Smuggler Archive

This is not a guide how to become a triple master but how to fight as one. As I have just dropped rifles I thought I would write this up and share what I know with you guys as I still see a few posts how to fight as a Triple Master.

Triple Master: PvP Guide

So you have become the triple master, Smuggler, Pistoleer, Teras kasi Artist and are looking to take on the bad guys with your excellent skills. You go overt, go on a raid and die in seconds to the Poison throwing Jawa rifle shooting freak. This little guide is the help you defeat that l337 dood with a little dirty fighting

Equipment:

The most important thing in a PvP battle is your equipment. What it boils down to is you want the best of the best.

We are lucky here as we do not have to spend a fortune on weapons (except the Geo blaster, which is still relatively cheep compared to some weapons). You can pick up VKs, republic blasters, dx2 for next to nothing and slice them yourself. What you are looking for is a good damage slice on the VKs, you’ll be hitting speed cap anyways, and a good slice on your pistols. Unless you have tapes then you will not be hitting the speed cap on some pistols specials so a good speed slice is just as good as a good damage slice, sometimes better. I stress if you want to use pistols in PvP then get a geo as well. This thing will increase your success dramatically.

Good armour is what will keep you in the fight. It’s no good having that krayted 400 damage geo-blaster if your sent back to the cloner before you realise your in a fight. You are looking to get stun layer armour. 42% stun layers if you can, without riflemen, fencers and pistoleers will take you apart in a matter of seconds. If you can try to get good base slices on the armour. 30%+ base slice will take most stun armour up to 80% base which is what you need. You have the advantage here as you do not need to buy multiple sets of suits and take them to a smuggler. You can buy each piece and slice it till you are happy with it. If you can not afford a full stun set then I at least recommend buy a helmet a chest piece if possible. The helmet will save you from that Jawa rifle wielding mad man I spoke of before. The chest will help some against fencers and pistoleers, though without a full stun suit they still have an advantage. You also want a create of PSGs, These protect you against energy and the deadly stun damage. Get the best ones you can afford, be warned they are expensive and do not last long. Again slice them till you get a few good base slices, encumbrance is useless here. Once you get a few at 55%+ you are good to go.

Note for PSGs. These will block only a few shots before they break apart. Before you enter a fight unequip check condition and if it is still in good condition re-equip them. If you are in a raid you will need a few ready to equip as the old ones break.

Food is what you need to last a fight. The normal is vasarian brandy and vangnerian canape which boost the mind stats which helps against riflemen, bounty hunters, fencers and swordsmen that all attack the mind and will delay you dieing from combat medics. Check out good chef vendors. Aircake is usefull as dodge food, you will be hit only a few times with the dodge mod from pistoleer as well. The cocktail of food and drink is up to you. Find out which works best for you. If you find yourself getting knocked down a lot get some anti-knock down food. Poisoned a lot? There are foods out there that help. I like to use 2 brandies 1 canape and 1 Verculpti. This give me a nice all round HAM. I’ll put spice in this category as well. Only two worth mentioning Pixie and moun, have both on you and ready, it’s not always your mind that goes first.

Have all this stuff ready for a fight. It’s no good having the moun in a crate when entering a fight as you will not be able to get it. Have it out in your inventory and ready to use. I like using the third tool bar for my foods, spice and PSGs ready to take with a touch of a button.

Combat Macros:

There are whole guides to making macros and there uses. A few useful macros I use in PvP are:-

Centre of Being (This will keep you alive longer, use it always)

Macro name : CoB
/ui action clearCombatQueue; (clears combat queue)
/CenterofBeing;
/pause XX ( this is found by looking at your coB duration skill and adding +1 to it for example 36 + 1 would make for a 37 pause)
/ui action toolbarSlotXX (Putting this macro in slot XX will loop to the macro)

States (Will increase the damage you do on an opponent and lessen the damage he does on you, get all these states stuck on)

Macro name : States
/ui action clearCombatQueue;
/intimidate;

/unarmedStun1;

/unarmedBlind1;

Dizzy + Knockdown (This increase the chance a opponent will be dizzied and drop to the floor, the posture change from unarmedLunge is useful against people that have taken knockdown food.)

Macro name : DKD
/ui action clearCombatQueue;
/unarmedDizzy1;

/unarmedDizzy2;

/unarmedLunge1;

Bleed

Macro name : bleed
/ui action clearCombatQueue;
/healtshot1;
/healtshot2;

DeathBlow (save time to having to use the menu)

Macro name : DeathBlow

/unarmedHeadHit1;
/deathblow;

Tool Pane Switching (Usefull for quickly switch tool bars)

Macro name : TKM
/ui action toolbarPane00;

Macro name : Pistoleer
/ui action toolbarPane01;

Macro name : Foods
/ui action toolbarPane01;

Feign Death (Only useful if TEFed or if you are in a group that’s going to last longer than you)

Macro name : PvPFeign
/ui action clearCombatQueue;

/ui action toolbarSlotXX (This points to a armour remove macro which is very important and you don’t want to feign with armour as it will get trashed.)

/pause 01;

/feignDeath;

Armour/Clothing (Macro can me found in any macro guide.)

Be ready for a fight:

You need a good tool bar setup for PvP, practice on NPCs to get use to where all your short-cuts are and shifting between tool bars. Pull the tool bar down so you have two rows instead of the basic one. You want your most used commands on the top line so pressing the corresponding f key quickly activates it. You don’t need every special or item on one tool bar. Use macros cuts down a lot of space, for examples look at the above macro section, don’t be afraid to try your own. The way I have it set up is to have a bar for TKM, one for Pistols, one for food and the last for armour as part of the armour macro.

The TKM bar has by CoB running, VKs ready to equip, the states and dizzy macros and a separate area for the states again in case one does not stick when the macro is run. I also have Lunge there ready as this is as good as a knock down attack. I like to set some of these specials up as mini macros that clear the combat queue first.

The Pistoleer bar is set up with my pistols and a few specials I use. Last ditch, fan shot. Low blow, panic shot (macro to peace after shot), pistol melee defence1 health shot 3 and the bleed macro.

All the tool bars have my armour/clothing macro, follow/stop follow, the switch pane buttons and most important commands stand, feign death and force of will. I sometimes move things around depending on the situations but that is my own basic set up. Set up your tool bars with what you fell comfortable with.

Buffs:

Okay so you’re all set up and ready to fight. Now get a full buff, all nine stats if possible. Find yourself a doctor with the best stats on the buffs possible. I usually look for at least 2.3k if I’m serious about surviving the encounter. Now find a master dancer and a musician to get your mind sorted. Dancers increase the primary, musicians the secondary stats (more important in my opinion.) If it is not possible to find a dancer or a musician you will have to do with your foods and moun. If you see another PvPer from your side, ask where they get there mind buffs from, they will usually know of someone you can ask. Remember you have power boost as well.

Know yourself:

Okay so you’re buffed, equipped and ready to pick a fight. Before you do, think of what your template can do and what it can’t do.

I view the triple master as leaning closer towards defensive rather than offensive. This does not mean that you can not do serious damage, you do however have to use more tactics than the person who throws poison then head shots you till you are dead. What you are is tank that can take damage and shrug it off. You put all those states on the opponent. You keep them busy taking everything they throw at you while you wear them down. You will find you are hardly ever knocked from your feet or when you are you can get back up very quickly. States will not stick to you as easily as they do others. Your best offensive is your dizzy state and your 3 knock downs and 1 posture change down move, use them. You get this person on there back for ten seconds then that is ten seconds they will not be firing at you. If there mind is low use unarmed head hit or unarmed hit 3.

If you find that TKM is not taking down those HAMs then it is time to switch to your pistols. Last ditch with a geo blaster is a killer and has a stun state effect that will allow you to hit an opponent more often, which includes fencers and other pistoleers with their dodge. Use bleeds and any DOT pistols you have till they stick. If people see that poison ticking they will be concentrating on that rather than you no matter how little it ticks for. If you are using pistols kite the person using you low blow and panic shot. Followed by last ditch or switch back to TKM and try to get them on the floor with another Dizzy KD.

Use terrain to your advantage. You are a close in fighter, if you see your mind starting to drop because a rifleman of bounty hunter is firing off head shots then run for cover. Draw them in close to you so you can knock them off there feet. If you are fighting in a city that has a base of your faction then draw them into it, the NPCs will distract them. If you are in the opposing faction city avoid the bases. Don’t be drawn into them, avoid fan shot here.

Feign death is a useful tactic, do not dismiss it as useless in PvP. If you are in city you can feign and still invite people into your group who then can attack any overt due to Group TEF. While they are distracted, Force of Will and you will have all you HAM back ready to fight again. Use it to rid yourself of a TEF if you do not wish to fight, useful in raiding bases for Faction Points.

Know your Enemy

If you are besieging a city always watch the radar for red dots, use the TAB key to find any enemies or TEFs that are around. Try to fight one opponent at a time, if taking on more than one opponent check to see which is the weakest, one might not have a doctors buffed, or not taken food to buff there mind, take them out first, they are a distraction but could be a threat if they stay in the fight.

As you spend more time PvPing you notice that you come up against the same people time after time. You will know if you can defeat these people or not from past experience. The hardcore PvP will have the best equipment for their template and maybe more experience than yourself at fighting. These people will more than likely easily defeat you simply because they know what they are doing. Watch and learn from them, they do this every day and better people than you have fallen to them. I have fought people that have beaten me one day only for me to beat them the next because I am ready for their tactics.

Defence is the best offence:

You are a defensive template and as such the use of an offence tactic will more than likely be the death of you. Do not be afraid to run away to heal up or to leave a hostile city when your foods begin to run out or your about to have a moun downer. You will not last long standing around while so vulnerable. Run, hide, heal up wait till you can take the food and spice again then head back. The hit and run tactic is one of the most effective tactic in history. Do not run after that rifleman that is kiting you with a T21, stop run for cover and wait for him to get impatient and come to you. This will sometimes end up as a stalemate with the rifleman waiting for you to come out into line of site and you are waiting for the rifleman to come into range of your knockdown. You will be not doing as much damage as those heavy weapon professions but you will absorb a lot more damage than they can. If you are smart, patient and well prepared you will eventually win the day.

I too use to have a fancy sig, then it got pwned - Kenney Ender

Good advice.

As you said, equipment plays a huge part in your success in PvP. Skill tapes are also a wise investment for people looking to get into PvP. As many already know, a master pistoleer only has +74 pistol speed, so in order to cap speed when firing last ditch you need a 1.0 speed pistol. Most geo pistols have a speed around2-2.6 seconds, so skill tapeswill be necessary in orderto cap speed when firinglast ditch. Also, accuracy tapes (as well as liberal applications of thelast ditch stunor unarmed stun,and brawler intimidate) canhelp youhit defense stackers. I think unarmed blind also reduces enemy defense. I have a +23 pistol accuracy while moving and +12 pistol speed ubese shirt and it has increased my offensive capability a lot.

I also have another +12 pistol speed tape but I haven't decided whether to put in a belt or a bandolier. I figured if I put it in a belt, I wouldn't be able to use a PSG, which pays a major role in reducing the stun damage output of riflemen, fencers,and other pistoleers. But using a bandolier is really inconvenient because then Iwouldn't be able touse a backpack. Decisions, decisions.

As for foods/drinks, I've found that synthsteak (44% damage reduction for the next 28 incoming attacks) will help you last a little longer in combat, and may you give you the edge in one on one duels (assuming your opponent is not a CM). If CM's are a problem, Cho-nor-hoola will add a small amount of disease/poison resist (like 16 points I think), but it's better than no resist(which is what most people have). Thakitillo (which raises defense vs. knockdown) is probably not necessary for triple masters as they already have a high defense vs. knockdown.

I believe the dodge food (pikatta pie) will allow you to go over the defense cap of 125, so even if you have capped your defense with skill tapes, it can be a worthwhile food choice. But as you said, choice of food/drink is dependent on the person's tastes.

These are just my observations as a triple master.

Lorenzo,
Master Scoundrel

7/3/2003-11/12004. Thanks for the memories, Intrepid.
Coventry guildportal site!

Nagroc Nagrok
"The man men in purple"

some remarks:

-always try to open with intimidate, this is the best state effect. You can stack two intimidates for double duration.

-use your specials wisely! on an opponect with lower mind, ua headhit and fanshot/last ditch will be best, on other HS2 usually is better (as people tend to have highest stun protection on the helmet)

-"/panicshot /peace" is you friend, either to wear your opponents down with dots, or to regen yourself

I usually open with at least 3 intimidates, switch to mod rep. blaster (with speed slice or speed pup, or both), LD LD LD to land bleed and stun. maybe try to land mindpoison of my little geo (only 74 pot though).

Try to KD and then take off their ham with fanshot/LD or HS2, or TK (combo's seem to work best).

When in melee range, alsways try to get a dizzy applied, for lunge, or low blow.

Take your synthsteak at least 15 minutes in advance, and try to be on arisha.

I have muon/pixie/booster blue and thrusterhead hotkeyed USE SPICE IN TIME!

For unbuffed encouters I use verceputi/spice/brandy/synthsteak/kiwi glands (for mega regen)

Some advice to counter some races/classes:

Riflemen: apply blind and they won't hit you

Wookie: HS2 x 20, /deatblow (with your trusty FWG5)

CM: run unequip armor macro, FD, wait for the disease mongers to get bored and go away (I refuse to fight CM's, applying a dot and running away is not fighting in my book)

....

I've only recently went triple threat...Still getting used to not being able to use my trusty Stim D's

Proud Member of -BLOOD-

I HATE GRINDING)

"Invader's blood marches through my veins like giant radioactive rubber pants! The pants command me! Do not ignore my veins!"

Managing the Bloodmonks Weapon Facility (aka Sly's Slavepit), Producer of fine specialty weapons.

Cheers for the input guys, I'll be writing a second version soon. Wish I had an edit button but I don't. I might title the next one correctly

I too use to have a fancy sig, then it got pwned - Kenney Ender

one macro i had that was kind of handy

Powerboost Macro:

/sit;

/pause 1;

/meditate;

/powerboost

it's not much, but my toolbar panes are so cluttered with things i don't have room for posture changes and everytime i try to /powerboost i invariably get the "you can not meditate while running" message... this kind of made it easier for me...

EDIT: also.. i'm a wookiee, so in my version of the STATES macro, i toss in /wookieeroar... it's a little helpful, as it seems to intimidate with more consistancy than /intimidate1...

STEP BY STEP GUIDE: DEFEATING A COMMANDO

Currently playing : Under NDA
MMO's are drugs.
Waiting for the next SW MMO (i know it's comming)
I have a feeling... a big announcement is comming... at the end of the month...
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quick bump for my guide

I too use to have a fancy sig, then it got pwned - Kenney Ender