Wookiee Quality of Life

Orrarracova · Aug 16, 2022

Currently Wookiees have access to fewer slots in armor than other species due to the design of the Wookiee armor in game. The only way around this is to use factional armor to gain the normal amount of slots, neutral Wookiees lose out totally with no option for even slots. Additionally the go-to battle armor (RIS) is out of reach for all Wookiees being that RIS is not factionally aligned. The lack of the large health boost provided by RIS limits Wookiees from being as evenly matched to other species in any build focused around battle armor.

Adding more options for Wookiees to use the same amount of slots as the rest of the species would eliminate an inherit disadvantage with minor changes to the rest of the player base. In the March game update Wookiees lost their species restricted weapons, losing most of what made the species unique mechanically. In response I think it is only fair to allow options for Wookiees to have armor versatility the same as the other species.

I assume Ithorians have the same setbacks with lacking RIS armor.

I propose three potential options in order of what my non-professional opinion would think is easiest to implement,

1.) Remove species restrictions from armor for Wookiee/Ithorian. Factional armor is 'invisible' currently for Wookiees, which is fine and the others can be as well.
2.) Make factional variety of RIS armor that is usable by Wookiee/Ithorians. Bonus here is all other species could get a new RIS appearance.
3.) Create 3 New sets of Wookiee armor with 9 slots, with the battle armor matching RIS.

Jackal · Aug 16, 2022

I champion the solution of adding 3 new armor types an approach of minimal-to-no visual distinguishers, or 'invisible'. Addition of the armor type would encourage further resource gathering on ROTW/JTL content, add exciting new schematics for armorsmiths unique to R3, and allow for higher capped values on armor while leaving classic racial armor relevant.

Risks to this addition would be the amount of time required to introduce custom armor into the game.

jafobss · Aug 21, 2022

Only if to wear the armor the Wook has to be shaved!

Orrarracova · Aug 23, 2022

jafobss said:
Only if to wear the armor the Wook has to be shaved!

I'll admit it would get hot under any armor with so much hair, maybe there is some merit here since we are talking about Wookiee quality of life. BUT I wouldn't want to be the one to approach a Wookiee with a pair of shears

CatoNovus · Aug 24, 2022

Orrarracova said:
I'll admit it would get hot under any armor with so much hair, maybe there is some merit here since we are talking about Wookiee quality of life. BUT I wouldn't want to be the one to approach a Wookiee with a pair of shears

My concern is seeing a hairless Wookiee. That said, I'd think perhaps Wookiees and Trandoshans should have some natural armor resistances? Perhaps they have have opposite resistances due to being natural enemies. Wookiees could have no natural resistances to Heat(Hair and flames? Bad idea.) and reduced resistances to energy; while Trandoshans have no natural resistances to Cold(lizards) and reduced resistances to Kinetic.

That said, they'd both still have innate resistances while all other species do not.

Orrarracova · Aug 26, 2022

CatoNovus said:
My concern is seeing a hairless Wookiee. That said, I'd think perhaps Wookiees and Trandoshans should have some natural armor resistances? Perhaps they have have opposite resistances due to being natural enemies. Wookiees could have no natural resistances to Heat(Hair and flames? Bad idea.) and reduced resistances to energy; while Trandoshans have no natural resistances to Cold(lizards) and reduced resistances to Kinetic.

That said, they'd both still have innate resistances while all other species do not.

Interesting take on the idea, but the main issue is lacking a RIS alternative and some variety of armor options for neutral Wookiees who want to have the normal amount of slots as other species players. I think species based resistances would be neat though, however currently I don't think the different elemental resistances do anything.

As an expanded idea I've seen around the playervoice on combat balancing in the commando section around the elemental effects of heavy weapons. I think the concept of elemental weapons causing effects based on their element is a nice idea, which was around in the live servers. If this sort of thing was implemented then the species based resistance to certain elemental effects would be cool. Using your examples, Wookiees being more susceptible to effects from heat based damage and increased chance to avoid effects from cold.. Trandoshans having more effects from cold and extra chance to avoid the heat damage effects.

That's a whole other question though, I think most Wookiees would just be happy to be able to wear RIS/regular socketed non-faction armor.

EthavanCrowe · Aug 26, 2022

Orrarracova · Sep 2, 2022

Just goes to show, no one should support shaving Wookiees

Beauregard · Sep 7, 2022

I think change for issues such as this should be to balance things rather than make them the same. I would prefer some innate ability or armor? Why strive to make everything the same, variety makes if more enjoyable.

Orrarracova · Sep 8, 2022

Beauregard said:
I think change for issues such as this should be to balance things rather than make them the same. I would prefer some innate ability or armor? Why strive to make everything the same, variety makes if more enjoyable.

I'm all for variety, but in this case the main issue isn't armor value, but the lack of potential health provided by RIS along with the lack of equal attachment sockets in Wookiee armor. I don't think an innate ability would be viewed as fair by the non-Wookiee players if all Wookiees had access to an additional 500+ health to match what RIS provides - nor would a temporary species buff be necessarily equal from the Wookiee side of things. Having a ability on timer even if it matched the potential missing stats (500+ health and x3 35power stat bonuses) would not really match up to having all of that passively provided by armor.

That being said Wookiees are big and tough as shown in the movies, which makes a good case for having additional health and/or armor innately, I just don't think it would be well received by all the folks that have spent millions on RIS.

kalagonia · Sep 8, 2022

Orrarracova said:
I'm all for variety, but in this case the main issue isn't armor value, but the lack of potential health provided by RIS along with the lack of equal attachment sockets in Wookiee armor. I don't think an innate ability would be viewed as fair by the non-Wookiee players if all Wookiees had access to an additional 500+ health to match what RIS provides - nor would a temporary species buff be necessarily equal from the Wookiee side of things. Having a ability on timer even if it matched the potential missing stats (500+ health and x3 35power stat bonuses) would not really match up to having all of that passively provided by armor.

I agree with Orra here. However, if making Wookies and other races equal for pvp sake, they should be awarded innate bonuses in other ways. Whether that be the innate health to match the RIS armor he suggested or wookie specific weapons like bowcasters hit harder (or ignore armor %) to be better than other weapons to make up for the lack of bonus health, wookie roar seems like an attempt at that but just isnt worth using and also has like a halfhour cd for a 40 damage melee boost for a short time. (estimating the numbers since Im not sure the exacts atm.)

Montero · Sep 16, 2022

On live there was a Bowcaster that dropped from Corvelian Corvette. I remember I purchased it for 10 mil. It was high stun damage making it the hardest hitting rifle in the game at the time. Maybe the race specific bowcaster can be used to balance out the racial disadvantage. Wookie roar bonus is nice but the -40 defense is punishing.

gilly23 · Jun 8, 2023

There needs to be an option of more than Wookies being able to make Bowcasters, or have high level ones drop on Kashyyk.