Consensus: Are Sentinels underpowered?

[Lammy]

I have a level 34 Sentinal and imo they're not that bad, especially since the ability delay seems to be fixed, it makes a BIG difference to my effectiveness. I like the amount of defensive options and the sheer mobility of the Sentinal compared to my Sniper.

 

I usually use kira since she is my best geared companion, and I like that if i take agro I can turn into 'tank mode' pretty effectively for a good amount of time, but it's like playing with 2 rotations, your damage skills and your defense skills.

 

I think the main thing that makes the sentinal hard to play is the lack of channelled abilities; sniper and sorc for example have long yet powerful charge attacks, in which you get breathing room to plan you're next move, whereas the sentinal everything is instantaneous, and each ability is very specialised; meaning you need extremely quick thinking and reactions to play effectively.

 

Though it's also possible I will find things too hard as I level further... so as of this moment, I'll say a big 'I'm not sure'!

[rakuenCallisto]

^This.

 

First, I do well with my combat-sentinel, but I work MUCH harder to get the same level of pwnage than with other classes. I should not have to be a hardcore, skilled player to have fun with the sentinel. Even being able to play my sentinel effectively, I can understand why newer players are struggling. Just because I can overcome the hurdles does NOT mean that the hurdles do not exist. Folks should not have to scour the internet for tips and gear just perfectly to see their sentinels perform on a par with other classes. That is not balance.

 

Second, a dual-wielding sentinel should not be the most difficult class to play in a SW themed game. It has the broadest appeal (arguably), and so it needs to be an accessible class to less experienced/skilled players.

 

Lastly, I am tired of all the "L2P" posts. It is easy to be condescending and say "learn to play," but not all of us who have learned to play need to make others feel bad in order to make ourselves feel good. MANY sentinel players are struggling (that is clear from the sheer number of players posting to that effect), and that is an issue that the devs need to be aware of and consider, even if it isn't one that directly causes the more skilled players any grief. There are many different skill-level-players in TOR, and even the weakest of them paid to play this game.

 

People come here to these forums to discuss the game and get help, and not to hear how easy it is for more skilled players. When folks say they are struggling, that is not the time to boast or kick them while they are down. Some of us are great players and manage to shrug off a lot of issues that will plague others. Instead of telling them it is easy if you do it right, how about some constructive advice?

 

 

I do realize that this thread is asking whether there is a consensus that sentinels are underpowered, so some of the "L2P" posts are simply intended as votes, but it is possible to express an opinion on that topic without condescending.

 

For instance: no, I do not think there is a consensus that sentinels are UP. I think there is a consensus that some players feel the class if fine, while others feel it is extremely UP. I also do not think many people feel the class is OP. The truth is probably in the middle: sentinels are not extremely UP, but they do need some attention. One's spec seems to make a lot of difference in this regard.

 

 

 

This may be one of the most constructive, helpful, respectful and honest posts I've read in a long time on these forums.

 

Thank you for contributing 10x more than almost everyone on the forums.

[Faeron]

I think at 50 the only factor that can bring us out of the pool of mediocrity is great gear.

 

That's not how a game is supposed to be played.

[RenegadeArcher]

I've got a 50 Sentinel geared in Rakata and Columi gear, and it feels like he is dpsing with plastic butter knives. DPS, survivability, lack of utility, and the clunky/bloated mechanics are absolutely abyssmal at best. This of course is in addition to the ability delay and stuttering issues that persist, even after the most recent patch that supposedly fixed that. Anyone putting operations together that i've seen avoids bringing sentinel or guardian dps to operations because of this. Ranged are preferred above all else. Why bring an inferior class with serious issues to an operation? We are more of a liability to the raid than we are an asset. We are only taken only as a last resort. It's sad, but so true. Edited January 27, 2012 by RenegadeArcher

[Fiachsidhe]

I've had a hard time playing my Sentinel thus far, and playing as said class is so much harder than playing as my other toons.

 

So are Sentinels really an underpowered class? Or am I just terrible at this class even though as a Sith Jugg (50), I find it quite easy to get 6+ medals in pvp and died less than ten times (probably) while levelling in pve.

 

I have a Sentinel at 38 right now and I'm starting to notice how difficult of a class it is to play successfully. Please don't flame this post, responses?

 

The 30's are going to suck no matter what. I think every contemplates kicking their Sent to the curb when they hit that hump.

 

Sentinels are VERY gear dependent and you need to manage your defensive abilities closely, and sadly, you won't have them all until later.

 

When you get geared, and you have Doc, and everything is clicking, you'll feel awesome. But one or two wrong moves and you'll feel like a wuss. You'll definitely feel like one in the 30's range. It sucks for us.

 

I do agree, that the complexity to the class needs to be dialed back. For too much of the game I didn't feel at all heroic or even like a jedi. I felt like I was slapping two wiffle bats around.

 

I also hate the overly long cooldown times on our abilities. It makes nailing down a solid rotation, very frustrating.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Fiachsidhe

[Toppins]

I've got a 50 Sentinel geared in Rakata and Columi gear, and it feels like he is dpsing with plastic butter knives. DPS, survivability, lack of utility, and the clunky/bloated mechanics are absolutely abyssmal at best. This of course is in addition to the ability delay and stuttering issues that persist, even after the most recent patch that supposedly fixed that. Anyone putting operations together that i've seen avoids bringing sentinel or guardian dps to operations because of this. Ranged are preferred above all else. Why bring an inferior class with serious issues to an operation? We are more of a liability to the raid than we are an asset. We are only taken only as a last resort. It's sad, but so true.

 

We did Karagga with 2 Sentinels and no one having more than 3/5 PvE set. We are easy-mode for our healers because we can survive all kinds of crazy happenings in addition to never having to worry about running out of resources for our DPS.

[-Arcane-]

I've had a hard time playing my Sentinel thus far, and playing as said class is so much harder than playing as my other toons.

 

So are Sentinels really an underpowered class? Or am I just terrible at this class even though as a Sith Jugg (50), I find it quite easy to get 6+ medals in pvp and died less than ten times (probably) while levelling in pve.

 

I have a Sentinel at 38 right now and I'm starting to notice how difficult of a class it is to play successfully. Please don't flame this post, responses?

 

 

 

The learning curve is harder than other classes but the rewards at the end are awsome.

 

 

Sentinel dps increases more with gear than most other classes, and all these buttons that make it hard to learn, make the class POWERFUL when you use them properly.

[Zsavooz]

I finally got Doc at level 34 and since then, I've been much more productive. I'm worried by the time I hit my mid 40's, my luck will change.

[Faeron]

I finally got Doc at level 34 and since then, I've been much more productive. I'm worried by the time I hit my mid 40's, my luck will change.

 

I'm 50 at this point and not much changed even with Doc, it got a little better but later on the trouble comes back. Doc is who I used exclusively to 50 after I got him though and he really pulled me out of tough spots, just make sure to keep your cds popped when fighting packs or strong mobs. Keep Doc geared to maximum effect because it makes a huge difference! Hope I helped.

 

ALSO:

 

I understand why people seem to think that challenge is rewarding and good, but the elitist players who are constantly condescending people telling them to "L2P" are really starting to disgust me.

 

I'm glad that you're so good as a Sentinel? Maybe you could offer some constructive tips to the effect of helping other players master the class. There are a lot of factors that come into play when playing an MMO and a lot of people have those factors working against them when they play a semi-broken gear-based dps class.

[Garrum]

If the extra effort of playing a Sent actually payed off in a big way in the end, it might not be such a big deal, but it doesn't really. If someone comes along playing a Consul/Inqui, Trooper/BH, etc. with as much focus and skill as some really good Sent, they are rewarded much more in PvP. They have more varied and more powerful tools at their disposal, and have a less stressful combat mechanic. They are better suited to group PvP, and group PvP is what matters for getting WZ commendations/dailies.

 

Sent (Watchman anyway) DPS in PvE is probably the highest, and it should be. Not because we are hard to play, but because we are melee, and melee always have extra issues to deal with in PvE that ranged don't have to worry with.

 

The class needs to be streamlined in small ways (Mind Sear simply reducing the cooldown of cauterize instead of a random proc, Overload Saber having the damage lowered slightly and simply being passive as examples), and a few abilities changed a bit (crippling throw changed into our snare, the CD removed and the cost reduced to 1 focus, with leg slash renamed and made into the healing reduction ability as an example)

[Yogurt]

The problem is still to this day the lag, serverside problems, attack stuttering such as Force Sweep, Master Strike, Blade Rush. Playing as combat which I loved I leveled as it and did most of my pvping as it. Yet, when I dropped it and went to focus I gained much improvement. since Master Strike is the very last thing I will use in my rotation.

 

Then again I hit Force Sweep with no debuffs on me, full focus, target debuffed and the attack will just stutter. It will stop mid jump and I have to hit again and again. Very irritating. Watchman is better for most because once cauterize, overload saber. dots are rolling they are still doing dps.

 

As combat I could be in the most perfect position and the attack would still not go off. Alo, Gunslinger, Sniper, Mara, and Sent need to bring more to pvp. Another group buff such as can not be stunned for 3 seconds or something of that nature. Animation lag is really hurting the class badly.

 

Also, make knockbacks add a larger DR. I been punted 5 times in arrow and still no full DR bar. Combine some of the attacks please. Alot of our attacks do the exact samething. Also no class that can spec into other archetypes should out damage the best played dps even if they are the best at the class that has other options they can choose.

 

Also BM and Champion gear needs more Accuracy on it! Also Dispatch is a PoS. It hardly ever crits and that is a real bummer. It hardly ever finishes off a target as well. Misses alot.

Edited January 29, 2012 by Yogurt