Squad Leader Archive

In the CU, Squad Leader lost it's class-defining method for earning XP, which was replaced with Pistol XP. Restricting Squad Leader advancement to Pistol XP makes no sense, is a barrier to advancement for melee-only templates, and is generally resented by the community. As it stands now, one can master Squad Leader without ever having led a group.

Consensus is that this was changed because the developers couldn't figure out how to factor in our unique XP during /respec. It has additionally been stated by the developers that Squad Leaders should not earn XP for sitting on the sidelines and spamming /sysgroup messages.

Squad Leaders should earn XP by leading groups, and we would like our distinctive group-based XP restored. Saving that, perhaps one line each of Pistol, Rifle, and Carbine XP - just like the hybrid Bounty Hunter profession - or alternately reduce the XP costs for the three Pistol XP lines by a factor of ten and then use Combat XP instead. The former will not mollify the melee crew, but the latter should.

• We and our group members need a reliable visual indicator that all of these buffs (Terrain Negotiation, Group Ranged Defense, Group Melee Defense) are actually working and being applied to group members, if not on the status icon bar, then prominently highlighted on the CTRL+C and CTRL+S screens.


• The +30 bonus to Group Ranged and Melee Defense was adequate and advantageous prior to the CU, but barely registers as notable in the current game. Those defense values need to be raised to be effective.


• The +60 cumulative bonus to Group Terrain Negotiation earned at Master has the effect of only enhancing crawl speed (anything over +50 TN) for players that already have any boxes in the Scout Exploration line. While the general TN boost is appreciated, a group of ultra-fast crawlers is of marginal utility. Caveat: If the "directed content" and "glass wall pathing" of Kashyyyk is indeed the prototype of things to come, then Terrain Negotiation loses much of its utility altogether.


• Every passive bonus afforded by a Squad Leader can be acheived or exceeded individually with application of Chef food.


• The +10 Leadership bonus granted to Human characters appears useless and non-functional.

Boost Morale - This is supposed to balance wounds across a group. There has been previous discussion about changing this to redistribute and equalize damage instead. With group size being nerfed from twenty members to eight, and the pratical non-existance of wounding in the current game, the time is upon us to again revisit the intended function of this skill.

Form Up - Removed from PvP without explanation. This should remove Dizzy and Stun, but it is not clear that Dizzy or Stun are working as advertised in the first place. At any rate, since many elite combat professions (Smuggler, Pistoleer, Carbineer, Rifleman, TKA, Swordsman, Fencer, Pikeman) get Dizzy and Stun recovery anyway, there are few possible level 80 combat templates that don't already include these - leaving this of real benefit only to those templates confined to combinations of Ranger, Creature Handler, Commando, Bounty Hunter, Doctor and Combat Medic. We need something of real benefit to everyone. And we need it in PvP, too. Consensus is that this was removed because the BH/Jedi TEF was broken. Since that issue has been addressed, /formup needs to be revisited (perhaps as a secondary stat regen buff).

Rally - Wind up is too long, and fails frequently. Failure is seemingly related to moving during wind-up. If this is by design, please so state. Duration and bonus is perceived to be inadequate to compensate for protracted recharge. For a quick fix, eliminate the wind up.

Retreat - Grants group burst run. Still being used for overland travel and as a "Charge!" maneuver. No longer feasible to continuously loop in a recursive macro - but still not really widely considered a true retreat, either. Retreat is alleged to interfere with "Force Run" causing Jedi to complain. Since Jedi are so plentiful, their complaints cannot realistically be ignored, SAC cost is too high. Additionally, since automatic burst run is individually acheivable in series with Chef food, this skill is of marginal tactical utility.

Steady Aim - Wind up is too long, and fails frequently. Failure is apparently related to moving during wind-up. If this is by design, please so state. One-shot duration is inadequate to compensate for protracted recharge. We are not convinced that the +10 gained at Strategy II actually does anything, nor do SEAs for this skill appear to work. Community believes this skill to be worse than useless - i.e., it's use will actually reduce a group's combat effectiveness, Waiting for developer input on that topic. For a quick fix, eliminate the wind up.

System Message - This one actually works as intended, and is of great utility. However it is only a Novice box skill.

Volley Fire - Our favorite special. Still pulls too much agro onto the Squad Leader. Particle FX slider must be set to above 50% in order to draw "target painting" bullseye. We are not convinced that the +10 gained at Strategy IV actually does anything, nor do SEAs for this skill appear to work. Recharge rate is still too slow.

• Except for all the ultra-cool weapon certs, there is little reason or incentive to master Squad Leader, making it ripe for dabbling.


• The bulk of our combat effectiveness is available at 0-3-0-3.


• Consensus is that the rest of the tree is of such marginal benefit as to not be worth the points.

• SEAs from Volley Fire and Steady Aim have no discernable in-game effect.


• It is reported that non Squad Leaders are able to benefit from wearing Group Terrain Negotiation SEAs

UNAGI__N__[ONE TOUGH SQUID]
Officer • Senator • Insurgent

I play on Bria because Hell was full.

Agent: PHANTOM

Mailek Oofiso
Elder Squad Leader ± Imperial Clone
f Magnumus Mysterium f
Vive la Saviour!

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Darth_Sushi wrote:

Passive Bonuses

• The +60 cumulative bonus to Group Terrain Negotiation earned at Master has the effect of only enhancing crawl speed (anything over +50 TN) for players that already have any boxes in the Scout Exploration line. While the general TN boost is appreciated, a group of ultra-fast crawlers is of marginal utility. Caveat: If the "directed content" and "glass wall pathing" of Kashyyyk is indeed the prototype of things to come, then Terrain Negotiation loses much of its utility altogether.

I have to say i disagree here.... the rifle man "cover" ability is one of my favorite abilities in the game. Not only is it powerful but its one of the only abilites in the game that simply adds stragagy. The only issue with the ability is how slow you move its so slow it nearly renders the ability useless. With this line in SL i can have an entire group of covered snipers move with great speed. If you a BH there is no better combo. Cover,crawl 200m, wait til they are low on health, open with a 2000 damage advanced snipershot. Most dont even know what happend til they are DBed. IMO this and volleyfireare the ONLY working skill in SL right now.