Creature Handler Archive

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sciguyCO wrote:

1) How much support is needed with CH for mid-level PvE? I'm not looking at doing the Corvette or soloing Nightsisters, just some creature hunts and maybe some factional missions. Since I'm not going to be dropping Chef or Merchant anytime soon, getting MCH leaves me with 20 skill points. Would I be better off with a few boxes in Marksman (to supplement my pets' damage) or Medic (to keep myself alive while pets handle 100% of the combat)? Or should I resign myself to non-Masterhood in CH to keep enough combat skills for myself?

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It depends on what you want to do, but I easily solo (with my pet!) things on Endor and other adventure planets as a MCH and Novice Pistoleer (could probably do it with just Marksman skills too). What I do is use the pet to mainly tank while I do ranged attacks (and hope I don't get aggro). Relying on pet only damage will make fights take longer, but it really depends on pet specials, damage, etc.

I find some Medic skills very helpful. Considering the pet is usually the tank in the fight (in solo encounters), keeping it healed is pretty important and pet stims have a 15 second timer. Having Medic skills to supplement that is a Good Thing (TM).

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sciguyCO wrote:

2) What restrictions are there on taking creatures into dungeons? Will the "huge" critter types (tortons, rancors, graul mauler) fit, or only smaller ones?

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Personally, I prefer smaller pets. Pets do get stuck on geometry now and then and while big pets are good for scaring the living daylights out of friends, I don't use them much in combat. Even with something like a gurreck, using them in dungeons can be interesting due to wierd pathing.

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sciguyCO wrote:

3) What's up with the xp cap? I was at 0101 last night, going for the next box in Management, which requires 52500 xp. I was in the middle of nowhere when I qualified so I just kept going, having my pet continue his thing. I stopped earning xp at 60k. For every other profession I've played, the cap is 1.5x or 2x the xp of the highest box available to train, so I wouldn't expect to cap until 79k or 105k.

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Admittedly, I didn't notice that myself. I was in a rush to train right away after getting enough experience. In general, more skill boxes == faster xp gain (via more commands for training pets).

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sciguyCO wrote:

4) What do you look for in BE pets (other than the obvious like CL suitable for your skill)? HAM? Armor/resists? Special attacks? Or do you get a managerie of specialist creatures, using whichever one is suited for what you're fighting?

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It depends really. Before you master, you generally want something to help you get more xp faster, but things like specials if you are into PvP or fighting particular things in PvE might matter too. As you move from Novice to Master, you will find yourself continually reevaluating your pets, their CL, HAM, specials, etc.

Once you master, HAM, armor, specials and CL are all important and as you can call up to three pets at once, you have to strategize which pets to use to add up to your total callable CL. It really depends on your playstyle (solo or grouped?) and what you like to fight.

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sciguyCO wrote:

5) Is there a list somewhere about what the various creature special attacks do? Most seem straightforward (Blind Strike, disease/poison), but what about Crippling Strike and Open Wounds?

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Good question, but not that I know of. Others probably know though!

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sciguyCO wrote:

Well, I got to go to the Summit and realized that CH roxor's and will be the next FOTM, so I thought I'd try out Creature Handler. I've got a few questions, though, that I couldn't find in the FAQ or with searches.

P.S. No.... I can't tell you anything.... but you have to tell me EVERYTHING, I want.

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sciguyCO wrote:

Well, I got bored shooting things with guns, or whacking them with sticks and hammers, so I thought I'd try out Creature Handler. I've got a few questions, though, that I couldn't find in the FAQ or with searches.

1) How much support is needed with CH for mid-level PvE? I'm not looking at doing the Corvette or soloing Nightsisters, just some creature hunts and maybe some factional missions. Since I'm not going to be dropping Chef or Merchant anytime soon, getting MCH leaves me with 20 skill points. Would I be better off with a few boxes in Marksman (to supplement my pets' damage) or Medic (to keep myself alive while pets handle 100% of the combat)? Or should I resign myself to non-Masterhood in CH to keep enough combat skills for myself? Pets are tanks only, the damage they do is barely a scratch. If you plan on fighting as a MCH you need a 2nd combat skill and medic. This is because the devs added a chance that the things you send your pet to attack get a roll to recognise that you are the one controling them. So if you plan on killing things as an MCH only plan to get intimate with the clone center.

2) What restrictions are there on taking creatures into dungeons? Will the "huge" critter types (tortons, rancors, graul mauler) fit, or only smaller ones? As illogical as this is any pet can fit anywhere. Yes a torton can fit on the corvette.

3) What's up with the xp cap? I was at 0101 last night, going for the next box in Management, which requires 52500 xp. I was in the middle of nowhere when I qualified so I just kept going, having my pet continue his thing. I stopped earning xp at 60k. For every other profession I've played, the cap is1.5x or 2x the xp of the highest box available to train, so I wouldn't expect to cap until 79k or 105k. Just another cross we have to bare. There is no logical explination for it as well as a cap at master of just 160K (only 20K over what you need for a 4th skill box).

4) What do you look for in BE pets (other than the obvious like CL suitable for your skill)? HAM? Armor/resists? Special attacks? Or do you get a managerie of specialist creatures, using whichever one is suited for what you're fighting? Kinetic resists and high ham. you use these pets to fight other creatures which can only do kinetic damage, and again pets are tanks expecting a pet to do a mission for you can take hours.

5) Is there a list somewhere about what the various creature special attacks do? Most seem straightforward (Blind Strike, disease/poison), but what about Crippling Strike and Open Wounds? I know of no offical list sorry.

Thanks for any input, I'll probably be lurking a bit now...

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Now for this info I charge 1 case of bivoli or brandy

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sciguyCO wrote:

Well, I got bored shooting things with guns, or whacking them with sticks and hammers, so I thought I'd try out Creature Handler. I've got a few questions, though, that I couldn't find in the FAQ or with searches.

1) How much support is needed with CH for mid-level PvE? I'm not looking at doing the Corvette or soloing Nightsisters, just some creature hunts and maybe some factional missions. Since I'm not going to be dropping Chef or Merchant anytime soon, getting MCH leaves me with 20 skill points. Would I be better off with a few boxes in Marksman (to supplement my pets' damage) or Medic (to keep myself alive while pets handle 100% of the combat)? Or should I resign myself to non-Masterhood in CH to keep enough combat skills for myself?

Pets absorb damage. Unless you go out hunting Verne's or something, you will have a long and difficult time with some combat to suppliment. I say go for MCH, but if you won't be killing things very quickly with some novice marksmen, but you won't be doing much good to your pets with medic, since you can just get pet stims.

2) What restrictions are there on taking creatures into dungeons? Will the "huge" critter types (tortons, rancors, graul mauler) fit, or only smaller ones?

Any pet will fit in any dungeon, but some tend to get stuck more easily than others. Plus, in some dungeons, you can call pets some can't. It's best to have them called and to be committed to using that pet for the duration when entering a dungeon.

3) What's up with the xp cap? I was at 0101 last night, going for the next box in Management, which requires 52500 xp. I was in the middle of nowhere when I qualified so I just kept going, having my pet continue his thing. I stopped earning xp at 60k. For every other profession I've played, the cap is1.5x or 2x the xp of the highest box available to train, so I wouldn't expect to cap until 79k or 105k.

Good question...

4) What do you look for in BE pets (other than the obvious like CL suitable for your skill)? HAM? Armor/resists? Special attacks? Or do you get a managerie of specialist creatures, using whichever one is suited for what you're fighting?

HAM is second to Light armor and a high kinetic resist. Those are the three most common, until you start hunting NPC's, then you usually want Energy resists for Stormtroopers, Blast for AT-ST's (if I am not mistaken). Honestly, if you can avoid any vulnerabilities all around, you are doing good.

5) Is there a list somewhere about what the various creature special attacks do? Most seem straightforward (Blind Strike, disease/poison), but what about Crippling Strike and Open Wounds?

Just do a google search for SWG bestiary. That should bring up several site with that info...

Thanks for any input, I'll probably be lurking a bit now...

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sciguyCO wrote:

5) Is there a list somewhere about what the various creature special attacks do? Most seem straightforward (Blind Strike, disease/poison), but what about Crippling Strike and Open Wounds?

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Thanks for the info, (and as soon as cross-server trades are put in I'll send taloncard that brandy). And I guess I may have to rethink my damage dealing when using pets.

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Geko26 wrote:

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sciguyCO wrote:

Well, I got to go to the Summit and realized that CH roxor's and will be the next FOTM, so I thought I'd try out Creature Handler. I've got a few questions, though, that I couldn't find in the FAQ or with searches.

P.S. No.... I can't tell you anything.... but you have to tell me EVERYTHING, I want.

........

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Fixed

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sciguyCO wrote:

Bah!

I actually had been wanting to do CH for a bit, but got sucked into the hologrind thing. I had been pushing to master pistoleer (my last holoprof) before pub 10 hit for the additional FS branch unlock, failed, so I switched.

Really. Ask Vert. I was talking to him at the summit about CH before we heard anything about the revamp.

/shiftyeyes

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You see, I knew you looked like a ranged combatant. Chef indeed.

To add to what others have said, though, Cripple Strike is a Posture Down attack (if the target is standing, it forces them to kneeling. If the target is kneeling, it forces them to prone). Open Wounds is an area of effect bleed attack. Cripple Strike is nice with a Dizzy combination, because it (unlike Knockdown)can be called for on demandwith the special attack pet training commands.

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SkyPreacher1 wrote:

OMG, another Correspondent has joined our Elite little group of nerf herders, I am in shock.

/falls off chair and hits head causing concussion

/concussion makes Sky think that CH is about to become FOTM again

/takes gun and puts it to his head

/pulls trigger

/typical misses answer not at the optimum distance

Crap i don't have 20 meter long arms.

/tellpet attack sky

Pet begins nibbling at Sky's toes.

Sky goes for supper. Pet is now nibbling at Sky's toes

Sky goes to bed. Sky wakes up. Pet is still nibbling at Sky's toes.

Sky gives up.

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