Game Guides Archive
Thread: New character help!
ArtesMagae wrote:
I am thinking of creating a smuggler, tk, and pistoleer (all master) Ithorian when I get my JTL. It doesn't sound like a bad set of professions to have fun with. But will I be able to be useful in combat? Any input or tips are very welcome. Thanks!
Ok, I have been a pistoleer/smuggler myself.....though I had master fencer instead of TKM....but first the bad things about this template.
1) your ranged defense is considerablity low....in the 50's I believe......rifleman, carbineers, commando's, BH's will eat you up providing COB, Armor, Food or dodge don't come into play a lot or if you don't use SEA's to boost your RD.
2) your firepower is decent (smugglers low blow and last ditch helps greatly though) for inexperienced pvp'ers orlow - mid level mobs,but without a great stun weapon and being speed capped with pistols (only SEA's orBH pistol line will speed cap you), you will have major problems with a veteran defense stacker and will definitely need help when fighting anything with light armor, high HAM and very high resist (75%, 80%, 90%). Even with Smuggler specials you won't be that powerful....you'll actually be using feign death more than last ditch or any pistoleer specials mainly because your defense vs mods is only average.
3) Average Def vs mods.....means you will most likely have your damage output halved by being intimidated, stunned..etc. for PVP, the ideal def vs. mods need to be at least 70+...especially for dizzy and KD.....if those 2 are low....you won't stand a chance at all no matter how good your armor is because you'll be on the ground more than on your feet....it's even worse when a hard hitting mob KD's you....if you think 3k damage is high when your standing...guess how much it will hurt when your on your back......yup! first class ticket to the cloning center and hosiptal.....ah love the sound of those bacta tanks do you?
4) a lot of pistol specials are either broke or not very effective....bleeding shots used to rule for pistoleers but since the nerf that's just one more special that makes pistoleer weaker and less ineffective. Only really good specials are stopping shot (to be most effective need to be speed capped), fan shot, body shot 2 maybe 3 depending on the situation, overcharge shot 2 (but you need master marksman for this), warning shot, threaten shot and suppression fire 1 (all 3 need ranged support from marksman) and pistol melee defense 1.
The good thing about this template is mainly Meditate, Powerboost, tanking ability, dodge, feign death, last ditch, low blow, pistol melee defense 1 (does a very highly accurate KD more effective than low blow but less powerful), very high accuracy while moving, possibility of speed capping easilyand versatility of fighting both in close and distance as well as taking down large mobs very fast providing their resistances are not too high.
In a group this template will rack up the most xp of all professionssimply because of the speed and wide range of specials that hit multiple targets even in a 360 degree arc....though multi-target pistol shot is broken (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't). also if you have a tank, you will be very very effective in either a group or solo with your pet(s).
second, you can always switch to TKM which is the best tank in the gamealong withpikeman....yes, pikes are better tanks than a swordsman for speed and defensive specials that are area attacks alone, swordsman are pure power, that's it.....this is from experience not speculation.
Being Tkm also means you can heal faster...don't have to sit in the hospital or seek a medic/doc. Since I've been a TKM, I haven't been in the hospital yet (big time saver). In combat, the extra HAM from powerboost helps the mind pool a lot also. Since TKM's are speed capped at master with no needed SEA's providing you use VK's with 2.1 speed or less, you can dish out some great damage and status effects as well as hit every HAM bar or focus on any one of your choice....(TKM is the only profession that can solely target any HAM bar of your choice).
Non-combat bonuses.....you'll be able to slice your own weapons and armor making it easier to get that perfect damaging weapon or high resistant armor or low HAM armor (whichever you like).....you can make loads of money slicing (I made 100 - 300k an hour easilywhen I was a smuggler (all those full suit slices).....you look cool in your TKM garments 
......and spices will make a major comeback when the combat upgrade comes out....and who knows what benefits JTL will bring for smugglers in the future....at least I expect something for them.
Sum it all up and you have a great template only if you understand that you will need SEA's and that you have to use strategy when fighting a superior opponent....brute force is not a good idea with any ranged profession.
my info is by no means perfect....this is just from my experience and my play style.....but the basics are the same no matter what you do