Sentinels not affected by 1.4?

[erkolindham]

So it seems as if Sentinels will remain as they are in 1.4 - when a lot of other classes seems to get hit a small nerf bat. There might of course be some more changes coming before 1.4 is final, but i would be surprised if they revealed more major balancing changes after this post: http://www.swtor.com/info/news/blog/20120904

 

What do you guys think about this? I never thought Sentinels/Maruders should be nerfed to start with, the only thing i wanted them to address was the animation delay on Force Sweep.

[KruelhandJorb]

I don't really see much of any of those changes posted as nerfs other then the Sorc/Sage knockback, which was needed pretty badly. For every change to commando/merc that they might see as a nerf they got a buff elsewhere... it's all CC anyway.

 

People always find something to complain about. I think Sent/Marauder is fine. it is a class that can do one thing, dps just like Gunslinger and therefore it should be able to put out heaps of DPS.

 

I'd like them to fix that annoying Force Cammo bugg where it keeps you invisible on you're screen until you can pop it again. That really annoys me (lol). Since I never play Focus I never noticed much of a lag on Force Sweep as I don't use it whenever it's off cooldown.

 

I wouldn't mind a crisper response from Bladerush still.

[Stealios]

What nerfs are you talking about?

Other than a few stuns getting 10m instead of 30m range, most of those changes (notice I say 'most' not 'all') are positive for those classes.

 

I don't think we'll see any changes. At least not to damage output. They would have changed that in 1.3 if they thought it was needed.

 

Not sure how the resolve thing will work out, but that's going to be the same for everyone I guess.

[DarkSaberMaster]

Guarded by the Force is getting reduced to 4 secs. Focus is getting buffed.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=523625

 

EDIT: Added link to PTS Patch notes.

Edited September 10, 2012 by DarkSaberMaster

[Stealios]

General

 

Force Sweep's timing has been adjusted; the ability now executes more quickly.

Force Stasis has a new animation.

 

 

 

Sentinel

 

Guarded by the Force now lasts 4 seconds (down from 5 seconds).

Zen (Shii-Cho Form) has been redesigned. Now, while Shii-Cho Form is active, using Zen consumes 1 charge every .5 seconds, generating 2 Focus for each charge consumed.

Valorous Call can no longer be activated when you already have 30 stacks of Centering

 

Focus (Sentinel)

Zephyrean Slash has been redesigned. It now gives Strike, Zealous Strike, Slash, Blade Storm, and Dispatch a 50% chance per point to reduce the active cooldown of Force Sweep and Zealous Leap by .5 seconds per point.

Swift Slash now additionally affects Dispatch.

Saber Strength now additionally affects Dispatch.

Singularity: Stacks of Singularity now additionally reduce the Focus cost of Force Sweep by 12.5% per point per stack.

Shii-Cho Mastery's armor penetration has been increased to 15% per point.

 

So yeah, it appears there will be 1 really bad change & a lot of good.

How I see it:

-1 sec off GbtF = really really annoying, but nothing impossible to adapt to.

 

I've played around with 3/7/31 focus build on PTS and IT. IS. AWESOME!

I've been sweeping people every 6/8 seconds, sweep animation is sped up so much less delay. 10% more armor pen. than we originally had. I'd say it is borderline OP (not tried against really organized teams yet)

[conundrumx]

Dispatch gets a nice bump as well. Watchman PvE spec and Focus both benefit.

[RAVM]

I don't know what this is saying:

Zen (Shii-Cho Form) has been redesigned. Now, while Shii-Cho Form is active, using Zen consumes 1 charge every .5 seconds, generating 2 Focus for each charge consumed.

 

 

Right now, Zen with Shii-Cho gives me:

Slash costs no focus and strikes 1 additional nearby enemy.

It was my favorite part of the spec.

 

What am I getting now? What's a charge?

Edited September 11, 2012 by RAVM

[TheLordMaster]

I don't really see much of any of those changes posted as nerfs other then the Sorc/Sage knockback, which was needed pretty badly. For every change to commando/merc that they might see as a nerf they got a buff elsewhere... it's all CC anyway.

 

People always find something to complain about. I think Sent/Marauder is fine. it is a class that can do one thing, dps just like Gunslinger and therefore it should be able to put out heaps of DPS.

 

I'd like them to fix that annoying Force Cammo bugg where it keeps you invisible on you're screen until you can pop it again. That really annoys me (lol). Since I never play Focus I never noticed much of a lag on Force Sweep as I don't use it whenever it's off cooldown.

 

I wouldn't mind a crisper response from Bladerush still.

 

Are you even remotely serious...the sorc/sage knockback nerf was needed....

[DarkSideTOR]

I like how the 2nd poster offers feedback on other classes and says they're all fine 'cause they got buffed in other places... then proceeds to use the same rationalization that all Sents/Maras use, "our class can only do one thing therefore it needs to do the best at that." I guess that also entitles this class to the best defensive CDs in the game? (yes that s was for plural)

 

So pretty much all the DPS roles in PVP in this game should be filled by Sents/Slingers, since that's all they can do right? and the rest of us have to fight for spots as healers/tanks? I'm sorry but your class should not be able to take 70% hp off a fully WH geared player in about 4 seconds.

 

I would love to be able to do say 80% of that burst damage with my abilities, since even though I'm Commando DPS and my heals suck and in no way will tip the fight in my favor , I shouldn't have the same burst damage that you have right?? Didn't someone say that the DPS difference between a pure DPS class and a hybrid was 5% at some point? HAHA yeah right.

[Crawelc]

Commandos rock, the problem is between your chair and your keyboard. Im not saying its an easy class to play well, and the only people I have seen do it have quit the game from frustration in having to try so hard to do well. But there is nothing wrong with commandos as a class.

[DarkSideTOR]

Commandos rock, the problem is between your chair and your keyboard. Im not saying its an easy class to play well, and the only people I have seen do it have quit the game from frustration in having to try so hard to do well. But there is nothing wrong with commandos as a class.

 

I didn't say Commandos are completely broken but we're far from Ok. PVE wise we do our jobs well, wether it's healing or DPSing. The problems with the class become evident when you PVP. Specially if you try to do ranked WZs. Our defensive CD is lacking, our burst damage is very low compared to Vanguards/Slingers/Sentinels, we have no specific role aside from specing as Combat Medics, we can fill that those other classes don't do better than us. So for you to say Commandos are fine and it's the players fault it's pretty misinformed.

 

Maybe you like Commandos the way they are so you can have an easy kill target as Sentinel otherwise you'd be singing a different tune if you were on the receiving end of Master Strikes that can take off half your HP. No sir Commandos are not OK. At least we finally get an interrupt after all this time, still a long way to go.

Edited September 12, 2012 by DarkSideTOR

[bliapis]

i wish it were possible to see dps meter with 1.3 spec and 1.4 spec, same gear and compare the differences. that's the only thing that will tell us what happens damage-wise.

 

 

so we lose the old zen's Slash working as cleave, as in hitting one more target?

[Zez-Kai-Ell]

I realy don't get why so many qq about sentinel/marauder, ofc they do a lot damage they were created only for that purpose.

I know that by this post there will be a lot qq and calling names etc but i can hold with that .

Most of the issues with this classes are player side, learn their skills and how to counter.

sec may seems is nothing but lets see after go live, now i don't care what the others say and this is my opinion, snipers is one class over power, yes it is, anyone who truly try to play that class knows that they have alot defense tools and don't come with the usual qq about sentinels defenses, i have faced countless snipers in wz 1 vs1, and same way the kill me i also kill them period, or people forget how much armor penetration they have? the aoe thing that root you, 30 seconds cd, sentinel use pacify so? they simply use knife stun you, move other spot and can take you down, not to mention other tools they have, and they are the only class that have been buffed since begining, without nerf afecting their performence, until 1.2 was not bad on 1.3 was too mcuh, giving more armor penetration and they litely will kill anyone.

And yes i play sentinel, as i play all classes on this game except vanguard and scoundrel and i can face marauders, problem is players want an easy way to kill others.

No matter wath will be done people will complain about everything, and will not rest until they can kill any class without bif effort.

This getting ridiculous, every patch comes the bat nerf, when they should is look to the classes that eventually have a problem against others and see what can be done, but is simply yesier to cry for a nerf and devs give the kid the candy they asked.

And to finish about mercs and commando getting an interrupt, i don't care its thing that every class hould have since beginning, and was easier only have reduced grav round and tracer missile damage or give an acceptable cd instead the way they did, because their tree is based a lot on those skills.

any tree should be viable to any aspect pvp or pve, and not force the player respec every time he wants to other thing.

A good day to everyone, just remember one thing, if every patch will nerf over and over again, we will end up with the game more broken, and unbalanced than it is already,.

Bioware simply have is to fix classes broken or with problems.

[Mordeguy]

^^

Well having played every class other than sage/sorc I can tell you that sentinel/marauder is absolutely one of the easiest classes to dominate people with and has an amazing skillset to do so in pvp. It is not a difficult class to play or even master despite what some people like to say, and they don't require more keybindings than all other classes like some people say (I use the most on my shadows/assasin).

 

The class is very powerful, and I'm not upset at all by losing 1 second on my ridiculous cooldown. I'm not one that thinks classes should be nerfed, but rather other classes buffed, however a nerf or two is not going to hurt this class. Snipers do a lot of damage as well, so to PTs, but neither of them have the defensive cooldowns or escapes to match what a sentinel has. A PT without his bubble is wet paper, and a sniper can be LOL'd at with LoS. These classes both have major weaknesses especially with the coming PT nerf. A sentinel can stay alive for a pretty long time considering the damage they dish out.

[Zez-Kai-Ell]

^^

Well having played every class other than sage/sorc I can tell you that sentinel/marauder is absolutely one of the easiest classes to dominate people with and has an amazing skillset to do so in pvp. It is not a difficult class to play or even master despite what some people like to say, and they don't require more keybindings than all other classes like some people say (I use the most on my shadows/assasin).

 

The class is very powerful, and I'm not upset at all by losing 1 second on my ridiculous cooldown. I'm not one that thinks classes should be nerfed, but rather other classes buffed, however a nerf or two is not going to hurt this class. Snipers do a lot of damage as well, so to PTs, but neither of them have the defensive cooldowns or escapes to match what a sentinel has. A PT without his bubble is wet paper, and a sniper can be LOL'd at with LoS. These classes both have major weaknesses especially with the coming PT nerf. A sentinel can stay alive for a pretty long time considering the damage they dish out.

 

Well if 1 second less will hurt or not we will see, but about that skill, i can tell that most of people whoplay sentinel have no idea when to use it, they simply pop it one after another, considering his coast to use. Only after 1.2 people start qq about this class..go figure

Why people instead keep playing their favorite class they simply switch to anew class just because they saw how strong the other was, and leave behind the old class, even affected when someone really enjoy is class they try to learn how to play beter to adpt the changes until things improve eventually, but no they simply roll a called op class and even so many don't know how to play it acceptable. In begining the fashion was scoundrel and sorcerer, until bioware have messed to much on them, that can be seen how much scoundrels changed to healer and sorc start to be more healers, i even dare to say that atm seesm scoundrel is better to take to grp insted sage healer,after saw their mobility and healing effectiveness, is much more easier to kill a sage than scoundrel after , dps or healer... after nerf people simply roll...

And indeed was much better to anyone if the classes that need a change to compete better with others was buffed and let the so called op classes intact, and the ones not good would become better, but in end and am sorry to say this but that would require more work from dev team part, and is easy to simple nerf instead fix whats wrong on others classes, one example of that was in one of last patches instead they try fix the bug or whatever was the problem on combat tree, passive skill: saber storm was not affecting at all the ataru extra critical strike damage bonus proc, wath they did? simply removed that buff for ataru form insted make it work, sorry but this is lazzy, and is not care about game.

Just an example how many subs were lost on 1.2 release due sages get nerfed? some stayed others back later after see some changes but many never returned, due dev team is realy stubborn.

Nerfs never end up be good, the ideal was fix where the other class are failing and not nerf others and like sometimes they buff too much,more than what was need...

Edited September 12, 2012 by Zez-Kai-Ell

[DarkSideTOR]

Only after 1.2 people start qq about this class..go figure

 

Just an example how many subs were lost on 1.2 release due sages get nerfed? some stayed others back later after see some changes but many never returned, due dev team is realy stubborn.

Nerfs never end up be good, the ideal was fix where the other class are failing and not nerf others and like sometimes they buff too much,more than what was need...

 

Yes Zez because after 1.2 a lot of classes got nerfed and Maras/Sent have access to WH gear and started destroying opponents with very high damage attacks. They simply scale really well with that gear AND combined with the nerfs to healers and other classes, it's much easier for them to kill their target now while staying alive and/or escaping with their defensive CDs.

 

I agree with you that nerfing classes isn't always the best solution, Commandos have been on the receiving end of many nerfs the last couple of patches, and we are still waiting for significant buffs to our defensive abilities for PVP.

DPS spec Commandos are getting an interrupt and... that's it.

 

That being said I do think Sents/Maras need some changes. Either reduce the burst damage they put out or tweak the defensive abilities down a bit. Cloak, Camo, GBTF, Rebuke, Saber Ward, Awe, ALL available to you while some of us have ONE comparable defensive ability and even that one ability is worse than the equivalent abilty available to you.

 

My CD reduces damage by 25% for 12 seconds... yours (Saber Ward) increases defense by 50% AND reduces tech damage by 25% for the same duration, hmm I wonder which one is better... and you still have the other FIVE defensive CDs available to you. Yes I do consider Awe a defensive CD btw since it gives you the chance to run away from someone to get healed and it's AE. I have a single target CC that I have to burn my lackluster lvl 50 ability to make it instant.

 

I find it funny that Sentinels complain about Vanguards having too much DPS, but their defensive abilities are not as numerous or as effective as those of Sentinel's AND Vanguards will now have to stay within 10m to use their abilities, while Sents get... one second off GBTF... ugh.

[Zez-Kai-Ell]

Yes Zez because after 1.2 a lot of classes got nerfed and Maras/Sent have access to WH gear and started destroying opponents with very high damage attacks. They simply scale really well with that gear AND combined with the nerfs to healers and other classes, it's much easier for them to kill their target now while staying alive and/or escaping with their defensive CDs.

 

I agree with you that nerfing classes isn't always the best solution, Commandos have been on the receiving end of many nerfs the last couple of patches, and we are still waiting for significant buffs to our defensive abilities for PVP.

DPS spec Commandos are getting an interrupt and... that's it.

 

That being said I do think Sents/Maras need some changes. Either reduce the burst damage they put out or tweak the defensive abilities down a bit. Cloak, Camo, GBTF, Rebuke, Saber Ward, Awe, ALL available to you while some of us have ONE comparable defensive ability and even that one ability is worse than the equivalent abilty available to you.

 

My CD reduces damage by 25% for 12 seconds... yours (Saber Ward) increases defense by 50% AND reduces tech damage by 25% for the same duration, hmm I wonder which one is better... and you still have the other FIVE defensive CDs available to you. Yes I do consider Awe a defensive CD btw since it gives you the chance to run away from someone to get healed and it's AE. I have a single target CC that I have to burn my lackluster lvl 50 ability to make it instant.

 

I find it funny that Sentinels complain about Vanguards having too much DPS, but their defensive abilities are not as numerous or as effective as those of Sentinel's AND Vanguards will now have to stay within 10m to use their abilities, while Sents get... one second off GBTF... ugh.

 

well i don't have a trooper or vanguard but if is like you say that your dps is affected negative on this nerf? i believe.

They nerfed probably too much gunnery tree, was more simple apply a decent cool down on grav round than the way they did it, a cool down and more cast was possible too much, so commando had to change to third tree to be able to compete better in pvp, the problem is the last tree i sharable which mean nerfing the vanguard will put commando again in dps problems.

Is really so hard touch only on vanguard, that if indeed need nerf, because i only saw one time only a dps vanguard doing 850k in wz score, which means he probably knew what was doing.

But i agree in one thing commando even with interrupt will again have problems on dps.

This game is every patch more distant from balance.

And for the record i don't want insult no one or whatever, but buff focus tree? imo that tree should be nerfed not buffed, you jump and have 20 sec to do the crit, and top skill will ensure you cant run at all, so how to counter that? 2 marauders or juggernauts, no matter the class, playing that tree will pretty much blast everyone, is two jumps they have playing that tree, am sorry but i don't see skill at all on playing that is pretty much jump, and massive aoe.I simply see them jumping and run back to simply jump again. And solution is not nerf the sentinel defenses, i don't want to offend you, solution is balance the others where they lack to be able to face all other classes. And btw you know that playing that tree, marauders have undying rage 45 sec cd? so grab a pocket healer and you are lunched to piss everyone

I play almost all classes and i refuse on my main, sentinel, play that tree, period, have a guardian too and i play vigilance, i prefer make my ay totop truth effort than simply spam skill, is just my opinion, i don't censure who play it, is simply damage like a bomb.

But it seems they don't play even their own game so don't expect things improve in future....

Edited September 13, 2012 by Zez-Kai-Ell

[DarkSideTOR]

Yup, doesn't seem like they play the classes they're changing, I don't know what criteria they use to make these changes to be honest. Buffs to one of the most OP classes in the game when buffing Focus tree. So that's all 3 trees viable for PVP? must be nice.

[planet_J]

Commandos rock, the problem is between your chair and your keyboard. Im not saying its an easy class to play well, and the only people I have seen do it have quit the game from frustration in having to try so hard to do well. But there is nothing wrong with commandos as a class.

 

So, the only people who could play the class well quit in frustration, and it works fine? I haven't played it, but that sounds broken to me...

[Mattmonkey]

I play a Vigilnace Guardian our DPS is OK for PvE. There is a perception that Sentinals are way above and thats just not true. in full BH/campain i can do 1700+ on dummies. in HM EC i can burst 2200 - 2300 on the bombadares.

 

The small difference between well played Sentinals and well played Guardians got smaller in 1.4. The main gear advantage Sentinals have over other classes is the stats on the OH Saber is better than the stat of OH focus.

 

The patch notes say:

 

General

•The majority of offhand items can now be modified. Shields, Generators, and Foci accept Armoring modifications, and Vibroknives and Shotguns accept Barrels. Additionally, they can contain Color Crystal, Mod, and Enhancement slots (though the Color Crystal slot does not currently impact the visuals of the item). Note that there are some exceptions – not all offhands can be modified. Due to this change, previously damaged offhand items will be fully repaired, but items on the GTN or in the mail will have their durability reduced to 0 and will need repairs.

 

So we can expect to create an offhand with comparible stats the small dps gap will close.

looking at the avalible gear currently

 

Off hand Saber

 

Strength 139

End 120

Power 123

Force power 649

Surge 57

 

Off Hand Focus

 

Strength 102

End 133

Accuracy 57

Power 84

Force Power 649

 

Difference Strength +37 / Power + 39

thats areound +17 bonus damage and a little crit.

 

nice one Bioware.

[hwaz]

so who's going focus spec in 1.4 Edited September 15, 2012 by hwaz

[ArchangelLBC]

Commandos rock, the problem is between your chair and your keyboard. Im not saying its an easy class to play well, and the only people I have seen do it have quit the game from frustration in having to try so hard to do well. But there is nothing wrong with commandos as a class.

 

hahahahahahaha

 

 

Oh wait you're serious? Allow me to laugh harder.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[jstergar]

Question: Why is it that there is so much QQ about sent/mara's when other classes can outdamage them and have even more annoying def CD's such as knockbacks with root and hard stuns?

 

Answer:

A) They didn't notice the little bar going by that says "Master Strike/Ravage"

B) Keyboard is occupied by WASD usage as they desperately try to face you while you are doing circles around them.

C) Mouse is occupied by deperate attempts to click target you as you circle them.

D) All the above.