Hengist

Ever hear Lemmy croon “I Aint No Nice Guy”? Well, for a little bit I thought I wasn’t a very nice guy withholding the last part of my promised Beta Review for The Old Republic but then I realized that nobody was actually reading these, and I stopped feeling bad, and just got it done. Hope you enjoy the final fruits of my Old Republic pre-launch blogs.

I know we have more misguided (read: not quite bright) people who are interested in playing as Republic around Aureus Knights, (Actually that’s just more people for me to kill in-game, so I’m not complaining) but I have a much better feel for Empire classes, and since most classes are mirrors you can feel free to apply to the other faction.


Imperial Agent:



Any conversation about the Imperial Agent has to begin with the statement that this is the single best story in the game. Hands down, without question it hits its mark, and if you really want to know the truth about what is happing in the Sith Empire, this is where you are going to find truth. If you’ve ever had a James Bond fantasy, this just might be the class and the experience you are looking for. I came to believe what Daniel Erickson told me in April, that this is some of the best writing they have in the game.

Combat is a mixed bag. Snipers deliver a huge punch and some of the best burst, and longest range of any DPS class in the game. Their reliance on cover however is a mixed bag, and took me a long, long time to warm up to. Their burst is also incredibly slow, with long “wind-up’s” for big damage skills. In both PvE and PvP they have their uses, but their effectiveness is going to depend on the skill of the person playing them, along with a little bit of luck.

Operatives, in my mind are probably the 3rd best healers (of the 3 healing classes) but they aren’t far off from Bounty Hunters, and what hurts them the most is a the lack of effective AoE heals. They are a very unique stealth based, mostly melee damage class with quite a bit of utility including a group stealth.

While the story of the Agent is first class, I had the hardest time getting a feel for this class, and never found my sweet spot with it, while I will play it at some time, even if just for story alone, it will not be one of my first alts.

Republic Mirror:

To me, I thought the Smuggler has the best storyline on the Republic faction, as you are always neck deep in trouble, and things are always on the edge of spiraling out of control. Being honest about it, the Smuggler story really delivered enjoyment for me. I also found the smuggler to have some interesting companions, ones who gave me a more Star Warsy feel that those of the Agent. When I get around to rolling a Republic toon, without question, this will be the class that I try. (Hey, who doesn’t love a Wookie?)


Sith Warrior:



Act One of the Sith Warrior story is semi-bland, as you are in essence the enforcer for a Sith Lord. That being said, it was an entertaining run, but of all the stories on the Sith side, this one engaged me the least during Act One. I understand the story picks up in the last two acts, but I did not have first hand experience with it.

Being honest, I have felt for the last two builds that the most enjoyable melee DPS build was found in the Sith Inquisitor Assassin class, and that there were serious issues with the Sith Marauder. The fundamental issue that I have had is the lack of burst DPS compared to several of the ranged classes, and serious lack of utility skills that would make this class desirable to play. I’ve played both a Sith Warrior and a Jedi Knight into the low 30’s, and I really enjoyed the gameplay, but each time I left to play a ranged class, and marveled and how much faster and easier I killed mobs.

I played briefly with a higher level (43) Jedi Knight, and found that many of my earlier issues were far less, but they were still there. In talking to other people, I now tend to believe that there is a gap in high level play, but the gap closes appreciably as you level. Based on that, I’d have to say it’s an enjoyable class, that is likely more enjoyable as you level, and you might be faced with some early frustrations.

The tank, because of high armor, is still going to be the preference for many people in terms of end game tanking on single boss fights. The Inquisitor has better threat generation abilities, and will be preferred on other fights. The class as it stands needs more polish, but is still a fun ride. It’s down 3rd on my list, but I will play a Sith Warrior.

Republic Mirror:

Jedi Knight was a typically hokey story early on, befitting people who think Jar Jar Binks should have won an Academy Award. (Yes, I have to get a few digs in at the Republic folks, but since they won’t ever read this, it’ll go relatively unnoticed.) However when you get into Act Two, and Act Three it becomes one of the better stories available, even if it is fairly simple and you’ll see where it is going from a long way off. If you want a hint, go read Revan, and take a look at who your eventual companions are!





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