Squad Leader Archive

I would like to see the following for Squad Leaders:

Novice receive ability to designate roles within the group and subdivide individuals into the appropriate sub groups. Ability to communicate to each group individually. And of course /sysgroup.

1) Mobility line given toRangers. Yes it is the only working SL skill line, but after creatures, it will be pointless anyway. Besides it fits better over there. And getting rid of it, frees space for something more interesting.

2) 1 skill line devoted to keeping tanks alive. Melee defense bonuses, speed modifiers, stat clearers, that kinda' thing. Passive abilities at low levels, active ability at 3, and a fortification component for the 4th box. This is an elite skill line. The benefits of this line should be VERY visible, and noticeable to the recipient. It should work, and it should work well.

3) 1 skill line devoted to helping ranged people shoot better. Ranged accuracy modifiers, Speed modifiers. Volleyfire, all these here. And again passive 1-2, active 3, and fortification 4. This is an elite skill line. The benefits of this line should be VERY visible, and noticeable to the recipient. It should work, and it should work well.

4) 1 skill line devoted to regeneration of mind. Passive regen bonus initially, then selectable buff. Eventually a fortification component. I don't know what kinda' fortification component would affect the mind, but I'm willing to accept any flimsy logic to support it. This is an elite skill line. The benefits of this line should be VERY visible, and noticeable to the recipient. It should work, and it should work well.

5) 1 skill line devoted to Enemy debuffs. Slows, Vulnerability to ranged or melee attacks, status modifiers. Passive to active, and a fortification component in the 4th. Fort component could be a sticky mat, or gaseous cloud, or whatever. This is an elite skill line. The benefits of this line should be VERY visible, and noticeable to the recipient. It should work, and it should work well.

6) The crowning Jewel! Every elite profession should have something distinctly valueable and cool. Something that only masters can do. In this case, it could be "overhead view". Like birds eye view of the battlefield. Maybe some quest to obtain the goggles or something. Perhaps a satellite uplink or something.

7) SQUAD LEADER XP NOT A FUNCTION OF INDIVIDUAL'S DAMAGE!!! Make it a function of the group as a whole. I should be able to lead the group, not spam specials to get decent XP. Personally I reccommend a system that scales with the number of sequential kills by a group. Based off total group damage, and number of people in the group.

Do I have a prayer? Any chance this profession could turn out like that?

Var Roncill

Valcyn

First off, I like the group damage thing. Squad leader abilities suck HAM like my family on Easter, so adding cripple shot to that would be horrendous. I can't do a lot of damage in a group with commandos, pistoleers or bounty hunters. Maybe our XP should be based on the difficulty level of the creatures killed by our group. It most certainly shouldn't be based on our own damage. For one thing, some squad leader skills take up a place in the combat queue, thus slowing down the amount of damage I can do anyway. Plus rally, work or fail, takes a big chunk of HAM, putting me out of the fight for a while as far as specials.

Second, I really like the idea of boosting mind. That's one thing that cannot be healed. And "Boost morale" sounds more like a squad version of Zabrak vitalize than that bizarre "Hey Bob, you weren't wounded, but now you are because Steve was..." That doesn't even make IC sense. Somehow my character what, wacks one guy in the leg and heals the other at the same time? Give bonuses to mind regeneration for leadership as if you're insipiring your team on. At level IV, take out boost morale as it stands, and make it an active ability to either quick boost everyone's mind, or to quick boost regeneration of it.

Third, retreat is to be used when the situation is going to hell quickly. Usually by the time that happens, I don't have any HAM to use /retreat. Who has 400 mind and 400 action by the time things are unwinnable? I almost have to use it ten seconds into the fight. Why not lower the HAM cost and add a sort of ranger rescue skill to it? Basically it would work like this ICly: The situation goes bad, everyone is getting hurt and the squad leader orders a retreat. S/he strengthens her/his resolve and charges into the frey. The troops are inspired by this and get a second wind, getting a burst run by watching their leader's bravery and sacrifice. ... There's really no point to using a skill when things are bad, when you can't use it, because things are bad.

Fourth, the biggie. I want to master squad leader. Problems or not, I want to help my group. But, most professions (I haven't looked at all of them) get something very cool at master. Tailors make things they can't without it, same with weaponsmiths. Other groups get new skills. All we get are a couple of small bonuses. Give a master only skill. I don't care what it is, just as long as it's worth it. Right now, it's not.

»"Hey Bob, you weren't wounded, but now you are because Steve was..." That doesn't even make IC sense. Somehow my character what, wacks one guy in the leg and heals the other at the same time?

The way I see boostmorale IC is.. everybody that is wounded punches everybody that is not wounded right in the face for their silly grin .. the ones wounded say 'Ah.. much better now' .. and the previously unwounded say 'Ouch.."' :-)

»The troops are inspired by this and get a second wind, getting a burst run by watching their leader's bravery and sacrifice.

Or do be more realistic and by explaining that skill.. its more like "Oh look.. he's doing an ability again, guys.. RUN FOR YOU LIFES" :-)