Operative PVP healing

[ercmilla]

How is operative healing in PVP? I cant find ANY threads on this!!!!

[Xenthum]

Roll a sorc or a merc, Operatives are worthless.

[noctred]

Operative healers are fine in pvp. Edited January 27, 2012 by noctred

[alanisUDL]

Operative healers are fine in pvp.

 

I have them both at 50. Operatives are unbelievably inferior in PvP than both other healers.

[Oghier]

I've levelled as a medic to 46 so far, and I have PvP'd enough to hit rank 30. Every PvP match has been a pug - I am not in a guild.

 

I lead healing in 7/10 matches. Occasionally a merc beats me out. More rarely (and always in Voidstar), a sorc absolutely destroys my numbers. A typical Huttball has me at about 200k healing, 50k damage and 6 medals (2.5k heal, 2.5k strike, killing blow, 75k healing, kill 10 enemies, kill 25 enemies). I blow a lot of GCD's tagging red names with corrosive dart or a passing shiv/ backstab to make sure I get some medals

 

The class has weaknesses in healing, particularly in AoE (RN is such an energy pig that I specced out of it). However, we're decent mobile healers, due to Kolto Probe and Surgical Probe. Pre-Hotting everyone about to head into combat, and using shiv to generate TA allows you to absolutely abuse surgical probe. This is the real key to Operative Healing in PvP - stay on the move, stay alive. Rarely, you will be able to stand and spam Kolto Injection (followed by Surgical Probe) on a target under heavy fire. That puts out very impressive healing. But you can't be dead-set on that playstyle, or you'll mostly be dead and respawning. Run. Use Line of Sight. Use your CC. Stay alive, and keep tossing out those HoT's and Instants.

 

Mobility is our comparative advantage. Use it, or go sorc.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Oghier

[noctred]

I have them both at 50. Operatives are unbelievably inferior in PvP than both other healers.

 

Inferior doesn't mean not viable - it's a relative term. Just saying.

 

A couple recent games -

 

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh42/asmox2dm/SWTOR/tor3.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh42/asmox2dm/SWTOR/tor5.jpg

Edited January 27, 2012 by noctred

[DarthIncy]

Hi,

 

I see a lot of these "roll a sorc" comments when people ask about Operative Healing. Now, I personally only play a DPS sorc and only rarely, my main is an operative healer..

 

In PvP, I am champion gear equiped, and, whilst being a healer does make it harder to get those 10000 medals, I have no prolem whatsoever with healing. People can't get me down easily, it takes 3+ people to do that, a Rakata Medpac helps, and I can heal like a madman throwing Kolto Probes all over the place, Kolto Injections, Surgical Probes and (yes even) Recuperative Nanotech. No problem there, Operatives do fine, no matter what other classes do.

 

In PvE, well, there are a few issues there, one has to admit. In hard mode flashpoints, you are able to heal very very well in most cases, again using your imagination with Kolto Probes, Kolto Injections and Surgical Probes. There are boss figths that are, however, quite demanding, whereby your team all of a sudden gets a lot of damage and your tank is down to like 30-40% very fast (examples are Battle of Ilum and False Emperor, both the bosses before the last). You need to act fast, and, well, if you don't anticipate well enough, you might be a little late, thus running into problems. We cannot shield the tank, or players, which sets us back a bit.

 

Resume:

 

PvP? Well, compare yourself to other classes and most will tell you that operatives suck. I disagree, but it's far from 1-button healing and, well, people hate operatives, they don't like concealment specced operatives so whenever they see ANY operative, they will jump you :-) Those *******. haha. But you can heal very well in there, it's fun and it's plentiful.

 

PvE? Hell yes, I have no problems with any of the current hard modes, however, there is that little thing with the missing shield option, and then it's hard to get your tank up fast, especially when you don't have a Tactical Advantage ready. Alacrity (probably the most discussed stat that most seem to find useless) has its uses there, you can stac it (or get a nice relic) so that your Kolto Injections only have 1.5 sec cast time. That will broaden your options.

 

So far I love my operative healer and I get invited to hard mode flashpoints, pvp and even guilds a lot, especially if people have grouped with me before. It's fun, it's nice. Maybe other classes have more options to keep a tank alive when things go wrong, but it is challenging and a lot of fun. There, I said it!

[Rovitemptis]

the great thing about operative healing in pvp is your use of moving hots, you can throw probes out on people and get your tactical advantages on the move for instant no energy surgical probes, your aoe heal doesnt require people to sit in one spot, it'll heal them for almost as much as your probes when you have 2 set of pvp gear, and your direct heals although costing quite a bit of energy deliver huge heals, in those "oh crap" moments in pvp you can pop your relic and throw out a kolto injection followed by an infusion if its a ball carrier for example and if both crit thats from close to 0 to almost full faster then any other healer. the other great thing is infusion is so fast if you have a spare TA to spend that most people wont have time to react to it to interrupt. you have flashbang to blind 5 guys as well as evasion to wipe all debuffs on you, both very handy abilities that should be used at the right time.

 

on a regular basis i get 9-10 medals and average between 450-500k healing, with roughly 6.4k as the highest heal on another player, over 8k on myself with the shield up.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Rovitemptis

[AgrippAA]

you are viable but you do have less in the way of escape skills so if you are focused then you might struggle.

 

I would say that sorcs and bounty hunters are better for the healing in PvP not because of healing output as such but for different reasons they have better survivability than a healing op.

 

I know not all will agree but that is just my 2p worth

[Crazyeyedturtle]

I have them both at 50. Operatives are unbelievably inferior in PvP than both other healers.

 

All I have at 50 is a sorc (and my op is 48 atm) but I gotta agree with this just from being in a few 50 pvp matches and glancing at the talent trees/skills (as well as quite a bit of experience playing either one).

 

Sorc's have a bubble, ranged stun, aoe knockback with root, lots of synergy using resurgence, 10% armor buff with one of their heals, a lot more mobility, etc.

 

Merc's have heavy armor (though not much difference), aoe knockback with slow, synergy with supercharged gas, 10% armor buff, 10% healing recieved aoe buff with their aoe heal, shield that heals you when you get hit, etc.

 

Operatives have shield probe which is an inferior self-bubble, +30% crit healing on 1-2 heals that you'll use, and uh....cover screen (3min cd)...evasion (1min cd)...that's about it. No knockbacks, no mobility, no roots (you get a single target slow though) and your stun is melee. Sure it give syou 30% movement after you use it and it's 30s cd (if you talent it) but....really there's a reason why people say to roll sorc or merc, it's because they are just plain better. They heal for more, they have a lot more survivability more mobility more cc some neat mechanics. We get a dumb buff that we have to "manage" that basically just means you use your main heal 2 times, then you make sure you keep 1 stack at all times.

 

Operative in general needs a lot of work, but healing as an operative really got me frustrated in PvP. I was constantly targeted by 2-3 people at once right when I started to heal someone and the only thing I can do is evasion -> cover screen...and I can only do that every 3 minutes. So once I'm back in the fight and I get focused again I'm the squishiest class in the entire game, which is not a good type of healer to have especially in pvp.

[Vonkong]

The one thing the Operative hearers in this thread are not mentioning is how many more buttons you have to press for an Opy to be as effective as a Sorc...

 

I play both, and I usually start with the Opy and switch to the Sorc when my hands cramp... but I am also 6'5" with big hands so I have trouble with my hands cramping anyway (I wish the Naga-Mouse came in a larger version).

 

BioWare need to add macro's, and make Kolto Infusion an instant cast and I think they would be equal then.

[Echelonus]

The one thing the Operative hearers in this thread are not mentioning is how many more buttons you have to press for an Opy to be as effective as a Sorc...

 

I play both, and I usually start with the Opy and switch to the Sorc when my hands cramp... but I am also 6'5" with big hands so I have trouble with my hands cramping anyway (I wish the Naga-Mouse came in a larger version).

 

BioWare need to add macro's, and make Kolto Infusion an instant cast and I think they would be equal then.

 

Infusion is for non-healing specs. SP is an instant replacement to infusion for healing spec.

 

As for ops in pvp, we are just fine but you gotta do more predictive healing instead of just reacting once someone is getting owned.

 

Watch people that are running in or about to get attacked and HoT them. Use RN when your group is NOT fighting and you have spare energy. Since people never go 10 sec without fighting it will get some benefit. Keep a TA handy and when you do see someone get focused spam SP over and over. If they're about to die you can usually spam it faster tthan they take damage and get them back up over 30%, at which point you will be back at full energy (since sp costs 0 and is reusable until 30), then you can go back to hots or top the specific person off with injection.

 

At brand new 50 with greens I was getting 150k reliably, now with half centurian/champion gear and half blues (and more practice) I'm always around 300k for normal length games, higher if they drag on. I know another operative in full champion level stuff that is always at 400-450k for normal length games. STOMPS any other healers in those games.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Echelonus

[Novyun]

I pretty much pvp full time as an op healer, with mostly Champ gear. I think I'm around 550+ expertise. I can tell you that we are the weakest pvp healer. A lot of people will talk about our mobility while healing but the hots are not big enough to do anything about burst on anyone and kolto probe heals for a very small amount. It's better to just use that as an emergency when someone is near death.

 

Some will argue that the healing numbers are fine but that doesn't translate into a good pvp healer. We have no knockback, no pull, no sprint, and most importantly... no bubble shield. The advantage of a shield is that people have to dps through it before someone takes damage. It negates much of the burst coming from any class. So even if operative heals are bigger than say a sage/sorc, it is far easier to heal 10% of someones life up than 50%.

 

Say you are carrying the ball in huttball and are on one of the top walkways.... would you rather see an operative by your side? or a sorc?

[Vonkong]

Infusion is for non-healing specs. SP is an instant replacement to infusion for healing spec.

 

 

We need them both to be instant to be on par with the Sorc (vs. Resurgence and Static Shield)... yes, a good player can work there fingers off to be just as good as a Sorc, but why should we have to grind our joints to the bone to do it? Bad mechanics on a class are just that.... which is not a player "skill" mechanic, either.

[Cortmaz]

I pretty much pvp full time as an op healer, with mostly Champ gear. I think I'm around 550+ expertise. I can tell you that we are the weakest pvp healer. A lot of people will talk about our mobility while healing but the hots are not big enough to do anything about burst on anyone and kolto probe heals for a very small amount. It's better to just use that as an emergency when someone is near death.

 

Some will argue that the healing numbers are fine but that doesn't translate into a good pvp healer. We have no knockback, no pull, no sprint, and most importantly... no bubble shield. The advantage of a shield is that people have to dps through it before someone takes damage. It negates much of the burst coming from any class. So even if operative heals are bigger than say a sage/sorc, it is far easier to heal 10% of someones life up than 50%.

 

Say you are carrying the ball in huttball and are on one of the top walkways.... would you rather see an operative by your side? or a sorc?

 

I dont rly know how sorc's heal works, but id rather see an op with a brain by my side.

Surgical probe is by far the best thing we've got. I saved so many asses just becouse i mashed SP hotkey when they dropped down 30%

 

Well, we're not the best healers in game, but obviously we're not broken.

I usually got like 400k~ in huttball and 500k+ in voidstar/ald~ and still my eq is pretty weak (all champion, but ****** crit/surge ratio - 33%/55%).

 

With battlemaster gear and crit/surge on 40~/70~ and dont need anything more.

 

Lack of aoe heal is a problem, but only in pve

[Kunda]

We're probably the weakest of the three healing specs by a very slim margin, that said, I find Operative healing to be extremely enjoyable. Recuperative Nanotech offers some decent healing and doesn't require your target remain stationary (or in the same radius) to benefit but effects fewer targets. Surgical Probes are absolutely amazing and Kolto Probes, once you get the hang of managing them, are also nice for mobility.

 

The downsides of the class, in my opinion, are a limited resource pool when under duress and the reliance on TA procs. We're very susceptible to focus fire if Slip Away is on cooldown (and often times even then) and if you can't spare the energy to shiv and your Kolto Injection gets interrupted (as good players will often do) you'll be out TA procs for your Surgical Probe spam fairly quickly.

 

I'm currently valor rank 61 and have only leveled my Operative to cap but based on my observations of playing with other Operative, Merc, and Sorc healers we're capable of competing with either but have fewer tools overall. Except in Voidstar. If you're outhealing a sorc in Voidstar they're not playing very well.

[Tamanous]

Well seeing how Medical Therapy is broken and one of our most important talents ... the current lack in healing could very well be that.

 

If we got a buff saying "Kolto probe healing has been increased by 10% and Surgical Probe by 6%" ... would you think "Nice buff!" ?

 

Well I bet most would so FIX OUR DAMN TALENTS BIOWARE!

Edited January 27, 2012 by Tamanous

[Phanatik]

I like healing more on my op then my sorc.

 

If you just want the better overall healer...go sorc.

 

I chose the op because it feels more involved and you gotta work harder.

[Phanatik]

We're probably the weakest of the three healing specs by a very slim margin, that said, I find Operative healing to be extremely enjoyable. Recuperative Nanotech offers some decent healing and doesn't require your target remain stationary (or in the same radius) to benefit but effects fewer targets. Surgical Probes are absolutely amazing and Kolto Probes, once you get the hang of managing them, are also nice for mobility.

 

The downsides of the class, in my opinion, are a limited resource pool when under duress and the reliance on TA procs. We're very susceptible to focus fire if Slip Away is on cooldown (and often times even then) and if you can't spare the energy to shiv and your Kolto Injection gets interrupted (as good players will often do) you'll be out TA procs for your Surgical Probe spam fairly quickly.

 

I'm currently valor rank 61 and have only leveled my Operative to cap but based on my observations of playing with other Operative, Merc, and Sorc healers we're capable of competing with either but have fewer tools overall. Except in Voidstar. If you're outhealing a sorc in Voidstar they're not playing very well.

 

I agree! (and on voidstar yes my sorc can plant that aoe infront of the gate and heal away)

 

I am definitly excited to hear that one of our better healer talents isnt working...which means buff!!! once its does what it says.

 

I truly enjoy the class, i feel I heal better on my sorc...but as ive said the OP is just more fun. Plus i enjoy playing classes that are not represented well.

[CEAF]

I agree the Op is actually the weakest PvP healer but not by much. The HoTs + SP will not keep a target up by themselves and we are easy to lock out since we have only a single cast. On top of this we are quite squishy and have zero utlity outside of healing.

 

Sorc is slightly better then Op, has the best healing toolset and utlity by FAR but suffers from being even more squishy then the Op however this is almost entirely offset by the vastly superior shield. Sorc is also not resource constrained like Op (and Merc).

 

Merc is the best PvP healer, his survivability is >>>>>>>> the Op and Sorc. Merc is the only class that can stick right in the middle of a serious engagement and not get trained into the ground.

Edited January 27, 2012 by CEAF

[alanisUDL]

Sorc is slightly better then Op, has the best healing toolset and utlity by FAR but suffers from being even more squishy then the Op however this is almost entirely offset by the vastly superior shield. Sorc is also not resource constrained like Op (and Merc).

 

Merc is the best PvP healer, his survivability is >>>>>>>> the Op and Sorc. Merc is the only class that can stick right in the middle of a serious engagement and not get trained into the ground.

 

Sorc is has so much incredibly more survivably than an OP. It is similar, if not better at survivability than the BH as well. Interupts are not a big deal at all for Sorc with the amount of heals they have, in addition to the shield. Their CC and Force Sprint are fantastic to staying alive.

[Doki]

I agree the Op is actually the weakest PvP healer but not by much. The HoTs + SP will not keep a target up by themselves and we are easy to lock out since we have only a single cast. On top of this we are quite squishy and have zero utlity outside of healing.

 

Sorc is slightly better then Op, has the best healing toolset and utlity by FAR but suffers from being even more squishy then the Op however this is almost entirely offset by the vastly superior shield. Sorc is also not resource constrained like Op (and Merc).

 

Merc is the best PvP healer, his survivability is >>>>>>>> the Op and Sorc. Merc is the only class that can stick right in the middle of a serious engagement and not get trained into the ground.

 

Sorcs are definitely NOT the squishiest healer. Actually, counting their utility, they're one of the harder classes to kill.

 

Ops is definitely the squishiest of the three.

[cepAx]

One large problem with Operative Healing in pvp compared to Sorcerer is that if your Kolto Injection gets interrupted and you do not receive any procs of tactical advantage from your hots, you will die (not even counting stuns).

 

In that 4 second lock out with more than one person dpsing you will die, unless you are getting peels from your teammates, get procs of tactical advantage, or los long enough for your Kolto Injection to be available again, you will die with more than one person on you.

 

As sorcerer, if my Dark Infusion gets interrupted, I still have the ability to: Shield, Innervate, Resurgence, and spam Dark Heal along with losing and getting peels.

 

While not having the mobility that sorcerers have is another huge problem, it feels like vanish is a very poor escape for medic. I am not sure if it is my lag, but several times I can't even use vanish (not that it breaks, but the spell its self just doesn't go off). Bugs aside, not being able to heal yourself if you come out of vanish whether by leaving stealth or it breaking is another problem.

Edited January 27, 2012 by cepAx

[Oghier]

One large problem with Operative Healing in pvp compared to Sorcerer is that if your Kolto Injection gets interrupted and you do not receive any procs of tactical advantage from your hots, you will die (not even counting stuns).

 

I have not found this to be the case, unless I have multiple DPS attacking me. Assuming I have a double-stack of HoT's up, I can pop my own shield for a bit of breathing room. I generally keep a TA in reserve for a quick SP. A Flashbang, Debilitate or Medpac can also give me a bit of room. Finally, I can bait an interrupt with Diagnostic Scan.

 

If all my cooldowns are down, then I probably am dead. But that's just how PvP works.

 

I have not played a sorc, so I will accept your statement that they have many more options than do medical operatives. We agents are not completely helpless, however, simply because our big heal is locked out.

[Crazyeyedturtle]

One large problem with Operative Healing in pvp compared to Sorcerer is that if your Kolto Injection gets interrupted and you do not receive any procs of tactical advantage from your hots, you will die (not even counting stuns).

 

In that 4 second lock out with more than one person dpsing you will die, unless you are getting peels from your teammates, get procs of tactical advantage, or los long enough for your Kolto Injection to be available again, you will die with more than one person on you.

 

As sorcerer, if my Dark Infusion gets interrupted, I still have the ability to: Shield, Innervate, Resurgence, and spam Dark Heal along with losing and getting peels.

 

While not having the mobility that sorcerers have is another huge problem, it feels like vanish is a very poor escape for medic. I am not sure if it is my lag, but several times I can't even use vanish (not that it breaks, but the spell its self just doesn't go off). Bugs aside, not being able to heal yourself if you come out of vanish whether by leaving stealth or it breaking is another problem.

 

I think it's a bug that cover screen doesn't always work, I've had it not work a few times as well especially in pvp.

 

Honestly if they replaced kolto infusion with an emergency heal that had a cooldown (similar to the npc kolto injection, where they throw that syringe at you with the string but can only use it every 30s on one person) and it used either less energy or no energy, we would be in business...because our heals are based off of critting because once you crit a heal you heal for a pretty massive amount (at 47 I crit'd both injection -> surgical probe several times and got up to about 5.5k total heal from that one GCD).

 

The thing that bothers me about that is sages can just as easily hit dark infusion and heal for about the same amount, even more sometimes...so where is our advantage?

 

Maybe once they fix the 3 talents that are broken we'll be better off...I'll probably switch back to healing at that point because I do find it fun.