Does the combat medic spec have to use the Assualt cannon?

[Shockrocks]

First I will say I'm sorry if this has been addressed already.

 

Does the combat medic spec have to use the assualt cannon? For DPS yes the assault cannon is a must, but, will using a regular blaster rifle hinder me in anyway specced as combat medic. I ask because I think it would look silly and I kind of think the assault cannon is a bit over the top. I was a combat medic in the army for 8 years and I never had to lug around a 240B. Either way I'm going commando just wanna give myself a heads up.

 

Thank you for any replies

[FIGHTorFIGHT]

You don't have to use a cannon, but you are just gimping yourself if you don't since they have better stats. You still need to shoot things quite a bit.

[Umbrasa]

I doubt that when you were an actual combat medic you shot your patients with whatever rifle, gun or cannon you were carrying at the time, while in this game you do (with the appropriate healing ammo ofcourse ). But besides making you look like Vasquez or Drake from Aliens, it's basically your shamanistic medicine stick

[Fishcatch]

Quick note, this isn't like That Other MMO where healers are useless when things go smooth and the tank doesn't need a lot of heals- we can still do competitve DPS, and if you get rid of that Assault Cannon, you're nerfing your DPS. I have played a Combat medic levels 1-50 and into the endgame, and I can say there are times when you'd help the group more by helping the DPS burn down targets than by just sitting around and spamming HS on the tank to top him off when pulls go smooth and he's taking piddly damage. Obviously you need to keep an eye on everyones HP and don't waste too much ammo, but you'd be amazed how much DPS you can put out spamming CB when you pop SCC. Edited February 1, 2012 by Fishcatch

[Shockrocks]

Thank you for the replies.

 

I have a 33 vanguard and a 36 Operative. I was wondering if using a blaster rifle would prevent me from using any of my healing abilities. I should have asked: Is there an ability I would need to use that requires I have the cannon equiped (for healing)?

 

I like the way blaster rifles look.

[vrok-]

I'm currently experimenting with a blaster rifle on my 24/17 combat medic in PvP.

 

Abilities you can't use with a rifle: hail of bolts and charged bolts.

 

Abilities that will do lower (mostly max) damage with a rifle: hammer shot, full auto and high impact bolt.

 

No other abilities are affected at all. All other attacks count as tech and don't use your weapon damage to calculate their damage in any way.

 

Since tech attacks, unlike weapon damage attacks, have 100% base accuracy and can't be shielded, and I'm geared as a medic with no accuracy, I pretty much only spam grav round and toss off a few grenades/impact bolts when I do help out with killing a target. Losing hail of bolts to instantly AoE interrupt cappers is the only real downside IMO.

Edited February 2, 2012 by vrok-

[Kokkos]

None of the healing skills. I know some of the dmg skills require it but cant remember which. Just check the tooltip of your abilities and you will find out yourself.

[Sheridyn]

Just a pointer about losing the ability to use Charged Bolts - this skill is spammable when you activate Supercharge Cells, as the ammo cost is reduced to 1. It's a decent burst of damage in situations where your healing isn't required (e.g. when soloing or fighting instance trash). As others have pointed out, you'll also lose some damage on a few offensive abilities. You -can- heal just fine with a rifle, if that is your primary concern. You'll be losing some flexibility and DPS potential though. Edited February 2, 2012 by Sheridyn

[Aerodi]

If you plan on doing any pvp, you absolutely need the assault cannon as a combat medic. Charged bolts can simply destroy people and you need the cannon to use it.