The SWTOR developers have revealed that Game Update 7.3 is on the way and did a Livestream discussing all the details of the Update. All of these listed changes will be on the PTS soon.
On the forums, we have been given a preliminary overview of the Class Changes slated for Game Update 7.3 with some additional changes and comments added on May 3rd. Here is an overview, and some discussion, of the changes.
EDITS:
- Added additional class changes posted on Forums on 3rd May 2023.
- Updated the original (6.0) Energised Blade description and clarified that it was removed when 7.0 launched and modified comments on Stealth Scan and Random Charge.
Powertech/Vanguard
- Adjusted timing of some ability grants to smooth out the levelling experience.
- Stealth Scan has been redesigned and renamed “Terminator Droid”.
- Terminator Droid/Suppression Droid – Fires off a Terminator Droid to scan the area for 15 seconds, revealing stealthed opponents and immobilizing them for 3 seconds. In addition, all enemies inside the field of the Terminator Droid have their accuracy reduced by 20% and are slowed by 30%.
- Stealth Scan has its cooldown increased to 20 seconds up from 15.
- This is the full tooltip for the Stealth Scan change for Powertechs/Vanguards.
- Neural Trigger Tactical now roots the target instead of stuns.
Additional Dev Comments
The Powertech/Vanguards effects are also being applied with the same goal of making Stealth Scan less niche and provide more benefits in a wider variety of scenarios. Powertech/Vanguards lean more toward a support buff with the reduced accuracy because of their class identity as a tank. In addition, “Terminator Droid” is competing with fairly strong defensive and offensive choices across the skill trees for the Powertech/Vanguard. The accuracy reduction will not apply to Operation Bosses.
Advanced Prototype/Tactics:
- Prototype Rail / High Friction Bolts now restore 6 heat/energy when their effect is triggered (up from 5).
- Energized Blade Tactical has been redesigned and renamed Energized Vambrace It does the following:
- Gaining an Energy Lode stack increases the damage on Retractable Blade’s / Gut’s bleed, and increases the damage of Railshot / High Impact Round, Magnetic Blast / Tactical Surge, and Energy Burst’s / Cell Burst by 5% for 10 seconds. Stacks up to 4 times.
(6.0) Energised Blade Tactical Description – Retractable Blade’s bleed effect deals more damage the more Energy Lode stacks you have. Energy Lode stacks also increase the damage of Retractable Blade by 25% per stack (up to 100% more damage), this effect lasts 10 seconds, and is refreshed when Energy Lode is gained.
Energised Blade was an AP Powertech Tactical that was removed in 7.0 and is being reintroduced into the game and reworked in Game Update 7.3. Above is the 6.0 description.
Mercenary/Commando
- Adjusted timing of some ability grants to smooth out the levelling experience.
- Stealth Scan has been redesigned and renamed “Hunter Killer Droid”.
- Hunter Killer Droid/Advanced Recon Droid – Fires off probes that scan the area for stealth opponents for 15 seconds and grants Droid Overwatch which increases your damage reduction while stunned by 30%. Revealed targets are immobilized and all enemies within the field are slowed by 30%.
- Stealth Scan has its cooldown increased to 20 seconds up from 15.
- This is the full tooltip for the Stealth Scan change for Mercenary/Commandos.
- The Random Charge Legendary has been redesigned and renamed to Overcharged Cells. It now does the following:
- Priming Shot / Vortex Bolt, Thermal Detonator / Assault Plastique, and Healing Scan / Advanced Medical Probe generate 3 Supercharges. This effect has a rate limit of 15 seconds.
Additional Dev Comments
Following those changes, I wanted to clarify some changes for the Mercenary/Commandos new legendary item Overcharged Cells. The first thing I wanted to cover was that the Thermal Detonator applies the 3 charges of Supercharge when it deals direct damage. Also the rate limit will adjust to the abilities cooldown for Priming Shot and Thermal Detonator.
The next question I wanted to address in relation to the Mercenary/Commando is their new version of Stealth Scan “Hunter Killer Droid.” The damage reduction while stunned is designed to have a lengthy uptime for the following reasons:
— The other options it is competing with are all also strong.
— We wanted this mod to be an anti-stealth choice for players and provide some additional benefits beyond revealing a stealth player and a slow that does not apply any hindrance to the target.
— The immobilization effect only occurs if the Mercenary/Commando reveals the target.
This change is also targeted at making Stealth Scan less of a niche option and have more application in more scenarios in PVP.
Xam Xam Comments (Mercenary Healer POV):
Stealth Scan – Is a choice at level 27 in all Mercenary Discipline Ability Trees. Currently, Stealth Scan on live servers has a ~13-second cooldown and lasts for 15 seconds so hypothetically you could keep this up pretty consistently with the 20-second cooldown. Keep in mind Power Barrier can increase damage reduction by up to 6% for 15 seconds and be kept up quite easily.
I’d like to see further clarification about this. Will we be able to cast Stealth Scan while stunned? Realistically how often do you get stunned? What constitutes a stun? A standard 4-second stun which most classes don’t spec into in PvP or will it take into consideration other incapacitating effects such as CC’s? I’m not sure if this will be worth it over Power Barrier.
Random Charge Legendary Implant – Considering the cooldown for Emergency Scan is ~14 seconds to buff Healing Scan (if using the Advanced Scanning Implant) the rate limit is pretty decent. It is certainly better than having a 10% chance to generate 1 stack of Supercharge (current iteration). This guarantees 3 stacks which is a nice buff.
Arsenal/Gunnery:
- Supercharged Gas / Supercharged Cells has been renamed to High-Velocity Supercharged Gas / High-Velocity Supercharged Cells
- The duration of High-Velocity Supercharged Gas / High-Velocity Supercharged Cells has been increased by 4 seconds.
- Increase the damage for Blazing Bolts/Boltstorm by 2.3%.
Bodyguard/Combat Medic:
- Supercharged Gas has been renamed to Supercharged Kolto Gas.
Xam Xam Comment: I assume this is to differentiate from the Arsenal/Gunnery Supercharge. So healers won’t get the extra 4 seconds of supercharge that Arsenal/Gunnery will get.
Sniper/Gunslinger
- Reestablish Range / Reset Engagement is now granted at level 43 for all Snipers / Gunslingers, and the knockback effect has been removed.
- Reestablish Range / Reset Engagement has been replaced by Vital Regulators / Cool Under Pressure as the level 64 choice on the ability tree for all snipers.
- Vital Regulators / Cool Under Pressure had its healing increased to 3% of your maximum HP every 2 seconds while in cover.
- The knockback effect that used to be Reestablished Range will be placed on Ruthless Efficiency.
- The developer’s intent for the change to the knockback was primarily done so that players in PVE would not accidentally move mobs out of the group’s range or into dangerous spots that could potentially kill the group.
- They shifted this effect to the utility Ruthless Efficiency so players can opt into the previous playstyle with the knockback, the heal while in cover, or Damage Reduction.
Marksmanship/Sharpshooter:
- Targeted Ambush / Hotshot now trigger from killing an enemy within three seconds of damaging them with Ambush / Aimed Shot.
Virulence/Dirty Fighting:
- Corrosive Refund / Scrounging has been redesigned. It now causes Corrosive Grenade / Shrap Bomb to refund 2 energy each time it ticks.
Operative/Scoundrel
Medicine/Sawbones:
- Medicine Operative’s / Sawbones Scoundrel’s version of Tactical Overdrive / Hot Streak now grants interrupt immunity while it is active.
Xam Xam Comment: Tactical Overdrive is one of three choices at Level 43 in the Ability Tree. This ability lasts for 15 seconds and has a 3-minute cooldown. It feels like a weak addition to all the other perks of this ability (see the image below). It would have been better to add interrupt immunity to something with less of a cooldown such as Evasion or Stim Boost to bring it closer in line with Merc and Sorc healing utility, for example. Either way, wouldn’t really help the spec all that much in PvP. Further changes are needed to make Operative Healers more viable/accessible in PvP.
Lethality/Ruffian:
- Corrosive Return / Brutal Return no longer extends the duration of Stim Boost / Pugnacity by 5 seconds.
- The Viral Elements tactical no longer causes Lethal Strike / Point Blank Shot to hit the primary target twice.
Concealment/Scrapper:
- The Best Defense mod’s lifesteal effect has been improved.
Assassin/Shadow
Hatred/Serenity:
- Reduced the damage bonus given from Inevitable Demise / Aching Mind from 30% to 25%.
Deception/Infiltration:
- Increased the damage bonus given by Executioner / Judgement while an opponent is below 30% max health from 3% to 5%.
Sorcerer/Sage
Madness/Balance:
- Dark Echo’s / Resonating Pulse’s chance to reapply Death Brand’s / Shifted Balance’s slow has been reduced to 30%.
- Vitiates Malice / Warden’s Vigor – Life Steal on Force Lightning / Telekinetic Throw has been reduced to 15% down from 20%.
- Death Brand/Shifted Balance’s Slow Effect should no longer reapply to players that have been defeated and respawn.
Lightning/Telekinetics:
- Increased the Stormwatch tactical’s duration to 15 seconds up from 10 seconds.
- Increased the damage of Halted Offensive / Power of the Force by 7%.
- Lightning Flash/Telekinetic Gust’s damage is increased by 5%.
Marauder/Sentinel
Annihilation:
- The focus/rage generation of the Bloodlust / Burning Focus passive has been modified. It now reads: “Your direct damage attacks that hit a bleeding / burning target build 1 rage/focus. This effect cannot occur more than once every 3 seconds.” The rest of the passive’s effect remains the same.
