| Reg LeCrisp 2005-03-30, 8:43 pm |
| Profession Role Summary
Below is a summary of each elite combat profession followed by a brief
description. The primary and secondary role definitions are high level and
conceptual - intended to convey only the basics of the profession. The core
role rankings were added to give a guideline on where that profession fits
in relation to the other professions for that specific core role.
Bounty Hunter
Primary Role: One-on-One Combat Specialist
Secondary Role : Medium Range Tanking (Mitigation)
Offense: Strong (4)
Defense: Strong (4)
Crowd Control: Minimal (1)
The Bounty Hunter excels in hunting and destroying their targets. The
Bounty Hunter's arsenal includes a fairly well rounded set of abilities
covering both offensive and defensive abilities. Their only real weakness
is that they have little in the way of crowd control abilities.
Profession Mixing Tip: While the Bounty Hunter does excel at one-on-one
combat their lack of diverse abilities can limit their tactical
opportunities when facing a group of opponents. The Bounty Hunter
profession is a solid foundation for combining with nearly any other combat
profession so that you have the ability to remove many of those tactical
deficiencies depending on the player's specific play-style preferences.
Carbineer
Primary Role: Medium Range Crowd Control (Position Control)
Secondary Role: Medium Range Area Effect Damage Specialist
Offense: Strong (4)
Defense: Minimal (1)
Crowd Control: Strong (4)
The Carbineer is a medium range control specialist. He or she has potent
abilities to keep targets at a distance and reduce their combat
effectiveness. The Carbineer also has powerful Area Cone attacks allowing
them to effectively fight groups of targets. Once an opponent is able to
close with the Carbineer however they're quite vulnerable.
Profession Mixing Tip: Carbineer crowd control skills are specialized in
controlling an opponent's position. Slowing an opponent's movement speed
and pushing them back away from the Carbineer are potent abilities for
controlling the flow of combat. These abilities combined with fairly strong
offensive abilities, particularly when faced with a group of opponents,
leave the player with a very potent set of skills. Adding additional ranged
skills from other professions only increases a Carbineer's power and options
on the battlefield. An alternative template combination may be to add one
of the more defensive professions for a well rounded combat character.
Combat Medic
Primary Role: Medical Combatant
Secondary Role: Combat Healing
Offense: Strong (4)
Defense: Weak (2)
Crowd Control: Moderate (3)
Combat Medics are the natural progression of Medics into the combat field.
Their medical expertise turned to the goal of eliminating the enemy
culminated in the creation of powerful medical weaponry that can quickly
leave opponents crippled and powerless. They also have the ability to
competently heal their allies while in the thick of battle.
Combat Medics will retain their healing abilities but they will always be
secondary to the capabilities of a Doctor.
Commando
Primary Role: Heavy Weapon Specialist
Secondary Role: Medium Range Damage Specialist
Offense: Very Strong (5)
Defense: Moderate (3)
Crowd Control: Minimal (1)
The Commando is the specialist of Heavy Weapons. An entire line of unique
heavy weapons are available in the Commando's arsenal. The Commando also
receives many bonuses making them more proficient with standard weapons when
combined with other profession skills. Whatever the damage dealing
requirement is for a situation, the Commando has the answer.
Profession Mixing Tip: Commandos are intended to be the weapon specialists
and are the final heavy damage dealing profession along with Rifleman and
Swordsman. Commandos focus on their potent damage dealing capability rather
than having a varied utility or strong defensive ability. Adding additional
ranged profession skills to a Commando creates a very potent damage
specialist because instead of having a few special abilities for a specific
set of weapons, they can now stack their profession with other professions
to gain a wide variety of special abilities. Alternatively Commandos may
decide to increase their tactical flexibility by learning skills from other
professions.
Creature Handler
Primary Role: Pet Handler
Secondary Role: Versatility
Offense: N/A (Defined by Pet)
Defense: N/A (Defined by Pet)
Crowd Control: N/A (Defined by Pet)
Creature Handlers are the ultimate in combat versatility. While they have
no innate combat capabilities of their own they are able to fulfill almost
any needed role as long as they have a pet with the necessary abilities.
Doctor
Primary Role: Medical Support
Secondary Role: Single Target Healing
Offense: N/A
Defense: N/A
Crowd Control: N/A
Technically Doctors are not a combat profession but they are included here
because they are required to be in the field of combat fulfilling a support
role.
Doctors are the primary healing profession with the widest range of healing
abilities for both short-term and long-term ailments. Damage healing
abilities of the Doctor are specialized in single target heals while Combat
Medics will remain the most versatile field healer with their wide range of
area effect and ranged healing medicines. Doctors are also vital in the
long term support of combat units. Large combat groups engaged in lengthy
battles will find that their effectiveness dwindles over time due to
accumulation of wounds unless combatants have a Doctor in their rear bases
to heal wounds and revive patients.
Fencer
Primary Role: Close Range DoT Specialist (Damage-Over-Time via Bleeds)
Secondary Role: Close Range Crowd Control (Position Control)
Offense: Strong (4)
Defense: Weak (2)
Crowd Control: Moderate (3)
The Fencer is a lighting fast attacker who specializes in hit and run
combat. While Fencers have fairly weak defenses making them less than ideal
for standing toe to toe with their opponent, they will employ many abilities
that help them reduce their need to stay within range of their target.
As a primary Damage Dealing profession Fencers will have damage output
second only Rifleman and Swordsman, however their attack style is very
different and unique. Their defensive abilities will end up being very weak
ensuring they must rely on hit and run tactics. Basic Crowd Control
abilities support their role as hit and run combatants making them a very
potent damage dealer in combat.
Profession Mixing Tip: Because of their weak defensive skills Fencers will
benefit greatly from additional defensive skills from Teras Kasi or Pikeman
or a player could choose to widen their offensive arsenal by adding
Swordsman abilities.
Pikeman
Primary Role: Melee Opponent Control (Attacker Modifiers)
Secondary Role: Melee Crowd Control (Attacker Control)
Offense: Weak (2)
Defense: Strong (4)
Crowd Control: Moderate (3)
The Pikeman specializes in controlling and tanking groups of opponents. In
addition to a generally strong defensive ability the Pikeman has the ability
to significantly reduce an opponent's combat ability. These defensive
abilities combined with some good area attack capabilities make the Pikeman
a strong combatant.
Profession Mixing Tip: The Pikeman tanking ability is mostly based in their
abilities reduce an opponent's ability to deliver damage. This ability
combines exceptionally well with other defensive profession abilities such
as Teras Kasi. A Pikeman who is not specialized in defensive skills is
still extremely useful in a group situation as their ability adds perfectly
to the defensive skills of other players allowing them to stay alive longer
than they ever could on their own. While Pikemen are not by default
powerful offensively they do get extremely useful utility abilities and area
attacks that when combined with other offensive professions skills, like
those from Swordsman, allow for some devastating combinations.
Pistoleer
Primary Role: Close Range Crowd Control (Attacker Control)
Secondary Role: Opponent Damage Reduction (Attacker Modifiers)
Offense: Weak (2)
Defense: Moderate (3)
Crowd Control: Strong (4)
The Pistoleer is a lightweight combat specialist. They move quickly around
the field of battle softening up targets and reducing their effectiveness.
The damage output of the Pistoleer is relatively low but given time and
careful tactical control they are still fully capable of taking out targets
on their own. The Pistoleer's abilities truly shine though when combined
with a well organized group.
Pistoleers are similar in function as a Pikeman. They are more potent in
their ability to reduce a target's combat effectiveness and make their
opponents weaker in defensive ability. While Pistoleer skills may not
create a significant power increase, it can be combined with many other
profession's skill abilities to create a significant increase in tactical
opportunity.
Profession Mixing Tip: As a versatile close to medium ranged combatant,
Pistoleer can benefit greatly from other similar ranged professions. For
example, a Pistoleer can add Teras Kasi or Bounty Hunter skills for
defensive abilities or Carbineer skills for increased offensive and crowd
control ability.
Rifleman
Primary Role: Long Range Damage Specialist
Secondary Role: Long Range Crowd Control (Position Control)
Offense: Very Strong (5)
Defense: Minimal (1)
Crowd Control: Moderate (3)
The Rifleman is an expert at long distance damage. Riflemen have a few
support abilities to help them in this role including abilities to conceal
themselves and keep opponents at a distance for a short while. Once an
opponent has closed the distance however the Rifleman is extremely
vulnerable.
The role of the Rifleman is that they are the embodiment of long range
damage dealing. They should have abilities that allow them to maneuver at
the edges of combat setting up devastating long range attacks and shots from
hiding. Other ranged profession abilities such as Carbineer or Pistoleer
could be used to expand and enhance a Rifleman's ranged combat options or
melee profession skills like Teras Kasi may be desired to allow the Rifleman
to better deal with opponents who would eventually close with them.
Smuggler
Primary Role: Crowd Control Specialist
Secondary Role: Medium Range Damage Dealer
Offense: Moderate (3)
Defense: Minimal (1)
Crowd Control: Very Strong (5)
All's fair in love and war is the motto most Smugglers live by. Smugglers
use what is generally perceived as dirty fighting to keep their targets off
balance while they defeat them. Smugglers have very low defensive ability
and only moderate offensive ability, but when combined with their unique
fighting style they can comfortably hold their own.
Smugglers are the dominant Crowd Control profession. Smugglers will be
receiving a whole new line of abilities that allow them to temporarily
remove an enemy combat threat so that it can be dealt with at a later time.
Smugglers abilities combine well with many other profession abilities and
will be vital in dealing with high end group content.
Squad Leader
Primary Role: Group Enhancement Specialist
Secondary Role: Medium Range Combatant
Offense: Moderate (3)
Defense: Moderate (3)
Crowd Control: Moderate (3)
A Squad Leader's power shows through the bonuses they are able to bring to
their group members. Squad Leaders have many various abilities to improve
the coordination and effectiveness of their group. Even outside of a group
the Squad Leader is a good combatant, but their offensive and defensive
capabilities are only average with no special abilities setting them apart.
Squad Leaders did not receive any specific combat specialty as their true
strengths only show when working in a group. Squad Leaders will have the
default suite of combat modifiers. Squad Leader can add any other
profession abilities to fit their preferred play-style.
Swordsman
Primary Role: Close Range Damage Specialist
Secondary Role: Melee Tanking (Mitigation)
Offense: Very Strong (5)
Defense: Moderate (3)
Crowd Control: Minimal (1)
The Swordsman is the heavy hitting melee damage dealer. Up close there is
no one that can dish it out like a Swordsman. The Swordsman has decent
defensive abilities but is unable to hold out for the long haul.
The Swordsman is the close combat equivalent of the Rifleman. They are much
less about stealth and tactics and more about raw brute force. Swordsman
abilities are all about increasing damage output and delivering powerful
crippling strikes.
Teras Kasi Artist
Primary Role: Melee Tanking Specialist (Avoidance)
Secondary Role: Close Range Damage Dealer
Offense: Moderate (3)
Defense: Very Strong (5)
Crowd Control: Minimal (1)
Teras Kasi Artists are experts at avoiding damage. TKAs have several
utility abilities to further help them survive standing toe to toe with the
most powerful opponents in the galaxy. Their damage output is only moderate
however making them less than ideal for taking opponents on their own.
Professions and Variety
These changes to the combat professions provide a much better role
definition for each of the combat professions. Group and solo play are both
enhanced by enriching the professions with these new ability assignments and
most importantly, these changes make "profession stacking" a strong game
challenge. Profession mixing is an exciting choice that players can use to
personalize their characters and make them more unique and effective in
combat.
|