Creature Handler Archive
Thread: Creature Handlers The Perspective of a Corbantis MCH
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Pirate_Guy
Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:54 pm
#1
First off, allow me to introduce myself. I am a Corbantis CH/Pistoleer that has been lurking on these forums for some time. I started playing SWG back in June when a friend of mine convinced me to download the demo and try it out. My story goes a little like this:
While still a novice marksman running around in Bestine, I chanced across the path of a guy with one of the classic building-sized pets. At this point I can't remember if it was a Fambaa, or a Torton, or a Kimogila, but I was struck with a single thought:
"Damn, that's cool."
While in itself a rather insignificant event, that moment decided that I wanted to steer myself towards CH. So here I am, a Master CH and a pistoleer. Not exactly the most competative template on the go, but I think one that definately has a high coolness factor. That in itself doesn't tend to say a lot about the profession, butI'd also like to point out a more critical fact that may catch more corporate-minded interests.
I had never played a game with a subscription fee, ever. And despite the fact I played my trial, the experiences I had there didn't make the game seem worthy enough to fork over a monthy fee for the priviledge of playing. I ran around a shot lesser womp rats, worrts and gorgs with my handy noob-canon, and it wasn't anything spectacular. I didn't care about being a Jedi, or being a personal badass that would repeatedly shoot, stab or kick things forexp, over and over again until they got new levels and became more proficient in the shooting, stabbing and kicking of things. Ultimately you were still shooting, stabbing and kicking things in a rather mindless manner that wasn't particularly interesting or engaging to me. I wasn't going to go buy the game, until that chance encounter described above. I found something that appealed to me anddiscovered that SWG had more depth than I had originally thought.
Let me put it bluntly; the creature handler profession sold me on this game.
And as I read through these forums and noted the continued bitterness and general malaise as being a near useless combat profession, I began to take notice of a certain trend, on Corbantis at least.
I see a lot of creature handlers. In fact I tend to find that running accross somebody with a CH tag to be quite common these days. I tend to run into a lot of novices asking me if I have any low level pets that I'm giving away, or to teach pets the advanced commands. And you'd be surprised how many times I run into a group of three or four guys waiting by the ticket collector in someplace like Kor Vella or the Agro Outpost on Dant, and I see one fellow MCH standing next to me. I may not have seen CH in its glory days, but I hardly see a dying profession, unlike those that prompt me to go "Whoa" when I see them. The elusive and rare Master Ranger, or Master Squad Leader.
While the usefulness of CH is debatable, seeing as I rarely note much difference when doing lairs with my pets and without them, I have to submit a certain fact that at least in my little corner of the galaxy the CH profession seems to be popular despite the fact it is not a very strong one.
As for all this talk about nerf this and devs-hate-us that, fact is in my few months here I haven't seen the CH profession get nerfed. I don't see creatures being further marginalized in favor of making an already lopsided system even more lopsided. Rather, all I've ever heard about with regards to nerfing is what I'll dub the Big Nerf so many months ago, back when the game was still new. Correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I understood the reasons for said nerf, reading so many horror stories of munchkins seeking the ultimate powertrip through MCH.I consider this a good thing, since the stigma created by those sorts of people has been transferred to their new professions. So those that remain seem to be the ones dedicated to the class because it's cool and/or fun. But still there seems to be a certain stigma attached to this class, because the veterans by and large seem to remain bitter and resentful. That attitude dominates the forums because the newer players by and large tend not to come here to offset it, and I've noticed tend to be grossly underrepresented in discussions about wish lists and such. I know I didn't come to the forums when I was working my way up the ladder.
Me, I'm not terribly bitter that CH isn't as powerful as it used to be. Ultimately I've never known it any different than it is now. But I knew it was a weak profession, and I'd like it to be more useful. However after seeing the umpteenth "CH is a useless combat prof" topic, I get a bit wary because nothing new is ever said in them and it merely continues to keep the smouldering embers burning beneath the surface.
So, all this said, what's the purpose of this post? It serves a number of ends. The first one is that I wanted to introduce myself to the rest of the CH community (Hi, folks.). The second one is that I'm actually very tired of the gloom and doom atmosphere that continues to be an underlying thread in many of the posts here, no matter what their actual subject. And the third thing was an attempt to shed a little positive light on the profession itself.
Kudali
Sun Sep 26, 2004 7:16 pm
#2
I started playing shortly after the "Big Nerf" as well. I share similar sentiments. One of the only reasons I started playing and am still playing is because of CH. I enjoy my pets and enjoy looking for new ones. Its good to see an opinion like yours on the forums. 
-kudali
-kudali
Tstorm
Sun Sep 26, 2004 8:22 pm
#3
Pirate_Guy wrote:So, all this said, what's the purpose of this post? It serves a number of ends. The first one is that I wanted to introduce myself to the rest of the CH community (Hi, folks.). The second one is that I'm actually very tired of the gloom and doom atmosphere that continues to be an underlying thread in many of the posts here, no matter what their actual subject. And the third thing was an attempt to shed a little positive light on the profession itself.
Hello, and welcome!
There seem to be several lurkers sticking their heads up lately and that's good to see. I am definitely glad to see a less dreary tone on the forums as more people stick their heads up and hope to see it continue. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the tension lately has been pretty awful and hopefully we've turned the corner towards a more productive future.
Wabit
Sun Sep 26, 2004 8:28 pm
#4
Pirate_Guy wrote:
First off, allow me to introduce myself. I am a Corbantis CH/Pistoleer that has been lurking on these forums for some time. hiya, lurking in the shadows scares us
While the usefulness of CH is debatable, seeing as I rarely note much difference when doing lairs with my pets and without them, I have to submit a certain fact that at least in my little corner of the galaxy the CH profession seems to be popular despite the fact it is not a very strong one. this is where the old time CH's get irked... there really isn't a need for the SP's used towards MCH... we aren't needed anywhere... a MCH used to welcome in any group, we were even searched for to take on the then end-game mobs... now its more of a burden on most groups to have us...
As for all this talk about nerf this and devs-hate-us that, fact is in my few months here I haven't seen the CH profession get nerfed.thats just cause there is nothing left to nerf...I don't see creatures being further marginalized in favor of making an already lopsided system even more lopsided. Rather, all I've ever heard about with regards to nerfing is what I'll dub the Big Nerf so many months ago, back when the game was still new. the dec nerf was about the 6th nerf the CH profession had gotten since the game started... Correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I understood the reasons for said nerf, reading so many horror stories of munchkins seeking the ultimate powertrip through MCH.it was MCH that caused the nerf it was the 4/4/0/0 dabblers... MCH was told they really wouldn't feel much from the nerf...I consider this a good thing, since the stigma created by those sorts of people has been transferred to their new professions. So those that remain seem to be the ones dedicated to the class because it's cool and/or fun. But still there seems to be a certain stigma attached to this class, because the veterans by and large seem to remain bitter and resentful. That attitude dominates the forums because the newer players by and large tend not to come here to offset it, and I've noticed tend to be grossly underrepresented in discussions about wish lists and such. I know I didn't come to the forums when I was working my way up the ladder. its not really working your way up the ladder, just post what you feel... some agree, some disagree... the tone of this forum was set long ago, when everyother post was someone whining nerf CH... and their crys were always heard, so we resent the dabblers and outsiders at first... some of us are friendly and will always answer your questions... others are just wanting CH to be better than it is...
Me, I'm not terribly bitter that CH isn't as powerful as it used to be. Ultimately I've never known it any different than it is now. But I knew it was a weak profession, and I'd like it to be more useful. However after seeing the umpteenth "CH is a useless combat prof" topic, I get a bit wary because nothing new is ever said in them and it merely continues to keep the smouldering embers burning beneath the surface. we have no 2 way communication with the devs, so there is nothing new to post about... so yes it does get redundant, but its all old news...
So, all this said, what's the purpose of this post? It serves a number of ends. The first one is that I wanted to introduce myself to the rest of the CH community (Hi, folks.).hi againThe second one is that I'm actually very tired of the gloom and doom atmosphere that continues to be an underlying thread in many of the posts here, no matter what their actual subject. And the third thing was an attempt to shed a little positive light on the profession itself.
it was a well writen intoduction to the CHers here... i sniped some of your post in the quote... but i have also seen a resurgance of CH on Radiant... it is still useful to have CH for some profs (commando cause of thelong delays)... i for one think CH is a working profession, but i play it differrent than most do... and i'll say so... but with the recent disiplanary actions in our forum here it has been pretty dead as for any posts...
Wabit
Liberation
Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:07 am
#5
Good post boss, I tend to veer towards the opinion that CH is the most enjoyable class to play, so even if we are pussycats in PVP I will be a CH till the day I die...(or move to pastures new anyway).
NB: You will notice a far more positive forum now as it appears all rants are being snuffed (see notice posted to that affect).
SmokeMare
Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:28 am
#6
Hi, another infrequent Lurker here popping up.
I've been playing since Beta 3, started the main game last September or something, never thought about CH, but during the Pokemon days or whatever it was called the BIG NERF, I saw people running around sending Rancors attacking peoplea and though - that looks like serious fun ! Typically just after I got the Scout XP to earn the Novice CH box the big nerf hit....
I don't powerlevel much, I'm now Marksman 0044 Carbineer 4312 Scout 4040 CH 1214 with enough XP to got CH 1314 but I might go 2214 first, and some Medic and Artisan. A good ranged Prof with CH may not pwn pvp anymore - but it's a really fun and deceptively powerful PvE template, especially for those of us who loath having to wander around Starports shouting " IS ANYONE BUFFING !?" then shelling out 10k to a doc after waiting in line for 20 minutes...
I'm going to be CH for a long time :-)
Sinnaman
Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:26 am
#7
I have been playing SWG since launch, but didn't become a CH until after the nerf. But
I can tell you that I love being one and can never picture myself dropping it. I could join
in and bash the devs about the CH stuff but I do that already about so many other subjects
that I don't have to do it here LOL. Anyway, welcome. I found only one thing wrong with
your magnificent post and that was the part about being a loyal servant of the Empire.
ZANDRAMADAS
Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:27 am
#8
Ok let me say, hello and welcome to the forums. As far as our profession being dead as far as PvP is concerned...GOOD. i hate it for the guys who wish to be PvP, but i don't. so i'm a little biased. But i must say if we WERE good at PvP then we'd see a HUGE swell of the power gamers. who mostly don't bother me now...most people going CH, even dabbling have a desire to have fun, we don't take too many things seriously, and i enjoy that. i got a buff the other day, to go hunting with a group...cost me 15K. and i had to come FIND the guy to pay hima nd get my buff.....the next day, i was on Naboo, had a critter than i wanted mounted and i needed some training...i was broke (my daughter plays and i just bought her armor) ...i asked for a MCH...no one on planet, someone gave me a name of one...he leaves his hunt....on YAVIN....travels all the way to Naboo (he's already a MCH so no need for AP ) comes to ME, i'm about 6K out of theed....trains the mounts, trains me, heals me....and then sign's me up on his friends list and rides away...NEVER once asked for money, complained he travel along way to do this...nothing...he just said he was glad we had another CH in the making.....THAT is the reason i play CH...everyone i see with CH in their title, are just generally people you'd WANT to meet...BE's too...i'm sorry, our profession got nerf'ed...but not the people...and i actually ENJOY their being some stress if i take on a Running Bol lair...it's not a give me....you have to work for it..i enjoy that...i don't want to be the toughest out their...where's the fun in that? i want to have fun...CH gives me that...i also want to me nice people...CH gives me that and more...i love our profession, and the people in it...(BTW this guy is a BIG poster, generally complaining LOL, not to just rant, but because he must care for improvement) but he showed his true colors that day...i hope to repay him oneday, but no matter how many tells i sent, he wouldn't accept any money, even for travel.....i've yet to find 1 person that was a CH that wasn't nice..or respond to a post i had...
i am also a Rifleman, i ahve several post on their forum, maybe ina few weeks some one might answer them LOL....i say i am proud to be allowed to be in this community...plain and simple.
Oh btw, i went looking for Lesser dewbacks for some friends who wanted mounts, i looked ALL day saturday and sunday..ALL day...finally found 4 late sunday night...lesser dewbacks, their weak, not much to them...do you know how excited i was when i saw the 1st baby? then 3 more!...LOL i felt like a kid in a candy store....oh yeah i fired my rifle most the weekend...i don't remember at what....does that tell you something? LOL...i had to let 4 pets go, because i was full (only 0.1.1.1) so i can't store much..i AGONIZED over which ones to let go...LOL...god i love this game!
DaBudo2
Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:38 am
#9
Hi! And welcome! Really nice to get the perspective a "new" CH. It still is alot of fun to play! Yes, there are frustrations as I'm surethere are with any other profession.However, personally I don't believe that most of the CH community is as angry and bitter as some posts would seem to indicate. I think that most are pretty positive, overall, about CH.
Kitoth
Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:50 pm
#10
I have to agree that, while the great nerf still stings, the good that came out of it was we got rid of all the powergamer min/maxers who took 4400 CH just to enhance their template. The few CHs I run into now are genuine devotees of the profession, and an instant bond is usually formed from that. (well, that and we all love to complain about being nerfed ) CHs are generally nicer than most because they've found a profession they love, stick with it despite being 'gimped', and aren't all caught up in being 'the uber leet best of the best'. There are times when I feel like myself and my one or two close MCH friends are all that's left on our server, but then I'll run across someone I've never met sporting the MCH tag, or see novices trading BE pets and getting advice from another CH, and I'll go "wow, there are still a few of us out there".
I never was into the PvP stuff, so having little effectiveness in that arena doesn't bother me too much. I have cried when trying it once or twice though onlly to see my pets lose Vitality in 1-2 hits
So I just don't do it anymore. But for day-to-day PvE, being an MCH still has it's benefits. I can run faction missions unbuffed as a TKM with my trusty gurreck or a BE kitty. I can solo rancor lairs unbuffed with my pets. They're great for taking aggro and doing crowd control and allowing me to pick off mobs at my leisure. But more than that, they're great company. I still get grins watching my dewbacks gallop back to me whenever their job is done.
I still have screenshots of the moment I think I decided I'd have to try CH one day. Came across a CH with his rancor terrorizing the local law enforcement of Eisley, and it cracked me up. I'd never seen anyone with a rancor pet before, and this wasn't long after the game launched. I'd heard of CHs, but hadn't really thought I would want to try it. So when new servers came up in August, I joined tempest and started my path toward MCH with a new toon there; and haven't looked back since.
The real test of this profession will be when the combat revamp hits. Our great nerf was supposedly the first step in this mythical 'rebalance'. And we've been stuck waiting for everyone else to get nerfed since. I'm really curious to see if creature stats become something of a challenge again as a result of what is done to armor, buffs, and other professions- perhaps it'll return some value to our pets.
) CHs are generally nicer than most because they've found a profession they love, stick with it despite being 'gimped', and aren't all caught up in being 'the uber leet best of the best'. There are times when I feel like myself and my one or two close MCH friends are all that's left on our server, but then I'll run across someone I've never met sporting the MCH tag, or see novices trading BE pets and getting advice from another CH, and I'll go "wow, there are still a few of us out there".I never was into the PvP stuff, so having little effectiveness in that arena doesn't bother me too much. I have cried when trying it once or twice though onlly to see my pets lose Vitality in 1-2 hits
So I just don't do it anymore. But for day-to-day PvE, being an MCH still has it's benefits. I can run faction missions unbuffed as a TKM with my trusty gurreck or a BE kitty. I can solo rancor lairs unbuffed with my pets. They're great for taking aggro and doing crowd control and allowing me to pick off mobs at my leisure. But more than that, they're great company. I still get grins watching my dewbacks gallop back to me whenever their job is done.I still have screenshots of the moment I think I decided I'd have to try CH one day. Came across a CH with his rancor terrorizing the local law enforcement of Eisley, and it cracked me up. I'd never seen anyone with a rancor pet before, and this wasn't long after the game launched. I'd heard of CHs, but hadn't really thought I would want to try it. So when new servers came up in August, I joined tempest and started my path toward MCH with a new toon there; and haven't looked back since.
The real test of this profession will be when the combat revamp hits. Our great nerf was supposedly the first step in this mythical 'rebalance'. And we've been stuck waiting for everyone else to get nerfed since. I'm really curious to see if creature stats become something of a challenge again as a result of what is done to armor, buffs, and other professions- perhaps it'll return some value to our pets.
SkyPreacher1
Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:04 pm
#11
We are going to get nerfed again, it's that simple.
Sorry Vert, but no combat docs, equals a nerf, I feel it in my bones and so far they have been right 100% of the time.
Besides come Dec. 24th my subscription is done and unless there has been major fixes in this game I am outa here.
Why not earlier cause I am paid till then missed the cut off by a couple of days.
I don't see there being any fixes for CH until this time next year if this game is even still around. The dev team or like a rudderless ship being steered by a blind drunk monkey. No vision, no direction, no goal. Just wandering the seas hoping not to hit too many rocks.
Oh and I am back, might as well post till december.
jopenack
Mon Sep 27, 2004 6:36 pm
#12
lol wait a year and come back and tell us all how cool it is lol
Kodpese
Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:06 am
#13
I've been MCH for about a year now. It's not something I really wanted to pursue, I just thought I would try it out while I ground out combat xp to make BH. However, as time went on I became attached to some of my pets and love the fact that I could hunt some mid-level critters unbuffed and without elite combat skills - I never make a lot of money but enough to get by and I don't need to buy armour or buffs or anything like that so what I make is pretty much mine. Plus I don't need to spend time tracking down vendors with decent priced armour or doctors for buffs, I can do what I like when I like.
The prof has certainly grown on me over time, and for something I just picked up to try out while training towards something else I cannot imagine living without it now - I may not be anywhere near even a moderately good melee or even ranged template but I'm good enough to do the things I enjoy and by being careful there are very few situations I cannot handle with my collection pets (though it might take me a while).
When the day comes that I have to drop these skills (yes, I am slowly moving down the path to Jedi) it will not be without a sense of remorse and perhaps a small tear...
Zokra Losse - Master Creature Handler
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