I'm more of a healer but occasionally DPS for PVP and PVE raids, so I'm not an expert on the Lightning/Madness trees but somewhat familiar, having said that here is my question/comment: Is Polarity Shift really worth it? Is 20% Alacrity for 10 seconds that great? I'm personally not a huge fan of alacrity, it's ok but not my first, second, or third, or fourth choice for buffs, modifications, etc. Is your experience with alacrity different? Columi/Rakata is loaded with alacrity and generally people try to trade out the mods for other stats, ie. there's already too much alacrity just gained from items. Seriously does alacrity help that much? The point could be moved from Polarity Shift to Haunted Dreams for that increase in casting whirlwind speed, it might give you a little more utility and save you when an add pops up. It seems like personal preference though, the point could also be placed into Lightning Spire for that extra range when you need it. That's all I got. Looks like a fun build

Interesting build and thank you for sharing it. It bothers me that you put points into Efficacious Currents but then didn't follow up by putting any points into Lightning Barrier. I know why you didn't, because you don't use consumption and therefore don't need Dark Resilience but you still had to work up the tree. However, since you put no points into Lightning Barrier, your shields are weaker (but cast fast from Efficacious Currents... whats the point of casting weak shields quickly.... enlighten me) and anyone who gets your shields are going to take more damage then from a healer casting a 2 point Lightning Barrier on them. You put a point into Sith Defiance for a 1% reduction of damage to you? That could've been placed in Lightning Barrier instead and would potentially prevent a lot more damage then 1% to you as it would be used on the entire team. With Subversion, You have to cast Lightning Strike to get a 10% increase in Force regeneration for 10 seconds.That's 30 force points x 3 = 90 force points for a 30% force regen buff for 4 seconds'ish, that doesn't seem smart. It stacks three times but I don't think you are casting Lightning Strike three times within that 10 seconds to see 30% for 10 seconds very often. You're definitely not in Nightmare Mode Raids or HM Raids with Columi, you will be healing during that time. Force regen isn't very fast and a 30% buff for 10 seconds doesn't seem like it would help much. I will absolutely try it though and certainly admit if I am wrong but I really do not expect to see much difference with it. With a 1.8 second delay, at best you are looking at 4 seconds of 30% force regen improvement.... great. I hope the meter implemented in 1.2 will cover regen. have you ever stood there and let force recover, it takes a while so a 30% (at absolute best for maybe 4 seconds) improvement is nothing to be tooting your horn over. I think you are crazy for implying healers don't use big heals. I have mostly Rakata with a couple columi pieces and I still use my big heals frequently, what are you using on your tanks fighting HM/Nightmare Raid bosses? Innervate? I'll call B.S. on that. What do you use to heal your tank after he been alphastriked for 40% of his health by multiple bosses? Resurgence? I'll call B.S. on that. What heal do you use on your DPS when he accidently aggros a group of HM raid elites? It does happen, even to the best of people. No, but really what heal do you use? I would love to know what magical button Im missing that's better then innervate + Dark Infusion. The tanks I work with are generally in full Rakata (sometimes they have some columi) and I have 2 points in lightning barrier and I keep the shields up at all times and I still use big heals, so frankly I think anyone who says we don't need our big heals is full of jawa dung. I digress, I will have to try your build and then compare it with the same build but with the 2 points put into Dark Resilience as it may equate to less force being used with consumption and do better then your Lightning Strike regen method. I'm skeptical of the force returns you are claiming in your build. There is no way I'm putting a point into Sith Defiance when Static barrier is at 0. So if I used your build I will absolutely change that. Thanks for posting though, the build (with some modification) is certainly worth trying out.

No, he did not get fixed and as of now has not been fixed for the 1.2 patch either, but don't worry you got nerfed and whether you dps or heal you won't be doing it as well anymore. Hope that makes up for not fixing your last (and supposed to be best) companion.

I love how the testing is done in full columi with some rakata pieces on Black Talon, arguably the easiest of all HM FPs, not even a HM or Nightmare Raid. The fact the person had such a hard time in the least difficult hardmode speaks volumes about the extensiveness of the nerf. Most healers don't start out in all rakata/columi when doing HMs or raids, so I will love to see how long sorcs get into raid groups even just starting out, unless they are already overgeared. PVE Healers who wanted a lightsaber are going to have a rude awakening when 1.2 comes out, and so will bioware.

No I won't. Why? 1.2

I too agree that player expectation may have killed war but it was also the way nerfs and balancing took precedence over bug fixing and adding content. Didn't surprise me though, it is Mythic we're talking about. Its funny how much SWTOR is being run like Warhammer. I expect the same results. At this point I'm amused watching games fail because the developers just don't get it.

My sub lasts longer then the release of 1.2 so I won't quit, I just won't renew again. I already am starting to not log in and do other things instead. 1.2 is going to absolutely destroy the remaining population. The problem isn't with nerfs and balancing, its with Bioware's priority list. There are raid bosses who still bug frequently, there are companions that don't function correctly (such as xalek missing his defense), there are skill trees that are completely screwed up and worthless at higher levels. They added very little new content whatsoever. Instead of fixing and adding they are balancing (nerfing/taking away), that was what happened in Warhammer Online and it's pretty much dead now despite being a relatively new game. Same thing will happen to SWTOR, this game will be a ghost town and you can expect massive server merges. People are upset and 1.2 hasn't come out. People are cancelling and 1.2 hasn't come out yet. Wait till it actually comes out and even more people quit. The Secret World is looking very nice Diablo 3 is also right around the corner (it will be huge) I will go off and play those games and won't look back, simply because Bioware is going in a completely different direction priority wise then what I want... and I will spend my money accordingly. 1.2 is SWTOR's NGE. All the people who stay will be investing their time into a niche/dying game and that's fine... I just choose not to.

Nerfs across the board except to marauders, fundamental changes to mechanics and gameplay while ignoring bugs and adding very little new content. Player community in disarray, I'd say its almost identical.

The Secret World is looking very good, and who won't be playing Diablo 3? I just can't believe bioware can't see the train wreck they are causing to their own game. They are pushing people away, even now and 1.2 hasn't even released yet. It's crazy. This game isn't going to survive through 2012. Amazing for a game with such a big name tied to it. I remember when the devs of: Asheron's Call 2 thought they knew everything and didn't listen to the players. Matrix Online thought they knew everything and didn't listen to the players. SWG thought they knew everything and didn't listen to the players. Warhammer Online thought they knew everything and didn't listen to the players. I hope bioware goes through with 1.2 the way they have it planned. it will be funny to watch.

this is why most pve hm level sorc healers are either rerolling as marauders or quitting. The secret world comes out 6/15/12.

Says the guy who doesn't play a sorc and has little clue about it whatsoever but its all good, let the nerf stick/fundamental game changes fly. Plenty of new games coming out, diablo 3 on 5-15 right around 1.2 its all good.

People who've actually played sorc healers on PTS are reporting problems with HM/NM raids and can't keep up with heals despite rakata gear, etc. I think this thread was initiated by people getting paid by bioware under the table and is a complete understatement acting like PVE won't be effected at all. If changes aren't made it will have a huge effect. Pvp is a disaster for sorc's now, which is also why they don't want it discussed. We'll see what happens after 1.2 comes out.

25 but will be used more since Ive seen the 1.2 patch notes, sorc healer goes on the shelf. Since sorc healer was my only 50 and only class I really cared to play I will move off to D3, or whatever game interests me, and stop playing swtor altogether. Why level a marauder to 50 only to see it get nerfed and changed. I'd rather not waste my time with a game being ran like warhammer online.

I understand you can get armor from PVE rewards after 50? Is this armor better then equivalent level purple armor? Where and how do you attain this armor/weapons? Is it from doing dailies in Ilum and belsavis? Is it from doing HM FPs and is it the same armor as from dailies? Sorry for the noob question but I just hit 50 and didn't see a lot of info on this topic.

Using ashara. I have her geared up and send her in to tank the biggest bosses. I'm a heal spec sorc though.

I always get all the side quests in the same area as class quest, or just all the quests you can fit into your log, then do them and turn them all in when convenient. Made levelling fast for me.

I agree I always arrived at the next planet two levels higher then the missions I had there. Do some more FPs and get better gear, do those quests you skipped past that might be a level or two beneath you, PVP for a little bit, also make sure to always complete the bonus mission/s that come with your quests, and do the heroics. There's really no reason there should be a lull in "doable" quests or only getting missions many levels higher. I see absolutely no reason one would need to farm or grind in this game.

So let me get this straight... You are complaining about the game being too hard without companions in a game which gives you the choice of using many companions and when to use them, or not at all. Got it. I feel really sorry for game developers, the level of idiocy of the public/customers is astonishing.

I got group heal as soon as I could and used it for about 1 hour before resseting and putting the points into lightning for the static barrier 20% increase, now at 50 I can put 2 points into sith defiance or one in sith ddefiance and one into the group heal. Here's my problem (your mileage may vary): 1. Group takes too long to cast My experience was by the time I cast it, everyone had run out of the radius of it or got blown back by the boss and out of its radius. 2. Takes too long to target. This might only be my problem, but when targeting even with lightning storm it takes me a couple seconds to get it where I want it. Same issue with group heal, I spend several seconds trying to target it in the right place, and those seconds are crucial in boss fights when I could just be going through my chain healing each person individually. I have done well healing single target and just quickly rotating between the members of my group during my heal chains, but I'm wondering if I will absolutely need to have the group heal to do FPs (including hard modes) and if I should just take a point out of sith defiance and put it into the group heal. Thoughts, comments, criticisms, concerns, advice welcome. Thanks! TLDR; Group heal seems to take too long in all aspects and does not seem worth it, is it?