That's not so true Ackehece. I've never done Rifleman before, and I used the same strategy as I did when I was grinding TKA.
Didn't say it would not work ^_^ in fact I know it works quite well but it is a TK tactic not a rifleman tactic and if you apply tk tactics later on in your career as a rifleman you will be visiting a cloning chamber. Train em the right way and they well live longer. ^_^ The stand in the middle and Point Blank Area 1 is very effective but also not a good tactic in the long term.
As for using mindshot 1, try head shot 1 they will go down much faster mindshot = the bleed ^_^ and our bleed ticks are not very strong anymore. If you do want to use mindshot use it first then spam head shot on the creature you are attacking.
In Summary there is no right or wrong way to level Rifleman just different ways. I say if you want to level it in a day go ahead and have at it, if you want to do it in a week fine as well or a month or a year ^_^. The journey is as important as the destination and as long as you have fun along the way then you are doing rifleman in a way that it is meant to be played
You completely missed the point Ackehece was stating. Bum rushing a nest like some wanna-be commando is not how a rifleman was designed to be played. Riflemen are the SWG counterparts of snipers, we hide, we sneak, we take aim we shoot. We dont run up and blast the place using a long range weapon like a pistol or carbine. Ackehece is correct is saying that teaches you nothing about actually being a rifleman, it just super grinds you to a position that makes you feel better about yourself. Also, this was a guide for who, noobs, which means what? Its not likely they are going to have a full suit of 80% comp in there backpack let alone the credits to even get off planet. Rifleman is half as hard as many folks say it is and twice as fun, you just need to actually want to play the class. Running into a nest of whatever isnt playing the class. Also, if you've never been a Rifleman, don't try advising Riflemen. Stick to your own class. Ackehece, outstanding guide, I'm glad someone stepped up and posted an accurate one.
I think this is great...what you've done here (along with everybody elses input) has helped me a great deat as I level through Rifleman. So far it's been pretty frustrating at times, but as I level up I can tell that I'm getting better. I can feel that it takes a lot less effort to clear Rebel camps and bases, I can feel that it takes less time to run creature missions and the like. Leveling Rifleman has been the most enjoying thing that I've done since installing the game. With the help that this thread has provided me (and many others I'm sure) I feel like a smarter player out there in the field where and when it counts.
On another note, this forum is great!! All the people that take the time and effort to post their personal accomplishments, stories, tips, opinions, suggestions, etc. really make this a very diverse yet well-rounded, and informed forum. Not to mention it's the first place I turn to when I have a question about ANYTHING regarding the Rifleman profession. So I would like to personally thank all of the people that post on this forum for making it the best source of information on the web for SWG Rifleman information! Keep the posts coming guys!!
My only comment would be about the X vs speed choices for leveling. The speed tree comes from combat XP not rifle so IMO it s not a matter of going up the speed tree Vs any other it's a matter of going up the speed tree when you have the combat xp avaialble. Also on the weapons to use issue Id recomend (if you can afford it) buying a few t21's and looking for a good speed slice. that and a Power up that raises attack speed (or lowers it? either way you shoot faster) I used a 31% spd sliced t21 and a few crates of those power ups and that helps allot at the early levels where it's /headshot1 miss wiat an eternity, headshot1 miss wait an eternity,.....screw it auto fire...
I do have a question for the knowledgable out there. what is the highest damamge shot for a master rifleman that is speed capped? Not a quiz I really want to know.
waste93 expansion Also you may want to change the KD section to reflect that it is only a voluntary posture change that causes the flopping fish. Also that Dizzy only works on NPCs. Along with the flopping fish effect.
This is clearly untrue. I have been using Supression Shot and Dizzy to KD/Dizzy 4-legged animals for the entire duration I've been playing this game (about a month). If you're going to tell me it doesn't work, then why does it stop dire cats, torturs, and sharnaffs right in their tracks, go to a crouch position (if they have one, if not just their icon changes to kneeling) and make them unable to stand up and chase me for a good 15 seconds? The ones w/ crouching animations looking like their twitiching between standing and crouching, the rest just stand there.
The devs have stated that dizzy -only- works on players and NPCs and that animals, while showing the state, are NOT affected.
What you are seeing is just the suppressionfire locking them in place with the posture down. I have seen creatures locked in place for 20+ seconds at times.
A little help for the newb Rifle/Ch from a master rifle/ master CH
MrSensitive says:
If you want CH xp you should prone and start picking off the beast with your best headshot. Send in your low level pet to get one hit before the mob falls. Once you get good at gauging what your pet can handle for tanking you can send him in to hit 3-4 different things at once, gather them around him and you can AoE fire on all of them. This gets tricky though as for the most part you are going to want a low level pet attacking a high level mob for the best CH xp, and unless you have mastered rifle, you probably won't be able to kill them quick enough...there are some tricky aggro gaining caveats to this as well...
If you are more concerned about getting aggro while fighting something you can't otherwise handle (1 of the only uses for conceal shot) then the other post is right. Use your pet to guard you so that if you do get aggro you can get away. Of course, make sure that this is something your pet can tank before you decide to do this. If it isn't it is going to come down to whether you want the incap/DB or you want your pet to take it for you.
I think I have strayed from topic though...
If you use conceal shot and send your pet, you will get xp and your pet will get aggro, but as has already been said, this is not as effective as using a higher damage single pool attack like the headshots.
the proceeding has been brough to you by MrSensitive (it is in no way written or edited by Ackehece - just copied by me as it may help you Ch'r Rifleman)
new section added by request... not sure it is very good but check out the small pvp section (please any corrections or additions you want added tell me ^_^
I just have one problem with Mr Sensitives advice about the Rifleman/CH tactics... what "noob" rifleman has Strafe 2? Now he is so very correct in this tactic however, for advanced riflemen, AOE your hearts out if taht is what yoru into. If you are looking at starting Rifleman or CH or your already working up the tree, its pretty straight forward what you CAN do. Figure out what your comfortable with, there is no bad advice, you just need to sort out what applies to you. Anyway, Start prone, and make sure your ideal range for your weapon so your more likely to hit. Starting prone offersyou up to 3 free hits before teh animal even knows your there (assuming it is non-aggressive before teh first shot). After your second shot fires, sent in the creature and que your 3rd shot. If its times correctly, the 3rd shot will hit just as your pet takes a bite out of the targets hide taking teh agro from you to him. Now you need to work fast, only you know what your pet can do and how much of a beating it can withstand. Stick with the head shots, if you want to throw a mind shot in there for a bleed, it is up to you discreation on if your pet can sustain the extra attack. If you can, have a crate of weapon power ups handy and juice your rifle up, it will only save your pet some pain in the long run. Now if yoru mixed with a melee combat class, just about all I just said doesnt mean lick since you guys can run up and do what you all do, that isnt my field so I wont comment. Just remember as a Rifleman/CH you will tend to kill teh creature faster then your pet can, but as long as your oet tags it at least once, you get full CH xp for that encounter.
I just have one problem with Mr Sensitives advice about the Rifleman/CH tactics... what "noob" rifleman has Strafe 2? Now he is so very correct in this tactic however, for advanced riflemen, AOE your hearts out if taht is what yoru into. If you are looking at starting Rifleman or CH or your already working up the tree, its pretty straight forward what you CAN do. Figure out what your comfortable with, there is no bad advice, you just need to sort out what applies to you. Anyway, Start prone, and make sure your ideal range for your weapon so your more likely to hit. Starting prone offersyou up to 3 free hits before teh animal even knows your there (assuming it is non-aggressive before teh first shot). After your second shot fires, sent in the creature and que your 3rd shot. If its times correctly, the 3rd shot will hit just as your pet takes a bite out of the targets hide taking teh agro from you to him. Now you need to work fast, only you know what your pet can do and how much of a beating it can withstand. Stick with the head shots, if you want to throw a mind shot in there for a bleed, it is up to you discreation on if your pet can sustain the extra attack. If you can, have a crate of weapon power ups handy and juice your rifle up, it will only save your pet some pain in the long run. Now if yoru mixed with a melee combat class, just about all I just said doesnt mean lick since you guys can run up and do what you all do, that isnt my field so I wont comment. Just remember as a Rifleman/CH you will tend to kill teh creature faster then your pet can, but as long as your oet tags it at least once, you get full CH xp for that encounter.
Rifleman/Ranger.C.Handler
your are correct to a point AOE's are more upper level for us so it really is not that great for newbs (at least that small section) but it was info that people might find interesting ^_^ so instead of putting in the faq section I added it to just in the following comments. If it was directly at neophytes I would have probably would have added in an earlier spot. Good Advice you have though ^_^ glad to see you all contributing to helping the next generation of Rifle(wo)man.
(i would point out that he did not specifically mention SS2 - he mentioned AOE's (which are attainable at a much lower rifleman level))
Yes, would be the short answer- the longer one is to follow ^_^
We can solo with the best of them in this game. We have a large assortment of damage types and some of the best armorpiercing weapons in the game.
With rifleman we can do several things that help with solo'ing
1) We can single draw - a underated ability but what it allows is if we are at 55+ meters away we can shot 1 animal and only that one will aggro even if all the rest are social
2) Conceal Shot - a lower level attack that allows us to avoid aggro altogether. this shot is best used prone at 40m+ (preferably in your best range area of your weapon) This skill does not stack with the /takecover command (which affects other things) but /aim works well with this skill as the animal will aggro if you miss to often (3x = insta aggro)further discussion
3) at higher levels our damage output spikes significantly which allows for us to take on creatures and use multiple shots at the same target before they aggro (any shot in fact) once you are at master you can get up to 15shots using headshots on certain creatures before they aggro (usually they are dead by that point ^^)
4) with armor and buffs you can kill pretty much any mob in the game (excepting some nightsisters- as they are immune)
Looking in the rifleman profession forum is not the place to look for weapons. The best place to find weapons that you like is in your individual galaxy trade forums. In there you can find master weaponsmiths advertising their crafted weapons and also looted weapons by people who looted them in your galaxy.
For looting your own weapons NS, krayts and Rancors most often drop the exceptional and legendary weapons that we so lust after. If you desire to loot your own you will be doing an amazing amount of hunting - say 1 in 1000 will actually drop something that you might be able to use and even then it is more likely just slightly better then normal.
for buying looted legendary weapons - expect to pay up to 100 million for the more populated servers and as low as 10-15 million on the lighter servers
for buying exceptional weapons - expect to pay 1/2 as much as legendary (and they will be very nearly as good)
look for weapons with -1 uses for DOT's if you do buy them as they have unlimited use of the DOT.
currently Mind Fire and Mind Poison and Disease are the most sought after, after the combat balance this may change so look for high potency high strength and that -1 usage more then mind targeted damage.
Beam Rifle : A pre launch energy weapon that was meant for the commandos but currently no one has a cert to use it - an anomoly that is just there to tantilize but do nothing T_T this weapon will allow you to use rifleman specials... but the damage uncerted is less then a cdef....
Heavy Acid Rifle : This is a commando only weapon as well, rifle specials do not cross over to it so even if you are a commando rifleman this is really not worth your time as it is ap0 and slow and make range on specials of 16m
Light Lighting Cannon:BH only and it does not use rifleman specials either. This shows as a light Lghting Rifle in the combat spam
Berserker Rifle: Different reason then the above here- we can use it but the manufacturing process is broken so you can not find one to use! This should be fixed soon so keep your eyes open and watch the weaponsmith forums!
Remember even if it says rifle in the description it may not be a rifle unless you have the cert for it or is a special certification and the rifle tells you that you can use it such as the DXR6-B and the Berserker Rifle
can you please add something comprehensive about speed tapes? i have see here and there posts about it,
but i would aprechiate a few answers to the folowing noob questions:
1. how imperetive is it, that i get speed tapes? i intend to keep rifleman.
2. if i cant find them/afford them, is it still worth keeping RM?
3. what is ball-park prices? (yes i know they vary form server to server....)
4. are they aa, ca? what do you advise puttign them in?
5. is there a place they drop preferecialy? or totaly random? do i have a chance at looting them myself?
ty!
Speed Tapes:
Imperative?
With rifleman there are two ways you can hit on or near speed cap. Rifleman do not require speed tapes to be effective in PvP or PvE. Rifleman Cap Speed at 97 riflespeed. With Master Rifleman you hit 90 Speed and can fire your slowest shot around once every two seconds. If you add Master Marksmen you hit speed 95 and can fire about SS2 about once every 1.2 secs, with speed tapes you will hit speed cap of once per sec.
MRM by self you would need +7 with riflespeed tapes , with marksmen to cap you would need +2
Keep even without?
You would still be very very effective as a rifleman even without the speed tapes, but your DPS would literally double if you had then. You still do huge damage without so it is worth keeping even without the tapes, but with tapes you are much more powerful
Price for each point of speed?
generally tapes run 1 million per point of speed (varies across servers)
tape types and placement?
Both AA and SEA's carry riflespeed bonus. Historically we would have said Ubese Shirt and Mabari Belt as they did not decay ever but now that decay affects then they are still good ideas but you can now add Bio-undershirts, anything you can wear under armor as they don't take damage in combat but still decay on death. Wookiees probably should try it in their gloves as their main torso armor decays fast and they can not wear stuff under it. Currently do not put more then One speed tape per piece of clothing as the first overrides all the rest and you lose the others you put into it.
RifleSpeed Tape Drops
lots of places but they are random and rare(they do drop though so you always have a chance)
Borgle Bat cave (not as popular anymore), Akuan Cave, Lord Nyax, NS, Krayts have all been reported as dropping then one time or another, even meat lumps have dropped but usually low level ones...
there is much confusion about if these help each other or not.
Conceal Shot is a shot which we can fire at range that does not aggro our target as long as we do not miss more then once or twice, this shot is best used as a novice to help level up. If you have the aim command from marksmen this is the shot to use it with. This shot is best used prone as you can raise your accuracy at the same time as drop your chances of aggro
Cover (/takecover) is a different skill for a different purpose, this skill does not lower the chance of a creature aggroing you what it does instead is increase your ranged defence so you are hit less often and are damaged less when they do hit you, this is not a mitigation but it is a defensive posture we can take up while under heavy fire, this is not recommended for pvp as you are limited to a prone position and even if you have the skill sneak you will be limited to crawling... suicide in pvp. In pve this is best used against NPC's that default to ranged attacks.
Do defenses from other skills work if I have my Rifle Equiped?
The following is a direct qoute of Sutaudi Crestlighter
"Ranged defense and Melee defense mods work no matter what weapon, if any, is held. These stack between professions up to a max of 125 (i.e., the mod can be higher, but only the first 125 counts). There is an exception to this with Rifles. These particular defenses counter the attacker's chance to hit (think of them as a counter to Aim). Melee attackers get a huge to-hit bonus against someone holding a rifle. This bonus almost completely negates any melee defense a rifleman can have, but only while he is holding a rifle. That is, we get a +40 to melee defense which is virtually useless to us while holding a rifle, but put down the rifle and it works fine with other weapon classes.
The secondary defenses, Block, Counterattack, and Dodge, take over if the Ranged or Melee defense fails to stop the attack by making it miss. These secondary defenses also stack between professions and also have a max of 125. However, they are also weapon dependent. Dodge only works while holding a pistol or 1H Melee weapon, Counterattack only works while holding a Carbine or 2H Melee weapon, and Block only works while holding a Rifle or a Polearm."
I could not say it better so I quoted the best ^_^
HAM stands for Health Action Mind, the pools that you draw your abilities to do specials from (currently) and which take damage in combat. If any of these pools drains 1st you will not be able to do specials and second if they ever reach zero or negative you will be incapped
Secondary stats under you hams determine what a special costs and how fast you regen lost ham bars. If you can get your focus over 1600 (the stat that determines rifle costs) you can negate the cost of the attack so you do not damage yourself and if you can get your willpower super high as well you regen most pve damage to the mind instantly (pvp otoh....)
because basic Health and Action stats and secondaries are easy to buff and can be healed readily the mind (our target) is the current FOTM target so many pvp'ers pick up rifleman.
Docs buffs suffice for most combat professions, for us to be effective though we need that rare and elusive thing called a mind buff, doc buffs last 3+ hours and can top 3000, mind buffs which are give by entertainer dancers and musicians can only double the base attribute and last a max of 2 hours (on reason mind pool is weaker then others) Otoh we have a Godsend in some of the new chef foods such as ahrisa and vaserian brandy which can buff the mind pool even more (and with 12 point chefs(don't ask) they can make brandy wear out after your stomach is empty (a another godsend!))
with mind buffs we can negate the major negative of our profession (our ability to totally incap ourselves!) and increase our usage/hunting time in the field! The Buffs are expensive but with less down time while hunting you should be able to make up the spent money + more with just a little effort! get out there and kill some creatures!
If you get trapped by an AOE that no longer does damage to the lair you are attacking and everything else you must break out of the loop. there are a few ways to escape the dreaded AOE bug. The most effective way is:
1) get outta the range of the lair !!!!! (off radar if you can even!)
2) kill the targets aggro'd on you (or Break aggro) (click on nothing to see what you are currently fighting)
