5.0 class changes
We are still months away from KotET releasing, but here's an early overview of the class changes coming with 5.0. Keep in mind that this is based on an early PTS patch; there are many placeholders and everything is subject to change. We will update this article as new PTS patches are being deployed. (last update: October 11th, 2016)
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We appreciate the support from TORCommunity, SWTORHamster, SWTORCoconut and Delegate who helped cross-checking all the changes. Make sure to check out TorCommunity for updates as well!
Watch Snave and other players as they discuss the class changes!
Contents
- Global changes
- Sith Juggernaut / Jedi Guardian changes
- Sith Marauder / Jedi Sentinel changes
- Sith Assassin / Jedi Shadow changes
- Sith Sorcerer / Jedi Sage changes
- Operative / Scoundrel changes
- Sniper / Gunslinger changes
- Powertech / Vanguard changes
- Mercenary / Commando changes
- Patch Notes and Known Issues
Global changes
- Classes have been simplified to make the game more approachable for new players.
- Base classes have been removed from the game; you have to choose an advanced class during character creation. This was previously only required for level 60 token characters and will now extend to level 1 characters. We don't know if and how existing base class characters will be affected.
- Ability pruning: With base classes removed, the advanced classes will now vary further than before. Various base class abilities are now restricted to one advanced class, ensuring that ranged players won't use melee abilities (and vice versa). This improves advanced class identity and simplifies the skill bar for new players.
- You no longer have multiple stances (Forms, Charges, Techniques, Cylinders, Cells) available at once. Instead, there is a passive stance that gets replaced depending on the current Discipline. This ensures that you cannot accidentally select the wrong stance.
- To improve the leveling process on advanced classes, many abilities get learned earlier than before. This reduces the "keystone ability" issue where you need to relearn the rotation every time you receive an important ability. Players receive the first Discipline passive at level 10 and the first utility slot at level 14.
- Abilities and passives that were automatically learned upon selecting an advanced class now have to be picked up from the class trainer at the respective level.
- All casted and channeled abilities have been removed from melee classes or turned into instants, making melee players more mobile.
- Stealthed players are now fully invisible, you can no longer see them even when you are right next to them. The stealth level increase that was previously tied to an ability (8s duration, 60s cooldown) is now always active. You can only reveal stealthed players with AoE abilities or increased stealth detection now. Players who were stealthed by an Operative's Infiltrate or a Scoundrel's Smuggle are not affected by this change; you can still see them if you are within 15 meters.
- Guard is no longer tied to the tanking stance and can now be used by DPS players as well.
- 60-second droid mezes have been removed from Agents/Smugglers and Marauders/Sentinels. Droids (and other NPCs) can still be mezed with the mezes from Sorcerers/Sages and Mercenaries/Commandos.
- Sorcerers/Sages and Hatred Assassins/Serenity Shadows had nearly all abilities nerfed by 2-10%. Other classes have not seen this many nerfs to damage and healing numbers but it's possible that this has yet to happen.
- Each Discipline receives a new passive at level 68 (new level cap is 70).
- This does not include Disciplines where the stance was moved from the advanced class to the Discipline, because the stance counts as the new passive. Since there still must be something at level 68 for these Disciplines, one of the existing passives now won't be granted until level 68.
- Disciplines that already included the stance received a new ability because the stance was changed from an ability to a passive.
- The number of utilities stays at 24 but they are organized differently.
- You can now select one additional utility, bringing the total number of slots to 8, up from 7.
- Some utilities have been combined, which means you now only need to spend one slot to get the bonuses from what previously were two utilities.
- Where utilities have been combined, new utilities have been added so that the total count stays at 24.
- You are now granted each utility slot three levels earlier than before:
- with 4.0 at levels 17, 25, 33, 41, 49, 57, 65
- with 5.0 at levels 14, 22, 30, 38, 46, 54, 62, 70
- Instead of three tiers with 8 utilities each, there are now four tiers with 6 utilities each.
- As before, you need to spend a certain amount of utility points in the lower tiers before you can access the higher tiers.
- During 4.0, the required numbers were 0, 3 and 5.
- With 5.0, they will be 0, 2, 4 and 6.
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Sith Juggernaut
/ Jedi Guardian 
- Ravage/Blade Dance has been turned into an instant ability.
- Saber form is now passive and automatically set depending on the Discipline.
- Guard can be used by DPS players.
Discipline changes
Rage/Focus gets a new passive at level 68 and Vengeance/Vigilance gets a new ability at 42 because Shien Form was changed from a passive to an active. Immortal/Defense got no new ability or passive because Soresu Form has been added instead.
Utility changes
Updated list of abilities by level
B = base class ability, shared with Marauders/Sentinels.
Updated discipline paths
Rage / Focus
Vengeance / Vigilance
Immortal / Defense
Updated list of utilities by tier
Sith Marauder
/ Jedi Sentinel 
- Ravage/Blade Dance has been turned into an instant ability.
- The weapon form is now a passive and automatically selected depending on the Discipline.
- The 60 second droid mez has been removed.
Discipline changes
- Bloody Slashes/Burning Slices was moved from Carnage/Combat to Fury/Concentration.
- To make up for it, Carnage/Combat had part of the effect from Execute/Opportune Attack split into a new passive, Disembowel/Exercise. Because Ataru Form is now a passive, they also received a new ability, Gore/Lance.
- Annihilation/Watchman did not receive a new passive because they received the Juyo Form passive instead.
Utility changes
Updated list of abilities by level
B = base class ability, shared with Juggernauts/Guardians.
Updated discipline paths
Fury / Concentration
Annihilation / Watchman
Carnage / Combat
Updated list of utilities by tier
Sith Assassin
/ Jedi Shadow 
- Two non-instant abilities are now for Sorcerers/Sages only.
- Phase Walk is now for Sorcerers/Sages only.
- Various abilities have been nerfed and now deal less damage.
- Guard can now be used by DPS players.
- Blackout has been merged into stealth.
- The stance (Charge/Technique) is now passive and is automatically set depending on the Discipline.
Discipline changes
- Hatred/Serenity receives a new passive at level 68.
- Deception/Infiltration receives a new ability because the stance was turned from an ability into a passive.
- Darkness/Kinetic Combat receives no new passive because it now has the passive stance.
Utility changes
Updated list of abilities by level
B = base class ability, shared with Sorcerers/Sages.
Updated discipline paths
Hatred / Serenity
Deception / Infiltration
Darkness / Kinetic Combat
Updated list of utilities by tier
Sith Sorcerer
/ Jedi Sage 
- Thrash/Double Strike was removed because Sorcerer/Sage is a ranged class.
- The Saber Strike basic attack remains available, though there is a new Legendary utility that replaces Saber Strike with Enfeebling Lash (6s cooldown), immobilizing players for 3 seconds.
- Various abilities had their damage and healing nerfed.
Discipline changes
- All Disciplines receive a new passive at level 68.
Utility changes
Updated list of abilities by level
B = base class ability, shared with Assassins/Shadows.
Updated discipline paths
Lightning / Telekinetics