Just a thought, most of these lower level moves do create greatly desired effects. At the same time, most of them also have timers on the effects so isnt it a waste of a turn if it turns out that your high level attack doesnt roll high enough or activate in time?

Using one single lowbie attack wont give you the advantage ... that is clear ...

But now imagine using this combo: Overheadsmash (melee def and acc - 10pts), Iron guard (Melee Defense + 10pts), Blind (can't think of the ab name atm but blind is - 20 combat tactics), Skyhigh sidekick (- 10 pts melee resistance), Extreme Falling kick (43 DPS dmg) ....

Now it's very unlikely, that all these abilities will hit, but I think you know what I mean...

If your intending on downgrading someone with lowbie attacks, you wont only use a single one... You will chain them...

I gotta tell ya. The term, "Stick with your roots". totally applies here. Im not gonna blow smoke up your azz, but when using even the Gunman tree, or Knifeys. the lower level skils can save your neck. And when used in time with your more powerful abilitys, they can fill that 3 secs you are waiting for another more powerful ab to timer up. 

Cant tell you how many times them lower abs have positively affected most of my Operative builds. I highly suggest it.

But now imagine using this combo: Overheadsmash (melee def and acc - 10pts), Iron guard (Melee Defense + 10pts), Blind (can't think of the ab name atm but blind is - 20 combat tactics), Skyhigh sidekick (- 10 pts melee resistance), Extreme Falling kick (43 DPS dmg) ....

898989 wrote:

But now imagine using this combo: Overheadsmash (melee def and acc - 10pts), Iron guard (Melee Defense + 10pts), Blind (can't think of the ab name atm but blind is - 20 combat tactics), Skyhigh sidekick (- 10 pts melee resistance), Extreme Falling kick (43 DPS dmg) ....

"Misdirect Punch" but yeah I tend to think of it more as 'Blinding Backfist'. 

Because unlike other trees (where abilities have different versions, such as Logic Barrage, have different versions and therefore make the low lvl ones useless), MA doesn't suffer from this. The damage of your abilities scale up with level and some them continue to be essential at level 50.