Commando Archive
Thread: Revised commando skill trees I'd like to see
Possible new commando trees:
Exotic Weaponry (Exotic Weapons Specialist)
Heavy Weapons Support (Heavy Weapons Specialist)
Anti-Personnel Tactics (Tactician)
Field Tactics (Soldier)
Exotic Weaponry: Combine the existing flamethrower and acid rifle trees into one, merge like specials (EG, flame single and acid single) to make them interchangeable
Heavy Weapons Support: As is
Anti-Personnel Tactics:
This is the launcher pistol/unarmed line. The unarmed attacks are a pale shadow of a teras kasi artist’s, but justify the unarmed pre-requisite of the commando profession. The launcher pistol looses the ability to use regular pistol specials. It is not a pistol in anything but name, and should not be treated as one – it’s characteristics and the tactics they engender are completely different. New specials are introduced for both unarmed and the launcher pistol.
I. Vulnerability points: At this level the commando becomes knowledgeable about recognizing the vulnerable spots of their opponents, and how to take advantage of this knowledge. The launcher pistol gains an accuracy modifier, as do unarmed attacks. Unarmed also gains extra damage. Launcher pistol receives a bleed special (random pool).
II. Crowd Control: The commando has mastered the art of using the explosive effects of his launcher pistol to keep enemies at bay. By carefully aiming their attack to create a near-miss, the concussive effect of the explosion nearby can be directed to cause their opponent to be knocked down. This is an area effect attack covering only a very small area and causing nearly no direct damage. The launcher pistol receives speed and accuracy modifiers at this level.
III. Calculated Targeting: The commando has learned to disregard threats to his person long enough to take careful aim even in the thick of combat. In this manner they can choose to attack their target where it is at it’s weakest. They receive three specials at this level, one that targets health, one that targets action, one that targets mind. These specials have a delay and no other action can be taken during the timer. Launcher pistol receives speed and accuracy modifiers at this level.
IV. Precision Assault: At this level the commando has learned to precisely target their opponent in non-fatal areas and extremities, causing direct wound damage to the target. This special can be performed with either the launcher pistol or an unarmed attack. Wound damage is randomly applied to the target’s stats. At this level the commando receives speed and accuracy modifiers to both their unarmed and launcher pistol attacks.
Field Tactics:
The existing line with it’s throwing modifiers and grenade certifications, but with the addition of reduced armor encumbrance penalties. The few defensive modifiers currently in this tree are removed. The commando, of all professions, is the one most suited to the use of heavy armor. This also helps to justify our complete lack of defensive mods.
I. Armor encumbrance when worn is reduced 10%.
II. Armor encumbrance when worn is reduced a further 10%.
III. Armor encumbrance when worn is reduced a further 10%.
IV. Armor encumbrance when worn is reduced a further 10%.
Master Commando:
As it currently stands, but with the following additions:
1. Additional accuracy and speed modifiers for launcher pistol and unarmed
2. A further 10% reduction to armor encumbrance penalties
3. Weapon certification: Launcher rifle (a higher damage, higher AP, slower firing version of the launcher pistol which shares the same specials as the launcher pistol).
I know asking for a launcher rifle is asking for a lot, but it kind of sucks that our “primary” weapon (as stated by the devs) remains exactly the same for a master as for a novice. Having a second, more powerful version of the launcher pistol would really make spending the skill points to get to master worthwhile, as opposed to only climbing one or two trees to specialize in particular weapons only.
I realize removing the use of pistol specials from the launcher pistol is probably not something most folks would be pleased with, but let’s face it: firing a blaster and firing four chemical-propelled explosive rockets are NOT the same thing. Removing pistol specials from the launcher pistol also removes all those Pistoleers who get novice commando solely for the launcher pistol. Further, it allows us to concentrate on OUR profession, commando, rather then virtually insuring we’ll need to acquire Pistoleer skills as well. The heavy acid rifle does not get rifle specials, why should the launcher pistol get pistol specials.
The lessening of armor encumbrance has been suggested by others on this board, and I think it’s an excellent idea that should be adopted. We’re the “heavy-hitters-who-stand-there-and-get-hit-by-concentrated-enemy-fire” class, armor is a tool we should have great familiarity with.
Combining the acid rifle and flame thrower trees seems like a no-brainer to me. There’s no need for two nearly identical weapons to have separate but nearly identical trees.
Some major adjustments to the trees would make me happy. Some of this is already there. This is just sort of what I think things should be for an elite combat specialist like a commando.
- Field Tactics - Explosives specialization and usage. This includes grenades and satchel pack explosives.
- Grenades are Combat Weapons that deal large amounts of damage with a small AoE radius. Large damage is counteracted by the fact that if you are knocked down or stunned while preparing to throw the grenade goes off "In your face" damaging the commando and those around him.
- Satchel Pack Explosives are designed for demolition. These packs must be placed on or near a lair or building (i.e Base). These would do large amounts of structure damage and AoE damage to those around it. These would need to take a signifigant amount of time to put in place and they would need to have a timer of say 1 minutes before they detonate. This would give enemy commandos or smugglers a chance to disarm the device.
- Heavy Weapons Support - Rocket Launchers, Heavy Particle Beams, Launcher Pistol
- Heavy weapons such as launcher pistols and Rocket launchers should have AoE affects. They do a lot of damage to a small area. They do increased damage to structures. The negative to using these weapons is they could not be used with friends in close proximity to enemy targets and they would be dangerous to use in close quarters combat. In addition explosive weapons such as this should have some type of knockdown or knock back effect.
- Heavy Particle Beams - Not sure what to do with these.
- Medium Weapon Support - Flame Thrower, Acid Rifle
- Both the flame thrower and the Acid Rifle should be Medium range weapons. Both should have a DoT associated with it. When someone is set on fire they burn a while. Likewise when soaked in acid you tend to continue to take damage. This could be counteracted with emergency care kits designed to remove this type of damage.
- Combat Tactics - Unarmed & Espionage
- As noted above all of the weapons would be long range AoE or medium range DoT weapons. So for close range combat a commando would be forced to drop his weapons and engage hand to hand. This would give them some close range combat abilities but they would still not match a full brawler class such as the TKA. This makes the Commando a long range fearsome opponent but could be neutralized somewhat close range. Under Combat Tactics the Commando would receive some close range defense and special attack moves.
- Espionage - In order for satchel explosive packs to be effective Commandos should be able to sneak up on their target. The commando would not appear on Radar except to Commandos with equal Espionage Ranks and Pets who could still scent the Commando. In addition driods could be outfitted with a module that would also detect this. This would still make this a useful tool but it would not be overly exploitable.
Just my ideas of what the commando should be able to do. Hopefully balanced out enough to keep the class fun but not too powerful.
Guys all ideas are good and so on..but don't touch the launcher pistol..that needs ONLY the right AP(1 or 3)
it's a pistol , stop complaining on its mods and moves..they have to be taken from the pistoleer - marksman trees , remember it's a PISTOL.
No pistol mods/moves for commando. You have Master Marksman and by asking for more Pistol mods that's as bad as BH's complaining in the Pistoleer Forum demanding to be as good at the Pistol as a Pistoleer....
All the other ideas seem excellent. Pack explosives, armor, melee defense etc. etc. A Commando should be the heavy soldier. Not that pansy who does almost no damage and takes a lot of damage from his armor. I also think that the Heat Resistance on the armor should directly corolate with the HAM costs on the Flamethrower.
Commando's should also get a few more explosives/line of weapons. E.G. Explosive Packs etc. Something that also should be done is increase the Weapons damage, not neccesarily to Creatures/Players but for Vehicles and such so that you can take out that AT-ST with a Rocketlauncher in 3 shots or so, or a couple of mines/explosive packs. Then also get "Charges" that can open locked doors or large containers. A smuggler can slice and this would be similar but not exactly.
seriously they NEED to revise the tree
- more defenses for melee (since we hada work our butts off for unarmed master)
- mods and specials for our *PRIMARY* gun which NEEDS another elite proffession to *actually* be effective (imagine using a carbine with very weak specials against a higher mob - its suicide, and without pistoleer, thats what commandos are doing with LPs right now)
- the ONLY two titles that pretty much fit commandos right now are Master Commando and Expert Commando, the other three have to be fixed (not a biggie, but...ordinance manufacturer for acid rifle spec??)
- out of about 7 weapons (flamer, lp, acid rifle, acid stream launcher, rocket launcher, part beam, lightending beam i think thats all of them) only two of our weapons actually have specials, which is just plain crazy - and yes i know they're going to raise the damage on all hvy weapons, but im not hoping for much except that if they dont raise them very high...they NEED to put more specials in and spread them out among some of our guns, primarily our launcher pistol