

I like where this is going... Companion skill trees. Yup.

 

I always have this feeling that every character is a reskin from each other.

[uniz]

let me get this right.

 

you dont like him so bioware, just because of you, needs to change or add a game mechanic to satisfy your need, want or desire. you post this thread to gain support for a silly idea of changing a game feature which will be rather complex, if done, in a game that will take a year to be where it should have been at release?

 

perhaps if you asked for a button to turn off companions comments that might gain support and even be implemented. this i can agree with. yours i can not.

 

dont worry about affection. just unsummon him when getting a quest. some options, no matter what you pick, leaves you with a negetive hit anyways with him and a few other companions.

 

ps most of us find gus's comments amusing and comical. but each thier own i guess.

[Peeved]

As a Vanguard, I got lucky with Elara. But, if I was stuck with Yuun, or Tanno Vik, I wouldnt play the class probably. I think would be kinda nice to have a little bit of flexibility with your companions.

[Orici]

Companion skill trees to enhance what they already do as part of an upcoming expansion? Great! Companion skill trees to change what they do? no thank you.

[Idunhavaname]

let me get this right.

 

you dont like him so bioware, just because of you, needs to change or add a game mechanic to satisfy your need, want or desire. you post this thread to gain support for a silly idea of changing a game feature which will be rather complex, if done, in a game that will take a year to be where it should have been at release?

 

perhaps if you asked for a button to turn off companions comments that might gain support and even be implemented. this i can agree with. yours i can not.

 

dont worry about affection. just unsummon him when getting a quest. some options, no matter what you pick, leaves you with a negetive hit anyways with him and a few other companions.

 

ps most of us find gus's comments amusing and comical. but each thier own i guess.

 

He's not alone. I want to use Kira but im stuck using Doc (although I don't hate doc, just prefer Kira) or i'll get my *** handed so fast when im fighting a boss.

 

And it won't be complex. The skills trees are already on our characters.

[LizardSF]

I strongly support the idea of much more customizability in companions; it sucks to have to take a different character mechanically than the one you want for story/RP purposes.

 

The trees do not need to be as deep or complex as PC skill trees, but we should be able to tune a companion to healing, DPS, or tanking (and melee or ranged) as we desire. I don't expect this anytime SOON, but it would not surprise me if the first commercial expansion to the game included a lot of companion improvements.

 

(I'd also like real companion customization, with sliders and multiple options, not just "pick pre-fab customization 12".) I don't mind that you have to unlock these options, it's a good carrot to drive you onwards, but let us freely mix-and-match all unlocked options, even if we have to pay each time we bring up the "beauty salon".)

[Katchii]

I agree with this. Part of the immersion and fun factor for me is being able to play with a companion that I enjoy being with because of there whit, commentary and aesthetics. Being forced to choose a companion that you hate just so you can complete content would make it very easy to get disenchanted with the game.

 

Like Sith Warriors.....does ANYONE like Quinn once you get to the part of the story where....he...makes you hate him? Don't want to spoil it, but I've never heard anyone who actually reacted positively to that situation. But because Warriors can't heal for themself, they are pretty much forced into using Quinn.

 

Assassins, I went lightside and romanced Ashara and play Madness DPS. I'm basically forced to use Talos for healing because I can't complete content without him. Not that I don't like Talos, because his rhetoric and after combat quotes are pretty funny sometimes, but being able to play alongside my love interest would just be really cool.

 

Skadge for Bounty Hunters...I'm not there yet, but based on the fact that there are 2 threads on the BH forum and both of which filled up in a matter of hours with flaming posts about Skadge.... If a spec was forced to, or rather, heavily favored using him, I know there would be a lot of not so happy people.

 

I don't really see how making it so that every companion could fill multiple roles would be such a bad thing. Or give every class abilities that revolved specifically around keeping companions alive or something...Anything that would allow more choice in who your companion could be. As it stands now, most people only use MAYBE 2 companions.

[DOOA]

If Bioware takes the simplest route this change is trivial.

1) Create a quest for each companion to retrain (Crew member offers to retrain to better serve the crew, well within story line)

2) Let us choose the quest result (heals, ranged DPS, melee DPS, ranged Tank, Melee tank) The skills are all in game, no programming needed.

3) we finish the quest and

4)Swap companion skins and comments. (healing Risha is Gus in disguise)

 

I am assuming the quest making engine is pretty easy to use or the game would not have so many quests.

 

More extensive changes to companions could be made if this proves a popular item.

[jontyld]

I think it'd be neat if companions have a little customization, but I think the ability to change vette to a tank or healer isn't ok. What Id like, is to see companion modes alter them a bit more, rather than act as passive buffs.

 

I think letting companions act as blank slates that you can mold into whichever role you need most makes the entire concept less interest, and people will just pick a favorite and never change. I actually used 4/5 companions today doing my dailys.

 

What I think is far more interesting (I did this twice while leveling assassin), is change the way you play to accommodate your favorite companion.

[Ailar]

I like this suggestion, I'd hope that BW would implement something like this eventually.

 

It wouldn't even have to be something completely against a companions nature: basically they'd just need to let us choose an advanced class in keeping with the companions already inherent class (could be simplified compared to the skill trees players get).

 

Example: Vette is basically a smuggler, so let us spec her into a Scoundrel.

 

That way you still couldn't turn EVERY companion into a healer, but a high enough proportion of them to give us plenty of variety and choice.

 

And yeah, Quinn is really starting to get on my nerves as well. And I'm not even at that you-know-what bit yet with him.

[flyersfan]

I don't think this would work from a "story" point of view.

 

I like this idea but instead make the reward for the quest a NEW companion that you can choose race/gender/role with a "choice" of story "plot" to attache the character. The models for this could be a generic male/female for each option of role/race all voice acted with the same male or female voice.

 

This would get the OP what he wanted without messing with the overall Story.

 

Thoughts?

 

I think some of them would work while others wouldn't. I'll take my Shadow as an example:

 

Qyzen could certainly do double duty as a tank or DPS. There's little reason for him to be stuck with one. I know my Shadow isn't.

 

Tharan could heal and DPS. Although he's a dirty scumbag that I can't stand, he could certainly have the ability to DPS & heal.

 

Zenith could learn to heal. He's much more of a sniper from his personality, but healing could suit him well.

 

I think Lt. Iresso, my favourite of the Consular companions, could do all three. His story never alludes to the fact that he's any kind of tank or even a hard-nosed scruffian. Actually,

he basically joins the Consular's crew as a ditch effort to get off of Hoth (for whatever reason. Hoth is awesome.) There's no reason for him not to be totally adaptable.

 

 

Nadia, like my Shadow, could certainly tank just like my Shadow does. However, she can stay on my ship because

she's a terrible Jedi and I want nothing to do with her. I'm still upset with Master Satele for forcing me to take her on as a Padawan even when I declined her offer.

 

 

Also, I'm sure new companions are on the way. Hopefully, they'll have more variety in role-fulfilling abilities.

[Aralt]

I play a Jedi Guardian I have Kira maxed out in affection, so I use another for conversations in quests. I use Kira 95% of the time for her DPS, but when it comes to bosses I use Doc.

My point being, you don't have to be stuck with one companion.

[avatarearth]

I don't agree about completely changeling the comps roles but it would be nice to have a simple skill tree that would offer some passive abilities that improve that companions abilities,also some abilities that they can use in a fight would give them more individuality from all the other ones of that companion out there.

 

The skill trees could have two or three branches, since most comps have more then one stance(example: khem Val has a tank stance and a dps stance,so for he's skill tree they could have a tanking tree and a dps tree) that way you could improve that type of fighting for them, most healers are pretty bad at dps so one or two of there trees could give them perks on there damage abilities and offer some new ones and the other one could focus on healing.

 

What do you guys think?

[OldRepJedi]

I don't agree about completely changeling the comps roles but it would be nice to have a simple skill tree that would offer some passive abilities that improve that companions abilities,also some abilities that they can use in a fight would give them more individuality from all the other ones of that companion out there.

 

The skill trees could have two or three branches, since most comps have more then one stance(example: khem Val has a tank stance and a dps stance,so for he's skill tree they could have a tanking tree and a dps tree) that way you could improve that type of fighting for them, most healers are pretty bad at dps so one or two of there trees could give them perks on there damage abilities and offer some new ones and the other one could focus on healing.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I kinda like this idea. I like using Vette. Having basic healing to train would be great. On my Sorc I use Khem Val, so he tanks and I dps and kill. But some of the healer comps could use some increased dps. Especially Miko who I love. Best companion on the BH, with Blizz as a close second.

[Hyfy]

I'm not opposed to the idea, I do kind of like it. however, if it was to happen it would be much later down the road. In the interim might I make a suggestion. Pick Treek up for yourself.

 

Put Treek into Tank mode and just blast through most anything because even while in Tank stance she'll toss out heals. She will heal herself and you up and she's quite competent.

 

Also as long as you keep her gear up to date she still does quite brilliantly at DPS. You'll notice you're not taking nearly as much damage because she's pulling it, she still does decent damage so she won't slow you down like Corso, and added bonus....she heals during AND after combat so you end up with pretty much zero downtime.

 

I picked her up and then opened her up for the rest of my toons and never looked back. She is damn tough too. And if you don't care about affection from convoys with other companions, you can go LS or DS with her in the Convo and she doesn't care what you pick.

 

Do yourself the favor though.

 

Edit: Edited to slay the wall of text monster.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Hyfy

[RahaylaCora]

I am a Gunslinger.

I am stuck with Gus. I hate Gus, his comments are inane, his looks hideous and I disagree with the answers he wants me to give for quests. But I geared him because he heals. I can solo a lot of content with Gus.

 

I want Risha, she is hot, says the right things, agrees with how I think. But Risha cannot heal. Risha is geared but since we are both DPS I have to stop a lot and heal up. I can solo only regular content with Risha.

 

A tank does me no good, I cannot heal them. I geared Corso, he does not hold agg and slows my game play even more than Risha. I did not even try the other two in end game.

 

I am suggesting each companion have a repeatable lvl 50 quest. Make it fairly hard. But in that quest make available choices to change their role. Light armor, heavy armor, medium armor, heals, DPS or tank should be chosen as the quest progresses. This is a good tie in for romance as well when romance is expanded.

This is a RP game. Each companion has his/her own personality. Your suggestion is like kill them and create a brainless clone.

 

Personal note: i play a sentinel usually with Kira, I can't stand Doc comments, and don't need a doctor 99% of times.

[Nempo]

Seriously...you don't have to use healing companions. I solo H2 content at level without using healing companions as sniper and sentinel regularly...no you don't have to stop and heal every fight either. Use your defensives properly and actually make use of cc/snares like you would in pvp. I actually find gunslinger+risha or sniper+temple is a potent combo to seriously drop enemies fast. Using melee DPS is also an option and will cause weak enemies to drop faster due to melee dps not having to wind up their attacks.

 

Melee dps+player dps spec = easy killign through weak/silver mobs. ranged dps+player dps spec = easier time with golds but slower time with weaks (due to wind up attacks).

 

oh boo hoo...you have to stop and self heal every 3-4 packs...it takes all of a few seconds. If you are gunslinger/sniper you are already used to taking more time thanks to the cover mechanic and the cast bar attacks. A few seconds more between pulls won't kill you.

 

Also, you would be surprised how fast you can kill with a tank+player dps...turn taunt off (only the taunt) and put them into their dps spec yet keep that shield gen on them. They take hits better than you and aren't suffering a damage penalty and at the end of a fight you should have even spread of damage over you both (which should be small unless your gear just sucks).

 

Also...actually gear your companions (read...not greens) and you can use any of them and be efficient if you know what you are doing.

 

The irony here is using a healing companion is the LEAST efficient method there is. The healer deals less damage (you take longer to kill everythign even if you ha a tank companion in pure tank mode out) and regularly will try to CC targets, if you turn off the CC the companion will occasionally stand there doing nothing...not even healing you...because the default AI tells them to try and use it even if you have it disabled. Should this glitch not happen, you get 1-2 extra auto attacks out of them at best, or an extra heal.

Take a dps companion with you and you will double your damage output and reduce your damage intake, changing how you open an enguagement can also control which of you takes those openning salvo's allowing you to go longer without bothering to rest.

Change how your tank functions and just attack first without tellign them to run in, hit a few with hard attacks so they will target you while the tank companion hits the others, magically you both take alot less damage now! No in combat healing needed and you can go through 3-4 packs without worry.

 

GEAR your companions before griping about their performance. Also, know that if you want to use a specific companion, you may just have to change how you are specced, or how you play to maximize that companion's skills.

 

Alpha stages of TOR had companion "kits" that let you change them between the 5 roles at will. They took it out because of story reasons and to make the companions feel more unique....they aren't likely to ever change it back.

[CTFoxhound]

But he heals you with Jedi powers!

[morfius]

Better one - Return of the kits (kit that change companion role and skills - 3 basic options - heal or tank or DPS as our story ones, and more options Treek style from CM) = pure wins.

[DarthMurdek]

I would like to go into battle with my wife and not the guy that tried to *spoiler*.

 

but sadly she cant heal me and the guy that hates ALL OF MY DECISIONS is the one i need to hang out with.