Bioware to encourage more active rotation /cough

[Slowmojo]

"Tracer Missile has been rebalanced in order to encourage more active gameplay rotations. It now generates 16 Heat,

has a 2-second activation time, and deals approximately 10% less damage."

 

Quoted from the 1.2 patch notes.

However this may look alot different then before, things have just moved around to make it look like valid changes.

The only real difference is Tracer Missile dealing 10% less damage. Justified so, but still won't make any difference in rotation.

 

The main reason is that Tracer Missiles has to much attached to the single attack, making it stupid to pass up. Aside from its damage.

 

- Heat Signature (4% armor reduction per stack, up to 5 stacks)

- Tracer Lock (increasing damage of Rail Shot by 6% per stack, up to 5 stacks)

- Barrage Proc (Chance to reset the cooldown of Unload, effect doesn't occur more then once every 6 seconds)

- Terminal Velocity (Crits vent 8 heat)

- Power Barrier (reduces damage taken by 2% per stack, up to 5 stacks)

- Heartseeker Missile damage increased (5% per Heat Signature, 25% total)

 

- PvE armor set increases the critical strike chance of Tracer Missiles by an additional 15%!

 

Reducing the damage of Tracer Missile by 10% only affects its overall damage slightly.

This won't change a thing about the rotation, or encourage people for more active rotation.

 

*Unload on Proc

*Tracer Missiles 5x

*Rail Shot

 

 

If you want people to engage in a more active rotation or gameplay as an Arsenal, there are several ways to do it. Just reducing the damage by 10% doesn't make a difference.

 

- Make Heat/Ammo management more engaging, instead of passive venting on crits.

- Don't put all their utility on a single attack.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Slowmojo

[swtonewbie]

Buff Power Shot IMO...it can also be used to proc barrage, but nobody uses it because the OH damage and accuracy are pure garbage. If anything only accuracy should be affected on the offhand, have MH and OH do the same amount of damage...and then adjust total damage as needed so it doesnt become too powerful. Either that or give it a chance on proc from a talent to either be instant cast or not miss on next cast or something. If power shot wasnt so crappy then people would have a reason to use it.

 

Probably a crappy idea but add or adjust a talent to give a chance on proc for a free missile blast. So now if you have to go mobile, you have rail shot and missile blast to cast while you are on the run.

 

I actually like mercs/commandos because its one of the few classes that doesnt have ability bloat, and doesnt have a lot of proc watching. Or at least its only proc has a visible swirly on the character.

[Slowmojo]

Bioware has 2 catagories of damaging abilities right now.

 

First catagory are improved through variety of talents and aren't subjected to limitations other then their own.

- Pure single target abilities

- Pure AoE abilities

 

Second are unaffected by talents and have limitations for its use.

- Abilities with rediculous requirements (only on weak/standard, etc and incapacitated)

Ex. Shoulder Slam, Head Shot, Eviscerate, Pommel

- Single target abilities with splash damage.

Ex. Explosive Dart, Missile Blast, Fusion Missile

 

 

I think BH are the only class that have so many of their abilities affected by Splash damage. These abilities have their usefulness diminished because of its unreliable manner of use, potentially hitting unwanted targets.

A perfect example of Bioware doing this is Thermal Detonator.

Replacing Explosive Dart with more damage and no splash damage to make it a reliable option of damage.

 

The already limited array of "useful" abilities Mercenaries have, are also being replaced by talents. Ex. Power Shot for Tracer Missiles, Explosive Dart for Thermal Detonator.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Slowmojo

[Mazzeric]

Bioware to encourage more people to reroll Sorceror.

 

Fixed?

[Yazule]

"Tracer Missile has been rebalanced in order to encourage more active gameplay rotations. It now generates 16 Heat,

has a 2-second activation time, and deals approximately 10% less damage."

 

Quoted from the 1.2 patch notes.

However this may look alot different then before, things have just moved around to make it look like valid changes.

The only real difference is Tracer Missile dealing 10% less damage. Justified so, but still won't make any difference in rotation.

 

The main reason is that Tracer Missiles has to much attached to the single attack, making it stupid to pass up. Aside from its damage.

 

- Heat Signature (4% armor reduction per stack, up to 5 stacks)

- Tracer Lock (increasing damage of Rail Shot by 6% per stack, up to 5 stacks)

- Barrage Proc (Chance to reset the cooldown of Unload, effect doesn't occur more then once every 6 seconds)

- Terminal Velocity (Crits vent 8 heat)

- Power Barrier (reduces damage taken by 2% per stack, up to 5 stacks)

 

- PvE armor set increases the critical strike chance of Tracer Missiles by an additional 15%!

 

Reducing the damage of Tracer Missile by 10% only affects its overall damage slightly.

This won't change a thing about the rotation, or encourage people for more active rotation.

 

*Unload on Proc

*Tracer Missiles 5x

*Rail Shot

 

 

If you want people to engage in a more active rotation or gameplay as an Arsenal, there are several ways to do it. Just reducing the damage by 10% doesn't make a difference.

 

- Make Heat/Ammo management more engaging, instead of passive venting on crits.

- Don't put all their utility on a single attack.

 

 

they were not trying to change the optimal rotation, they were trying to get rid of pure TM spam, and fyi it seems that they probably did that pretty well but loading our dps into unload and HSM from TM

[Rehme]

they were not trying to change the optimal rotation, they were trying to get rid of pure TM spam, and fyi it seems that they probably did that pretty well but loading our dps into unload and HSM from TM

 

Once again the QQers win because of the terribad TM spammers. Those of us who actually mixed in UL an HSM into our rotations are getting penalized with the slight nerf. All in the name to get the one button wonders to actually use other abilities available. What a joke.

[_droider_]

Once again the QQers win because of the terribad TM spammers. Those of us who actually mixed in UL an HSM into our rotations are getting penalized with the slight nerf. All in the name to get the one button wonders to actually use other abilities available. What a joke.

 

People will still spam TM. The terribads will just be terriworse now.

[Yazule]

Once again the QQers win because of the terribad TM spammers. Those of us who actually mixed in UL an HSM into our rotations are getting penalized with the slight nerf. All in the name to get the one button wonders to actually use other abilities available. What a joke.

 

we will see, trying to get copied to test with guild, with more barrage it may be more dps

[oredith]

the only possible way i can see arsenal having a more active rotation, based upon these patch notes, is if the Tier 2 armor bonus (currently not listed) makes something else do the same thing TM does, but more damage.

 

because as has already been pointed out. TM isn't power shot, there's a lot more to TM than just the damage.

 

even if its damage was reduced by 50%, arsenal would still have to use it.

 

the only thing i can see is that ONCE you have obtained 5 stacks, you only need to fire it every 15 seconds, so if they make something else proc barrage that's not on a long cooldown (rail shot), then we can get away from TM spammage.

Edited March 21, 2012 by oredith

[Talorya]

Changes they needed to make if they want to make Arsenals use more than TM,

 

-Put TM benefits (Heat Signature, Tracer Lock , Barrage Proc , Terminal Velocity, Power Barrier) onto all missiles attacks .

-Make Unload not interrupted when moving, allowing for it to be channeled while running unless you LoS'd.

-Reduce damage of the skills as needed to account for the added mobility.

-Powershot no longer mirrors TM with less effects, or add in %armor ignored to power shot.

 

Arsenal is already balanced by being immobile to carry out any attack, and of course people are going to get the most bang for their buck by using the skill with the most benefits that the skill tree is designed for.

 

Make other skills more/just as viable and people will use them, this change to TM won't change anything about rotation, the excuse they give is just an excuse, flawed and fixes nothing about the TM spams.

[Slowmojo]

they were not trying to change the optimal rotation, they were trying to get rid of pure TM spam, and fyi it seems that they probably did that pretty well but loading our dps into unload and HSM from TM

 

The rotation doesn't change at all, the optimal rotation was still weaving Unload and HSM into it. The problem with the whole thing is that the difference between ignoring those and using them is neglectable to say the least.

 

They clearly state that they want a more active gameplay rotation for Arsenal, yet their only attempt at doing so is by reducing the damage of TM by 10% and leaving the rest as it is.

 

As Arsenal, all your damage is affected by TM, all your utility is affected by TM, all your procs are based off TM. Thats the problem with Arsenal and the reason for its lacking rotation.

[Yazule]

The rotation doesn't change at all, the optimal rotation was still weaving Unload and HSM into it. The problem with the whole thing is that the difference between ignoring those and using them is neglectable to say the least.

 

They clearly state that they want a more active gameplay rotation for Arsenal, yet their only attempt at doing so is by reducing the damage of TM by 10% and leaving the rest as it is.

 

As Arsenal, all your damage is affected by TM, all your utility is affected by TM, all your procs are based off TM. Thats the problem with Arsenal and the reason for its lacking rotation.

 

you should read ""more active gameplay rotation" as "no tracer missile only spam"

 

they were not trying to change smart BH play, just dumb ones.

[SamuraiCrazy]

you should read ""more active gameplay rotation" as "no tracer missile only spam"

 

they were not trying to change smart BH play, just dumb ones.

 

yes, and i agree with your "more dps" comment. last night during kp each shot from unload was hitting for 2-4k. after popping the crit trinket from ev they were hitting for 5-7k each.

 

now add more procs for that to happen? deal

 

as for TM nerf? imo it is being balanced with IM, which just sets up the other abilities to their potential.

[Yazule]

yes, and i agree with your "more dps" comment. last night during kp each shot from unload was hitting for 2-4k. after popping the crit trinket from ev they were hitting for 5-7k each.

 

now add more procs for that to happen? deal

 

as for TM nerf? imo it is being balanced with IM, which just sets up the other abilities to their potential.

 

that is great to hear, have not gotten cloned yet

[Azrienov]

Once again the QQers win because of the terribad TM spammers. Those of us who actually mixed in UL an HSM into our rotations are getting penalized with the slight nerf. All in the name to get the one button wonders to actually use other abilities available. What a joke.

 

Clearly you didn't look at the buff to HSM and unload. Now you look like the whiner.

[voelln]

I'd have preferred they leave tracer as 1.5 sec cast and nerfed the damage harder if need be. Arsenal definitely doesnt need to be easier to interrupt.

[Yazule]

I'd have preferred they leave tracer as 1.5 sec cast and nerfed the damage harder if need be. Arsenal definitely doesnt need to be easier to interrupt.

 

they put in a skill in the tree that takes it back down to 1.5 *shrug* no change

[Rogozhi]

I'm going to risk a QQ here, but I finally ran into a TM spammer and it was frustrating to say the least. Being hit by 2.5k TMs feels silly. It's the kind of thing that will pressure people into specing it just to feel competitive and frustrate newer players. It's not the most OP thing I've seen in a game, but is pretty much a sucker punch ability.

[VampireGranny]

I'm going to risk a QQ here, but I finally ran into a TM spammer and it was frustrating to say the least. Being hit by 2.5k TMs feels silly. It's the kind of thing that will pressure people into specing it just to feel competitive and frustrate newer players. It's not the most OP thing I've seen in a game, but is pretty much a sucker punch ability.

 

*interrupt*

*proceed to destroy the Mercenary while they wonder why their tracer missile isn't working*

*use any CC to interrupt when they try to tracer missile again*

lulz

[oredith]

*interrupt*

*proceed to destroy the Mercenary while they wonder why their tracer missile isn't working*

*use any CC to interrupt when they try to tracer missile again*

lulz

 

that is, unless you're also a merc.. in which case, working as intended.

[Rogozhi]

*interrupt*

*proceed to destroy the Mercenary while they wonder why their tracer missile isn't working*

*use any CC to interrupt when they try to tracer missile again*

lulz

 

I may be new, but pretty sure a Pyro Merc does not get an interrupt, besides ED, which can be shrugged off with a CC break. Or CM which is a 2 second cast, gets pushed back, and breaks on damage-- and would mean losing 25% of my health.

[VampireGranny]

Apologies, that's the tactic for every other class.

 

On a side note, is there any other class other than mercenaries who do not get an interrupt?

[Yazule]

Apologies, that's the tactic for every other class.

 

On a side note, is there any other class other than mercenaries who do not get an interrupt?

 

nope, we are the only one, by design ... we would pwn healers if we had one is the reason i suspect

[Grokk_smash]

I always wondered why Barrage didnt also make it so Unload could be channeled while moving... that might help with some of our Mobility problems/make it so we can move around a bit more instead of just standing in one spot waiting for 5 stacks or Barrage to proc...

[Yazule]

I always wondered why Barrage didnt also make it so Unload could be channeled while moving... that might help with some of our Mobility problems/make it so we can move around a bit more instead of just standing in one spot waiting for 5 stacks or Barrage to proc...

 

i would love that but it would be OP i think