Re-Spec Or Not To Re-Spec

Many like me have had a few thoughts on if an adv re-spec should make it in game.
And as always those folks over at BW have also been pondering on this thought also.

GeorgZoeller General Discussion -> Should we be able to respec Advanced Class choice? (Part 3)

Plenty of interesting discussion here.

A few things from our point of view:

• Your Advanced Class choice very much defines how your character plays from the moment you choose it. Their impact is more akin to that of a different class in other MMOs than that of a different 'spec'. A Sith Sorcerer is very, very different from a Sith Assassin.
• As mentioned before, the ability to respec your skills is definitely in the game. At this point, it costs credits but has no other requirements or limitations. The exact cost will be fine tuned, probably until ship, in conjunction with the rest of the economy - so giving precise numbers at this point isn't helpful.
• We haven't made up our mind yet about the availability of an Advanced Class respec. We are evaluating all options (no Advanced Class respec, fixed cost respec, respec cost increasing with level, etc.).
• A lot of thought currently goes into the consequences of Advanced Class respec - if we allow it, it will require players to relearn their entire approach to combat (which they learned over many many hours before) and replace the majority of their equipment, so it's not a thing we would want the player to do lightly, or just out of curiosity.

Ultimately, testing will tell us what we'll go with for launch, but even then - MMOs change, new content is added, player preferences emerge and change, so this is likely one of those topics we will be frequently discussing even after launch to ensure the design matches the expectations of our players and does not introduce unwelcome side effects.

With all this said - thank you very much for your continued feedback and thoughts on the topic. We are actively reading and discussing the topic frequently.

There are pros and cons for both sides of the fence. Not only do you have to get used to a totally different play style. You also have to change your weapons and armer.


I totally agree with the re-spec option within your adv class, as 1 missed placed skill early on in the game can soon become very redundant. This may stop you gaining a skill later on in higher levels, with can lead to you having an almost worthless class, if you want to compete on a competitive level. (min/maxer stuff)


Now on a small downside to not having re-spec for adv classes.
I am what you would call a alt-a-holic, which is a basic term for, playing the hell out of each and every class there is to play. Which in itself is not a bad thing, as TOR will give me a hole new game each and every time a play a new class.


This however may be a very limiting factor for me, depending on how many class slots we have available when the game hits.
Now I know I will play on the Republic side, and will play every class. Trooper DPS and Tank appeal to me greatly, as do both the Jedi Consular adv classes. This will take up 4 avatar places, thats before I even look at Jedi Knight and the smuggler.
With the norm being of 8 avatar slots available, if this is what makes the final game, I will not have the amount of slots I would like. Though it wouldn't be the 1st time I've deleted a max char or 2, just to try another class, it does leave a bitter taste in your mouth afterwards. This is really the only down side of not having an adv re-spec I can truly think of.

Now not having them does have a greater amount of UPS that is does DOWNS.

1st thing that springs to mind is that, we all know some classes are easy to play than another, Tanks, DPS and Healers all have a vastly different leveling process.
The wizard type classes do tend to have a vastly harder leveling game ahead of them. Being squishy at the start, is balanced out later with having the highest DPS rates among all the classes. This make them, in later levels highly sort after in Raids, and they are very competitive in PVP also.


Now I for 1, would feel kind of cheated, if the other adv class to a wizard, had a much easier time in leveling than I did. And when they reached the level cap they can just switch over and become the mighty wizard.


Also anyone that has left an MMO, then returned at a later date, finds it very hard to deal with all the skills they have at there disposal. Sure there was a time that you did not think about them, and the skills were somehow an extension of yourself. This type of class know how, comes in the way of countless hours spent at lower levels, learning your most basic attacks. Then later on combining those with your higher level skills, to make you a devastating foe in any situation. 


Even if you have been off the MMO for a few weeks, you can find yourself so out of your depth, its like someone slipped something in your drink and switched out your keyboard to something that resembles a kind of tropical fruit.
I know, its happened to me a few times, and the only real way around it is to make a lower level class same type, to get used to the controls again.


This will happen also if BW do bring in the adv re-spec, into TOR. There is nothing to replace those early levels in getting to know your class. And this far out ways the downside of not have ample amounts of slots to play all the classes more than once. 


Even if I have to delete a class to try another, or even miss out on some of the content TOR will place before me. Not having adv class re-specs in game, is really the only way to go.