Star Wars: The Old Republic II: Hutts don't have feet!

[GungHo]

contrary to what GungHo says, Armstech is also very useful because lots of people (everyone who doesn't need hilts made by artificers) needs blaster barrels

I mentioned barrels, but I really don't feel it's enough for them. If you're a Gunslinger or Mercenary it's a bit more attractive, since you get to make both your pistols and can ensure matching sets. For Scoundrels and Agents, you get to make your shotguns and knives as well. Everyone else's offhands are made by Artificers.

You're forgetting about the Slicing materials that every blue or purple augment requires.

I forgot about the tech parts.

I believe you'll have several thousand Cartel Coins to play with. As an example of the fairly mundane things you can do with them, I've used mine for things like "account-wide maximum bagspace" (a few hundred CC per row of 10 slots, IIRC) and "account-wide extra storage tabs at the bank" (about 1K CC per tab). The new playable race can only be unlocked via CC (600 CC to unlock it... and that's account-wide, I'm pretty sure). You can also unlock things like extra character slots, up to 16/server. You can buy character, Legacy, and Guild name changes, or use the "beauty salon" to change pretty much everything about a character except class and spec for varying prices (a race change is relatively expensive, on the order of 1K CC; some other cosmetic options run as low as 20 CC.). And then there's gear (mostly Orange armor, sets or just chestpieces), and Cartel Packs with random contents.

I use CCs for account-wide bags, cargo hold, the rocket boost, and the exp boosts for things like missions and exploration. I also added ship mail, a GTN terminal, and a vendor. Those are real quality of life things and are well worth the investment.

Some of the outfits can look nice, as well. What I won't buy are the gambling boxes. I'll let other people play the slot machines and buy off the GTN.

[Kish]

I mentioned barrels, but I really don't feel it's enough for them. If you're a Gunslinger or Mercenary it's a bit more attractive, since you get to make both your pistols and can ensure matching sets. For Scoundrels and Agents, you get to make your shotguns and knives as well. Everyone else's offhands are made by Artificers.

You're leaving out companions.

[GungHo]

You're leaving out companions.

No... I didn't.

and it's also the only place that you can get things like staffs and swords, but all of the companions come with a modifyable weapon now and/or get them as regular quest rewards

[Kish]

Your previous post acknowledged that you might want to make blasters for companions--but probably not.

No post you have yet made has acknowledged that you'll want to make barrels for your companions, on a regular basis, in any event.

[Tylorious]

Guys, can someone please respond to my post?

[GungHo]

Your previous post acknowledged that you might want to make blasters for companions--but probably not.

No post you have yet made has acknowledged that you'll want to make barrels for your companions, on a regular basis, in any event.

Ok. You win. It's a wonderful crafting profession. You've boxed me in brilliantly and beat me like Rocky beat that guy with five neck rolls in Over the Top. You can walk proudly this weekend knowing you beat someone on the internet. I'm going to convert my guy back over to Armstech in your honor.

[Kish]

Guys, can someone please respond to my post?

Is http://www.swtor.com/free/features one of the sites you can't view?

[Tylorious]

Is http://www.swtor.com/free/features one of the sites you can't view?

You are correct sir.

[GungHo]

Try http://dulfy.net/2012/10/24/swtor-fr...-restrictions/.

If that's locked for you, it's gonna have to wait until I'm home. I remember some things but not enough to transcribe with unerring accuracy.

The biggest things are a credit limit, slower leveling, and being locked out of warzones.

[Kish]

Okay. If you're a subscriber, you get:
Sprint starting at level 1.
Three crew skills per character, and they level faster.
Priority status in the login queue.
Automatic bank access; you can buy extra tabs.
You can carry millions of credits (I don't know what the hard cap is).
Unlimited use of chat channels.
Can send mail to anyone in the same faction and to your own opposite-faction alts.
Can trade non-bound freely with other players.
Can list up to fifty items on the GTN, and can purchase the ability to list up to 100 with credits or cartel coins.
Respecialization: Free
Character Creation: 12 slots, all species available except Cathar, some species class-restricted unless unlocked by paying or by getting a member of that species to 50
Operations: Unlimited access
Warzones: Unlimited access
Flashpoints: Unlimited access
Space Missions: Unlimited access
Inventory: Can be expanded with credits or cartel coins
Quick Travel: 30 minute cooldown, unlimited times
Emergency Fleet Pass: 12 hour cooldown, unlimited times
Vehicles: Starting at level 15 by default
Revive: Unlimited revives at the place where you were defeated. may be a cooldown if you die a lot in quick succession
Item Equipping: All
Commendations Cap: Highest
Guilds: Can potentially lead a guild not labeled "Lesser"
Vendors: Discounted
Experience Rate: Faster
Experience Rate: Gain Rest XP when in a cantina or on the fleet space station
Valor Rate: Faster
GUI: Six Quickbars
Items: Event Rewards: Equippable
Items: Mod Removal: Cheaper
Items: Augment Slots: Cost Less to Install
Cartel Coins: You automatically gain, depending on your subscription option and whether you have a security key, 500-700 Cartel Coins per month subscribed.
Customer Service Support: You have the right to be ignored, instead of not getting to send tickets to Bioware's circular file at all

The simplest way to get a mini-pet is to go to the GTN and buy one, if there isn't a specific one you want.

[NEO|Phyte]

Also, it should be noted that a fair amount of the stuff subs get for free (hide helmet, unify colors, artifact equipment, etc) can also be unlocked for f2p/sub players as well, either through the cartel market (not worth the money unless you've got a stockpile of 'free' coins from being subbed) or from people selling them on the GTN for credits. Just make sure you go for (account) unlocks so it applies to all your present and future characters instead of just the specific one you happen to use the unlock on.

[Sith_Happens]

Additionally, the first time you buy any Cartel Coins or the expansion, you get bumped up to Preferred status which unlocks a decent number of things automatically.

[mistformsquirrl]

So I just came back after a significant absence and I was wondering something:

With Bounty Hunter, which would you say is more blaster-focused* - Mercenary or Powertech? I'm thinking Merc since it's analogous to Commando and unlike Commando isn't stuck with a huge hunk of blaster cannon; but before I get too far I wanted to check with folks who actually know <. . >

*Ie: Actually using your guns as opposed to umpteen million gadgets.**

**This is part of why I quit with my Trooper. I wanted to shoot things with a blaster rifle for damage at a halfway decent range... instead I was either in melee or spraying everything BUT blaster bolts.

[Kish]

If you want, "Halfway decent range," definitely pick Mercenary, as Powertechs are short-ranged.

If you want to strictly use your blasters instead of gadgets...you might want to just give up on the whole Trooper/Bounty Hunter class pair.

[Philistine]

So I just came back after a significant absence and I was wondering something:

With Bounty Hunter, which would you say is more blaster-focused* - Mercenary or Powertech? I'm thinking Merc since it's analogous to Commando and unlike Commando isn't stuck with a huge hunk of blaster cannon; but before I get too far I wanted to check with folks who actually know <. . >

*Ie: Actually using your guns as opposed to umpteen million gadgets.**

**This is part of why I quit with my Trooper. I wanted to shoot things with a blaster rifle for damage at a halfway decent range... instead I was either in melee or spraying everything BUT blaster bolts.

Have you considered Gunslinger/Sniper? I haven't played either of those very far myself, but they seem to be the AC pair most focused on blasters. I concur with Kish that Commando/Mercenary isn't much more blaster-focused than Vanguard/Powertech, and for that matter neither is Scoundrel/Operative (though Stealth is a beautiful thing and covers a myriad of sins).


ETA: For myself, I find the Vanguard/Powertech playstyle makes for by far my favorite tank in the game; I have a harder time picking a favorite healer, but it's down to the Commando/Mercenary's "Heals+God of AOE" or Scoundrel/Operative's "Heals+Stealth." But... de gustibus non est disputandum, and all that.

[Kish]

Oh, I love my powertech. I would have expected the short-ranged thing to bug me a lot, but it hasn't at all.

But..."relies on blasters instead of other gadgets" definitely does not describe him, and he is short-ranged.

[snoopy13a]

Have you considered Gunslinger/Sniper? I haven't played either of those very far myself, but they seem to be the AC pair most focused on blasters. I concur with Kish that Commando/Mercenary isn't much more blaster-focused than Vanguard/Powertech, and for that matter neither is Scoundrel/Operative (though Stealth is a beautiful thing and covers a myriad of sins).


ETA: For myself, I find the Vanguard/Powertech playstyle makes for by far my favorite tank in the game; I have a harder time picking a favorite healer, but it's down to the Commando/Mercenary's "Heals+God of AOE" or Scoundrel/Operative's "Heals+Stealth." But... de gustibus non est disputandum, and all that.

I have a Gunslinger that I'm playing right now (I recently returned after a 12+ month absence). Almost all I do is blast stuff, which is a blast . Every once in awhile I throw a grenade, use my flash power to dislodge nearby enemies, or kick someone in the nuts. But most of time, I just blast stuff, tons of fun

[Tylorious]

Okay. If you're a subscriber, you get:
Sprint starting at level 1.
Three crew skills per character, and they level faster.
Priority status in the login queue.
Automatic bank access; you can buy extra tabs.
You can carry millions of credits (I don't know what the hard cap is).
Unlimited use of chat channels.
Can send mail to anyone in the same faction and to your own opposite-faction alts.
Can trade non-bound freely with other players.
Can list up to fifty items on the GTN, and can purchase the ability to list up to 100 with credits or cartel coins.
Respecialization: Free
Character Creation: 12 slots, all species available except Cathar, some species class-restricted unless unlocked by paying or by getting a member of that species to 50
Operations: Unlimited access
Warzones: Unlimited access
Flashpoints: Unlimited access
Space Missions: Unlimited access
Inventory: Can be expanded with credits or cartel coins
Quick Travel: 30 minute cooldown, unlimited times
Emergency Fleet Pass: 12 hour cooldown, unlimited times
Vehicles: Starting at level 15 by default
Revive: Unlimited revives at the place where you were defeated. may be a cooldown if you die a lot in quick succession
Item Equipping: All
Commendations Cap: Highest
Guilds: Can potentially lead a guild not labeled "Lesser"
Vendors: Discounted
Experience Rate: Faster
Experience Rate: Gain Rest XP when in a cantina or on the fleet space station
Valor Rate: Faster
GUI: Six Quickbars
Items: Event Rewards: Equippable
Items: Mod Removal: Cheaper
Items: Augment Slots: Cost Less to Install
Cartel Coins: You automatically gain, depending on your subscription option and whether you have a security key, 500-700 Cartel Coins per month subscribed.
Customer Service Support: You have the right to be ignored, instead of not getting to send tickets to Bioware's circular file at all

The simplest way to get a mini-pet is to go to the GTN and buy one, if there isn't a specific one you want.

Thank you very much brodo baggins. You answered my previous question and the question i logged on to ask. you're the coolest!

[Holocron Coder]

So, played my powertech for the first time since I stopped playing over a year ago.

I do not remember him being so squishy. Did one of the 4+ group quests in black hole (to take out that one guy with all the hypermatter). Ended up dying on the first... 6 or so pulls because I drew aggro. But I distinctly remember tanking groups like that with no issue before.

Teammates seemed to think I might be undergeared, but sporting mostly oranges and such, which were good before... Has TOR come up with anything like WoW's armory for displaying character builds/gear/etc?

[GungHo]

With Bounty Hunter, which would you say is more blaster-focused* - Mercenary or Powertech? I'm thinking Merc since it's analogous to Commando and unlike Commando isn't stuck with a huge hunk of blaster cannon; but before I get too far I wanted to check with folks who actually know <. . >

*Ie: Actually using your guns as opposed to umpteen million gadgets.**

Mercenary.

That being said, you're still going to use some gadgets. The flamethrower and rockets are huge contributors to damage, just like the pulse wave and mortar round. The Rail Shot looks like a laser coming out of a gauntlet rather than a weird white blaster bolt. Grav Round becomes a Heat Seeking rocket. Rocket Punch will still be used just like Stock Strike because there's always gonna be some jerk who tries to come hit you with a space crowbar. There's a talent that helps increase the knockback of Rocket Punch, though, and you can always yell Falcon Punch.

**This is part of why I quit with my Trooper. I wanted to shoot things with a blaster rifle for damage at a halfway decent range... instead I was either in melee or spraying everything BUT blaster bolts.

Trooper and Bounty Hunter are pretty much identical in implementation if not flavor (though there used to be some major differences in "ammo"/"heat" maintenance that they've since eliminated). A Vanguard/Powertech are going to be short range (4-10m), whether you're dealing damage or tanking. A Commando/Mercenary are going to be medium to long range (10-30m), whether you're dealing damage or healing. If you disliked fiddling with things that weren't blaster bolts and were playing a Commando (I can't tell if that was your initial Trooper was a Commando or Vanguard), you're not going to get away from that.

One question for the crowd... can you use a rifle as a commando or do skills get turned off if you're not carrying the assault cannon? I know for other classes (like Shadow/Assassin) the game will whine at you if you're not using the "iconic" weapon, but for some reason there's a part of my memory that thinks you might be able to get away with a rifle, but I may be getting confused since they let the companions be a lot more flexible than the players when it comes to that. I know Sniper is fairly lenient. Anyway, that may get you closer to your flavor if it's allowed.

If you jumped the fence and went to playing a Gunslinger or Sniper, you're still going to have some grenades, darts, probes, and other toys, but it's a little more on the shooty-shooty as Philistine notes. With a Gunslinger, you get a couple of blasters and with a Sniper you can use blaster rifles or big ole sniper rifles. Gunslingers send a lot of shots downrange and the sniper, obviously, works a little more deliberately. They all a hell of a lot different than the Trooper/Bounty Hunter, though. You'll either be cowering or running around like a madman. The stories are better for the Smuggler/Agent, if that matters to you.

[Kish]

There are some commando abilities that Require Assault Cannon.

They let the companions be more flexible in that area? Since when? Most companions can only use one type of weapon. Mako: Blaster pistol or nothing (and it was annoying trying to get a Tionese-level weapon for her; "For Agents we have a blaster rifle or a sniper rifle! What do you mean she can't use either?"). Elara Dorne: Blaster pistol or nothing. Vette, Andronikos, Ensign Temple: Two blaster pistols or nothing. Etc.

[NEO|Phyte]

One question for the crowd... can you use a rifle as a commando or do skills get turned off if you're not carrying the assault cannon?

You can use a rifle as a commando, as mentioned, two skills get switched off by not having one. Hail of Bolts, and Charged Bolts. Neither is particularly vital to the functioning of a commando, though hail of bolts adds more AoE potential to your life.

So, played my powertech for the first time since I stopped playing over a year ago.

I do not remember him being so squishy. Did one of the 4+ group quests in black hole (to take out that one guy with all the hypermatter). Ended up dying on the first... 6 or so pulls because I drew aggro. But I distinctly remember tanking groups like that with no issue before.

Teammates seemed to think I might be undergeared, but sporting mostly oranges and such, which were good before... Has TOR come up with anything like WoW's armory for displaying character builds/gear/etc?

Stopped playing over a year ago? My guess would be the 2.0 changes are the root of the problem, it changed up a whole bunch of things. That being said, if you were pulling aggro and thus not the tank, are you still tank spec or did you switch to DPS? DPS is unsurprisingly squishier than a tank. If you WERE a tank, I believe 2.0's assorted changes regarding the level cap may be part of the issue, as I understand it they rebalanced a bunch of the numbers, so you may have lower values from when you last played. Plus they made shields actually work against all kinetic/energy attacks, at the cost of less reduction on a shielded attack.

What sort of gear were you in before you left? Depending on just what quality it is, if you have a stockpile of planetary comms, you might consider visiting the makeb planetary vendor on the fleet (I have no clue if you need RotHC purchased to assess this vendor), he's stocked with rating 140 (rakata level, IIRC) bits.

[GungHo]

There are some commando abilities that Require Assault Cannon.

They let the companions be more flexible in that area? Since when? Most companions can only use one type of weapon. Mako: Blaster pistol or nothing (and it was annoying trying to get a Tionese-level weapon for her; "For Agents we have a blaster rifle or a sniper rifle! What do you mean she can't use either?"). Elara Dorne: Blaster pistol or nothing. Vette, Andronikos, Ensign Temple: Two blaster pistols or nothing. Etc.

Ok... off the top of my head

Qyzen can do techblades or techstaffs.
Felix can do blaster pistols or rifles.
Nadia can do double-bladed, single-bladed sabers (not sure about electrostaves).
Torian can do techblades or techstaffs.
Skadge can do techblades (I don't think techstaffs, but not sure so listing).
Kira can do double-bladed or single-bladed sabers (not sure about electrostaves)
Rusk can do cannons or rifles.
Kaliyo can do blaster pistols or rifles.
SCORPIO can do techblades or techstaffs.
Jorgan can do cannons or rifles.
Forex can do blaster pistols or rifles.
Yuun can do techblades or techstaffs.
Vik can do techblades (I don't think techstaffs, but not sure so listing).
Pierce can do rifles or pistols.
Gault can do rifles or snipers.
Riggs can do rifles or pistols.
Risha can do rifles or snipers.
Akaavi Spar can do techblades or techstaffs.
Jaesa can do double-bladed or single-bladed sabers (not sure about electrostaves)
Ashara can do lightsabers or vibroblades.
Xalek can do double-bladed or single-bladed sabers (not sure about electrostaves)
T4 can do rifles or pistols.

[Tylorious]

ok quick question, i am a lvl 19 scoundrel right now and am loving coming out of stealth behind enemies with a shotgun right in their back...but that is literally the only skill i have that uses the shotgun, can i not just fire it whenever i want to? or is it an entire inventory slot dedicated to a single skill :/

[Kish]

SWTOR has no auto-attack. You only use any weapon when you use a skill that uses it.

The majority of classes have something completely passive in their off-hand (a generator, a shield, or a focus). The Scoundrel class is not a true dual-wield class. You use your scattergun. For, arguably, your best ability, which you should rely on the most. But you only use one of your blasters at a time, and most of the time it's your main-hand blaster. If you wanted to actually dual-wield--that is, use a standard blaster pistol in your off-hand and use it with more of your abilities--then you should have picked Gunslinger. (Of course, then you wouldn't have stealth.)

[mistformsquirrl]

I'm definitely tolerating Bounty Hunter's reliance on gadgets a lot more than Trooper's it seems.

I think what it boils down to is how Star Wars portrays each.

When I think "Trooper" I think "Clone Trooper/Storm Trooper/Rebel Trooper" - Ie: the traditional soldier relying on their weapon, armor and wits to survive on a chaotic battlefield. They may toss some grenades or whip out a rocket launcher of some description from time to time, but in my head a trooper is very much a specialist in the application of their blaster rifle.

When I think "Bounty Hunter"... well I don't have one particular image (There's Boba Fett of course, but also Calo Nord, IG-88 and innumerable others) - and gadgetry fits with some of them quite well, particularly the reliance on a Jetpack since that goes with Fett's image perfectly. I admit at times I start to think "I'm Iron Man in Star Wars" - but that's not strictly a bad thing.

So I think BH is going to work out pretty well in the long term.

That said:

I've already got a Sniper up to level 25 - I love the class (it actually functions quite close to how I envisioned the Trooper functioning), but the storyline is tough for me; by nature I'm not a sneaky person, and I don't like the whole "go undercover then betray X group from the inside" thing - it just never sits right with me. Will still probably get her to 50 eventually though because it is a fun class to play.

----

Also I got that Gold Scalene armor with my bonus points - very purdy stuff <o.o> Kinda cool how since it lacks a jetpack, it has jet-boots instead. Not a perfect solution, but I like that they bothered to apply one at all (a lot of games I'd play would have just shrugged and ignored the issue.)

[Kish]

I'm definitely tolerating Bounty Hunter's reliance on gadgets a lot more than Trooper's it seems.

I think what it boils down to is how Star Wars portrays each.

When I think "Trooper" I think "Clone Trooper/Storm Trooper/Rebel Trooper" - Ie: the traditional soldier relying on their weapon, armor and wits to survive on a chaotic battlefield. They may toss some grenades or whip out a rocket launcher of some description from time to time, but in my head a trooper is very much a specialist in the application of their blaster rifle.

When I think "Bounty Hunter"... well I don't have one particular image (There's Boba Fett of course, but also Calo Nord, IG-88 and innumerable others) - and gadgetry fits with some of them quite well, particularly the reliance on a Jetpack since that goes with Fett's image perfectly. I admit at times I start to think "I'm Iron Man in Star Wars" - but that's not strictly a bad thing.

When I think "Storm Trooper/Rebel Trooper," I don't think of "goes toe to toe with a Jedi or Sith." Or, "Goes toe to toe with a bounty hunter." Or, "Goes toe to toe with anyone with a name." I think of, "Dies by the dozen."

As a trooper PC, you're Havoc Squad, the best in the Republic. You have abilities--and technology--that standard troops don't. Because if you were that strictly-uses-a-blaster rifle character?

Well, you can actually do it. Don't use any ability that doesn't use your blaster rifle, or even don't use any ability except Hammer Shot. It will make you...probably exactly as effective as the character archetype you're thinking of is in the source material.

But glad to hear you're not having the same problem with Bounty Hunter.

[GungHo]

Stopped playing over a year ago? My guess would be the 2.0 changes are the root of the problem, it changed up a whole bunch of things. That being said, if you were pulling aggro and thus not the tank, are you still tank spec or did you switch to DPS? DPS is unsurprisingly squishier than a tank. If you WERE a tank, I believe 2.0's assorted changes regarding the level cap may be part of the issue, as I understand it they rebalanced a bunch of the numbers, so you may have lower values from when you last played. Plus they made shields actually work against all kinetic/energy attacks, at the cost of less reduction on a shielded attack.

Vanguard/Powertech DPS definitely got more squishy post-2.0. Got my clock cleaned on Ilum by one of the earlier quests as a DPS Vanguard when I'd fought equivalent enemies just a few days earlier without breaking a sweat. Switched over to a tank spec and did fine. I noticed I was pumping out higher numbers, though, as a Vanguard DPS post-2.0. Previously it was kind of middle of the road as far as damage and survivability, so yeah, they definitely fiddled with numbers. Experienced the same with my Guardian. I didn't switch to one of the tank companions to see how that went since I don't really trust any of them (well, except for Khem Val, but it's not like I can bring him in as a DH), but with shields now being more broadly applicable, I may give them a shot for giggles.

[Holocron Coder]

Stopped playing over a year ago? My guess would be the 2.0 changes are the root of the problem, it changed up a whole bunch of things. That being said, if you were pulling aggro and thus not the tank, are you still tank spec or did you switch to DPS? DPS is unsurprisingly squishier than a tank. If you WERE a tank, I believe 2.0's assorted changes regarding the level cap may be part of the issue, as I understand it they rebalanced a bunch of the numbers, so you may have lower values from when you last played. Plus they made shields actually work against all kinetic/energy attacks, at the cost of less reduction on a shielded attack.

What sort of gear were you in before you left? Depending on just what quality it is, if you have a stockpile of planetary comms, you might consider visiting the makeb planetary vendor on the fleet (I have no clue if you need RotHC purchased to assess this vendor), he's stocked with rating 140 (rakata level, IIRC) bits.

Well, the spec I have is the shield tech powertech, which is the tank, supposedly. I'll have to find what the 2.0 changes were, though. It's likely that's at least part of the problem. The quests I was having trouble with were of my level, so I didn't think gear would be the issue... I'll find out later, at home, what my item ratings are, as well as my overall stats, at 50.

[Philistine]

I'm definitely tolerating Bounty Hunter's reliance on gadgets a lot more than Trooper's it seems.

I think what it boils down to is how Star Wars portrays each.

When I think "Trooper" I think "Clone Trooper/Storm Trooper/Rebel Trooper" - Ie: the traditional soldier relying on their weapon, armor and wits to survive on a chaotic battlefield. They may toss some grenades or whip out a rocket launcher of some description from time to time, but in my head a trooper is very much a specialist in the application of their blaster rifle.

When I think "Bounty Hunter"... well I don't have one particular image (There's Boba Fett of course, but also Calo Nord, IG-88 and innumerable others) - and gadgetry fits with some of them quite well, particularly the reliance on a Jetpack since that goes with Fett's image perfectly. I admit at times I start to think "I'm Iron Man in Star Wars" - but that's not strictly a bad thing.

So I think BH is going to work out pretty well in the long term.

That said:

I've already got a Sniper up to level 25 - I love the class (it actually functions quite close to how I envisioned the Trooper functioning), but the storyline is tough for me; by nature I'm not a sneaky person, and I don't like the whole "go undercover then betray X group from the inside" thing - it just never sits right with me. Will still probably get her to 50 eventually though because it is a fun class to play.

----

Also I got that Gold Scalene armor with my bonus points - very purdy stuff <o.o> Kinda cool how since it lacks a jetpack, it has jet-boots instead. Not a perfect solution, but I like that they bothered to apply one at all (a lot of games I'd play would have just shrugged and ignored the issue.)

I have to echo Kish's post in re: "Troopers in Star Wars." Heck, the Clone Troopers were created solely to be disposable, generic mooks who could be deployed (and lost, if need be) in massive numbers - and that's not just a meta-story explanation for why they suck, that's the explicit, in-universe reason for creating them. So that's the films' baseline for Trooper archetypes.

I will say, though, that at level 25 your Sniper is... where? Tatooine, maybe? Still on Nar Shadaa? IMO, the IA story only gets better from there. Especially after Alderaan.

ETA:

Well, the spec I have is the shield tech powertech, which is the tank, supposedly. I'll have to find what the 2.0 changes were, though. It's likely that's at least part of the problem. The quests I was having trouble with were of my level, so I didn't think gear would be the issue... I'll find out later, at home, what my item ratings are, as well as my overall stats, at 50.

It's not just you - I noticed something similar on my PT when 2.0 came out, and he was in the freebie Tionese gear.

That said, remember that Orange gear is only as good as the mods you've got slotted in it. I've noticed that falling even two-three levels behind noticeably increased the difficulty of combat in Ch2-3, but updating my gear brought me right back up to speed.