Just wondering if I should include it in a PVE/PVP tank spec I'm looking to make. Free close-range AOE snare is nice and all, but I'm wondering about people's experience with it. Also, what IS the length of the GCD by default and how would this talent affect that? Would the 0.5 sec reduction take place after any other ability is used, allowing this to be hit faster than another attack or defense ability? Or does this only kick in after Freezing Focus is used?

Hence my question if anyone knew whether the extra attacks/dmg from an offhand blaster resulted in extra chances to proc CGC. If so, our proc rate is something like 65% on Rapid Shots, I believe.

I wouldn't call Jet Boost 'largely ineffective', but it could do with a better cooldown, damage, or a movement/defensive buff. The tier 2 PT talent spec for a snare on CBC is actually not bad at all, it's just that our chance to proc it needs to be higher than +6%. Come to think of it , related question for those experienced/knowledgeable Pyrotech mercs out there: is the chance to proc Combustible Gas Cylinder higher with 2 blasters, since there's more shots, or is it just the three procs like you see when healing with Combat Support Cylinder? Because if it's the former, the current +6% chance to proc CGC talent might not actually need tweaking.

Put simply: the developers didn't think things through. We don't have an interrupt because they didn't have the ability to think of a way to give us an interrupt without making us 'OP' in PvP. Yes, it's stupid, when you consider the mechanic of not applying an effect, or even disallowing an attack to hit a player AT ALL, is present in something like 20-30 different abilities that have been in the game since beta. For movement / escape abilities, ya got me there. We have a jetback, but all it's apparently good for is to punch people and do an occassional knockback. It's silly and makes us easy targets when you consider our damage output and survivability isn't anywhere near OP when played competently, but then I guess having heavy armor makes absolutely everything okay with us, right? /sarcasm This last part is kinda personal preference, but we don't rally NEED an execute ability, it's not necessary to balance PvE and PvP. Leaving out some abilities for the sake of variety between classes (as I think I've heard the devs state was intended) is fine, honestly; I'd think it was silly to have stealth on a guy carrying around ~50 kgs of heavy metallic arms and armaments who activates a jetpack every 30 seconds. Just my $0.02.

I know, some other people in the thread thought it should be the case though. Just giving the flipside of why that might not be a good idea for them. I'll quote them next time so there's less confusion.

While I fully support Social Points being tied to legacy, because those things are simply a massive pain to accumulate (my server isn't incredibly high-pop most days), as for Valor? No, Valor is an indicator of PvP experience. Those with higher Valor will end up in higher ranked BZs, where the players are (or at least should be) better geared for PvP. If you tie this to legacy, your newly 50 dude in basic eliminator gear could be up against those in full Battlemaster or War Hero equipment. Let's keep valor where it is and tie social points to legacy...OR, better yet, simply REDUCE the # of social points needed to rank up in that area.

God, there is just so much wrong with that paragraph, I barely even know where to begin. You think the botched job of programming for things like HSM is somehow the fault of the players posting on the forums. You conflate an animation change with actual effect mechanics modifications. You fail to account for the fact that many non-Mercs were complaining about the playstyle of Arsenal, probably several times over more than ALL mercs themselves. You advocate not talking to BW on these boards, set up specifically for this purpose, about problems or suggestions with the class and instead abandoning the class entirely if you have any problem with it. I've not seen a series of statements so out of touch with reality in a long time, nor a worse attitude to your fellow AC members. These are the sort of terribly reasoned and presented arguments you see from spoiled children who are forced to share their toys. Grow up, the animation change is a stupid thing to spend any amount of time complaining about and the problems with the Merc class are the fault of the developers and programmers, not the players.

Oh bite me. I played Arsenal all the way from 1 to 50, then stayed that way for weeks before trying anything new. I've done all 3 trees pre- and post-1.2 and have been lobbying for better treatment of Mercs on these boards since that patch was announced. Your bellyaching about a stupid animation change, especially one that makes sense (new animation use a wrist mounted laser to designate the target, how does that NOT scream 'Tracer Missile'), when there are so many more noteworthy problems with the Mercenary / Commando is beyond inane. Oh, and btw: I NEVER lobbied for an animation change on these boards, I simply found the unexpected change in 1.2 to be one of the few small silver linings for our AC.

I like all of this so far, especially the better rewards amount / options bit. Give us an option to select extra PVP stims/medpacks (discounted rate overall of course) instead of some of our comendations. Better yet, make it an option to choose legacy bound kits to construct lower-level PVP gear. That way we can gear up our alternate charactesr a little bit every week, promote more diversity among the PVP players across all servers in general.

My sympathies, PvP can be frustrating at the best of times, much more so if your allies aren't thinking their actions through. Not sure changing the objectives is necessary, though, since I win about half the matches I'm in, on average, and I'm nowhere near excellently geared or a PVP virtuouso. My guess is that you're simply getting REALLY unlucky with herp-derp teammates. Maybe form a group of regular, decent PVPers in your guild/faction to get it done? If we're going to change the PVP daily objectives, though, I'd suggest something a little more, I dunno, individual-based? Maybe something like "Earn 30 medals in PVP Warzones". That way an individual player, even if their team really SUCKS, can accumulate medals based on their overall performance in specific areas and not be (as severely) penalized as you're getting to be right now.

Not Arsenal specced atm, but I liked the new animation after the switch when I was still throwing out TMs and HSMs. My vote is to keep the new animations.

Properly speccing Marksman is pretty mobile, what with instant Snipe and Followthrough.

-Good point about thermal detonator, though 1 second still feels very low. 2 sec is in line with all our other slows. -I'm still going to have to disagree on RS, a cheap (often free) high-powered, 70% AP instant ability at range is a bit much for us. Yes, Powertechs get 90%, but then this is one of the only ranged abilities they'll be using on a consistent basic whereas pretty much EVERYTHING Mercs get is ranged 30m. Something up to +20% AP with revised Madalorian Iron Warheads probably couldn't hurt now though, that I think about it. -Keep in mind that anyone playing Arsenal is going to have High-Velocity Gas Cylinder active, so they'll have at minimum 35% AP going at all times. Stacking extra to PS as well might be making it a bit much. A second look at the changes you're proposing bring PS into an Arsenal Mercs rotation nicely, but we need to be careful we don't make PS a MORE attractive option than TM. Good job, overall. Keep at this thread, so maybe the devs will read this.

Energy shield seems fine imo, reducing the CD would be nice but not necessary. Making electro dart apply IMMEDIATELY, though, that we do need. And HELL YES to the interrupt. For DFA, that's actually worse than it is right now, since they can continue casting. Just have it knock them down. Now, onto the talents... BODYGUARD: Empowered Scans-no, we need those stacks of CSC as often as possible, leave this one alone. Supercharged Gas-personally, I like the idea of it buffing damage too. raising the CD to ~20 seconds and making it vent 16 heat is really all that's needed. Power Shield-interesting, I like it. then again, I like the current talent too. maybe make the current talents effect standard and add either the insta-heal or +50% resist would work. Kolto Residue-except for the CD reduction (which isn't needed) this looks good; maybe swap out the CD bit for extra targets instead? Protective Field-looks like a good tradeoff Powered Insulators-nice, but not necessary Kolto Shell: makes sense, minor buff to a now considerably more resource intensive ability Warden: seems ok to me ARSENAL: Mandalorian Iron Warheads: honestly, I think this talent is fine as is. we have things to boost the effectiveness of RS already, so leave this one alone. Stabilizers: no, Concussion Missile is fine as is, leave this one alone. Muzzle Fluting: this seems a little too powerful. heavy nukes from a ranged class should require SOME downside. higher CD maybe? Afterburners: very interesting, I like it. the mechanics are already there with agents/smugglers as well, I think. Tracer Lock: you probably mean OR in between those two abilities and this doesn't seem needed/interesting Riddle: why power shot? no one in the arsenal tree is gonna use it. add it to the end of a successfully channeled Unload and yes, this would work to reduce TM spam some as intended. Pinning Fire: already works fine as is, not needed. PYROTECH: Superheated Gas: chance to proc increase is too high when you consider that rapid shots actually has 3 chances to proc overall. +5% per tier would work. Degauss: yes! this are good, implement this devs! Superheated Rail: this is already a powerful talent and, while I wouldn't mind some more 'oomph', in combination with the tier1 change talent to grant AP on RS, that's a bit too much. I'd say leave this one alone, but that's just me. Firebug: nah, leave it as is, it's fine there. Thermal Detonator: this seems very underpowered for it's place in the talent tree, maybe if you made it ~3 seconds?

Obliterate is actually a 10 meter range with no talents to increase it, apparently; not sure if gear sets might modify this. I'm not sure just how often jumping UP like that would come in handy. Not for Novarre Coast or Voidstar, maybe for Huttball if you can gauge the distance right. Good point about the low CD of their charge, though.