I’m playing my Vanguard Trooper a lot at the moment. I’m playing her to the tune of it becoming my new main in 8 levels time (nope, still not 50!) and at the rate I’m levelling, that might not take very long. Rouf is in a cantina somewhere, drunk and under a table and has probably lost the keys to his XS-Freighter.
Two reasons for this transition:
- PvP. I was wrong when I said changing to Scrapper spec made life more fun in warzones. Turns out I’m still rubbish. My Vanguard, however, regularly gets 6-8 medals, has started topping leaderboards and is sheer joy – not to mention easy – to play. Faceroll to victory!
- The Smuggler story was irritating me. Prologue was Episode IV Han Solo awesome and chapter one was full of Firefly-esque goodness. Chapter two seems to have gone back to being more based on Han Solo – unsurprisingly given he’s the archetype for the Star Wars smuggler – but it’s the lacklustre and dull Episode VI/EU version.
The Trooper story has been critiqued for having a) a slight military bias and b) being not so much special as stupid forces. Or “special” with inflated quote marks and possibly even asterisks for emphasis. And italics. This doesn’t seem to bother me in the slightest because a) I’m playing a female Sheph… um, Trooper, voiced by the fantastellous Jennifer Hale and b) I walk softly and carry a big fucking gun. If there is one complaint I do have, it’s that I haven’t got enough screenshots (well, any, owing to an annoying bug) of my Vanguard walking away from explosions. Without looking. In slow motion.
I get that the whole reason the Trooper is the leader of the Republic Special Forces “Havoc Squad” is beause Elites are more glamorous but I have no problem with that as long as I get to explode ALL the things. And I do with pleasing frequency.
Shintar gives a lot of good reasons as to why the the Trooper is awesome to play and I don’t find much to disagree with. I elected to spec Vanguard rather than Commando and I will admit that I do harbour some weapon envy as I’d really like to be wielding an Assault Cannon rather than just a rifle but that’s okay and I’ll live with it. In terms of story, well I find it far easier to be a devoted Republic stooge and doing what’s right and in the best interests of the Republic as a Trooper than I ever did as Rouf the Smuggler (who’s entire life philosophy was unironically stolen from Mal Reynolds – he aims to misbehave). It’s a little RP thing that I just couldn’t quite get my head around.
So yeah, I play trooper now. Troopers are cool. Expect to hear more about them soon.
Hurrah for more troopers!
I approve of seeing more Vanguards in PvP too. I keep getting grappled left and right by Powertechs, but I don’t see nearly enough Vanguards on our side annoying Imperial healers in the same way.
I haven’t fully mastered the art of spotting healers so maybe I’ll make that my next goal. I’ve respecced to make sure my Harpoon has the 3s Immobilize and I cackled and twirled my moustache during Huttball last night as I pulled some Imps into the acid. Currently trying to work out the best use of Storm as I was hoping it was like Jedi Knight’s charge. I’ll get there though.