2-3 sentences?* Surely you kid... Mercenary: Pyrotech (main) / Bodyguard (secondary) I am an active PvE player, with NM content under my belt, despite the shortcomings of the Merc AC's.* I have played all 3 specs in both PvE and PvP, but I will focus on Pyro and Bodyguard since they are my preferred specs, and the 2 that I regularly go between. 1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes? PvE DPS:* Pyrotech is "weak", well below the damage capability of other DPS classes.* Not worth taking in HM or NM ops if a sniper or sorc is available.* Or a marauder.* Or anything else really. PvP DPS: A total non-threat.* Lack of significant damage (burst and sustained) only makes Pyro a nuisance to opponents.* To teammates, Pyro is an inferior dps slot and incapable of defending a node due to the lack of defensive cooldowns.* Not as easy to kill as Arsenal due to mobility, but still a free kill.* A waste of space in a RWZ group. PvE Heals:* An adequate healer, however sub-par to a sorc or operative.* Lack of a stong AoE, coupled with expensive abilities and an unforgiving resource makes them a liability on encounters where there is a lot of group wide damage.* Best used as a tank healer. PvP Heals:* Difficult to kill, due to amount of instant abilities and the talent which allows them to become uninterrupted.* Easy to counter though, because they aren't a strong multi-target healer.* Sit a marauder on them, and they won't be able to heal anyone else. 2. How do you perceive your own spec? PvE DPS:* I love the mechanics and play style of Pyrotech, but am thoroughly disappointed with the damage output and lack of utility.* Compared to the Powertech version of Pyro, Merc:Pyro is a joke.* Damage is "acceptable" for most groups, however it is bottom of the charts with no utility to make up for the lack of damage output.* I chose pyro for it's mobility (I hate being a turret), but 2 primary abilities require me to be standing still (Power Shot and Unload).* Oddly enough (sarcasm), PT:Pyros don't have a cast time on a single ability that they use on a regular basis (Rocket Punch and Flame Burst). -Power Shot as a staple ability sucks, plain and simple.* Especially compared to what PT's get in the form of Flame Burst.* A 100% chance to proc CGC versus a 40% is RIDICULOUS.* On top of that, Flame Burst is instant (vs a 1.5 activation time) and does significantly more damage than Power Shot.* -Rail Shot doesn't do nearly as much damage as many feel that it should.* Again, PT's see larger Rail Shot numbers because they have more armor-pen via talents and HVGC. -The recent nerfs to Death From Above places it significantly behind other AoE abilities.* It has not only the smallest area of effect, but the longest cooldown of all the AoE abilities.* If the intent is for sweeping blasters to be used more, then that ability needs a damage boost and a heat reduction.* I could be OK with the current damage of DFA if it had a shorter CD, or a larger area of effect. -Although more an issue in PvP, we are also extraordinarily weak defensively.* Heavy armor has little-to-no effect on our survivability, and our personal bubble is a wast of a GCD when compared to the defensive CD's that other classes have.* Further crippling us (and the groups we are in) is the lack of a REAL interrupt.* Bosses are immune to all of our "interrupts". PvP DPS:* See the above.* -Also, PvP is where our lack of defense and utility really rears it's head.* With the resolve system, we have no dependable escape mechanism.* Our knockback(s), stun, and CC are all dependant on the resolve of our opponent NOT being full.* Same goes for interrupting ranged or healers.* -The "root" that we can talent from CGC is ineffective, because CGC only has a 40% of occuring, so it doesn't even count in the minds of most mercs because it is so unreliable. PvE Heals:* Healer Mercs are capable, but still way behind the other healers as far as healing ability.* Although I have less heat issues healing than with DPS, the resource itself is problematic. -Merc AoE and group healing is sub-par.* Kolto Missile doesn't hit enough targets in OPs, and lacks the DoT element of the Sorc "purple puddle".* If a group takes a large hit of AoE damage (a mechanic in some encounters) a merc will overheat 2x trying to heal the group and people still die. -Healing abilities are resource heavy, esp our big heal, which is 25% of our resource pool. -The inability to target yourself with Rapid Shots forces BH healers to waste their valuable heat on themselves, instead of tanks and/or players. -Supercharged Gas, it just isn't super anymore.* Or charged.* It's just gas at this point. PvP Heals:* Again, they are capable up healing 1-2 targets, and great at keeping a tank/ball carrier alive.* However, they are easy to control due to how they have to heal themselves (no rapid shots).* On a broader note, Chaff Flare doesn't do a damn thing.* Why not make it useful as a defensive CD in PvP? A lot of BH players have suggested a targeted jet-jump as a defensive option for Mercs, and I think that is a fantastic idea to help us maintain range, and to escape from dangerous situations, without having to worry about whether or not our attacker has a full resolve bar. I hate to mention WoW, but Merc:BG needs something like Holy Paladins' "Beacon", where they recieve a small % of their healing done, so that they don't have to waste heat on themselves.* Or just let them use Rapid Shots on themselves. In Summary, here are your "3" sentences.* There are more since I am covering 2 specs. Merc:Pyro damage is sub-par and unacceptable when compared to PT:Pyro's.* And pretty much every other DPS spec. Merc defenses are weak, and we have no reliable way to escape from "danger". Mercs in general are lacking in unique or useful group utility.* Battle res available from other classes, armor pen debuff from other classes.* Pyro and BG don't even offer a debuff or buff. Merc healers need better group healing utility. Merc healers need better resource management.