As I was reading the Captain bound to ship type thread. I realized what I was really interest in was the part from the "Ask Cryptic" about dividing space and ground skill tree into separate trees. I think that is a great idea! I believe one of the reasons ground gets such a bad review is people aren't spec into at all. Further the first couple times they are exposed to Ground combat they have very minimal idea of what to do, and very few tools to effect it with; Given that they are using what are clearly the worst kits in the game.
So break out the trees so there is not a competition for points and help people realized with a little work ground can be a whole lot of fun!
We don't know the specifics of the upcoming ground combat changes, but I do hope that it has a seperate ground skill tree.
Having two seperate skill trees would even increase survivabily of inexperienced players who participate in PVP, who are at the mercy of those who either specialize in Space or Ground combat.
I hope this or something like this will be implemented at some point. Possibly with a "larger" ground skill tree so there are more ways to develop your character and your away team there.
I hope this or something like this will be implemented at some point. Possibly with a "larger" ground skill tree so there are more ways to develop your character and your away team there.
Yeah, I really am hoping for a real martial arts branch. I'd love to Kirk Flip Klingon Swordmasters.
After giving it more thought this would be a great way to add more skill points without messing with the over all level cap. In effect adding a ground skill point system, you could allow players to accumulate a separate pool of skill solo linked to ground missions. This could add more life to current level cap as well as all future level caps.
Also another cool thing might be to add traits for maxing out a ground skill group. Similar to the way you can add training skills. So if you max out Soldier you gain the Soldier Ground trait, martial arts adds warrior, asto-physics adds astro-physicist etc.
Certainly an interesting idea, and I'd love to see some detailed suggestions. However, if/when they add the ranks of Admiral and Fleet Admiral, the skill point cap will likely go up. Even now, it's possible to have a good build in both areas. With a boosted skill cap, you could have an even better well-rounded build, so I'm not entirely sure a split is needed.
I won't discount this as a good idea. BUT you can easily spec into ground and space if you spend your skill points efficiently and wisely. I think the problem is more with the kits. You are forced into 4 abilities that may or may not allow you to streamline your build. If we could pick our 4 kit powers, we could use ones that use more of the same skills and efficiently spec into ground better.
Certainly an interesting idea, and I'd love to see some detailed suggestions. However, if/when they add the ranks of Admiral and Fleet Admiral, the skill point cap will likely go up. Even now, it's possible to have a good build in both areas. With a boosted skill cap, you could have an even better well-rounded build, so I'm not entirely sure a split is needed.
As they add more ranks they will also add more skills (at the very least they will add new ship skills if not more then that), these skills will also be most likely be more expensive skills. So if you spend into the top end you may very well suffer a net lose of skill points. Further as the space tree keeps climbing the ground skill has not. Adding another thing, like a ground rank, kills two birds with one stone alleviating this problem AND, giving players more to do, which is something I think everyone would enjoy.
I like the idea of ending competition between space and ground skills for the same pool of skill points. It's not clear that it will encourage more people to participate in ground combat or PVP, but it will stop penalizing people who like to do both. More participation really depends on Cryptic's revamp being fun, compelling, and more user friendly.
Honestly it would be a game mechanic, so I have no interest in Realism+Cannon argument. They have no meaning in the context of the game. Captain don't lead away teams, Vice Admirals certainly don't go any where near the enemy without a task force or at-least a squadron at their back. Also have you seen how many Vice admirals are running around? I mean how big is star fleet? I've heard of large officer corpe but come on.
However if it makes you feel better Realistically officers in the past have held ranks in other forces, look at Rome. Or from a more modern perspective officers hold equivalency ranks in those times that joint force operations occur. Canonically we know MACO exists so there isn't a reason your character couldn't hold a MACO rank and a standard rank.
We all have to deiced where our suspension of disbelief is, but in the end it is a game, and so it must have game mechanics.
I would love to see a split. I also want dual spec! One spec for my B'rel, another for a cruiser. Also agree with martial arts! I want to have different styles to pick from!
I don't like that idea of having a Space Rank and a Ground rank, that makes no sense cannonically and realistically.
I can't imagine Cryptic will create separate levels for ground and space, just separate skill point pools. If they did, however, it's yet another reason to separate rank and level.
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This is a logical suggestion, so long as the current space skill cap remains as it is.
It would be particularly execrable to see a forced 90/10 split of the current cap or somesuch.
Having two seperate skill trees would even increase survivabily of inexperienced players who participate in PVP, who are at the mercy of those who either specialize in Space or Ground combat.
Yeah, I really am hoping for a real martial arts branch. I'd love to Kirk Flip Klingon Swordmasters.
Also another cool thing might be to add traits for maxing out a ground skill group. Similar to the way you can add training skills. So if you max out Soldier you gain the Soldier Ground trait, martial arts adds warrior, asto-physics adds astro-physicist etc.
As they add more ranks they will also add more skills (at the very least they will add new ship skills if not more then that), these skills will also be most likely be more expensive skills. So if you spend into the top end you may very well suffer a net lose of skill points. Further as the space tree keeps climbing the ground skill has not. Adding another thing, like a ground rank, kills two birds with one stone alleviating this problem AND, giving players more to do, which is something I think everyone would enjoy.
However if it makes you feel better Realistically officers in the past have held ranks in other forces, look at Rome. Or from a more modern perspective officers hold equivalency ranks in those times that joint force operations occur. Canonically we know MACO exists so there isn't a reason your character couldn't hold a MACO rank and a standard rank.
We all have to deiced where our suspension of disbelief is, but in the end it is a game, and so it must have game mechanics.
TOS Style with awesome sound effects!
I can't imagine Cryptic will create separate levels for ground and space, just separate skill point pools. If they did, however, it's yet another reason to separate rank and level.
I prefer to make the choise of how I spend my skill points on my own and not have Cryptic limit my options.
You understand that Cryptic is limiting your options right now?