My point of view as an Arsenal Merc with one of the top PvE guilds with DPS meter up during Ops, etc. PvE View from others: - I can give a "decent" amount of "sustain" damage over time with exception of possibly the first 5-10s if Unload happens to proc., where I'll shoot right up in the meter. - As for utilities I can cc in combat where with the right CD it'll be an instant in combat cc which can be useful if we need an emergency cc BUT don't expect any interrupting from us. View from ME: - While it "feels" that I'm doing allot of damage the meter tells me otherwise., it's "not bad" BUT we shouldn't be dealing this much less DPS than the Marauders.....it's embarrassing at times! - i like how the rotation is played at the moment but at times it does seems we're spamming only one ability for another to proc BUT it has improved in 1.3. - The ability to make a "cast" ability instant is great., either for cc or that emergency self healing! - I do struggle on bosses where movement is require to get out of AoE as the main ability of unload and TM require me to be still so e.g. If unload proc and I start using but I need to move then I loose it all. PvP.....I'm full Warhero, Conquerer. View from others: - A Merc....must be a healer! - have the potential to do some damage if left alone and/or have a pocket healer. - A Merc! Mark, interrupt and take him down! View from ME: - it is right now soooooo frustrating that I've given up PvPing till some thing changes! -in 1-1, interrupt my TM and I'll never get the rail shot stack or Unload to proc....bye bye DPS. - I can stun them once in a blue moon....it feels that way anyway. - the push back and self heal is probably the most useful. - if I happen to be left alone to do some DPS any "burst" if you can consider it a burst will push me to the heat limit. - but generally Merc is being targeted as people know if left alone we can do damages and we're easy defenseless take down...yes, even with all our defensive CD's.

With 1.3 shaping up tobe for the PvPers out there with rank war zones., could you please give us a estimate time line of when we could expect to see more PvE content such as Denova Nightmare? I know you previously said that you're planning to speed it up but having some sort of time line would greatly help in calming those of us who's just craving for more new PvE stuff to do. Thanks

Same here, clear the HM with all the trash and it was still un-lootable....tbh it doesn't surprise me anymore

Truth be told i'm not a number crunsher but there's two raiders in our Denova team who are a Merc (me and our DPS Officer) obviously we don't have the numbers pre 1.2 but our rotation is as good as it can be yet for each bosses in Denova (single target) we're doing 100K+ less damage than a Sorcerer with similar gear that's about 25% less....and that can't be right!!

On Kephiss we found that the damage isn't actually cause by the AoE but by the grapple when he drags you in., we've been successfully clearing him on HM by having everyone LoS by the entrance door and the Tank keeping him at the far end bt the container . One or two still get the grapple effect and start taking damage periodically but the healers should be able to heal through.

Yes I agree with you I think the more casual Op people MAY struggle with the 2nd boss (I haven't gone there with my casual team yet) as there's many mechanics to it., but for the 1st and 3rd boss is I think OK BUT we have to wait and see whether people can pound through the 2nd boss. Its not a perfect system but I guess Bioware's was also hoping people will farm the new dailies for the new Blackhole gear which may help them clear the content.

I run with TWO op teams from TWO guilds and in both cases we found it challenging but in a good way that make us keep trying to progress (both successfully and unsuccessfully) and as such we're happy for EC to keep it current difficulty. Op1 - I would say your average Op team. - Mostly Columi with 1-2 Rakata's. - We're EV HM 4/5 and KP norm 3/5. - We op 2-3 times a week going to different places each night and not necessary try to clear the place. - On our first run at EC normal we spent 3hrs before managing to down the first boss. Op2 - A straight up Raiding guild, - Mostly Rakata with 1-2 Columi. - Cleared EV and KP NM. - Use to raid 4 times a week but by the end of 1.1 we were clearing the content in one night. - We started straight into HM EC and it generally took us 1-2 4hr night to learn and clear the boss...until we got to Kephess that we're working on. As said, under the above condition I'm happy with the current difficulty but its definitely not for PUG's and I DO understand how some might see it as over-tune BUT if you do a bit of reading on the tacts and have the appropriate gear as above then i really don't see why people can't progress through (fast or slow).

Hi guys, There's been numerous discussion/arguments/trolls on the subject of whether EC is too hard and as such whether it need nerfing; so I though I start this. Please try to keep this tread as factual as possible. I thought if people can give more specific details of the group/gear/Ops experience they have going into EC and whether you find it challenging in a good or bad way will help to give perspective to your argument and for others to compare notes

When could we expect to see some new sets of PvE gear and would the look deviate from the current theme that MANY people are complaining of its ugliness? cheers!