Development Cycle Archive
Thread: In Concept 1-1: Combat Roles; Bounty Hunter
Introduction:
As I've climbed the BH-tree for the second time since I started playing, I've thought abit about the role of the BH and how I would like to see BH in the future. I know many BHs don't like the fact that we have no defensive stats at all, I feel though that Bounty Hunters never showed themselves as defensive characters. Bounty Hunters are all about aggresion, and I feel the current system reflects that. Bounty Hunters as it stands has 4 bleeds (only 3 at the time after patch), 2 flames (only 1 at the time after patch), one Dizzy/kd shot, 2 shots which can cause dizzy, one KD shot and access to one of the most damaging weapons in the game. What I feel is NOT reflected in the current system is how a Bounty Hunter should be all about equipment. While the jedi find their powers in the Force, Bounty Hunter should have their strength in gadgets. Too qoute the official Star Wars poster on Boba Fett: "He wears Mandalore Battle Armour. Which is full of nasty surprises. His suit includes wrist lasers, a jet pack, rocket darts, a grappling lanyard and a miniature flame projector"
To start it off:
I feel the current BH system should be kept so the people who want to be small-time BHs, or just dabble abit to become better with their weapons should be able to, but the jedi missions should be removed from the proffesion. I would like to see a new elite-elite proffesion that requires MBH to become. I like to call it Elite Bounty Hunter. This should be the equalient of the Jedi. Getting the novice skill would require a good portion of investigation xp, and the 32 skillpoints left after MBH. An Elite Bounty Hunter would be forced to neutrality in the GCW, just like a jedi is forced to follow certain sides of the war. The four branches of EBH would be divided into one crafting branch, one 'gadget use' branch, one tracking branch and one general weapons branch. The first three branches would be gained on a new xp type called 'Reputation' and the last would be Combat XP. The EBH would have the same death penalties as a jedi (loss of skills down to novice level). An EBH wouldgain access to both Vader and Luke, and would be able to get jedi mission from them.
Bounty Hunter Crafting:
All known bounty hunters in the Star Wars universe has their own specially modified equipment. Boba got his sawed off EE3, Dengar got his modified Riot gun and so on. All these weapons and equipment are modified by the bounty hunter himself, to fit his own needs. A bounty hunter should be able to use normal weapons and armor and make them better, just like a Jedi uses his lightsaber and makes an even better one. All equipment should be non-tradeable, and only equippable by the creator. They should also be considered sliced on creation (same goes for lightsabers, it would just take away the possibility for expoliting). Bounty Hunter armor should be upgraded to Medium AR (to counter lightsabers), also bracer should be able to fit one of four types of weapons. 1. a blaster, which should so some sort of state effects and medium damage 2. a flamethrower, for a medium strong DoT 3. a Grenade launcher, for instant heavy damage 4. a grappling lanyard, for a delay action. This weapon would sorta work like the Rocket Launchers of Commandos. When you activate it the BH will disarm his weapon, and fire. It will have minimum speed, but work on a recharge time.
Bounty Hunter Gadgets:
This branch should primarly give bonuses to accuracy, effect and delay time of firing a wrist weapon. It should also be fitted with human traps with effects like delay, KD, or maybe something to hold the player (like the Phecnacine Dart). This is to reflect how a bounty hunter is all about disabling his targets so he can bring them back to his current master. I know alot of BHs would love to see a jetpack too, but I have yet to find a way to implement this in a balanced way. But if it ever were to find it's way into the game this would be where to fit the skills needed.
Bounty Hunter Tracking:
A bounty hunter should be able to do character specific tracking. First off he should be able to search Travel Terminals for information. He would be able to retrieve ticket information and how long it's been since the target used a specific Travel Terminal (at a max of 12 hours after usage). He should also be able to search an area to show if his target has been there within a few hours, this would require setting up a special BH camp and thoroughly searching the close area. Lastly they should get a ranger-like areatrack with a somewhat higher range, and only searching for their target. It would require specially made Electro Binoculars.
Bounty Hunter Combat:
As an Elite Bounty Hunter his strength should be mostly in his equipment, but he should get some minor bonuses to accuracy, and maybe one new shot with each of his weapons (maybe some sort of combo-shots). He would also gain a good deal of accuracy and speed with rifle, and added a sniper shot and special bounty hunter rifle certification.
Gaining XP:
To gain Reputation a Bounty Hunter needs to do something worthy of it. We've all heard stories about the fish you almost caught, and those are exciting, but become boring when you never catch one. To reflect this the BH should get minor amounts when utilizing his new equipment, but it should be very low compared to successfully completing a mission.
Last details:
When a bounty hunter uses his special bounty hunter tools he will get a TEF just like the jedi gets a tef for using his saber. If a bounty hunter is tracking a light side jedi any overt rebel nearby would be able to attack him.
Since hunting jedi only might be abit slow a bounty hunter could maybe also be able to get bounties on overt rebels which is harassing (killing alot) the Empire. These missions would be canceled once the rebel goes covert
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-OR-
Give them a line of jet packs and aerial skills to take the place of carbineer line. That would be like Boba and would also solve problem of close up fighting. Though I'm sure the this would take some truly considerable effort and probably won't even be an option.
First off I'd like to say I'm a novice BH, and this class is slightly dissapointing. Now to answer Thunderheart's questions....
What defines theBounty Hunterrole in combat?
Solo/protecter off leader
What basic combat elements should they possess?
second to none offense and defense. or prehaps tied w/ commando
What offensive abilities?
Note: my name was chosen because i only somewhat like the first seares of Pokemon. An it was the only one that'd work (lol) now plese dont make fun of me/my name on fourms. Developers, u should look at the abuse on the fourms! (had to say this......2 people spamed my fourm about how i had serious problems, etc, etc when the fourm was about a bussiness im making w/ a friend on SWG)
-Rekab Mot
Ya! im 0/0/0/0 in BH, and when i was a pistolier 0/0/0/0, i was a lot better cause i had health shot 2. U may want to give some more to novice BH, my first bounty i was lucky cause i had a rebel npc spawn there with the bounty.
-Rekab Mot
What defines theBounty Hunterrole in combat? A BH is a high powered combat machine. They are there to kill people in as timely a fashion as is possible.
What basic combat elements should they possess? Good firepower and the skills to use it and actually hit most of the time.
What offensive abilities? A KD that works better...perhaps a weapon that poisons a target not unlike the Combat Medic....BH are after all Assassins and are not above using anything and everything to kill their target. Need to be able to devastate a target in the opening shots.
What defensive abilities? Hmm how about giving us a Defense against KD and Dizzy....I mean we are talking about basically the ultimate killing machine and a Master Brawler can KD a BH almost at will.
What unique abilities? Well if we ever got player bounties I think that would be nice,call me crazy but that was what the main attraction to being a BH was...I mean I really love going from planet to planet looking for some guy who just happens to be standing next to creatures that will kill you and should have killed him...I mean I think I speak for all the BH out there when we take a mission that pays 15k and after trip expenses and clone payments and such we get a whopping 4k after all is said and done...perhaps maybe you guys could fix that too.
Should add what advantage or asset in group combat? Hmmm well we are a Solo class...but I think our LLC does help...if we had a reliable KD that would be nice..but in groups I think we add a nice punch.
How could/should they interact with other professions? We like Weapons and Armor and Droids....we likes the spices and slices oh my...Our booboos can be legendary and we all like to see a good show or two. Other than that unless in a group what can we do...Ohh ohh Food I like food
What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants? Added Firepower in groups. Need heals.
What should be their unique role in the Galactic Civil War? Truthfully...none other than being hired to kill people...we may have a bias and only help the Empire or Rebel cause....but there should be a viable 3rd faction that ultimately is where we would be...Underworld Faction....
Aeria Ky'Alur
. it could be put on the radial menu, if you are indeed a bounty hunter, put in the name and given price, then the bounty hunter could choose to accept or decline. throw around a few droids, ask some people, allow something like tracking 4 on the ranger tree, and well you know the rest. Hunt them, kill them at whatever cost and be feared by all. Bounty Hunters are weak in melee defense, you almost have to pick up pistoleer and go up the far right tree to get any benifit. Also i feel as if the investigation xp is outrageous, with that bounty hunters should get some sort of armor buff, eucumbrance lowering, health buff, weapon buff, or some sort of bonus to reward all those hours poured into the amount of xp needed. To jump from planet to planet, to find your mark is a headache; realistic, but nonetheless a head splitter. I call for REWARDS because dag nabit it aint easy compared to a musician who just afk macros his or her way through the world of Star Wars (no offense at all but its true). It is however a trade off to be a musician where xp comes easy money doesnt, visa versa for the Bounty Hunter. I am sorry for this jumbled message but my fingers type what comes to mind first.