Back to an older thread about PowerTechs. I have read several threads and posts about "Balancing in 6.0". When it comes to PvE, people desire a "Nerf PyroTech DPS down to the level of AP" and "Nerf PT DPS" at all. Yeah, sure, you can nerf the DPS if you give the class some love about DCDs. It's nothing new that PowerTechs are stuck in 4.x, they got nerfed to hell, the burst is pretty much the same as any other class. I am not quite sure what I'm trying to achieve with this post tho, just a bit bored I guess. Class wide: I have also read "Replace Translocate with something useful". My suggestion for this: Make Translocate an instant activation ability, it provides nice team support as well as kiting capability. You can add on each advanced spec / skill tree passives, such as damage absorption, which gives the PowerTech some sort of DCD as well. Class wide: Also, don't forget my suggestion about the Protecting Power Probe - For tank spec it's usable on team mates as well as on yourself, apsorbing X% damage of the next 5 incoming single target attacks. Effect lasts for 10 seconds. Any charges that are left when the effect wears off will heal for 5% HP Class wide: Rework PowerTech utilities, at all. If you wanna go for DPS you usually take 4 or 5 points in Skillful because all others are crap, lol. But don't give the PowerTech the same utilities as Mercenary has. Class wide: Give some sort of Pull, maybe like the Merc or Sorc has. Tank spec: I read this one somewhere else: An DCD for tank spec (after moving translocate class wide) with 1 minute cooldown, increasing your shield chance by 100% for 15 seconds and generating 2 heat every second. Can be cancelled manually earlier. Class wide: When using single target taunt you absorp a small amount of damage. PyroTech: Reduce Scorch DoT uptime from 30 seconds down to 15 seconds, reduce its damage and make it spreadable with Flame Sweep or Searing Wave (or maybe Shatter Slug, or Death from above?) Class wide: Kolto Overload is triggered at 40% HP. Also, kolto heals for 2% HP every second if you are above that 40% HP cap (Like in tank spec atm). Pyrotech: Kolto Overload triggers at 60% HP and lasts 2 seconds longer. In addition to this, the passive which reduces the Kolto Overload cooldown by 6 seconds every second if you're attacked is nerfed to 4 seconds instead of 6. Maybe reduce / increase duration and / or the provided damage reduction. Class wide: Reduce Hydraulic Override cooldown to 35 seconds (25 seconds with utility). Post if you like or dislike my ideas, suggestions welcome.

Imapowi / PowerTech / PyroTech / Imperial (obviously) "probably at least one powertech that signed up by mistake"

What do you guys think of a minor damage absorption when using the single target taunt? (for all specs) maybe as an utility providing the effect, idk...

My fault. I meant root breaker, not stunn breaker. Gotta edit that. Thanks for mentioning. Yes, sure. The problem is not about guard swapping (a dcd is not going to help for guard swaps, does it?). The point was related to the few root breakers (1) the PowerTech tank has, compared to jug and sin tank (3). The PPP will give the tank the opportunity to support the team members from far away, after he got pushed, for few seconds.

Instead of translocate. EDIT: It would actually be nice to give this ability to the PowerTech as a class itself. Maybe at somewhat level 30? or 50? I don't care, just need it at 70 But the capability to place the Protecting Power Probe (PPP) on a friendly target is a passive ability for the tank spec only. So DPS specs can place the PPP on themselves only, but tanks have the opportunity to place it on friendly targets as well as on themselves. This suggestion is for the tank spec only. Feel free to suggest some nice ability, utility or other ideas about the DPS specs (do NOT suggest moving any merc utility to the pt, please).

@Seterade, I am not going to quote your entire message. I hate it when people do that, I usually never read the quoted stuff anyway. First of all, your given numbers are wrong. Energy shield is NEVER going to be at a 30 seconds cooldown for advanced prototype. Also 40-50 seconds is very hard to achieve if enemies play hardswap (which means you won't get attacked at all for about half of the time, so your effect of reduced cd on energy shield is nullified). Kolto overload for pyrotech is going to be around 30 seconds if you get tunneled by 3-4 players, including dots. Whatever, in practise and fight, you will hardly get a cooldown of 30 seconds, it will be more likely 40-50 seconds, due to it depending very much on how hard you get raped / attacked. I guess you didn't read what I said. Your reasoning is all right, though you forget about the difference between pyrotech and advanced prototype. If you move trauma regulators from merc to powertech only, advanced prototype will be OVERPOWERED AF compared to pyrotech spec. I will quote myself so you can reread it: This is why moving either trauma regulators or the massive buff to kolto overload (heal to 60% and faster than before) won't ever fix the powertechs, nor balance anything. Please do not even think of suggesting "give both to the powertech". Just don't. Thanks. Imapowi

Hmmmm... I play AP PT once a week, maybe once every two weeks, maining pyrotech. Every ability has its usage, for advanced prototype I am not sure whether i can tell you any ability you can safely remove, not using it anymore. Beside that, Force Storm is decent DPS for the lightning sorc, dude! I play lightning sorc beside pyrotech a lot recently, and I make the same mistake as you do - I don't use Force Storm at all. Focussing on single target burst, though I am not sure whether lightning is supposed to be single target burst spec (it's probably not, have a look at chain lightning). Whatever, I queued double lightning sorc with a friend a few evenings in the past 1-2 weeks and he uses force storm quite often, unless enemies are in cc and we swap. And he ALWAYS outdpses me (well, he oudpses me for 90% of the matches). So I guess it's better to get used to using force storm if the enemies stack a lot.

I've just created a thread for the ability suggestion "Protecting Power Probe": http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=952091 Anyone got ideas for the class in general? As that ability is some suggestion that would rather replace translocate than going on the whole class itself.

Yes, buff PowerTech. As it's more simple to buff one class than to nerf all other classes. For the original discussion: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=951936 The following suggestion is for the PowerTech Shieldtech spec / tank. Protecting Power Probe Provides 6 charges of a Protecting Power Probe. Each charge is going to absorb 7000 of the next incoming single target damage. The charges last for 15 seconds. This ability can be placed on yourself, as well as on a friendly target. If there's any charge left after the duration of this ability, each charge explodes one by one, with a rate limit of 1 second, damaging nearby enemies for 5000 kinetic damage. Cooldown for the "Protecting Power Probe" 90 seconds. Background The PowerTech tank lacks of both dcds + team support (besides *cough* translocate and carbonize). Also, the shieldtech has 1 single root breaker every 45 respectively 35 seconds (with utility Iron Will). Compared to assassins and juggernaut tanks: Each mentioned class has up to 3 root breakers, with a much lower cool down duration. Protecting Power Probe would implement a new heavy and really powerful team supporting ability versus hardswap teams. Also, it will prevent the PT tank to be tanktunneled within 30 seconds.

I agree with you, it's easier to buff one class than to nerf all the other classes / specs. Whatever, I haven't mentioned "what's possible to be changed", I said "what'd be the most clever thing they could do". Agreed! PowerTech is the easiest class in the game (for PvP, never played PvE for real), both dps and tank specs, maybe lethality operative is on the same level. Advanced Prototype is easier than Pyrotech, so I understand why (most) people want the utility that heals you for 40% after energy shield pops. The problem is, they forget about the other specs. Just moving a utility from mercenary won't work for the PowerTech. Here are my examples: - Advanced Prototype The utility that heals you for 40% after energy shield pops is going to make this spec of the PowerTech OVERPOWERED AF (pretty much like merc is atm, lol). This spec has theoretically around (no guarantee for correct numbers) 45 seconds of cooldown for energy shield. For the other specs, energy shield has a constant cooldown duration of 2 minutes, which is going to place the advanced prototype in a huge, huge, hugeeeee advantage over pyrotech. - Pyrotech The utility that will increase the power of kolto overload: Kolto overload heals you up to 60% with the doubled tick rate (and whatever, just massive healing). Keep in mind that Pyrotech PowerTechs have a (theoretically) 26.7 second cooldown on kolto overload, where as the other 2 specs have a constant cooldown duration of 3 minutes. Moving this utility to the PT is going to place the pyrotech in a massive advantage over advanced prototype. - Shieldtech Well, give it something. Tanks are supposed to be tanky I always thought. But do not move the above mentioned utilities to the PowerTech as its class. Some of you guys might think "Oh. Well. I got a nice idea! Just move BOTH utilities for kolto overload AND energy shield to the PowerTechs instead of Mercenaries!". You what mate? You should play some other (offline) game without other players where you can hack / cheat your way through the storyline. Players are supposed to die in time. The only thing I'd considder as serious is moving the 6 second reflect to powertechs, but without the healing, please. See the quote below. Damage dealers should not heal themselves, they should deal damage and have a few DCDs they can mitigate damage with. ~ "[..] baked-in 30% damage reduction when stunned [...]" *********** hell, yes! God, why did they remove it. For moving reflect from mercs to powertechs, see my answer for the quote above. ~ "Give PTs something different than all the other classes. [...]" Nice idea, why didn't anyone ever mentioned this before? Introduce something actual "new".... Wow. Nice one! Once i read some idea for the shieldtech / tank spec of the powertech: Give the powertech an ability (maybe instead of that translocate?) that provides 5 charges of a protecting power-probe. Each charge is going to absorb 8000 of incoming single target damage. Lasts for 25 seconds. This ability can be placed on yourself, as well as on a friendly target. If there's any charge left after the duration of this ability, each charge damages nearby enemies for 8000 damage. The charges explode one by one, with a rate of 1 second. Cooldown for the "Protecting Power-Probe" 90 seconds. The numbers can be changed, of course. Maybe absorb 4000 damage with 10 charges, or nerf / buff it overall. Active time of the placed probes / duration can be 30 seconds or 20 seconds or whatever. Cooldown can be lowered to 1 minute or increased to 2 minutes, i don't care. I really like this sort of defensive cooldown for the tank spec. I honestly like it. But it's never going to happen. Have a nice day and thanks for reading Imapowi

If you're in CC, you're not going to be attacked, at least not with ulterior motives. Only on a hardstun, usually.

hardstuns up to 9sec* (4sec + 5sec hardstun by powertech with 1sec duration bonus on electro dart)

If you guys think anything didn't make sense, just ask, I will try to enlighten my thoughts.

PT overall: It's supposed to be the glass cannon, isn't it? Still, their damage output does not vary that much from any other spec. PT tanks strength was the insane aoe cleave, since it got nerfed, who cares about stacking into a PT tank cleave. Solo ranked: Try to tunnel a jug tank first, secondly tunnel a sin tank. Finally, tunnel a pt tank. You'll get its state of defensives. PT dps is shut down by slows and kept on distance (as the only way to get your enemy close to yourself is hydraulic overload and pulling. Grapple (the pull) can be avoided by so many ways by any class and spec. So there's only hydraulic overload left, with a 45 / 35 second cool down.) If you let a PT freecast, I agree, its dps is gonna be the most, compared to other dps specs, and it's gonna be a "wrecking ball". I've been playing PT (pyrotech primarily, sometimes advanced prototype or shield tech) for the last ~9 months (both solo and team ranked) excessively, and I can admit, it can get insane dps. Advanced prototype can get 7k and even more if you let him freecast, pyrotech can get 7-9k in a proper stack, tanks got 10k in a stack before they got nerfed to hell, now (not sure) they get somewhat 5-7k? In the following wall of text I'm going to rely on team ranked mostly. The (first) point is: The lack of DCDs is going to nullify the PowerTechs damage if you're under focus with stuns / slows. For an example: Team ranked, pyrotech in your team, sniper (who knows how to play, xemirr, asana, who ever) in enemies team. You're not going to hit 4k dps (maybe sometimes, if the healer stacks). If the sniper is supposed and actually sits on you, you're not going to be able to stick to the enemies heal (or ranged damage dealer), in both dps specs. I could give a lot of comparisons / examples: Marauder outdpsing the powertech, snipers outdpsing the powertech, mercs outdpsing the powertech, even sorcerers outdpsing the powertech. This is not because the powertech is a "bad" and the other dd is a "good" player. I won't list all the specific reasons (in my opinion) why these situations happen, here are just the cases. I am a huge friend of PowerTechs, all of their specs (though i probably dislike the spec shield tech a bit), I enjoy playing the class in both unranked and ranked (solo & team). By the way, I know, Bioware is not going to read this post anyway. Considdering solo ranked. 4 damage dealer: - you are going to keep back or not, get in, probably try to kite or do damage, and die - the only chance is if you got some decent players who know how to support you - anyway, your team would definitely win more easily with any other class beside powertech 3 damage dealer, 1 tank: - it's pretty fun sometimes, personally, I prefer this setup over 3 damage dealer, 1 heal games - you can definitely get a lot of damage, unless your tank doesn't know how to guard you - as you (or in my own experience considdering this case) get focussed in 80% of the matches, if you get taunted + stunned and enemies got 3 ranged damage dealer (mercs, sniper, sorc) (wow, sorc as well!), you won't do any dps there and die pretty fast - If you got some offhealing classes, you'll be able to survive a bit longer and win the match - these points have been pretty much positive to the powertechs state, but still, it sucks in solo ranked 3 damage dealer, 1 heal: - unless you got some nice other damage dealer who you can offguard each other with, you'll die fast, even if you avoid doing damage and concentrate on kiting away - if you don't get focussed, you are going to do pretty well, but this rarely happens Finally: 2 damage dealer, 1 heal, 1 tank: - it's fun to play, like in team ranked - you'll do pretty well, it's fun, but still, compared to other damage dealer specs, you lack of defensive cooldowns Regular warzones, unranked. It's boring in my honest opinion to play unranked at all, but when you decide to queue up: You can do most damage almost all games, because people in this PvP mode suck, overall, unless you face skilled players. You'll get most damage even by running in, dpsing, dying after 15 sec and being the hero of most deaths (10? 15?) in the warzone. As I said, people in unranked suck. That's my opinion. Whatever, if you (considdering you are not an unskilled weakling) play any other class, you'll get same or more damage, because you'll have less deaths, more uptime of dpsing. Furthermore, everyone knows how weak powertechs are, and you'll get focussed to hell. More information out of my mind. PowerTechs lack defensive cooldowns, compared to other damage dealer specs. Whatever, I do NOT support buffing the class in defensive cooldowns. In my opinion, all other classes should be nerfed to hell. That's all which needs to be done. Damage dealers are supposed to die. Not after getting 400k damage with base maximum hitpoints of 130k, they are supposed to die with 180k, maybe more or less. Defensive cooldowns need to be used well and timed properly. This was the most important point of my post here, I guess. To be honest, I've lost the point why I was writing this. Whatever, here are some of my thoughts. I will probably add more stuff with further posts to complete my (maybe unclear) guesses and statements. TL;DR: I am not sure what to write here, maybe I'll add something later on. Thanks for reading everyone! For people who want to know who I am

See post below

FOR MONTHS mercs have been BAD and DYING in PVP. NERF PTS AND SORCS the dominating classes currently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mercs die instantly in any fight even in 3v1 mercs die before the enemy dies!!!!!!!! Please fix ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stain ****, ty

Imapowi / Powertech / Pyrotech / Empire

Imapowi / PowerTech / Empire / Pyrotech

I like that one

Referencing to Pyrotech in PvP on the class forums of Powertechs / Vanguards: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=940417&page=2 Pyrotech is awesome to play. You can outdps 99% of all regular warzone players and even most of ranked players. You will simply struggle at surviving. I'm going to stream some Pyrotech PvP in the next days, I will be grateful if you visit me on twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/frontknirps

Another post that's positive up to Pyrotech in PvP... If you play it good, even Pyrotech can be viable in pvp. I've played Pyrotech for the last 3-4 weeks in PvP, including Regular Playgrounds, Team and even Solo Ranked Arenas. Here is my experience so far... Regulars: I have always been queuing with a good sorc healer. I was hitting top dmg with most dps, up to 7.28k DPS with 5.8m overall dmg. Unfortunately i didn't make a screenshot, but maybe some people know me from regulars on malgus server, my PTs name is Imapowi. Solo Ranked: - 4 DD games: Absolute trash unless you have 2 offhealing operatives and marauder in your team so that you can kite + survive for more than 30 secs (which means 2x kolto overload) - 3 DD 1 H games: Pretty nice, you can survive longer than juggs by kiting + even still reaching top DPS. Unless you're facing triple fury marauder because they are simply destroying you withing a few seconds - 2 DD 1 H 1 T games: In combo with PT tank absolute lovely for aoe pressure (because you can keep high numbers even vs 2x ranged DDs + a kiting sorc heal) Team Ranked: - Absolute trash vs hard swap teams, because you can't keep up - Might be more viable vs pressure aoe comps coz of low kolto cd A note I need to point out... Pyrotech is like Hatred Assassins, with the difference that it's slightly (or really noticable) worse. When you are hitting 5k dps, hatred assassins hit 6k dps. When you hit 7k dps, hatred assassins hit 8k dps (i know that thanks to keira queuing as assassin hatred). That might be because of 2 dots being spread. Referencing to pyrotech as spec itself) In addition, which places pyrotech in a much worse disadvantage in this comparison, assassins have lot better DCDs. Maybe you think of comparing pyrotech with anni mara, with veng jug or even with dot sorc / leth op. Pyrotech is so completely different (in my opinion) because of scorch. Just a suggestion: Don't try to keep scorch on 8 targets in regs, 4 is enough to go. Maybe even better dps because of more often flaming fist, rail shot + immolate on your primary target (which is usually sniper, merc or sage for me. I'm reaching 29k crits with immolate with 1900 alacrity + 1900 critical build on snip/merc/sorc on 7900 basic damage with all proccs)

Pyrotech PT is one of the funniest classes / speccs you can play. But only viable with tank + healer premade in regs. Definitely worst think you could choose for ranked, independent on team or solo ranked arenas.

/signed

LOL read entire post please And now i just have to write some more characters coz i cannot post this reply otherwise. RIP