Was the tactics vanguard intentionally designed to be boring?

[Rabenschwinge]

It may be an overused image, but it actually happened to me only once playing a video game: Falling asleep during combat. That wasn't in SW:TOR, but it in EVE Online. And wasn't really sleeping, more like a dozing... it's not like I fell of my chair or slammed my head into the desk.

 

But the tactics vanguard is coming seriously close. It occurred to me while I was doing heroics on Voss. I ran into a champion enemy which didn't really have any particular effects either, just a lot of hit points and immunity versus crowd control. So I stood there. Triggering my basic attack rotation and stared at the two freaks, shooting rifles at each other at 20 centimeter (eight inches) distance. Didn't exactly help that I was using 2V-R8 (Incluence Rank 1) as companion, I just want the achievement.

 

Tactical Surge sounds like a very brief zsshhh and looks like a weapon malfunction... and then a pause for the rest of the cooldown. All of that while standing face to face with the enemy. When they did that in Naked Cannon, it was a joke. Cell Burst looks a bigger version of the same: A massive weapon malfunction.

 

High Impact Bolt looks alright, but it also implies a pause during which you just stand there, but it sound like a completely unassuming "plop".

 

That a shock strike does actually more damage than a tactical surge is probably most fitting. The best way to utilize the weapon is to use it as club.

 

Everything's fine when you're on a flashpoint or have mutliple enemies... rushing between them, disabling the one or the other with a sticky grenade or whatever. But as soon as you're underway alone you don't really look like fighting at all when you fight.

 

I also have a pyrotech powertech, and that's alright. Mostly a lot of fire, the name is program. The rail shot sounds... well like something serious is going on. It's not like the Clairvoyant Strike of my main, an Infiltration Shadow, but it's ok. It's really the most exciting thing ever, but I am wondering what the designers were thinking when they created the tactics trooper.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Rabenschwinge

[Diviciacus]

Vanguard has always been the most disappointing class from a flavor perspective.

 

Plasmatech is incredibly unsatisfying compared to Pyrotech. All the abilities are mechanically the same, of course, but the visuals and flavor just aren't there for Vanguards. Same thing for Tactics vs. Advanced Prototype. Rail Shot vs. High Impact Bolt is the most disappointing skill comparison in the game. Again, mechanically they're identical, but it certainly doesn't feel that way.

 

I don't know who designed the flavor of Vanguards, but damn... they dropped the ball.

[llayles]

Vanguard needs to use a lot more gadgets. Gut is one of the most satisfying abilities to use.

[Aetideus]

It may be an overused image, but it actually happened to me only once playing a video game: Falling asleep during combat. That wasn't in SW:TOR, but it in EVE Online. And wasn't really sleeping, more like a dozing... it's not like I fell of my chair or slammed my head into the desk.

 

But the tactics vanguard is coming seriously close. It occurred to me while I was doing heroics on Voss. I ran into a champion enemy which didn't really have any particular effects either, just a lot of hit points and immunity versus crowd control. So I stood there. Triggering my basic attack rotation and stared at the two freaks, shooting rifles at each other at 20 centimeter (eight inches) distance. Didn't exactly help that I was using 2V-R8 (Incluence Rank 1) as companion, I just want the achievement.

 

Tactical Surge sounds like a very brief zsshhh and looks like a weapon malfunction... and then a pause for the rest of the cooldown. All of that while standing face to face with the enemy. When they did that in Naked Cannon, it was a joke. Cell Burst looks a bigger version of the same: A massive weapon malfunction.

 

High Impact Bolt looks alright, but it also implies a pause during which you just stand there, but it sound like a completely unassuming "plop".

 

That a shock strike does actually more damage than a tactical surge is probably most fitting. The best way to utilize the weapon is to use it as club.

 

Everything's fine when you're on a flashpoint or have mutliple enemies... rushing between them, disabling the one or the other with a sticky grenade or whatever. But as soon as you're underway alone you don't really look like fighting at all when you fight.

 

I also have a pyrotech powertech, and that's alright. Mostly a lot of fire, the name is program. The rail shot sounds... well like something serious is going on. It's not like the Clairvoyant Strike of my main, an Infiltration Shadow, but it's ok. It's really the most exciting thing ever, but I am wondering what the designers were thinking when they created the tactics trooper.

 

Tactics effects are on the rifle where AP's are on the suit. That is why Tactics is boring and BH should never have rifle.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Aetideus

[JLazarillo]

Tactics effects are on the rifle where AP's are on the suit. That is why Tactics is boring and BH should never have rifle.

 

Personally, I prefer the Vanguard because all the effects are based on the variety of discharges from the rifle. PTs are the ones that look bad to me, running around brandishing a gun and never using it.