FRS MODS ISSUES
My interpretation of the mods and how they should be working...
First, let's examine the actual mods themselves and how they accumulate through the FRS ranks:
Force Control
"Increases the strength of any healing or enhancement effects."
This is obviously meant to affect the abilities in the Force Healing and Force Enhancement disciplines.
Force Manipulation
"Increases the efficiency of any Force ability."
Believed to lower the Force cost, it supposedly works for all Force disciplines, except Lightsabers.
Force Power
"Increases the strength of any offensive Force attack."
Affects the Force Powers discipline only, whether it's the strength of the power or just it's accuracy and/or effect remains to be determined.
(Note: all Force Control (CNTRL), Force Manipulation (MANIP), and Force Power (POWER) mods listed are cumulative.)
Light Force Rankings
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NAME___________RANK__CNTRL__MANIP__POWER
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Rank Member_______0______5______5______4
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Sentinel I________1_____10______8______6
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Sentinel II_______2_____15_____12______8
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Sentinel III______3_____20_____16_____10
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Sentinel IV_______4_____25_____20_____12
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Consular I________5_____35_____25_____15
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Consular II_______6_____45_____30_____20
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Consular III______7_____55_____35_____25
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Arbiter I_________8_____70_____45_____35
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Arbiter II________9_____85_____55_____45
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Council Member___10____100_____65_____60
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Council Leader___11____120_____80_____75
Dark Force Rankings
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NAME___________RANK__CNTRL__MANIP__POWER
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Rank Member_______0______4______5______5
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Enforcer I________1______6______8_____10
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Enforcer II_______2______8_____12_____15
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Enforcer III______3_____10_____16_____20
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Enforcer IV_______4_____12_____20_____25
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Templar I_________5_____15_____25_____35
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Templar II________6_____20_____30_____45
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Templar III_______7_____25_____35_____55
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Oppressor I_______8_____35_____45_____70
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Oppressor II______9_____45_____55_____85
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Council Member___10_____60_____65____100
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Council Leader___11_____75_____80____120
The first thing to realize is that there is no real difference in how the mods are applied to the Light and Dark sides, just that Light side Jedi will accumulate more Force Control and Dark side Jedi will accumulate more Force Power. Force Manipulation is earned equally by both sides.
The other question commonly asked is, "How are these mods applied?" Well, the current belief is that they are percentage increases and decreases. For example, a Dark Jedi Council Leader would receive a 120% increase in the strength to their offensive Force Powers and they would be 80% more efficient.
Now, let's take a look at the disciplines and the individual Force abilities to see how (and if) the mods should affect them:
Force Healing:
(Should be affected by Force Control and Manipulation)
Heal Health Self, Heal Action Self, Heal Mind Self, Heal All Self, Heal All Other, Heal Health Wound Self, Heal Health Wound Other, Heal Action Wound Self, Heal Action Wound Other, Heal Mind Wound Self, Heal Mind Wound Other, Heal Battle Fatigue Self, Total Heal Self, Total Heal Other
These all heal a set amount and have their cost determined by how much is actually healed, up to a maximum cost value. In order to calculate this there must be a "hidden" modifier in the formula to determine the healed-to-cost ratio. Ideally, the Force Manipulation mod should reduce this "hidden" modifier along with the maximum cost value. Also, the Force Control mod should increase the maximum amount healed.
Apparently, from the testing done so far, both cases are not happening currently.
BTW, if the amount healed was increased then the "hidden" modifier would have to be reduced, otherwise the maximum cost value would be reached for using only a fraction of the total healing abilities. For example, say Heal Health Self 1 was increased to 120%, that would mean the maximum potential heal would be 1100 (500 + 120%), if the hidden modifier remained the same the full cost of 65 Force would still be reached for healing 500 Health, not the full 1100 (only 45% of the total healing possible).
Stop Bleeding, Force Cure Disease, Force Cure Poison
These are straight costing abilities, with no hidden modifiers, therefore the Force Manipulation mod should reduce the Force cost (which they currently do not).
The Force Control mod increases the absorption effect of these abilities to remove DOT's from a target (meaning the DOT is removed more easily as the mod increases). Hard to tell if this is working or not, but testing seems to indicate it is.
Heal States Self, Heal States Other
These are straight costing abilities as well so the Force Manipulation mod should reduce the Force cost (again, it doesn't).
Since these will instantly remove a State, the Force Control mod doesn't really have (or need to have) any affect.
Force Defense:
(Should be affected by Force Manipulation)
Avoid Incapacitation
The Force Manipulation mod should reduce the Force cost of the ability, but it doesn't.
Since the "avoid incap" stat mod is only a switch no other FRS mods should affect this ability.
Side Note: It's unfortunate that none of the FRS mods affect the various stat mods in Force Defender. As such, those Jedi that enter the FRS with this discipline will receive very little benefits as they progress through the ranks, in essence making the experience unrewarding.
Force Enhancement:
(Should be affected by Force Control and Manipulation)
Force Armor, Force Shield
These have a straight Force cost associated with the initial enabling of the ability and then further costs incurred as damage is absorbed, based on a "hidden" modifier. Testing has indicated that the initial cost is not affected by the Force Manipulation mod, but the "hidden" modifier used to determine Force cost based on damage absorbed is reported to be working.
The amount of damage absorbed is determined by the "force armor" stat mod, which should be increased by the Force Control mod. This is also reported to be working correctly.
Force Resist Bleeding, Force Resist Disease, Force Resist Poison, Force Resist States
There is only an initial Force cost associated with enabling these abilities and it is not affected by the Force Manipulation mod.
The stat mods for these abilities provide the ability to resist particular DOT's and States. The Force Control mod has been reported to successfully enhance these stat mods.
Force Speed, Force Absorb, Force Feedback, Force Run
These all only have initial Force costs when turning on the ability, they are not affected by the Force Manipulation mod.
They all also grant certain affects based on their respective stat mods (as well as hidden modifiers for Force Absorb and Force Run). It is unknown if the Force Control mod is correctly increasing these stat mods. For example, Force Speed should grant a larger increase in "combat haste", Force Absorb should siphon more Force power from Force attacks, Force Feedback should reflect more damage from Force attacks, and Force Run should grant more "terrain negotiation".
Channel Force
No cost associated from use, but it should use the Force Control mod to generate more Force power from the same amount of HAM.
Drain Force
This should use the Force Control mod to drain more Force power from a target.
Transfer Force
This probably shouldn't be affected by the mods.
Force Meditate
The Force Control mod (or possibly the Force Manipulation mod) should increase the Force regeneration rate bonus.
Regain Consciousness
The Force Manipulation mod should lower the Force cost of this move, it does not.
Force Powers:
(Should be affected by Force Power and Manipulation)
Force Lightning Single, Force Lightning Cone, Force Throw, Mind Blast
The Force Manipulation mod should lower the cost of these powers and the Force Power mod should increase their attack strength. Both are reported to not be happening.
Unknown if the Force Power mod should increase (or is increasing) their Accuracy stat mods.
Force Intimidate, Force Knockdown
Their Force costs should be lowered by the Force Manipulation mod, they're not.
Unknown if the Force Power mod should increase (or is increasing) their Accuracy stat mods.
Force Weaken
Again, the Force Manipulation mod should be decreasing the Force costs, but it isn't.
Also, the Force Power mod should be increasing the effect of the debilitation from these powers.
Unknown if the Force Power mod should increase (or is increasing) their Accuracy stat mods.
Force Choke
The Force Manipulation mod should lower the Force cost and the Force Power mod should increase the strength of the "ticks" and/or increase the number of "ticks" on the DOT.
Animal Scare, Animal Calm, Animal Attack, Jedi Mind Trick
These should all have their Force costs lowered by the Force Manipulation mod.
Lightsabers:
Unfortunately, this discipline, which every Jedi takes at least a little of, receives no benefits from the FRS mods. Where every Jedi could at least receive some rewards from the FRS there are none given.
Many believe (and I support them) that the Force Manipulation mod should lower the Force cost of Lightsaber specials (by lowering the hidden modifiers).
Also, the offensive strength of Lightsaber specials should be increased by the Force Power mod, since they are essentially "offensive Force attacks".
I should mention that there is one side benefit to the FRS for Lightsabers that is not related to the FRS mods. As a Jedi climbs the FRS ranks their hidden difficulty rating (challenge level) increases dramatically. Since the PvE Lightsaber damage bonus modifier is determined by comparing a Jedi's challenge level to their target's challenge level, a Jedi ranking high in the FRS will qualify to receive the bonus damage against much higher level MOB's. For example, my testing on TC2 for Publish 9 showed that a Dark Jedi Oppressor still qualified for a substantial bonus against even Axkva Min!
This is great stuff.
