Tank companions are useless.

[Game_Hermit]

In beta, all tank companions used to get a 60% armor buff as a component of the guard stance. In all honesty it made them pretty overpowered. Soloing heroic 4s without realizing it was a regular occurrence.

 

Then Bioware realized they needed adjusting, so instead of reducing the buff, they removed it completely and replaced it with that ****** on-hit 20% armor proc and now all tank companions have terrible mitigationas a reward for their rock-bottom DPS.

 

And to whomever mentioned putting their Khem in all epics...if you have to put a character in all purples just to be competitive, that's a problem. Companions ought to be able to handle the solo PVE part of the game with average solo PVE equip.

The solution to tank companions having too much armor bonus is not to nerf them until they have less armor than healers unless they drastically outgear them. It's to reduce the bonus. I'd be perfectly happy with a 30% bonus.

[marshalleck]

The solution to tank companions having too much armor bonus is not to nerf them until they have less armor than healers unless they drastically outgear them. It's to reduce the bonus. I'd be perfectly happy with a 30% bonus.

 

I agree. I was merely providing it a bit of background on this situation. I too am less than enthusiastic about the current state of tank companions. My advice to new operatives is to ditch their first tank companion as soon as they get their first melee DPS.

[Toweleeeie]

Is he in tanking stance?

[Serpenttt]

My second toon is a combat medic trooper, M1 most definately does not suck.

[Greyfeld]

The point of the tank companion is to keep aggro off you so you can blast away at full DPS. A DPS companion may put out more raw damage than a tank companion, but they're also not going to be holding aggro either, and the moment you toss out a heal, everything your companion isn't attacking is going to lock in on you.

 

Also, it's been stated that if you really want to buff your companion, you pick up Presence on your gear.

 

So instead of pissing and moaning about your companion having mitigation only slightly better than yours (I'm sorry, but both of you wear heavy armor, so no **** your mitigation is going to be approximately equal), remind yourself what their role is.

 

TL;DR - A tank's job is not to deal damage, it's to hold threat. If he's doing that, then he's doing his job. Stop complaining.

[AsheraII]

It's not the stats. It's how you use them. Even Nadia makes a better tank than many players (and she sure is good at grabbing agro, lol)

[Serpenttt]

My proof is that I've died once or twice through lvl 34 on this toon. And that includes every heroic and flashpoint along the way.

[Jedlosson]

I am currently leveling a sniper. Never had any problem with Kaliyo's tanking... she always keeps the mob I assign her to on herself. Enemies are dead before they do any real damage to her.

 

If I was playing a heavy armor healer (such as merenary or commando), I certainly would not use a tanking companion. You need dps companion, you yourself can easily take the hits. Your problem is that enemies live too long and therefore do a lot of damage on your tanking companion.

[Fardreamer]

M1 is not a tank.... look here:

 

http://www.swtor-spy.com/companions/

 

Derp derp. Also, true tanking companions take A LOT of damage before going down. Ask any smuggler, IA, SI, or JC.

[Greyfeld]

It's not the stats. It's how you use them. Even Nadia makes a better tank than many players (and she sure is good at grabbing agro, lol)

 

Pretty much this. I've had times on my Sage where we couldn't even get through one of the easier heroics, because the tank would just jump in and beat on one mob, while I took all the aggro from the half dozen other mobs in the group and we would wipe.

 

On the other hand, I can solo Heroic 2 content all day long with Qyzen. The fact that he's a little squishy (his gear isn't as up to date as I would like) is irrelevant when I can still keep him alive through 2 strong, 1 elite pulls and none of them ever lay a hand on me.

[PantheraMorag]

 

In leveling my now 50 Operative, I quickly learned to loathe Kaliyo (our first tank companion) and use Vector, a melee DPS.

 

I used to say Kaliyo tanks by dying on stuff, she can't take a strong by herself, she loses over half her life to a normal, and always dies in elite fights. And I've had her in upgraded oranges, and the highest level green gear I could buy.

And then I, as a sniper, got follow-through, and suddenly I've got a rotation with snipe, follow through and take down where I don't have to heal after every fight, and she hadn't lost more than 1/4 health on strongs. I've gone from hating her to considering using her all the way 'till 50.

 

It seems, unfortunately, that the more quick, heavy damage you can do, the more viable tanking companions become, as they lack the health pool to stay up during long fights. Which seems like it would hurt healers more than anyone else, as they more rely on a tank.

 

There should be someway companion tanks get boosted when you pick the healing tree, to help out leveling. Maybe an added bonus to talents or something.

[Greyfeld]

M1 is not a tank.... look here:

 

http://www.swtor-spy.com/companions/

 

Derp derp. Also, true tanking companions take A LOT of damage before going down. Ask any smuggler, IA, SI, or JC.

 

I would take that crap with a grain of salt. I have a level 34 Trooper, and M1 has an entire ability array dedicated to grabbing and holding aggro. He's a tank.

[Game_Hermit]

M1 is not a tank.... look here:

 

http://www.swtor-spy.com/companions/

 

Derp derp. Also, true tanking companions take A LOT of damage before going down. Ask any smuggler, IA, SI, or JC.

He does crap damage, wears heavy armor, has agro skills and has copies of tank BH skills. Nope, doesn't sound like a tank at all. Also, everything written on some random fansite is automatically true.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Game_Hermit

[Lord_of_Stone]

I used to say Kaliyo tanks by dying on stuff, she can't take a strong by herself, she loses over half her life to a normal, and always dies in elite fights. And I've had her in upgraded oranges, and the highest level green gear I could buy.

And then I, as a sniper, got follow-through, and suddenly I've got a rotation with snipe, follow through and take down where I don't have to heal after every fight, and she hadn't lost more than 1/4 health on strongs. I've gone from hating her to considering using her all the way 'till 50.

 

It seems, unfortunately, that the more quick, heavy damage you can do, the more viable tanking companions become, as they lack the health pool to stay up during long fights. Which seems like it would hurt healers more than anyone else, as they more rely on a tank.

 

There should be someway companion tanks get boosted when you pick the healing tree, to help out leveling. Maybe an added bonus to talents or something.

 

I have a level 50 sniper. Stopped using kaliyo when I got vector. I dont know why, but she just cant hold aggro from me. I use vector and I send him in first, and he'll last a little bit, but ina standard fight with maybe a strong or two, its over in seconds. We both put out MASSIVE amounts of dps. For tougher fights with elites, Dr. Lokin all the way. Snipers up the marksman tree arent that vulnerable due to cover benefits, so with that healing it makes fights a lot easier.

 

I just wish the IA had a melee tank comp like Qyzen. Transformed Lokin doesnt cut it.

[marshalleck]

I used to say Kaliyo tanks by dying on stuff, she can't take a strong by herself, she loses over half her life to a normal, and always dies in elite fights. And I've had her in upgraded oranges, and the highest level green gear I could buy.

And then I, as a sniper, got follow-through, and suddenly I've got a rotation with snipe, follow through and take down where I don't have to heal after every fight, and she hadn't lost more than 1/4 health on strongs. I've gone from hating her to considering using her all the way 'till 50.

 

It seems, unfortunately, that the more quick, heavy damage you can do, the more viable tanking companions become, as they lack the health pool to stay up during long fights. Which seems like it would hurt healers more than anyone else, as they more rely on a tank.

 

There should be someway companion tanks get boosted when you pick the healing tree, to help out leveling. Maybe an added bonus to talents or something.

 

Change the crappy on-hit 20% armor proc to a flat 30% armor buff in guard stance and everything would be fine imo. Although, everything is arguably fine right now since I've simply ditched my tank companions for the most part, and roll with Temple for her ranged AOE dps madness. Sure she doesn't mitigate damage well or have any aggro tools, but it doesn't matter because everything dies before that becomes an issue.

Edited January 15, 2012 by marshalleck

[marshalleck]

 

I just wish the IA had a melee tank comp like Qyzen. Transformed Lokin doesnt cut it.

 

You'll get SCORPIO at level 45ish. As soon as you get to Belsavis, rush your class quests to completion before anything else.

Edited January 15, 2012 by marshalleck

[Lord_of_Stone]

You'll get SCORPIO at level 45ish.

 

Ah yes, forgot about her. Yea, shes not bad.... Like I said earlier though, its tough to find decent gear for droids. I usually spend commedations to get the best stuff, but vendors will have like one droid part and thats it.

[marshalleck]

Ah yes, forgot about her. Yea, shes not bad.... Like I said earlier though, its tough to find decent gear for droids. I usually spend commedations to get the best stuff, but vendors will have like one droid part and thats it.

 

Actually, go back through all the planets starting at Dromun Kaas and pick up the orange droid parts from Specialty Vendors. You can kit SCORPIO out pretty easily. Obviously you don't want to forget to replace the low level mods in said droid parts. But yeah, technically that is a bit more running around than you'd have to do for any non-droid companion.

[PantheraMorag]

I have a level 50 sniper. Stopped using kaliyo when I got vector. I dont know why, but she just cant hold aggro from me. I use vector and I send him in first, and he'll last a little bit, but ina standard fight with maybe a strong or two, its over in seconds. We both put out MASSIVE amounts of dps. For tougher fights with elites, Dr. Lokin all the way. Snipers up the marksman tree arent that vulnerable due to cover benefits, so with that healing it makes fights a lot easier.

 

I just wish the IA had a melee tank comp like Qyzen. Transformed Lokin doesnt cut it.

 

It might get better when I get Vector, maybe I can reskin him, but at the moment I can't handle looking at him in cut scenes, with his creepy, black, soulless holes where his eyes should be (I'm finishing of Alderaan at the moment, so I assume I'll soon get him). Can't understand how he's supposed to be a romantic interest.. *shivers*

 

But I agree, it's unfair that smugglers get a melee tank as their second companion, but we have to wait 'till our last.

[Skrewloose]

Pezz dispenser, or whatever the talking lizard is called... That guy cant seem to take a hit for anything. I blow most my force energy trying to keep that sack of scales standing, I hardly have any left to do damage. I cant tell you the number of times I've resorted to dotting and kiting mobs around objects after my Lizard decided he wanted to play dead.

 

Oh and WTH wont the abilities I shut off stay that way? Corso and his damn harpoon, Pezz and his aoe. . . Seriously if you shut off or turn an ability on, is it too much to ask for it to stay that way?

Edited January 15, 2012 by Skrewloose

[marshalleck]

It might get better when I get Vector, maybe I can reskin him, but at the moment I can't handle looking at him in cut scenes, with his creepy, black, soulless holes where his eyes should be (I'm finishing of Alderaan at the moment, so I assume I'll soon get him). Can't understand how he's supposed to be a romantic interest.. *shivers*

 

But I agree, it's unfair that smugglers get a melee tank as their second companion, but we have to wait 'till our last.

 

Heh. Just get Vector a helmet. He wears the same armor as Sith Inquisitors, and they have some pretty sweet looking helmets, imo.

[DuffAlmighty]

M1-4X is very strange, he takes alot of damage. However i'm healer so he just sits and tanks.

 

AND TOGEATHER ME AND 4X SHALL RIDE THSI DURASTEEL EAGLE INTO THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE.

[TyHeaton]

Maybe it wouldn't put me in a bad mood if people would actually listen to what I'm saying or stop making excuses for broken companions. Everyone here has been saying one of three things.

 

1: Claiming that it's perfectly fine for your tank companion to have the same armor as your DPS companion and less armor than your healer character because they can equip a shield. Ridiculous claim. Same sanity level as claiming Drano makes a great sundae topping. Doesn't even deserve a response.

 

2: Half the advice any time someone brings up tank companions is to use a different companion, which just proves how broken they are. Somehow people seem to think that the existence of other companions is a good reason to never fix the useless ones.

 

3: They tank just fine even though I posted screens proving they don't and the other guy has nothing at all to back this up.

 

 

OMG One of you speaks English! Thank you for trying to translate for me!

 

Clearly not everyone is having the same problems you are. Just because they won't jump through the hoops to post screenshots doesn't mean they're lying to spite you.

 

That said, if not everyone is having the same troubles you are (in fact, with how rarely I see this come up I'd venture a guess that very few people are as enraged about this as you), the companions can't be "broken".

 

I'll also say that I personally use Forex as my personal tank, and though he's a little squishy have yet to have any problems with him dying on me when I need him.

[Artthen]

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[Game_Hermit]

M1-4X is very strange, he takes alot of damage. However i'm healer so he just sits and tanks.

 

AND TOGEATHER ME AND 4X SHALL RIDE THSI DURASTEEL EAGLE INTO THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE.

You forgot to mention the part where you lose most of your DPS because if you stop healing him for an instant he dies so it's only him doing damage against anything harder than normals. You also left out the part where doing this takes every cooldown you have and requires having 30 support cell charges before the fight so you can overcharge twice. You also forgot how this is at lv25, before the big spike in difficulty everyone tells you to expect after 30. Did I miss anything?

 

Clearly not everyone is having the same problems you are. Just because they won't jump through the hoops to post screenshots doesn't mean they're lying to spite you.

How is a tank having less armor than a healer a subjective issue? Explain to me how their M1 magically has better mitigation than mine?

 

I'll also say that I personally use Forex as my personal tank, and though he's a little squishy have yet to have any problems with him dying on me when I need him.

Translation: Even though I'm using the word "squishy" to describe a tank everything is perfectly fine. All hail Bioware!

Edited January 15, 2012 by Game_Hermit