Our group reached level 9 last night and my Vesk Soldier has a few options. The problem is that I have an interpretation that I have to make and talk to my GM about.
I wanted to get a little advice from the guys in this forum.
At level 9 the Soldier gets a secondary fighting style. The rules ready as follows:
"SECONDARY FIGHTING STYLE 9th Level
You choose another fighting style. Once you choose this second style, it cannot be changed.
SECONDARY STYLE TECHNIQUE 9th Level
At 9th level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a style technique unique to your secondary fighting style. For the purposes of these style techniques, treat your soldier level as equal to your soldier level – 8."
As it's written, this makes these styles very weak. Let's look at them for my lvl 9 choice?
Arcane Assailant - Already have a hybrid item. Nothing here.
Armor Storm - An unnarmed attack that does the damage of a lvl 1 battleglove? Pass
Blitz - Ok, so this is actually useful. Too bad that by this time, 2 feats could have easily substituted for this ability, and I already took this at level 1.
Bombard - Using a level 1 grenade as my action? I bet my GM would LOVE that.
Guard - Finally something that is useful although slightly useful.
Hit and Run - A feat? Ok.. so this isn't useful either.
Sharpshoot - Another semi useful ability. However my soldier is melee focused.
As it's written, it seems that you use your soldier level - 8 to make all determinations for these styles.
Another interpretation could be that you use your soldier level - 8 only to determine the style techniques you are granted by the style and that your actual soldier level determines the effect of style techniques. Looking at it this way,
Arcane Assailant - Again, nothing here.
Armor Storm - An unarmed attack as a lvl 9 battleglove. Useful and since I already have melee striker. This is again, quite useful.
Blitz - Useful. And at lvl 14, the next technique is useful too.
Bombard - A level 9 grende. That's worth a standard action.
Guard - Still slightly useful.
Hit and Run - Hit and Run on the first and 2nd turns of combat is useful.
Sharpshoot - Still Semi useful.
However looking ahead to level 14 and the next secondary style these also remain relevant.
If the interpretation were valid, then this actually makes these styles viable choices for this level of the game. Otherwise they provide little benefit, especially any technique that uses the soldier level to make a determination.
Thoughts?
Pretty sure it's the first one.
The weakness of a few styles as secondary ones has been pointed out and discussed, you can probably find the threads still.
Beyond that, I mostly agree with your evaluations.
There are some low level grenades that stay useful forever, but at this point they're cheap enough.
However, some of the styles will give you very nice stuff later on, after a week first technique, so keep that in mind if your game can last long enough. Could be more than worth it even if you only ever get the level 13 thing.
Also : don't neglect range entirely, it's bound to come back to haunt you at some point.
Finally, Armory gave us Shock and Awe, which could be good here. As long as you stick to powered weapons.