Squad Leader Archive

Thread: The only reason that I am hesitant at returning to Squad Leader.

BioEngine
Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:32 am
#1

I find it difficult to ask the current leader of a group if he would allow me to become the group leader so I can apply the Squad Leader bonuses that are only allowed if I am the group's leader. The only way around this that I have found is to be the one who starts the group, or have a moderate amount of reputation on your server or amongst the people you most often fight with. I admit, I tried SL with the respec token. I found it quite useful, but as a Ranger I don't find too many groups willing to go to the dangerous planets, and as a Master Ranger I have no combat bonuses, which leaves me standing around as the group leader, offering less than average firepower in the group but increasing the group members' abilities. I just end up waiting for the fight to be over so I can harvest.


I am wondering if I should take Squad Leader only when I am prepared for group fighting constantly. Most of the people in my guild only do group quests, as our members are spread throughout the time zones and it's hard to findenough membersonlineto form even a small group. Do the bonuses noted as "group terrain negotiation," "group defense," etc. apply to the Squad Leader when they are without a group, or only to everyone in a group when the SL is grouped with them?



Account active 'till November 10th, contact me on forum name:
Stamina
Sylow
Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:47 am
#2







I am wondering if I should take Squad Leader only when I am prepared for group fighting constantly. Most of the people in my guild only do group quests, as our members are spread throughout the time zones and it's hard to findenough membersonlineto form even a small group. Do the bonuses noted as "group terrain negotiation," "group defense," etc. apply to the Squad Leader when they are without a group, or only to everyone in a group when the SL is grouped with them?




You can "trick" by taking a droid or pet into your team. This gives the SL-bonuses to yourself and also allows you to apply SL abilities for you. (Retreat excluded.)


Though, i also have to say, if you don't regularily get a player group, this is a waste of skillpoints. If you group often, it's worth it... and, believe me, asking for /makeleader at the start was also a challenge for me. By now i replaced that by simply asking if the leader is MSL. Anyhalfway experiencedteamleader gets the hint and transfers leadership to me right away. If they don't get the drift, just mention that you can only give your bonuses to the complete team when they please make you leader, usually works wonders.


Tougher is your statement about combining Ranger and SL... two professions where which both don't give you actual fighting abilities... you'll sure be easy prey alone, and if SL abilities alone cut it for the team, i dare to doubt. Most people will see you as the weak spot in group, if you have any combat abilitly (carbineer works very find with that) combined with SL, you can prove them better and soon can find a permanent spot on a regular team.










Learn to sing!
Infinity - Papyn Biboon
MSL, MCarb Grunt Leader
BioEngine
Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:20 am
#3

I do not plan on dropping Ranger, which seems to be the core of my problems. It would seem that, in order to be as effective "as the next guy," I will have to drop Master Ranger for skill boxes that actually grant combat modifiers . What I was hoping for is to be able to participate somewhat in the GCW by being able to grant others combat bonuses to make up for the lack of fire power that I can provide other than the CL granted weapons I can use and the damage that they can provide using Master SL and perhaps some of Creature Handler (for a bit of added damage) or Bounty Hunter (for additional combat specials.) With the template I would be able to have, I can contribute some damage in addition to increasing the concentrated combat abilities of my group members.



Account active 'till November 10th, contact me on forum name:
Stamina
KJFett3
Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:30 am
#4

First...you have to get over the whole not wanting to ask thing. Your skills work when you are lead. Most people are more than happy to hand over lead.


When I group up, first thing I say is "Mind if I take lead? I'm a MSL". Now I normally 3 response....


"Sure" and I am made lead


"I'm a SL as well" to which I respond "Well, then lead on "


and finally..my favorite


"I'm a MLS, doesn't mean I should have lead" to which I respond "That's because MLs doesn't give group mods like MSL "


Now onto the MR/MSL issue....I really think that's not so good an idea. Your damage is very low, and when you are standing around waiting to harvest, some in the group will think you are a leech...even if you are throwing out SL specials from time to time. Being a SL isn't just about the specials. Its a package deal. You need to be apart of their actions. You need to be able to jump in and save your squad as well. Its odd that 2 profesisons from scout could not work together so well, and I can't think of another 2 profesisons from the same novice that are so incompatible. I think there is a reason for this though. Ranger is more of a solo profession, and SL is a group profession. I will admit that having the cool tents, being able to camo your group, track creatures (or players in PVP) would be handy in SL, but that lack of any real damage and no healing is a huge roadblock in my opinion.


The best you could do is Marksman1144. As a Ranger, you could not possibly hunt solo, and as a SL, you can't meet the expectations the others in the group have.



!Drevin of DROW!
!!
Sylow
Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:36 am
#5





What I was hoping for is to be able to participate somewhat in the GCW by being able to grant others combat bonuses to make up for the lack of fire power that I can provide other than the CL granted weapons I can use and the damage that they can provide using Master SL and perhaps some of Creature Handler (for a bit of added damage) or Bounty Hunter (for additional combat specials.) With the template I would be able to have, I can contribute some damage in addition to increasing the concentrated combat abilities of my group members.




I see little use of creatures in the GCW. This of course might result from CHs at the moment also having serious issues, but i also think it's partially rooted in the fact that a lesser number of groups with 8 people usually performs better than a higher number of smaller groups. CHs require the group to keep several slots open for creatures, though...


If you pack a bit of BH into your build (i think that 0300 BH would work best, gives you critical shot and thus allows you to do good damage) your value in team increases a lot. (The alternative 0030 at first looks attractive due to knockdown and stun/dizzy attack, but that's something you can let some teammate do, better make sure that you also field some firepower...) Your level with MSL/MRanger should be 80, your health should be capped, SLs are quite often wanted for basebusting (BEs are even harder to get, the rest is easier to be found...), you're able to get into Battle or Assault armour.


You won't be the end-of-days killing machine (but nobody with MSL in the build can ever hope to be that.) but with BH counted in, the whole equation suddenly looks very different. You'll be able to power up your team with rally and volley fire and also field some firepower. (While volley fire alone already is helpful for the team, you'll feel useless when then just standing there and waiting till you can use another SL ability... and will have a problem when getting under attack and the team for whatever reasons just getting spread out a bit. It's really better to have some way to hurt back... )








The best you could do is Marksman1144. As a Ranger, you could not possibly hunt solo, and as a SL, you can't meet the expectations the others in the group have.





I disagree. I think he got the perfectly right idea with BH, having MSL and MRanger, he already has all prequisites for BH, so he can invest all remaining 18 skillpoints into that one. Any other elite profession is unreachable since the prequisites would eat up the skillpoints and the improved critical shot gives him way more on firepower than anything from marksman.


The total effective modifiers would be:


General Ranged Accuracy +73
General Ranged Speed +31
Melee Defense +105
Ranged Defense +109
No weapon specific modifiers are present, so this surely is a bit short... but together with the improved critical shot, it should allow to play some role in combat as long as not ending up under concentrated fire.

Message Edited by Sylow on 07-13-2005 03:59 PM






Learn to sing!
Infinity - Papyn Biboon
MSL, MCarb Grunt Leader
Kharast
Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:48 am
#6






Sylow wrote:


If you pack a bit of BH into your build (i think that 0300 BH would work best, gives you critical shot and thus allows you to do good damage) your value in team increases a lot.


You won't be the end-of-days killing machine (but nobody with MSL in the build can ever hope to be that.) but with BH counted in, the whole equation suddenly looks very different.





/agree


adding those 3 boxes of BH wo.uld be better than picking up redundant marksman boxes, though you'll rely solely on general ranged accuracy and speed





Melee and Ranged:
Officers go both ways!
KJFett3
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:04 am
#7






Sylow wrote:





What I was hoping for is to be able to participate somewhat in the GCW by being able to grant others combat bonuses to make up for the lack of fire power that I can provide other than the CL granted weapons I can use and the damage that they can provide using Master SL and perhaps some of Creature Handler (for a bit of added damage) or Bounty Hunter (for additional combat specials.) With the template I would be able to have, I can contribute some damage in addition to increasing the concentrated combat abilities of my group members.




I see little use of creatures in the GCW. This of course might result from CHs at the moment also having serious issues, but i also think it's partially rooted in the fact that a lesser number of groups with 8 people usually performs better than a higher number of smaller groups. CHs require the group to keep several slots open for creatures, though...


If you pack a bit of BH into your build (i think that 0300 BH would work best, gives you critical shot and thus allows you to do good damage) your value in team increases a lot. (The alternative 0030 at first looks attractive due to knockdown and stun/dizzy attack, but that's something you can let some teammate do, better make sure that you also field some firepower...) Your level with MSL/MRanger should be 80, your health should be capped, SLs are quite often wanted for basebusting (BEs are even harder to get, the rest is easier to be found...), you're able to get into Battle or Assault armour.


You won't be the end-of-days killing machine (but nobody with MSL in the build can ever hope to be that.) but with BH counted in, the whole equation suddenly looks very different. You'll be able to power up your team with rally and volley fire and also field some firepower. (While volley fire alone already is helpful for the team, you'll feel useless when then just standing there and waiting till you can use another SL ability... and will have a problem when getting under attack and the team for whatever reasons just getting spread out a bit. It's really better to have some way to hurt back... )








Even with 0300BH, I don't think he will be as useful as you imply. Having Critical shot isn't good enough when the mods behind it aren't there. Here are the key stats with a MR/MSL/BH0300 template


General Ranged Accuracy +73
General Ranged Speed +31
Group Melee Defense +30
Group Ranged Defense +30
Group Terrain Negotiation +60
Melee Defense +105
Ranged Defense +109

Since you are in a group, we'll add those group mods in and you have 135/139 melee/ranged defense. While not horrible...there are a couple templates that are equal to that by themselves, it does mean that anyone is going to be hitting, and hitting harder.



31 speed is very slow. Even alterating the couple specials...its going to be long waits between shooting, and if you think SL specials are slow..watch out! How does this compare to other templates? Mine has +100. I prefer to leave the healing up to the docs so I went MM, and medic 0010. Even MCarb/MSL alone gives +85. Look how those sit on the chart. We are talking nearly half the damge even before we get into the X mods on specials between critical shot and Advanced rapid fire and Improved Legshot...that deff gets closer to 2.5X more.


Onto Accuracy....+73? You won't be hitting much for sure..moreso in hunts, but in PVP..expect to miss a lot. Add that missing into the 2.5X mod in dmg from speed, and suddenly its up over 3X


No..even with this template, you are 1/3 the offense and 1/2 the defense of another MSL. I'm not comparing it to a soldier template...this is against another SL.


This doesn't mean that you can't go this temp. I just want you to see the hard numbers there and know what you are getting into before you do. No MSL skill or innate mod makes up for that lack of defense and offense in a group.



!Drevin of DROW!
!!
KJFett3
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:07 am
#8

You edited yours while I was responding. I agree BH0300 is better than M1144, but look at the stats you and I posted....those stats still aren't good....there will be lvl40 characters that will be outdamageing and tanking better. I realize SL isn't about the one, but if you are dying alot...you aren't really helping. If your offense isn't able to save a group member's life..you aren't really helping....IMHO

I should also point out that it is Improved Crit shot we are looking at in BH0300..not Advanced that the BHs get at MBH that is better than leg shot. Improved Crit shot isn't really all that good. Its better than anything in Marksman, but the multiplyers aren't there to even compare to Improved Legshot.

Message Edited by KJFett3 on 07-13-2005 07:11 AM



!Drevin of DROW!
!!
Sylow
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:26 am
#9

I'm just trying to help under the assumption of MSL/MRanger. He is aware that he won't be too powerful. And i agree, in PvP he'll have problems. But there's also PvE bases to bust, where he sure can find his place.


(Heck, on the first base-bust i did, we had a master chef / master bio engineer along. Consider how lost he felt with his CDEF in hand... )


I agree that the modifiers are not utterly high... my personal advise would be to go earn serious cash with ranger. Find an AS who pays good rates for hides, use your ranger abilities to gather up massive ammounts of the hides, make a good deal of money out of that. Invest some time and the money in the trade forums to equip yourself with a decent set of skilltapes. Costs will be prohibitive and earning the money for that will surely take some time.


This in theory in the end allows to get the stats:


Carbine (or other weapon of choice)Accuracy +25

Carbine (or other weapon of choice) Speed +25

General Ranged Accuracy +98
General Ranged Speed +56
Group Melee Defense +30
Group Ranged Defense +30
Group Terrain Negotiation +60
Melee Defense +130
Ranged Defense +134


Since you are in a group, we'll add those group mods in and you have 160/164 melee/ranged defense with an effective accuracy of 123 and an effective speed of 81. While still not being utterly powerful, it's a massive improvement... only my warning stands, this way will take a long time as you'll have to collect several fortunes, not only one...






Learn to sing!
Infinity - Papyn Biboon
MSL, MCarb Grunt Leader
BioEngine
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:28 am
#10

Thank you, both of you, for helping me with this, even though at this point it would seem to be simply the result of a debate . The whole point that I was thinking about is that if I do not have an "essential" role in the group other than being the group leader, giving the SL modifiers to the group members, and using the SL speicals would be that I do not have to focus as much as a full time tanker. This would allow me to pay some attention on the actions of the enemy, for example if they are consuming food and if so what type, who is using what specials, and then decide who our group should focus on with the /sys command. I can still contribute some damage to the group, and foods can help make up for some of the modifiers, and perhaps if the group has a Doctor they can give me the speed buff. I am beginning to run low on the stack of Mushroom Pies from the RotW Village Nurse's quest.



Account active 'till November 10th, contact me on forum name:
Stamina
KJFett3
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:42 am
#11






BioEngine wrote:

Thank you, both of you, for helping me with this, even though at this point it would seem to be simply the result of a debate . The whole point that I was thinking about is that if I do not have an "essential" role in the group other than being the group leader, giving the SL modifiers to the group members, and using the SL speicals would be that I do not have to focus as much as a full time tanker. This would allow me to pay some attention on the actions of the enemy, for example if they are consuming food and if so what type, who is using what specials, and then decide who our group should focus on with the /sys command. I can still contribute some damage to the group, and foods can help make up for some of the modifiers, and perhaps if the group has a Doctor they can give me the speed buff. I am beginning to run low on the stack of Mushroom Pies from the RotW Village Nurse's quest.






Bio, those of us with the offense skills are still doing all you are talking about there. Why just last night I was in a major battle in which Imperial forces were about 30 with 2 PVE bases for turrets and the rebels had 40+ with one turret. I wasn't in the long arm group (guys with 2 cyber arms for 80 range) and I wasn't in the tank group(jedi) either. I had a combat medic and a mix of ranged in my group. I was able to focus on the battle by parking in the middle of the mass and insure that my group was doing okay..calling in rezzes as needed...running in with a charge shot when needed...throwing in retreat from time to time...or my favorite...Full area auto (nothing like throwing that in and seeing a couple "you have incapasitated XXXX" pop up. lol). I can even move in and help when one of my members is one on one.


I'm not telling you not to do the template. You asked for an opinion on the setup and I'm throwing my 2 cents in to help. I just want you to know what you are getting into. Just realize that in that group, those SL skills are all you are bringing to the table.



!Drevin of DROW!
!!
Loki_Ashaman
Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:43 am
#12

Regardless of the exact mods or template, if you go MR / MSL you personal offensive and defensive capabilities will be low. Given your above post, you have a good grasp of the support role you would play, so the main question is: would you enjoy playing this template?


Being Uber or Not Being Uber mean nothing if you are having fun playing a game.






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Mardius Ashalar, Commissar: Commander of the Daishi
Larikuj V'neef, DOH Mall: Theed (-5240, 2770)
"A pilot without his attitude is just some guy" - TomoRainer


captiansarcasmo
Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:42 am
#13

/cough


/cough


/whisper


medic to make up for your weakness





jailyn

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