TOR Advanced classes announced!

[WraithPrince]

http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20100820-0

Bioware have announced the Advanced Classes, their defining features, and their party roles. To save your time loading a webpage, I've pasted them here:

Trooper:
-Commando
Heavy Blaster Cannon
Grenades
Ranged DPS
-Vanguard
Blaster Rifle
Energy Shields and Defense
Tank

Smuggler:
-Scoundrel
Blaster ?Shot Gun?
Stealth / Medicine
Burst ranged damage or Healing
-Gunslinger
Dual Pistols
Quickdraw / Fast Attacks
Ranged DPS

Jedi Knight:
-Jedi Sentinel
Dual Wield Saber
Saber fighting specialist
Melee DPS
-Jedi Guardian
Single Saber / Heavy Armor
Leadership / Party Buffs
Tank

Jedi Consular:
-Jedi Shadow
Double Bladed Saber
Stealth
Burst melee damage
-Jedi Wizard
Single Saber
Powerful Telekinesis / Healing
Ranged Control / Damage or Healing

Bounty Hunter
-Powertech
Flamethrower
Defense / Energy Shields
Tank
-Mercenary
Dual Wield Guns
Missiles
Ranged DPS

Sith Warrior:
-Sith Juggernaut
Single Saber / Heavy Armor
Fear and Darkside Auras
Tank
-Sith Marauder
Dual Wield Sabers / Armor
Saber fighting specialist
Melee DPS

Imperial Agent:
-Operative
Blaster Rifle / Energy Blade
Stealth
Burst Ranged damage
-Sniper
Sniper Rifle
Cover, Ambush, Orbital Strikes
Ranged DPS

Sith Inquisitor:
-Sith Sorcerer
Single Saber
Force Lightning / Force Drain
Ranged DPS or Healer
-Sith Assassin
Double Bladed Saber
Stealth
Burst Melee DPS
_______________________________



Jedi Wizard? Jedi Shadow? Sith Sorcerer?
Im losing more and more faith in Bioware Everyday.

 

[101194]

...But....But...Why? This is WoW?

 

[Hiphophippo]

I just want to say I inexplicably read TOR as TSR and got super excited. When I got to this thread and realized my error I was sad.

 

[WraithPrince]

Just noticed Jedi guardian and Sith juggernaut are basicly protection Pallys >_>

 

[Alandoril]

People seeing shadows of WoW here...are you actually surprised?

 

[WraithPrince]

People seeing shadows of WoW here...are you actually surprised?

Bioware exec1- how can we make ToR a new innovative MMO experience?
Bioware exec2- Lets take the generic MMO combat and add cover mechanics and the likes!
Bioware exec1- and to top it off why not add Mass effects dialog system like were doing with all our games?!
Bioware exec2- Damn were good!

 

[WraithPrince]

Some of the names seem lame.. but I hardly think it's anything to get upset over. Just because one of the classes is called a Wizard doesn't mean it's going to be a WoW clone.

If you read the roles and features of some of them its hard to see how different from their WoW counterpart they can be, See Sith Juggernaut and Jedi Guardian Aura's and party buffs which i bet we'll see a blessing of might and kings only with a silly name.

 

[Aryanos]

~insert fangirl freak out here~ EEEE!! These look awesome!

 

[manythings]

I sure am glad I can remember things like the eternal "PLACEHOLDER" warning things like this always have...

 

[Riccan]

Well at least I know to get Dark Millenium now.

 

[viranimus]

Yes... I expected this. A friend of mine is extremely amped up for ToR because he thinks it is going to be different than MMOs, specifically WoW. To which I tried to explain to him it wont be, not because of Bioware, but because inevitably the players will incorporate the same actions and mentalities existent in current MMOs into ToR as soon as humanly possible.

This is a perfect example of how that happens by players pigeonholing the class structure into the existing MMO archtypes of Tank, ranged DPS, Melee DPS, Healer, Crowd control.

I cant wait till opening day when you see ToR guilds that have been recruiting for over a year who already have had a application and filtering process, then once they are unleashed upon the game, they find each other, form up, and do not go anywhere or do anything but grind together until they have capped out and start trying to work the end game content.

It does boggle my mind to think of a game that is supposed to be an adventure, being "played" so mechanically and devoid of anything that might be mistaken for fun.

 

[ThaBenMan]

Jedi Wizard? Jedi Shadow? Sith Sorcerer?
Im losing more and more faith in Bioware Everyday.

Well, the term "Sith Sorceror" has actually been used before, in the Tales of the Jedi comics (which take place in roughly the same time period as TOR). But, yeah, Jedi Wizard is pretty goofy.

EDIT: Actually, I think I may have heard "wizard" used in Star Wars too... I think to refer to Obi-Wan in the first movie? So not so strange in that context.

 

[Altorin]

I am... saddened.. but it had to happen I guess.

 

[Vrach]

From what I can gather from some comments on the official forums, Sorcerer and Wizard have already been used in Extended Universe, so it's technically "okay". I do however agree the names could use a bit of a workover and sound silly, but hey, more than half a year to touch stuff like this up, it only takes a few minutes.

Just noticed Jedi guardian and Sith juggernaut are basicly protection Pallys >_>

Care to share the similarities? Outside the fact that they're tanks that use heavy armor and... that's about it? No shields, no blocking, no healing, no persistent ground AoE specified, I really don't see what you're drawing a Protection Pally here. You mean that is has buffs? It's a leadership buff, if anything, it's more similar to a Warrior's Commanding shout, which combined with the fact they have a charge, and the Juggernaut actually uses Rage as a resource makes them more similar to Warriors.

Besides, what's the point? Of course you'll draw similarities between two MMORPGs, you're pointing at the very basics and even those are quite sketchy. It's like pointing at TF2/CS and complaining how every FPS is essentially a ripoff cause it has Sniper/Assault/etc classes. Well, duh, it's the same genre x.x

There's plenty of differences on the same field too, try finding a ranged tank class in WoW and lemme know when you find it. Or Heat or Ammo as resources. Plenty of other differences as well. Am not gonna get into a TOR vs WoW dickwaving contest, just find it stupid when people just attack any MMO for being a WoW clone when similarities between games are the definition of the word genre, only difference is that WoW currently dominates the MMO genre quite strongly which is less the case in other genres.

[small]genre[/small]

 

[WraithPrince]

EDIT: Actually, I think I may have heard "wizard" used in Star Wars too... I think to refer to Obi-Wan in the first movie? So not so strange in that context.

Yes, but the person who said it was a farmer on a backwater planet, I bet you'd never see a jedi call himself a wizard.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Jedi Wizard?

Fuck, my childhood just died.

 

[BoxCutter]

Just noticed Jedi guardian and Sith juggernaut are basicly protection Pallys >_>

WoW is just a fine tuned EQ clone. All MMO's are going to be similar in some respect and all will borrow from the top MMO of their time and attempt to modify and fine tune the experience. It doesn't surprise me nor does it disappoint me to see them doing this. I remember playing WoW on launch and thinking "wow this fucking game is just a simplified EQ with a different interface".

And we all know how WoW turned out.

 

[Zing]

Woah, let's get some things straight here.

First and foremost, both the Sorcerer and Shadow are heavily grounded in lore. They are completely legitimate. They are the best choices short of making up their own names.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sith_sorcerer

A Sith sorcerer or sorceress was an individual who was proficient in the arts of Sith magic, using spells, talismans or incantations to focus the power of the dark side. They were discovered during the time of the original Sith Empire. Sith sorcerers gained their powers through intense study of Sith traditions, and applications of the dark side of Force. Occasionally, an aspiring sorcerer's powers were developed through sheer innate talent, rather than harnessing them through study, or spontaneously, or being bestowed upon them by another source. The term was synonymous with Sith magician, with females who dabbled in Sith magic being sometimes referred to as Sith witches.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jedi_Shadow

Though labeled as Shadows, the duty of these Jedi was in fact the opposite as they were defenders of the light side of The Force. Its members were selected by the Jedi Council after the approval of a master and were tasked with locating sources of evil.

The only class that hasn't got lore is the Wizard, apart from a offhanded insult from Owen. But honestly, it's just a name.

Just noticed Jedi guardian and Sith juggernaut are basicly protection Pallys >_>

Sith Warriors are absolutely nothing like protection paladins. The only similarities are that they tank and use heavy armor. And you're insane if you think they're just going to be exactly like blessing of kings or whatever.

Yes... I expected this. A friend of mine is extremely amped up for ToR because he thinks it is going to be different than MMOs, specifically WoW. To which I tried to explain to him it wont be, not because of Bioware, but because inevitably the players will incorporate the same actions and mentalities existent in current MMOs into ToR as soon as humanly possible.

This is a perfect example of how that happens by players pigeonholing the class structure into the existing MMO archtypes of Tank, ranged DPS, Melee DPS, Healer, Crowd control.

I cant wait till opening day when you see ToR guilds that have been recruiting for over a year who already have had a application and filtering process, then once they are unleashed upon the game, they find each other, form up, and do not go anywhere or do anything but grind together until they have capped out and start trying to work the end game content.

It does boggle my mind to think of a game that is supposed to be an adventure, being "played" so mechanically and devoid of anything that might be mistaken for fun.

The trinity was confirmed ages ago, just before E3 in fact, it's the best and easiest way to balance an MMO, if people are comfortable in their roles then they will play the game. TOR is still extremely different to WOW in other areas. The first of all being Story, that's the greatest edge TOR has, being completely voiced with cinematics and plots.

 

[Zing]

Double post.