Game Update 4.0 Class Changes: Bounty Hunter + Trooper

[Sardorim]

[Hydraulic Overrides/Hold the Line’s cooldown has been increased to 45 seconds (up from 30). With Jet Charge/Storm becoming baseline for Powertechs/Vanguards and the addition of Rocket Out/Propulsion Round for Mercenaries/Commandos, Bounty Hunters/Troopers will no longer rely so heavily on Hydraulic Overrides/Hold the Line for their mobility need]

 

And you all said it would be OP...

 

No, it was always a needed change and I'm glad that they listened!

 

However, it should be learnable MUCH earlier. Level 61 is way too long to learn the ability.

 

May I ask why this is needed?

 

It's because we have no way of closing the gap or jumping to targets when we're a mostly melee class with some ranged options. We're just too easily kitable, especially when other classes have more outs and the one's we wanna go after have no issue perma-slowing us while running away (Example - Sorcs). HO just isn't good enough on its own.

Edited September 18, 2015 by Sardorim

[DomiSotto]

This is another hutt ball ruining skill that it has no use at all anywhere else. Honestly they need to scrap it from how it's working no for something else.

 

Huttball match might be over before the cast is finished.... I still maintain it is uniquely designed to address concerns with certain specs that sometimes are known to tend to pull before tanks.

Edited September 18, 2015 by DomiSotto

[samhinch]

Yep the tank spec got neutered until late in the game. Thanks bw you failed.

[Birna]

Making charge baseline is great, but leaving it until THAT late until you learn it? That's freaking absurd.

[rspser]

I tank and DPS PvE and PvP on a Vanguard and Powertech.

 

(rehashing everyone elses comments)

Guardians get Force Leap at massive Level 2 and Force Push at Level 30.

Shadows at an average Level 16 get Force Speed and Force Pull at Level 41.

Vanguards get Harpoon at a higher still Level 22 with Vanguard Tanks getting Storm at level 10.

 

Come next month, Storm at Level 61... I don't know what else to say. BUT in case you don't see where I'm going with this, I think it's ridiculous to have it available at level 61.

 

Giving Storm to my DPS buddies, sure why not. I'll love charging in and shanking someone with gut when I play Tactics... who won't. I don't understand the reason behind giving it as a level 61 ability, other than you don't want to give another ability to DPS vanguards??

 

Leading on from above, the new "Transpose" Tank ability. Umm, "Stoopid"? PvP change that even in PvP is dumb? I can not think of 1 "non-trolly" situation that I would even have used this in the past ~4 years. Why when I'm standing in front of a boss (that 9/10 times has a cleave) hitting them with the stock of my shotgun, would I want to swap my spot with someone else?

 

1: Person I just swapped with ... yeah they'll probably die, oops my bad. I blame Bioware.

2: The boss will follow me, melee will get pissed, especially vanguard DPS because they still have 10 seconds left on their HTL cooldown and they just used their Storm and have 10 seconds on that as well.

3: The person I just swapped with gets no benefit what-so-ever if they are a semi competent healer or DPS because they will immediately either heal or damage the boss or something else... as they should.

 

In PvP? See #2 above replacing boss with player, maybe not with the "as they should" bit.

 

Why not really screw Vanguard Tanks and make it a threat drop... /sigh

 

Hold the Line. Yes I always spec into my super speedy HTL. Pretty much use it on cooldown in PvP unless circumstances mean I need it before it will come off its cooldown. None of the abilities that you say will make us less reliant on it.. will actually make us less reliant on it.

 

For instance, PvE Commando uses its new ability to jump backwards out of something, now they are 50 meters away from the boss so they begin their slow walk back to get in range because their HTL still has 10 seconds on it's cooldown.

 

New Passive Skill: Heated Absorbers/Energized Absorbers! I'll take it and run. I <3 my shield.

 

Taking Blitz off Storm, I don't like it. There are too many other things that are worth choosing in utilities to warrant me picking this on the off-chance I get a Huttball match. Oh and Heroic utility?... seriously?

 

New Utility: Neural Delay! /shrug I got nothing... just wow. I can think of 1 use for it on PvE, NiM S&V Styrak. Yet another PvP utility I will probably never use given all the other ones that are better.

 

Iron Will reducing the cooldown of HTL by 10 instead of 5. I've always loved the "I know we screwed you BUT..."

 

New Utility: Explored Area/Surveyed Terrain! PvP utility yet again. Oh and is this like the poor cousins version of "Inspiring Force" that the Guardian has? And by poor I mean... I have like $0.10 in my bank account poor. Guardian can spam theirs (with no cooldown) given enough focus and/or for free with the "Jedi Warden" utility. And don't forget, theirs is also a slow to enemy players!! Oh, and and, theirs doesn't have a place on the ground, they can move! We appear to be very VERY poor cousins.

 

All things considered, I'm thinking "yuck"

[Kakisback]

The level at which abilities are attained is a very minor issue. The real game starts at max level- get over it casuals.

[Ichikai]

This makes me feel better about Bad Dash. At least it's not just jugs that get screwed.

Let's not forget the most important part though.. Translocate could be "fun"!

Edited September 19, 2015 by Ichikai

[samhinch]

The level at which abilities are attained is a very minor issue. The real game starts at max level- get over it casuals.

 

Casual players make the huge bulk of the player base.

[Caulderone]

Thought about it some more. I am really not happy with Transpose at level 10 in the tank tree.

 

Every other ability gained at level 10 in every tree is FOUNDATIONAL. You use it EVERY FIGHT. Transpose will be very, very situational. Why does this one tank class get a situational skill at level 10 when every other AC gets something that you use every fight?

 

Maybe they are reorganizing the whole tree and Transpose will be dropped in later? Otherwise, this is BS.

[TNTeron]

Let me quote from the current shield specialist discipline path:

 

 

• "Storm
  Level granted: 10
  Storms up to a distant target [...] Storm grants Blitz, incresing movement speed [...]"
  

 

With 4.0 this ability will be granted at Level 61(!) and the tied passiv will be a heroic utility! Seriously? As much as I am looking forward to use Storm as a DPS I just don't understand how you justify these change for the tank disciplines.

 

 

• Static Surge
  Level granted: 40
  [...] In addition, Storm grants 2 charges of Static Surge, which makes Ion Pulse and Explosive Surge deplete no energy cells. [...]"
  

 

What about that level 40 passiv? Apart from getting a passive 21 levels BEFORE the active ability, will this even work with the new storm?

What are you going to do with the tank disciplines? Will our path just start at Level 11 with a utility point? Without any further information and purely from the perspective of a dedicated vanguard tank these changes are just utterly ridiculous. And I don't even want to think about how a new player will experience the class - the walking tank.

[samhinch]

People complain about tanks now. Just wait until they see vanguards and powertechs at low levels attempting tanking now.

[XyonicS]

Jet Charge/Storm is now trainable by all Powertechs/Vanguards at level 61.

 

You have got to be bloody kidding!

[hesfalcon]

There is absolutely NOTHING there for a PVE tank. This is all pandering to your ever shrinking and irrelevant PVP nerds. ***?

[Jherad]

Whether you prefer bullets, missiles, or just plain fire, Bounty Hunters and Troopers have something for you!

 

Read More

 

What in the actual hell?

 

So. As a PvP arsenal merc, all I have to look forward to is a huge nerf to my main defensive ability hydraulics, only partially soothed by a lvl 61 (seriously?) addition which cannot be used while rooted or snared and needs a tier 3 heroic to be made at least half decent? In a spec that is *filled* with mandatory utility picks like Thrill of the Hunt?

 

And I'm supposed to be excited?

 

Nice job guys. How about a kick in the crotch next?

 

STOP ASKING THE JANITOR FOR IDEAS. Or I dunno, maybe start, if you're not.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Jherad

[wreckdum]

FINALLY!!! Jet charge for all PT's. All you boo birds from over the years can eat it! I am thrilled!

 

I agree that lvl 61 is to late a level for those starting at lvl 1, especially tank spec's.

[-Jetstorm-]

If I may make a suggestion: For the dps specs of powertech/vanguard give them jet charge/storm at level 61. For the tank specs, give them jet charge/storm at level 10, and translocate at level 61. This way tanks keep a (in my opinion) vital ability, while dps get it late game.

[BenitsubasaChiyo]

How about a kick in the crotch next?

I get that a lot from DPS Scoundrels these days

[Raansu]

One of the easiest classes to kill and people are happy to get charge baseline lol....I dunno bout you all but I prefer HO and pulling an enemy out of the sea of red names not leaping into the fire.

[Jedi_riches]

Ok so storm at 61 is just stupid, how on earth is tanking going to work (though yes I understand most flashpoints are tactical now). You need the early gap closer to help combat zealous force leaping Knights or do you start with wait for me to run up to enemies and pull before you jump in.

 

I don't like the "magic" place swapping ability, it makes no sense in lore for a none force user to be able to teleport (there are some force cultures that can though).

 

Please think about removing teleport from the game and make storm level 10 again at least for the tanks (as much as I always wanted storm/jet charge on my dps characters leaving it that late for the discipline that really needs it is silly if you think it makes dps op then simply keep storm a tank only ability) .

 

Edit

Just reread it and realised they are increasing the Cooldown on ho too, that further takes away gap closing in these classes until level 61. Bioware not everyone is going to be starting at level 61 please remember people will still be levelling characters from level 1 too.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Jedi_riches

[Aries_cz]

So few point

 

1. Charge for all is nice, but removing it from early levels basically kills Vanguard/PT tanks. You are taking away their main for of gap closing (and no, harpoon does not work instead of it, because boss immunity). It would be much better to have it on level 10 and give the swap on level 61.
    
   
2. While I am sure there will be some use for the 1.5s casted swap (again, not sure what, with that cast time), its name and name of effect it grants are totally inappropriate for tech-based and military-themed character, but sound a lot more like something Force users would do. Please consider renaming those to something like "Tactical Maneuver" and effect to "Countermeasures" or whatever, I am sure your writers know where to go for military jargon.
   

Edited September 19, 2015 by Aries_cz

[SweaterGuyTitus]

Like everyone else said, hurrah for everyone getting Jet Charge; massive oversight setting the level at 61. An extra 5% absorb is good. The rest of these changes are stupidity. Leave my Gear knees alone!

 

I do know I'll be using the trans location thing to drag plenty of people into pits and aoes. So there's that, I guess.

Edited September 19, 2015 by SweaterGuyTitus

[mastersdr]

I agree with the majority, Storm should way lower for newer players. Not everyone will buy a lvl 60.

 

Other than that, these changes seem okay to me.

 

If you are aiming the storm change for people who are buying lvl 60s. Please dont all of your eggs in that basket. There are still new players that will want to experience the 1-50 story but they cant be proper tanks with this change. Companions will be more useful in 4.0, but whats the fun letting them tank all the time.

Edited September 19, 2015 by mastersdr

[ToMyMa]

Developers, please don't nerf Hold the Line for commandos. It's obviously a reaction to people's complaining about superspeed vanguards, which is warranted, but it shouldn't hit commandos. A nerf is the absolute last thing commandos need.

 

Do reconsider this decision.

[TeaSeeOh]

The amount of people up in arms over the Jet Rush/Storm no longer being tank spec is astounding. "How will I tank now while leveling?" The same way I tanked on my Shadow/Sin, by walking up and hitting them with my weapon. Christ.

[Leklor]

What should have been done with Storm is:

-Make it available at level 10 for tank specs and add a passive ability later one that fills the effect that was made a utility.

-Make it available at 61 for the two other specs.

 

That way it wouldn't break tank PT/VG.

And I say that without playing endgame content at all. The whole leveling process as a tank without Charge is beyond stupid. The only other "reliable" pull I remember having is the grappling hook and many enemies are immune to it, especially FPs bosses and several champions/elite level story bosses.