SWTOR Utility Changes coming in GU 5.6

• Smuggled Technology now grants Unshakable for 4 seconds of interrupt immunity whenever Scamper is put on cooldown

DevNotes: We felt the Sawbones Scoundrel didn’t have enough defensive options in relation to the other healers, so we gave them the ability to apply Unshakeable to themselves after using Scamper.
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Commando

• Trauma Stabilizers now heals for 4% per stack instead of 5% and stacks 10 times instead of 15
• The heal from Adrenaline Rush given by Adrenal Surge can only heal the Commando up to 60% of their maximum health instead of 70%
• Trauma Stabilizers is a now a Heroic utility and Adrenal Surge is now a Legendary utility

DevNotes: The Commando’s defensive options were too good, so we reduced the effectiveness of Trauma Stabilizers and Adrenal Surge.
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Assault Specialist

• Plasma Grenade and Sticky Grenade now spread both Incendiary Round’s burn and Serrated Bolt’s bleed effects

DevNotes: The Assault Specialist seemed to have some difficulty spreading their damage over time effects, so we altered Plasma Grenade and Sticky Grenade to both spread each damage over time effect.
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Vanguard

• In addition to its other effects, the Frontline Defense utility now reduces the damage taken from area of effect attacks by 30% for the Plasmatech and Tactics disciplines, and reduces damage taken while stunned by 30% for the Shield Specialist discipline

Tactics

• Shock Absorbers has been replaced by Tactical Armor, which increases damage reduction by 2% for 15 seconds each time you are dealt critical damage, stacking up to 3 times.

DevNotes: We felt that Plasmatech Vanguards lacked the same defensive effectiveness as Tactics Vanguards, so we moved the protection against area of effect attacks from the Tactics discipline to a utility available for both disciplines. To fill the void, we gave Tactics the Tactical Armor passive, a new ability that replaces Shock Absorbers. Finally, we gave Shield Specialists that take the Frontline Defense utility some protection against damage while stunned.
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Sage
Balance

• Force Suppression stacks are now only consumed by your own periodic damage, and only your periodic damage gains a benefit from your Force Suppression
• Telekinetic Balance now grants you a 10% armor bonus while your Rejuvenate is healing you

DevNotes: Force Suppression stacks were getting consumed by other Jedi Consular players’ periodic effects, so we redesigned it to only be consumed by the caster’s own periodic damage. Additionally, Balance needed some extra defensive options, so we gave the discipline a slight defensive boost after using Rejuvenate on themselves.
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Telekinetics

• Clamoring Force now grants 5% damage reduction for Telekinetics Sages while Force Imbalanced by anyone’s Force Armor

DevNotes: The Telekinetics discipline was weak on defensive utilities, so we added 5% damage reduction for Lightning Sorcerers while Deionized by anyone’s Static Barrier.
Shadow

• The Intangible Spirit utility has been redesigned and now reduces damage taken from area of effect attacks by 30% for the Infiltration and Serenity disciplines and reduces damage taken while stunned by 30% for the Kinetic Combat discipline

Infiltration

• Kinetic Field no longer reduces damage taken from area of effect attacks by 30%

Serenity

• Force Suppression stacks are now only consumed by your own periodic damage

DevNotes: We felt that Serenity wasn’t as effective on defense as Infiltration, so we altered Kinetic Field to remove the protection against area of effect attacks and added that effect to the Intangible Spirit utility available to both disciplines, and made it so the damage protection while stunned is only available to the Kinetic Combat discipline.
Additionally, Force Suppression stacks were getting consumed by other Jedi Consular players’ periodic effects, so we redesigned it to only be consumed by the caster’s own periodic damage.
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Guardian