I got a mercenary to 30

[twotimingpete]

and did mostly WZ along the way, if you can believe it.

 

anyway, I like the way my character looks, and is pretty fun to play, but as a pvp minded player I can't help but feel -- even though I'm only 30 -- that other classes have some really good tools that I just don't have.

 

in particular, I'm envious of the powertech's deathgrip move (I dunno the name, but it's the same thing as Grip in WOW which sorta ruined battlegrounds.. but I digress) and looking at my own moves that I have and will get, nothing seems as good as that.

 

it also simply feels like if I'm shooting guns or healing people, I'll have jedis jumping all over me endlessly, and they are virtually impossible to kite or escape from. they manage to break out of my one CC and seem to have endless snares and ccs of their own to catch up. I simply can't escape or kite any force user... nor can I go toe to toe with them, unless I'm lucky or they sucky.

 

I have a level 13 powertech on the same server. should I just hop over and start playing the power tech? I'm very on the fence about this.

Edited June 21, 2012 by twotimingpete

[sithFTW]

Trust me it gets better as a level 46 merc fully pyrotech specced I absolutely destroy everyone. Railshot hits like a truck even on the heavily geared opponents because you get a special Armour pen buff. I top charts every time with 300+ damage.

[twotimingpete]

Trust me it gets better as a level 46 merc fully pyrotech specced I absolutely destroy everyone. Railshot hits like a truck even on the heavily geared opponents because you get a special Armour pen buff. I top charts every time with 300+ damage.

 

if you use the armor pen cylinder, doesn't that mean you're missing out on your snare?

[sithFTW]

i use the combustible gas cylinder because i get 30% Armour pen on rail shot on burning targets.

[BPWyndon]

No he is talking about the buff you get when a target is taking fire damage.

[twotimingpete]

any other thoughts? I guess the idea here is I'm so on the fence, and I'm kinda wondering if the hype about merc being bad in pvp forever is overstated by whiners.

[Phrase]

i use the combustible gas cylinder because i get 30% Armour pen on rail shot on burning targets.

 

Target doesn't need to be burning for the armor pen. 1.3 will make this even nicer. The only problem really with Merc is the fact that we don't really have enough tools to play the kiting/ anti-kiting game as effectively as a casting class should. We have no 100% snare chance; we only have 1 escape on a long cooldown, and we have no real interrupt protection unless you play a BG/ Arsenal hybrid.

 

We're supposed to be a missile based class, yet all of our missiles: cost a lot of heat, have a long cast, and/ or have a long CD in terms of PvP fights. My main suggestion would be a Pyro talented Missile Blast that reduces its heat cost to 16 and gives a 100% proc to CGC. The problem I have with giving the 100% CGC proc from Powershot is the fact that it's a blaster attack and so can be parried, etc.

 

What it all really comes down to is that BW erred on the side of melee in the melee v. ranged kiting/ anti-kiting game, probably due to the fact that in most other MMOs it's the melee who get the short end of the stick (pun intended).

Edited June 22, 2012 by Phrase

[TheLoneSage]

any other thoughts? I guess the idea here is I'm so on the fence, and I'm kinda wondering if the hype about merc being bad in pvp forever is overstated by whiners.

 

I destroy PvP playing just basic Arsenal. Top the charts always with a good 240-260k. I like the spec, it's easy to play, and I'm playing with baddies in pubbie WZs.

 

However, the Firebug is always a smart move to make if you're competitive about DPS.

[Sinsavz]

I destroy PvP playing just basic Arsenal. Top the charts always with a good 240-260k. I like the spec, it's easy to play, and I'm playing with baddies in pubbie WZs.

 

However, the Firebug is always a smart move to make if you're competitive about DPS.

 

The pvpers on your server must be absolutely terrible if 240-260k is top damage.

 

To the OP, the thing with merc is, your success kinda depends on your opponents sucking. My server has several full war hero sentinels in every.single.game, making arsenal impossible to play. In the lower bracket in particular you should wreck as a merc cus you can just sit there and blast people all by yourself. All changes in the 50 bracket when the melees look at you like a piece of meat.

[RazielHex]

they manage to break out of my one CC .

 

You have four.

 

This is why you're bad.

[fujeo-finel]

You have four.

 

This is why you're bad.

 

No, we have one CC, one stun, and 2 utility knockbacks. Stuns are not CC because they're used offensively, and knockbacks are not CC because they don't take the player out of the fight.

[Kourage]

I'm still struggling to make myself level up my PT after already done a Merc. It's boring and they don't get concussion missile. No CC and can't stealth either. I suppose I can farm comms and stuff on my Merc instead, but I wouldn't want a PT as my main toon.

 

If all you do is PvP, then you probably don't care.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Kourage

[RazielHex]

No, we have one CC, one stun, and 2 utility knockbacks. Stuns are not CC because they're used offensively, and knockbacks are not CC because they don't take the player out of the fight.

 

Anything which adds resolve is crowd control, that includes knockbacks, 3-second stuns, and Mez.

 

Concussion Missile is a "Mesmerize" attack.

[fujeo-finel]

Anything which adds resolve is crowd control, that includes knockbacks, 3-second stuns, and Mez.

 

Concussion Missile is a "Mesmerize" attack.

 

A 4 second stun is not crowd control, it's an offensive cooldown. Knockbacks are not crowd control, they're defensive cooldowns. Mezzes are crowd control. Resolve has nothing to do with an ability being crowd control or not.

Edited June 25, 2012 by fujeo-finel

[DarkDruidSS]

A 4 second stun is not crowd control, it's an offensive cooldown. Knockbacks are not crowd control, they're defensive cooldowns. Mezzes are crowd control. Resolve has nothing to do with an ability being crowd control or not.

 

As far as BW is concerned... anything that hits resolve is CC regardless of how you want to label each of the abilities yourself.

[Archaar]

Target doesn't need to be burning for the armor pen. 1.3 will make this even nicer. The only problem really with Merc is the fact that we don't really have enough tools to play the kiting/ anti-kiting game as effectively as a casting class should. We have no 100% snare chance; we only have 1 escape on a long cooldown, and we have no real interrupt protection unless you play a BG/ Arsenal hybrid.

 

We're supposed to be a missile based class, yet all of our missiles: cost a lot of heat, have a long cast, and/ or have a long CD in terms of PvP fights. My main suggestion would be a Pyro talented Missile Blast that reduces its heat cost to 16 and gives a 100% proc to CGC. The problem I have with giving the 100% CGC proc from Powershot is the fact that it's a blaster attack and so can be parried, etc.

 

What it all really comes down to is that BW erred on the side of melee in the melee v. ranged kiting/ anti-kiting game, probably due to the fact that in most other MMOs it's the melee who get the short end of the stick (pun intended).

 

This sum's up my impressions of the class, for ranged classes to be able to turret like a merc is supposed to turret you need to have the utility to keep melee classes at arm's length, snipers are a good example of this. I simply don't have enough tools to help kite and keep melee away.

 

Long cast time classes with limited mobility and limited utility will always be an easy target for melee, instant casting and mobility is what makes a class good for PvP