Healing Changes Between 1.2 and 1.7?

[RuQu]

Simply put, has anything changed in the past 10 months?

 

Any of our long-standing problems been resolved?

 

Healing any more interesting? Mechanics improvements? AoE healing balance?

 

What's the state of the healer game?

[mastirkal]

Which class?

 

For sorcs,

The force consumption buff from invert or it's sage equivilant doesn't stop you from sacrificing life anymore. Instead, you have unnatural preserve which is your single most powerful heal, but only useable on yourself every thirty seconds.

Overall healing rates are the same, still a 1:0.17 power rate. Etc etc. don't know about other classes.

 

EDIT assuming commando, best support class, worst healer overall.

Edited February 19, 2013 by mastirkal

[RuQu]

For all classes.

 

Back around launch we had a long, long list of recommendations and requests (some definitely better than others). I haven't maintained it since I left after 1.2, and was wondering on if we have seen any progress and what our new problems were.

 

Here's the link to the old list

 

Some highlights:

 

Have they addressed animation delays?

Any improvement to some of the crappiest animations? Kolto Fart? Underworld Medicine?

Does Alacrity change the GCD for instant abilities now? Does it scale the ability price, affect regen, or increase HoT tick rate or duration?

Improvements to the UI for tracking buffs, procs, CC time remaining, and HoT/buff duration remaining?

AoE target circles accurately reflecting radius?

Can buffs be moved independently of the character panel?

Can auto-self cast be disabled so you can press the ability and then select a target?

Are companions in the raid frames now?

Do health bars show incoming heals? ie a shaded area on a damaged health bar to show that a heal is targeted on them that will take them from 50% to 75%

 

What's the player limit on the AoE abilities now? Still 8/4/4? Do AoE's smart heal (preferentially target the most injured) or is it still based on distance from center of the ability?

Have they done anything to address CM/Merc regen issues?

Does TP still cost 2 Ammo? Any improvement after the Field Trauma nerf to AP/MP combos?

Any improvement post-SCC nerf?

Have they made any changes to Sc/Op mechanics? Increased synergies, changing dependencies, just in general making a more interesting mechanic? Improvements to UH/TA generation and tracking?

Have they added any cool short cooldowns to Op or Sage, comparable to SCC for CM?

Have they fixed the Ammo/Heat imbalance issue?

Have they made cover useful for Sc/Op?

Do any Sc/Op heals add a utility buff like the run speed from FA or the armor from AP?

Have they made Kolto Pack useful?

[Satedbuffalo]

Have they addressed animation delays?

Yes.

Any improvement to some of the crappiest animations? Kolto Fart? Underworld Medicine?

No.

Does Alacrity change the GCD for instant abilities now? Does it scale the ability price, affect regen, or increase HoT tick rate or duration?

No.

Improvements to the UI for tracking buffs, procs, CC time remaining, and HoT/buff duration remaining?

A very few. Most of the best suggestions have gone unaddressed, although further changes have been promised.

AoE target circles accurately reflecting radius?

No.

Can buffs be moved independently of the character panel?

No.

Can auto-self cast be disabled so you can press the ability and then select a target?

Not sure I follow this one, but I think no.

Are companions in the raid frames now?

No.

Do health bars show incoming heals? ie a shaded area on a damaged health bar to show that a heal is targeted on them that will take them from 50% to 75%

No.

What's the player limit on the AoE abilities now? Still 8/4/4? Do AoE's smart heal (preferentially target the most injured) or is it still based on distance from center of the ability?

Same maximum targets affected for the three AoE heals. They do not 'smart heal'.

Have they done anything to address CM/Merc regen issues?

Energy for commandos/mercs is still imbalanced.

Does TP still cost 2 Ammo? Any improvement after the Field Trauma nerf to AP/MP combos?

I don't know the answer here, but I expect so as no changes in heat have occurred for the mirror abilities.

Any improvement post-SCC nerf?

No.

Have they made any changes to Sc/Op mechanics? Increased synergies, changing dependencies, just in general making a more interesting mechanic? Improvements to UH/TA generation and tracking?

No. New healing-specific mechanics exist in one fight, but nothing class specific for Operative/Scoundrel healers.

Have they added any cool short cooldowns to Op or Sage, comparable to SCC for CM?

Other than recklessness? No.

Have they fixed the Ammo/Heat imbalance issue?

No.

Have they made cover useful for Sc/Op?

It always was.

Do any Sc/Op heals add a utility buff like the run speed from FA or the armor from AP?

No.

Have they made Kolto Pack useful?

Haha.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Satedbuffalo

[RuQu]

Not sure I follow this one, but I think no.

A healer preference style. In SWTOR, you have to target someone, then press the ability, and it starts to cast on them. If no one is targeted, it assumes self-target and starts to cast on you.

 

Some people prefer to press the ability key, then click on a target. So if no target is selected, or the target is hostile, you can press "1" to select "Medical Probe" and nothing will happen until you click on a portrait in the raid frame, and then the heal will start casting.

 

It's a change in the order of the command (ability -> target instead of target -> ability), but it opens up options, like pressing the ability and hovering over the raid frame waiting for who needs it, or keeping the enemy targeted so you can DPS and then tossing out a heal as needed without swapping target or accidentally self-healing.

 

It always was.

It was requested that it add some healing synergy, some reason to use cover in operations, beyond preventing some range closing abilities.

 

Haha.

 

I know, right?

 

Good to see that they have been busy this past year. At least they got that cash shop working. Priorities, right?

[mastirkal]

For all classes.

 

Back around launch we had a long, long list of recommendations and requests (some definitely better than others). I haven't maintained it since I left after 1.2, and was wondering on if we have seen any progress and what our new problems were.

 

Here's the link to the old list

 

Some highlights:

 

Have they addressed animation delays?

 

Yes

 

Any improvement to some of the crappiest animations? Kolto Fart? Underworld Medicine?

 

Still the same if my accounting g of it is correct, it however is in line with the mirror class.

 

Does Alacrity change the GCD for instant abilities now? Does it scale the ability price, affect regen, or increase HoT tick rate or duration?

No, alacrity is only useful for cast times. It's better to stack surge atm.

 

Improvements to the UI for tracking buffs, procs, CC time remaining, and HoT/buff duration remaining?

 

You can edit your interface to show it better, this however is based on you, no counter to show it besides the marks above their portrait.

 

AoE target circles accurately reflecting radius?

 

They are slightly bigger than shown radius, for sorcs it's much bigger than the circle indicates, I thick roughly 60% bigger than shown.

 

Can buffs be moved independently of the character panel?

 

No, they are still right above te targets portrait, you can however move the portrait and the cast bar.

 

Can auto-self cast be disabled so you can press the ability and then select a target?

 

I don't understand the question, you need to target first or else the game thinks you want to heal yourself. Don't know a game where this isn't true, I believe you can put a second delay on abilities so you could technically press a button then cast on someone else at the cost of gimping your initial cast time.

 

Are companions in the raid frames now?

 

No.

 

Do health bars show incoming heals? ie a shaded area on a damaged health bar to show that a heal is targeted on them that will take them from 50% to 75%

 

You can enable info text on targets and yourself to tell you their %, raid frame also does this now.

 

What's the player limit on the AoE abilities now? Still 8/4/4? Do AoE's smart heal (preferentially target the most injured) or is it still based on distance from center of the ability?

 

Aoe heals are not smart, they heal everyone inside of them and the crit rate is applied to each one individually. Proc heals relics are bad because we can't control whom they apply to.

 

Have they done anything to address CM/Merc regen issues?

 

Somewhat.

 

Does TP still cost 2 Ammo? Any improvement after the Field Trauma nerf to AP/MP combos?

Any improvement post-SCC nerf?

Have they made any changes to Sc/Op mechanics? Increased synergies, changing dependencies, just in general making a more interesting mechanic? Improvements to UH/TA generation and tracking?

 

Sorcs were rebuffed than buffed, operatives have only seen minor changes.

 

Have they added any cool short cooldowns to Op or Sage, comparable to SCC for CM?

 

Unnatural preservation for sorcs.

 

Have they fixed the Ammo/Heat imbalance issue?

 

As I said, kind of. It's better than it was, but not great.

 

Have they made cover useful for Sc/Op?

 

It never will be, almost all ops require movement.

 

Do any Sc/Op heals add a utility buff like the run speed from FA or the armor from AP?

 

Nothing really changed as far as buffs for those two are concerned, the force consumption buff for sorcs was changed however.

 

Have they made Kolto Pack useful?

It has use situationally.

 

Responded to what I could.

[RuQu]

I don't understand the question, you need to target first or else the game thinks you want to heal yourself. Don't know a game where this isn't true, I believe you can put a second delay on abilities so you could technically press a button then cast on someone else at the cost of gimping your initial cast time.

 

WoW would be a big one. Just turn off "auto self-cast" in your preferences. This is the style I used for healing for years.

 

Of course, WoW has had smart-healing on AoE since BC came out in 2007. I suppose we can't expect a new game to have any of the base mechanics from the industry giant.

[dmanlong]

WoW would be a big one. Just turn off "auto self-cast" in your preferences. This is the style I used for healing for years.

 

Of course, WoW has had smart-healing on AoE since BC came out in 2007. I suppose we can't expect a new game to have any of the base mechanics from the industry giant.

 

Done with Tera Huh? I just came back as well.

 

Search for Patch 1.4 for most major changes since you left. Also there some data mined changes for the upcoming expansion.

 

Biggest points of interest for commandos.- Concussion Charge will have a AoE heal tied to it.

There will be a energy net snare that will slow a target and put a stacking damage buff on the target if it continues to move.

Kolto residue will leave a AoE hot on the ground for a few seconds.

Edited February 19, 2013 by dmanlong

[RuQu]

Done with Tera Huh? I just came back as well.

 

Search for Patch 1.4 for most major changes since you left. Also there some data mined changes for the upcoming expansion.

 

Biggest points of interest for commandos.- Concussion Charge will have a AoE heal tied to it.

There will be a energy net snare that will slow a target and put a stacking damage buff on the target if it continues to move.

Kolto residue will leave a AoE hot on the ground for a few seconds.

 

TERA had some great combat, but it got repetitive and the endgame was still heavily inspired by the fact that it was a ported Korean grinder.

 

Been enjoying GW2 as well, but figured I'd come back and check out some of the stories I'd never finished. So long as I was here, figured I'd try and update my guide and maybe entertain myself creating a new version of my old simulator.

[mastirkal]

I don't know if 1.2 had augment slots for everything yet, but you can now add purple augments for +18 main stat and +12 endurance to everything in your equipment slot. Giving you a total boost of 252 main stat and 168 endurance as a healer. Edited February 19, 2013 by mastirkal