Commando Archive

This has been posted to death, but I've been thinking about ways to improve the commando skill boxes, and this is what I came up with.

Novice Commando: Pre-Reqs: Unchanged except Brawler pre-req replaced with one-handed weapon pre-req; Certs: Fragmentation grenade, Heavy Assault Rifle, Rocket Launcher; Bonuses: Thrown weapons +15 accuracy, Support Weapons +60 accuracy/+30 speed, Heavy Weapons +20 Accuracy/+10 speed

Tree 1: Commando Tactics (Combat XP) - This tree consists of defensive bonuses, damage mitigation, misc bonuses, and special melee attacks
Box 1 Certs: None; Bonuses: Ranged Damage Mitigation 1, Covert Operations + 15, One-handed accuracy +5/speed +5, Defense vs Knockdown +10; Skills: Infiltration
Box 2 Certs: None; Bonuses: Melee Damage Mitigation 1, Covert Operations + 15, One-handed accuracy +5/speed +5, Ranged defense +10
Box 3 Certs: Stun Baton; Bonuses: Ranged Damage Mitigation 2, Covert Operations + 20, One-handed accuracy +5/speed +5, Melee defense +10; Skills: Neutralize
Box 4 Certs: None; Bonuses: Covert Operations + 20, One-handed accuracy +5/speed +5

Tree 2: Heavy Weapons (Heavy Weapons XP) - This tree contains the "expendable" heavy weapons, and their associated bonuses and specials
Box 1 Certs: none; Bonuses: Heavy Weapons accuracy +20/speed +10
Box 2 Certs: Heavy Particle Beam Cannon; Bonuses: Heavy Weapons accuracy +20/speed +10
Box 3 Certs: none; Bonuses: Heavy Weapons accuracy +10/speed +15
Box 4 Certs: Heavy Ion Beam Cannon; Bonuses: Heavy Weapons accuracy +10/speed +15

Tree 3: Demolitions (Demolitionss XP) - This tree contains grenades, mines, and charges, and their associated bonuses and specials
Box 1 Certs: Cryoban and Glop grenades; Bonuses: Thrown accuracy+15/speed +20, Explosives effectiveness +15; Skills: Lay Mine
Box 2 Certs: Imperial Detonator; Bonuses: Thrown accuracy+15/speed +20, Explosives effectiveness +15
Box 3 Certs: Thermal Detonator; Bonuses: Thrown accuracy+15/speed +10, Explosives effectiveness +15; Skills: Set Charge
Box 4 Certs: Proton Grenade; Bonuses: Thrown accuracy+15/speed +10, Explosives effectiveness +15

Tree 4: Combat Support (Heavy Weapons XP) - This tree contains the "non-expendable" heavy weapons, and associated bonuses and specials
Box 1 Certs: None; Bonsues: Support Weapons +15 accuracy/+10 speed
Box 2 Certs: Flamethrower, Heavy Acid Rifle; Bonuses: Support Weapons +15 accuracy/+10 speed Stream weapon accuracy +20/speed +10
Box 3 Certs: None; Bonuses: Support Weapons +15 accuracy/+10 speed Stream weapon accuracy +20/speed +10
Box 4 Certs: None; Bonuses: Support Weapons +15 accuracy/+10 speed Stream weapon accuracy +20/speed +10

Master Commando: Certs: Heavy Repeating Blaster (possible addition of multiple PC E-web if codeable); Bonuses: Ranged Damage Mitigation 3, Ranged/melee defense +25, Heavy Weapon+15 accuracy/+10 speed, Stream Weapon+15 accuracy/+10 speed, Support Weapon+15 accuracy/+10 speed, Thrown Weapon Accuracy +30, Explosives effectiveness +20, Covert Operations + 10

New skills:
Infiltration - Allows the commando to pass hostile targets without being detected, similar to the Mask Scent skill. Effectiveness of this skill is based on the commando's Covert Operations bonus.

Neutralize - Allows the commando to strike a melee blow (baton, knife, etc) to strategically disable a target. This skill may not be used with a ranged weapon. This skill may only be used while under the effects of Infiltration, against targets which have not detected the commmando. The strike will cause stun and knockdown states in the target, and will cause a recheck of the commando's infiltration skill with all mobs friendly to the target within range. This skill should (probably) not be usable against PCs. Use of this skill will cause a TEF, and the target will go hostile regardless of the infiltration check against it.

Lay Mine - Allows the commando to place mines without being in a minefield. Any target which is hostile to the commando has a chance to set off the mine when passing on/near it; the range at which the mine will detonate is determined by the Explosives effectivness bonus of the commando who placed the mine. Mines placed using this skill should have a decay timer so they do not stay put forever.

Set Charge - Allows the commando to place explosives on a structure (lair, mission target, factional turret..possibly vehicles such as the AT-ST but I forsee balance issues). A detonator is placed in the commando's datapad, selecting the "Detonate charge" command will heavily damage the structure upon which the charges were placed. Only one charge may be set at a time. Placing charges will not necessarily cause the target to go hostile to the commando, however detonation of the charge will cause the target to go hostile; if the target was factional the commando will be TEF'ed. The chance of the target going hostile while setting charges is based on the commando's Covert Operations bonus.

New or Modified Weapons:
Heavy Assault Rifle: High damage/ROF minigun/chaingun-type weapon, kinetic weapon. Uses Support Weapon speed/accuracy mods.

Heavy Acid Rifle: Combination of HAR/Acid Stream launcher. Does not use unique experience; HAR/flamethrower share Stream Weapon accuracy/speed as their style of usage would be very similar

Heavy Ion Beam Cannon: Replaces Acid Stream Launcher as expendable. Stun damage weapon. Similar to other expendables. Uses Heavy Weapon speed/accuracy mods

Heavy Repeating Blaster: High damage/ROF energy weapon. Uses Support Weapon speed/accuracy mods.


The theory behind this set up is that a commando is a multi-purpose heavy soldier; they act as support to typical "grunt" troops with suppression and anti-vehicle weapons, or more like a special infiltration unit (Navy SEAL-type). This skill configuration was designed around a) eliminating useless or redundant weapons or skills b) adding breadth and depth of options when playing a commando c) reducing "dabblers". 99.999% of commandos in the game right now use the flamethrower, and the rocket launcher, and that's it unless there is a special resistance issue with a particular target. Many players take just the flamethrower tree, or just the heavy weapons tree to have access to the "good" weapons without wasting skill points on the acid rifle or extremely limited usefulness grenades. Choosing to be a commando should be an "all or nothing" decision in most cases; it is a niche skill which requires particular training and dedication, unlike mastering a carbine, or a two-handed sword.

Weapons which have been removed or modified (launcher pistol, HAR, etc) were done due to minimal usefulness, or a feeling that they didn't fit in with the overall look and style of a commando, which, admittedly, is subjective. Note that this will require changes to the weaponsmith tree as well to enable the manufacture of the new weapons/items.

I've tried to keep all of the bonuses fairly consistent with what currently exist in the commando profession, or seem consistent with other professions; for example the Covert Ops was modeled after mask scent's maximum value of 100, reduced to 80 since it influences other pretty powerful skills. The one-handed bonuses were kept to a minimum so as not to compete with the fencer profession, but to give somewhat of an additional bonus to keep the skill point cost worthwhile. Please feel free to comment and tweak the numbers if you feel there are balance issues.

/shameless self-bump

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Stiscohuh wrote:
/shameless self-bump

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/shameless bump for a fellow commando

anyone have the thread on when my name gets to be a pretty color?