Healer Request Compilation

[LexiCazam]

Hi everyone, thanks for compiling this list and keeping this discussion constructive and interesting! We love to see threads like this and appreciate the effort you've all put into the community!

[matthewcreech]

Some of the changes that have been suggested would homogenize the Operative with other healers. Although I want the Operative healing to be +/-2% effective, I do not want it to operate the same as the others. Synergizing / Riffing on our class features will keep us feeling like Operatives.

 

Cover:

• Energy cost reduction while in cover Talent
  
• Alacrity boost while in cover Talent
  
• Healing bonus while in cover Talent
  

 

Stealth:

• Targeted Stealth as an emergency button (wipes threat on target, but player "sits out" for a few seconds in stealth)
  
• Infiltrate usable in combat as an emergency button for Stealth.
  
• Infiltrate grants defense boost similar to Evasion when used in combat in AoE radius
  

 

Close/Med Range:

• Healing Shiv i.e. instant direct melee heal
  
• Weakening Blast / Cull like ability that boosts HoT heals
  

 

We have already seen Armor/Move Speed buffs (SS/JS) and Heal Received/DR/Armor buffs (BH/Tr), so some buff potential for the IA/Sm would be good, especially a unique buff.

Buff:

• KP/SRMP or RN/KC grants Damage Bonus
  
• KP/SRMP or RN/KC grants Threat Reduction
  

 

Any of these would increase our effectiveness while maintaining our class identity.

[Putriss]

Some of the changes that have been suggested would homogenize the Operative with other healers. Although I want the Operative healing to be +/-2% effective, I do not want it to operate the same as the others. Synergizing / Riffing on our class features will keep us feeling like Operatives.

 

Cover:

• Energy cost reduction while in cover Talent
  
• Alacrity boost while in cover Talent
  
• Healing bonus while in cover Talent
  

 

Stealth:

• Targeted Stealth as an emergency button (wipes threat on target, but player "sits out" for a few seconds in stealth)
  
• Infiltrate usable in combat as an emergency button for Stealth.
  
• Infiltrate grants defense boost similar to Evasion when used in combat in AoE radius
  

 

Close/Med Range:

• Healing Shiv i.e. instant direct melee heal
  
• Weakening Blast / Cull like ability that boosts HoT heals
  

 

We have already seen Armor/Move Speed buffs (SS/JS) and Heal Received/DR/Armor buffs (BH/Tr), so some buff potential for the IA/Sm would be good, especially a unique buff.

Buff:

• KP/SRMP or RN/KC grants Damage Bonus
  
• KP/SRMP or RN/KC grants Threat Reduction
  

 

Any of these would increase our effectiveness while maintaining our class identity.

 

I'm in favor of the Healing shiv ability. It would be nice to run up to a target and stab them with a kolto filled knife. It would also add another movement dynamic to the operative classe.

 

Cover is something that needs to be looked at for operative. Yes it's good in pvp (sniping a running target, using cover to essentially negate a slow and get close to your target) but for pve I feel like its comedic. Maybe another healing ability like explosive probe that you can place on a member and when they take damage, the probe blows up spewing kolto healing up to 3 members within 5 meters of the original member (same cd as EP).

 

I don't think a decrease threat talent would be beneficial but definitely a increase damage done. I would be more in favor of a new ability that would instantly decrease a target threat (as its only function, not as a proc).

 

I think our stealth mechanic is fine atm. I use stealth via cloaking screen and only when the tank has pulled alot of trash mobs and I have aggro.

[Sinemetu]

Interesting.

[thenewzero]

l

Weakening Blast / Cull like ability that boosts HoT heals

 

I really like this idea. It would especially work well if they added a shorter HoT companent to Kolto Infusion (ala Regrowth from WoW).

 

I think it would be cool if casting Diagnostic Scan gave 2 stacks of this buff per tick, stacking up to say 10-15 stacks. It might make DS less of a drastic drop in HPS without just flat buffing its healing. You'd have to either prepare to use it by dropping HoTs on the target, or follow it up with HoTs. It would also add some needed synergy to our abilities.

Edited February 11, 2012 by thenewzero

[bobudo]

Maybe another healing ability like explosive probe that you can place on a member and when they take damage, the probe blows up spewing kolto healing up to 3 members within 5 meters of the original member (same cd as EP).

 

I like the idea of being able to detonate a KP/SRMP for an AoE heal, but any AoE heal that has a target limit will either need to heal for a whole hell of a lot and with smart targeting or we will continue to be gimmicky AoE healers.

[RuQu]

Updated through here. Speak up if I missed one of yours.

[Sulay]

Hi ! Amazing job !

 

Here are 2 points for PvP I'd like to discuss :

 

 

1/ I'd like to add an option for the green beam of the commando : just keep it that way. I'm often using it to lure dps on me. I have a decent gear, I can take some damage, I have CD to take damage and I can avoid some around my pillar, unlike to poor guy in the midle of the melee.

The beam is for me one tactical option to break a focus on someone, it sometimes works. I also use the beam in hutball to direct someone to me for the pass.

 

2/ There is an issue with our cast bars (actually it's not related to heals only). It happens a *lot* that I break a long cast thinking it's finished. The cast bar is done, complete but for whatever reason the heal won't land. I may have a clue about that : due to the lag, the cast bar is not updated at a sufficient rate to reflect the pushback we may suffer hence our cast bar shown as complete while actually it is not (on server side).

In PvP, mobility is key, we need to know exactly when a cast is finished. I think we need some lag compensation mechanism, for instance a cast is not interrupted by *movement* within the last 0.2 sec of the actual cast (server side)

[Grumbuck]

bobudo Thanks for expressing how I feel. You nailed it. I hope the devs are working something up based on your outline.

[DrekorSilverfang]

Hi everyone, thanks for compiling this list and keeping this discussion constructive and interesting! We love to see threads like this and appreciate the effort you've all put into the community!

 

Could you perhaps get a Dev to comment on some of their healer plans in a blog? We could really use some info.

[Donnadarco]

To solve the issue with AOE healing for scoundrels could be "Smuggled Kolto-tank" That is placed as a Artifact on the ground.

 

All that needs healing can click on the Kolto tank and get a "hot" healing over time buff.

 

Think of it like a "Healing well http://www.wowhead.com/spell=88201/healing-well

 

This solution will make it possible to in a diffrent mechanic reach players that need healing in Operations both 8,16-man. This Kolto tank will be visable and can be placed on ground by Scoundrel on a stratigic spot so people that needs healing can get it by clicking on it from lets say 5 meters range.

 

And all this without spamming the entire operations with powerfull unlimited AOE:s....

 

Just a sugestion. But lets see if there are more angles to this Idea ?

Edited February 12, 2012 by Donnadarco

[Donnadarco]

Blaster Volley

Instant

Energy: 20

Exploits Upper Hand to fire a blaster burst that hits up to 5 targets in a 10-meter cone in front of you for 2268 - 2433 weapon damage. Requires and consumes Upper Hand.

 

Here is another one. When upper hand procs you can heal with a "Kolto volley" that hits targets in a Cone Kolto with a "HOT" of lets say 15 meters and consumes upper hand.

Edited February 12, 2012 by Donnadarco

[Delmyr]

Personally I would love to see KC apply SRMP instead to unlimited targets and have a burst ability to consume SRMP charges. Maybe have our 1.5 cast heal free for one charge and at two charges have it apply a 6 sec hot for 75% of the healing over the duration

[Paladinian]

Thanks again for all your work here RuQu, and congrats on the stickification!

 

A recommendation:

At:

Change Medical Shield Buff to apply for 15 seconds, not the duration of the shield. Since Med Shield absorbs a fixed amount, it can often last shorter than its Commando equivalent (Reactive Shield).

 

Add as sub-entries:

- Add as an additional benefit to Medical Shield: Defence Screen can now be cast on Party Members.

- Each rank in Medical Shield reduces cooldown of Defence Screen by X/X seconds

 

Also:

User Interface:

Add a graphical effect to the Damage Absorb abilities' icon reflecting what % of their capacity remains.

[Mithridiatis]

Hope this has not been covered already, but it is a real pain to have my focus target drop whenever there is a cut scene etc. Also it is not always easy to get the focus target back for healing by pressing alt F.

 

It would be nice if the focus fire stays on your selected target until you manually take it off.

 

I have become a bit reliant on healing the tank/companion by using the focus fire button and it is annoying when I see the heals are not going where they should because focus fire has removed itself for some reason.

[ironix]

I had a little giggle at the Sage/Sorc section. =p

 

I'm an operative medic. =(

 

EDIT: "Bug: Operative Skill Medical Therapy is reported to not be working properly." has been responded to as an issue they're working on. Albeit, the response was stealthily inserted and backdated into the thread and people didn't notice until 4 days later.

Edited February 14, 2012 by ironix

[bobudo]

"Bug: Operative Skill Medical Therapy is reported to not be working properly." has been responded to as an issue they're working on. Albeit, the response was stealthily inserted and backdated into the thread and people didn't notice until 4 days later.

 

I saw that, but I wasn't impressed at the response. "It's something we're working on?" Give me a @#^$ break. How hard can it be to make a percentage boost to healing, that does work on the mirror class (!!!!) work properly?

 

They might as well hire me to solve the issue - I can't code so I'd probably get it done in about the same timeframe.

 

EDIT: And I love your sig. Thank you for that.

Edited February 14, 2012 by bobudo

[bobudo]

And all this without spamming the entire operations with powerfull unlimited AOE:s....

 

You're thinking about new mechanics, and that's the right direction, but the problem is a "healing well" ability would only be useful if it healed for significantly more (say 1.5 - 2 times) as much as the Sorcerer/Sage AoE heal; otherwise groups will still tend to prefer the "stay in the circle" mechanics vs. the "try and click the tiny hitbox" mechanic.

 

I think it would be better if the well emitted an AoE effect that got weaker the further away the target was. Say it does 100% healing within 4m (melee range); 85% within 10m; and 40% within 30m (those numbers attempt to keep it from being OP, assuming the 4m grants healing on par with the Sorcerer/Sage AoE (both in healing done and tick time)).

 

However, I really quite like the current mechanic of Kolto Cloud/Recuperative Nanotech. I believe it just needs its target limit removed and its healing buffed to ~80-90% of the Sorcerer/Sage AoE over a similar time-frame (18s is silly) in order to be an appropriately powerful 31-point talent.

 

The reduction in healing is appropriate given the lack of movement restrictions on the target (the instant cast is still justified by the higher cost ratio incurred by the Operative/Scoundrel (1/3 vs. 1/6)), however the current disparity of ~50% less healing too much; the slower ticks over a longer timeframe is a bottleneck; and the limitation to only 4 targets is a severely limits our viability in 8-man groups.

 

This change alone could save Operative/Scoundrel healing! Not permanently mind you, but it would be enough to staunch the hemorrhaging, and would not require the addition of any new mechanics, merely lifted restrictions on old mechanics.

[bobudo]

Also:

User Interface:

Add a graphical effect to the Damage Absorb abilities' icon reflecting what % of their capacity remains.

 

This is a fantastic idea!

 

EDIT: Trifecta!! Sorry.

Edited February 14, 2012 by bobudo

[Xaearth]

EDIT: Trifecta!! Sorry.

 

That's ok, having mods read this thread would be an improvement!

[Putriss]

I like the idea of being able to detonate a KP/SRMP for an AoE heal, but any AoE heal that has a target limit will either need to heal for a whole hell of a lot and with smart targeting or we will continue to be gimmicky AoE healers.

 

Well currently an EP hits for 3k-3.1k non crit and it costs 20 energy (30 second CD). I would be content with a 4 AE exploding with the same numbers of damage as healing with the same energy cost (as well as the same CD). I would also be okay without smart healing as long as it hit the person you originally put it on.

 

I personally feel like these idears are great but the single most important change I would like to see is the 3 TA's ability. It would make the learning curve of OP healers so much more in line with sorc.

 

I don't play a merc, so I cannot comment on them.

[Hurkan]

Amazing post gents.

[Shroudveil]

actually the 3point TA is kinda needed due to procs nature:

 

you want to always keep 1 for the +6%healing.

 

so you usually do a ki->sp rotation or if it is an emergeency a ki->i .

 

so we are at:

1 TA you start casting ki (2sec) you get to 2 TA you cast the instant sp and you are back to 1 TA.

 

this "circle is 3.5sec long, out of which if the kp TAproc happens in the first two seconds it is essentially lost. (you get to 2 TA, the ki finishes casting and you remain at 2 ki) so the proc has a 30%chance AND a further ~35% chance to actually occur, for a sustained... ~11% chance of actually giving you a USABLE TA.

 

in the second rotation it is even worse, since the chance of aquiring a usable TA is 0% since when you start casting ki you lose again a 2sec window, and since I only consumes TA after the cast (the rest 1.5sec) you don't have a window to gain TA at all...

 

this needs to be addressed ASAP, not just to make things easier for new people, but because it is nerfing a 3 point talent by a whole lot.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Shroudveil

[bobudo]

actually the 3point TA is kinda needed due to procs nature:

 

you want to always keep 1 for the +6%healing.

 

so you usually do a ki->sp rotation or if it is an emergeency a ki->i .

 

so we are at:

1 TA you start casting ki (2sec) you get to 2 TA you cast the instant sp and you are back to 1 TA.

 

this "circle is 3.5sec long, out of which if the kp TAproc happens in the first two seconds it is essentially lost. (you get to 2 TA, the ki finishes casting and you remain at 2 ki) so the proc has a 30%chance AND a further ~35% chance to actually occur, for a sustained... ~11% chance of actually giving you a USABLE TA.

 

in the second rotation it is even worse, since the chance of aquiring a usable TA is 0% since when you start casting ki you lose again a 2sec window, and since I only consumes TA after the cast (the rest 1.5sec) you don't have a window to gain TA at all...

 

this needs to be addressed ASAP, not just to make things easier for new people, but because it is nerfing a 3 point talent by a whole lot.

 

I disagree. adding a 3rd TA, while easier, would take a significant amount of challenge out of the equation and would likely make us appear overpowered.

 

I'm not sure I agree with your numbers (I'm having difficulty parsing your statements, I apologize), but if I understand you well enough, I don't see how a 3rd TA will make that happen less. You'd just bank 2 TAs at a time (because why not for emergency healing purposes) and let KI generate the 3rd. You'd still end up with wasted procs, it's just the nature of RNG.

[Sovjohn]

Just signing in to this thread - both to keep tabs on it, and to /agree with whatever bobudo has written in here (and others, but bobudo is our class healing changes champion, so kudos will go to him first as a fellow Operative!)

 

Carry on, as you were!

 

PS: Amend the OP saying that Medical Therapy seems on the list to be fixed in 1.1.4 (as stated by Bioware).

Edited February 15, 2012 by Sovjohn