Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Droid Engineer, Droid Commander, and Droid Cert System A possible compromise
Well, as usual, whenever I read a post from a correspondent (granted i only read fencer and DE boards at this point) I am blown away. Drashk you have a very well thought out compromise.
Personally, I think that combat driods should be limited to only certain (a) profession(s). Really, the last thing I'd want to see is my buddy who is a CH running around with two Grual Maulers (or rancors) and a couple of driods blasting everything. But, even though I am a DE, who started into the proffesion to make driods, I'd like to be able to use a combat driod. Obviously your plan worked that out to make me happy. A thik a Driod COMMANDER (handler would down play the difference between a DC and CH, as I thin there should be a big difference at least in principle) would be a good idea and the cert system would too as anybody could own a combat driod reguardless of profession so long as they are willing to cough up the XP and skill points.
Awesome job!
Or you could do the simplest and most RESPECTFUL thing for those DE that have withered the storm of being the forgotten crafting class and base all droid use on skill tier’s. This would protect against low end players using highly powerful droids.
If this “Idea” takes shape I request the DE Correspondent make an appeal to the Developers to grant all DE a one time free master crafting skill respec.
I did not grind out my frames to become a “JedI” I did it because I chose to. I did not however know I was going to be the wet nurse supplier to one specific droid control class.
This is Star Wars EVERYONE should be able to control droids.
Wow, you all are a busy posting bunch! I am fairly new to SWG (less than 2 months), however i have been playing and playtesting RPG's for almost 20 yrs now. First, Kudos to SOE and the community for getting the game to where it is now. I'm sure the current game mechanic/build is in large part thanks to all of you. Second, MAD KUDOS to Drashk for taking the time to so wonderfully think this idea thru. (And i'm sure this took awhile) Third, I highly doubt anyone at SOE will ever read this or care, but hey in my humble opinion this might be the perfect solution to this problem.
FIRST - NO CERTIFICATIONS FOR COMBAT DROIDS!!!! Just as not everyone can heal, buff, use certain weapons/tools, etc. - Not everyone should be able to control an UBER combat droid!! Can anyone use a level 70 pet (i don't believe they can, but as i said i am new-ish and have 0 pets - i'd rather have mechanical things thank you - and if everyone can use a level 70 pet that should be changed immed.) Therefore only Droid Eng. and Droid Commanders should have access to the high level droids! Everyone else should be able to use some kind of utility and / or combat droid, but not the high end ones!! This should also apply to utility droids - should a starting novice medic be able to use the same top of the line med droid as a master doctor - i think not!
SECOND - Droid Commander should be a Hybrid Profession - no questions asked! I like the Eng 4 and Ranged support 4 pre reqs, but might i suggest some slightly more limiting requirements. Such as Eng 4, Ranged Support 4, and Exploration 4 - this makes sense because a Droid Commander should be mobile(Explore 4), Tactical (Ranged Support 4) and Mechanical (Eng 4), this also allows DC to be combined with DE at master level (assuming DC takes the same 63 skillpts as DE), but at the expense of everything else. The main thing is to make sure master DC and CH are not possible at the same time by one character!!! Also DC should not be able to combine with master BH, Commando and possibly combat medic? At first i lumped squad leader with that, but a squad leader/ droid commander could be an interesting and natural combination (so long as a you cannot get Squad Leader xp from your droids). (Or one could require Master Droid Eng to be a Droid Commander - but then DC better be almost as cool as Jedi!!!)
THIRD - Droid Commander should definitely be a new proffesion! I agree with Drashk Droid Commander is much better than droid handler. After all i have never seen anyone in a star wars film that would claim to be a droid handler - but many would poudly lay claim to Droid Commander - in fact you even see a few (assuming that is what they are) in the Geonosian battle in Ep 2. Also by seperating the proffesions you make a clear distinction between crafting and combat - A lot of DE's will leave the Prof if you make them fight to gain levels. Conversely many combat junkies will never play a Droid Commander if they have to spend lots of time crafting. By seperating the two SOE would maximize the # of players appeased. Droid Commander would also legitimize DE as a real prof! Right now only doctors, crafters, and BH's want droids. With a Droid Commander the demand for Droids will go thru the roof!!! (Heck combat droids of any kind would drive up demand)
FOURTH - PvP and PvE battlefields!!! A skilled Master Droid Commander should be a fearsome sight on the battlefield. They would add depth to battle strategy and tactics, as well as help smaller groups of Players contend with larger forces.
Okay, if anyone else really like this and has the SOE devs ear - please feel free to pass along. Remember the most important thing to consider here is the overall game balance. Uber Droids must be kept out of the hands of the masses!! Only DC's should be able to control squads/ armies of droids!!! DE must remain a crafting proffesion!!! Oh, and if the Devs allow them - any DC/DE with Destroyer Droids should be able to make a Jedi RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - after all two destroyers made Qui Gonn and Obi Wan turn tail!!
hrmpf, to all things balancemusttherebe
Khadim - Sunrunner
Master Artisan, Novice Droid Eng, Novice Merchant
Never a Jedi cause i won't jump thru SOE's hoops!