The humble blaster is the bread-and-butter of Battlefront’s battlefields, but it’s the awkward-sounding Star Cards that shape the tools and firepower at your disposal. After ranking up for the first time, you can start unlocking cards with credits earned through multiplayer matches or the AI modes. Three cards fill a ‘hand’ brought into battle: each card represents a short-cooldown ability, grenade, or secondary weapon serving as useful (and often flashy) tide-turners and damage amplifiers. In a way, devising and choosing the ideal hand against the opposition is Battlefront’s closest approximation to a loadout system.
Figuring out a Star Card hand that works for you is something best done through trying various combinations in the field, so let this guide be your primer for learning each card’s function, the requirements to unlock it, and simple tips on its applicability. I’ve also included a few sample hands I’ve used with good success as possible starting points for your own setups.
A few general notes: you can upgrade cards for 7,000 credits to an improved version that either prolongs the given effect or shortens the cooldown timer. As in actual card games, certain hands counter others—the Homing Shot’s lock-on effect is negated by a timely Smoke Grenade, for instance. Don’t worry about layering some sort of grand meta-strategy for your hand. A good rule of thumb is to pick whatever looks fun for you, and you’ll do well. As Andy pointed out in his review, Battlefront is fairly shallow, and shines best when you just jump in and enjoy the Star Wars thrill.
Thermal Detonator
Rank required: 2
Cost: 150 credits
Cooldown: 15 seconds
The first unlockable Star Card is both one of the most all-purpose and the most commonly seen flung around during a round. The Thermal Detonator is as standard as a frag grenade gets: see an enemy, chuck a Detonator, and wait for the boom. It predictably fares well in enclosed spaces and tight hallways, but it’s also a decent choice for softening up or finishing off ground targets in the open alongside a couple blaster shots. The fuse begins ticking the moment it leaves your hand, so with a practiced throw, you can land a Detonator at someone’s feet right when it’s about to blow.
Scout Pistol
Rank required: 3
Cost: 650 credits
Cooldown: 9 seconds
The Scout Pistol seems mediocre at first glance—a toyish little thing that only pops off two shots before needing to recharge. Those two shots belie its harmlessness, as the Scout Pistol can snappily drop an enemy at close range in less time than most of your primary blasters. It’s excellent for surprising soldiers around sharp corners and blind spots—pop out of cover, fire off the Pistol, and reap a quick frag. Though the Pistol tends to get passed over for more explosive cards, don’t discount its pocket-sized punch and relatively short cooldown in interiors such as the icy corridors of Hoth’s rebel base or Endor’s bunker.
Ion Torpedo
Rank required: 4
Cost: 650 credits
Cooldown: 15 seconds
If you’re on the Rebel side, chances are you’ll spot plenty teammates equipping this card. In the large-scale Supremacy and Walker Assault modes, the Empire gets the added luxury of the AT-ST and AT-AT ground war machines, both capable of inflicting immense destruction if left unchecked. The Ion Torpedo is the best direct anti-vehicle (and anti-air) damage card you can arm yourself with, and it’s a necessity for Rebels to help chunk down the hulking AT-AT health in Walker Assault. You’ll need to aim and keep your crosshair on target for a few seconds to acquire a lock, so be mindful of exposing yourself while zoomed in. Try angling yourself so the torpedo hits rear-facing armor for a damage bonus.
Pulse Cannon
Rank required: 5
Cost: 1,700 credits
Cooldown: 18 seconds
Plinking away at long-range opponents in Battlefront is easy to pull off thanks to forgiving auto-fire accuracy. When someone needs that extra friendly touch, swap the Pulse Cannon into your hand. If you can land your shot after a full charge, you’ll be rewarded with an instant (and spectacular) kill as your victim goes flying from the impact. The Cannon is a popular choice for sniper, ambush, and defensive setups, as you can eliminate a target quickly and safely from a distance. It also deals substantial damage to heroes and is a great coup de grace tool for Hero Hunt or Heroes vs. Villains. Don’t bother using it against vehicles—it’s strictly anti-personnel, so it won’t even scratch the paint job on an AT-ST’s armor.
Impact Grenade
Rank required: 6
Cost: 1,700 credits
Cooldown: 16 seconds
Alongside its brothers Barrage and Thermal Detonator, the Impact Grenade is the primary culprit for hallways spammed with explosive death. Unlike the Detonator, the Impact goes off at the point of contact with any surface. That includes walls, the floor, pieces of scenery, trees, or someone’s face. It’s a guaranteed kill if you hot-potato it directly onto an enemy, but you’ll need precise throws as the blast radius is smaller than the Detonator. It’s amazing for clearing groups clustered around Walker Assault uplinks.
Ion Grenade
Rank required: 9
Cost: 2,300 credits
Cooldown: 16 seconds
As its name implies, the Ion Grenade is a specialized piece of ordnance designed to be chucked at vehicles. It can function as a low-damage normal grenade in a pinch, but its fuse is hideously long if it doesn’t hit armor. It pairs well with the Ion Torpedo in a full anti-armor hand, and it’s useful for finishing off a weakened AT-ST up close after puncturing it with a torpedo or two. It’s also perfect for damaging a walker on its vulnerable underbelly if you can avoid getting stepped on.
Homing Shot
Rank required: 11
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 18 seconds
The Homing Shot joins the Pulse Cannon as a long-range eliminator with an added fire-and-forget flavor. Operating in similar function to the Ion Torpedo, it locks onto enemy players and sends out a small missile that slowly closes in on the target for a one-shot kill (bonus points if you simultaneously hum the Jaws theme). You’ll typically see whoever you’ve got your sights on scrambling for cover as a noisy red warning flashes on your prey’s screen during a lock. Consequently, put something large and sturdy in between yourself if a Homing Shot is coming your way. It won’t get the job done as speedily as the Pulse Cannon does, but it’s a good item for holding off encroachment from afar.
Jump Pack
Rank required: 13
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 25 seconds
The Jump Pack pleases the Boba Fett in all of us. Strapped on like a bulky laptop backpack, it jets you in whatever direction you’re heading at the time of activation. As expected, it’s a huge boon to maneuverability and staying alive, and it’s equally advantageous for rapidly closing the distance—rocketing onto an enemy Cargo carrier like Fett himself is wicked fun—and quickly escaping a death zone to recover. Its general usefulness pairs well with any other card, so you can’t go wrong choosing it.
Smoke Grenade
Rank required: 16
Cost: 3,300 credits
Cooldown: 20 seconds
For the support-oriented connoisseur, the Smoke Grenade is the ideal companion. It won’t rack up kills or shower your screen with special effects, but it’ll excel at easing pressure off your team with superb area denial and thick, smoky cover for added mobility. The smoke also shakes Homing Shot locks, an amazing convenience while traversing open ground. Spider-like tactics complement the Smoke Grenade—set up an ambush nearby and wait for impatient enemies to rush in through the cloud.
Flash Grenade
Rank required: 20
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 16 seconds
The dualism of the video game flashbang: an amazing utility for hampering opponents when thrown correctly or the quickest way to get yelled at by frustrated teammates when not. Even the Flash Grenades of Battlefront’s far, far galaxy dance on that double edge, so you won’t find many players risking the wrath of the server by having it equipped. Still, the blinding effect isn’t so terribly obnoxious unless you’re right next to the thing as it goes off. Grenades of the explodey type naturally pursue the Flash Grenade’s disorienting effect; if anything, it can certainly whip up plenty chaos indoors.
Barrage
Rank required: 24
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 18 seconds
As more players rank up, you’re guaranteed to increasingly hear the thunk-thunk-thunk of the Barrage. It fires three mini-grenades in a short arc that detonate shortly after landing. This is the go-to for clearing nests and dug-in defenses, as anything short of a Hero will quickly be decimated. Try favoring less-traveled pathways and flanking routes to avoid the Barrage, as it shines in blind corners and steep inclines. You can bank Barrage shots off walls for extra precision, but make sure you’re well clear to avoid bouncing a grenade right back into your face.
Cycler Rifle
Rank required: 28
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 15 seconds
A favored pick from the open beta, the Cycler Rifle has now been shoved somewhat far down the unlock tree and given extra projectile drop. Its basic function is still the same—a long-range bullet shot that ignores shields—but gravity’s added pull increases the challenge and skill needed to land those distant snipes. At the moment, the Cycler Rifle is in a weird position of being a largely ignored high-end card, as the Pulse Cannon accomplishes similar results with less aiming effort. Until DICE’s rebalancing touch, the Cycler Rifle is an outlier choice for marksman hands.
Bowcaster
Rank required: 32
Cost: 3,100 credits
Cooldown: 18 seconds
The scoped Bowcaster, the weapon of choice for a certain smuggler’s furry companion, is the last unlockable Star Card and a blast to use. It fires one explosive bolt on a single click, but the real magic happens when you hold down fire and charge a 5-bolt spread in a horizontal arc. The heavy impact makes this card useful as a close-range shotgun of sorts as it can pass through shields and mow down clumps of enemies in a single blast. (Its room-clearing efficiency rivals Heroes at times.) Like the Scout Pistol, the Bowcaster is meant to augment your offensive output but with more versatility than the former. A popular tactic is to combine it with the Jump Pack to boost out of cover for some charged death from above.
On the next page, some of our suggested hands...
Suggested hands
The Skirmisher
Thermal Detonator, Jump Pack, Personal Shield
This is a balanced assault setup that works well for most situations. You’ll enjoy the adaptability of getting to places quickly with the Jump Pack and the punchy, straightforward boom of the Thermal Detonator for starting a fight with a health advantage or sending a wounded enemy flying. A mid-range carbine fits the Skirmisher best, so either the A280C or the E-11 is ideal. Slot the Survivalist trait card for quicker recovery time to continue your momentum. If things look dicey, click on your Personal Shield and regroup with teammates.
The Demolitionist
Impact Grenade, Thermal Detonator, Explosive Shot
When it’s time to rock and roll, the Demolitionist is a powerful killing machine. At the expense of defensive abilities, this hand is all about delivering intense damage up close with double grenades. The Demolitionist embraces a berserker mentality—rush in, toss grenades, and deal as much punishment as possible before meeting death. The DLT-19 or RT-97C laser hoses are perfect trigger-hammering choices for pouring on the hurt. Burning an Explosive Shot card during sustained fire will melt through enemies like a lightsaber through a Jawa. Scout is a useful trait for this hand; staying off the minimap empowers superior positioning and preparing little surprises around corners. Alternatively, swap to Bodyguard for added explosive mitigation.
The Vanguard
Flash Grenade, Barrage, Personal Shield
The Vanguard is a tank and hard-to-kill harasser, a defense-oriented specialist capable of absorbing plenty of laser fire and incoming grenades. Your role is support and control—with the Personal Shield and Flash Grenade cards, you can hamper enemy vision while soaking up incoming damage. You’re not a complete juggernaut, though, so grab cover when you can. Mix in some Barrage with long bursts of the DLT-19 to lock down lanes and buy time for teammates to move up or rejoin. Equip the Bodyguard trait to shrug off grenade damage; with the added ease of avoiding death using this hand, you should be able to rack up enough kills to get your trait to level 3 which adds additional blaster protection.
The Sapper
Ion Torpedo, Ion Grenade, Ion Shot
Rebels, take note: you’ll need at least a few soldiers on your team to run this hand for countering Empire armor. The Sapper fits right into Walker Assault or Supremacy modes, but this hand is also situational in smaller arenas if enemies frequently lean on powerups such as turrets and probe droids. As vehicles only spawn in Battlefront’s largest maps, you’ll need a weapon suitable for mid- to long-range, so either the burst-fire EE-3 or the steadily accurate E-11 works here. Employ the protection of your team for uninterrupted Ion Torpedo locks and—if you can get close—an Ion Grenade or two. The Ion Shot is useful for chipping away AT-AT health during Y-wing phases, but it also comes in handy for bypassing Personal Shields in case you need to defend yourself. If a vehicle sets its sights on you, the Bodyguard trait will help cut down incoming heavy laser damage (which is counted as explosive) while you re-position.
The Marksman
Pulse Cannon, Smoke Grenade, Focus Fire
The Marksman mixes traditional long-distance sniping with a pinch of utility when you need it. This hand excels at objective overwatch and spotting enemies from afar. Toss a Smoke Grenade to mask your movements and post up nearby a capture point or uplink—elevated perches such as Endor’s tree huts or Hoth’s snowy drifts are preferred—to give yourself a clear view of incoming threats. The T-21B rifle has fantastic magnification and a damage range congruent to slow, carefully placed shots with the drawback of a low overheat threshold—perfect for the Marksman’s gameplay style. The Pulse Cannon is a speedy single-target neutralizer, so prioritize it for enemies getting too close. Using a charge of Focus Fire greatly increases your weapon’s accuracy for a few moments, a fitting bonus for the Sharpshooter trait which shortens hand cooldowns on successful headshots.
The Gunslinger
Smoke Grenade, Scout Pistol, Scan Pulse
With pistol firmly in hand, the Gunslinger relishes getting up close with dominating damage and a bag of tricks that would earn a smirking smile from Han Solo himself. Any of Battlefront’s trio of blaster pistols best fits the Gunslinger: the SE-14C is the most forgiving with its effective 5-round burst, but both the DH-17 and DL-44 offer sheer stopping power per shot. This is a hand for dirty fighting and outsmarting opponents. A Gunslinger clears indoor areas with ease; toss in a Smoke Grenade and either use a Scan Pulse to frame nearby enemies in revealing red outlines or simply wait for your enemies to inevitably blunder through the smoke and into your waiting barrel. If your primary pistol singes close to overheating, swap to the Scout Pistol for a quick two-shot of pain. The Scout trait keeps your scoundrel deeds off radar. Push it to level 3 to reset your heat every time you nab a kill.
The Anti-Hero
Homing Shot, Barrage, Explosive Shot
When Luke Skywalker cuts down squads of stormtroopers single-handedly or Boba Fett’s hushed tauntings become too much, the Anti-Hero hand comes into play. Indirect damage is the goal of these cards, as most Heroes can block direct fire with ease—Luke and Darth Vader can even deflect your shots right back at you. Thus, Homing Shot and Barrage deliver unblockable splash onto rampaging Heroes while Explosive Shot (use it with a fast-firing blaster such as the RT-97C) achieves the same result at a smaller yield. Make no mistake: you’ll likely die spectacularly once a Hero faces your way, but with this hand, you’ll make sure it’s a costly death. The Anti-Hero works with any trait card, but Scout is perhaps the most helpful for its stealthy qualities.
The Assassin
Jump Pack, Bowcaster, Scan Pulse
The Assassin is an efficient killer with far-reaching firepower and surprising reserves of mobility. Like the coldly skilled Boba Fett, you’ll capitalize on your Jump Pack speedily closing gaps between you and your mark for a clean Bowcaster shot. The Scan Pulse is excellent for tracking targets behind walls and around corners, so use it generously for added enemy intel while on the move. The EE-3 carbine can drop a target in two quick bursts, a fitting primary weapon for this hand’s theme of ruthlessness. The best part is the keystone Bounty Hunter trait which, at level 3, resets card cooldowns on each kill. Combined with the Jump Pack, you can chain together Jump-Caster kills across the map for spectacular streaks.
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