The Combat Devs at Bioware have answered the first round of questions. Here are the links below to each set of answers.

I'll update the thread each time new answers arrive.

8/2 - Sniper // Gunslinger Top 3 Answers
8/2 - Sentinel // Marauder Top 3 Answers
8/16 - Sorcerer // Sage Top 3 Answers
8/16 - Vanguard // Powertechs Top 3 Answers
8/30 - Scoundrel
8/30 - Juggernaut
9/13 - Shadow
9/13 - Mercenary
9/27 - Gunslinger
9/27 - Marauder
10/11 - Sage
10/11 - Powertech
10/25 - Operative
10/25 - Guardian
11/8 -Assassin
11/8 - Commando

Overall, I'm happy with the answers for the 8/2 round, but underwhelmed by some of them. The Sentinel answers were quite interesting and the Sniper ones were a bit infuriating. I wish they'd stop beating around the bush and show us the parameters and data collected from internal tests.

Dirty Fighting does more than Hybrid (that would mean Sharpshooter as well) in single-target damage on the dummy and even more in actual combat with Sabotage Charge on cooldown in the rotation? Do they ignore energy regeneration all-together or are they using fuzzy math?

The Sniper answers are fail.

Best answer is the Sent design. If it worked as designed it would be interesting to switch between Watchman and Combat according to fight (as all now have the accuracy talent), i.e: W for bosses like Titan and Horror and C for Styrak and TFB, depending on whether you want short bursts or high sustained.

If they change that Trans/Inspiration not building centering it might make warzones (Huttball) silly...
Transcendence -> hit an enemy to build 30 stacks before it ends -> Transcendence -> repeat

Dem gunslinger answers though,
DF better single target than hybrid? *facepalm*

I feel like two different people answered each set of questions. Some people in the Sentinel thread were saying the Sniper questions were just bad, but I don't believe that was the case. The Sniper responses seemed to be "Don't worry about this, we got this and know what you want," but their stuff came out as buff Sab, nerf DF, and a Jedi mind trick of "you don't want these cooldowns changed."

This is pretty upsetting and I hope this doesn't become a trend where one set of answers is well made and the other is just ramblings or bullshit.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=6689213#edit6689213

ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT!

The only worthwhile thing there is that crit will get adjusted.

These were hardly answers, Sorc answers were "learn to play - you're fine" and Vanguard was "Damage will get better - your tanks works at 30m because Storm isn't real." What happened to the people who answered the Sentinel questions?

Fluttershy wrote:

These were hardly answers, Sorc answers were "learn to play - you're fine" and Vanguard was "Damage will get better - your tanks works at 30m because Storm isn't real." What happened to the people who answered the Sentinel questions?

They were right. Good sorcs can easily stay alive and still heal/damage through DoTs if played correctly.

As for vanguards I find it funny they complained about being less useful in Huttball when only scoundrel healer is better than a vanguard tank in there.

Derpy wrote:

Lol, that is great.

My very own.



Also

Vanguard/PT's changes are pretty good , staying alive longer -> deal more damage , mostly for pvp though.

Shinjiro wrote:

Vanguard/PT's changes are pretty good , staying alive longer -> deal more damage , mostly for pvp though.

Yeah, and it doesn't surprise me the changes were PvP centric as I feel more PvPers are complaining about the changes than PvEers. Most PvE Vanguards/Pyros converted to Hybrid in 2.0.

Well BW have learned their lesson and the Scoundrel/Jugg answers are very good. If only those people rewrote Sorc/VG answers.

Also: FLYBY NERF!!!!!

Questions on hiatus.

Class changes coming in 2.5

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=6765033#edit6765033

I'm all for the hiatus. Asking more questions after we've seen some actual change would be beneficial. The second round of questions wouldn't be nearly as productive for some classes, like the Gunslinger questions. The Gunslinger community marked asking for an additional A-300 Sonic Needler and color crystals changing the color of cover as high priority questions.  

However, the Sorc/Sage thread still needs a proper response like the Vanguard thread received. I'm also hoping the Shadow and Merc answers are at least as good as the last batch of answers or there may be hell to pay (looking at the Shadow community here).

We already knew from cantina tours that class changes weren't on the table until 2.5, but it's really disappointing to read that not even every class will receive a change.

Quote :

I will also rework the schedule to insure that only classes who received changes at that point are in the front of the schedule. I want to be clear that it is possible that not all classes will see changes in 2.5, but there are definitely some class changes coming. I also want to set the expectation that you shouldn't expect crazy big changes like you saw with 2.0. but it will be a new set of changes. Also, if you don't receive changes in 2.5 don't fret as we will be continually touching class balance.

Hopefully this means we'll start seeing class changes more often after 2.5. Like many others have said, I'd rather see small changes more often than sweeping changes twice a year.

Updated OP with Scoundrel and Jugg answers (I forgot to awhile ago). The strikethrough ones have been cancelled by the team and pushed back until after 2.5.

Merc and Shadow answers are two weeks late and have been delayed further until next week because the combat team is "too busy working on 2.5."

Shadows/Merc answers up

Shadows are losing self heals and gaining DR/Armour instead

it is more because we went too far to ensure that guilds would bring Marauders/Sentinels and Snipers/Gunslingers into operations.

Best line

The Shadow answers were very good and the Merc answers covered a ton of ground. I can't comment on the Shadow answers as I don't play the class, but knowing Commando the Merc answers were very welcoming. Heck, even the responses about healing was very encouraging.

The Shadow tank changes are great, my guess is Shadow will come out on top among the 3 tanks once 2.5 is out (assuming there's no buffs for Guardian/Vanguard) .

Shinjiro wrote:

The Shadow tank changes are great, my guess is Shadow will come out on top among the 3 tanks once 2.5 is out (assuming there's no buffs for Guardian/Vanguard) .

We'll have to see as Guardian tanks will give them a run for their money. Vanguard tanks will remain the OK tank, like always.

Fluttershy wrote:

Shinjiro wrote:

The Shadow tank changes are great, my guess is Shadow will come out on top among the 3 tanks once 2.5 is out (assuming there's no buffs for Guardian/Vanguard) .

We'll have to see as Guardian tanks will give them a run for their money. Vanguard tanks will remain the OK tank, like always.

It's only on saber reflect bosses that guardians shine:

styrak: can solo a L manifestation faster than 2 dps
sunder: reflect everything ftw
gate master: destroy the lightning adds (at risk of not having aos taunt for draxus himself)
Nefra: guardian leap your offtank
Titan 6: the adds
Op IX: really only at the start w/ Op + champs up, easy healing after that anyways

Other than those, my offtank (shadow) is doing same or better than me

crazyBE wrote:

Fluttershy wrote:

Shinjiro wrote:

The Shadow tank changes are great, my guess is Shadow will come out on top among the 3 tanks once 2.5 is out (assuming there's no buffs for Guardian/Vanguard) .

We'll have to see as Guardian tanks will give them a run for their money. Vanguard tanks will remain the OK tank, like always.

It's only on saber reflect bosses that guardians shine:

styrak: can solo a L manifestation faster than 2 dps
sunder: reflect everything ftw
gate master: destroy the lightning adds (at risk of not having aos taunt for draxus himself)
Nefra: guardian leap your offtank
Titan 6: the adds
Op IX: really only at the start w/ Op + champs up, easy healing after that anyways

Other than those, my offtank (shadow) is doing same or better than me

True, but Shadows aren't the only class getting changes in 2.5. Don't put it pass BW to buff Guardians even though they don't need it. BW has a trend of making questionable changes in conjunction with good ones.

ALL MY WANT for a multi-target Trauma Probe, that is all.

"We're going to be contact the previous class reps ASAP!"

....

Nothing has been done.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=702331&page=11

I'm not sure if they should keep doing this or stop before it gets any worse. However, there has been little to none constructive class specific talk since this has stopped in the community. Snipers/Slingers feel that we're in an awesome place and don't care to discuss class stuff (Dirty Fighting and Saboteur are taboos now compared to Hybrd and Sharpshooter), Shadows/Assassins are still unhappy and have been speculating a little bit, and the rest of the classes are still discussing the same bugs/issues that have been persistent for a long time now. I'd like to blame it on the holiday season since many people have been very busy/away, but the devs have been very silent recently as well (as evidenced by dev tracker).