Tracer Missile truth!

[Chipdouglas]

Yeah I always just interrupt it, hit them a few times while they just stand there and follow with a stun... Then by the time they try to start the spam again they are dead.

 

I don't get all the crying about it. I have no trouble with them at all

[Feskitt]

So every mercenary/commando on these forums swears on his mothers grave that Tracer Missile and Grey Rounds is not OP.

Fusion Missile,

Heat Seeker,

Unload,

Flamethrower,

Death From Above,

and Railshot all do MORE damage then Tracer Missile.

 

(hell, even Explosive Dart may have more damage than TM; not sure, aint been on my Merc in a few weeks)

 

 

They say people who spam that ability are "bad. Good mercenaries don't do that."

And players who die to TM spam are also bad.

 

Fortunately, since most BH's suck, you never have to face good ones that use all their damage attacks. See above.

 

 

Well, guess what. From what I've seen, there's a lot of "bad mercenaries / commando's" in this game, because I see these classes do it all the time.

Yes, there are. Apparently on these forums, as well.

 

 

I always watch their abilities, and it's usually the same deal. Tracer missile, Tracer mis (interrupted) ... pause ... unload! ... tracer missile, tracer missile (than they usually end up dead or switch targets to do more tracer missile.)

 

They suck. They're also boring and unimaginative, and an embarrassment to the class.

 

 

So, my point is, maybe people who spam tracer missile are just bad. But that doesn't mean it doesn't happen all the time.

It didn't in matches I was in. Then again, so what if it "happens all the time?' So what? It's no threat. TM is easy to beat, at least in WZ's.

 

And it doesn't mean it isn't completely silly. There's no other class in the game that has an ability like this. If I sat there casting snipe over and over, I wouldn't do half the damage of tracer missile.

 

"Completely silly."

 

Can't speak to other classes.

Not to mention the animation and sound of the ability is super annoying, and just adds to the goofyness of the whole thing.

And in all seriousness, this is probably the real reason people are complaining about it; they refuse to use strategy to nullify TM, get killed by TM spam, all the while hearing the annoying sound effect, then come here and whine.

 

 

HOW TO BEAT TM:

 

1. Break Line of Sight.

-- this is so easy in WZ's, it can make TM almost worthless. You don't need to "run for cover." All you have to do is momentarily step behind any object. Done. In the meantime, noob BH's will sit there and keep trying to use TM, and will fire nothing. Every single WZ is filled w/ objects to step behind, then step back out and continue fighting. It doesn't need to be a tall object, doesn't need to be something to "hide" behind.. Even small objects like the Huttball spawn device is large enough.

2. Interrupt

-- self-explanatory

3. Knockbacks

-- TM requires the BH be standing still. Any movement breaks the cast. And TM is not truly instant at all. From keystroke to missile-landing-damage takes time.

4. Evasiveness in melee range

-- Facing target only works for the initial key-stroke; any BH sucky enough to spam TM is probably also too sucky to be able to move and evade melee to get anther Facing position to fire it off a 2nd time. So strafe, spin, etc around the BH as you're bashing him.

 

 

If someone can't do the things above, which are necessary for a lot more than dealing with just TM type attacks, they got no business complaining about PvP or class mechanics.

 

L2P.

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2012 by Feskitt

[Theballzz]

wheres this fool at so i can tracer him up.

[vindianajones]

I like when you interrupt Tracer Missile/Grav Round and the person just stands still not using any skills.

 

This happens so often as to be comical. I imagine them staring at their computer with a dropped jaw mashing the Tracer Missile key until the interrupt lockout expires. On the other hand, while I find the Tracer Missile spam to be annoying and skill-free, I don't really think they're overpowered. When I close on a Mercenary on my Guardian, I shred them to pieces. The only ones that have any staying power are the healing specs, and they sure as hell aren't spamming Tracer Missiles.

 

One of my favorite things to do is yell "TRACER MISSILE" in /say chat while a Merc is running away for dear life, a split second before my Dispatch removes his head.

 

All kidding aside though... I don't think they really need a nerf. The Mercs that use other skills or other specs are quite capable of handling themselves in PvP, and these are the ones I have trouble with - not the Tracer Missile spammers.

Edited January 30, 2012 by vindianajones

[mastamind]

What about having tracer missle grav round's debuff lowering the dmg of TM/GR by 10% each stack.

 

So now you'll use it to get your debuff up then switch to other attacks like charged bolts/power shot and then only use your TM/GR to keep the armor debuff up.

[Jaxxar]

The solution to this is to get rid of Expertise stat. Enough said.

[Luckorforever]

Funny, i as BH/Merc use 12 Skills in every single fight and even more when its a long fight.

 

While sorcerer uses this:

 

If he calls himself a progamer he uses up to 3 Buttons.

 

If he is an above average sorcerer he uses 1-2 Buttons.

 

If he is an average sorcerer he uses 1 Button

Edited January 30, 2012 by Luckorforever

[clickonce]

I play sorc (heal spec'd and not very squishy) & shadow (infiltration spec'd and very squishy) and have no problem with tracer spam on either. I think some of you just need to read up on all your abilities and learn how to use them in the correct order.

[EternalFinality]

I lied. I do have a 32 Merc. Tonight, I'm going to see if I can make a PvP video of me with only Tracer Missile bound on my keyboard. For a bonus, I'm also going to click it and keyboard turn to acquire targets.

 

You shouldn't just have tracer missile bound to one key.

 

You should have every key on every hotbar set to it.

[MalachiDraven]

I don't understand what all this "Tracer Missile/Grav Round SPAMMING" is. I'm a Commando, and I don't SPAM my Grav Round. I hit it THREE times to get my full stacks and then I hit all of my other buttons.

 

I get a defense buff, it makes my High Impact Bolt more damaging, and it applies an armor debuff to you - all of these stack 5 times, but with talents most of it only takes 3 shots (2 applications per shot). So I only have to hit Grav Round THREE times and then I'm done spamming it.

 

This is my usual PvP technique:

1. THREE Grav Rounds

2. Then I use High Impact Bolt, Demolition Round, and Full Auto.

3. I'm also busy using Concussive Charge on the dang Operatives and Assassins that like to sit behind me and poke me in the back.

4. I'm also looking for when I see 2 or more enemies next to each other to hit them with Plasma Grenade.

5. I'm also looking to see if you were dumb enough to stand near a ledge so I can knock you off of it (yeah, I'm that guy who blew you off the bridge in Voidstar from like a mile away).

6. I'm also making sure I can keep you interrupted or LOS'd to mitigate any damage I may be taking from you.

 

I am a Commando. I am also a good player. Good Commandos (and Mercenaries) DO NOT SPAM. We utilize all of our abilities as necessary. Most of the idiots that cry about spamming are too stupid to realize that we're using other skills.

 

Also, the bad players don't like to admit that they're just bad, so they claim that we're OP and using only one ability to beat them so it must be our class that's better and not just us.

 

Truth is, scrubs, you suck. I'm not using only one ability, I'm just better than you.

[TrollBerzerker]

The amount of ignorance in regards to this ability in this thread is staggering, even by MMO PVP forum standards. But the people who actually play mercenary/gunnery have already explained why, so I won't bother going into it again. What's really appalling in this thread is the guys going "HURR HURR I INTERRUPTED AND HE JUST STOOD THERE, I AM AWESOME AND THEY ARE RETARDED."

 

Really, from my personal experience, the arsenal/gunnery spec feels very similar to the Burning Crusade-era elemental shaman from WoW, both in playstyle and in battlefield role. They hit really hard but are a little on the squishy side and are required to be immobile for their best stuff. They're also encouraged to spam one button for most of the fight (tracer/grav around for merc/commando, lightning bolt for the shaman).

 

They're basically artillery. They stand in the back and unload on the enemy for heavy damage, and can be a real problem if no one stops them. You know, kind of like what I would expect from a guy with a laser minigun or a walking missile battery.

Edited January 30, 2012 by TrollBerzerker

[Blaaine]

I like when you interrupt Tracer Missile/Grav Round and the person just stands still not using any skills.

 

This is because its the only skill on their bar.

[Bigoman]

Save the Tracer Rounds!

[ihateyouall]

Mercenaries have no problem being a running joke in this game. I think that's great, looks like tracer missile should remain afterall.

[slchen]

If you're going to nerf something.. nerf Tracer Missile animation and sound effect.

 

Since this is the only thing people actually HEAR and SEE they automatically assume that this is the only ability that we cast.

 

The lack of a combat log also doesn't help this cause.

[JAVAjedi]

Its definately a L2P issue. Stop all this crying and learn to play your class. And yes, the sage/sorc is worse... but do you guys see what happened when people started crying about the sage/sorc? Everyone that rolled sage/sorc started yelling "no no no look at the merc/commando, he only pushed 1 button!!!"

 

No - tracer missile is definitely worse. 2.5k dmg instantaneously? And lowers armor?

 

lightning averages maybe 700dmg per pulse (and it's a relative slow pulse in comparison to the missile spamming). That, and a good sorc only uses it twice in a row for rotation after using recklessness (to make them crit 900/pulse and incur wrath proc), but most non-sorcs don't know or realize this.... the other DPS skills (creeping terror, crushing darkness, affliction, etc.) we use have very subtle animations, and you probably won't even realize we cast them unless you pay attention to the status effects above your health/resource bars.

 

Regardless, I don't really think either skill needs to be nerfed. Although I did like the idea of a 5 sec cooldown for tracer missile/grav round (just so I don't have to hear that annoying sound fx as frequently, if nothing else)....

Edited January 31, 2012 by JAVAjedi

[Swaggz]

Wow...more QQ from the nerfing crowd without even knowing how the ability works. Now, if TM must be nerfed damage wise, then so be it, BUT they will have to do at least a few of the following:

 

1. Slight increase in damage to Heatseeker Missiles/Reduce the CD by 3-5 seconds

2. Reduce the CD of Rail Shot by 4 seconds

3. Allow TM to reset the CD of Heatseeker Missiles

4. Give BH/Troopers a "Disengage" ability. Same CD length as Jet Boost, but we jump backwards 15 meters to get out of melee range.

 

Now, properly geared, someone knocking off a couple TM's before an instant, yeah, they're gonna mess you up. Although if you can't run our of range and LoS them after the first one hits you (1.3-1.5s cast + travel time) you deserve to get hit again....and again...and again....and again....

[TheRiddick]

I am fine with a 5 second cooldown if you make tracer missle automatically put 5x heat sig on, also have a 50% chance to recharge unload, and also give me 5x shield and bonus damage to rail shot. then fine I will allow the 5 second cooldown, other than that you are completely gimping the class making it unviable. The entire arsenal tree is built around tracer missle, It is fine, those who have a clue how to pvp, interupt the cast bar at almost full then by the time I get off cd and have to cast again I am lucky to get one off before you can interupt me again. I have seen it over and over in warfronts, there is the people who dont have interupt keybound, those that do have a huge gap in skill and usually can take me out without much fuss because I dont really have any other skills besides powershot that can give me the buffs i need to do damage, quit whining about tracer missle and L2P cause that is the real issue here, not tracer spam. there are so many counters and those who are good at PvP have found them, and exploited them, sheesh. ellll tooo peeeeee

[LordiMordi]

<3 tracer spammers!

 

BANG!->BANG!->counter->confused o.o->BA- uh noez los broken!-> more confusion! ->maybe...BAN- dammit los broken! -> totally confused->lets try to...BA- down by dots =(

 

Reminds me totally of this little piece

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEi0OyOgZ4s

 

Edited January 31, 2012 by LordiMordi

[Kelticfury]

Personally I think Force Lightning spam is worse. I love how people have a problem with Tracer but don't have a problem with Force Lightning. OP must play a Sorc eh?

 

Force Lightning does good damage, and slows you, and it is spammable if you are Madness OR hybrid madness/lightning.

 

You should know what skills do what before making wrong statements

[TheRiddick]

<3 tracer spammers!

 

BANG!->BANG!->counter->confused o.o->BA- uh noez los broken!-> more confusion! ->maybe...BAN- dammit los broken! -> totally confused->lets try to...BA- down by dots =(

 

quoted for truth.... this person obviously knows how to counter arsenal BH.

[Dementza]

The day when TRACER MISSILES or worse, Mercs/Commandos will get nerfed, it will be the day when SWTOR will lose 10 % of it's player base!

 

Trust me, I will surely unsub because of that!

[TheRiddick]

The day when TRACER MISSILES or worse, Mercs/Commandos will get nerfed, it will be the day when SWTOR will lose 10 % of it's player base!

 

Trust me, I will surely unsub because of that!

 

I wouldn't unsub, But I sure as hell would no longer DPS on my BH, I would switch to heals until all the whiners complain that my heals are op. and that gets nerfed, mass majority of players = noob which then they complain and being the majority dumb the game down so bad that my 5yr old nephew can pwn most the people in the game. YAY nubbers!

[Endlessday]

I love when people say things about tracer missile, most people don't realize that the entire Arsenal tree revolves around tracer missile. There are 4 abilities Arsenal BH use Tracer Missile, Heat Seeker missile, Rail Shot and Unload. The stacks that tracer missile applies on the target increase the damage that Heat Seeker and Rail shot do by 5% and 6% respectively per stack. Complaining that BH use tracer missiles is like complaining that a Assassin spams Maul or a Operative uses backstab. Its what the tree gives them to do the damage they are designed for you can't ***** about a sorc not using his lightsaber cause hes not designed to use a lightsaber so he spams lightning because that is what his talent trees are desinged to allow him to do.

[CommandoPower]

Really whether or not it's balanced or built that way is irrelevant.

 

 

Fact is either 1 of 2 things happens.

 

1. Tracer/grav round spam is fixed.

 

2. IF #1 does not happen a lot of people leave PVP.

 

 

 

A lot of us understand that spamming noobs are not using their class to it's full potential, but when someone can literally derp mode people to death fairly easily and consistently it just sucks the fun out of PVP for those of us actually expending effort not to suck.

 

Even if we beat said player by 100k and 10 kills, they still ALMOST did the same amount we did using derp mode. You pretty much have to double whatever they do for it not to feel totally lame. Even then, you'll end up dying to tracer missle spam at some point during a match and it's just annoyingly frustrating to know you just got killed pretty quickly by a complete idiot spamming a single button.

 

 

The simple frustration of skilless players being able to compete due to the class being designed so simply on it's own is toxic.