Development Cycle Archive

When you become novice pistoleer you should be able to have a skill like..... Pistol butt knockdown. Also, pistoleers should have 2 pistols, and what is up with the fan shot, non-aggro enemies will surely attack.

Shaw Lands
Formerly Pistoleer & Entirely Legitimate Businessman
One Time Avatar of the Old Republic
Cancelled after waiting for the Smuggler Revamp for a year and a half.

fennut

master pistoleer in the making

Given the basic considerations listed above, please answer the following questions:

What defines thePistoleerrole in combat?

They are flashy. Close Range. Able to easily target, and pick off the smaller creatures that might surround the tank character while the tank keeps the bigger creature occupied. Pistoleers do the dammage, and the Melee's keep the creature from hitting the Pistoleer

What basic combat elements should they possess?

Speed. Evasiveness.

What offensive abilities?

Higher Bonuses at Point Blank, and Ideal Ranges. Extra skills in these areas than just the average pistol user has. These skills not to be given until after novice pistoleer skill.

What defensive abilities?

Better melee defense than the other ranged classes. Pistoleers have to be closer to their target and therefore run a greater risk of being melee attacked. While a rifleman should have better ranged defense than a pistoleer. These bonuses to be given ONLY in the pistoleer skill tree and not in the marksman pistol branch.

What unique abilities?

Pistoleer should be able to equip two pistols at once. With skills that reflect that. Perhaps a change to the skill tree involving single pistol skills that can only be used when wielding a single pistol, and dual pistol skills that can only be used when wielding dual pistols. Even better firing while moving bonuses.

Should add what advantage or asset in group combat?

The Pistoleer has the advantage over the other ranged classes in confined spaces. Buildings and caves and such. Their operative range being much closer. I'd want a Pistoleer in a raid on the Warren for example before I'd want a rifleman.

How could/should they interact with other professions?

Not sure how to answer that.

What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants?

Defensive bonuses and all, Pistoleer is still going to need a medic. A melee to tank if possible. But I believe that a Pistoleer can and should be a good solo profession.

What should be their unique role in the Galactic Civil War?

Hard, fast, hit and run strikes. Backed up by cover fire from Carbineers, and Riflemen. A frontline profession, not a support profession. THESE are the guys who will come back from battle with only a few less scratches and blaster scorch marks on their armor than Melee classes.

Wishin' ain't gonna get you no more, and regrettin' ain't gonna get you no less

Might just be me, but shouldn't a master pistoleer be able too use dual pistols???or is this too much??

Meow!!! thats mine!!!
Jenifer - Lowcas Master Ranger

tenoio-- perty name!! means eternal...just like me...cause u ain't gettin rid of me that easily..mwhoye!!!

Slash Lewis General Imperial Army
Former BBC leader
Imperial PVPer since day 1
Current MASC GUILD LEADER

Dual weild plan and simple!

I have played many other games that had dual weild. Some managed to pull it off well, others butchered the whole concept. These are the things that I think would help make dual wield effective and ballanced for pistol users in SWG:

1. Allow dual wield at master level...There are way too many trees that offer powerful benefits to players who only dabble to min/max. The skill tree format implemented in SWG is perfect to limit this. Use logic and place unique, class defining skills higher up and even in master level in many situations. The tka 4004 dabblers, for example, really piss tka's off because every joe shmo can get the best for the least. There are many others. Dual wield applies most definately for pistoleers.

2. Define duel vs single pistol use:

- duel wield should allow two light pistols (non-ar) to be used at once (this will make less rarely used pistols more popular). It should be fast (add a massive pistol speed modifier to cap all skill uses to 1 second easily if they aren't already). It should add a % based increase of damage per hit for normal and specials (I would think around 50% more). This way you just need the duel weild animation in but you don't have two damage spams...would be annoying as sin. Keep it simple such as if you miss both shots miss, everything averages out anyway. I know most simple want the benefits from the end result and the bloodycool animations . When you dual weild you are limited to: smaller selection of pistols (I would just cut out the ar ones), only pistoleer tree skills (not BH or smuggler skills). With this method you will allow uses for unpopular gun choices and make them effectiveallowing better damage type choices. Add one special skill at master to compliment duel wield such as an improved area effect attack with aright impressiveanimation .

-single pistol use: No restrictions to pistol choice and no restriction to pistol skills from other trees (BH, Smuggler, marksman). You can use special quest weapons, ar weapons or anything that pops out of the loot bin. The higher damage guns with use in other profession trees will make the need to single wield always an important one.

All in all I would think keeping it simple would be the best way to develope it. Duel wielding should be a pistoleers defining ability. If any elite profession iscreated I think it should be to only add to the duel weild ability. Master pistoleer should be the entry level to it but still given to the current tree.

Sinumbra (Flurry),
Officer at large.