Smuggler Archive

I have read several posts for very large improvements over the class and the game content as a whole. Many of them are excellent and trying to post an addition to any of them would be a lot of work so I just decided to make a post by itself. At any rate here it goes.

Additions:

Smuggler in Space:

Ok I don't know why it hasn't occured to anyone ( or maybe it has ) but make Smugglers able to Slice Starship Components?

This would certainly make the Smuggler a more sought after person and makes us able to turn a little more of a profit. Plus it makes sense RP wise. Also add the ability to make hidden compartments.

Content;

With the addition of smuggler ability to slice starship components, the JTL content needs to move towards a more active and interactive role. There should be regular scannings by Imperial ships and patrols. Also the Smuggler needs of course to smuggle goods.

Now, I will go out on a limb here. Illegal goods should be difficult to transport especially on public shuttles ( just like in real life ). There should be security checks before entering any sort of public transport which can either be bribed out of or down right avoided by smuggler skills ( suggested in an Underworld revamp thread which I don't remember the link ). What this does then is make a reason for JTL flight and gives the Smuggler a way to smuggle. Also, to avoid "just hitting the travel button" make blockades around planets that a person carrying illegal goods will have to avoid with pilot skills or smuggling abilities by having to actually fly and hyperspace to a system.

Now what these two things do is make a reason to fly in JTL other than just blowing stuff up to get to master pilot to go to a PvP zone. It actually makes sense to fly and hyperspace to a new location to avoid detection. Also the ability to slice starship components gives the smuggler the edge he/she needs to avoid these blockades and scans. This effectivly ties JTL with the rest of the content in game. Currently JTL is sort of a large mini game which really has no bearing whatsoever on the rest of the game other than a few new titles and a building profession to help make a little extra money. Currently it is fun doing the missions and adds some nice side content but really all that is left after getting Master Pilot is shooting others in PvP flight.

Also it makes illegal goods... illegal. We have all been stopped and scanned by Imperial Agents but.. its too random and rare. Having public transportation scanned every time and if caught given a penalty such as having the illegal stuff confiscated ( Another thread also suggested an illegal goods rating systemwhich suggested different punishments for the level of illegal good/activity)makes Smuggler not only a more sought after profession by players either wanting to learn it or needing thier services but also makes for very believable content. Plus we can now actually smuggle.

With the above proposed, smuggler missions now also make sense and are easy to come by as far as content and the sense of doing illegal activities.

Several threads suggested criminal organizations and theme parks. I like this and will add to it. First of all, I don't want to see smuggler terminals just hanging around cities.. as someone else said, its just not believable. I think terminals should be left out all together actually and make the mission giver an NPC at one of the criminal places. For instance have an NPC at Jabba's palace that functions the same as a mission terminal. Makes it more believable and makes these content areas that so much work has gone into a place to visit for more than a badge.

Missions for smugglers should be just a tad bit different than your hunt and kill or bring back person type stuff. Missions should include, meet a contact , get illegal item ( scannable at JTL blockades and public transportation ), smuggle to area, find person, give item, return for payment. These sort of missions should go towards your Underworld experience rather than Pistol experience going towards it, just like Bounty Hunter missions do.

Ok first of all make languages hard to learn. I remember back in the dark ages of Everquest you had to listen to a language spoken over a number times before you could read, speak and understand it. This is one solution, the other is make languages take up skill points with the exception of the Smuggler and his Underworld abilities. This increases the need for the smuggler as an interpreter (spelling). Alot of other professions might get testy about this but really, languages are not a huge problem anyway, there are only a few races who do not speak basic so it's not enough to make it crazy but it it's enough to make our skills useful, plus if races want to keep to themselves or keep it secret they can just use thier own language and the smuggler can be used as a spy or intepreter and so on. Makes sense anyway.

The ability to bribe and fast talk, with the possibility of failure to use public transportation and random scans. This was suggested in another thread so I won't take credit for it but it's a great idea and adds to the previously mentioned ideas.

Hidden compartments onboard your ship would decrease your chance of being caught in space with illegal cargo.

This would be like slicing mission terminals but it would be used on the NPC mission givers and would earn you more credits on the completion of each mission.

Sort of like the IFF in JTL. It makes it so if you are being attacked by NPCs that you can sweet talk them into not beating you up. Making for a great way to act as a spy allowing a smuggler to pass high levels of security in certain areas that others would have to fight thier way through. This could also prove to be a job market for us as well.

Lastly, again make Underworld it's own experience rather than using pistol experience to climb the Underworld tree. Underworld experience would be gained by Smuggler missions much like Bounty Hunter's Investigation experience.

That's what I have for now.These ideas I believe would be great in and of themselves but having them with some of the other suggested revamps would be great especially the suggested Crime Lord profession and the Underworld revamp which I believe is a sticky on this forum.

A special note, I am sorry for not having the names of those whose ideas I used but you know who you are and most of us have read the content anyway. So I properly thank you here.

Signed,
That one guy....

Great post Varden!

Smugglers should have more love shown to them.

Contraband is way too easy to transport, since, as you stated, there are only random checks made.

All in all, smugglers need to be more useful.

- I'll always miss pre-CU but I still have fun.

Rain'Star of Starsider

Good point Max, I can imagine some serious unbalancing issues with sliced ship components.

Signed,
That one guy....

Nice post; I've seen those ideas many times before, but that says to me, "If so many are coming up with the sameideason their own,we've all got to begetting something right"

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WesBelden the last Smuggler Correspondent.
Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?

Hah so much for being original

Signed,
That one guy....