Every companion should be able to heal and/or tank

[FooBard]

If player have issue with boss fight that usually means they don't interrupt boss's special and they expect the eat special and live through the fight. Which is not surprise that I still find lv50 don't interrupt in hard mode fps.

This is 100% true. The only way to fight a boss properly is interupts. If you know how to interupt the boss you're fighting (and they all can be), then you can take any of them out - with any companion. Any. Providing you have your companion geared.

Edited January 11, 2013 by FooBard

[Oxades]

Someone previously said that they hate Quinn but like heals. If there was another companion, like Jaesa if you preferred, who could also heal as well as Quinn, why wouldn't you want that?

 

Because Jaesa is too busy psycho-killing everyone to bother with healing you.

[JimG]

Instead of picking what they believe to be the most interesting companion they will pick what is objectively the best companion for leveling up.

 

So they should make all companions the same? No thanks. If people want to choose their healer to level, then that's their choice.....it's not mandatory.

[ImperialHippy]

why not just be able to control the leveling of ur companions, lvl them up like in kotor and have 3 trees available, dd, tank and heal. problem solved. By the way shouldnt this be in the suggestions box? posting it on here is just going to ignite the flames. good idea tho

[jorill]

Originally this is what was going to happen. Remember when they said you would companion kits to determine their roles? This is before beta obviously so something made them change their minds about it. For the record i only use companions that i want to use and i think ive only used a healer companion 1 or 2 times because the story component was too hard for me to do with the dps companion.

[Jason_T]

I dont mind the way it is now where different once have specific uses.. Though I do think they should make the healer companion the first or 2nd one you get in every class. There are some fights that you just need a healer for if you are a tad under geared etc.

[Arlon_Nabarlly]

OPs logic is not sound, but I would like to see what he proposes implemented.

 

1. I disagree, not everyone feels that way, but I personally feel that way.

2. I completely agree here! I've said this from day one that it's frustrating to have to level with a companion you do not like because of their utility.

3. Make it easier, no. Make it more enjoyable, most likely, for some.

Edited January 11, 2013 by Arlon_Nabarlly

[revansowns]

On my agent, Doctor Lokin probably works the best with my Sniper. That being said, Ensign is the main comp I use, despite the fact she is DPS and not heals. I just enjoy her character better. It's not much harder at all to game with DPS/tank comps as long as they are geared relatively well. (She gets my old gear since her main attribute is also cunning).

[Icebergy]

1. I don't agree, so 'everyone' does not agree.

 

2. No it is not. Even if you really can't level with the companion you want, there is nothing stopping you from killing things with one companion, then switching to another for convos. I did this on my bounty hunter actually. I used Hk 51 to kill things and then pulled out Mako for convos. For the record, my BH was a powertech, so I couldn't heal and I still didn't want the healer companion.

 

3. Arguably.

[ebado]

I don't agree with the first part at all. My op leveled mostly as concealment with a damage dealer out (<3 Temple). Same with my lightning sorc (at the time) with Azshara. Much faster.

 

Even as a healer, DD companions are preferable to me.

 

Only really use healer companions on tank characters.

[oslek]

Sorry OP, but I agree with the folks who hate your idea. I've leveled three characters to 50 and am currently rolling a DPs knight and use Kira who is all DPS. If you keep you and your companions well geared and fight smart, you will have no issues leveling up regardless of companion. The trouble players have is they think they can just run into a mob and start blasting away. That approach is fine on start planets but eventually you have to learn how to play smart. For DPS companions I always have them attack first while I attack secone on another NPC. Within a few seconds we have the whole group down and only the stronger boss to finish off.

 

Leveling in this game is easy enough, let's not dumb it down any more.

Edited January 11, 2013 by oslek

[Blackavaar]

Surely you can't be serious?

 

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.

 

[uziforyou]

Hear me out.

 

1. Everyone agrees that a companion that can't heal or tank is worse than one that can.-

 

For many classes a healer companion is just so superior that people never use any other companion while leveling up after they get their healer. It just makes too big of a difference.

 

 

I honestly didn't read beyond point 1 because that alone discredits anything that followed. How did you arrive at this Coruscant shaking conclusion that 'everyone agrees..........'? As the bad guy in True Grit tells John Wayne "That's mighty bold talk for a one eyed fat man".

 

DPS companions are used by many almost exclusively. I guess they just like a challenge since healer and tank companions are so clearly superior.

 

To be sure I love running with a healing companion when up against golds and champions but other than that they make killing stuff slow and laborious. Much more so than a dps companion.

 

Edit: Not to mention that if I'm a healer or tank class myself running with anything but a dps companion can make killing stuff hideously slow.

Edited January 11, 2013 by uziforyou

[DarthTHC]

Sorry but I disagree. If I'm leveling a healer, I want a DPS companion. If I'm leveling a Tank, I want a DPS or Healer depending on the fight. If I'm leveling a DPS I want a Healer or Tank depending on the mob.

 

You have multiple companions to provide variety. If they were all the same...well, why bother having more than one...

 

Because you like their personality better? That's the point of this whole thing, I think.

 

When I leveled my first character, a Sage healer, I was stuck with that stupid Trandoshan through almost 50 levels. It sucked. I would much rather have had... anyone else, really. But he was the only pet that could keep the mobs off me while out doing quests.

 

Same is true as I level other classes. My healers are stuck with tanks most of the time. My tanks are stuck with healers most of the time. I try to avoid playing DPS so whatever there. But "stuck with" is the key. Whether or not I like their personalities is irrelevant. I need to use the companions based on their skills.

 

Take out that restriction and I play the game more / longer which hopefully translates into more money for EA and that's what it's all about!

Edited January 11, 2013 by DarthTHC

[SamuraBob_Fl]

I think the OP stated his case too broadly, but I think he does have a valid point at the core.

 

It's not as simple as one companion role being superior to another. That depends largely on class, and somewhat on player preference. I'd like to use Blizz on my Bounty Hunter, but I have absolutely no need for a tank. The same goes for Broonmark on my SW. I've found Kaliyo to be the best companion for my Sniper, even though I'd like to use Lokin.

 

Being able to choose which role any companion could fulfill would enhance my enjoyment of the game.

[Darka]

I believe this was one of the concepts they tried early on, and people didnt like it. Too much thinking on their part

[DawnAskham]

Having a healer or tank companion is not required to level.

 

Personally, I tend to run double damage comps as doing so allows me to kill most things before they do any real damage, and for boss fights I can pop Heroic Moment and unleash a chain of legacy abilities that again allow me to kill well before I take any significant damage.

 

Even so, I'd appreciate having the option to spec my companions as I see fit, such that any companion could be set up for dps, tank, or healing. This wouldn't even have to be a full spec for a companion, just a simple toggle / stance that would set them as damage, tank, or heals.

 

I'd also love it if all my companions used the same primary stat and armor as my character so gearing them would be simple (play a Trooper and see how much more enjoyable it is being able to pass along gear and use mission rewards for companions).

Edited January 11, 2013 by DawnAskham

[Vhaegrant]

I'm not going to get into the whole epeen arguement of what companion you should be using to kill mobs faster. Having seen how some of the classes and specs synergise with their companions it's not just as easy as saying 'You suck if you use a healing companion'.

 

I don't recall the OP trying to take anything away from those of you that prefer a DPS companion. In fact you are already pretty well served as all the companions have at least one stance option that favours DPS.

 

I would like to have the option however to give Blizz a medpack and have him heal my Powertech.

Or give Torian a shield generator and have him tank for my Mercenary.

 

Let's not even get into the issue that some classes have it so easy with their companions *cough*Trooper*cough*

 

This list could go on and on justifying why companions should be able to do all three, heal/ tank/ dps. But at the end of the day it should be about opening up options and giving a broader experience driven by the player. Not about forcing you to play in a certain way.

[crazyBE]

Lvling as a DPS: use a DPS companion to get through content faster

Lvling as a tank: use a DPS so fights don't take ages

Lvling as a healer: use a DPS because it's not even hard keeping them alive anyways

 

Srr but I have to disagree with your suggestion