Smuggler Archive
Thread: Smuggler State of the profession
Although I am new to the Smuggling profession I plan on being one for a long time so........
Underworld and Dirty Fighting - I for one would like to see some mods in the Underworld and Dirty Fighting tree's. We have to geta little over50% of the XP a Master Pistoleer has to get for these 2 trees so would be nice to atleast have 50% of the Mods they get.
Slicing - I would like to see Master Slicer having the option of which attribute of an item to slice. I mean come on, they are a Master. They should know enough about slicing to know how to slice for one or the other. Also the quality of the Clamp, Laser knife and AUK or WUK should determine the quality of the slice. If you are a Master Smuggler who is using crap equipment you are going to get bad slices 99% of the time. If you are a Master Smuggler who is using High Quality equipment you are going to get good slices 99% of the time. Just like Doctors and Buffs, Weaponsmiths and weapons, ect.......
This would alow the Smugglers to control thier own abilities like all the other professionscan and also you could make a name for yourself (good or bad) in the gallaxy as a Slicer.
Spices - Pretty much the same as slicing. The quality of the materials used to make the spice should effect how good (or bad) the spice is. Also you should also be able to experiment on spice for Duration of effects (how long it lasts and length of downer) and the overall effect itself (how much it boosts the attributes) the same way Doctors can on buffs, Armorsmiths can on Armor, ect.....
Same as above. You can control you abilities and make a name for yourself in the gallaxy as a spice supplier.
Other than those 3 things I think Smuggler is a pretty cool profession. There is not really much content for a smuggler in the game at this time except to interact with other PC'sbut I am hoping this will change with the Space Expansion.
If these 3 things were done to improve the Smuggler profession in the next publish I think you would have alot of happy smuggler.
I was reading through this. I am a smuggler on Bria. I think that a smuggler pistol would be an awesome idea. or if not a specific pistol let smugglers be able to slicetheir own pistol twice. This was said in an earlier post. How about let us slice our personal weapon twice but when other peopel try to use it they get reduced effectiveness with it...ie-because they aren't a smuggler they wouldnt have "cert" for it...or they would use it with half damage or something...just something to discourage smugglers from trying to sell their weapons and making it a smuggler only weapon. I think this would be a very good idea and also
COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE UNDERWORLD TREE and make something else. This tree is worthless and is only used to make us get more pistol xp.
I agree with everything from the first post. As for a special weapon for smugglers, that only works for us, andI favor it doing blast damage, and have some darn decent stats in speed and damage. Make it where only your can get the certification when you hit Master Smuggler.
Also selling faction pets were the big best thing Smugglers could do to make credits without standing on a corner andhawking to a crowd "Spices and Slices" . Smugglers aren't merchants, they do fast (in and out) deals. So going out doing faction missions and selling perks from our discount is (or was)our best credit maker. You will never make millions or even 100's selling spice or slices. Where weapon and armor makers and even Tailors are pulling that kind of cash in a day or week . ( I know I live with a master Tailor and the money is just pouring in for him in a week.) It would takes us....well we would starve before we hawked that much of our stuff and quit the Smuggler tree out of poor boredom.
Yes selling AT-ST. They have been tamed. I saw last nite a TKM and a Com kill one so fast it would make you head spin. They aren't the terrors of the Galaxy anymore. They really weren't to start with. The rebels just took awhile to figure out how to kill one. Heck I know a (RL) girl, watch her do it. Attack an AT-ST with 2 Greater sludge panthers (she is a TKM and CH) and nuked it while it was busy with the panthers, and that was a month ago.
As for the Spices make it last an hour, half as much as a buff. Most decent battle or missions last longer than 10-13 minutes. Then many we could make some money with it. Not a bunch overnite, but a decent income. The experimenting part IMO is neither here nor there.
Here is a ( out of the blue sky thought).......................Sidekicks. Not NPC's mind you, but anouther player that chooses to be your partner in crime and gets something for it. That when that person is teamed up with you gets a bonus or ablitity ( for instant) the use of Lowblow or Last ditch. that only when they are group and within 200 meters of each other the Sidekick gets the ability. Gets to choose missions from terminal you just sliced. Make it like a marriage in a way. So peeps can't just change partners when ever they wish. K dreamstate over. But that would be ultra cool wouldn't it. Much more like Han and Chewie and all those cool characters for the books.
I will Probably add more later, just off 2 long shifts of work. Mind Mush now. Keep the Faith my Smuggler Breathren.
Rasha of AR (Kauri Galaxy)
Hello, my Smuggler compatriots.
I have some issues in regards to Slicing which I haven't seen addressed as of yet (though I've only skimmed so I apologize if this has been mentioned and I missed it). The issue I have with the slicing branch is that it is almost impossible to get work as a slicer until you hit Master Smuggler.
From a customer's point of view, if I am going to pay to have my weapon or armor sliced, I want the best possible chances of getting a high percentage. To this end, it makes sense to only seek out Master Smugglers who are capable of achieving higher percentages than any other slicer.
What this means to me as a Smuggler is that as I progressed up the Slicing skill tree, I found it difficult to find paying customers. Most would rather wait and find a Master to get a better slice. The only way to progress up the tree, therefore, is to slice grind. If grinding is your choice, that's fine, but I don't believe it should be the only option for getting experience.
My suggestion: Right now we can slice ALL weapons at Slicing II, and ALL armor at Slicing III. The benefits to higher slicing skill is an increase in the percentage of the slice. I would recommend changing the slicing tree to fall more in line with crafting professions such as the Weaponsmith and Armorsmith. Rather than increasing the percentage of the slice with higher skill, add more varied kinds of weapons that we are capable of slicing with each level of Slicing ability.
For example, at Slicing I we can slice CDEF weapons and bone armor. At Slicing II we can slice weapons made available at the mid ranges of the Marksman and Brawler lines, as well as Chitin armor. At Slicing III we would be able to slice all weapons for certifications that are given in the basic professions, and perhaps Ubese and/or Padded armor. Slicing IV would give us access to weapons like the DX2 and T-21, and an additional type of armor. Finally, Master Smugglers would be able to slice all weapons and all armor in the game, including high powered commando/BH weapons and composite armor.
This change would mean that even low level slicers would be able to sell their skills. No, they couldn't get a lot of money from slicing CDEF weaponry, but they would slice them just as well as the other ranks of slicing. A novice artisan can make money selling CDEF weapons, and a mid range weaponsmith can still make money selling the weapons they have access to, even though they have not fully completed their skill trees. I see no reason this should not be mirrored in the Slicing tree. Instead, at this moment, it is pointless to attempt trying to slice for money until you reach at least Slicing IV and preferably Master Smuggler.
Please let me know what thoughts you have on this, and if my ideas have any merit.
Aasimar Ratar'ri
Smuggler, Wanderhome
how about adding a piloting skill to the master smuggler ?
We are smugglers yet we dont know how to fly a space ship . Seems a little odd to me as most smugglers know how to opperate some kind of transport.
We have been complaining since this game went public, about Underworld tree, no changes, no hint from the devs that there will be any changes, changes to dirty fighting has been suggetsed. Everything from two pistiols, to some unarmed abilities (we have to get unarmed to get here right?) Nothing. Spice experimentation, not a peep, slicing, quality of toools used has no effect, this has been discussed, why can we experiment quality of everything from laser knives to weapons kits, when it doesn't matter? EVERYTHING, that is being brought up, AGAIN, has been brought up BEFORE. None of these ideas are new. I'm not getting down on the new people who are coming here and making suggestions, but it will do you NO GOOD! We have asked for all of these things and gotten none. So far we have gotten some of our specials that we have always had in the dirty fighting tree fixed (but nothing new) and we have gotten the ability to slice more terminals than just basic mission terms. THIS IS ALL. We have gotten nothing else as a class, since Galaxies went public. Be thankfull we haven't gotten the nerf yet, I suppose, although Bleed Shots were nerfed, to not incap, and not give xp, so no more feign death and watch big stuff die, while we get mega xp, so we were nerfed indirectly. The truth of the matter is, that we are low in the priority, almost non-existant, next to the "glamerous" combat profs. We will probably see the ship expansion, before we see anything done to the smuggler profession. If we see anything then. I am a smuggler, but would advise against anyone else becoming one. If the changes are made after ships, consider changing over then, but for now, become a Creature Handler, (yes even the new nerfed CH, they didn't realy nerf CH, they nerfed non-CH with pets. Ergo, Creature Handlers are even MORE powerfull) Fight missions with your pets, make tons of creds, buy a ship when it comes out, then concern yourself with whether or not it is worthwhile to become a smuggler, because curently, it is not. I feel for our profession, we are Slice and Spice monkies. The only other thing worthwhile is blowing faction bases, and you only need slicing one, and you have to be in the galactic war.
Abevo Siclaster, Bria 
Disgruntled Businessbothan with a gun
While not really a big issue, it was interesting to my how this was set up. Why shouldn't Smugglers get the schematics for Weapon Upgrade Kits and Armor Upgrade Kits? It would make sense...you get Weapons Slicing....you get the schematic for the Weapon Upgrade Kit; and the same for Armor Slicing. And before it is mentioned that it is to promote the 'teamwork' aspect', the medical professions are able to craft their own tools that they use; Scouts and Rangers do not have to rely on an Architect to make camps for them (a camp is a form of a structure); and Musicians get the schematics for their instruments; so why don't we get the schematics for the upgrade kits? Armorsmiths and Weaponsmiths would not be hurt by moving the schematics to the Smuggler tree, we will still need armor and weapons.
After having read many of these posts, I think the best idea for Underworld is the following:
The Devs should make a new criminal faction, and Underworld will be based on gaining faction points. These faction points can be gained by doing the various Hutt missions, of which only Jabba's are working, as well as the NPC criminals amd smugglers out there.
Mission terminals could also have smuggling missions on them. These missions would be profession sensative, only we could access them. We could either choose to be paid in faction points or in credits, or perhaps a combination of the two.
As for the Master Smuggler Box...Transport Terminal slicing;Smuggler's Pistol which gives bonuses to DF skills; New Spices; and the ability to mask temporary faction flags or trade with anyone regardless of faction. These would at least give us something from each of the branches of our profession.
I'm not sure if it will be fortunate or unfortunate, but I will likely be a Master Smuggler before anything is changed with our profession. I have a feeling that the pistol xp I'm putting into Underworld might be a waste, but i would gladly accept that if it improves our profession.
I really like Bludd's idea regarding slicing terminals as a way to access smuggler missions. It could essentially serve as an underworld element using an existing feature (the mission terminals) to broadcast mission information, without the need for a "Smuggler Mission" terminal, which from an immersion / content standpoint is ludicrous. Since the powers that be seem particularly interested in using the existing features as much as possible, this would be a viable option.
When a smuggler slices a terminal, he is given the option to boost payout or to access the underworld transmissions. Simple ... just another thing to click, inbetween the slicing itself and the available missions.
I can't see the developers making a criminal faction, just because it seems like a lot of work, and they don't seem particularly interested in having to make widesweeping changes in game mechanics, such as including a third faction.
Several people mentioned wanting masters to be able to choose between stats sliced. While I, as a master, would certainly like the idea, we must be mindful of what it will do to the slicing line by itself. The effect will be that only masters will get slicing work, because it will cause non-smugglers to save tremendous amounts of money by not having to buy three suits of composite in the hopes of that all important "all-encumbrance sliced" armor. Perhaps by allowing slicers to slice different terminals throughout the tree ... maybe bank, bazaar or travel terminals. Allowing the lesser slicers the ability to get around bazaar fees or high transit costs would at least give them something of a market. Maybe by increasing the bazaar fees ... this might result in lesser slicers having a niche ... by having people who use bazaars a great deal to use their services to save costs. The key is to give masters a boost without turning the slicing line, by itself, into the Underworld Tree's ugly kid brother.
Also, for those who want melee specials ... what kinds of things are you looking for? I've looked only a little bit, but I haven't really seen any specific examples, which isn't to say they aren't out there.
As for the underworld line ... it's only value is opening the gateway to mastery and the riches therein. I don't really know what to suggest for that line, but I hope Sony comes up with something good.
Hmmm... very disconcerting.
I just bought SWG after waiting 6 months since I participated in beta. All I ever wanted to be in this game was a smuggler, and after reading this thread and the lack of response/action since my last session of SWG is just about the most dissapointing thing I have ever seen from a game. Sounds like the exact same problems and the exact same solutions, but no attempt to get on it... are swoop bikes really more important than making all of the professions functional and in line with what their "titles" imply. I cannot believe that a smuggler still doesnt smuggle. Well after I finish getting the 800,000,000 gigs of updates and patches downloaded, I guess I'll start grinding away at all the sampling and surveying and giving crap CDEFs away to newb scouts, and killing cute little frogs on the outskirts of town until I can get to smuggler 1... then I'll start thinking about what a great profession it "could" be.
On a constructive note... I think the best "new" ideas I read in here are
- Slicing backbacks and containers to create smuggling compartments
- Fake ID's with varying levels of success
- Master Weapon Cert w/ Stun damage instead of Energy
- Panic Shot in Master
- Spreading the PvP/factional perks over the entire onion to make the line less appealing to dabblers
Corbaer Tek
although i think i probably already have... i'd like to add my vote/ 2 cents in on this debate.
smugglers i think should get a class specific certification. and adv DL 44 i think is a great idea. i have several regular DL44 with scopes... that're worthless because of their looks. and everytime i have one out... n00bs ask me about my cool weapon. but then i have to tell them it stinks.
i think pistol mods in the dirty fighting line would be good. if nothing else, dodge...or counter attack mods.
i think smuggler missions. with a "evade detection" skill mod in the underworld skill set. ..similiar to feign death. ..so when you're on a smuggler mission you use the evade detection skill. to make it through to your objective. ...smuggling past single NPCs would be easy. groups...slightly harder. navigation dungeons or bases. master status. etc. ..basically think "mask scent" but... with a smuggler bent to it.
slicing needs either a master level ability to determine slice type. or at the very least raise the minimum threshold with increased risks.
ie... add a slicer craftable item at master status... that allows for either the higher level.. or maybe self determined slicing. but have the entire slicing tree be based of a skill mod. so that item is nearly 100% fail if used before master. and even at master. is at best the 50/50 of a regular slice. adds danger and balance for the chance at greater success and customized slicing.
because as much as we'd all like to be able to determine slicing type. or have higher thresholds for master slicers. there has to be some equivalent trade off ...so lesser or upcoming slicers aren't completely out of the loop.
spices... well something i'd like to see are addiction bonuses. ..imagine. if you could have spices that had addictive qualities. ...so if someone took too much or too often of your spices. the spice was less effective unless it came from you.
my smuggler is primarily a drug dealer. i'd love for there to be something that forces people back to me... over someone else.
i dunno... just my ideas
Vas