Bodyguard Healing, wow this is Fresh

[MikhailTrotsky]

The whole mechanic of maintaining Heat instead of just watching your mana bar being siphonned off is such a fresh mechanic for healing. I was so bored of MMO healing when resource management was so passive instead of action-nary on part of the healer.

 

Thanks Bioware! You get 1 Favor, just one.

[Sinsavz]

I like the heat mechanic too but let's be honest, it's basically just the mana bar flipped the other way round.

[Yphex]

Generally I have the feeling that resource management is much more demanding and interesting in this game then in the game which name isn't supposed to be mentioned here since resources just didn't matter any more at some gear point.

 

Let's just hope Bioware doesn't make the same mistake and makes gear so good in the endgame that resource management becomes a non-factor.

[Albinosmurf]

I at least agree with you that its fresh. Its also a ton more limiting than a mana pool and takes a lot less thought/work/effort.

 

Mana: Is a large resource pool with very slow regeneration. Casting spells takes mana and often times their are mana efficient spells and mana inefficient spells. If damage is light enough you can use your mana efficient spells then your mana pool will last longer. Essentially with mana as your resource, your limited by the duration of fights and intensity of damage in them.

 

Heat: A small resource pool that regenerates quickly at low heat levels but the regeneration gets lowered the more heat you have. Spells require a significantly larger percentage of heat than they would mana, but some healing spells require no heat (generally the weakest). The biggest flaw with heat is that if you are forced to heal heavily, then you'll fill your heat meter in 5-6 healing spells. At that point not only are you only able to use your weakest spells but you lower your heat at such a slow pace that you would have to not cast a heat using spells for like 10 seconds (not totally sure on the amount of time).

 

While heat is interesting, the mechanic makes up 2/3 of the healing capable classes. Its not an unusual mechanic for SWTOR its actually the norm. Heat limits boss fights because they can't be designed in a way that require lots of burst healing unless its only once every two minutes. This lack of pressure really makes for a more boring healing environment.

[SoNofHuD]

Yeah I love it as well and like the 2nd post mentioned - its not like an original concept or anything. Just a different way of doing the same thing. The more I play the game I find things that aren't in "that other game" that everyone keeps comparing this to (at least when I played). I think the game takes good ideas and concepts in other games, and applies them to Star Wars and so far I think it has been nicely done. There is still much room for improvement but theres plenty of time for that.

[Lokiusus]

I recently healed a guy through a heroic 4 man on my Arsenal speced Merc and was amazed at the output. The shots offer a decent HoT and I was critting 900 heals with healing scan at lvl 19-20. It's almost enough for me to consider a respec...but I like killing stuff too much.

 

Great job with the mechanics of the class though. It was really fun and refreshing.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Lokiusus

[DrekorSilverfang]

I like the heat mechanic too but let's be honest, it's basically just the mana bar flipped the other way round.

I disagree.

 

First off the amount of heat is static, you cannot increase your heat capacity like you can with mana. Nor can your gear increase how fast it dissipates. Since with mana you can both increase max value and regen it functions very differently. Also heat dissipation gets worse as you get more heat so careful management is absolutely essential as getting yourself into a hole makes it nearly impossible to recover from unless you have vent heat CD up(or the encounter is trivial)

 

Heat(and operatives energy) are both rather interesting mechanics that basically allow you to focus on improving healing power and survivability and not have to worry about longevity in your gear... which imo is awesome.

Edited December 18, 2011 by DrekorSilverfang

[Stormbreed]

I like the heat mechanic too but let's be honest, it's basically just the mana bar flipped the other way round.

 

 

Maybe you need to go back to another MMO

 

The only thing heat and mana have in common is the fact that its a resource.

 

I've been forced to heal the first 2 harder flashpoints and it is very enjoyable.

[JetfireZ]

I healed through Hammer Station and Athiss at 18-20. The healing mechanic is certainly challenging, balancing charges, heat and cool downs as well as keeping range and LOS open on the group. It actually feels rewarding to heal well, it takes skill, you can't just sit there spamming 1 heal spell.

[Stigas]

Heat is nothing like mana. That's stupid and shows you don't really understand how Heat works to begin with. The biggest difference is probably the regeneration gradient. Not sure how that's comparable to anything I've ever seen, but I like it.

[Naracion]

This is the first mmo that I am doing healing and I have to say that I am finding it enjoyable. Especially the challenge of using the right rotations to deal with the heat. I don't remember what the name of it is but I had just got to lvl 24 and healed the flashpoint that you need to be at lvl 24 to get the quest to enter and wasn't too difficult(except when multiple groups were pulled lol). I even got a new weapon out of it but can't use it until I get to lvl 25 lol. But there is something to be said about controlling whether or not someone dies....totally feeds the ego ^^