Development Cycle Archive

A Pistoleer's major trait is speed. He should be able to fire quickly, and move quickly. We should not be resistant to certain attacks, just reallyunlikely tobe hit by them to begin with. Dodge is the perfect bonus that you gave us.

The role of a pistoleer in a combat group is, in my mind, to be a moving target. A distraction basically. We are an annoying gnat that buzzes around the enemy, keeping them occupied while a rifleman, who should be very easy to hit and weak, destroys the enemy with his extreme fire-power. Also, the sworsman chases the enemy around until he can run no more, heh. That's what role a pistoleer has, in my opinion at least.

Now, for our current problems. Why is pistoleer lacking in comparisson to other combat classes? We don't do enough damage. Sure, that makes sense because we should have really high defensive features as counterbalance, so I'm not complaining about more damage, just maybe others are. We need to be faster though. A lot faster.

Because we lack damage, we should at least be fast enough that we can get a share of experience in PvE. While group PvEing, I, the pistoleer, is the target, but I always get the least amount of XP because my party members attack at about the same speed as me (even a rifleman), and still do LOTS more damage. I don't mind doing less damage, as long as I fire fast enough to still get a good majourity of the kill, so I'm rewarded a fair amount of XP, rather than a quarter of what the others are getting.

So exciting!

What defines thePistoleerrole in combat? Pistoleers are not traditional "combatants." They are not soldiers. They are opportunistic combatants. They are more strategic, relying less on firepower and more on guile. (This is why pistol skills make sense for a smuggler.)

What basic combat elements should they possess? Pistoleers should be fast, mobile, and able to react quickly. Actually I think this is done pretty well in the Pistoleer tree. (Defense vs. skills, Dodge skills, etc.). They should be much more effective against a melee opponent thana Rifleman or Carbineer.

What offensive abilities? Pistoleers must be able to use two pistols. Pistols should never do great damage, but they should be fast and accurate at close range (the ease of using a pistol at close range being much more effective than usinga larger weapon). More effective close-range AOE specials should be included. Pistol-whip specials that stun, KD, or cause other state effects would be effective. As well, pistols at close range should perhaps get armor piercing bonuses. Most pistols have minimal AP, which makes sense - they are low-powered weapons. But a close-range pistoleer should be able to hit his target in vulnerable spots more effectively. Perhaps a point-blank range attack that increases AP by 1?

What defensive abilities? Dodge, dodge, and dodge - especially melee attacks. Pistoleers should be at a disadvantage against Rifleman and Carbineers at long range. Counterattack skills would make sense, too.

What unique abilities? Two-weapon use. Dodging (for ranged professions, only Pistoleers should have this at a significant level). Point-blank specials.

Should add what advantage or asset in group combat? Pistoleers should be the best ranged weapon profession at tanking - they should be able to be in the middle of the fray and hold their own. They are the close-quarters combatants. Let Rifleman pickoff enemies at range.

How could/should they interact with other professions? Can't think of much to say that hasn't been said above.

What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants? Ditto.

What should be their unique role in the Galactic Civil War? Pistoleers are not soldiers. They are more effective in small, stealthy groups. They are very good at close-quarters combat. Their role should reflect this. A Pistoleer would be able to do what Han Solo did on the Death Star - cause general confusion. They are not for the battlefield. They are perhaps for recon, infiltration, spying, and the like.

What defines the Pistoleer role in combat?
They should be the defense of the carbine and rifleman. Let carbines and rifles take care of the long range fighters. A pistoleers job should be to finish off the opponent if they breach the range of the other two professions.

What basic combat elements should they possess?
Speed and major close combat damage. If another ranged fighter comes within a 32m distance of a Master Pistoleer then they would think twice about continuing to run toward them.

What offensive abilities?
Yes pistols should deal out less damage then rifles. But here's the tricky part to balance out the professions. It mainly focuses on speed. I know each shot does different damages but as a general idea for arguments of balance here.

The total amount of damage from one rifle shot could be equaled with 3 pistol shots.

The total amount of damage from one carbine shot could be equaled with 2 pistol shots.

However though, by the time a rifleman is able to shoot his second shot, the pistoleer will have already shot 3 shots toward him. Same for carbines, by the time he shoots his 2 shot, the pistoleer has fired 2 shots already.

For close combat though a pistoleer should be unmatchable to another ranged weapon. Thats where our strength lies. The ability to hit dead on at close range and do our most damage.

What defensive abilities?
Pistoleers as a rule should always be on the move. We should be very difficult to hit while we are on the move. I personally don't like the stacking of defenses. Your defenses should be with what weapon you are holding at that moment.

What unique abilities?
Make a special pistol for Master Pistoleers and only masters. My favorite is the DL44. But ingame it's not very effective. This should be the case for all masters. Another suggestion is to have a couple different master pistols that have equal stats on them for masters. This way we all don't look like cookie cutter pistoleers. A pistoleer could have a more unique look to fit him.

Also please if we are a Master Pistoleer then we should be able to use every pistol. Or make the pistols that other professions use be not as good as a pistoleers weapon choices and shots. (ie smuggler and BH pistols and shots)

Should add what advantage or asset in group combat?
It should be if you have a squad leader in your group then each combat profession gets a small bonus to their ideal range.

How could/should they interact with other professions?
As is now, buy our weapons from weaponsmiths. etc.

What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants?
As with all combat professions, a group of mixed fighters will do the best as opposed to all of one profession. This will seem to be even more true once the balancing is finished.

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

Maybe have special badges within factions for your weapon. (ie. a medallion for your weapon andskillsor something like that.)

Each combat profession, when mastered,should be a dangerous adversary to another. As pistoleers, BH's should not laugh at us. Each profession will be a neccesity to win a raid or group battle.

I'm really looking forward to this being completed. Yes Thunderheart you will never make everyone totally happy, but thats to be expected. But I will have to say it will be much funner when things are more balanced in terms of combat, especially in PvP. Maybe then you won't have everyone trying to be the uber fighter that is going on right now.

TH : I think Pistoleers should be able to to equip 2 pistols as it is in the name Pistoleer..... cmon the idea is said in that name. What kind of gun slinger does not equip 2 blasters with them.

Mabey take this into consideration make it so it does more damage but accuracy is greatly reduce

And there is always the situation where people can quick equip it with the hot key, but to resolve that just make it so a pistoleer must equip the amount of pistols out of 2 before combat and may not equip another or add another within there hands.

I didn't take the time to read through this entire post, so my apologies if I repeat anything.

The role of the pistoleer should be short-ranged combat, just one step removed from melee. The pistol is a last resort, self-defense weapon, due to its very limited accuracy at long ranges.The game should reflect this. The pistol is not usually a weapon of battlefields. It is a weapon of city streets and back alleys, cantinas and spaceports.

A pistoleer's role in combat should be to closewith the enemy and inflict damage, or to respond to the enemy doing the same. As such, they should receive the highest defensive bonuses of any of the ranged combat professions. They should receive the lowest offensive bonuses since they usually fight at a closer range than the other professions, and therefore do not develop the same accuracy as Riflemen and Carbineers, nor do they need to, since they usually fight much closer to their targets. Pistoleers should be the best at fighting melee opponents, receiving little if any penalty when doing so.

That's all for now. I'll add more later.