Class Changes Coming in Game Update 2.7

swtor classes changes

BioWare is putting massive amount of energy in balancing out the classes in the next patch. The forums are actively discussing and most people are happy. Smash will get nerfed, snipers get a boost to shield probe and and evasion will resists everything for three seconds and the list goes on. Below you can find all the yellow posts that have been made on the subject on the forums today.

What do you think? Is this good or bad news? Let us know in the comments below.

Hey folks!

As you may have seen me mention yesterday, our goal today was to post some of the class changes that are coming in Game Update 2.7. Below you will find links to individual threads for each class that is currently receiving changes in 2.7. I want to stress that this is not a comprehensive list of all of the class changes coming in 2.7. As the Combat team continues their work and more changes are implemented, I will be sure to pass them on. With that being said, here is the initial list!

Sorcerer // Sage

Marauder // Sentinel

Juggernaut // Guardian

Sniper // Gunslinger

Operative // Scoundrel

One thing to keep in mind is that Game Update 2.7 marks the end of Season 1 of Ranked Arenas. You will notice quite a few of these changes are targetted at PvP specifically, it is our goal that you will typically see “bigger” Class PvP changes between seasons. On the topic of seasons, it is our goal that either tomorrow or early next week we will be publishing a blog with all of the nitty gritty details around the end of Season 1. You will get to see the rewards we have planned for Season 1 and the ranks required to achieve them. I am very excited for you guys to see them.

Thanks everyone.

-eric

Empire:

Hello Sorcerers!

Below you will find our current list of changes slated for Game Update 2.7, again this is not a comprehensive list of all changes and all changes are subject to change. Our goal with these changes was to address the classes survivability/viability along with some “quality of life” for Lightning. Here ya go:

  • Force Barrier now has an additional effect. While you are protected by Force Barrier, charges will build up and grant Enduring Bastion. Enduring Bastion is a shield that absorbs an amount of damage based off the charges (1-4) that are present when Force Barrier ends. Enduring Bastion also grants immunity to interrupt and lasts for up to 5 seconds after Force Barrier ends.
  • Polarity Shift will now make the caster immune to pushback along with interrupts.
  • Innervate is now immune to pushback.
  • Lightning Barrage now has a 50%/100% chance to grant a Lightning Barrage charge when using Lightning Strike on a target affected by your Affliction. A Lightning Barrage charge causes your next Force Lightning to channel and tick twice as fast.
  • Lightning Storm now builds a charge whenever you deal damage with Lightning Strike, Thundering Blast, or Force Storm. At 2 charges, Chain Lightning’s cooldown is reset and the next cast of Chain Lightning activates instantly and has no Force cost. This effect can only occur every 10 seconds.
  • Wrath now builds up a charge whenever the Sorcerer deals damage with Force Lightning. At 3 charges, the next Lightning Strike or Crushing Darkness is cast instantly and deals 35% more damage.

-eric

Morning, Marauders!

I wanted to let you know of some changes that were coming to you guys in Game Update 2.7, specifically a change to how Smash deals damage:

  • Smash now requires a Primary target to activate.
  • Secondary player targets are no longer affected by the additional damage granted by Decimate and Shockwave, or the critical chance granted by Dominate.
  • Secondary NPC targets are still affected by Decimate, Shockwave, and Dominate.

These adjustments are still subject to change, and we will continue to review how this affects gameplay, but we wanted to let you know what was coming up in 2.7.

-tw

Hi everyone!

With Game Update 2.7, we are addressing some balancing issues that have been present for a while, the primary of which is the damage of Smash.

  • Smash now requires a Primary target to activate.
  • Secondary player targets are no longer affected by the additional damage granted by Decimate and Shockwave, or the critical chance granted by Dominate.
  • Secondary NPC targets are still affected by Decimate, Shockwave, and Dominate.

There are also some other changes coming, which includes a redesign of Enraged Defense and a change for Through Passion:

  • Enraged Defense no longer costs Rage to activate, and will hold a number of charges based on if the Juggernaut is above or below 50% health. Every time the Juggernaut takes damage, a charge is expended to heal for 4% of his maximum life.
  • Enraged Defense’s cooldown has been increased to 3 minutes.
  • Through Passion now reduces the cooldown of Enraged Defense by 15/30 seconds.

These adjustments are still subject to change, of course, but we just wanted to give a preview of what is coming with Game Update 2.7!

-tw

Morning all!

There are some survivability changes coming to Snipers in Game Update 2.7 that I wanted to let you all know about:

These adjustments should not be considered final as they are still subject to change, but we wanted to let you know what we had currently for you guys in 2.7.

Thanks!

-tw

Hello Operatives!

Below you will find our currently planned changes for Game Update 2.7. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list and they are subject to change. Know that one of our goals with these changes were to “tone down” the inherent power of Operative healers in PvP. Here are the current changes:

  • Shield Probe has had its cooldown reduced to 20 seconds, its maximum duration reduced to 10 seconds, and now absorbs slightly more damage per cast.
  • Exfiltrate has been redesigned. Using Exfiltrate will grant a charge that will allow Exfiltrate to be used again before the ability goes on a 10 second cooldown, allowing for 2 rolls in succession.
  • Exfiltrate no longer costs energy to use.
  • Jarring Strikes now grants a buff that makes Backstab not require position behind the target after using Hidden Strike.
  • Jarring Strikes now causes Hidden Strike to immobilize the target instead of knocking them down.
  • Surgical Precision can now only grant Tactical Advantage every 6 seconds.

-eric

Republic:

Hello Sages!

Below you will find our current list of changes slated for Game Update 2.7, again this is not a comprehensive list of all changes and all changes are subject to change. Our goal with these changes was to address the classes survivability/viability along with some “quality of life” for Telekinetics. Here ya go:

  • Force Barrier now has an additional effect: while you are protected by Force Barrier, charges will build up and grant Enduring Bastion. Enduring Bastion is a shield that absorbs an amount of damage based off the charges (1-4) that are present when Force Barrier ends. Enduring Bastion also grants immunity to interrupt and lasts for up to 5 seconds after Force Barrier ends.
  • Mental Alacrity will now make the caster immune to pushback along with interrupts.
  • Healing Trance is now immune to pushback.
  • Psychic Projection now has a 50%/100% chance to grant a Psychic Projection charge when using Disturbance on a target affected by your Weakened Mind. A Psychic Projection charge causes your next Telekinetic Throw to channel and tick twice as fast.
  • Tidal Force now builds a charge whenever you deal damage with Distrubance, Turbulence, or Force Quake. At 2 charges, Telekinectic Wave’s cooldown is reset and the next cast of Telekinectic Wave activates instantly and has no Force cost. This effect can only occur every 10 seconds.
  • Presence of Mind now builds up a charge whenever the Sage deals damage with Telekinetic Throw. At 3 charges, the next Disturbance or Mind Crush is cast instantly and deals 35% more damage.

-eric

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know of some changes that were coming to you guys in Game Update 2.7, specifically a change to how Force Sweep deals damage:

  • Force Sweep now requires a Primary target to activate.
  • Secondary player targets are no longer affected by the additional damage granted by Swelling Winds and Singularity, or the critical chance granted by Felling Blow.
  • Secondary NPC targets are still affected by Swelling Winds, Singularity, and Felling Blow.

These adjustments are still subject to change, and we will continue to review how this affects gameplay, but we wanted to let you know what was coming up in 2.7.

-tw

Hi all!

With Game Update 2.7, we are addressing some balancing issues that have been present for a while, the primary of which is the damage of Force Sweep.

  • Force Sweep now requires a Primary target to activate.
  • Secondary player targets are no longer affected by the additional damage granted by Swelling Winds and Singularity, or the critical chance granted by Felling Blow.
  • Secondary NPC targets are still affected by Swelling Winds, Singularity, and Felling Blow.

There are also some other changes coming, which includes a redesign of Focused Defense and a change for Through Peace:

  • Focused Defense no longer costs Focus to activate, and will hold a number of charges based on if the Guardian is above or below 50% health. Every time the Guardian takes damage, a charge is expended to heal for 4% of his maximum life.
  • Focused Defense’s cooldown has been increased to 3 minutes.
  • Through Peace now reduces the cooldown of Enraged Defense by 15/30 seconds.

These adjustments are still subject to change, of course, but we just wanted to give a preview of what is coming with Game Update 2.7!

-tw

Hey everyone!

There are some survivability changes coming to Gunslingers in Game Update 2.7 that I wanted to let you all know about:

  • Defense Screen’s cooldown has been reduced to 20 seconds, its maximum duration reduced to 10 seconds, and now absorbs slightly more damage per cast.
  • Hold Position now causes Dodge to give the Gunslinger a 100% chance to resist Tech and Force attacks for 3 seconds.

These adjustments should not be considered final as they are still subject to change, but we wanted to let you know what we had currently for you guys in 2.7.

Thanks!

-tw

Hello Scoundrels!

Below you will find our currently planned changes for Game Update 2.7. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list and they are subject to change. Know that one of our goals with these changes were to “tone down” the inherent power of Operative healers in PvP. Here are the current changes:

  • Defense Screen has had its cooldown reduced to 20 seconds, its maximum duration reduced to 10 seconds, and now absorbs slightly more damage per cast.
  • Scamper has been redesigned. Using Scamper will grant a charge that will allow Scamper to be used again before the ability goes on a 10 second cooldown, allowing for 2 rolls in succession.
  • Scamper no longer costs energy to use.
  • K.O. now grants a buff that makes Backblast not require position behind the target after using Shoot First.
  • K.O. now causes Shoot First to immobilize the target instead of knocking them down.
  • Emergent Emergencies can now only grant Upper Hand every 6 seconds.

-eric