Smuggler Archive

I have been playing a smuggler for about a year and a half. My template is Master Smuggler/Master Squad Leader. Since the recent changes to Smuggler this is the first time I have ever felt useless. In most games I greatly enjoy the roguish and Bard/support type characters. The “Jack of trades and master of none” type character is a chalange and enjoyable for me, but currently Smuggler seems too useless to keep up with other professions. I like being a “hybrid” and don’t expect to have the combat value of Master pistoleer, or crafting abilities of a weaponsmith, but my character feels spread so thin, thatI require more help from a group than I can offer in return.

Slicing issues:

Slicing requires farming to do, assuming anything is dropping yet. Myself I haven’t found anything dropped for slicing yet. Slicing containers and terminals is great since it has no tools anymore, but I have not found anything in a locked container that’s value justifies putting it under lock and key in the first place. With slicing exp not being an issue, and nothing of value in containers, it’s hard to see why we should bother with them at all. Slicing doors, specifically in Geo Cave and Corvette, only allows the smuggler in not the party, so as this is good for us it helps our group none at all. Admittedly I haven’t checked locked maglock boxes since patch 19, but if we could open those someday that would be one benefit of having a smuggler in a group.

Suggestions for slicing:

1. 
   
   Change looted slicing components to enhancers added to craft able slicing components. This way we can slice without the loot drops, but ppl with the loot drops will get “Enhanced slices”


2. 
   
   Increase the value of loot in locked containers. If not done yet, allow us to slice maglock. If the value of loot in containers was increased this would go a long way towards the value of a smuggler in a group without throwing off any “Combat Balance”.


3. 
   
   Make gambling machines currently collecting dust on most servers to be sliceable to increase the odds of payout depending on the smugglers level. This bonus could be applied to any group members of the smuggler also similar to evading a scan. I hate to see the gaming rooms sit empty when Devs took the time to make them, and smugglers are the logical choice to use them.


4. 
   
   Slicing a door should allow our party to enter the sliced door. More locked doors on quests.

Combat issues:

Killing anything is difficult now as Low Blow has no KD anymore, and now Concussion shot breaks after damage is taken. I realize it might be do to my skill, but with the speed of pistols I’m finding it very difficult to use concussion shot without immediately breaking it. Having 2 attack speed debuff shots is nice, but in PvE the debuff is barely noticeable but the low damage is clearly obvious. CU Smuggler specials are not famous for the vast amounts of damage they do, in fact my 2 highest damage shots debuff me or flat out incap me. Feign death, clearly one of the most unique parts of being a smuggler is great for a multitude of situations. Although I love that unique skill, and it’s value in saving my own skin and pulling, it would be nice to have something that the group can point at and say, “Glad we brought him along.” Everyone likes to feel useful in a fight.

Combat Suggestions:

1. If luck belongs anywhere in the game it should be in the Smuggler tree. Adding a critical hit modifier to the skill tree would account for the occasional “lucky Shot” and provide a chance for a damage increase.


2. I believe the Dodge skill bonus would also go towards the lucky nature of smugglers accounting for the “Near Miss”.


3. I would not want to take thunder from the Force Sensitive skills, but a Luck skill similar to that would not go amiss either.

Miscellaneous issues:

Delegating faction points is one of the most useful parts of being a smuggler. Being able to talk with jawa’s is groovy, but the Jawa camp is a long drive for something you can get on any major cities street corner. Adding some conversation options in other rare languages would be nice.Spice is cool also, but with the chef re-vamp there is very little spice can offer that that isn’t covered by food. Personally I would be thrilled with spice if it had some animations. Smoke like in the description of Grey Gabaki, or skin color change perhaps glowing skin effect, a Drunken stagger walk animation under the influence. Any of these things would not upset the balance of power in the game but would give something unique for the smuggler profession to contribute to the game.

Miscellaneous suggestion:

SWG has seen a vast improvement in the quality of quests over the past year. Raise the bar a notch higher with the Smuggling quest. If smugglers are allowed to get dynamic quests and bring their friends, this would go a long way to helping smugglers contribute to the game and their groups of friends.

Closing: