Ranger Archive
Thread: To buff or not to buff, that is the question.
Cango
Thu Mar 03, 2005 3:33 pm
#14
I use buffs, I dont rely on them. Yavin leathery hide is currently selling for 35 cpu on my server. I buff up, put on the composite, go hunting. When my buffs die, or if I have to log in the middle of yavin 4, so be it. I log back on/my buffs drop, my armor goes off, and I keep hunting.
Note to self, I still cant concealshot to death a gorax, while unbuffed, as a 3123 rifleman/2041 Ranger....
Note to self, I still cant concealshot to death a gorax, while unbuffed, as a 3123 rifleman/2041 Ranger....
DureenaBadKarma
Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:20 pm
#15
I just thought of a great example! *grins like she's some kind of super star!*
I was out killing Black Sun (again!) the other day and a TK guild friend popped along to say Hi (viva /findfriend!). He found me lying in the dirt, 60m from a Henchman, using conceal shot, then waiting for my HAM to replenish, etc
2 comments came from this incident.
The first one was "I didn't even know you could play the game like that". He was astounded that you could lie down and snipe, and keep your distance at 60m by crawling under cover (why do those BS wander about so much 
) and not run up and shoot them pointblank in the chin OR run round the forest like a maniac with them chasing you like some Benny Hill sketch.
) and not run up and shoot them pointblank in the chin OR run round the forest like a maniac with them chasing you like some Benny Hill sketch.The 2nd comment and this was the clincher for me was "Why are your health and action dropping? Is he hitting you?". Reply "No, he doesn't know I'm here due to camo and conceal shot. My H and A are going down because of my specials.. conceal shot mostly". His reply, "Oh, I thought specials only cost mind"
He has spent his whole SWG life (and that is well over a year!) with has stats SO buffed up he didn't even know that specials cost on all pools. As stated above, due to buffs and so on, mind is the weak pool and as this is the only one he ever saw move he assumed that specials just cost mind.
And I hate to say it, but this guy is not rare or unusual... well, not in that sense! 
LordArkon
Thu Mar 03, 2005 5:30 pm
#16
Depending on what I'm doing, I'll be buffed or unbuffed. If I'm hunting Corellian Avian, there's no way I'm going to bother getting buffed. If I'm after Dathomir Carni meat,yes, I'm going to get buffed. Being a TKM, I just find buffing easier when I'm after resources. I can bang out lair after lair much quicker, and increase my harvests by buffing. If I were to go after the Dath Carni unbuffed, sure I can do it. But it's going to take me longer. Which is going to cut down on the amount of meat I can get in the time I have to play. Which in turn will cut down my bank account more then spending 12-15k on buffs.
Really it's all a matter of preference. Right now buffs are there, they make my life easier for some things, so I'm gonna use em.
Really it's all a matter of preference. Right now buffs are there, they make my life easier for some things, so I'm gonna use em.
KaiRaene
Thu Mar 03, 2005 7:31 pm
#17
As a Master Rifleman I used to do the majority of my hunting unbuffed. I kept alot of drinks and food on me. Not to mention muon gold and neutron pixie. These things always kept me alive long enough to lose any aggro that broke my maskscent/camo or took a bleed from my concealshot. Otherwise I just used some good stim-bs to deal with my special uses. Nothing is worse than knowing you incapped yourself using specials while fighting. Which is one thing I am looking forward to in the combat upgrade. It will be nice to be able to get out out and fight and just have to wait to use a special again instead of getting killed or incapped.
Now, as a TKM I find its alot better to soloing unbuffed. I have a harder time against anything that has a ranged attack but I have the ability to heal my own wounds, diseases and poisons. I can give myself the powerboost to get my stats a bit higher. Add to this two brandies, A couple of vercupti if I am stuck in a tight spot and some spice for eventualities. That was basically my recipe for soloing the corvette. Meditate, powerboots, pixie, brandy, synthsteak for a mad dash thru a crowded area. And good stim-bs.
Now, that being said I am only presently 3-0-4-0 scout, 0-4-4-0 Doctor and TKM. Two of my guildmates wanted to try other things and dropped doc. So, I inherited all their buff packs and figured why not. So, I am now the guild buffer. I miss Ranger alot. Mostly the tracking but I still do pretty well.
I also picked up doc to buff myself while I decided to grind some FS xp. I dont mind getting a buff I just hate having to wait in a stupid line for it. Thats the main reason I never got buffs. Hate the hassle of finding a doc who wasnt price gouging.
With Doc I can convert 80k medicine xp to 8k FS. TKM gives me 60kish FS xp when I go in after maxing unarmed. Like today I spent two buff sessions on Dantooine collecting a fair amount of hides from the local creatures and a few credits from kungas. Not to mention one of them was hoarding 454 units of horn! Woot! I logged out fairly tired of fighting but I did get about 140k FS xp. Not a monumental amount but it makes me happy.
What really stands out to me about buffs is that buffs are for grinding or fighting the big boys of the planets. If I dont get buffs I just run around. I used to love to shift a few points around and get some of the rifle line of marksman and dress up as a tusken running around Tat acting like a crosseyed tusken who cant hit nothing.. lol.
Basically to me buffing equals going to grind and get your moneys worth.
No buffs=fun.
Buffs=time=money=grinding.
Buffs arent necessary for the majority of things in SWG if you wanna use tanks, tactics or strategies. I choose to be buffed while I do my hunting. Not everyones cup of tea but it is my choice. Plus I have paid for like 2 million credits worth of buffs for the guild. I will make sure they get some use.. lol.
Now, as a TKM I find its alot better to soloing unbuffed. I have a harder time against anything that has a ranged attack but I have the ability to heal my own wounds, diseases and poisons. I can give myself the powerboost to get my stats a bit higher. Add to this two brandies, A couple of vercupti if I am stuck in a tight spot and some spice for eventualities. That was basically my recipe for soloing the corvette. Meditate, powerboots, pixie, brandy, synthsteak for a mad dash thru a crowded area. And good stim-bs.
Now, that being said I am only presently 3-0-4-0 scout, 0-4-4-0 Doctor and TKM. Two of my guildmates wanted to try other things and dropped doc. So, I inherited all their buff packs and figured why not. So, I am now the guild buffer. I miss Ranger alot. Mostly the tracking but I still do pretty well.
I also picked up doc to buff myself while I decided to grind some FS xp. I dont mind getting a buff I just hate having to wait in a stupid line for it. Thats the main reason I never got buffs. Hate the hassle of finding a doc who wasnt price gouging.
With Doc I can convert 80k medicine xp to 8k FS. TKM gives me 60kish FS xp when I go in after maxing unarmed. Like today I spent two buff sessions on Dantooine collecting a fair amount of hides from the local creatures and a few credits from kungas. Not to mention one of them was hoarding 454 units of horn! Woot!
I logged out fairly tired of fighting but I did get about 140k FS xp. Not a monumental amount but it makes me happy. What really stands out to me about buffs is that buffs are for grinding or fighting the big boys of the planets. If I dont get buffs I just run around. I used to love to shift a few points around and get some of the rifle line of marksman and dress up as a tusken running around Tat acting like a crosseyed tusken who cant hit nothing.. lol.
Basically to me buffing equals going to grind and get your moneys worth.
No buffs=fun.
Buffs=time=money=grinding.
Buffs arent necessary for the majority of things in SWG if you wanna use tanks, tactics or strategies. I choose to be buffed while I do my hunting. Not everyones cup of tea but it is my choice. Plus I have paid for like 2 million credits worth of buffs for the guild. I will make sure they get some use.. lol.
Zaene1
Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:31 pm
#18
TKM / MR had been my original template. I found it difficult to fight unbuffed. I really couldn't attack something without taking some hits but while buffed it didn't matter. But lately I have been playing at odd hours where not many others are and finding a doc became next to impossible. Eventually my guild started a buff bot but I heard that the devs are working to get rid of any afk play so again, eventually it will be difficult to get a buff if I'm playing at an odd hour and this was worrying me.
One day when the blue frogs were on TC I decided to try a Rifleman / Ranger template. Oh, my, god, was that a big difference. I was taking down everything and not getting aggroed. I realized I could easily do away with buffs and began dropping TK for Rifles. I started using brandy as a mind buff but have even stopped doing that. I am at novice rifleman (0001) and hunting Bol lairs on Dant without any armor, buffs or problems and only get aggroed when I've done something stupid (which usually happens when I try to rush things).
I am kind of worried about how this template will be effected by the CU but in the mean time I'm very happy to be hunting this way and paying more attention to tactics.
As for getting resources and filling contracts, yeah, if I'm rushed I'll buff up. But still no armor.
agent156
Fri Mar 04, 2005 12:34 am
#19
Calculus_Entropy wrote:Also, I am mostly sure that all attacks from critters are kinetic.
Creaturs all kinetic? No way, watch your combat spam. Compare it to your resists. Some times my PSG catches ranged damage from criters so stun, heat, cold, or electricity (none has been low enough to be the energy kicking in). Mele on criters is kinetic yes. Their ranged attacks how ever... that's a mixed bag.
Calculus_Entropy
Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:47 am
#20
It seems there is a common misnomer that becuase you predominantly hunt buffed, you don't know how to fight. This thread is meant to discussthat topic. For this conversation, I will use the term 'buffed' to describe someone who spends most of their combat life buffed and the term 'unbuffed' to describe someone who spends most of their combat life unbuffed.
- One argument I have seen is that those of us that hunt buffed don't know tactics. I would have to say that we know tactics, just a different kind. I go up against mobs all the time that should kill me, even with buffs (we know I'm not a stacker becuase I am a Master Ranger). My hunting companion(s) and I have a great system that is so effective against even the toughest mobs, that we very rarely die (again, none of my friends are stackers).
- Another argument, that I find to be ludicrous, is that those of us that usebuffs won't know what to do in combat after the CU. This is total hogwash to say at this time, because there isn't a soul that knows what combat will be like after the CU (mot even teh corrs/alpha testers, yet). What makes people so sure that since they don't buff, they will automatically know how to fight in the new system? We will all have to learn it.
Please post your feedback, have discussion, whatever you like, but know that all flames and trolling will be reported. keep it civil guys .
Combat_Medic_to_be
Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:56 am
#21
I agrre completely with both comments. Until now I have spent most of my life buffed but intend to learn the ways of unbuffed fighting mainly to save time/money on buffing and for a bit of fun. Kinda disapointed that I got incapped by spineflaps on naboo today though... No food mind you, got attacked by a soldier, a hand maiden another (cnt remember what type) and a baby soldier. Was very disapointed at how much damage my armour prevented, it kicked in twice stopping a grand total of 2pts worth of damage
PSG didnt stop any of the damage from their ranged attacks either. If they do acid damage then it would all make sense
PSG didnt stop any of the damage from their ranged attacks either. If they do acid damage then it would all make sense
Calculus_Entropy
Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:59 am
#22
2 comments, CM2B . Befriend a Doc and you will usually get free buffs, and good conversation . Also, I am mostly sure that all attacks from critters are kinetic.
. Befriend a Doc and you will usually get free buffs, and good conversation . Also, I am mostly sure that all attacks from critters are kinetic.
Hakai
Fri Mar 04, 2005 8:51 am
#23
i honestly think one of the largest issues are Stat migrations.
Too many players have no idea how their stats effect how they play (including how encumberance works in the big picture).
I spent about 2 hours explaining how stats effected her gameplay (her HAM pools were draining almost instantaniously every time she used a special. Never understood how bad it was until she told me it usualy takes a minute or two to take out a gorg. A GORG!!!).
after she learned some of the ropes, she was able to take out things much easier and walk around confident that she wouldn't kill herself.
She was literally on the bottom end of the spectrum in which she was killing herslef with specials and never used them without buffs....period. (she also never took her armor off.....she wasn't able to put it on without any buffs either).
JokitoRoyo
Fri Mar 04, 2005 9:44 am
#24
Clearly depends on the situation. When I am hunting I go unbuffed, keep brandy and milk with me, use pixie or Muon on occation.I keep a good pace of kills going and enjo the evening.
When I go on a vette run or DWB or something else my guildiesneed some help on, I grab a buff. Human targets do not react like critters. I do the best I can to help the group as a whole. With the buffs and armor I can take a hit or two (maybe) froma Super Battle Droid or a really really angree CorSec Agent.
The main difference I see is that most of the guild events seem to be in enclosed areas that I can't really /burstrun in any direction to escape. I have to stay with the group and just endure the damage. When I am hunting prey for fun or profit I usually have the escape route planned out and have become an expert at that style of play. At the most I'll get a mind buff so I can lay off the brandy for a bit.
I see no problem with hunting buffed or unbuffed. To each their own.
AragornSoS
Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:32 am
#25
But does being buffed really help you go any faster with those capper spineflaps etc icarus? I'm hunting the same stuff right now, and so far, just me, a BE razor cat tank, and a single shot of brandy + my veghash, and I'm ripping thru everything I see, pretty much only stopping to quickly harvest everything I just dropped, quick areatrack, and I'm off to the next target. I guess I'm using *some* amount of tactics in that I take position far away from the lair or creatures, send in my cat to draw the aggro and tank, and then proceed to wipe out just about everything in front of me with only 2 or maybe 3 strafeshot2's plus some well placed regular attacks.
I tend to fight and hunt more unbuffed and unarmored now since I didn't like how I saw myself playing when I was buffing and wearing comp. I was getting sloppy, and on a couple of occassions fell into the trap of not paying attention and getting incapped, and once or twice even db'd, even when buffed because I stopped thinking about what was around and just assumed I was invulnerable. Now that I don't wear any armor, just BE clothes, and only use chef food - Ifind that I'm a lot more careful, I scout around for the best location to take something down from, I double check what's beyond what I'm shooting at (don't want to so a strafeshot2 and pull something bigger and nastier that I wasn't planning to onto me, for example) - I think a lot more about what I'm doing before I do it. Sure, with stuff like the spineflaps on naboo right now, I don't HAVE to think quite so much - but being without armor, I still do, becuase I know I'm not "invulnerable" and I know I can't just spam specials 'till the fambaa's come home. So I knew how to hunt, but I was defintiely lulled into a bit of complacency by buffing, and really don't like to do it now for normal "hunting". Heck, after I did the healer's quest in the village with no armor, no buffs, and only my camo on (which mostly worked against the sith), I feel pretty good about not buffing these days. It's definitely more challenging at times, but I find it a lot more fun most of the time.
I see your point Calc, if I was a TKM or some other combat prof and acting as tank against some really high end MOB, I'd probably value buffs a lot more. But as a Rifleman, at least for now - if I'm dumb enough to let something get close enough to have it whap me, well- I figure I deserve that trip to the cloner. I don't see anything inherently *wrong* with buffing, I still do sometimes get mind buffs if I have a lot of time to play, and I do buff on occassion when I'm going to try my hand at something a bit higher end than normal hunting... but it's mostly a matter of not wanting to get into the habit of being lazy when I play, and not having a play schedule where I can afford to get online and play for 2, 3, 4 or more hours at a stretch. If I'm only going to be on for 20-30 min or an hour or even two, why waste a good portion of that time flying somewhere to find a doc, waiting in a line for 10-20 min to get a buff, flying to where I want to hunt, THEN start out to find what I want to go after? In that 10-30 min I wasted getting buffed, I could have easily made a 2-4k stack of even Naboo scaley (like I did this AM) without doing anything other than popping some chef foods.
I don't see anything inherently *wrong* with buffing, I still do sometimes get mind buffs if I have a lot of time to play, and I do buff on occassion when I'm going to try my hand at something a bit higher end than normal hunting... but it's mostly a matter of not wanting to get into the habit of being lazy when I play, and not having a play schedule where I can afford to get online and play for 2, 3, 4 or more hours at a stretch. If I'm only going to be on for 20-30 min or an hour or even two, why waste a good portion of that time flying somewhere to find a doc, waiting in a line for 10-20 min to get a buff, flying to where I want to hunt, THEN start out to find what I want to go after? In that 10-30 min I wasted getting buffed, I could have easily made a 2-4k stack of even Naboo scaley (like I did this AM) without doing anything other than popping some chef foods.
Aerec_Krouse
Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:52 am
#26
As a Master Swordsman, I do both depending on what I'm doing.
If I'm on Talus or Rori, I don't bother with buffs, just a brandy or two to keep the mind going for stims and woundpacks. Dantooine depends on what I'm hunting there. Anything up to Savage Quenkers I'll go unbuffed, just brandied and I'll keep the swoop close - just in case anything else pokes its ugly head in *cough* Random Graul Mauler Lair that spawns on your head *cough*. Anything super tough on Dantooine, I'll get a buff.
Lok and Yavin, well, I just don't go, full stop, but lets say a meteorite hit the planets and wiped out all ophidian life on those planets, then I'd more than likely go buffed.
Endor and Dathomir. I've been to both unbuffed and didn't stay very long (except in the cloner), so I usually go buffed.
If I'm on Talus or Rori, I don't bother with buffs, just a brandy or two to keep the mind going for stims and woundpacks. Dantooine depends on what I'm hunting there. Anything up to Savage Quenkers I'll go unbuffed, just brandied and I'll keep the swoop close - just in case anything else pokes its ugly head in *cough* Random Graul Mauler Lair that spawns on your head *cough*. Anything super tough on Dantooine, I'll get a buff.
Lok and Yavin, well, I just don't go, full stop, but lets say a meteorite hit the planets and wiped out all ophidian life on those planets, then I'd more than likely go buffed.
Endor and Dathomir. I've been to both unbuffed and didn't stay very long (except in the cloner), so I usually go buffed.