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I thought it would be nice to type up a quick summary of where our profession has been for those people who are new to the game or simply new to the profession. Please feel free to make corrections where I may have made errors. I am starting at launch since I was not involved in the beta, but people should feel free to add those details
Launch to First Publish (The Bunny Years)
When SWG launched, the commando profession was severely underpowered, with most weapons only able to deal a fraction of the damage of the current weapons. Additionally, the launcher pistol initially gave pistol experience, instead of hw weapon experience, which was a problem since it was the only decent commando weapon at the time. This was fixed about a month or so after launch. Disposable weapons have about 300 charges/shots. Very few commandoes exist in the galaxy, with those few brave souls bleeding levisquall on Rori and then switching to grenades or the flamethrower to get hw experience. The HAR certs are broken. We are told that disposable heavy weapons are supposed to be used at close range, resulting in the working as intended comments.
First Publish to Third Publish (The Golden Age)
The commando profession gets a major revamp, with all weapons except the launcher pistol getting a major upgrade in damage output. Heavy weapon ranges are increased to current levels. Additionally, the flamethrower is misclassified as a melee weapon, granting commandoes a 2.5X multiplier against rifle wielding opponents. Moreover, the machine flamer exists for a period of time. The machine flamer was a bug that allowed commandoes to fire the flamethrower at an inordinately fast rate when prone. Disposable weapons now have about 30 charges/shots. Resources finally being to appear on most servers to craft rocket launchers. Commandoes rejoice until they see the prices. Grenades and heavy weapons cannot be used indoors. The HAR certs are still broken.
Third Publish to Fourth Publish (The Stealth Nerf)
While much of the SWG community rejoices at the introduction of holocrons, commandoes are shocked to discover that instead of their flamethrowers simply being reclassified as ranged weapons, they are now classified as rifles, subjecting the user to a 2.5X melee damage multiplier. The Devs acknowledge that this had occurred, but initially see no contradiction in restricting special use to 16m and applying a melee penalty. On the brightside, composite armor sales go through the roof. Commandoes are later told that we should stop worrying about the multiplier with the upcoming combat changes. And we find out that the dev in charge of combat does not like our profession when the correspondent forum is accidentally open to everyone. The master box gets additional bonuses to FT/HAR/Thrown Weapon/Rocket launcher accuracy. Commando disposable weapons are still very expensive per shot, and grenades still have very high HAM costs and miss often. Grenades and heavy weapons cannot be used indoors. The HAR certs are still broken.
Fourth Publish to Publish 6
The melee damage multiplier is removed, much to the disappointment of armorsmiths everywhere. Commandoes get ranged damage mitigation to level 3 at the master box. The schematic for the launcher pistol has the power hadler removed from it, reducing its damage output considerably. Commando disposable weapons are still very expensive per shot, and grenades still have very high HAM costs and miss often. Grenades and heavy weapons cannot be used indoors. The HAR certs are still broken.
Publish 7 to present
Food to resist damage and fire blankets were introduced in publish 7, but the DOT done by a flamethrower was changed to equall 20% of the initial damage and also be effected by armor resistance, so most serious PvP players don't bother much with these. Also, this changed severly hampered the commandoes ability to affect high level mobs, such as rancors and night sisters. DOT stacking effects were changed so that a single commando could only stack 1 single and 1 flame, instead of all 4, but multiple commandoes could stack the same special (i.e. flame single 2). The HAR modifiers were fixed in publish 7, but most commandoes still eschew the weapon due to its low high HAM costs, slow speed, lack of AP, lack of DOT, and lower damage than the flamethrower. Heavy weapons and grenades are now usable indoors.
The Future
Always in motion the future is, usually to nerf the commando. The next publish has no direct impact on commandoes, although the introduction of detonation mouse droids cuts into the ranged blast damage niche that had defined commandoes. We expect that disposable weapons will still be very expensive per shot, and grenades will still have very high HAM costs and miss often unless there is a major change in how these weapons are crafted. However, there is a silver lining in that the much hyped combat balance could arrive in publish 9 or 10, which is SUPPOSED to significantly affect weapon speeds, damages, and HAM costs. Message Edited by Hellshot on 04-27-2004 12:04 PM
Ancient weapons and hokey religions are no match for a rocket launcher in your backpack.
Lowca- Col Hoopo Gringo 0/0/2/0 Commando, 0/0/0/2 Fencer
Test Center - Ahab Crestingrunner Master Commando and stuff
First player to wear Mandalorian armor
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. and yeah, i did love to go prone on them lairs and scare the bejeezus out of my friends lol. ah the good ol' days.
Not having see it though, and being generally optimistic, I reserve judgement on whether that accurately reflects the poor guy's true feelings.
