Squad Leader Archive

These are some great ideas here, Thulium (and others). Always wanted to be a squad leader, but the times I gave it a shot, there just wasn't anything in it for me. Actually mastered it at one point but that was for profession grinding so I don't count it. I think everything in here would be a great addition to the SL arsenal and make them very effective and sought after.

Except:

Movement speed modifiers for the group. At least as proposed here. I beg you to consider this fully before you even propose it to TH/the Devs. Hopefully you have played EQ and DAoC. Even if you have not, I think it's not very difficult to realize (in fact, you pretty much state it in the original proposition) that movement speed is the single most influential aspect of the combat system in games such as this, particularly in PvPenvironments.It's a very dangerous aspect of the game to modify. Giving one class (and it always seems to be the support, jack of all trades class) the ability to modify the movement rate of an entire group immediately makes that class required in any sort of group vs group engagement.It would be a mistake to introduce that element into the game. PvP in both EQ and DAoC came to be dependent upon the movement rate enhancement of bard type classes. The melee classes/templates (except pikeman) are already quite deadly here. Giving them the ability to always close the distance to ranged templates would be horrendous.

What wouldn't be so bad, yet still give Squad Leaders a definite advantage for their group, would be a modifier that drastically reduced the recycle time of burst run, to the tune of say, 2 minutes minutes per box up the mobility tree plus another minute at master level, for a total of a 9 minute reduction in the recycle timer (this number could be tinkered with as seen fit).This would supersede any burst run modifiers the player currently had. Meaning that players grouped with a master squad leader would be able to burst run every 60 seconds after the previous burst run wore off. With the advent of vehicles, it wouldn't be imbalancing for general troop across terrain from start point to destination point and during lengthy engagements, such as base and city skirmishes, the ability could be used multiple times making it more than a one-shot ability.

Alternatively, the SL version of burst run modifiers could be altered to provide duration bonuses instead of reduction in the recycle time or speed bonuses while burst running only so that it is possible to catch even an opponent on the (burst) run.

I think it would definitely be great for Squad Leaders to be able to add this type of modifier to their groups, but I am completely against it being a flat rate, always-in-effect type of modifier.

This is just incase anyone(especially TH) reads this and not the wishlist... copied straight from there.

-------------------------------------------------------

There is no skill trainer for Squad Leader on Correlia. Would it be that hard to put on there? Seriously, when I travel from Dantooine, I can only goto one planet - the only one without a trainer. This forces me to take yet another shuttle to Bestine. Now I've wasted a half hour of my time trying to take connecting shuttle flights to get one little skill(thanks to the cap of 500k). Next, I spend another half hour getting back to dantooine.

It would be nice, also, if they Squad Leader trainer didn't exist in a rebel-run city. Look at the four that exist currently:

Bestine - Imperial; Moeina - Rebel; Dearic - Rebel; and well, REBEL OUTPOST. Seriously, Overt Imperials have only Bestine, where someone decides to kill them while they talk to the skill trainer(I know from first hand experience).

----------------------------------------------------------

I'm not calling for any special functions(though I would like them, I'll admit) but do think that this would help me the most, for now.

This is a great post Thulium and I want to give credit where credit is due. Thulium and all of the correspondents are doing a fantastic job. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be giving a lot of attention to the SL profession, and I have set up an email box so the correspondents can get me your wants, needs and desires for future development.

Its too early for me to be able to give you a dependable date, but please work with Thulium as his questions to the SL community will most likely be driven by me asking him questions about what you folks want for the profession.

Take care and I hope everyone has a great weekend.

I agree 100% TH... Thule is doing a great job.

Thanks for stopping by and have a happy holidays.

the Gods are with us!

thanks Lords ... TH

well i am keeping Novice Squad leader since i see more action as a combat medic and more usefull.

hope to see some result and then maybe ill get back into master...

Geus EX Master Squad Leader

You have to realize that you can't make the SL too good, else everyone will want to be them. Not everyone can be a leader, you need at least a 5:1 follower to leader ratio going on.

---

Thulium wrote:

/AIMFOR

What does /aimfor do? This very simple command is a bit of a hybrid of /volleyfire and /steadyaim allowing the accomplished Squad Leader to point out the specific weakpoint of the enemy. This focuses fire on the specific HAM bar giving all combat pros the ability to target HAM, even if their profession didn't allow for it previously. You thought /volleyfire sounded good (in theory, at least)? Imagine if that entire volley was aimed right at your HEAD (mind)....or your heart (health)...or your legs (action).

---

Best... idea... ever!

For all of you who think I give a flying care if my "identity" or "specialty" isn'tmassive head traumaanymore if my leader tells me to swing away at the leg, well, you don't speak for me. I am capable as a Master Swordsman from removing slices of HAM from any pool. Solo, yes, I gleefully swing my Power Hammer repeatedly into that skull.Solo is all "identity" is good for, really. You know that whole "there is no 'I' in Team" saying? Yeah.

I don't usually group with people who can't hit mobs upside the cranium. The group ends up firing or swinging away in a chaotic game of chance to see who gets thier own HAM bar down the quickest. That isn't anywhere near the definition of group. Can you honestly tell me that the Squad Leader should just let us swing and fire willy nilly? Put this beautiful command in the game.What an awesome idea. My tears of joy for the idea are blurring my vision. Put it in now.

NOW!

---

Thulium wrote:

When we are at least more effective at our jobs than any profession that costs LESS in Skillpoints (everything but Bounty Hunter and Commando), then I'll be satisfied. Even then, it'd still be arguably unfair but at least justifiable. The current state of affairs, however, is a crying shame.

---

I'm not a squad leader, but I've appreciated their passive additions to terrain negotiation, and back when I was a combat medic (the profession you left out in your costs more list ), I REALLY liked the split the wounds up amongst the group ability when the mind wounds from /healmind got excessive.

Thul...

If this stuff went in, I'd become a Squad Leader. As it stands right now, it seems a waste of skill points.

I'm a Squad Leader and a Musician. Buffs to Focus and Willpower are supposed to come from Musicians (and buffs to Mind come from Dancers). However, they seem not to be working. I'd rather the devs fix the profession that's supposed to have this skill before they give it to another profession.

Oh, and I'm also a Rifleman. I know all about the Mind pool

Shorrim, we are talking about passive buffs... not stat buffs.

I think thats what you are refering to at least.

I think you could make Squad Leader really really EFFECTIVE without making them uber. If I make everyone in my group dish out more damage and take less damage (and as a Master to a seriously noticable degree in both cases), unlessan SLcan do tons and tons of damage singularly, no one is going to drop Bounty Hunter to be a Squad Leader. Or TKM. Or Rifleman.

I think this is why many of us have stated over and over again that we don't care if we, personally, get the combat damage or bonuses, just so long as everyone in our group got them. Every ability and item we list wouldn't be active unless we were 1) in a group and 2) the leader of the group. If you make it so that only Squad Leaders confer these abilities onto their groups but not onto themselves, you instantly cancel out most people's desire to be a Squad Leader.

We will be in demand, certainly. Many people will want us for our ability to make their group much mor formiddable, which we should have been doing from the get go. But most people won't give up their huge damage and fun weapon certs (and not to mention, skill points) to be a Squad Leader.