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Just me or is DPS merc a beast again?

Slicksteezin

By Slicksteezin
in Commando / Mercenary

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Slicksteezin

Slicksteezin

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Was skeptical when they first released the info on how the class was going to change in 2.0, but after testing specs in both PvE and PVP (primarily arsenal) - I can for once say i am very happy with how things turned out!

 

Prior to the expansion, although i felt much of the hate on merc was justified (mostly due to lack of mobility/survivability) I still felt that, as cliche as it sounds, was a bit of a "L2P issue". From my experience every class has the ability to wreck, some may a bit more than others. Before 2.0 the biggest key to merc PVP was knowing when and where to position yourself. And pray to the star wars gods that you weren't going to focus targeted. Still, for the past year merc has been in a bad spot and not many would argue.

 

That being said, i know i got a little bit off topic, but i think DPS merc are one of the classes that got the biggest buffs this time around. Significant damage increase, survival tools and TWO power surges (da ***?! now i can fully heal myself in literally 2 seconds if need be? I'll take it!)

 

So does anyone else have similar thoughts on this? My three 50's (or were 50, i should say) are a sorc, merc and powertech. I am by far most impressed with merc changes this time around and it sure feels good to finally say that!

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JimmyTheCannon

JimmyTheCannon

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It already was a beast in PVE. It does indeed seem to be even better now - HSM certainly hits harder, and the change to Heat Signatures is welcome.

 

I'm just worried about the fact that the set bonus on the level 55 gear apparently still has the PTS's bonus to rail shot damage instead of the heat reduction on RS. I foresee heat problems at 55.

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Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics

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To the OP - it's just you. Or maybe you and the other respondents.

 

Right now a lot of pvp players have not figured out other classes - they are barely beginning to digest their own class. So you see a lot of melee running around after they get Electro Darted. Or they forget to use Obfuscate. Or the big one - they don't understand how to use their mezz abilities in a 1v1 setting vs. a Merc. Which is sort of understandable as mezzing a Merc was pointless in 1.7 in a 1v1 setting. But once they figure it out, Merc dps is still the worst class in the game.

 

Snipers and Sorcs are the way to go for ranged dps. Snipers for more durability and Sorcs for more punch. Mercs do less damage than either and are more vulnerable than either. Yes, a Merc can put up good numbers if he gets healing support and is ignored by the enemy. But a Sniper or Sorc would put up even better numbers in the same conditions. I mean seriously, do you guys realize that Death Field now does about 80% of the single target damage of Heatseker, but it affects up to 5 targets?! And it's on a shorter CD. And that is currently considered to be the weaker Sorc dps tree.

 

Right now, a decent player on any subclass is looking good in 30-54 pvp. 20% of your opponents are sub-50s. Everyone is still learning. We all know that Merc gains the most from having incompetent opponents. Once those skies clear up, you are not going to be happy campers.

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Philastra

Philastra

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I am loving the changes, Only 1 tracer needed, can instant cast it, even if it is interrupted it doesn't go on CD, we def have a way to keep distance HO, Missiles hit like a truck, and you can actually off-heal if needed, so far its been a whole new game for us Mercs.

 

However it remains to be seen if they will be viable for ranked WZ's.

Edited by Philastra
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buddafx

buddafx

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Merc dps is still the worst class in the game.

 

LOL, keep thinking that while my 2650 RWZ rated merc destroys your team. if your playing the class right at the end of the game the other team should be saying, where the hell was that merc at?

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Slicksteezin

Slicksteezin

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To the OP - it's just you. Or maybe you and the other respondents.

 

Right now a lot of pvp players have not figured out other classes - they are barely beginning to digest their own class. So you see a lot of melee running around after they get Electro Darted. Or they forget to use Obfuscate. Or the big one - they don't understand how to use their mezz abilities in a 1v1 setting vs. a Merc. Which is sort of understandable as mezzing a Merc was pointless in 1.7 in a 1v1 setting. But once they figure it out, Merc dps is still the worst class in the game.

 

Snipers and Sorcs are the way to go for ranged dps. Snipers for more durability and Sorcs for more punch. Mercs do less damage than either and are more vulnerable than either. Yes, a Merc can put up good numbers if he gets healing support and is ignored by the enemy. But a Sniper or Sorc would put up even better numbers in the same conditions. I mean seriously, do you guys realize that Death Field now does about 80% of the single target damage of Heatseker, but it affects up to 5 targets?! And it's on a shorter CD. And that is currently considered to be the weaker Sorc dps tree.

 

Right now, a decent player on any subclass is looking good in 30-54 pvp. 20% of your opponents are sub-50s. Everyone is still learning. We all know that Merc gains the most from having incompetent opponents. Once those skies clear up, you are not going to be happy campers.

 

I respect all opinions, but i'm sorry i have to call complete BS on this. Mostly because the "facts" you stated are blatantly wrong. Saying sorc DPS has more punch than a merc is downright laughable. Pre 2.0 both my sorc and merc were BiS everything. Even before the patch my merc WRECKED the sorc in just about every aspect aside from survivabilty. Now they got an even bigger DPS increase. And i hardly ever will i ever see a sorc do more damage in a warzone. Ever. As for your imput about "death field", it is false that it hits single-targets more than HSM procced. Thats just not true at all. Yes death field is nice because it hits an AOE like smash, but that is pretty much the only hard hitting attack for my sorc.

 

Where i stand right now, HSM is critting in the 8-8.5k range and i am currently lvl 51. Tracer is steadily critting for 4.5k and i've even seen a 5k crit for it (not often, though). Rail shot never crits below 5k. Unload ticks each go for around 4-4.5k dishing out a cumulative of roughly 15k per cast.

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, from what i've seen merc is currently has the most burst in the game if need be. Not saying that its heat-efficient, but take in account they now have TWO insta power surges. Our Aoe's are much better.

 

I call complete BS on merc still being "the worst class in the game". And thats not from a bias standpoint.

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ekimmak

ekimmak

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Right now, a decent player on any subclass is looking good in 30-54 pvp. 20% of your opponents are sub-50s. Everyone is still learning. We all know that Merc gains the most from having incompetent opponents. Once those skies clear up, you are not going to be happy campers.

 

I've seen plenty of supposedly broken specs dominating on my servers, and been on the recieving end of an arsenal merc that knows what she's doing. The biggest asset is going to be that full stack on tracer missile, as interrupting them is no longer shoving their full burst back by 3 GCD.

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Volxen

Volxen

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I'm glad to hear that Merc has had it's DPS increased, but arsenal mercenary is still a turret class like marksmanship sniper, the difference being that the sniper is a much better turret class, with much better defense against melee. Why play a ranged DPS class that can be interrupted and charged/pulled while fighting from its maximum range? Regardless of how much DPS it can do, that alone makes the class pointless in PVP, in my opinion. Not to mention all of the other benefits you get from cover/entrench as a sniper.

 

Sniper is still, by far, the best ranged DPS in this game for PVP.

Edited by Volxen
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MarkXXIV

MarkXXIV

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I'm glad to hear that Merc has had it's DPS increased, but arsenal mercenary is still a turret class like marksmanship sniper, the difference being that the sniper is a much better turret class, with much better defense against melee. Why play a ranged DPS class that can be interrupted and charged/pulled while fighting from its maximum range? Regardless of how much DPS it can do, that alone makes the class pointless in PVP, in my opinion. Not to mention all of the other benefits you get from cover/entrench as a sniper.

 

Sniper is still, by far, the best ranged DPS in this game for PVP.

 

merc is a poor man's sniper... I wouldn't be suprised if sniper gets nerfed hard, same with sith warrior.

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HexDecimalUK

HexDecimalUK

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i have a leveled and geared merc AND a sorc :D (well i did the other day), i rate them the same on all fronts its realy more an aesthetic preference, do i feel like shooting wrist rockets or finger lightning. :cool: i think BW originally thought that the blasters at range was better than the sorc's light sabre and finally realized that mercs no more use their auto attacks than sorcs or PTs or anyone else does. even my vengeance jug rarely ever uses the auto attacks.
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Marauder

Marauder

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Can you guys post some builds and rotations now? To be honest I am little confused by all the changes.

 

I know we only need to do 1 missle now, but dont we get added bonus still to spam to 5 stacks? and then the unload proc or am I all messed up?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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MtDoom

MtDoom

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I must admit I love the way war zones are played now.. I am still level 50 until the 14th so I have not gotten to play with electro net at all. I do decent enough damage and the animations are epic; moreover I love the fact that the class can off heal very well * not the best but still a few heals is better than none when your healers are getting pounded on.

 

The only change I have been mulling over in my mind is the cool down for power surge. It is now an awesome! ability i can pop off a tracer instantly and save one for a quick heal after getting smashed. However the number of melee classes wanting to face stomp me is insane I wish power surge was on a 30 second cool down so I would have a slightly better chance to survive.

 

Just my thoughts...

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JimmyTheCannon

JimmyTheCannon

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Can you guys post some builds and rotations now? To be honest I am little confused by all the changes.

 

I know we only need to do 1 missle now, but dont we get added bonus still to spam to 5 stacks? and then the unload proc or am I all messed up?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

You still need 5 stacks for your Rail Shot bonus damage/instant heal.

 

An opening rotation to do max damage can look like this:

 

TM > HSM > Unload > TM > TM > RS > TM spam til cooldowns are up

 

Obviously any time Unload procs you throw it in there additionally.

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HexDecimalUK

HexDecimalUK

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Can you guys post some builds and rotations now? To be honest I am little confused by all the changes.

 

I know we only need to do 1 missle now, but dont we get added bonus still to spam to 5 stacks? and then the unload proc or am I all messed up?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

most spam tracers and tunnel for there procs, and suck. use your base line abilitys for a huge unprocced burst (dart-FM-HSM-rail-unload) and then use your tracers as a follow up until the the unload is procced by which time you should have your HSM and rail shot buffed. heres an example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUikwe6T65U

 

PS Mark, you said the merc is a poor man's sniper, i said were not amused via a funny video for humor. make sense? or should i get a crayon to explain it further :rolleyes:.

Edited by HexDecimalUK
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Lebannen

Lebannen

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First of all, when you use the term "beast" in anything it just shows your complete inability to grasp the concept of maturity. I am tired of people who are allegedly intelligent enough to turn on a computer, log into software and use old and outdated vernacular to try and make their posts so much more important than it really is in reality.
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MarkXXIV

MarkXXIV

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First of all, when you use the term "beast" in anything it just shows your complete inability to grasp the concept of maturity. I am tired of people who are allegedly intelligent enough to turn on a computer, log into software and use old and outdated vernacular to try and make their posts so much more important than it really is in reality.

 

did you forget this is a swtor forum?... why did you even waste your time posting that -__-

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paowee

paowee

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I suggest reading odawgg's guide found outside in the Merc forums. He plays Mercenary Arsenal in a way that remains competitive with Carnage and Annihilation Marauders. As far as experience goes they have cleared 8-man HM S&V a few days ago, and as of today's date, they remain US 1st, World 3rd for 8-man HM SnV. Instead of flaming and internet insulting (lol), it would be a great idea to read his guide and take it as you will. More information about that in this thread English > Flashpoints, Operations, and Heroic Missions > S+V- 8 HM Progression Ranking

 

edit: did not realize this thread TURNED entirely about Merc PVP DPS. The original post did talk about PVE DPS though.

Edited by paowee
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