Let me help you with Huttball

[philefluxx]

So starting from the beta weekends through EA to now, Huttball has become increasingly more fun. I realized over the weekend its because people are finally learning how to play it.

But there is still large portion of the player base that think just because its PvP that the primary objective is to kill, secondary to complete the map objective.

Ive been seeing tons of posts and even hearing it from RL friends that Huttball is horrible or was designed for X class and all others are gimped.

This is so untrue its ridiculous. People need to realize that each class will fulfill a particular role in the game and the name of the game is not pewpewpew.

Here are examples of what Ive seen some great players perform in Huttball Empire prospective:

Mercs are great classes to accompany you on levels while you run the ball to the end zone. We have the ability to knock players off the rails, we can stun, or sap. We can rain down a AoE that usually freaks people into moving, often falling off a rail, due to the high amount of damage.

PowerTechs Have many of the same moves as a Merc, but they can also pull targets to them. Very nice for pulling a ball carrier back into a burner or the acid pit. Pisses me off when this happens to me, seriously.

Assassins have a ridiculously awesome sprint which is great when a BH knocks your opponents out of the way and you go sprinting past to the goal line. Ive also seen Sins force pull enemies into acid, lower levels, and the fire. You can also use Force Pull while standing in the spawn area to pull a ball carrier or healer into the spawn area which warrants a instant death.

Sorc's bubblicous, also very good to have with you when carrying the ball. They also get a nice AoE knockback to send people flying off the levels. Some neat slow abilities as well. Ive also seen Sorc's force pull our teammates onto the upper levels away from the mobs of players trying to get them. Its awesome!


Operatives If specced right damage can be so bursty that you can defend our goal line stealthed and obliterate any potentially ball carriers coming your way. If you have another Op with you, you can take a whole group down fast. If your crafty enough you can stealth on a burner platform and stun a ball carrier and watch em get smoked by the flames, they will never know your there until it happens.

Snipers While not as easy to play in Huttball as others, they really have their place as defensive players. Snipers can put out a ton of damage from very far away. They can send enemies flying off the ledge if they get too close have several short duration stuns and slows.

Mauraders and Juggernauts Have their leap which can be extremely handy when someone is a level above you with the ball and your defense is busy. All you have to do is slow down your target long enough for your team to get to you. If you happened to be the ball carrier, use your leap to jump to the 3rd level where that lonely enemy player is running around not knowing what to do. You can even use it to get outta the lower level before the end zone if enemies are dumb enough to hang out on the ledge.

All ClassesTHROW THE BALL, NO SERIOUSLY THROW THE HUTTBALL. The game is about team play and the more you pass the ball up field the faster you score and interrupt the opponents strategy. Low level players that receive the Huttball should always be looking for a someone to pass the ball to. You will get decimated by level 50's regardless of the level up system.

Misc.Air pads are random, do not use them as a ball carrier as it can end up sending you right back into the enemy. Your best bet is to either run around the acid pit or find a player you can pass the ball up to.

Some classes are really meant for defense, others offense. Some classes are meant to run the ball, others to destroy the ball carriers. The game cannot be balanced so that every class can fulfill every role. That, quite frankly, is what makes Huttball unique and a blast when played right.

Edit: Thanks Gualdhar
Edit: Added tactics to a few classes

[Redblade]

Some classes are really meant for defense, others offense. Some classes are meant to run the ball, others to destroy the ball carriers. The game cannot be balanced so that every class can fulfill every role. That, quite frankly, is what makes Huttball unique and a blast when played right.

This, the perfect balance some strive to achieve makes for a boring game, much better when each and everyone is good at there own thing.

[gualdhar]

I think you're mistaking Assassin/Shadow and Sorceror/Sage Force Pull. Ass/Shad FP is tank spec and enemy only like death grip, while Sor/Sage is heal spec (I believe) and friendly only like Leap of Faith.

And as a tank shadow, I find I do more hurt with positional control than shear damage. Force Waving someone into a trap is so damn awesome.

[Deleted]

I think you're mistaking Assassin/Shadow and Sorceror/Sage Force Pull. Ass/Shad FP is tank spec and enemy only like death grip, while Sor/Sage is heal spec (I believe) and friendly only like Leap of Faith.

Thats true^, my personal favourtie is using force pull followed by spike to trap someone in the flames, then they spend the rest of the match chasing you

[philefluxx]

I think you're mistaking Assassin/Shadow and Sorceror/Sage Force Pull. Ass/Shad FP is tank spec and enemy only like death grip, while Sor/Sage is heal spec (I believe) and friendly only like Leap of Faith.

And as a tank shadow, I find I do more hurt with positional control than shear damage. Force Waving someone into a trap is so damn awesome.

I appreciate the clarification =)

[viciouss]

If you have a friend who can sneak past the enemy up to their top level a Juggernaut can intercede to them and unless their entire team is there its pretty much a free score if you have the ball

[Tradewind]

But don't kick the ball! Hutts don't have feet!

[Deleted]

Powertech can also jump, or atleast the republic port of them can ..

I'm playing vanguard, and with storm i can jump enemy players..

[King Shark]

This needs to be said on every TOR website on the internet. Huttball need not become WSG.

[Ghosty]

If you are not a healer or defender class then try to get ahead of your ball carrier to get a pass. The fastest way to score is to pass the damn ball.

Healers heal of course, but if you are a tank, use Guard on the ball carrier, use your stuns and taunts to help keep him alive as long as possible.

BTW using my aoe stun on the ball carrier and his healer in a fit pit is ftw!

[Lord Kristivas]

I used to play competitive Huttball, but then I took an arrow to the knee.

Seriously, PASS the ball! I hate when level 12s just try to run it in with 3 enemies beating on them, and someone's open at the goal.

[Deleted]

I would add some more info on pvping as a Juggernaut

I've PvPed a lot this past days with my Sith Warrior and I've noticed that a lot of level 50 healers are now actually strong. During leveling, it was plain easy to me to kill most healers by outdpsing their heals and even easier after learning my interrupt.

First to analyse, all people that engage PvP get a debuff called Trauma, that reduces the healing the receive by 30% while they are in combat. Here comes the PvP attribute named "expertise" that increase the damage and healing done while in combat against other players and also reduces the damage received by them. At level 50, the amount of expertise (mainly) and the other attributes (secondly) make healers pretty strong. They can outheal the damage they are receive while they're crunching your own health and killing you in the end.

What you can do to confront them? On thing. Play OFFENSIVE! Don't let them breath. Stay on them and dps them, interrupt them and faceroll them. Here some tips to help you.

1. Sith Juggernauts have 4 interrupts. Force Charge, Disruption, Force Push, Force Choke. Use them all.
2. They should be slowed ALL THE TIME. Refresh your Chilling Scream before it expires.
3. Keep your rage high. When their health points are below 60% you'll need to burst them.
4. Don't waste your interrupts on their damage abilities. Only use them on their heals and CC abilities (like Whirlwind).
5. Stack both your DoTs on them. That would push them hard.

So, an ideal battle would be to Saber Throw and Force Charge the healer, Chill Sream and stack your DoTs. Use interrupt for their first healing ability and Force Choke on their second. Burst them and interrupt their third healing ability with Force Push. Again, Saber Throw and Force Charge as soon he tries to cast his next heal. Burst again and use Enrage to keep your rage up. Interrupt would be up again if need it.

See you on Huttball, EU Hex Droid PvP

Check more on my blog

[Jaronicity]

I'm finding that the more 50s there are (I'm 40 currently) the more people seem to be trying to get the objectives. I've had several games in a row where it could have gone either way. Just won 5-2 and a 4-3 loss last night. As an assassin, I find I need to hit hard and fast otherwise my squishiness really shows. Of course it helps to have some heals, but I find healers are really lacking currently. Annnnd while I was writing this we lost 6-0 haha. Just one of those games full of dicks who think that getting them the ball will change the entire game and level 11s who just try to run the entire way. le sigh

[Sephiracle]

The problem currently with huttball is that it essentially requires your team not to be complete retards in order to be successful. It's really one of those team efforts that was sorely lacking in WoW bgs. Once the mentality of 'kill this random guy' instead of 'capture the objective' goes away it will be a blast to play.

[Khanjin]

Let me help you with Huttball.

Pass the god damn ball when you're at low health damn it! ESPECIALLY when you're 20 meters from the goal and I'm standing at the damn line! /pullhair

[asharia]

cant pass if you're stunned, just saying

[barkong]

I like huttball, its the only warzone where i can consistently farm 7-9 medals as a lowbie. ..... what? you mean farming medals isnt how you play this bg? ...........

But seirously though, they need to change how commendations and valor is rewarded, its hard for me to try to do objectives when you get more for mindlessly ignoring objectives and geting medals.

I even want to lose so i get less exp as i hate outleveling my quests but i also want to do warzones, its such a dilemma.

[Bucknazty]

I feel that the main problem with PvP, and ESPICALLY Huttball, is that if your not 50, and a 50 in pvp gear, you get rolled so damn hard. While running 4 person premades, I, as a Merc, could just plain not kill some of the premades we were facing. The reason for this is because of their pvp gear. Facing someone in their 4 set, they are amazingly strong, and when they touch me, I just explode lol. Few things to add.

CONTROLL MIDDLE. If your team has the ball, and you are on the other side of the map, go mid. Kill people waiting there and make sure to pick it up when it is neutraled.

THROW THE DAMN BALL AWAY IF UR GOING TO DIE (and no teammates are around). If you throw the ball away, and someone is waiting mid to grab it, scoring is cake.

Dont stand on the edge of shit. Like really. You are just asking for a Warrior to Force Charge you, or a powertech to pull you down.
One thing I will say is that pulls need to be nerfed. When a powertech can pull me, from the goal line, down into the pit, its dumb. The reason they can do this is becasue if they get to the edge of the inzone, they can just jump and have LoS to u. So many times I have been screaming in vent PASS THE BALL IM ON THE LINE, only to get it, and be pulled back down with no way to handle it. I understand countering stuff, but when i have nothing to LoS around and am 2 inches from the goal line, one should not be able to be pulled down lol.

[obdigore]

Its ok Buck, they are going to seperate the 50 and below 50 WZ's since they are getting a good group of level 50 players now.

---------- Post added 2012-01-11 at 12:57 AM ----------

Also as a tank-specced Jugg who dabbles, I feel like sharing the fact that using an AOE taunt reduces damage everyone it hits does unless they are hitting on you. One of my favorite things to do is, when my ball carrier is getting swarmed, jump in, aoe taunt, aoe slow, and yell 'RUN YOU FOOL' at the ball carrier. (Because no one can pass the ball except me, apparently...)

Also, Don't be the only guy on your team on the top level. It just makes it so easy for the enemy to jump to you and then straightline to the goal.

[Larynx]

Here's how you play Huttball as a sniper.

Sit on the top level and pew pew. If someone attacks you, stun them and use one of your two knockbacks.

Proceed to pew pew some more.