Bounty Hunters are some of the most iconic and storied professions in the Star Wars universe.
In Star Wars: The Old Republic, the Bounty Hunter is a class that relies heavily on technology to do its job. Blaster pistols, rocket launchers, flamethrowers, and jetpacks are all tools at your disposal, even early on in your career.
The Bounty Hunter is probably best described as a hybrid class: able to tank, deal damage (DPS) from both melee and range, and heal. Only Sith Inquisitor offers more adaptability in both solo and group play. Depending on how you look at it, that’s either a good or bad thing. It means being able to fill a variety of roles, but not doing any single one of them to its fullest potential.
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Gameplay
SWTOR Bounty Hunter in one word: versatile…and that’s very fitting for this profession. BioWare has modeled the class after power suit wearing hunters, such as the Mandalorians. There is a heavy emphasis on using wrist-mounted rockets and other gadgetry to quarry your prey.
If you’re a fan of Boba Fett, SWTOR has some abilities and animations that will make being a Bounty Hunter a very rewarding experience. Check out this short gameplay video:
A Bounty Hunter’s starting planet is Hutta, homeworld of the notorious gangster slugs. The planet itself has a greenish color cast to the atmosphere from the gaseous and almost swamp-like environment. It’s full of gangs and thugs…perfect for a Bounty Hunter. The starting planet is shared with the Imperial Agent class.
The main story arc is called “The Great Hunt”. Your fledgling hunter will have to prove himself in order to get sponsored into the event, so that you can gain some notoriety and get higher paying jobs. Very early on, you will meet part of your team, including Mako, who later joins as a Companion.
Gameplay Facts
Via the official SWTOR forums, developers have confirmed that there will not be a player bounty system (PvP option) at game launch. However, there will be a bounty hunter terminal where the player can accept quest (NPC) bounty missions.
Developers have confirmed the existence of a KOTOR-like system where player responses can earn them lightside/darkside points. There will be alignment items and gear available as well. There are usually three responses to storyline interactions for the Bounty Hunter:
- Sympathetic – Light
- Efficient – Neutral
- Merciless – Dark
In regards to the Bounty Hunter story:
If you want to talk tone, you have a western…the Bounty Hunter is the bad guy with a gun who is going to roll into town and try to show the entire galaxy that he is the best that has ever lived.
- DarthHater interview with Daniel Erickson
Erickson also says that Bounty Hunter is the only class in the game that will be able to accept missions from both the Empire and the Republic. That should make you greedy SOB’s happy…I know I am!
The bounty hunter utilizes a heat system. Rather than having to worry about energy or “mana”, the Bounty Hunter must maintain a low equipment temperature. Vent Heat is an ability to help control overheating weapons to allow for their continued use.
Abilities
Electro Dart (Rank 1) – Requires Level 4 – 100 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 45s
- Range: 25m
- Fires an electro dart out of your bracer at the target that causes them to be overloaded with electricity and stunned for 5 seconds.
Rail Shot (Rank 1) – Requires Level 6 – 160 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 5s
- Range: 30m
- Fires a shot at the target that deals heavy damage. Only works against vulnerable (stunned, sleeping, burning) target.
Death From Above (Rank 1) – Requires Level 8 – 220 Credits
- Channeled: 6s
- Cooldown: 1m
- Range: 5m-30m
- Bounty Hunter flies to a safe distance and lobs missiles. All targets in the area take damage. The first rocket knocks all targets to the ground.
Flame Thrower (Rank 2) – Requires Level 10 – 280 Credits
- Heat: 50
- Channeled: 4s
- Cooldown: 10s
- Range: 10m
- The player torches everything in a 10m cone in front of him with a flamethrower, inflicting low damage every second for a maximum of 4s. Lesser enemies are stunned.
Power Shot (Rank 1) – Requires Level 14 – 380 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 8s
- Range: 30m
- Special blaster attack that does heavy and moderate damage.
Energy Shield (Rank 1) – Requires Level 18 – 500 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 1m 30s
- A shield surrounds the Bounty Hunter absorbing a percentage of incoming blaster fire energy damage. Lasts 30s.
Determination (Rank 1) – Requires Level 18 – 500 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 1m 30s
- Removes all impairing effects.
Chaff Flare (Rank 1) – Requires Level 20 – 560 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 30s
- Range: 30m
- Fires several flares at your target area revealing any stealthers. Flares last 10s.
Oil Slick (Rank 1) – Requires Level 24 – 660 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 30s
- Range: 10m
- The Bounty Hunter fires oil out of his left bracer and comes out in a cone in front of him. Targets affected are snared, having their elemental resistance lowered.
Electric Shield (Rank 1) – Requires Level 28 – 780 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 1m 30s
- A shield surrounds the Bounty Hunter that returns a small electric charge as damage to attackers. Effect can only occur once every 2s. Lasts 30s.
Rocket Punch (Rank 1) – Requires Level 32 – 880 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 20s
- Range: 5m
- Close range attack that knocks down target back and does light damage. Useful when enemies are close and the Bounty Hunter needs to establish range.
Interceptor Shield (Rank 1) – Requires Level 40 – 1120 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 1m
- Range: 30m
- Bounty Hunter engages his shield generator to lower his threat on any targets that hit his shield.
Thermal Detonation (Rank 1) - Requires Level 46 – 1280 Credits
- Instant
- Cooldown: 20s
- Range: 5m-25m
- Lob a thermal detonator at your target, sticking to them and exploding for high damage when they die. Target must die within 15s for the explosion to happen.
Weapons & Armor
The Bounty Hunter’s weapon of choice in SWTOR is the pistol. There is heavy reliance on the hunter’s power suit/armor, which also contains weapons and gadgets. It would be very difficult to access your wrist rockets while holding a two handed weapon.
This is the class for someone who wants to run into combat guns blazing, but have gadgets to fall back on in emergencies.
There are many different armor and weapons available, but it remains to be seen if there is enough variety in the game so that players don’t look exactly alike. Developers have confirmed that you will be able to wear the same armor all the way up to max level, so it might be worth holding on to a few sets once you outgrow them just for the sake of variety when socializing with other players.
I haven’t seem much regarding the implementation of slicing/reverse engineering weapons and armor, but it is a likely game mechanic. The Bounty Hunter is supposed to be a class that utilizes the latest in black market gear according to the official Holonet data entry.
Advanced Classes
Choice of an advanced class takes place at Level 10, after the Bounty Hunter leaves his starting planet of Hutta for the next planet in progression: Dromund Kaas. As of this writing, this decision cannot be reversed, so choose wisely.
Powertech
The Powertech offers more in the way of defense and heavier armor, with a focus on AoE (area of effect/cone) attacks with the flamethrower. As with most versatile classes, Powertech is an excellent choice for the solo Bounty Hunter because of increased survivability. However, because this option is not a pure melee-based tank, it may be more difficult to find a place in some groups.
- Close to mid range DPS, tanking
- Passive shielding/defense
- AoE attacks
- Focus on flamethrower
Mercenary
This advanced class offers the Bounty Hunter the ability to trade in the more powerful flamethrower abilities for a second weapon. Mercenaries are pure ranged DPS with lighter armor and active healing skills. It may be difficult to juggle healing while also worrying about heat from attacks. Mercenaries will probably be easier to group with because they are a more traditional ranged nuking class.
- Mid to long range DPS, nuking
- Dual-wield pistols
- Healing
- Focus on missiles
Specializations
The specialization UI is similar to other games, with three trees (one shared, two unique) of passive and activated abilities that you spend points in – earned as you level up – to progress through the tree, unlocking stronger abilities and additional passive effects. There are a limited number of skill points available, so you will not be able to activate all of them.
“Firebug” is the shared skill tree between Powertech and Mercenary. The majority of this tree is dedicated to upgrading current skills (as opposed to unlocking new ones) and increasing weapon damage.
Powertech
- Shield Tech – Invest in this tree if you are looking for more of a tank build. There are more damage mitigation skills here as well as threat-generating attacks at both close and mid-range.
- Advanced Prototype – Here we find more of a focus on offensive abilities, especially with the flamethrower.
Mercenary
- Bodyguard – Talents (aka skills) found here are of the healing variety. Not something you’d expect from a Bounty Hunter, but you have the option to go full support class with this line.
- Arsenal – For a pure DPS build, here are your missiles and ranged damage. PvPers will likely go this route for the burst damage.
Combat Tactics
Since the game isn’t live yet, it would be kind of silly to suggest tactics for playing the character.
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