The Carbineer profession is one of the most misunderstood combat class in SWG. I see the Carbineer as an individual with unparalleled expertise in the use of high-speed semi- and fully automatic weapons. The Carbineer, while potentially weak alone in the field, can actively thrive in a group. The Carbineer has abilities and attacks that can assist others in the midst of combat. They can make an enemy dizzy and confused, allowing other attackers to step in and finish it off. The Carbineer is essentially a crowd controller, one who can manipulate their enemies movements and attacks pretty much at will.
However, it should be clear that Carbineer could also be considered the middleman when it comes to damage output and performance. Somewhere between the high speed Pistoleer and the methodically precise Rifleman lies the consistently damaging Carbineer.
The Carbineer can also be considered as the frontline soldier, getting it and dealing with the resistance, clearing the way for the stronger and more precise fighters to seal the deal so to speak. They can hold an enemy just long enough for the other fighters to finish the task, taking and dealing damage consistently.
In SWG, this holds true. Well, maybe.
Now that I�ve completely bored you with words, I�m now going into how I leveled the infamous Carbineer profession and maybe share some tips to help the brave few who dare to travel this road to nowhere.
As I started the tedious work of fighting and gaining XP, I was not sure what I was getting myself into. I had heard from other players on the many SWG forums that Carbineer was a dead-end. Its current, and decidedly buggy, format is quite disturbing and only a complete idiot would want to travel through its harsh complexities.
As of 2/19/03, the Carbineer profession plays host to a collection of inefficiencies, both in gameplay and in basic functionality. The HAM costs for using most of the specials is one of the number one issues. These rather large and insidious costs penalize the player by sapping him or her of HAM points within the span of a few attacks (between about 5 to 9 attacks depending on HAM setup can completely drain a players Action bar). Other, less obvious problems with Carbineer include lack of varying weapon models, lack of effective specials, and a very fuzzy relationship with other professions in combat.
Here are the current Carbineer weapons available:
CDEF Carbine: This weapon, although needed to earn XP for the beginner levels of Carbine in the Marksman Skill Tree, can serve little use in the higher branches. Its weak offensive power limits it to little more than a Peashooter or a straw and spitball. Serious fighters should look for a better weapon once certified.
DH17 Carbine: While it looks like a CDEF Carbine in appearance, this gun offers better offensive capabilities than its weaker predecessor. Overall, its statistics are improved in most of its categories, and it can get you through the last bit of training before getting knee-deep in the elite Carbineer skill tree.
Laser Carbine: This weapon is a graphical and statistical improvement to the lower models. With a sleek yet functional design, it stands as a Carbine, and can dish out a fairly consistent amount of damage.
Elite Carbine: This weapon is only available to a Carbineer, and while its name includes the word �Elite�, it can sometimes fail to live up to its title. It deals a similar amount of damage as a Laser Carbine and looks good, but I never used mine much when leveling.
E11 Carbine: Similar to the Laser and Elite carbines, this weapon is the basic Stormtrooper issue damage dealer. Its damage output and stats are slightly below that of the other carbines (excluding the CDEF).
EE3 Carbine: Unlike the previous weapons which only do Energy-based damage, the EE3 can do Heat-based damage. Although similar to Energy in its damage, its Heat capabilities shine when fighting opponents with high resistance to Energy. It can hit its mark, where other Carbines cannot get close enough to.
DXR6 Carbine: Similar to the EE3, this weapon has Acid-based damage capabilities. These weapons have a good rate of fire and can dish out a hefty portion of damage when needed. I used a DXR6 while I leveled through Carbineer, switching out between my other carbines in my arsenal depending on the situation or my opponent.
Nym�s Slugthrower: Don�t let the name confuse you, this weapon is a special carbine handed out as a gift from the pirate Nym of Lok. Its slightly improved stats, and a very stylish design that harkens back to the guns of World War II. It does Acid-based damage and has a high rate of fire.
Now, with that out of the way, I wish to share with you how I leveled through Carbineer. I�m forgoing explaining the many names and details of the Carbine attacks so that you can discover and tweak them on your own, but I will mention which attacks and specials were effective for me.
One planet I got to know intimately was Dantooine. This planet full of vicious alien beasts served as hunting ground and XP smorgasbord for my leveling needs. Starting my countless group missions from the Mining Outpost near the center of the map, I learned a lot about what to kill, what not to mess with, and what me and my group members could handle together.
The following is a list of Dantooine creatures that gave me good XP and are good to fight while grouped:
Thunes: These elephant-like beasts were resistant to my acid weaponry, and I could get around 20k Carbine XP per grouped mission.
Pikets: These strange, long necked creatures, although varied in their resistances (some weak to Energy, while others to Acid), offered a consistent amount of XP.
Slinking Voritor Hunters: These vile lizards offered a challenge in a group, but its reward of increased XP is worth it. At one point, I was getting 35k XP from a single Voritor Hunter mission in group.
Most of the attacks I used were not chosen out of tactical advantage, but, rather, out of a need to dish out damage. While grouped, I did not expect to handle any of these creatures myself, but I did do a fair share of damage, allowing the beefier members in the group to clean up the mess.
These attacks include:
AutoFireSingle 1 and 2: These attacks used a rapid burst of shots to randomly damage one or more HAM bars. I used it constantly at lower levels and it rarely let me down.
CrippleShot: This strong attack was my favorite while finishing of the final 6 or 7 skill boxes in Carbineer. I could easily do 1300-1500 points of damage with one CrippleShot.
ChargeShot 1 and 2: These special attacks allowed me to temporarily drop a beast to its knees, allowing myself or others to get in a free shot or two without the threat of counterattack. I used it in tandem with the other mentioned attacks.
Yes, there are other attacks, and I�m sure there are other strategies that could be used, but I�ll leave that work to you.
All I simply did to level Carbineer to Master was to hunt in groups out of the Mining Outpost on Dantooine. I kept at it, grouping and killing, grouping and killing, again and again repeating patterns of Crippleshot, ChargeShot, and AutoFireSingle. It will at times seem very daunting and you may wish to give up and try another profession, but if you stick it out, you will master it.
Hopefully, this profession will someday be revamped, because I feel there is more to this run-of-the-mill profession. I hope my little guide helps you on your path.
Written by Sethrak Felbovv, Corbantis, Master Carbineer
|
Subscribe...
News...