Rifleman Archive
Thread: my rifleman issues... need some advice
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pircio
Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:15 pm
#1
ok currently my character is a 3-1-0-2 rifleman on his way to becoming master. i wear full composite exept for arms, i'm almost a master doc so losing action is not a problem, i can heal it max in one shot.i have been using a t21 rifle since novice, sliced down to a 5.2 speed, and ur average max 400 or so damage.
ASIDE FROM CONCEAL SHOT, i notice no difference from novice. conceal shot is cool cause i can sit and kill stormtroopers all day and then they don't even look at me, but its slow, and quite frankly, boring. yes i have noticed a slight difference in speed throughout the boxes but not enough to make a great difference.
the biggest problem i have is my ability to kill things efficiently, or lack their of. i can't kill a group of shaupaut hunters. i have a powerup on my rifle that lowers the point blank range, i'm hitting 90% of the time. reason? i attack too slow... and because there are 5 of em on me they just r@pe through me, most importantly, my mind. so i cant use any special attacks because its draining me real bad. my mind is maxed, so is my willpower,and my focus is near maxed, leaving me at minimums for health, action, and those secondaries, so its not low stats. my brandy is 450, i take 2, so its not that. i tend not to use synthesteak or anything else to interfere with my med foods. i'm not saying that i want to go solo kraytes or NS's... i just want to be able to go hunt effectively.
so if i'm attacking slow maybe i should get another weapon, soi did, a spraystick. it was a krayte spraystick lowered to i think a 1.4 i want to say, 30 to like 150 dmg sound about right? it attacks fast, real fast, constant fast, i can special all day, until my mind gets screwed, which it does. i went to lok and managed to kill 2 mercenaries using mindshot1, mindshot 2, and then trying different combinations of headshots, before my mind was to a point where i had to take off. if i just sit there and normal attack, i dont do enough damage for it to matter.
so its either fast attacking high mind cost riflevs a slow attacking getting destroyed waiting rifle.
lastly, my alt is a 0-1-1-1 swordsman, using a 2-handed curved sword that i got for 50k. he's fully armored (just novice medic), and can slaughter just about anything on naboo. at one point i had 8 shaupaut hunters on me (yeah i know shaupauts but i like naboo and i was trying to get exp and find kaadu at the same time) and i was able to area attack them dead in no time flat, which ensued to around 20,000 exp in a matter of 30 seconds. i dont use the powerhammer yet because of the speed, and i hardly use the mind attacks, normal hits are fine for what i'm killing. he puts my rifleman to shame.
i like rifleman, the ranged aspect, i'm a doc, i dont want to be in the front lines, but this mindless grinding seems to be pointless. please tell me what i am doing wrong.. my next box will be the sniper tree to get that 4th box putting me at 4-1-0-2
should i be using a different gun? attack method? idk....
GodlyOne
Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:18 pm
#2
Get crates of c12 grenades and grind combat xp with them to get rifle abilities all the way up. It helps a bunch with grinding. Oh yeah and mind buffs, brandy, canape, and ahrisa are your friend.
Message Edited by GodlyOne on 12-28-2004 08:19 PM
Ackehece
Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:33 pm
#3
every single point of rifle speed is precious at low levels. I woud suggest a speed powerup and maybe speed attachments if you can afford them
next try a laser rifle rather then the t-21 or the spraystick.
also use canapes and brandy for your food... your specials should never touch your mind if you do that.
musican/dancer buffs help mightly
the higher you climb your speed line the faster the experience rolls in and the great your kill speed.
Waste93
Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:38 pm
#4
Honestly this is a common Rifle complaint. If you don't have the combat XP to dump into Rifles right away you are going to be slow. The fastest rifle you are going to find is the Spraystick which you already have.
The best suggestion is to find a tank. Be it a pet or a droid. Something that can absorb damage for awhile while you hit it. I'd also recommend going up the Counter-Sniper branch to get the AoE attack. It does some nice damage and adds Stun. Which reduces the targets damage output.
ZandorFelok
Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:31 pm
#5
When I mastered rifleman the first time (about 7 months ago) I did 90% of it with a spraystick + dmg slice + dmg pups. With nov rifleman your pretty fast as it is with the typical 2.x speed spraystick. I had to grind out all the XP, did't have the luxary of being a previous combat profession w/ capped CXP. It took me a while to do, for one buffs and armor weren't that good. I am going back thru it again, different character. I am 0002 (previous combat xp) and i've got a 5.2 T21 w/ speed pups. So far w/ buffs and 80% kin armor i've been grinding out the xp pretty easy. Dantooine, quenkers, headshot from optimum range. I rarely have to make a face to face confrentation w/ a quenker b/c the T21's strength will kill the mind fast enough. But once you are able to use the DXR i'd strongly suggest you use it. 1) better range mods 2) better speed 3) high damage. Rifleman is an annoying grind but once you get master its all worth the work.
dimmu-borgir
Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:50 pm
#6
first off: go to xx3x instead of getting sniping 4, honestly, flushing2 is imo, the best special for rifleman, as it is a strong aoe with a stun state attached, cant really go wrong...
as for rifle choice, get a good e11, a well made one will have very good accuracy, 4ish speed and probably 250ish max (if you can get your hands on a krayt tissue (yes, you only need one), id suggest doing so, as it greatly increases their performance) also, throw a stock, scope and barrell on, will help damage output, and possibly speed...
as for the spraystick. i hate it, sure, the speed is very nice, but the damage output is way too low imo, also, they cannot be krayted.
as for rifle choice, get a good e11, a well made one will have very good accuracy, 4ish speed and probably 250ish max (if you can get your hands on a krayt tissue (yes, you only need one), id suggest doing so, as it greatly increases their performance) also, throw a stock, scope and barrell on, will help damage output, and possibly speed...
as for the spraystick. i hate it, sure, the speed is very nice, but the damage output is way too low imo, also, they cannot be krayted.
Tarnak_Archvold
Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:44 pm
#7
I am not a master rifleman yet, but I can answer some of thoughts questions as well.
While a spraystick cannot be made with krayt tissues (it does not take power handles), there are enhancers for them. It only uses one Projectile Feed Mechanism, and thoughts can be enhanced with Spider Fangs, Gorax Bone Shards, or some of the loot from Nym NPCs/Droideka's on Lok.
Also instead of using a point blank power up, try using a mind encumbrance one... -30% on the mind use should help thoughts special along.
Do not use "full" composite if you are fighting creatures. Go for a high kinetic ubers, and only a 4-piece suit (helmet, gloves, boots, jacket). That should help on the mind encumbrance as well. And make sure the helmet is sliced for encumbrance as that is the largest single drain on the secondary mind stats.
I use a 3-piece suit of ubes armour, ( jacket+boots+gloves, no helmet), and I have no trouble killing the animals on Naboo. I do not even get a chance to use my traps so my ranger skills do not help me on that front. In fact, I have not had any problem with any pray on Naboo since I got conceal shot.
While a spraystick cannot be made with krayt tissues (it does not take power handles), there are enhancers for them. It only uses one Projectile Feed Mechanism, and thoughts can be enhanced with Spider Fangs, Gorax Bone Shards, or some of the loot from Nym NPCs/Droideka's on Lok.
Also instead of using a point blank power up, try using a mind encumbrance one... -30% on the mind use should help thoughts special along.
Do not use "full" composite if you are fighting creatures. Go for a high kinetic ubers, and only a 4-piece suit (helmet, gloves, boots, jacket). That should help on the mind encumbrance as well. And make sure the helmet is sliced for encumbrance as that is the largest single drain on the secondary mind stats.
I use a 3-piece suit of ubes armour, ( jacket+boots+gloves, no helmet), and I have no trouble killing the animals on Naboo. I do not even get a chance to use my traps so my ranger skills do not help me on that front. In fact, I have not had any problem with any pray on Naboo since I got conceal shot.
-Redux-
Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:42 pm
#8
The speed for rifleman is slow until you get to the last few boxes of the skills tree and master. The speed is totally different at master.
Focus is key for rifleman shots. First your stats need to be high in Focus. Get them migrated. I never go out unbuffed, so my Mind is 1100, Focus 850, and Willpower 850. Get yourself Arhisa and Vasarian Brandy. Make sure you get a Music Buff to enhance focus and willpower. Once you have these things, you should be able to spam specials with no effect on your mind, even wearing a high encumberance helmet.
Special shots will get you a lot more experience than regular shots. Also, learn to assess your target. If you are facing a target with a lower mind than health, use your mindshots andheadshots. Remember that mindshots are bleeds, and you can stack Mindshot1 and Mindshot2. If it has lower ham, then use Flurry 1 or Flushing 1. Once you get higher up, then you can start using the area of effect shots like Flurry 2 and Straffe2.
It does take some time to grind rifleman, but from where you are at in your template, you should be able to finish in a few days if you work at it.
Message Edited by -Redux- on 12-29-2004 01:27 AM
Va-Mei
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:13 am
#9
A fewthings I didn't see from above...
If your just fighting critters, and no ones shooting at you, ditch the Comp armor in favor of a nice low encumberence Ubese set.
If you have a tank you trust to keep the bad guys attention,loose the helmet. That thing can suck 200 or more points from your focus.
Beyond getting a Laser Rifle or E11 for the speed, the special attack cost is lower.
If your mind isisthelimiting factor, then avoid speed sliced weapons. Get a damage sliced one and you'lldo more damage per mind use.
and last... Don't compare a rifleman in training to any training melee character. There is one box in the rifleman tree that truley gives us our power; Master. Until you get that, you will always besecond bestwhen compared to a melee character.
Message Edited by Va-Mei on 12-28-2004 11:19 PM
BrerLapin
Wed Dec 29, 2004 2:03 am
#10
Didnt know the bleeds stacked?
Anyhoo Ive never used a Laser rifle dont like the variability. Get a decent T-21 a speed powerup & a mind buff or at least brandy (Im a wook so I cant comment on armour but certainly Ubese) & spam conceal if youve gotten a damage slice you can try the prone, takecover Mindshot headshot head shot headshot & hope they die before they reach you.
I totally agree with the aboves comment about Flurry shot combined with Marksmans suppression PD attack its rawks.
Waste93
Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:39 pm
#11
-Redux- wrote:
Special shots will get you a lot more experience than regular shots. Also, learn to assess your target. If you are facing a target with a lower mind than health, use your mindshots andheadshots. Remember that mindshots are bleeds, and you can stack Mindshot1 and Mindshot2. If it has lower ham, then use Flurry 1 or Flushing 1. Once you get higher up, then you can start using the area of effect shots like Flurry 2 and Straffe2.
Point of clarification. Specials do not effect the amount of experience you gain. What specials do is allow you to kill the target quicker and hence gain more XP in the same amount of time.
Mindshot/Headshot is a good combo even when the targets Mind pools isn't lower than the Health. The reason being that it's a pool targeting attack and lets you concentrate on one pool. While randoms spread across the three pools. So though the MS/HS have a lower damage multiplier, they often allow quicker kills.
I believe the random chances are 50% Health, 33% Action, and 17% Mind (3/2/1 ratio).
pircio
Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:35 pm
#12
thanks guys... tonight i'll have new armor, some new weapons, and a couple things to try out
i appreciate your massive amount of feedback, i WILL master rifleman if it kills me, just need to get past the frustration... i'll let ya know what i come up with
-Redux-
Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:32 am
#13
Yeah...I should have said specials get you more experiencefaster or if you are fighting with a group they get you more experience because you are dealing more of the damage. Thanks for the help Waste.
Waste93 wrote:
-Redux- wrote:
Special shots will get you a lot more experience than regular shots. Also, learn to assess your target. If you are facing a target with a lower mind than health, use your mindshots andheadshots. Remember that mindshots are bleeds, and you can stack Mindshot1 and Mindshot2. If it has lower ham, then use Flurry 1 or Flushing 1. Once you get higher up, then you can start using the area of effect shots like Flurry 2 and Straffe2.
Point of clarification. Specials do not effect the amount of experience you gain. What specials do is allow you to kill the target quicker and hence gain more XP in the same amount of time.
Mindshot/Headshot is a good combo even when the targets Mind pools isn't lower than the Health. The reason being that it's a pool targeting attack and lets you concentrate on one pool. While randoms spread across the three pools. So though the MS/HS have a lower damage multiplier, they often allow quicker kills.
I believe the random chances are 50% Health, 33% Action, and 17% Mind (3/2/1 ratio).
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