So, let me preface this and say that ive been mmo gaming for almost 15 years. I pvp in every game i play, pretty extensively. I have a tendency to love underpowered classes, mostly because ive come to learn that in most cases, they have a much higher learning curve and take some skill to play. In almost all cases, with some dedication i could take any underpowered class and make them competitive. Never top of the class, as it were, but played well enough that it definitely was not something to be ignored.
Generally, i adore pvp. PvP is in almost all games, the central thing i base my time around, once ive hit end game. But not in this case. Its simply not a possibility.
At this juncture ive played most versions of the classes, and invested heavily trying to learn the different specs, abilities. Jug, Sorc, Op, Merc, with time invested in healing, dps, and tank specs to get a good feel. Ive spent weeks of play time, millions (probably billions) of credits, hundreds of dollars, and hours of my time tweaking my characters after extensive reading of posts, websites dedicated to SWTOR pvp, and asking in game advice. Ive been using both PVE and then PVP set ups just to taste the difference.
You know what my ultimate conclusion is?
There is too much wrong with SWTOR PVP to make it fun. In fact, there is so much wrong with PVP that i absolutely loath pvp in SWTOR.
There are classes that you could literally pound your face into a keyboard with green gear and faceroll pvp geared opponents. There are classes that at the highest tier (unranked) pvp gear can barely kill others, but only after using all cooldowns, god forbid anything else comes by, because you can't even run away. Entire classes are so pvp screwed up that without a singular ability they are otherwise useless, and can be generally ignored. The single thing that just....burns me so bad, is the CC is so unevenly metered out, and done in such terrible way, that there is no "escape" unless you have stealth abilities, and even then, there are classes that can chase you down and face roll you.
Frankly, there are class specs that no matter the tweaking, the buffs, the stims, med packs, gear, or pure dedication to learning the class are ever viable other than pure kill fodder for everything else. There are class specs so vastly terrible that i had a hard time believing they could be that bad. Even mediocre classes are so vastly destroyed compared to the FOTM classes that it's nigh on pointless to play in ANYTHING other than a PREMADE.
In 15 years of gaming, i have never felt more frustrated, more cheated, than at this time. I have never seen a game that is this far past release with such abysmal PVP balance, terrible Dev Response about PVP, and utter lack of attention to such a HUGE section of MMO customer base.
There are a million and one posts screaming about Nerf everything but their own favorite class. And i can understand. But, then everyone screams about PVE balance and how nerf this nerf that and you'd kill the PVE part of that class. That's a copout, and a poor excuse for pure laziness and a continuing dismal and insulting disregard for what seems to be (or should be) a huge part of the game.
Let me be clear, im not espousing any singular FOTM nerfing, buffing, or LTP kind of talk about any singular class. Because they ALL need a HUGE pvp revamp. The classes AS THEY ARE, are so mismatched, over and under balanced as to be purely cringe worthy, from any one trying to evaluate the PVP part of the game.
Whats even more crazy is that there are so many solutions to the problem im astonished someone in the deve team hasn't already put one into place.
Multiple games (who i will not name here) have implemented PVP only usages to skills in the game. Adding, subtracting, altering, the way the skill works ONLY when used versus another player. Let's not pretend in a game, in this day in age, and at this point in mmo development, that such a "in the background" kind of coding could not be implemented.
Im sure we as a player base could point our fingers to a dozen other examples that could easily aid in fixing the embarrassment that is PVP in SWTOR. And maybe at some point the Devs will actually stop and listen to us, but i t think, at least for me, that will be far to long, and far to late.
I love the story of SWTOR, i love the game mechanics, i love the SH, the worlds, the abilities, i love this game, but for me, after playing Ops through, or Smugg through for the second, or third time....and my new found hate (at least in SWTOR) of pvp and how end game now forces me to pvp for companions.....yeah, ill have left before it's fixed.
I think, if the devs actually read this, and dont toss it aside as just another rant, is this simple thing. i spent MONTHS trying to love PVP, trying any number of classes and combinations. Casual players, even hardcore PVPers, WONT spend that much time searching for the right class to play. PVP is a huge leaking sieve for SWTOR and unless its fixed, there's a huge population of gamers that will come in, do KOTFE (cause, ooh shiney) and then leave because there is nothing there to keep them.
