Brawler Archive

snipets from TH's post:

Over the next couple of months, many major game systems are getting overhauled and combat is right at the top of the list.

Stage 1: Creature Balance
Creature armor, resistances, damage and all the things that make creatures and pets "tick" are being revamped from the first to the last so that all creatures have a good relationship from what they are to their level and the types of damage, armor and resistances they have. Everything will "make sense" in the greater scheme of things. The creature catalogue has been totally re-vamped and will be introduced into the game world with the next vehicle publish.

Stage 2: Weapon Balance
The next phase of this massive combat balance is the Weapon Balance. When the game was originally designed, certain aspects of the weapon system like certifications and weapon types were meant to be unlocked as players opened the layers of their skill onions, opening up an interesting variety of weapons and having a good game challenge. What happened is very similar to what happens when you try to level off a wooden kitchen table with a hand saw. You take off a little bit off of this leg and a little bit off of that leg and by the time you get it finished, it looks more like a coffee table instead of a kitchen table. What happened with the combat system is that the certifications were moved, the combat and damage types were shifted and this has left the current system a little wobbly, so we’re getting a new "table"
In very basic terms, rather than making the T-21 and the FWG the end-all, be-all master weapons, we are "buffing" the system and putting in a full range of weapons at all levels. We’re going to be adding power progression levels for each type of weapon, a better damage progression for each specific power level, more weapon scalability and more weapons and certifications. We’re also putting in more swooshes and blaster bolts!

Stage 3: HAM
The HAM; Health, Action, Mind. This is a great game mechanic and we will stay true to the spirit of HAM! There are a lot of aspects that are challenging and exciting, but some of them are not so good. For example, using special moves to the point of incapacitation is rough on combat gameplay. There are a few of these examples, but the fact remains that the HAM system needs to be polished up a bit.
We want to rekindle the exciting strengths of the combat system that were always intened. Having a focus on a more tactical level in combat, expect to see attacks and counterattacks with back-and-forth rhythms to battles instead of bum rushes and spamming your best move and hoping for the best.
HAM costs and special move costs are going to go up, but in the new system, its not a finite number where you use X number of special moves and then scramble for a heal. The effectiveness of moves are going to go up along with the costs, but the costs won’t be simply based off pool points in a linear fashion ala slug it out/shoot ‘em up until incapacitation. For example: execute a move, HAM will drop, a short time will go by and the HAM element will re-charge. While the HAM dips, a player is vulnerable for a little bit, but if they fall back for a second or two and let it recharge (it happens pretty quickly), they can get back into combat without suffering an illogical permanent penalty as opposed to just spending straight "endurance" points until there are none left with no chance of re-charge without a healer. This essentially makes special moves have a short time delay for each move rather than an attrition effect. As such, this will make combat rely on "turn and timing" and "attack and counterattack" instead of the amount of damage dealt as it was stacked each turn. What this will give us is a true "round combat" with a way to pull back, feign, take a breath and get back into combat. All in all, the HAM will be mighty.

Stage 4: Profession Specialization
Lastly, once the creatures, the weapons and the HAM have all been truly balanced within a larger, single combat design, we can really begin to flesh out the combat professions. Professions will all be adjusted to have stronger combat tactics, each specific to its profession and all fulfilling a unique roll in combat. Combat tactics will expand in new dimensions. Different melee professions such as Fencers, Pikeman and Swordsman will be different kinds of tanks. Some will deal more damage while others absorb more damage. Ranged melee professions such as Pistoleers, Carbineers and Riflemen will all have distinct differences and all will be valuable in different scenarios. Each profession will take on exciting differences and really be what we all want them to be and all part of a larger Galactic Civil War.

Kurt "Thunderheart" Stangl
Assistant Community Relations Manager

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And now the the reason behind me posting here. With all of the up coming changes to the combat engine and the rework to the Proffessions. Now is the time to start asking for things, for sure.

Squad Leader is said to be one of the weakest combat Proffessions in the game. From most peoples view, there's not a whole lot the proffesion offers in terms of group play for the 100 skill points spent learning the proffession. I think most people will find better use for those skill points then on a proffessions that has close to nothing to offer towards group play. My hope is that those that don't play a Squad Leader will have a fresh view of what they would want from a Squad Leader. So here are my Questions!

If there was one thing that when grouped with a squad leader you could have, what would it be?

Increased Weapon Speed?

Increased Meele Def?

Group HAM Redistrabution?

Ability to place objects near the combat zone?

Increased Weapon Accuracy?

Increased Dodge, Block, Counter attack?

If there was one thing that you hated most about being group with a Squad Leader, what is it?

Boostmoral is worthless with only doing pool point wounds?

Terrain Movement is of no real vaule, with the addtion of mounts?

Rally doesn't seem to do anything unless your a commando?

Ranged and Meele Def are useless?

These are not the only things being brought to the table in the Squad Leader Forum, but is a very basic outline.

Squad leader isn't a combat profession. It's a combat "support" profession.

Wrong forum for this discussion but I agree with your points.

I used to be a Squad Leader...

Honestly, as the combat system stands I don't think the game has a place for the class. HAM costs are reduced by chefs and doctors, who are more useful to the group than squad leaders. If you directly improve things like accuracy, defense or damage for players, you will have high level characters who will be practically immortal once they group with a master squad leader.

I think damage mitigation should have been something that was granted by grouping with a squad leader, but it's too late for that now.

Itsa a Hybrid Combat Proffesion.... And this IS the right forum to be discussing it in, What would you like from Squad Leader, whatcould help you as a Melee Class...?

I think mind regeneration is something they can do or a boost to the mind pool that the squad leader can click on. Say there is a battle and ppl are taking a beating, most ppls minds go first. So the Squad leader, being the gruff guy he is, starts barking orders and motivating ppl causing an increase in their mindpool or a faster regen or both. I think this would make them more valuable as medics would benefit and riflemen and those being eyeshot by BH or hit in the head by vairous mobs.

If not the mind maybe the health pool or action pool or one of the secondary stats. Allow the squad leader to increase a groups stats on command for a short period of time. I think that would make ppl want to have them in a group, especially in PvP.

All those stat increases can be added to the different branches. Shouldnt be too hard to do. But that is just one idea. I am seeing the squadleader as someone who shines when everything begins to fall apart. He is able to keep the group to gether and going by doing these "boosts" if you will.

If there was one thing that when grouped with a squad leader you could have, what would it be?

The current Squad Leader defense bonus IS effective, it just take a tank with an already high melee/ranged defense to really notice large differences. On my character a +30 defense bonus would be HUGE against a lot of the things I fight.

Now, what are just a few of my own ideas about what a squad leader could provide:

Lower HAM costs, higher regens.
+damage bonuses (much preferable and better balanced than speed with the current speed formula)
Damage redistribution instead of wound redistribution.

Those would all be very significant in and of themselves. I don't want to see any squad leader changes that make them control what I do. I spend a lot of time learning how to be an effective tank. I don't want a squad leader to second-guess any of my actions when it comes time to go fight something big and nasty.

StGabe.