Comlink – June 30, 2006

As many know, we're in the process of completing implementation on the Jedi and Bounty Hunter trees in the Profession Expertise system for Chapter 2. The designers responsible for these new trees are Hanse for the Jedi trees and Tunso for the Bounty Hunter trees. In this Com-link, I am going to offer a brief overview of the Expertise system and then offer very specific details on how this new system will affect the Jedi profession.
What is the Expertise System?

Before I get into the specific trees, I want to explain the goals of the Expertise system and how it works. The overall goal of the system is to offer new and exciting choices for players to make about the development of their characters. These choices provide diversity between characters of the same profession and give the player an additional goal when leveling.

At level 10, a player earns five Expertise points and then earns 1 point every two levels up to a maximum of forty-five points at level 90. In Chapter 2, only Jedi and Bounty Hunter characters will be able to allocate these points or even see the Expertise interface. We will introduce the expertise system to two professions per Chapter after that.

Once a player reaches level 10, they can activate the Expertise interface (it will appear on the Main Menu) and begin allocating their points over the two trees available to their profession. Eventually, a third tree will be introduced that specifically offers choices regarding the Galactic Civil War and Player-versus-Player specific enhancements, but that will be introduced after we introduce the Expertise system for all nine professions.

Allocating Expertise points will do one of two things. They will either modify an existing ability, such as increasing damage done, or they will unlock new abilities or series of abilities.

Players can allocate the points they have earned and even experiment with different choices in the interface without permanently committing with every point. Once they're satisfied with their allocation, they can choose to accept those choices. Once accepted these choices can only be undone for a fee through a re-spec at the appropriate NPC.

The Jedi Expertise Trees

There has been quite a bit of interest over what this system means for the Jedi since they have already received one set of enhancements in the recent past (Publish 27). In previous discussions, it was stated that the expertise additions would not impact existing Jedi abilities.

During the initial design and balance phase of their trees, we realized that it would be better to evaluate all the Jedi abilities and look at how we could use the expertise system to really flesh out the choices that a Jedi player could make. Doing this, in addition to adding some cool and powerful new abilities, was the best solution for maintaining the balance between professions and ensuring that the Jedi have really cool Expertise trees to use.

The two Jedi trees are General and Path. The General tree provides a variety of choices designed to enhance aspects that all Jedi would share. The Path tree provides choices between the Light and Dark side that give appropriately themed enhancements.

Expertise Tree Key/Legend

Key/Legend Notes:

* The Expertise tree graphics below are concept pieces used to construct the trees and not representative of actual in-game art.

* Specific numbers mentioned in the tree summaries are apt to change as we iterate and test the data over the weeks leading up to the scheduled update.

Jedi - General

Name

Description

Points

Effect

Dependency

Minimum Points

Minimum Level

Enhanced Strength

Strength Increase

2

25/point

None

1

10

Enhanced Constitution

Constitution Increase

2

25/point

None

1

10

Enhanced Agility

Agility Increase

2

25/point

None

1

10

Enhanced Stamina

Stamina Increase

2

25/point

None

1

10

Crippling Accuracy

Force Throw Snare proc

4

25%/point

2 points in Improved Force Throw; 4 points in General

1

10

Improved Force Throw

Force Throw +Damage%

2

5%/point

None

5

10

Alacrity

Dodge% Bonus

4

2%/point

4 points in General

5

10

Improved Crippling Accuracy

Force Throw Snare duration

3

2s/point

Crippling Accuracy; 8 points in General

9

18

Exacting Strikes

Strike/Sweep +Damage%

4

2%/point

8 points in General

9

18

Force Cloak

Invisibility

1

-

4 points in Alacrity; 8 points in General

9

18

Heightened Speed

Force Run Speed increase

4

10%/point

4 points in General

9

18

Saber Block

20% Chance to block a ranged weapon with a Lightsaber

1

-

12 points in General

13

26

Improved Saber Block

Increases the chance to block a ranged weapon with a Lightsaber

3

20%/point

1 point in Saber Block; 12 points in General

14

28

Incisiveness

Critical Strike% Bonus

4

1%/point

4 points in Exacting Strikes; 8 points in General

13

26

Second Wind

Force Run Duration increase

2

2s/point

4 points in Heightened Speed; 8 points in General

13

26

Force Shockwave

Grants the Force Shockwave series

1

-

16 points in General

17

34

Improved Force Shockwave

Force Shockwave damage / range increase

3

2%/point 2meters/point

1 point in Force Shockwave; 16 points in General

18

36

Fidelity

Damage% (All) Increase

4

1%/point

4 points in Incisiveness; 16 points in General

17

34

Improved Force Cloak

Invisibility escapes combat

1

-

1 point in Force Cloak; 16 points in General

17

34

Unstoppable Force

Force Run Snare/Root Cure/Immunity

1

n/a

2 points in Second Wind; 16 points in General

17

34

Total Points: 50

Jedi – Path

Tier

Name

Description

Points

Effect

Dependency

Side

Minimum Points

Minimum Level

1

Remorseless Nature

+Action% bonus for Focus

4

5% / point

Dark

1

10

2

Brutality

+Critical% bonus for Focus

4

1% / point

4 points in Remorseless Nature

Dark

5

10

2

Force Choke

Grants the Force Choke series

1

-

4 points in Remorseless Nature

Dark

5

10

3

Tempt Hatred

Opponent has a chance to lose 5% of action when striking Jedi

2

10% / point

4 points in Remorseless Nature; 8 points in path

Dark

9

18

3

Dark Lightning

Grants the Force Lightning series

1

-

4 points in Brutality; 8 points in Path

Dark

9

18

3

Improved Force Choke

Increases damage and duration of the Force Choke series

2

4% / point 4s / point

4 points in Remorseless Nature

Dark

9

18

4

Wracking Energy

Add snare debuff to Force Lightning

3

2s / point

4 points in Brutality; 8 points in path

Dark

13

26

5

Maelstrom

Grants Maelstrom, which is an area effect attack.

1

-

3 points in Wracking Energy; 16 points in Path

Dark

17

34

5

Strangulation

Add chance to Root when using Force Choke

2

5% / point

2 points in Improved Choke; 16 points in Path

Dark

17

34

Dark Points: 20

1

Cautious Nature

+Health% bonus for Stances

4

5% / point

Light

1

10

2

Practiced Fluidity

+Dodge% bonus for Stances

4

1% / point

4 points in Cautious Nature

Light

5

10

2

Soothing Aura

+Heal% bonus on Self Heals

4

25% / point

4 points in Cautious Nature

Light

5

10

3

Reactive response

+Damage taken% is added to action

2

6% / point

4 points in Practiced Fluidity; 8 points in path

Light

9

18

3

Forsa

Post edited by: Imoan, at: 2006/07/01 01:51