Open - GCW - Combat - Squad Leader QoL changes | Star Wars Galaxies Restoration

Open GCW Combat Squad Leader QoL changes

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Proposal
The changes


Fix the leadership skill mod.

This is an obvious one and one i assume is already on the list for bug fixes. For those who don't know, the leadership skill mod is what affects the potency of SL buffs. It currently doesnt work and you will receive the best buffs regardless of how many skills in the SL tree you have. This is the issue that is responsible for people speccing x4xx into SL just for the buffs. This issue is still a part of the game and will be until this is fixed.

All Squad Leader skills work solo once again. 50% effectiveness for aura buffs when solo. Full when in a group of 1 other player. You must still be leader of the group.

Ive heard many people say that SL buffs are too OP for solo play. Although i may not agree with this statement I am willing to compromise. I suggest SL buffs, specifically the aura buffs, should be reduced in effectiveness when applied solo and then back to full once in a group setting. This promotes group play but doesn't require it.

Group members on other planets or out of range do not prevent the SL from casting buffs. (With the exception of the ability Second chance)

This is one of the changes that makes SL feel so clunky currently. I was informed this was put in due to the ability Second chance causing a major bug. That being the case, second chance will remain requiring all group members are on the same planet to cast. Until the a fix is able to be found.

Single target buffs only work on other players and should be removed when out of range of the SL

This has always been an issue and still is. You can receive a single target buff ie High yield and then lead the SL group and keep the buff. This leads to abuse and should be fixed. You are also able to buff yourself with these buffs, if you use it when targeting an enemy, this isnt intended either.

High Yield should be nerfed to 20% increase damage buff and also cause a 20% increase in damage taken. Additionally cause an animation to show the buff is active on someone.

High Yield has been an issue forever, there are even posts about it on the old CU forums. If it was up to me I'd simply remove it and be done with it. However i thought it best to at least try to make it better. Currently its a 25% increase in damage for 10 minutes. There are no downsides to this buff and it overshadows all over single target buffs. This buff is also the primary reason people would partly spec into SL. My change is to add a downside to this powerful buff, It should be a high risk high reward move. Adding an animation (lets say, similar to paint target) would allow players to know whats happening and and plan for it. This change would not affect PvE, and would add counter play to PvP.



Over all i believe these changes would allow SL to fully enjoy all aspects of the game without hindrance as well as promote group play and preventing past issues returning.
Justification
Squad leader now feels clunky to play and requiring one profession to always be grouped is bad game design. There is a better way to avoid these issues without hindering the profession.
Motivation
To bring back QoL to the Squad Leader profession after recent changes. Without bringing back issues of its past.
Hello there.

Squad leader has been through some changes recently. These changes had been made to stop players abusing certain aspects of the profession and to fix some pretty major bugs. I am of the opinion that although change is needed to Squad Leader these were a step in the wrong direction. A quick (maybe not literally) fix that in reality took away QoL from Squad leader and overall made it far clunkier. I believe there is a middle ground that would both benefit Squad leader players while also preventing abuse we've known in the past.

The current Squad Leader (SL).

To apply your SL buffs.
You are required to be in a group of at least one other player( You must be leader of the group)
You must be within 64m of at least 1 grouped player.
All members must be on the same planet (even if 1 player is off world you cannot use your skills)
Single target buffs cannot be applied to yourself (under normal circumstances, you can still do it)

This applies to all skills. Group Auras, single target buffs and even your attacks paint target and called shot.


These changes were made to combat issues of players only partly speccing into SL (x4xx) to apply buffs to themselves, using afk alts to grant buffs and in some cases issues that caused pretty game breaking bugs involving some SL skills.

The problem now is that SL players are required to be in a group. Your game play should not be limited because of the class you wish to play. There will always be times in this game you will play solo, whether it be time zone dependent, player count or just nobody doing the thing you're doing. This is bad game design and a quick fix for a more complicated issue. My proposed changes are to bring back QoL to squad leader, while not bringing back any issues of the past. I believe that the main issues to come with SL are mostly related to the leadership skill mod not working and the single target buff High Yield.
 
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Agreed. Especially two points.

The different planets doesn't like a big deal but when doing phased places like kashyyyk it is a real pain to function. If someone needs to go back and train now the buffs don't work. I've also lost my spot in a spin group cause I needed to rebuff they removed me for buffs forgot they were waiting for me and invited someone else.

The 20% damage taken reminds me of the old ESO paint target where for 20 seconds you bypassed 80% of a targets armor but they did the same to you. Sounds like a great fix. Right now you can have a full tank tkm mpm still do insane damage with no repercussion. Making it a stronger version of high risk high reward like that one mswordsman ability sounds like a great idea
 
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We just need to be careful to not allow SL buff bots to come back. I agree with everything that is proposed given additional testing is done to verify balancing. I think these are all great ideas!
 
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I would add the ability to use more than 1 SL single-target buffs, but it is limited to 1 buff per person. Allow it to scale with leadership and group size?
 
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I would add the ability to use more than 1 SL single-target buffs, but it is limited to 1 buff per person. Allow it to scale with leadership and group size?
I would back that as well. I just wanted to keep things to the current issues. and i think thats already been suggested.
 
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I just wanted to add some scenarios I've experienced or is possible to experience with the current state of Squadleader.

Your pvp group moves planets, the fight starts back up right away at the starport, some people do not travel or are late to travel. Your options are wait and hope everybody arrives soon or start kicking people. (Ive had to do this, then try to reinvite people in the middle of combat. [you better hope their name is easy to spell])

One player in your group has to move out of the instance to go train, you now have to kick them if you want to keep using your abilities.

One player is off planet, you try to use a single target buff on your other teammate, the buff doesnt apply and goes on the 10min cooldown.

Sometimes the game doesn't actually know if your groupmate is on the same planet, so you will be restricted until you're either close enough for the game to realise or... you know, you kick them.

You get online, you go to get buffs, suddenly you are attacked by a Bounty hunter. Your options? fight as half a template or spam invite everybody around you including buff bots in hopes you get to fight as your full profession. (this then becomes an issue because SL buffs are OP 1v1 right?)


The current state of Squad Leader encourages you to use it on an alt that you play when you're wanting buffs, if it happens to be your main character or favorite class, tough luck i guess, play something else /shrug.

Squad Leader can be better and should be better. Bring QoL back to SL.

Thank you :)
 
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I do like everything you have listed in this PV the one idea I'm wary of is the idea of SL being able to Buff itself solo as i can see major balancing issues however I'm not gonna discount the idea without any testing, but I agree that some QOL to it would be nice in some facet as well as making it able to more functionable solo in some capacity while also ensuring balance to make the class but I do agree somethings need changing in order to make SL more of a desirable class outside of a buff bot currently.
 
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We will fix the leadership skill mod. Please propose a specific ratio or formula to apply to this calculation, being mindful too that we may in the future add this skill mod as an exotic skill mod in specialty items, e.g., heroic sets.

Mechanics involving how buffs are applied and when they can be applied need to be adjusted further as they are indeed clunky and inconsistent. We will not, however, enable Squad Leader to buff themselves or buff without a group. Squad Leader requires a squad to lead and that is an intended mechanic.
 
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We will fix the leadership skill mod. Please propose a specific ratio or formula to apply to this calculation, being mindful too that we may in the future add this skill mod as an exotic skill mod in specialty items, e.g., heroic sets.

Mechanics involving how buffs are applied and when they can be applied need to be adjusted further as they are indeed clunky and inconsistent. We will not, however, enable Squad Leader to buff themselves or buff without a group. Squad Leader requires a squad to lead and that is an intended mechanic.
Compromise with me and at least make paint target/called shot usable solo.
 
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