So I've been playing Smuggler recently, and I've noticed that in comparison to the other classes that it is... incredibly lacking, outside of the evasion and the insta-heal when resting out of combat. It's most noticeable when you are using abilities that are supposed to inflict debuffs that allow Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot to go off, but otherwise when you are not it just ends up feeling like an even weaker mercenary, with having no HP regen options and no means to buff the shield. It's to the point that the Jumpers in Zheng Shi, who btw are SMUGGLERS, have Second Wind from Mercenary and an HP healing item that also increases lust. Since pretty much every class has HP regen or no need to actually regenerate HP due to absurd shields in Tech Specialist's case, I'd say it's about time that Smuggler gets a re-design that makes them a little more fun to use in combat. Starting with an admittedly VERY ambitious idea made to emulate the item-centric themes of Smuggler-
Level 1: Item Crafting(Flash Grenade/Gas Grenade/Grenade replacement). This is an ability that instead scales as smuggler steele either levels up or progresses throughout the planets: When taking at least 5 minutes or more to rest, the player is given an additional menu that they can opt into by pressing a button next to the 'next' button. For every 5 minutes that the player spends, they can then spend credits at a vastly reduced rate to create a consumable from that planet. Flash grenades start as cheapest, then EMP/Haywire as the next more expensive after that, gas grenadle /grenade as the middle-man appearing at Myrellion(gas grenades unlocked after FederationQuest with finding the 'Angel's Breath'), and other combat consumables being higher priced. The crafts start off higher than the vendors that sell them(spelled out through not having similar or proper ingredients due to being on the wrong planet, or lack of intelligence needed to craft properly), and the higher your intelligence, the more the crafting price drops. This would probably be a bit bad for the credit economy, but you already waste a good deal of in-game time doing this method, when you could just farm at Zheng Shi, exploit Kionna credit > savicite trading, whore your dick out to Tamani, or beat up the Suula pirate a bunch until you get the credits you want.
Why specifically this? Well, mainly because literally every single thing except the AoE burning damage from Smuggler is in the game now as an item. You have Aphro Daisies which do flat lust damage that doesn't scale with level or abilities, you also have Lust Toxin which is the same thing except does scale with level(and doesn't blind the enemy or continues to deal damage), Anno if Tarkus is destroyed can literally sell you the flash grenades of a smuggler as well as their STARTER GUN, and then you have Ero Gas Grenades on Dhaal as well as EMP Poppers which are just straight shield nukers that also stun machines(even though rare it's worth a mention).
Level 2: Shoot First modification: If your first action in combat is a ranged attack, that attack is automatically considered to be an Aimed Shot when you reach level 3. Either that, or Shoot First instead is treated like the Leap Up/Quickdraw features, which is considered free and gives an extra turn, but ideally Shoot First should really be more useful since at the moment there's 0 reason to use Shoot First since a lot of damage is decided by Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot(which requires a debuff and no ranged weapon blinds/stuns and hurts the target, meaning Shoot First is completely useless in its current state).
Level 3: No changes. This is just where you choose to be melee or ranged as a smuggler, so no reason to consider balance here.
Level 4: Disarming Shot modification: Now additionally is treated like an Aimed Shot by default if it successfully disarms, otherwise normal damage. You're basically shooting your opponent's weapon out of their hand, it should at least do some damage.
Level 5: Ability Replacements:
This section has always been just a generic 'single target explosive or massive AoE that wipes most of our multi-enemy encounters' for every class except smuggler. Since we're just crafting our own bombs now when resting, these are no longer necessary. So I'd like to introduce two new abilities that fit a high-risk, high-reward kind of playstyle. Adrenaline Rush induces a 10-turn state of Haste in the smuggler that uses it, however if the combat drags on too long or the smuggler gets stunned, the effect will end and if as result of being stunned will then extend that stun by two extra turns. Eats up 25 energy. Desperado is a melee ability that causes Steele to sacrifice some HP in exchange for making their melee attack an automatic crit if it hits. Eats up 20 energy.
Level 6: Quickdraw modification: Using a combat consumable now no longer consumes your turn in combat. Enemies often can drop AoEs or spawn new enemies, and still take an attack in later encounters; I see no reason why I can't also drop a bomb and then attack, especially since there's rarely a point to swap weapons mid-combat.
Level 7: Burst of Energy modification: Fully restores energy levels. What's the point in wasting an action to restore 60 energy when you can just use the extremely cheap Power Potion, or chug Honey Wine? Smuggled Stimulant modification: Now additionally reduces lust damage by 25(or a relatively certain amount) per round, which helps in tanking lust damage for a class that can't really dodge what they see with their eyes, and has to wear sexy gear a lot of the time for immense evasion levels.
Level 8: No change, typical ranged/melee option.
Level 9: Alpha Strike modification: You gain the other form of Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot that's exclusive to the other weapon type. Additionally, you can now Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot without needing weapons, as your precision evolves to deadly levels that no longer leave you reliant on never being disarmed to win your battles.
Level 10: Can Opener modification: Sunder chance is guaranteed on a crit.
Levels 11-13: No change; all are very viable abilities.
Level 1: Item Crafting(Flash Grenade/Gas Grenade/Grenade replacement). This is an ability that instead scales as smuggler steele either levels up or progresses throughout the planets: When taking at least 5 minutes or more to rest, the player is given an additional menu that they can opt into by pressing a button next to the 'next' button. For every 5 minutes that the player spends, they can then spend credits at a vastly reduced rate to create a consumable from that planet. Flash grenades start as cheapest, then EMP/Haywire as the next more expensive after that, gas grenadle /grenade as the middle-man appearing at Myrellion(gas grenades unlocked after FederationQuest with finding the 'Angel's Breath'), and other combat consumables being higher priced. The crafts start off higher than the vendors that sell them(spelled out through not having similar or proper ingredients due to being on the wrong planet, or lack of intelligence needed to craft properly), and the higher your intelligence, the more the crafting price drops. This would probably be a bit bad for the credit economy, but you already waste a good deal of in-game time doing this method, when you could just farm at Zheng Shi, exploit Kionna credit > savicite trading, whore your dick out to Tamani, or beat up the Suula pirate a bunch until you get the credits you want.
Why specifically this? Well, mainly because literally every single thing except the AoE burning damage from Smuggler is in the game now as an item. You have Aphro Daisies which do flat lust damage that doesn't scale with level or abilities, you also have Lust Toxin which is the same thing except does scale with level(and doesn't blind the enemy or continues to deal damage), Anno if Tarkus is destroyed can literally sell you the flash grenades of a smuggler as well as their STARTER GUN, and then you have Ero Gas Grenades on Dhaal as well as EMP Poppers which are just straight shield nukers that also stun machines(even though rare it's worth a mention).
Level 2: Shoot First modification: If your first action in combat is a ranged attack, that attack is automatically considered to be an Aimed Shot when you reach level 3. Either that, or Shoot First instead is treated like the Leap Up/Quickdraw features, which is considered free and gives an extra turn, but ideally Shoot First should really be more useful since at the moment there's 0 reason to use Shoot First since a lot of damage is decided by Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot(which requires a debuff and no ranged weapon blinds/stuns and hurts the target, meaning Shoot First is completely useless in its current state).
Level 3: No changes. This is just where you choose to be melee or ranged as a smuggler, so no reason to consider balance here.
Level 4: Disarming Shot modification: Now additionally is treated like an Aimed Shot by default if it successfully disarms, otherwise normal damage. You're basically shooting your opponent's weapon out of their hand, it should at least do some damage.
Level 5: Ability Replacements:
This section has always been just a generic 'single target explosive or massive AoE that wipes most of our multi-enemy encounters' for every class except smuggler. Since we're just crafting our own bombs now when resting, these are no longer necessary. So I'd like to introduce two new abilities that fit a high-risk, high-reward kind of playstyle. Adrenaline Rush induces a 10-turn state of Haste in the smuggler that uses it, however if the combat drags on too long or the smuggler gets stunned, the effect will end and if as result of being stunned will then extend that stun by two extra turns. Eats up 25 energy. Desperado is a melee ability that causes Steele to sacrifice some HP in exchange for making their melee attack an automatic crit if it hits. Eats up 20 energy.
Level 6: Quickdraw modification: Using a combat consumable now no longer consumes your turn in combat. Enemies often can drop AoEs or spawn new enemies, and still take an attack in later encounters; I see no reason why I can't also drop a bomb and then attack, especially since there's rarely a point to swap weapons mid-combat.
Level 7: Burst of Energy modification: Fully restores energy levels. What's the point in wasting an action to restore 60 energy when you can just use the extremely cheap Power Potion, or chug Honey Wine? Smuggled Stimulant modification: Now additionally reduces lust damage by 25(or a relatively certain amount) per round, which helps in tanking lust damage for a class that can't really dodge what they see with their eyes, and has to wear sexy gear a lot of the time for immense evasion levels.
Level 8: No change, typical ranged/melee option.
Level 9: Alpha Strike modification: You gain the other form of Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot that's exclusive to the other weapon type. Additionally, you can now Sneak Attack/Aimed Shot without needing weapons, as your precision evolves to deadly levels that no longer leave you reliant on never being disarmed to win your battles.
Level 10: Can Opener modification: Sunder chance is guaranteed on a crit.
Levels 11-13: No change; all are very viable abilities.