1.2 Comabt Medics, Heavy Nerfs

[Tipkaee]

Comabt medics are getting two buffs with kolto bomb hitting 4 people, and our field tech now healing. These appear to be implemented so we can be more similar to the other healers. However since we now match other classes in those 2 respects, we caught heavy nerfs across all of our spells. What do you all think? I would be glad to heal 3 people again if i could avoid these across the spec nerfs.

Notes from the PTS

 

Combat Medic

 

-Field Training now increases critical chance by 1% per point. (Down from 2 per)

-Field Triage now reduces the cost of Medical Probe by 1 (Down from 2).

-Kolto Bomb now affects up to 4 targets (Up from 3), improving reliability in group and Operation situations.

-Kolto Residue now increases all healing received by 3% (Down from 5%).

-Psych Aid no longer reduces the cost of Field Aid. It now causes Field Aid to heal the target for a small amount.*

-Supercharge Cells now restores 1 Energy Cell (Down from 2) when used and increases all damage and healing dealt by 5% (Down from 10%). The shield applied by -Kolto Bomb now reduces damage taken by 5% (Down from 10%).

-Trauma Probe now costs 2 Energy Cells to activate. (Up from 0)"

 

*In the general commando notes they said "cure" now cost 1 ammo, I have no idea why a bounty hunter spell is listed in the trooper section of the patch notes. I guess BW just wants to rub it in our face that BH's will have an ammo reduction on their cleanse abilitiy and troopers wont.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Tipkaee

[nallard]

We needed to be tuned a little bit, but I agree that it seems like it went too far. I'll have to test it out, of course.

 

I think Kolto Bomb needed more of a buff (maybe an increase to the amount healed, or more that just 4 people healed) and then this would seem like a more balanced restructuring.

[Akash]

Developers tend to be very bad drivers. Class adjustment is a slippery road, and the first rule of driving on a slippery road is when in doubt, understeer. Oversteering will put you in the ditch every time.

[Vydar]

Why is it every MMO makes the mistake of nerfing rather than slight tuning or buffing?

[Tipkaee]

I guess ill keep hope that the straight nerfs to most of the skills are in response to how the spells will scale with new gear. I can understand needing to hold back talents if spells now hit alot harder, but as seen on paper these nerfs look real rough.

[Akash]

Why is it every MMO makes the mistake of nerfing rather than slight tuning or buffing?

 

I've decided we won't be breaking any new ground here, LOL.

[Thravin]

I feel like I just got punched in the gut. I'm a long time Commando healer and I've always felt like Commandos have had an uphill climb to prove themselves versus Sages. After reading this and seeing the repercussions it'll have in terms of ability costs/combos...

 

I think I may have just lost my faith.. Here's hoping to me either misunderstanding the notes or hoping for changes on the PTR...

Edited March 17, 2012 by Thravin

[Lileth]

It is ridiculous. Good luck having any ammo EVER. We put out the least healing of any class and we get nerfed?

[Lileth]

My character is copied. I'll Fraps all my pvp , ops. But just the last couple of pvp matches.... its just making me mad.

[RuQu]

I just created a thread on the Healer forum comparing the changes. Significant chunk of it:

I think there was a mis-communication somewhere, and someone accidentally told BW that Combat Medics were over-powered compared to Sages.

 

Compare these two sections of proposed patch notes:

Seer

 

1. Confound now refreshes properly when Weaken Mind is refreshed.
   
2. Conveyance no longer unintentionally allows its buff to be applied to more than one healing ability. Its effects have been slightly redesigned. It now increases the critical chance of Benevolence by 60% and reduces the Force cost of Deliverance by 30%.
   
3. Egress now requires Preservation instead of Valiance.
   
4. Resplendence no longer removes the health cost from Noble Sacrifice.
   
5. Salvation's tooltip now correctly mentions that this ability affects a maximum of 8 targets. The ability's functionality has not changed.
   
6. A display issue that caused the first and second tick of Salvation to appear on top of each other has been corrected.
   

 

Let's look at what these mean to a healer, starting with Sages.

1. Irrelevant
   
2. Bug Fix
   
3. Trivial since both were skills every Seer takes. Logical shift since both Preservation and Egress improve Force Armor and Valiance doesn't. No net effect.
   
4. Minor nerf. Puts some limit on Noble Sacrifice usage but many Sages will use NS without the Resplendence buff because standing in their own AoE makes the health hit irrelevant.
   
5. Tooltip update
   
6. Graphic bug fix
   

 

Summary: minor nerf to Noble Sacrifice

 

vs:

 

Combat Medic

1. Field Training now increases critical chance by 1% per point.
   
2. Field Triage now reduces the cost of Medical Probe by 1 (down from 2).
   
3. Kolto Bomb now affects up to 4 targets (up from 3), improving reliability in group and Operation situations.
   
4. Kolto Residue now increases all healing received by 3% (down from 5%).
   
5. Psych Aid no longer reduces the cost of Field Aid. It now causes Field Aid to heal the target for a small amount.
   
6. Supercharge Cells now restores 1 Energy Cell (down from 2) when used and increases all damage and healing dealt by 5% (down from 10%). The shield applied by Kolto Bomb now reduces damage taken by 5% (down from 10%).
   
7. Trauma Probe now costs 2 Energy Cells to activate.
   

 

What it means for Commandos:

1. Nerf 3% less Crit Chance
   
2. Giant nerf. 33% increase (from 3 Ammo to 4) in our core efficient rotation cost and a huge HPS hit to neutral rotations. While AP/MP/HS used to be neutral, AP/MP/HS/HS still comes out short 0.1 Ammo
   
3. Very minor KB buff. A 4 player cap with no smart healing is still extremely flawed. The existence of caps on non-smart AoE was at the core of Scoundrel KC complaints as well.
   
4. Nerf
   
5. Nerf. While making Psych Aid add a heal instead of reduced cost would be fine alone, coupled with all of the other increased costs, this comes out to a nerf.
   
6. HUGE nerf.
   
7. Large nerf.
   

 

I am absolutely astounded. I hardly know what to say. We kept hearing that Patch 1.2 was going to bring balance, and everyone expected large Scoundrel buffs, small Commando buffs, and some slight Sage nerfs. Instead we have some small Scoundrel buffs (KC is greatly improved, increase in UH duration and stack limit), bug fixes for Sages and a MASSIVE nerf to Commandos.

 

I will modify my calculator tomorrow to reflect these changes, although I obviously don't know the changes in the stat DR curves, just to show how the change in the resource management and SCC nerf impact our HPS and HPRCT.

 

I really just cannot believe these nerfs. All of the talk before was about how Sages are OP, yet they got bug fixes and we got the hammer brought down on us.

 

I am completely and totally flabbergasted, shocked, appalled, angered...

 

I think the best word for it is betrayed. Just out of the clear blue sky...

 

I will have to put some serious thought into whether or not I continue with this class if these go live. Apparently they want all healers to play Sages, and I dislike the feel of that class, so I guess I'll shift to DPS or tank on my shadow. I had been eagerly awaiting this patch, and now...I'm at a loss.

[Garic_Wildstar]

Just shows that in Bioware's eyes, Sage is the healer. If this is the beginning of what is to come from these guys, I see a large dip in subs in the near future (including mine). Subbed for 6 months, but this is bad news.

[RuQu]

Just shows that in Bioware's eyes, Sage is the healer. If this is the beginning of what is to come from these guys, I see a large dip in subs in the near future (including mine). Subbed for 6 months, but this is bad news.

 

I had a 6 month sub.

 

I just canceled it. 121 days left. Perhaps they can fix it. I gave a very long explanation why, which I wish I had copied before hitting send.

 

Short version: if this is their idea of balance, this game is broken and will only break more. Makes me really sad, as I really enjoyed it and I wanted the best for it. I don't enjoy Sages, though, and apparently they are the only healer in BW's eyes.

[Beyoncia]

Seriously, half my guild(and i bet, many other ppl) quit already because of not enough highlvl content, worst itemization ever, unbalanced classes, ridiculous cover system and mele mechanic. And you just nerfing medic power regen and heals output x2? And all this while sages stays untouched and scoundrells get good buff? How we are supposed to keep ppl up on nightmare SOA lightings for example? or BH brothers in Karraga? in 16 man mode? You are forcing us to cast 2 heals, then just use hammershot for another 2-3 sec before next heal..or be complitly oop after 6-7 spells.

[lazraven]

Hey guys...

 

Hate to rain on the QQ parade, but Sages got nerfed really, really hard.

 

It's not just you guys.

[Cormacus]

Hey guys...

 

Hate to rain on the QQ parade, but Sages got nerfed really, really hard.

 

It's not just you guys.

 

They did not get nerfed heavily at all. The only nerf Sage got was a stop to overpowered hybrids. Not bad at all.

 

With the healer changes to Commando you are now looking at a broken class. Ammo management was already difficult and now with the increase in costs it will mean Commando healers are no longer viable for Operations or even possibly for hardmode. Why would anyone want a commando healer with them now when they can have a Sage healer which will be far superior in healing? Just compare their top healing talent with Commando's!

 

I'm afraid they broken this class entirely now. I honestly was expecting some kind of buff.

[Thravin]

I already said how I felt but to reiterate, I feel like I just got coal for Christmas...

 

I was wondering though if anyone has seen any evidence of this for Commando healers yet...

 

"Special abilities for several classes have been updated to emit light based on their actual weapon color crystal"

[schwiz]

I dont understand why they nerfed supercharge cells so much, the slight buff to kolto bomb healing one more person (still not a smart bomb and doesn't heal weakest players) and we get damage and shield cut in half on supercharge cells??? Give me a break! I guess my scoundrel will be my healer from now on they are getting tons of love in the healing tree. We will be the worst healer in the game by far now. We'll see how gunnery feels, but I may have to just delete my commando.

[Lance_Dunsten]

This nerf is completely uncalled for in PvE. Had not seen a group treating a sage as a poorer healer than a combat medic.

 

The amount of heal we could put down based on the current ammo management is pretty tight, this would further make the situation worse. Our primary healing ability is hurt badly. If all this is to cater for better gears, I would rather it remove it from our T2, just return us our healing efficiencies.

 

Working as a combat medic is tough enough in OPs, please do not nerf our ability to function in PvE just cause you could not deal with PvP issues.

[Parali]

Greetings,

 

We know that many of our Combat Medics are eager to talk about the upcoming changes in 1.2. That conversation is already in progress here, so we ask that our Troopers join the following thread:

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=363853

 

We will be closing this thread now. Thank you for helping keep our forums a little better organized!