Healing Feedback/Suggestions

[DrekorSilverfang]

So I've played all 3 empire healing classes(also have lowbie trooper/sage) and figured I've put enough hours into them to give some serious feedback on each as well as healing in general. I'll preface this saying my primary concern is pvp but I'll try and touch on some pve points that come up.

 

General Healer Issues

 

*In no particular order.

 

1) UI - Simple fact is that most people have previous experience with other MMOs and a large percent of that have been spoiled by WoW's UI. However the UI in SWTOR is downright awful. The casting bar often just doesn't show up(but your still casting), selecting frames feels very unresponsive as do most abilities. Trying to select an actual character in the game world is even more sketchy(clickable nameplates would be nice). I'll also throw an honorable mention in here for mouseover healing... many people seem to be willing to trade their limbs for it.

 

2) Dispels - Right now each class cannot dispel all types of debuffs. The problem however is that because of a gross overpopulation of sorcs/sins you encounter a vast majority of "force" debuffs which only the sorc can dispel. It would be ideal that you either move all debuffs cast from another player to physical/mental or just let all classes remove all debuffs(even if it requires you to spec into healing tree for it).

 

3) Warzone rewards - Playing a strictly healer role you get very little. You are effectively encouraged to stop healing and run off on your own to kill people(that's not a healers job!). While it would be nice to just add in more healing medals I think that is the wrong approach. People should NOT be running medal farming, they should be trying to win and as such your rewards should be based on you winning or not.

 

4) Tooltips - These need to be update to be clear and concise. In the case of absorb shields they currently don't even list how much they absorb. For some of us that like to theorycraft this isn't too big a deal but it's rather annoying to break out the calculator(or a spreadsheet) however for others they simply have no clue how much it absorbs.

 

Operatives

 

Operatives I feel are in the biggest need of a change. They are viable however they offer nothing that one of the other 2 don't do better(outside of stealth). They seem to focus on mobility with instant cast heals but really that's not the case as Kolto probe just isn't that strong and surgical probe is fueled by tactical advantage(TA) which is largely generated from Kolto Injection casts.

 

Operatives are also greatly hindered by their resource system when combined with their random assortment of heals. The ability to deal with any sort of burst damage is quite sketchy as they need prep time to get TA or to get KP's running or even just enough time to cast a KI however their energy system severely punishes them for not strictly pacing themselves.

 

Operatives niche has often been described as one of mobility and many of their skills seem to reflect this but in pvp this just doesn't happen. Operatives can be very slippery and hard to pin down but while their doing this their healing is downright awful and they are effectively nullified just by pressuring them a bit.

 

Another of it's major problems revolves around it's 31 point talent. Some claim it to be good others claim it to be a huge waste. I tend to lean to the latter as it's efficiency and output only exceeds normal heals if you hit 4 people and you cast it with at least 90 energy currently stored. If you cast it with less energy or hit less than 4 people it's less efficient and powerful then just healing normally. This is a far cry from what people expect out of 31pt talent to finish off a tree.

 

The solution to these problems I find can be fairly simple.

 

1) Kolto probe is twice as strong but only stacks once - This alleviates GCD lock during "prep" time considerably but doesn't change their output very much.

2) As your energy gets lower you get a healing bonus proportional to the loss in regen - This actually creates more depth to the class as you can try and balance between healing power and regen but at the end of the day you get FULL use out of your 100 energy at all times.

3) Kolto infusion should be instant and refund it's TA if cast on someone with KP on them. This gives ops a true instant heal, an expensive one but still usable really at any time.

4) TA should last 30s. This is mostly a quality of life change but having 10s on them is rather annoying.

5) Recuperative Nanotech needs to have it's cost reduced(25 would likely be ok), remove the target cap on it and give it a 15s buff giving 5% extra damage. This change improves it's efficiency slightly with reduced energy cost but also gives ops a short duration buff like the other healers but in a slightly different niche(mercs/sorcs provide armor/damage reduction).

6) Evasive imperative should increase movement speed by 50/100% for it's duration. Small amounts would be fine if it lasted for 10+ seconds but for only 3s it needs to be a very big movespeed buff, this would greatly help our mobility and survivability in pvp.

 

Mercenary

 

Mercs I find are pretty well off right now and there aren't too many things that I see inherently wrong with them. The biggest I would say is actually rather simple and that's the fact you cannot self target rapid shots with CSC active. I know shooting yourself in the foot might seem weird but not having access to self target your basic non-cost heal just doesn't seem right to me.

 

The other thing with them is Kolto Missile as with operatives this needs to have it's target cap removed. It has a short cooldown and provides some amazing buffs so I don't think it needs anything else other than the target cap removed but it would simply allow mercs to function better in AoE situations.

 

Similarly with ops, mercs also struggle a bit with resources although SCG along with critical efficiency does a good job of keeping this in line, it is something that has a big effect on low level mercs though and I'm not sure how exactly to solve that problem without affecting this at end game though.

 

All in all I have to give a slight nod of approval for the Merc class as I feel it is quite well done.

 

Sorcerer

 

The problem I see with the sorcerer can be summed up quite simply as they have too much. They have a trick up their sleeve for everything you can throw at them. They have the best AoE healing, they can match mercs for single target healing, they have the best mobility and they have the best CC. Typically jack of all trades are masters of none... that doesn't seem to be the case here though.

 

One of the biggest issues with sorcerers is static barrier. It is, in my opinion, the most powerful "heal" in the game. It's huge, it's instant and it's damn cheap. To be perfectly honest I don't think this should be a baseline ability and should likely be the 31 pt talent for sorcs... it's that good but that would create a huge mess with the talent trees. I feel it should have a 20s cooldown thrown on it(still keep debuff), this would retain it's power but bring it in line with other healers a bit and not let it be spammed across your entire group.

 

The next problem is the resource system or perhaps I should say the lack of a problem with the resource system. You don't really even notice that you have one. It's extremely rare for me to ever even be concerned about my force let alone actually run out. I'm not sure if this requires a mechanic put in place to reward or punish poor play(perhaps changing free consumptions to cheaper consumptions?) but there is little point to even having a resource system if it's not even a concern.

 

Sorcs also benefit from a rather nice bug in the form of getting double use out of each force bending proc as long as your second spell is a dark infusion. This really really needs to be fixed as getting off resurgence + 2x DI @ 1.5s each is just way too powerful. Gamebreakingly powerful.

 

My last concern with sorcs is force speed. I don't even understand why sorcs have this. They have the best CC of the healers, the best heals and then they get this insanely strong speed boost to ensure their dominance in mobility. I simply do not see why force speed is not an assassin only skill, it should be. Sorcs have no need for this much mobility with all the other utility they bring.

 

TLDR

Buff operatives

Mercs are cool

Nerf Sorcs

[Majspuffen]

I'm playing an operative healer.

 

 

Our 31 point talent is somewhat good for raiding I feel (what little I've raided), but outside of that I do not spec it. Not for pvp and not for flashpoints. Which kind of sucks because our pvp set bonus buffs that specific ability, but I simply find no use for it in pvp. It's extremely situational.

 

Nothing wrong with that though, I actually like the fact that our 31 point talent isn't a must. But it could use a buff, either increase its range, reduce its cost, increase its healing, or something.

 

 

Kolto Infusion should be buffed or changed. As it stands right now... I have tried to use it, in both pvp and pve. In pvp it has always been a waste of a Tactical Advantage. In PvE it has had its uses, sometimes but very, very rarely. This ability is the only one that really gripes me with our class. I'm fine with stacking droids on people. If they buffed kotlo probe so that you only need to stack one, that would make the class more boring.

 

Otherwise I am extremely satisfied with this class and I wouldn't want to see it overly buffed when it, in my opinion, performs so well already. I see sorcerers and mercenaries healing and sure they have their tools but I haven't ever felt that I've got less than what they have.

 

Actually *cough* one thing that do bother me is that ... it's not just us, troopers and mercenaries seem to be plagued by this as well, but... Why are we laughing constantly? I feel so mean!

[DrekorSilverfang]

Actually *cough* one thing that do bother me is that ... it's not just us, troopers and mercenaries seem to be plagued by this as well, but... Why are we laughing constantly? I feel so mean!

Apparently medical engineers are insane!

[Doki]

Someone sticky this post!

[Majspuffen]

Apparently medical engineers are insane!

 

Indeed, all their friends are dying and a monster is charging towards them and all they do is stand and laugh. I've gotten used to it but it dit bother me - a lot. Would like to see the laughing removed, or moved to some other proc that doesn't proc every 6 seconds.

 

That is probably the best suggestion I can come up with ^^

[Drengir]

I am mostly experienced in the combat medic (trooper) and seer (consular) healers so I can't speak up about sawbones (and it's mirror ofc).

 

But, I'll just go ahead and make this short and simple. I agree fully on what's been said by the OP. Especially on the overall performance of healers. The UI is crap and the rewards are a joke! And the dispells are just not worth spending any time to figure out. I use mine as fast as I get dots on me or a slow, and just hopes it dispells something off it, if not..well I atleast got a cheap little heal off (as seer).

 

There is room for improvement!

[Walldorf]

Im a sorc and today i had the honor to heal with an OP. This Op showed me again that the Problem those qq'rs have is between the keyboard and the chair. He healed in tionese gear the first boss of eternety vault mostly alone without problems. MOSTLY ALONE.

 

It's all about skill and the healing qq is done for me, even my "im sorc i can do it!" is done for me. Every healing class is well if it is geared and played by someone with skill. Simple thing.

 

Sorry if maaaany ppl have to see that this is some l2p post but realy, and i don't tell lies, take a look at your gameplay, gear and skilltrees and find those little things you do wrong.

 

It's possible to heal equaly and better OP's vs Sorcs, so if they nerf the sorc they have to nerf the OP as well ^^.

[Drengir]

Posted for rating, we need to get the PvP dev team to notice this thread! Either by a sticky or rating! The best summarization of the flaws in swtor healing around if you ask me.

[DrekorSilverfang]

Im a sorc and today i had the honor to heal with an OP. This Op showed me again that the Problem those qq'rs have is between the keyboard and the chair. He healed in tionese gear the first boss of eternety vault mostly alone without problems. MOSTLY ALONE.

 

It's all about skill and the healing qq is done for me, even my "im sorc i can do it!" is done for me. Every healing class is well if it is geared and played by someone with skill. Simple thing.

 

Sorry if maaaany ppl have to see that this is some l2p post but realy, and i don't tell lies, take a look at your gameplay, gear and skilltrees and find those little things you do wrong.

 

It's possible to heal equaly and better OP's vs Sorcs, so if they nerf the sorc they have to nerf the OP as well ^^.

 

I did point out my viewpoint is mostly that of PvP and not necessarily PvE however I would be interested in knowing how this op managed to be a better healer than a sorc. If you could give specifics I'm sure the entire op healing community would appreciate it.

[DarthTracer]

The mouse over healing thing I agree with other then that this has been an informative for me Thank-you for the information on healing

[bobudo]

Im a sorc and today i had the honor to heal with an OP. This Op showed me again that the Problem those qq'rs have is between the keyboard and the chair. He healed in tionese gear the first boss of eternety vault mostly alone without problems. MOSTLY ALONE.

 

It's all about skill and the healing qq is done for me, even my "im sorc i can do it!" is done for me. Every healing class is well if it is geared and played by someone with skill. Simple thing.

 

Sorry if maaaany ppl have to see that this is some l2p post but realy, and i don't tell lies, take a look at your gameplay, gear and skilltrees and find those little things you do wrong.

 

It's possible to heal equaly and better OP's vs Sorcs, so if they nerf the sorc they have to nerf the OP as well ^^.

 

The thing is that Op had to work his *** off to do that. He had to constantly assess healing priority based on current HP and likelihood of incoming damage, juggle his energy, keep TA up, and refresh probes.

 

It's absolutely draining. As an Op healer I can heal anything just as well as a Sorcerer. Sure. But I have to kill myself doing it while the Sorc. can almost phone it in.

 

If I have to work this hard, it had better make me feel more than adequate.

 

I agree with the OP.

[Damukag]

The thing is that Op had to work his *** off to do that. He had to constantly assess healing priority based on current HP and likelihood of incoming damage, juggle his energy, keep TA up, and refresh probes.

 

It's absolutely draining. As an Op healer I can heal anything just as well as a Sorcerer. Sure. But I have to kill myself doing it while the Sorc. can almost phone it in.

 

If I have to work this hard, it had better make me feel more than adequate.

 

I agree with the OP.

 

I'm going to disagree with you there.

 

Not about what the Op has to go through. That's absolutely correct. But the problem isn't that Sorc healing is easy, it's that there's just too much they can do. It's technically no 'easier' than the other healing classes except that your resource management is about a hundred times easier, you just have so many more tools. You have your AoE heals, your shields, your single target instants, single target nukes. Not necessarily a problem except that they have no tradeoff compared to the other, more 'specialized' healers. Normally if you have that many options, the trade off is that they're less individually effective. 'Jack of all trades, master of none', so to speak. But the Sorc is the best in all of those categories as well. They have no penalty. They have the best utility, single target and AoE output, burst healing, mobility, and cooldowns.

 

An Operative who works their *** off can probably get by all the content in the game just fine. But it'll be close and it'll probably take a few tries. A Sorc of equal skill won't even break a sweat in the same situations.

[prochuvi]

plz sticky this so every lowlvl asking for what is teh best heal can create another sorc.

i couldnt explain better than this guy the heal umbalance right now

[Grooboggle]

Hands down the sorc is the superior healer. What can the smuggler do the sorc cannot?

 

In PVP it seems worse because of the shields since with minimal effort and sole focus on dps except for throwing a shield or two you can outheal dedicated smugglers who have every point put into the healing tree.

 

Force shield should be talented in the healing tree. Maybe third tier?

[Eileithia]

Just going to pipe in here on a PVE point of view.

 

Un-talented Force Armor sucks. However if you're a dedicated healer you've put 2 points in the 2nd tier TK Tree (Adds 20% to the amount it absorbs) and 2 points in the Tier 3 Seer tree (Makes it instant recast, and reduces the cost). Just wanted others to be aware that you have to spend points in this talent to make it as powerful as people are complaining about. It's not a freebie.

 

In PVE, Force armor is a stop-gap to give you time to get a HoT and channel on the tank to bring them back up. Longer fights it is possible to run out of force even if you're diligent about Sacrificing every time your free one procs. In large AOE situations where you have to move all over the place you're reduced to single target heals, and shields as ground targetted AE healing is completely inefficient and in most cases too long to bother casting. I wouldn't say that Seer spec is OP for PVE content unless you're very well geared. Doing hard-modes in Blue level 50 gear is challenging and there will be deaths and force management issues.

 

As for PVP. Yes, Force Armor is extremely OP especially if you've spec'd it out, and the amount of base CC/Stuns we get really pisses people off. However that's usually negated by the fact that we're focus fired to oblivion as soon as we peak our head out from the post we're humping.

[Zinfandel]

I don't think anyone is arguing your point that Sorcerers have to spend points in their respective trees to heal, dps, pvp.

 

I think the argument here has been:

 

A)Sorcerer healing is super awesome.

 

B) Other healing classes are lacking and feel incomplete.

 

C) Healing classes need to be buffed to be able to handle situations when being brought in as a healer for certain encounters. I think there can be a decent argument that in raid scenarios, operative healing gets their intended job done, as do the other classes. In group scenarios for HM Flashpoints, other healers are inadequate or require some luck from RNG to pull off some encounters(I.E. Bonus boss for Kaon)

 

D) As other classes seem to have some inadequacies, the logical step would be to buff those classes in line to the sorcerer. I think everyone would agree, that the sorcerer healing class, is the only healer w/ a complete healing kit to handle situations where they would be the only or group healer.

 

E) Classes that have these inadequacies, need to be looked at before determining the direction that adjustments(if any) to sorcerers should go.