Simple question, can You help me with pros and cons? Talent trees favour the Survivalist, but the coolness rests with the BGH.

To me it depends mostly on where you go from those trees in regards to additional specs. If you want to add combat depth, then it favors Bounty Hunter, if you want to add face skills and pilot skills, then I would say BGH. The two specs themselves are so close it's hard to favor one over the other, I'd probably give it to BGH since you have the straight shot to Dedication, and the damage buff talents are interesting.

The survivalist is tougher, although not particularly tough compared to tanky class's.

Big Game Hunter has better skills and talents and has some so far unique talents, its also has more specs in the same career.

So over all i'd say take BGH over Survivalist unless you have a good reason not too. (can't think of one)

It always felt odd to me that the Survivalist was actually better at hunting 'big game' than the Big Game Hunter, as it has the Hunter talent...

Don't have my books with me but isn't "hunter" a massivly inferior version of lethal blows?

Or did i miss something/thinking of something else?

It's Lethal Blows to critters and a Boost die to animal handling checks.

It always felt odd to me that the Survivalist was actually better at hunting 'big game' than the Big Game Hunter, as it has the Hunter talent...

Kind of like Survivalist is specced out like a Scout's write up reads....

True. But I think all the core book Explorer classes are weaksauce. The Scout lacking Stealth has always felt silly. Arguably, the Survivalist actually feels like it would make a better Scout.

It just feels odd that the Spec that is meant to be about hunting game... doesn't have the Talent that makes you better at hunting game. But a Bounty Hunter does...? Do people take out bounties on critters?

But so many Talents seem peculiar to me. Bodyguard having Barrage and Merc Soldier having Point Blank, when you'd have thought that would be swapped...

True. But I think all the core book Explorer classes are weaksauce. The Scout lacking Stealth has always felt silly. Arguably, the Survivalist actually feels like it would make a better Scout.

It just feels odd that the Spec that is meant to be about hunting game... doesn't have the Talent that makes you better at hunting game. But a Bounty Hunter does...? Do people take out bounties on critters?

But so many Talents seem peculiar to me. Bodyguard having Barrage and Merc Soldier having Point Blank, when you'd have thought that would be swapped...

Actually people do take out bounties on animals. Predatory animals destroying livestock all throughout history have had prices on their heads. So it's a possible scenario for a rough rim planet kind of scenario.

Bodyguard makes little sense to me either.

Haha, sounds like Greedo would have been better off accepting bounties on womp rats then!

I still reckon BGH should have had the 'Hunter' Talent though...

Thanks for the advice, BGH it is then, but yeah, the missing hunter talent is a bit weird.... I guess I can always jump into Survivalist talent tree if he lives long enough xD

It's Lethal Blows to critters and a Boost die to animal handling checks.

Not just handling 'em - shooting 'em, too.

Turly a must have talent, for any serious hunter.

Not so much "must have" as good value. The Boost increases the chance you'll Crit so also increases the chance you'll get use out of the Lethal Blows element of the talent.

The first rank of it is 10 pts and is easily accessible, too.

I'm thinking of going for AoR Tactician for my second spec.

I can just imagine the what the dignitary I'm BodyGuarding would say if I tried one maneuver of BodyGuard-2 and another of SideStep-2.

Probably something like, "Why make it so hard to hit me that they all shoot at you... and kill me with despair!"

BGH has the sexy sexy talent Bring it Down. Damage equal to targets brawn? Yes please.

Logically, you should pick Survivalist for soft spot instead since it's so much more Versatile.
An easy 3-4 damage boost to anything for 10 xp
VS
Bring it down for 25 xp and the bottom of the tree, and damage that can fluctuate?

however, there is something sort of inherently badass about yelling "BRING IT DOWN, NOW." when you're fighting a Rancor or something.

It's Lethal Blows to critters and a Boost die to animal handling checks.

Not just handling 'em - shooting 'em, too.

It's Lethal Blows to critters and a Boost die to animal handling checks.

Not just handling 'em - shooting 'em, too.

Note, too, that you'd add any Lethal Blows ranks if you had them. So buy a bit into just about any combat spec, like the Sharpshooter, and you are one very deadly hunter.

Yah, combined with plain ol Aim, some Quick Strike maybe, a gun with some Accuracy, and you could have more Boost dice in a pool than anything else.

It's Lethal Blows to critters and a Boost die to animal handling checks.

Not just handling 'em - shooting 'em, too.

Note, too, that you'd add any Lethal Blows ranks if you had them. So buy a bit into just about any combat spec, like the Sharpshooter, and you are one very deadly hunter.

Yah, combined with plain ol Aim, some Quick Strike maybe, a gun with some Accuracy, and you could have more Boost dice in a pool than anything else.

I've seen a character (Explorer with Big-Game Hunter and Scout) with Stalker 4. Four Boost on every Coordination and Stealth roll is pretty significant.

I've seen a character (Explorer with Big-Game Hunter and Scout) with Stalker 4. Four Boost on every Coordination and Stealth roll is pretty significant.

It certainly does allow a player to invest points in other skills with that many Boost dice for those.