Ideas to improve graphics of sage abilities while including lightsaber in our attacks

[Shlamorel]

Here are some ideas I came up with that would allow lightsabers to be a part of our attacks. This would allow us to 1) have ability graphics that are more stimulating that 2) actually use our lightsabers and feel more like true Jedi while 3) sticking to canon/lore of the Star Wars universe. Many of these graphics could be applied to abilities that already exist, making it an easier change than coming up with all new ability ideas.

 

1.“Equilibrium”, “Balanced Wrath”, “Wrath of the Force”, or “Atonement”: Focusing the powers of the force, the sage unleashes his lightsaber to strike up to three enemies within 8 yards of the sage’s target. 10% of the damage dealt is stored in the saber and heals the sage upon returning to him.

 

Spell graphic: The graphic would be similar to the sentinels’ saber toss ability. Bioware could consider using this graphic to replace the current ability “Force in Balance”, which is currently in Sages’ balance tree. Currently, the graphic for “Force in Balance” is not that impressive.

 

2.“Guided Saber”, "Force Stun", “Impale”, “Saber Stun” or “Telekinetic Saber”: Using the force, the Sage impales his target with his lightsaber. (optional: the target is stunned for 1-3 seconds. This graphic could simply replace our current stun’s graphic).

 

Spell graphic: The sage tosses the lightsaber in front of him or above him, where it rapidly begins to spin. Once momentum is gained, it accelerates towards the opponent and impales them in the chest. (Note: if this graphic sounds like it lasts too long, I’m imagining that the speed would be equivalent to that of our current ability “Project”: the lightsaber will only hover in front of the sage for a split second before charging.)

 

3.“Boulder Shatter”, “Rock Shower”, or “Boulder Shower”: The sage unleashes a shower of rocks upon up to 3 foes within an 8 yard radius of the sage’s target.

 

Spell graphic: the sage raises a piece of debris from the ground (just like our ability “Project”), but he swings his lightsaber at the debris (OR throws it at the debris) while it’s levitating. This causes the debris to shatter into three large pieces before accelerating towards the targets.

 

For Sith:

 

4a. “Lightning Rod”: The Sorcerer imbues his lightsaber with the dark side of the force, filling it with electricity to stun (or harm) his opponents.

 

Spell graphic: The sorcerer’s lightsaber is consumed with lightning, which he tosses at his opponent, who is impaled by the saber. The attack could stun the target for a brief moment or two while it electrocutes him.

 

4b. “Lightning Rod”: The sorcerer uses his lightsaber to channel amplified waves of electricity towards his target.

 

Spell graphic: lightning will erupt from the tip of the sorcerer’s lightsaber (rather than his hands). Optional: the lightning color changes to the color of the color crystal in the sith’s lightsaber. (I’m thinking this could be a stronger version of their lightning with a longer cooldown though).

[Zyllos]

While the ideas are nice, I think this might prove to be a problem in that Sages are suppose to lose a lot of utility in melee.

 

Honestly, I think that lightsaber abilities for Sage would be over the top in terms of balance. Instead, just allowing melee damage scale off Willpower is enough to make the 2 basic melee attacks viable while either low on Force or in situations that allow meleeing.

 

Adding stuns and damage and stuff in melee to a ranged class would be a mistake. But making the two melee skills somewhat useful and maybe act as some type of procs in the Balance tree would make the class feel more inlined with Star Wars and the overall feel of the game.

 

Sages (and Inquisitors) are the only classes in the game that do not use their weapons!

[Voidstar]

We are the mage class. Mages in MMOs don't melee with their weapons, they're used to focus their powers.

 

Try coming up with ideas that aesthetically use the Lightsaber to "cast spells" instead of insisting a mage class gets in melee range. Like #3.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Voidstar

[Shlamorel]

None of these are melee attacks or require one to be in melee range o.0 They simply use the lightsaber as a projectile that is guided by the force - no different than us using the force to carry another object such as a boulder.

[Alesthes]

We are the mage class. Mages in MMOs don't melee with their weapons, they're used to focus their powers.

 

Try coming up with ideas that aesthetically use the Lightsaber to "cast spells" instead of insisting a mage class gets in melee range. Like #3.

 

No mages here. This is Star Wars The Old Republic, people play Jedi's.

Moreover, there's plenty of MMOs with ranged classes who also have some melee abilities. I really don't understand this Sage=WoW Mage idea, claimed as if it was self-evident that every MMO has identical classes which play the same way: it's simply not the case.

Within this very same game Shadow Consulars are a mainly melee class with some minor ranged abilities and there's nothing unconceivable in an opposite option (in fact, that's exactly how Balance Sages worked during a specific Beta period).

 

About the OP: I appreciate your creative ideas, but I have to say that I am not sold on them. Telekinesis is present in SW lore and imaginery, and it rarely involves the use of lightsaber, if not in the case already implemented by the Jedi Knight. I still see more consistent the idea of a Jedi Sage as capable of moving things around but still rarely using her lightsaber when pressed to close quarters. It just seems to me it flows better with the Jedi ways. But I understand this is still debatable...

[Felioats]

Here are some ideas I came up with that would allow lightsabers to be a part of our attacks. This would allow us to 1) have ability graphics that are more stimulating that 2) actually use our lightsabers and feel more like true Jedi while 3) sticking to canon/lore of the Star Wars universe. Many of these graphics could be applied to abilities that already exist, making it an easier change than coming up with all new ability ideas.

 

1.“Equilibrium”, “Balanced Wrath”, “Wrath of the Force”, or “Atonement”: Focusing the powers of the force, the sage unleashes his lightsaber to strike up to three enemies within 8 yards of the sage’s target. 10% of the damage dealt is stored in the saber and heals the sage upon returning to him.

 

Spell graphic: The graphic would be similar to the sentinels’ saber toss ability. Bioware could consider using this graphic to replace the current ability “Force in Balance”, which is currently in Sages’ balance tree. Currently, the graphic for “Force in Balance” is not that impressive.

 

2.“Guided Saber”, "Force Stun", “Impale”, “Saber Stun” or “Telekinetic Saber”: Using the force, the Sage impales his target with his lightsaber. (optional: the target is stunned for 1-3 seconds. This graphic could simply replace our current stun’s graphic).

 

Spell graphic: The sage tosses the lightsaber in front of him or above him, where it rapidly begins to spin. Once momentum is gained, it accelerates towards the opponent and impales them in the chest. (Note: if this graphic sounds like it lasts too long, I’m imagining that the speed would be equivalent to that of our current ability “Project”: the lightsaber will only hover in front of the sage for a split second before charging.)

 

3.“Boulder Shatter”, “Rock Shower”, or “Boulder Shower”: The sage unleashes a shower of rocks upon up to 3 foes within an 8 yard radius of the sage’s target.

 

Spell graphic: the sage raises a piece of debris from the ground (just like our ability “Project”), but he swings his lightsaber at the debris (OR throws it at the debris) while it’s levitating. This causes the debris to shatter into three large pieces before accelerating towards the targets.

 

For Sith:

 

4a. “Lightning Rod”: The Sorcerer imbues his lightsaber with the dark side of the force, filling it with electricity to stun (or harm) his opponents.

 

Spell graphic: The sorcerer’s lightsaber is consumed with lightning, which he tosses at his opponent, who is impaled by the saber. The attack could stun the target for a brief moment or two while it electrocutes him.

 

4b. “Lightning Rod”: The sorcerer uses his lightsaber to channel amplified waves of electricity towards his target.

 

Spell graphic: lightning will erupt from the tip of the sorcerer’s lightsaber (rather than his hands). Optional: the lightning color changes to the color of the color crystal in the sith’s lightsaber. (I’m thinking this could be a stronger version of their lightning with a longer cooldown though).

 

Doesn't sound very melee-like to me, Zyllos and Voidstar.

 

I'm all for it. Anything that lets us use the more elegant weapon from a civilized age.

 

Not using it for anything is an atrocity that cannot be allowed to continue.

[MasterOWo]

I think some Sith Sorcerers will want to just zap, no lightsber games.

[burialxo]

All the lightsaber is for a sage is a stat stick, deal with it, get over it and get on with the game instead of wasting your time coming up with useless abilities like this.