Game Update 3.0 Class Changes: Scoundrel + Operative

Hello!

For the base Class changes coming to the Scoundrel, please check out the Gunslinger Blog.

Scoundrel

Scoundrels will see a number of sizable advanced class changes with the 3.0 update. Upper Hand no longer grants a small damage or healing boost while active. Underworld Medicine is now only available to the Sawbones discipline, but Slow-release Medpac can now be trained by all Scoundrels. Shoot First has been removed from the game, but Back Blast now does additional damage when it is used from stealth. Disappearing Act no longer prevents the Scoundrel from healing or being healed while it is active (activating a new heal will still break stealth, but any healing effects that are already in existence will continue to heal their targets). Scoundrels also gain the following passive abilities:

Browbeater: Increases the damage dealt by Vital Shot and the healing done by Slow-release Medpac by 10%.
Element of Surprise: Increases the critical chance of Kolto Pack, Back Blast, and Point Blank Shot by 15%.

And all Scoundrels have also gained a new active ability:

Stack the Deck: Exploits Upper Hand to Stack the Deck for you and your Operation group members within 40 meters, increasing critical chance by 10% for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.

Sawbones

Most of the skills in the Sawbones discipline will be familiar to Scoundrel healers. Sawbones Scoundrels get a new passive ability that temporarily increases healing done for a few seconds after exploiting an Upper Hand. They also get a new active ability:

Kolto Waves: Heals up to 8 allies that remain within 8 meters of the targeted area over the 3 second channel duration. Depletes 32 energy over the duration of the channel.

Overall, Sawbones healing was too good during Rise of the Hutt Cartel, so players of the discipline should brace themselves for a rebalancing that might seem a bit extreme. While it might seem extreme, this rebalancing is only aimed to bring Scoundrel healing down to a level that allows other healers to be more competitive and prevents Scoundrel healing from trivializing PvE content that is meant to be challenging.

Scrapper

Scrapper Scoundrels will see a great deal of change in the 3.0 update. Flechette Round is now a passive ability, meaning it does not need to be actively reapplied before each use of Back Blast. They also get the following three new active abilities:

Shank Shot: Fires a close-up scattergun shot at the target's shank, dealing kinetic damage and immobilizing the target, preventing it from moving or turning for 4 seconds.
Bludgeon: Bashes the target with the scattergun's butt for kinetic damage. Shares a cooldown with Blaster Whip.
Blood Boiler: Summons a probe that boils the blood of the target for a few seconds, after which, damage dealt by one of your bleeds will trigger an explosion, dealing internal damage and making the target assailable for 45 seconds. Assailable targets take 7% more damage from elemental and internal attacks.

Additionally, the Scrapper Scoundrel also gets two new passive abilities. One of these passives increases the critical chance and critical damage bonus for Blaster Volley. The other new passive increases the damage dealt by and critical chance of Blood Boiler.

Ruffian

The Ruffian (formerly known as Dirty Fighting) Scoundrel will have many abilities and skills that are familiar to players of the current skill tree, though with the Discipline system, some of these abilities and skills have been renamed or even slightly changed. For example, what was Wounding Shots is now Brutal Shots and what was Hemorrhaging Blast is now Sanguinary Shot for the Ruffian discipline. Sanguinary Shot is also an example of an ability that has been slightly changed:

Sanguinary Shot: Deals weapon damage and for the next 10 seconds causes the target to take additional weapon damage whenever it takes damage from your Brutal Shots or a bleed effect. Grants Upper Hand.

And Ruffian Scoundrels also gain the following new active ability:

Point Blank Shot: Blasts an enemy at point-blank range for kinetic damage and internal damage. If used while stealthed, deals more kinetic damage, more internal damage, and grants an Upper Hand. Shares a cooldown with Back Blast.

Unlike Back Blast, Point Blank Shot has no positional requirement, allowing Ruffian Scoundrels to execute their full damage rotation while face-to-face with an enemy target. This discipline also gets a new passive ability that allows Blaster Volley to spread your Vital Shot to the targets it damages, as long as it damages at least one target already affected by your Vital Shot.

Utilities

Many of the utilities available to Scoundrels will be familiar to players of the class, but there are a few new additions as well. Here are a couple examples:

Get the Bulge: Tendon Blast will now grant an Upper Hand.
Skedaddle: When activated, Disappearing Act grants 2 seconds of Dodge.

Hello!

For the base Class changes coming to the Imperial Agent, please check out the Sniper Blog.

Operative

Operatives will see a number of sizable advanced class changes with the 3.0 update. Tactical Advantage no longer grants a small damage or healing boost while active. Kolto Injection is now only available to the Medicine discipline, but Kolto Probe can now be trained by all Operatives. Hidden Strike has been removed from the game, but Backstab now does additional damage when it is used from stealth. Cloaking Screen no longer prevents the Operative from healing or being healed while it is active (activating a new heal will still break stealth, but any healing effects that are already in existence will continue to heal their targets). Operatives also gain the following passive abilities:

Imperial Brew: Increases the damage dealt by Corrosive Dart and the healing done by Kolto Probe by 10%.
Imperial Education: Increases the critical chance of Kolto Infusion, Backstab, and Lethal Strike by 15%.

And all Operatives have also gained a new active ability:

Tactical Superiority: Executes your Tactical Advantage to grant Tactical Superiority to you and your Operation group members within 40 meters, increasing critical chance by 10% for 10 seconds. Does not break stealth.

Medicine

Most of the skills in the Medicine discipline will be familiar to Operative healers. Medicine Operatives get a new passive ability that temporarily increases healing done for a few seconds after executing a Tactical Advantage. They also get a new active ability:

Kolto Waves: Heals up to 8 allies that remain within 8 meters of the targeted area over the 3 second channel duration. Depletes 32 energy over the duration of the channel.

Overall, Medicine healing was too good during Rise of the Hutt Cartel, so players of the discipline should brace themselves for a rebalancing that might seem a bit extreme. While it might seem extreme, this rebalancing is only aimed to bring Operative healing down to a level that allows other healers to be more competitive and prevents Operative healing from trivializing PvE content that is meant to be challenging.

Concealment

Concealment Operatives will see a great deal of change in the 3.0 update. Acid Blade is now a passive ability, meaning it does not need to be actively reapplied before each use of Backstab. They also get the following three new active abilities:

Crippling Slice: Slices the target low for kinetic damage and immobilizes it, preventing it from moving or turning for 4 seconds.
Veiled Strike: Strikes the target for kinetic damage. Shares a cooldown with Shiv.
Volatile Substance: Injects a substance into the target that, after settling in for a few seconds, will react when the target takes damage from one of your poisons, dealing internal damage and making the target assailable for 45 seconds. Assailable targets take 7% more damage from elemental and internal attacks.

Additionally, the Concealment Operative also gets two new passive abilities. One of these passives increases the critical chance and critical damage bonus for Carbine Burst. The other new passive increases the damage dealt by and critical chance of Volatile Substance.

Lethality

The Lethality Operative will have many abilities and skills that are familiar to players of the current skill tree, though with the Discipline system, some of these abilities and skills have been renamed or even slightly changed. For example, what was Cull is now Corrosive Assault and what was Weakening Blast is now Toxic Blast for the Lethality discipline. Toxic Blast is also an example of an ability that has been slightly changed:

Toxic Blast: Deals weapon damage and for the next 10 seconds causes the target to take additional weapon damage whenever it takes damage from your Corrosive Assault or a poison effect. Grants Tactical Advantage.

And Lethality Operatives also gain the following new active ability:

Lethal Strike: Ambushes an enemy for kinetic damage and internal damage. If used while stealthed, deals more kinetic damage, more internal damage, and grants a Tactical Advantage. Shares a cooldown with Backstab.

Unlike Backstab, Lethal Strike has no positional requirement, allowing Lethality Operatives to execute their full damage rotation while face-to-face with an enemy target. This discipline also gets a new passive ability that allows Carbine Burst to spread your Corrosive Dart to the targets it damages, as long as it damages at least one target already affected by your Corrosive Dart.

Utilities

Many of the utilities available to Operatives will be familiar to players of the class, but there are a few new additions as well. Here are a couple examples:

Imperial Tactics: Sever Tendon will now grant a Tactical Advantage.
Evasive Screen: When activated, Cloaking Screen grants 2 seconds of Evasion.