Advanced Class Breakdown: Imperial Agent

Agents are masters of stealth, seduction, and assassination.

Our Imperial Agent class page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below).

The Empire dominates scores of star systems across the galaxy, but not through the power of the dark side alone. Behind the scenes, the cunning Agents of Imperial Intelligence track down and eliminate the Empire’s enemies—from intractable Republic senators to traitorous Imperial Moffs to bloodthirsty rebels with Republic ties. Imperial Agents must master the arts of infiltration, seduction, and assassination to advance the Empire’s causes; they face the opposition of a terrified galaxy and the capriciousness of their own Sith overlords.

What's an advanced class you ask? Check out this post which explains further.

Advance Class: Operative
Whether ambushing enemies from stealth or using advanced medical technology to keep colleagues in the fight, the operative will do whatever it takes to advance the agenda of the Empire.



Tree: Concealment (Melee DPS)
Upgrades stealth and close-range attacks, allowing the Agent to strike without detection.

Waylay
Passive
Backstab no longer has an energy cost.

Slice
Passive
Sever Tendon has a 100% chance to root targets for 2 seconds.

Tree: Medic (Heal)
Advances the Agent's healing technologies, keeping his allies both alive and effective.

Advanced Toxin Removal
Passive
Toxin Scan now removes mental debuffs, and heals for a small amount.



Reactive Healing
Passive
Critical direct heals refund 2% energy.

Tree: Lethality (shared)
Leverages the toxic power of poisons to debilitate enemies over the course of a long fight.

Improvise
Passive
Critical poison damage has a 50% chance to make your next Snipe usable out of cover. The cost of your next Snipe is also reduced by 100%.

Corrosive Rounds
Passive
Weakening Blast has a 100% chance to refresh active poison effects on the target when the target is below 30% health.

Advance Class: Sniper
Identified as the most elite sharpshooters in the galaxy, Snipers use their extensive training to eliminate sensitive targets and turn the tide of the battle in the Empire's favor.



Tree: Marksmanship (Ranged DPS)
Teaches the Sniper to strike down targets from long distances and from the safety of cover.

Reactive Shots
Passive
Series of Shots and Snipe critical hits have a 100% chance to make your next Ambush instant.

Cover Screen
Passive
100% chance to receive a brief defensive bonus whenever you leave cover.

Tree: Engineering (Ranged DPS)
Empowers the Sniper's droids and probes to weaken enemies and give the Empire an advantage.

Cluster Bombs
Passive
After Explosive Probe is detonated, it drops an additional 3 cluster bombs on the target. When the target takes ranged damage, one cluster bomb explodes.

Sharp Burst
Passive
When you hit a target affected by Interrogation Probe with Takedown, there is a 100% chance a shrapnel burst occurs dealing damage to enemies within 8 meters of the target.


Tree: Lethality (shared)
Leverages the toxic power of poisons to debilitate enemies over the course of a long fight.

Improvise
Passive
Critical poison damage has a 50% chance to make your next Snipe usable out of cover. The cost of your next Snipe is also reduced by 100%.

Corrosive Rounds
Passive
Weakening Blast has a 100% chance to refresh active poison effects on the target when the target is below 30% health.

Advanced Class Breakdown: Sith Inquisitor

Our Sith Inquisitor class page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below).

What's an advanced class you ask? Check out this post which explains further.

The history of the Sith Empire is fraught with scheming politics and dark secrets—the lifeblood of the Sith Inquisitor. Treachery hides around every corner in the Empire’s dark corridors, and survival depends on an individual’s natural cunning and the will to manipulate and defeat their enemies and allies alike. The Inquisitor experiments with forbidden powers to not only survive in this cutthroat environment, but to excel and seize authority.

Advanced Class: Sorcerer 

The Sith Sorcerer draws energy from the forbidden depths of the Force, mastering techniques that sap and drain enemies as they invigorate allies--or simply wreak utter devastation.

Tree: Lightning(Ranged DPS)
Channels the Force to overload the Inquisitor's enemies with blasts of lightning.

Ethereality
Passive
Force Speed has a 100% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when used and grant immunity to those effects for its duration.

Lightning Barrage
Passive
Affliction critical hits have a 100% chance to grant Lightning Barrage, causing your next Force Lighting to channel and tick twice as fast. This effect cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds.

Tree: Corruption (Heal)
Uses dark power to maintain allies' health in battle, and protect them from enemy attacks.

Revivification
Casting Time: 2 secs Cooldown: 9 secs Range: 30m 

Heals all allies within 8 meters of the targeted area for 341. Targets remaining in the area heal for an additional 483 over 10 seconds.

Force Bending
Passive
Your resurgence has a 100% chance to grant Force Bending, which reduces the cast time of your next Dark Heal, Dark Infusion, or Revivification by 30%.

Tree: Madness (shared)
Increases the Inquisitor's mastery of the Force to drain and corrupt his enemies.

Parasitism
Passive
Causes critical hits from periodic damage abilities to restore 1% of your total health and force.

Death Field
Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 30m
Creates a Death Field at the target location, dealing 965 internal damage and stealing 77 health from up to 3 targets within an 8 meter radius.

Advanced Class: Assassin

Assassins leap from the shadows, channeling Force lightning through their double-bladed Lightsabers to disable and drain their enemies. They are masters of subterfuge,
feared by even the most terrible opponents.

Tree: Deception (Melee DPS)
Enhances the Assassin's stealth ability, helping him sneak up and dispatch his foes.

Surging Charge
Instant Cooldown: 1.5 secs
Charges your Lightsaber with raw surging force, giving your attacks a 25% chance to deal 148 internal damage. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 seconds. Requires a double-bladed Lightsaber. Does not break stealth.

Static Charges
Passive
When your Surging Charge deals damage, you have a 100% chance to build a Static Charge, increasing the damage dealt by your next Surging Discharge by 6%. Stacks up to 5 times.

Tree: Darkness (Tank)
Focuses on defensive techniques to help protect the Assassin and his allies.

Charge Mastery
Passive
Improves the effect of your Lightsaber charges while they\'re active: <ul><li>  Lightning Charge: Increases your crit chance by 3%.
Dark Charge: Internal and elemental resistance increased by 9%.
Surging Charge: Your attacks ignore 9% of your target's armor.

Wither
Instant Cooldown: 7.5 secs Range: 15m
Causes up to 5 targets to wither under the weight of the Force, dealing 297 kinetic damage and decreasing the damage all targets deal by 5%. This ability generates a high amount of threat. Lasts 15 seconds.
Tree: Madness (shared)
Increases the Inquisitor's mastery of the Force to drain and corrupt his enemies.

Parasitism
Passive
Causes critical hits from periodic damage abilities to restore 1% of your total health and force.

Death Field
Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 30m
Creates a Death Field at the target location, dealing 965 internal damage and stealing 77 health from up to 3 targets within an 8 meter radius.

Beta Testing Confusion (Dev Update)

Looks like people are getting upset about not getting beta testing access. I'm kind of wishing I didn't now that my testing is over; I miss it like crazy and I ran out of time on a cliffhanger in the story! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

From: General Discussion -> Beta testing confusion

It seems there may be some confusion here about the difference between Early Game Access and the Game Testing Program.

Early Game Access is granted to those who Pre-Order the game and redeem their Pre-Order Code on our website. It is early access to the game servers before the official launch, and isn't a part of testing. To learn more about Early Game Access, see our Pre-Order FAQ:http://www.swtor.com/preorder/faq#q209656.

For the Game Testing Program, we randomly select testers from the list of people who are signed up on SWTOR.com and have opted-in to test. This gives you access to the testing servers, sometimes for a limited time, and is not the same as Early Game Access.

I hope that helps!

Advanced Class Breakdown: Bounty Hunter

Our Bounty Hunter class page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below).

What's an advanced class you ask? Check out this post which explains further.

I'm thinking of making a light side Bounty Hunter. It might put a fun twist on things!

Bounty Hunter
Bounty Hunters are rugged, independent, and always get the job done.

Advanced Class: Powertech
The best in shielding, defensive tactics and high-powered flamethrowers combine to make the Powertech an impenetrable one-man blockade, getting up close and personal to take down enemies of all sizes.

Tree: Shield Tech (Tank)
Further boosts the Powertech's defensive technology, allowing him to soak up attacks.

 Jet Charge
Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 10-30m
Jumps to a distant target, doing 148 damage and rooting the target for 3 seconds. Cannot be used against targets in cover.

Combust

Passive

Your flamethrower combusts the target, lowering damage done by 6% for 15 seconds.

Tree:  Advanced Prototype
The latest technology makes the Powertech a versatile fighter against any enemy.

Meltdown
Passive
Your Immolate and Retractable Blade have a 20% chance to make your next Flamethrower channel twice as fast and tick twice as frequently.

Immolate

Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 10m

A spray of fuel hits a burning target igniting into a fireball that does 882-886 damage to the target and 115 damage to up to 3 additional nearby enemies. Target must be burning.

Tree:  Firebug (shared)
The Firebug concentrates on burning their opponents with missiles and technology.

 Incendiary Missile
Instant Cooldown: 12 secs Range: 30m
Fires a missile at an enemy doing 547-559 elemental damage and applying a burn that deals 106-107 damage every 3 seconds for 15 seconds.

Prototype Particle Accelerator

Passive

Your incendiary missile damage has a 30% chance to finish the cooldown on Rail Shot and to remove its heat cost. This effect can only happen every 10 seconds.

Advanced Class: Mercenary

A pair of blasters, deadly heat-seeking missiles, and heavy armor make the Mercenary a mobile weapons platform. There's no problem extra firepower can't solve, and no one with sense gets between a Mercenary and their target.

Tree: Arsenal
Uses advanced rocketry and specializes in taking down their targets quickly.

Light Em Up
Passive
Tracer Missile has a 100% chance to add 2 heat signature stacks to a target instead of 1.

Heatseeker Missiles

Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 30m

Fires several missiles that home in on the target and do 1131-1141 damage. This damage is increased by 3% per heat signature on the target.

Tree: Bodyguard (Heal)
Gives the Bounty Hunter skills and technology to heal and restore his allies.

Kolto Shell
Instant Range: 30m
A shell of kolto energy surrounds the target. When the target takes damage they are healed for 151. 10 charges lasts 5 min. Heal can only happen every 3 seconds.

Reactive Armor

Passive

Proactive medicine now provides 10% armor while active.

Tree:  Firebug (shared)
The Firebug concentrates on burning their opponents with missiles and technology.

 Incendiary Missile
Instant Cooldown: 12 secs Range: 30m
Fires a missile at an enemy doing 547-559 elemental damage and applying a burn that deals 106-107 damage every 3 seconds for 15 seconds.

Prototype Particle Accelerator

Passive

Your incendiary missile damage has a 30% chance to finish the cooldown on Rail Shot and to remove its heat cost. This effect can only happen every 10 seconds.

Advanced Class Breakdown: Sith Warrior

Next up in our advanced class breakdown in the mirror of the Jedi Knight Class, the Sith Warrior class. All four Republic classes have a mirror Sith class that each have the same play style and same type of options ... but with a darker feel!

This is a smart move by BioWare as it will bring a yin yang balance to the two factions. Balance is crucial in any game and besides, there must be balance in the Force!

So our Sith Warrior class page has now been updated with all the advanced class information (also presented to you below). Read up because if you intend to play SWTOR you'll need to understand the advanced class options available to you and other players. 

Once you turn to the Dark Side, forever will it dominate your destiny ...

Sith Warrior
Warriors channel anger and hatred to become brutal combatants.

Advanced Class:Juggernaut

Sith who train in the stalwart arts of the Juggernaut boast unrivaled stamina in battle. Through diligence and clarity, the Juggernaut shapes the Force to his will to become nearly invulnerable. Damage that would destroy others is shrugged off, and futility fills the Juggernaut's foes with doubt and despair. Protecting their allies and punishing their adversaries, they charge into the thick of any fray, and take the brunt of the assault and are even able to drain the energy of their enemies to further strengthen their resolve.

Tree: Vengeance (DPS)
The Juggernaut stops at nothing to crush enemies, obliterating them with heavy hits.

 Shatter 
Instant Cooldown: 9 secs Range: 4m
Channels the Force into your Lightsaber and crushes your target under its weight, dealing 569 internal damage to a target afflicted by Sundering Assault, with a further 1476 internal damage over 12 seconds.

Unstoppable

Passive

Force Charge has a 100% chance to grant Unstoppable, reducing all damage taken by 20% and granting immunity to physics and movement impairing effects for 4 seconds.

Tree: Immortal (Tank)
Uses the power of the Force to increase the Warrior's survivability in battle

Invincible

Instant Cooldown: 3 mins

Reduces the damage the Warrior suffers from all sources by 60% for 9 seconds.

Revenge

Passive

While in Soresu Form, parrying, deflecting, shielding, or resisting an attack has a 50% chance to grant Revenge, reducing the rage cost of your next Force Scream or Smash by 1. Lasts 10 seconds and stacks up to 3 times.

Tree: Rage (shared)
Allows the Warrior greater control of the Force and further mastery of the Shii-Cho form.

Obliterate
Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 15m
Jumps to a target, impaling it for 307-363 weapon damage. Strikes with both weapons if dual wielding.

Shockwave

Passive

Each tick of Force Choke and Force Crush grants you Shockwave, increasing the damage your next Smash deals by 25%. Stacks up to 4 times.

Advanced Class: Marauder

Wielding two sabers and unmatched aggression, Sith trained as Marauders slice through enemy ranks, dealing death with merciless efficiency. Able to intuit precisely how to attack in order to maximize every strike, their adversaries become victims in the blink of an eye. Whether annihilating a squad of Republic troops or cutting down a single Jedi, the Marauder sees and exploits every weakness to exact the greatest toll. Never hesitating, never faltering, there is no swifter bringer of pain and damage in the galaxy.

Tree: Annihilation (Sustained Damage and Survival )
Mastering the aggressive Juyo form, the Annihilation Marauder destroys enemies from within.

Annihilate

Instan Cooldown: 12 secs Range: 4m

Strikes the target with both Lightsabers for 547-633 weapon damage. Each use of this ability grants Annihilator for 15 seconds, lowering the cooldown of your next Annihilate by 1.5 seconds.  Stacks up to three times. Requires two Lightsabers.

Inescapable Torment

Passive

Choked targets take 30% more damage from your next 5 bleed effects. Lasts 15 seconds.

Tree: Carnage (Burst DPS)
Focuses on acrobatic Lightsaber techniques that strike quickly and lethally.

Ataru Form

Instant Cooldown: 1.5 secs

Enter an acrobatic Lightsaber form, increasing accuracy by 3%. In addition, your successful melee attacks have a 20% chance to trigger a second force strike that deals 148 energy damage. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 seconds.

Gore

Passive

Impale now attacks with both Lightsabers when dual wielding.

Tree: Rage (shared)
Allows the Warrior greater control of the Force and further mastery of the Shii-Cho form.

Obliterate
Instant Cooldown: 15 secs Range: 15m
Jumps to a target, impaling it for 307-363 weapon damage. Strikes with both weapons if dual wielding.

Shockwave

Passive

Each tick of Force Choke and Force Crush grants you Shockwave, increasing the damage your next Smash deals by 25%. Stacks up to 4 times.