Brand New to SWL - Used to play TSW

[EnigmaticPyro]

Hi there!

I used to play TSW a while back, for a couple of years solid. I’m finally trying the new game out, and was surprised to see while making my (ONE AND ONLY) character that there are classes now… instead of picking abilities off of the wheel (which was totally new, sweet, and innovative with TSW).

My main was Elemental + Shotgun DPS, another character was Blade + Chaos…

Currently it seems like my best routes to recreate a similar character would be either Magus (Elemental + Chaos) or Punisher (Shotgun + Hammer - hammer being new to me, I think it was only introduced as a quest weapon like Chainsaw was in TSW?), with Assassin sitting as kind of a third option.

So I have some questions about the differences (Since I think I stopped playing between 2014 and 2015…)…

1. How long until you can unlock new abilities/weapons? CAN you unlock new weapons/all weapons eventually? (in TSW, you totally could, and could build different decks, it was sweet.) I’m hoping for someone who has played TSW to explain.

2. I saw something about different shell types for shotguns - so it sounds like the combat system has been completely revamped, not merely tweaked compared to TSW. Can someone point me to a handy guide?

3. In your opinion, which build should I choose?

4. Are people still playing TSW a year after SWL has launched? I did see that I could download the patcher to my new laptop… Is it a ghost town over there, or is it still fairly populated? (I’m wondering if I don’t enjoy the new playstyle/have options open up early enough in Legends, if I would be happier playing TSW and going back to that.) That said, I really do want to be where the PEOPLE are.

(Just like Ariel… “I wanna be… where the people are…”)

Thanks a ton, everyone!

[EnigmaticPyro]

If this topic should be in Orochi Labs, would a mod move it there, please? I apologize for putting it in the wrong section. Found a pretty decent guide fairly easily, and it’s answered a few of my questions (especially the “can you unlock everything eventually?” one).

I would still appreciate some opinions, but at the moment I’m leaning Magus, I guess…??? Although I am really curious to see how these shotgun mechanics play out. ^^

EDIT: I found a way of moving it - via editing the OP. Also, I’m currently leaning Assassin because I did enjoy the blade abilities in TSW, and it does start me off with one of the two weapons I really want (Elementalism + Shotguns). Here’s hoping that because I played TSW all weapons are unlocked so I can use both at the start… we’ll see!

[SinOfTheWolfs]

If you are using you TSW account to play SWL, then all weapons should be unlocked for you, at the latest when you hit Kingsmouth. The goal is still to learn every ability from every weapon =). While there are fewer abilities compared to TSW, many of them have multiple types of uses, unlike most abilities in TSW.

Passives are ability (top 3 lines) or weapon (bottom 2 lines) specific. Further more Passives now contain permanent stat increases, that become part of your base stats. Capstones (big icon at the end of Active pages) Also add permanent stat increases to your base build. Lastly you get stat increases for your base build, for each character level gained

Blade and Shotgun have switched their primary roles. Shotgun is now a Tanking weapon, while Blade is not.

Instead of a Builder/Consumer system, you have an Energy System. Energy is gained every 1 sec, or every 2 sec, for primary and secondary weapon respectively. A Critical hit will grant 1 Energy as well.

Each weapon comes with it’s own mechanic. Which makes them work quite differently, and make them feel different form each other (imo).

Gadgets have become a sort of utility Active ability, which has it’s own slot on the skill bar.

Weapons and Talisman have special effects attached to them (except the most basic items). The Weapon special effects are on par with a passive ability.

Talisman are no longer divided into roles, although some special abilities are better suited for a certain role. Instead you change your Attack Rating, Heal Rating and HP + Protection with the new Anima Allocation system. (game will introduce this when it unlocks)

Don’t be fooled by the starter classes. This is another attempt to make the system a bit more familiar for players from other mmos. I’f you can’t start with the weapon combi you prefere, then pick a combi where at least one of the weapons is right, then switch out the other weapon at your first convenience.

As for which build to choose. If you want a meta build, I’m the wrong person to answer this question. Otherwise, pick something you like, whatever the reason for it. Unfortunately you can’t really test out the different weapons like you could in TSW, and the tutorial can’t be skipped. Therefore it can be a good idea to have a look at the different weapon mechanics before jumping in.

Some things to take into consideration. While every weapon is able to be used for DPS, the actual DPS weapons (Blade, Elemental, Pistol) give you the most abilities to build from for group content. Tanking weapons (Hammer, Shotty, Chaos) have hate generating abilities in the last row, as well as a bunch of defensive abilities. This leaves the top row, and part of the middle row for a DPS build. Likewise Healing weapons (Fist, Rifle, Blood) have healing abilities in last row, and in part middle row. Furthermore Tanking weapons are low on Crit Rating passives, and Healing weapons on Hit Rating passive (in fact they have non). Lack of Hit Rating, means you have to compensate early on, or see a bunch of evaded hits. I would also usually recommend a ranged weapon in your combi, since full melee builds can be tricky, but that is no different from TSW.

I can’t personally answer how many play TSW, as i havent been there in over a year, but i hear there are still some people hanging around. SWL is where most of the people are.

[EnigmaticPyro]

@SinOfTheWolfs

If you are using you TSW account to play SWL, then all weapons should be unlocked for you, at the latest when you hit Kingsmouth.

I am using the same account - and they weren’t. However I only did the “copy” a day or so ago - so like 10 months late. Ah, however I am still in Seoul at the moment. Likely just about to leave for Kingsmouth.

I wound up picking Assassin, and going opposite what the tutorial/game wants me to have as primary/secondary. (Elementalism over Blade, even though passives + initial weapon upgrades were forced to be the opposite.)

@SinOfTheWolfs

The Weapon special effects are on par with a passive ability.

Hmm… That’s cool. I’m sad I can’t fiddle with the Anima allocator right away… 17.3 more levels to go before I can… XD

Thanks for your answers. I hope I can check the shotgun out soon enough. I only wish Elementalism didn’t have this “heat” system. Although so far with the first 2 basic abilities I seem unable to Overheat (I wanted to see how bad the cooldown was) and switching to the blade AoE seems to work in lieu of any cooling abilities. (I want to have Crit DPS as much as possible… but with this new system, maybe throw a bit of self-healing in there.)

[newbieshoes]

@SinOfTheWolfs

If you are using you TSW account to play SWL, then all weapons should be unlocked for you, at the latest when you hit Kingsmouth. The goal is still to learn every ability from every weapon =). While there are fewer abilities compared to TSW, many of them have multiple types of uses, unlike most abilities in TSW.

The big incentives for transfer (all 9 weapons, 2 character slots, sub time/GM status) went away after about a month or two. Now all you get is your cosmetics.

[EnigmaticPyro]

Yep. I was not able to equip the shotgun I found. Oh well. Elemental + Blade is working for me for now.

[newbieshoes]

You can pick your weapons and abilities out of a hat practically if all you care about is the story, but if you start climbing the elite 1-10 ladder of scenarios and dungeons then things change at that point.

[EnigmaticPyro]

No, I want to do dungeons later, but there are ways to go against the grain and be creative and effective in every MMO I’ve ever played.

In TSW, the Hell dungeons were my favourite.

[P-Dubs]

There are story mode versions of the dungeons now that are intended to be played while you are still geared for the region that the dungeon is located in.

Do the story mode versions now and then do the elite versions later on.

[EnigmaticPyro]

Oh yeah, for sure.

It was sort of always like that…

[AWOL]

Sadly, you’ve missed the window for the transfer over from TSW to give you all the weapons unlocked automatically. You can buy unlocks for each weapon using Marks of Favour (gained from completing daily challenges). The cost increases (I think) for each additional weapon page (each weapon segment of the wheel is now split into a different page). Actives and passives unlock together, but with the rate you can gain MoF for free being limited, don’t expect to have everything available quickly without spending some RL cash.

Player combat systems have all changed a fair bit. Unfortunately, there’s no way to test out new weapons to get a feel for them without creating new characters

There are still some die hard fans who keep the TSW servers from being a total ghost town, but new players aren’t able to create new TSW characters - only SWL ones. That means that the population of TSW can’t regrow, and depending on your timezone, you may find it hard to get company in TSW.

Content wise, TSW’s not getting anything new. Old seasonal content is no longer activated, (though there have been people asking for it,) and there’s no new content being released or developed for TSW, only for SWL.
That means that in terms of the storyline, SWL has already progressed further than TSW will. On the other hand, TSW has more endgame dungeon maps. SWL doesn’t have elite versions (nightmare modes are now part of the elite system btw) of several of the dungeons, and of TSW’s three raids, only one is available in SWL.

[EnigmaticPyro]

Hmm… It may be worth checking out, if members of my RP guild still play - although we were in fairly opposite timezones.

Thanks for your input!

I think I’ll hold out to purchase Shotgun until I get to Innsmouth Academy. I feel like that will be a good place to check out a third weapon.

[EnigmaticPyro]

Now, that’s what I call a SPIRIT BLADE!