Amatic Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Speaking from a PvE solo perspective, they are horrible. I'm a 50 Gunslinger in all modded/purple/blue gear. I'm sitting at 100.58% accuracy, 39.14% crit, 60.02% critical bonus, and 6.4% alacrity. I'm not sure how good that is, but I can drop mobs in seconds. The problem lies in my companion. Without him, I'm dead. Plain and simple. As hard as my guy hits, he's just a wet paper bag. Even regular mobs on Ilum will drop me in seconds if they focus on me. I have spent at least 300k on my companion's gear (Bowdaar). I have him at 15.5k health, 35.14% chance to shield, 14.32% defensive chance, 25% shield absorb, and 4122 armor and he is at 25% health or so on EVERY PULL! I have to recuperate after every single pull. Even with normal mobs. If I get 2 strong on me, he's dead. After Elite battles, he's at 10% or so unless he loses aggro (which is 90% of the time on long fights) and the Elite decides to blast me down to 30% health while he's at it. I'm using all cooldowns, too, mind you. My absorb shield spell, my dodge ability, Hunker Down so I'm not CC'ed, MedPacs if I need them (which I keep the best one stacked to 20 at all times), and lately I've been using an Endurance stim just so I can live .2 seconds longer if they attack me. To top it off, the companions are just dumb. Horrible AI and a 3 second lag to attack. Not to mention their pathing is a joke and there is no Attack My Target option. So if I start blasting, he stands there like a fool until I take damage. THEN he pulls his sword, stands there rubbing one out for 3 seconds, runs in to attack, rubs another one out while standing by the mob, then FINALLY attacks. I'm done until companions are fixed. Doing dailies on Ilum is HORRIBLE. I can't even handle it. And alts are horrible in this game but that is another subject matter. Doing those planets again in the linear order they are with their linear quests makes me want to vomit thinking of it. Edit: Spelling. Also, give us a companion heal ability. Something that restores health slowly over time or the ability to use a medpac on them. Something is needed to speed up the daily grind and overall slowness of combat/recuperating. Edited January 11, 2012 by Amatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amatic Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Sounds like a lot of pissed off people on this board. I made this post and it goes to second page. Never a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leilei Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Have you tried from switching to more endurance items? o.o I mean..Built like a glass cannon -> works like a glass cannon Like..instead of using skill armoring, use patron ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakashan Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm confused... The title is about how companions ruin the game, especially the solo PvE portion but then OP goes on to explain how the companion keeps him alive most of the time... First, there *is* an attack-my-target command. It's CTRL+1 for every companion. You probably already know this, but I'm just gonna highlight it to demonstrate why I'm confused by the post. So what I *really* hear here is "damn, this stuff is hard to solo and I want it easier so I don't have to watch my pulls or bother to heal between pulls." Don't blame that on the companion. And personally, I am not in favor of making the game simpler... I want player skill to matter and this kind of complaint drives toward a game where all that matters is gear score (and if you don't get that statement, PM me because it's not worth opening that can of worms here and sidetracking the thread). Yes, there *are* problems with some of the AI. I won't deny that. What I will say is that I don't have any problem coping with those issues by planning for them. Changing my timing. Working to coordinate my actions with my companions instead of assuming that the AI should make my companion predict my actions... Now, granted, I am used to playing pet classes in MMOs so this is not news to me, but it does mean that for a lot of classes, Gunslingers being a pointed example, this is all about managing your companion sensibly and that doesn't mean *just* gearing him correctly (which it sounds like has been done here). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bammur Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 As a IA sniper (now 47) I had issues with the paper tanks we are supplied with. Yes some of them put out good damage, but they die way too easily. I switched to Dr. Lokin (my healer companion) and haven't looked back. Nothing that shoots at me can win, including all the elites that quests seem to include. The only issue I have is the melee elites, which seem to be specifically designed to mess with a sniper thanks to the numerous interrupts and pushbacks. I do the damage, and the good doctor keeps me alive. Very little downtime unless I make a mistake, or the AI bugs out, or I 'can't see the target' because he is standing on a pebble ... My only issue is that we get the healer way too late, but then I suppose that makes sense for operatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkZenith Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Don't use your companion then. Problem solved. I personally think it's an awesome system, and find that at times these bots are more bloody useful than some humans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitoc Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 the game was designed to use companions, we have known that for quite some time, use them or struggle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qanlayeni Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 top tip, if you de-summon your pet, and re summon him (takes about 2 secs give or take) he comes back with full hp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisar Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Unfortunately the companion system was a pretty cool idea (heck im married to Jeasa, neat) but it has created so many problems in my opinion. For one thing they make the game seem extremely empty and soloish. For another they are poorly done. I am a heal spec Agent so I feel your pain when it comes to companions. I have Kaliyo do all the tanking and I heal her and do dmg as I can. It's horrible. Not wow this is bad, I mean HORRIBLE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gsup Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 ya who needs a group when you got your companion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Don't use your companion then. Problem solved. I personally think it's an awesome system, and find that at times these bots are more bloody useful than some humans! I would much rather find a healer (I'm a tank) for a 4 man heroic and use our DPS companions than some of the DPS I've been saddled with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkZenith Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) ya who needs a group when you got your companion! Well, Heroic 4 says otherwise. I would much rather find a healer (I'm a tank) for a 4 man heroic and use our DPS companions than some of the DPS I've been saddled with. Very true in some cases, though fortunately not all. Edited January 11, 2012 by DarkZenith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDSzafraniec Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 The Force ruins the game. As a Sorcerer, I have to use the Force in every fight, or I die. When I do use it, in the hardest areas against similarly leveled enemies, I barely win... ...wait...what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiLune Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I am a heal spec Agent so I feel your pain when it comes to companions. I have Kaliyo do all the tanking and I heal her and do dmg as I can. It's horrible. Not wow this is bad, I mean HORRIBLE! How much worse would it be as a heal spec if you didn't have a companion? I don't care how much damage I do, as a tank spec, I just pull out a DPS companion and let her do all the heavy lifting while I hold agro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kourage Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Bind Companion Attack to a key. I use numpad Del Use CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aisar Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 How much worse would it be as a heal spec if you didn't have a companion? I don't care how much damage I do, as a tank spec, I just pull out a DPS companion and let her do all the heavy lifting while I hold agro. "How much worse would it be as a heal spec if you didn't have a companion?" What? If companions did not exist we would all be grouping together and we would actually be making friends and we would have a community. I chose to go heal spec on my Operative, and since I MUST use a companion, obviously I have adopted my current playstyle. How much worse without companions it just..irrelevant. What purpose does asking this question serve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardicon Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 im confused by a few things in his post. the main one is he is asking for a medpac that heals companions. um we have one, its in biochem, get a biochemist to make them for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darknsss Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I dont get why people say swotr is so linar cause last i check i level 5 alt in wow and it was always always always the same partern all the way to 85.If anything it was even worse then TOR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganix_tx Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I agree with the OP. Every single MMO that has ever come out has had a couple of classes that have a pet. If you want to play a pet class, you play a pet class... However, not everyone wants to play a pet class. In SWTOR you have no choice. You play a pet class no matter what. I don't want a pet. I want to go in and smack stuff around without having to worry about if my pet is still alive or not. And yes, it is a pet. You can call it a companion or whatever you want but it is a pet. I honestly think this alone will kill the game for some people. If you have never liked pet classes you are not going to enjoy this game.... and I know a lot of people that hate playing a pet class in other MMO's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTurniipKing Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Honestly? I like the companion thing. I just wish trying to choose gear for them wasn't such a chore with the current UI. Open inventory, open paperdoll, move to companion tab... and manually compare the stats. ugh. Am I missing something there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkZenith Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) "What? If companions did not exist we would all be grouping together and we would actually be making friends and we would have a community. That just doesn't happen, or very rarely at best. I have played many of the big names in the MMO market, most of which have no companion system, and people were just as anti-social without such a system as they are anywhere else. Forcing people to group up is not the answer, and in fact will only spell doom for your game in the long run. Besides, some things cannot be done solo, not if they're at your level or close to it. That's good enough for me. Edited January 11, 2012 by DarkZenith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate_Ron Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'd rather have a companion than be forced to group to do anything. I played a Rogue in EQ before any expansions. It's not super fun not being able to do anything alone after the newbie zones. I had to group or I was dead. Your main complaint is downtime. On no, it's gonna take 1 minute to be ready to fight again. The HORROR. I swear all the instant gratification available in the world has ruined people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roechacca Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 companions are the only way I got a wookiee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vydor_HC Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm confused... The title is about how companions ruin the game, especially the solo PvE portion but then OP goes on to explain how the companion keeps him alive most of the time... First, there *is* an attack-my-target command. It's CTRL+1 for every companion. You probably already know this, but I'm just gonna highlight it to demonstrate why I'm confused by the post. So what I *really* hear here is "damn, this stuff is hard to solo and I want it easier so I don't have to watch my pulls or bother to heal between pulls." Don't blame that on the companion. And personally, I am not in favor of making the game simpler... I want player skill to matter and this kind of complaint drives toward a game where all that matters is gear score (and if you don't get that statement, PM me because it's not worth opening that can of worms here and sidetracking the thread). Yes, there *are* problems with some of the AI. I won't deny that. What I will say is that I don't have any problem coping with those issues by planning for them. Changing my timing. Working to coordinate my actions with my companions instead of assuming that the AI should make my companion predict my actions... Now, granted, I am used to playing pet classes in MMOs so this is not news to me, but it does mean that for a lot of classes, Gunslingers being a pointed example, this is all about managing your companion sensibly and that doesn't mean *just* gearing him correctly (which it sounds like has been done here). This is a good reply, I agree with you. I don't want the game being dumbed down any more, it's far to easy right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sangreal Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I have to recuperate after every single pull. Even with normal mobs. Protip: mount/dismount. Instant 100% health for your companion. If indoors, dismiss/summon, but that takes more effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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