SWTOR: Inquisitor/Consular Main Tanks

So the forums were abuzz with chatter from a Q&A session with community manager Stephen Reid where he indicated that the game would have 4 classes as a main tank (Sith Juggernaut, Jedi Guardian, Bounty Hunter Powertech, and Trooper Vanguard) and 2 as off-tanks (Sith Assassin and Jedi Shadow). This, of course made potential Inquisitors/Consulars quite irrate and people hoping that Mr. Reid misspoke or was simply mistaken.

As it turns out he was (see the related quotes below) mistaken and all 6 advanced classes are designed to main tank. This leads to an interesting situation where we have a total of 16 advanced classes (8 per faction) where 6 can tank, 4 can heal, and everyone can dps. Also interesting to note that none of the classes can do all three, so there are no jack-of-all-trades classes.

Now will this make me want to play an assassin rather than a juggernaut. At this time, not really. At least, not until I get get my hands on to test them out.

Quotes start here:

StephenReid General Discussion -> [VIDEO] Interview with Stephen Reid @ NY Comic Con 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calimwulf

Yep, this also contradicts what Zoeller was saying on class philosophy design. I wonder who was wrong, or if something has changed or was misinterpreted.

 I was wrong in this instance, sorry folks! I was

As I said in another thread on the topic, I got myself mixed up - a combination of my limited experience as a tank (generally) and my time spent playing a Sith Assassin specc'ed to be an off-tank.

Again, apologies for the confusion... don't blame Ed for the question, blame my lack of sleep. And lack of tanking.

I guess I should level a tank to 50 in live now to make up for it. 10.17.2011 05:29 PM


StephenReid Jedi Consular -> I *Really* Hope SR Misspoke Here :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by torsjn

In this interview, SR calls the Shadow/Assassin an "offtank".. wth??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6gtNCQPDmk tank part starts at 2:00.. he clearly says Shadow/Assassin are "offtanks".. Taugrim sums up and says something like "so there's 4 main tanks and 2 offtanks?".. and SR again says, "yes, that's right".. and then he also specifically calls the Shadow/Assassin "evasion tanks"

SERIOUSLY disappointing if this is not just SR misspeaking

As you'll see from Georg's latest posts, I did mis-speak. My tanking experience is limited (in MMOs generally; as I said in the interview, I'm a DPS lad) and I did point that out in the interview.

I think my confusion came from playing a Sith Assassin in our Eternity Vault demo many, many times, who was specced to be an off-tank, not main tank. However, as Georg has now corrected me on, that's not a limitation of the AC, it's a choice on the part of the player.

Sorry if I confused everyone for a minute. This is what happens when you ask questions of the Community Manager that are better suited to the development team. It's not their fault that they can't make it to every show, we want to keep them hard at work on the game. 10.17.2011 05:25 PM


GeorgZoeller Jedi Consular -> I *Really* Hope SR Misspoke Here :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by CriticalMass

Things change, apparently this has too. With MMO developers you can only go on the last thing that was said.

So apparently they've changed their thinking on the matter and now we are off-tanks. Which blows and goes against what they've been saying for a very long time, but whatever.

Nope.


By design, all tank capable ACs can spec to be fully capable main tanks.


There are no 'off tanks' unless you intentionally spend your skill points into different trees. 10.17.2011 04:19 PM

GeorgZoeller Jedi Consular -> I *Really* Hope SR Misspoke Here :(

All tank specs in the game are designed to function as a main tank. There are no 'off tanks' by design in the game, that would involve players intentionally choosing such a role by speccing hybrid.