Waiting for Star Wars: More on the Jedi Consular
The classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) appear to be defying accepted MMO wisdom. And the latest information on the Jedi Consular just continues this trend.
Classes in MMOs pretty much all harken back to the core Dungeons and Dragons classes: Warrior, Rogue, Wizard, and Priest. Nearly every class in every MMOs have been built from these original classes.
Need proof? Look no further than the brand, new MMO, Rift. Rift has four classes: Warrior, Cleric (Priest), Rogue, and Mage (Wizard). See? It's a fine tradition MMOs just can't break.
There's a rule that goes with these classes, one that is almost sacrosanct, one that nearly every MMO follows, consciously or unconsciously. That rule is: Don't mix classes. A warrior shall not cast magic and a wizard shall not wear plate mail. There are exceptions, but usually significant digressions are failures or they upset the balance of the game or both.
For instance, attempts to build melee-dps warriors - basically a rogue-warrior - never seem to work. Warhammer's Marauder might be fun to play for a while until you realize the class dies too fast and can't do as much damage as Witch Hunters or Witch Elves, the MMO's rogue classes. And the Paladin in WoW is a both a warrior and priest, making the class so over-powered the game is swarming with them.
Mixing these core classes has almost always led to disappointment or disaster.
So what do you make of the classes in SWTOR? Many of these classes don't seem to follow this unwritten rule. Just look at the latest SWTOR update.
This week, BioWare revealed more information about the Jedi Consular. "There is power in wisdom, study, and diplomacy." Hmmm. Sounds like a priest, doesn't it? Then, there's some more info on the Jedi Consular "...[W]hen words fail, their understanding of the Force makes them dangerous foes." Wait a sec! That sounds like a mage, doesn't it? And if you watch some of the Jedi Consular video, above, the class seems pretty handy with a light saber, sort of like a rogue or a warrior.
What class is a Jedi Consular? Will this mixing of classes work? Can BioWare defy accepted MMO wisdom and get away with it?
Still waiting for Star Wars to find out.
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