So got to thinking tonight nad decided im gonna try to put up some info on the adv classes i have experienced so far. I will not be posting anything in regards to class quests or any of that so do not worry about spoilers. I will probably be using some comparisons to WoW simply to help with descriptions.
Jedi Knight -> Jedi Guardian (also Sith Warrior -> Sith Juggernaut):
Ok, so I have managed to get a Jedi Guardian (advanced class for Jedi Knight, can do dps or tank roles) to lvl 18 so far. The Jedi Guardian uses 1 "standard" lightsaber as their weapon. Their resource system works something similar in a way to a WoW rogue's combo point system. What I mean by this is that you have a "free" (doesnt cost any resource to use) attack that when you use it it generates 2 resource (focus for Jedi, rage for Sith). You can build up to like 15 resource and afte exiting combat it will slowly fade away. Your abilities cost anywhere from 1 to 4 (dont think i saw any costing more then 4) resource to use. At lvl 14 you get your official tanking abilities (a lightsaber form that increases threat gen, reduces damage taken, and increases shield chance). The Guardian also utilizes Heavy Armor as well. Between the 4 tank characters (though sith juggernaut plays just like guardian so yeah) i have tested so far (guardian, trooper vanguard, BH powertech) the guardian allows for the more button spam then the others.
Trooper -> Vanguard
I only got a Vanguard to lvl 12 before a bug occured after a new build release that prevented me from being able to log into him and thus I deleted him. The biggest differences between the Vanguard and the Guardian are that a) the vangaurd uses blaster rifles b) the Vanguard allows for range tanking whereas the Guardian is all melee and c) the Vanguard utilizes Ammo as their resource. A vanguard (well trooper in general really) starts at full ammo (i think something around 15ish) and each attack (except for their "free" one they start out with) costs 1-4 ammo. Ammo slowly refills depending on how much ammo you currently have (this means if you are 3/4 full it recharges faster then if you completely empty out your resource bar, so you need to make sure to use your free attack to keep ammo from getting too low). The Vanguard works off using grenades, and plasma/ion attacks to damage enemies. They also receive their tanking stuff (special ammo loadout called Ion Cell) at lvl 14.
Bounty Hunter -> Powertech
Ok technically the Powertech and Vanguard mirror each other but there is one slight "difference" they have that made me decide to split them up. While the trooper/Vanguard starts at full Ammo, the BH/Powertech starts at 0 heat. As you utilize a BH's attacks they generate X amount of heat and once you get too much you can't use any of your abilities (cept for your free attack). A thing to note is that both the BH and trooper get a special ability to quickly generate (or remove for BH's) some resource quickly but it has a 2 minute CD. Other then the slight difference (at least as i see it) in resource the BH and vanguard play the same.
Smuggler -> Scoundrel (dps/heals)
So, as of this post I have now created 5-6 smugglers during testing, 3 have been scoundrels, that tells you how much i enjoy the class lol. The Scoundrel is a close-midrange fighter that utilizes a stealth belt to help him/her get into close quarters easier and allowing them to perform special attacks utilizing their scattergun (aka shotgun). The Smuggler uses Energy as a resource (works just like Energy for rogues in WoW except the less energy you have the slower it regens). Early on the Scoundrel gets an ability called Pugnacity which when used consumes a stack of Upper Hand (achieved by using Blaster Whip or killing an enemy) to allow for faster energy regen, but Upper Hand itself provide a damage/healing boost. This creates a fun (to me at least) point where you try to maintain at least one stack of Upper Hand for the dmg boost and utilize Pugnacity and your free attack to keep your energy regen high.
Out of all the characters I have made the Scoundrel by far has some of worst (from the viewpoint of their enemy) attacks in the game
. First the Smuggler in general gets Dirty Kick which literally has your character kick the target in the junk...accompanied by a very satisfying and loud *crunch* sound effect causing the target to also double over in pain for a few seconds. The Scoundrel then gets Back Shot which literally has your character pull out their scattergun and fire it into the back of the enemy...also accompanied by a very loud and satisfying BOOM (even more satisfying when it follows a dirty kick and you defeat the enemy and they go spinning through the air).
I didnt really test out the healing aspect of the Scoundrel too much. My first scoundrel I went healer and it wasnt bad but I have never really healed in any MMO so it was quite challenging for me. The rest of my scoundrels I went the DPS route and would toss out heals when people needed em.
Smuggler -> Gunslinger (Pure dps)
So out of all the classes I have played so far the Gunslinger is the only pure dps class I played. Of course this means all 3 skill trees available to the Gunslinger focus on DPS, but Bioware made all 3 different. One skill tree focuses on their blaster pistols (Gunslingers get Dual Wield right at lvl 10) for long range fighting from cover (most of their attacks require cover) , the 2nd tree is more midrange focusing on use of grenades and other explosives, which the final tree (which is also available to Scoundrels I should mention) which focuses on Damage over Time attacks. My Gunslinger went the long-range route but I didnt get him very high lvl (i think like lvl 13) before he also got hit by the unplayable bug and I had to delete him. In the time I played him though I found him fun, but I prefered the close range combat that the Scoundrel provides.
So thats all the classes I have played and at least a lil bit of info on them. I did make a Consular and Inquisitor characters but didnt get very far with either...didnt even hit advanced class level, so don't feel like I can really give much info on them at all.
