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  • Nestabarr's Guide to Soloing (Ranged Weapon-centric)
    By: Nestabarr, Posted at: Wed, Jun 4th 6:50 PM 2003, Last Edited: Fri, May 21st 6:10 PM 2004
    Rated 4.11 by 9 people

    So you want to Solo efficiently, killing even and higher con mobs with the lowest chance of death possible?
    Read on, it�s all here. Below are your keys to unlocking the wonderful world of soloing in SWG (editorial to come later).

    The basics:

    /mask scent and /threaten shot

    Quite a few people know about these but hardly any that I see actually use these abilities to their full potential.

    Both commands make a mob confused and basically keep them from aggroing on you while you shoot them - hopefully until they die.

    The key here is that both abilities STACK. Mask Scent is by far more powerful, but when used with threaten shot you can take down white con mobs with ease and often yellow and red cons will to this tactic as well.

    The major variable that determines success with this tactic is your choice of weapon. You'll want to pick out a high damage per second rifle, carbine or pistol if you want to survive. If the choice is between a high damage/low speed weapon and a low damage/high speed weapon with around the same DPS, go with the latter. It helps to have a few more shots when the mob finally aggros on you in case you miss.

    Before you attack any Mob solo you should perform these steps. EVERY TIME.

    1) Get within 55 meters if you are a rifleman (with other ranged weapons, find the max distance they will function and subtract 10 meters. This will give you a nice cushion). This allows for the MOB to run away from you while you are shooting it and not fall out of range. This is also important because the game rolls against your mask scent each time a mob goes out of and back into range. If mask scent fails during this roll you will probably die, so give yourself a nice cushion.

    2) /maskscent.

    3) Go prone

    4) Use /threatenshot.

    5) Blast away


    Hunting Creatures Solo:

    Note: If you need cash of course take missions and apply these principals on your mission target. I won't be going into missions any further except to say, do as many as you can before you become numb from boredom. The cash comes in handy.

    Non-Aggressive Creatures:

    Non-aggressive creatures are much easier to kill than aggressive ones for one simple reason: you can herd non-aggressive creatures.

    Dewbacks are a great example. If you run across a lair of Dewbacks you'll notice that they are all bunched together. If you attack one, another is sure to come with it. Its the old bring-a -friend syndrome.

    To disperse the group simply approach the herd until about 40 meters away. You'll know you�re there when the question marks pop up above the creature's heads. Then walk slowly up to within melee distance and watch them run. Simply herd on away from the main group and have you way with him. Rinse and repeat.

    Aggressive Creatures:

    This tactic works with non-aggressive creatures as well. The drawback is it takes patience.

    Approach the creatures you wish to kill slowly until you see the question marks appear above their heads (about 40 meters). Then wait. The group will slowly start to disperse.

    If there is a scout in the group, do you best to stay away from it. If you engage it, it will run back to the lair and bring of bunch of friends with it to kill you.

    Wait until a non scout is approx 14-20 meters away from the rest of the group and target it using the tactics mentioned above. Rinse and repeat for the rest of the mobs. Don't forget to destroy the lair when you are done as the devs have finally added exp back to the lairs.

    Other Skills:

    As you gain more skills you will get better at masking your scent and will eventually acquire /warning shot, another helpful ability that sends your target scurrying in the other direction. Warning shot is most helpful in a group when you pull too many mobs. Its useful to designate a group member or two to be the crowd controllers and fire off a warning shot whenever the group gets adds. But that's another guide altogether.

    Editorial:

    The game in its current state allows for some interesting tactics. This guide touches on just the most efficient for soloing, but that�s not how I like to play. I like to group. And currently the game is completely unfriendly to those of us that like to take a group of 20 mates out on a giant Kryat hunt or other expedition.

    We need to know that if we find a Kryat and run back to town to gather a group to kill it (which can take as long as a half hour in itself) that the mob will not de-spawn before we get back.

    We need to know that there are places out there where we stand a very, very good chance of finding a mob of a certain type. If I had a dime for the number of times I've dragged my furry wookiee ass out to the Kryat graveyard and found nothing but worrts I could probably do my laundry.

    We need scout exp to be dispersed throughout the entire group. I'm sooo tired of listening to people whine about who gets to harvest next. Keeping a loot list of who gets next harvest is not my idea of fun, and yet here I am dealing with Timmy the scout who's mad at me and whining that he didn�t get his turn to harvest.

    We need BETTER MOBS. I can't emphasize this enough. Nerfing the exp for killing a Kryat isn't enough, making Giant Worrts harder isn�t the answer either. We need mobs that have special abilities that we don't, that are impervious to anything except Mind attacks. Let you imagination run wild.

    We need more cool skills. Rangers should get a "Target the pool that has the least HP" ability. Or hell, give that to the TK artist along with some defensive skills. Postures that stop creatures from attacking prone group members need to finally be implemented as well.

    I could go on and on but this is a start. Notice I'm not sitting here saying I'm going to leave the game cause it sucks. I'm also not just bitching about changes because I played for a couple hours and made some snap judgments.

    Hopefully we can get the devs to change some of this and make this game really great. So great I'll want to play it for years and years.

    Nestabarr
    Admin Officer
    http://www.blackhandss.com/

    SWG: Combat: Nestabarr's Guide to Soloing (Ranged Weapon-centric), by Nestabarr
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    9 threads, 1 page(s) long 
       somewhat off subject... Reply...
      Posted @ Thu, Mar 4th 10:27 AM 2004
      By: raize
      60 posts
      Score: Decent [2.85]

      I found the marksman xp I've gotten so far (only 4004, had 3 pistols but dropped) pretty easy, warning though DO NOT use take cover on NPCs/PCs w/ blasters who may be able to use strafe shot (it gets REALLY painful w/ the 10 sec. delay)                                      

       
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      *glances around and sinks into the shadows yet again*
      0 Replies
       kj Reply...
      Posted @ Sat, Oct 25th 8:47 PM 2003
      By: Anonymous
      Score: Default [2.00]

      Will this use on dark adepts, jedi knights, masters etc...?                                                                             

       
      0 Replies
       Whining? Reply...
      Posted @ Tue, Sep 16th 1:45 PM 2003
      By: Crestlighter
      2 posts
      Score: Decent [3.00]

      I am sure you are aware by now they have fixed it so that everyone gets a chance to harvest, but I still have to take exception to your complaint that you are "sooo tired of listening to people whine about who gets to harvest next."  Whine? Harvesting gives both Scout XP and resources to sell, and I have been in many expeditions where even experienced players have made sure they got to the corpses before anyone else to make sure they got their "share" regardless of who else lost out.

      It is fixed now, but how quick would you have been to characterize it as whining if XP for killing MOBs in group outings only went to the person who dealt the death blow and people wanted to get their shares?

      Asking to get your fair share amidst people looking out for themselves and no one else is hardly whining.

       
      0 Replies
       Traps Reply...
      Posted @ Mon, Aug 11th 11:06 AM 2003
      By: ChefGroovy
      Scholar
      26 posts
      Score: Decent [3.40]

      Quote:
      I use stun (noise maker), snare (glow wire), Slow attact (phenacine dart), blind (bone spur) and "paint" (glow juice)


      Um I think Phenacine Dart is snare, and glow wire lowers thier melee and ranged defence.  Anyways, you pheno dart and warning shot, step back few meters and watch the fun. Throw in a couple DOT attacks for added entertainment.

       
      ----------------------------
      My life... for the Horde!
      0 Replies
       Take Cover (Ability) Reply...
      Posted @ Tue, Jul 22nd 12:56 PM 2003
      By: Anonymous
      Score: Default [2.00]

      What about adding the Take Cover (Ability) to this.  It seems that if you had the advanced rifle skill this could make the confusion even greater. The only thing I have not figured out yet is how to make the skill work. Just my 2 cents.                                      

       
      0 Replies
       Traps Reply...
      Posted @ Fri, Jul 18th 10:59 AM 2003
      By: akelan
      Scholar
      18 posts
      Score: Decent [3.00]

      What effect can scout traps add to this strategy? I use stun (noise maker), snare (glow wire), Slow attact (phenacine dart), blind (bone spur) and "paint" (glow juice) which makes the target more vulnerable to ranged attack, often combining several traps in sequence to multiply the effects.  Will Threaten shot and mask scent add to the capabilities, or do the traps negate the effects of these as well.

       
      ----------------------------
      If a Night Elf Hunter backs over his own immolation trap, and sets himself ablaze, does he make a Fuel of himsElf?
      0 Replies
       Maybe I'm not licking it right Reply...
      Posted @ Mon, Jul 7th 9:42 PM 2003
      By: Nizanko
      Scholar
      23 posts
      Score: Decent [3.00]

      Every time I fire on something, Mask Scent drops.  Perhaps this strategy worked in beta, but unless I'm doing something wrong, it doesn't work anymore.

      Threaten Shot is pretty useful, though, depending on the enemy.

                                            

       
      0 Replies
       Mask Scent Reply...
      Posted @ Fri, Jul 4th 4:41 PM 2003
      By: vectus
      1 posts
      Score: Decent [3.00]

      Mask Scent is a scout ability. What if you are just a plain marksman?                                                                

       
      ----------------------------
      -Vectus
      0 Replies
       Threaten Shot Reply...
      Posted @ Sat, Jun 21st 12:43 PM 2003
      By: Anonymous
      Score: Decent [3.00]

      while the above guide was my bible when it first game out, various tweaks made in the game since the above was written have made threaten shot less viable.

      while it does still have some effect do not rely soley on this to take down a mob.

      warning shot can be useful in getting a mob off you or your friends if the battle is going badly or you are totally reliant on rifle or carbine skills. mob etc get increased damage bonuses when in melee with a rifle/carbine user. they get lesser bonuses against pistol users so it is possible to stay toe to toe with a mob when armed with a pistol

       
      1 Reply
         RE: Threaten Shot Reply...
        Posted @ Wed, Jul 2nd 2:06 PM 2003
        By: IvanBohannon
        12 posts
        Score: Decent [3.00]

        i was wondering if they had nerfed the above tactics. Dont you find that its still pretty easy to get xp anyways being a marksman?                                                    

         
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        Gibbon, 65 Cleric, Xev
        0 Replies
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