Mercenary Changes Brainstorming

[cs_zoltan]

Good stuff.

 

Id rather see the heat cost for bodyguard be attached to the move itself instead of emergency scan. If used on ranged, it's an escape so it shouldn't be free. Or maybe scrap emergency scan all together and replace it with bodyguard that heals for the same ammount as the current emergency scan and has the same cd but cost 15-25 heat. Would be interesting to see how this affected pve. Just my opinions/ thoughts though.

 

The easiest way to make the above change work for both pve and pvp would be to move around the skill tree so that the change to emergency scan would be optional.

 

Thanks for the brainstorming!

 

That would definitely make our heat management easier. NOT

[Rambeezy]

That would definitely make our heat management easier. NOT

 

If bioware tried to help us and made our heat management worse, I would probably quit this game on the spot. I have mentioned countless times that anything which affects our heat usage in a given ammount of time or just our rotation in general needs to be coupled with a precise adjustment to our resources. Thank you for the constructive input, but I got this.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Rambeezy

[nkitch]

I would love to see a jetpack sprint ability for Mercs similar to force run but maybe a longer CD or maybe it would generate heat something to make it balanced.

 

I feel this would help with our mobility/survivability issues an it would be epic to have a bounty hunter able to use his or her's jetpack.

[midianlord]

Revert the criminally stupid range-nerf of ElectroDart: Back to 30m, or even 35/40m. And actually fix the real problem, which is lolResolve being next to useless.

 

Revert the criminally stupid nerf of Thermal Detonator's burst damage.

 

Revert the criminally stupid nerf of CGC's slow/snare effect. At 30% it might as well not even be there.

 

Eliminate the lolwut talents in all three trees and replace with something actually useful.

 

Interrupt- and pushback-protection: This should be native to the class, an ability like the Sorceror's Polarity Shift.

 

Instant large gap-opener: No, what we have isn't even close to enough. Something like the Snipinger's dive-roll. Again, class-native.

 

Blaster attacks to 35/40m.

 

Reduce the bloody cool-downs on our utility/defensive abilities.

[Akam]

Good stuff.

 

Id rather see the heat cost for bodyguard be attached to the move itself instead of emergency scan. If used on ranged, it's an escape so it shouldn't be free. Or maybe scrap emergency scan all together and replace it with bodyguard that heals for the same ammount as the current emergency scan and has the same cd but cost 15-25 heat. Would be interesting to see how this affected pve. Just my opinions/ thoughts though.

 

The easiest way to make the above change work for both pve and pvp would be to move around the skill tree so that the change to emergency scan would be optional.

 

Thanks for the brainstorming!

 

Good idea for heat cost on "Bodyguard" instead of on next-emergency scan. CHANGED

 

I don't think emergency scan should be scrapped. I just felt like "Bodyguard" would be an interesting addition to the line up. I'm sure we've all been there where Emergency scan was used in response to a very low HP friendly and it fell short. "Bodyguard" should help alleviate that lolwut feeling you get during a situation like that

 

I can also see how it would be used as an escape rather than it's actual purpose. Perhaps adding an HP threshold requirement would fix that or should an escape be the cool hidden bonus to go along with it?

[Rambeezy]

Good idea for heat cost on "Bodyguard" instead of on next-emergency scan. CHANGED

 

I don't think emergency scan should be scrapped. I just felt like "Bodyguard" would be an interesting addition to the line up. I'm sure we've all been there where Emergency scan was used in response to a very low HP friendly and it fell short. "Bodyguard" should help alleviate that lolwut feeling you get during a situation like that

 

I can also see how it would be used as an escape rather than it's actual purpose. Perhaps adding an HP threshold requirement would fix that or should an escape be the cool hidden bonus to go along with it?

 

Definitely a cool hidden bonus. OP healers wouldn't be so quick to run away from their Dps because the merc healer would be able to escape to his Dps who are chasing.

[DkSharktooth]

These changes are mainly for pvp, and will also help with defensive cooldowns and heat management in both pvp and pve.

 

:::General Mercenary Changes for All Specs:::

1) Mercenarys now have a passive ability active at all times, DevelopersAttention, which allows for developers to look for improvements in this class more often and the community will give them cookies and highfives.

2) Hydraulic Overrides now increases speed by 50%, up from 30%, for it's duration (so we can actually escape or create some small distance to get at least one cast off)

3) While kolto overload is actively proc'd, the Mercenary gains 25% damage reduction in addition to current effects (in it's current state on live, when this ability procs, it heals you for about 2-4 ticks at +400 per tick at level 55 ranked pvp, then you usually die shortly after. This ability is almost useless in competitive ranked as it heals to slowly/minimally, and usually doesn't last the full duration before the mercenary dies from burst damage or executes)

4) Add into a talent or passive, AOE damage reduction by 10-20%

5) Fix the delay on the mercenary knockback jetboost. In it's current state, you can activate it at the same time an enemy is about to stun you, your knockback will go on cooldown and the enemy will not get knocked away, while you are fully stunned still in front of their face getting smashed to pieces. This is broken and I have reported it.

6) Remove ability pushback

7) Unload is now uninterruptable, except by knockbacks or Crowd Controls. Heat cost reduced by half.

 

// Edit: Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes suggestions were recently updated 11-28-2013

:::Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes:::

1) Super Charged Gas Effects: SCG still requires 30 stacks, rapid scan still builds 6 stacks, rapid shots still builds 3 stacks. In addition to current effects, healing scan builds 3 stacks of super charge, and Alacrity is increased by 10% while Super Charged Gas is active. Stacks of supercharge can be built while super charged gas is active (similar to how Marauders can now build fury while bloodthirst/predation are active as of patch 2.5).

3) Kolto Shell heat cost removed, procs faster with more alacrity, heals for slightly more. Kolto shell colors can be changed by purchasing an unlock from cartel market / cartel packs.

4) Kolto Missile heat cost is now 8, down from 16.

5) If healing scan is interrupted, reduce the cooldown of emergency scan by 1 second.

6) Everytime the mercenary takes damage, reduce the cooldown of energy shield OR jetboost by x Seconds (Copy paste the talents from the arsenal or pyro mercenary trees that allow for this. Pick which talent you want to reduce the cooldown for, knockback or energy shield. Note: If you think a 2 minute cooldown on a 25% dmg reduction energy shield is good, let's look at operative and sorc cooldowns on stuff like static barriers, shield probe, evasion. Then let's look at marauders cooldown of 30seconds cloak of pain that can last very long and reflect damage. This is because marauders are always under focus fire right....well so are Mercenarys in pvp!, they need better cooldowns! Heavy armor is nothing in pvp!)

7) When a healing ability crits on the mercenary or their allies, place an absorb shield equal to 10% of the value of the crit for 6 seconds on those allies. Example: Heal crits for 6k, Shield absorb would be 600 damage. If the mercenary crits more than one heal on a target, the absorb shields will stack, but still dissipate after 6 seconds each.

 

:::Pyro Mercenary Changes:::

1) Incendiary missile is now unable to be cleansed (except by operatives evasion defensive cooldown, and sorcs barrier)

2) The dot from thermal detonator is now unable to be cleansed (except by operatives evasion defensive cooldown, and sorcs barrier)

 

:::Arsenal Mercenary Changes:::

1) Heatseaker Missile - now additionally increases the crit chance of heatseaker missile by 6%

Edited November 29, 2013 by DkSharktooth

[Dankari]

I decided to expand my changes list:

 

General

1) Energy Shield has been redesigned. "Surrounds yourself in a protective shield that absorbs all ranged, tech, and force attacks for 8 seconds. Cooldown 100s."

 

2) Explosive Dart has had its heat cost reduced to 10.

 

3) Kolto Overload Has been redesigned. "Overloads your suits Kolto Injection System causing it to heal you for 2% of your maximum health every second for 8 seconds. Cooldown 240s."

 

4) Fusion Missile has had its heat cost reduced to 10.

 

5) Healing Scan has had its cost increased to 20 and its cooldown removed.

 

6) Hydraulic Overrides has had its speed increase boosted from 30% to 80%.

 

7) Missile Blast has had its heat cost reduced to 15.

 

8) Power Shot has had its heat cost reduced to 15.

 

9) Power Surge has been removed and replaced with "Emergency Suit Stabilization - Activates your suits emergency stabilization protocols allowing you to continue casting while moving for 15s. Cooldown 120s."

 

10) Rail Shot has had its heat cost reduced to 8.

 

11) Rocket Punch has been redesigned. "Engages the jetpack, allowing you to strike the target with a heavy punch that deals 2247 - 2463 kinetic damage and rooting the target in place for 3s. Range 4m. Cooldown 9s. Heat cost 8."

 

12) Thermal Sensor Override has been redesigned. "Activates your suits thermal sensor override and causes your abilities to generate no heat. This effect lasts 10 seconds. Cooldown 90s."

 

13) Unload has had its heat cost reduced to 12.

 

14) Added the ability "Out of Harm's Way - Activates your jet pack causing you to fly backwards rapidly 35m and rooting all enemies in a 5m range for 3s. Cooldown 120s. Heat cost 20."

 

Combat Medic

1) The Talent "Critical Efficiency" is changed to "Reduces the heat cost of Rapid Scan by 5. In addition, Healing Scan has a 33/66/100% chance to lower the cost of your next Rapid Scan by 5."

 

2) "Emergency Scan" now heals for 1200-1750 instead of 758-1299.

 

4) The Talent "Empowered Scans" has had its text changed to "Increases the healing done by Rapid Scan by 3/6%. In addition, Rapid Scan, Healing Scan, and Emergency Scan each build 3/6 stacks of Combat Support Cylinder."

 

5) The Talent "Supercharged Gas" has had its text changed to "Converts 30 charges of Combat Support Cylinder to supercharge your blasters, venting 8 heat, increasing all damage and healing dealt by 5% for 10 seconds, and granting immunity to push back and interrupts. While active, the following abilities gain Supercharge affects:

Power Shot: Heat cost reduced by 100%.

Unload: Heat cost reduced by 100%.

Healing Scan: Heat Cost reduced by 50%.

Emergency Scan: Amount healed increased by 20%.

Kolto Missile: Places a shield on all targets reducing damage taken by 5% for 10 seconds."

 

6) The Talent "Peacekeeper" has been redesigned. "Causes your Out of Harm's Way to leave a Kolto Pool on the ground for 15s healing for 100-200 and increasing healing received by 5%."

 

Arsenal

1) Tracer Missile has had its heat cost has been reduced to 15.

 

2) Heatseeker Missiles has had its heat cost has been reduced to 10.

 

3) The Talent "Afterburners" has had its text changed to "Rocket Punch has a 50/100% chance to knock the target back 10m. In addition Jet Boost's knockback effect is stronger and knocks enemies back an additional 2/4m."

 

4) The Talent "Terminal Velocity" has had its text change to "While Armor Piercing Cylinder is active you vent an additional 1/2 heat every 1.5s.

 

5) Power Overrides has been replaced with "Overloaded Stabilizers". "Reduces the cooldown of Emergency Suit Stabilization by 15/30s and increases its duration by 5/10s."

 

Pyrotech

1) Incendiary Missile has had its heat cost reduced to 10.

 

2) Thermal Detonator has had its heat cost reduced to 10.

 

3) Combustible Gas Cylinder has had its rate limit removed.

 

4) Pyro Shield has had its external damage increased to 1800 up from 180.

 

I think there are a lot of good suggestions to pick from here.

[cs_zoltan]

:::Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes:::

1) Super Charged Gas Effects now require 18 stacks, down from 30. In addition, rapid scan, healing scan, emergency scan all build 6 stacks of supercharge. Rapid shots still builds 3.

2) Alacrity is increased by 30% while Super Charged Gas is active (in addition to its current effects)

3) Kolto Shell can now be placed on two targets at the same time, heat cost removed. You cannot place more than one kolto shell per mercenary on the same target. The second kolto shell has a yellow color to distinguish it from the first, kolto shell colors can be changed by purchasing an unlock from cartel market / cartel packs.

4) Kolto Missile heat cost is now 8, down from 16.

5) If healing scan is interrupted, reduce the cooldown of emergency scan by 1 second.

6) Everytime the mercenary takes damage, reduce the cooldown of energy shield OR jetboost by x Seconds (Copy paste the talents from the arsenal or pyro mercenary trees that allow for this. Pick which talent you want to reduce the cooldown for, knockback or energy shield. Note: If you think a 2 minute cooldown on a 25% dmg reduction energy shield is good, let's look at operative and sorc cooldowns on stuff like static barriers, shield probe, evasion. Then let's look at marauders cooldown of 30seconds cloak of pain that can last very long and reflect damage. This is because marauders are always under focus fire right....well so are Mercenarys in pvp!, they need better cooldowns! Heavy armor is nothing in pvp!)

 

Congratulation, you just broke Merc healing

[DkSharktooth]

Congratulation, you just broke Merc healing

 

You can't break what's already broken, but you can try to fix it. You should also read my updated post as I was still editing it while you quoted it. There is nothing gamebreaking about the suggested buffs. The 20% alacrity would equate to about 0.47 second cast time reduction (for a limited time) if you're worried about it being overpowered. If you think I am out of line in my suggestions, you should provide your reasoning as well as your current rank on leaderboards, characters name, and gear stats in order for us to know from what skill level your response is coming from.

Edited November 28, 2013 by DkSharktooth

[cs_zoltan]

You can't break what's already broken, but you can try to fix it. You should also read my updated post as I was still editing it while you quoted it. There is nothing gamebreaking about the suggested buffs. The 20% alacrity would equate to about 0.47 second cast time reduction (for a limited time) if you're worried about it being overpowered. If you think I am out of line in my suggestions, you should provide your reasoning as well as your current rank on leaderboards, characters name, and gear stats in order for us to know from what skill level your response is coming from.

 

Not sure if you noticed but all my character name is in my signature. Also I don't have to be on the ranked leaderboard to tell that your suggestion is OP, even the idea that you want to dismiss what I said based on my gear and a number I achieved is ridiculous. I could say the same for PVE, you can't post opinions here until you have 3700+ aim and cleared DP/DF HM and killed at least 5 2.0+ nightmare bosses...

 

Now for your suggestions:

:::Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes:::

1) Super Charged Gas Effects now require 18 stacks, down from 30. In addition, rapid scan builds 6 stacks, healing scan and Rapid shots builds 3 of super charge. Stacks of supercharge can be built while super charged gas is active (similar to how Marauders can now build fury while bloodthirst/predation are active as of patch 2.5).

2) Alacrity is increased by 20% while Super Charged Gas is active (in addition to its current effects)

This right here is the worst idea you could come up with. IF this would go live you would have 100% uptime on Supercharged, therefore guaranteed 8 heatvent every 13 second + a lot more from the 20% alacrity, constant 5% DR buff, no CD on healingscan ever, constant free powershot/unload.

3) Kolto Shell can now be placed on two targets at the same time, heat cost removed. You cannot place more than one kolto shell per mercenary on the same target. The second kolto shell has a yellow color to distinguish it from the first, kolto shell colors can be changed by purchasing an unlock from cartel market / cartel packs.

Kolto shell is powerfull as it is now, having 2 or more would result in a nerf

4) Kolto Missile heat cost is now 8, down from 16.

It's not bad on it's own, but coupled with 1) and 2) and you just made Merc heat management easier than operative

5) If healing scan is interrupted, reduce the cooldown of emergency scan by 1 second.

Nothing wrong with this one

6) Everytime the mercenary takes damage, reduce the cooldown of energy shield OR jetboost by x Seconds (Copy paste the talents from the arsenal or pyro mercenary trees that allow for this. Pick which talent you want to reduce the cooldown for, knockback or energy shield. Note: If you think a 2 minute cooldown on a 25% dmg reduction energy shield is good, let's look at operative and sorc cooldowns on stuff like static barriers, shield probe, evasion. Then let's look at marauders cooldown of 30seconds cloak of pain that can last very long and reflect damage. This is because marauders are always under focus fire right....well so are Mercenarys in pvp!, they need better cooldowns! Heavy armor is nothing in pvp!)

The suggestion is good, but I wouldn't say sorc has better cooldowns.

 

I know you were talking about PVP and my main focus is PVE, but there is a way to balance PVP without breaking the class in PVE...

Edited November 28, 2013 by cs_zoltan

[DkSharktooth]

Not sure if you noticed but all my character name is in my signature. Also I don't have to be on the ranked leaderboard to tell that your suggestion is OP, I could say the same for PVE, you can't post opinions here until you have 3700+ aim and cleared DP/DF HM and killed at least 5 2.0+ nightmare bosses...

 

Now for your suggestions:

This right here is the worst idea you could come up with. IF this would go live you would have 100% uptime on Supercharged, therefore guaranteed 8 heatvent every 13 second + a lot more from the 20% alacrity, constant 5% DR buff, no CD on healingscan ever, constant free powershot/unload.

 

Kolto shell is powerfull as it is now, having 2 or more would result in a nerf

 

It's not bad on it's own, but coupled with 1) and 2) and you just made Merc heat management easier than operative

 

Nothing wrong with this one

 

The suggestion is good, but I wouldn't say sorc has better cooldowns.

 

I know you were talking about PVP and my main focus is PVE, but there is a way to balance PVP without breaking the class in PVE...

 

At your first point, I was simply asking from what skill level perspective you were coming from to see where you're at. I have personally cleared a few nightmare modes and stopped raiding after S&V NM because it was to repetitively boring for me. I was leading/co-leading many server first guilds from launch to SV operations. I also PvP Alot, my main passion currently (Hitmanpro my main pvp toon/raider, my merc, was 2450 rating for 4v4 Arenas Soloque pre-season one).

 

I thought about what you replied, and thanks for being detailed, because it shows your understanding of the class. I agree with some of your points and revised my post.

 

 

// Edit: Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes suggestions were recently updated 11-28-2013

:::Mercenary Bodyguard Healer Changes:::

1) Super Charged Gas Effects: In addition to current effects, healing scan builds 3 stacks of super charge, and Alacrity is increased by 10% while Super Charged Gas is active. Stacks of supercharge can be built while super charged gas is active (similar to how Marauders can now build fury while bloodthirst/predation are active as of patch 2.5).

3) Kolto Shell heat cost removed, procs faster with more alacrity, heals for slightly more. Kolto shell colors can be changed by purchasing an unlock from cartel market / cartel packs.

4) Kolto Missile heat cost is now 8, down from 16.

5) If healing scan is interrupted, reduce the cooldown of emergency scan by 1 second.

6) Everytime the mercenary takes damage, reduce the cooldown of energy shield OR jetboost by x Seconds (Copy paste the talents from the arsenal or pyro mercenary trees that allow for this. Pick which talent you want to reduce the cooldown for, knockback or energy shield. Note: If you think a 2 minute cooldown on a 25% dmg reduction energy shield is good, let's look at operative and sorc cooldowns on stuff like static barriers, shield probe, evasion. Then let's look at marauders cooldown of 30seconds cloak of pain that can last very long and reflect damage. This is because marauders are always under focus fire right....well so are Mercenarys in pvp!, they need better cooldowns! Heavy armor is nothing in pvp!)

7) When a healing ability crits on the mercenary or their allies, place an absorb shield equal to 10% of the value of the crit for 6 seconds on those allies. Example: Heal crits for 6k, Shield absorb would be 600 damage. If the mercenary crits more than one heal on a target, the absorb shields will stack, but still dissipate after 6 seconds each.

 

edit:

8)Merc healers can now rapid shots themselves to heal

Edited December 1, 2013 by DkSharktooth

[PhatMcMuffins]

Bodyguard: Chaff Flare grants 6 seconds of interrupt immunity and it's CD is reduced to 30 seconds

 

Both pyro and arsenal get skills tied to chaff flare, why not bodyguard? I could possibly go without the CD reduction but I think an interrupt immunity is a fair talent to tie to it.

[bananaface]

Bodyguard:

Our lolinstant heal not healing 2x less then the spammable op/scoundrel one while it's still on a 18sec cd.

Healing scan should finish the cooldown of emergency scan.

 

Can't believe kolto missile still has to be aimed on the ground after 2 years, make it shoot at the targetted friendly and explode on impact healing nearby targets.

And about the animation when cast on yourself, just make it explode in your hand or not show the missile at all and just give a nice green splat around you.

 

Arsenal:

Better heat management.

Less buffs and abilities tied into tracer.

Torque boosters instead should give you the ability to cast on the run while hydraulic overrides is active.

Tracer lock and Light 'em 'up also gained from power shot, so you have an alternative while tracer is interupted and unload is on cd. Barrage procs of power shot aswell already.

 

Pyro:

Remove icd of prototype particle accelerator and make it stack up to 2 times for better heat management and mobility.

Rail shot making your next power shot instant.

 

This is all from a PvP perspective.

Currently all specs are to reliant on hardcasting and do barely any damage or healing while moving, wich results into train the merc and he can't do anything.

Not saying all of this should get in there, just a few optional suggestions.

[PhatMcMuffins]

Bodyguard:

Our lolinstant heal not healing 2x less then the spammable op/scoundrel one while it's still on a 18sec cd.

Healing scan should finish the cooldown of emergency scan.

 

Can't believe kolto missile still has to be aimed on the ground after 2 years, make it shoot at the targetted friendly and explode on impact healing nearby targets.

And about the animation when cast on yourself, just make it explode in your hand or not show the missile at all and just give a nice green splat around you.

 

Arsenal:

Better heat management.

Less buffs and abilities tied into tracer.

Torque boosters instead should give you the ability to cast on the run while hydraulic overrides is active.

Tracer lock and Light 'em 'up also gained from power shot, so you have an alternative while tracer is interupted and unload is on cd. Barrage procs of power shot aswell already.

 

Pyro:

Remove icd of prototype particle accelerator and make it stack up to 2 times for better heat management and mobility.

Rail shot making your next power shot instant.

 

This is all from a PvP perspective.

Currently all specs are to reliant on hardcasting and do barely any damage or healing while moving, wich results into train the merc and he can't do anything.

Not saying all of this should get in there, just a few optional suggestions.

 

No and oh my god hell no to changing kolto missile like that. I doubt many will disagree with me. It's so useful the way it is and very easy to aim if you use a mouse...

 

Changing how the gunnery tree works is silly. They should just fix the Barrage proc and change the cylinder to work like the PT's HEGC. If barrage proc'd properly and we vented heat continually, heat manageent would be far less of an issue.

 

Pyro hardly suffers from any casting problems. That's more gunnery and bodyguard. Casting in general in this game sucks and needs to be reworked (with interrupts, pushback, stuns and knockbacks its just too easy to stop)

 

This is also all from a pvp perspective.

[bananaface]

No and oh my god hell no to changing kolto missile like that. I doubt many will disagree with me. It's so useful the way it is and very easy to aim if you use a mouse...

 

Changing how the gunnery tree works is silly. They should just fix the Barrage proc and change the cylinder to work like the PT's HEGC. If barrage proc'd properly and we vented heat continually, heat manageent would be far less of an issue.

 

Pyro hardly suffers from any casting problems. That's more gunnery and bodyguard. Casting in general in this game sucks and needs to be reworked (with interrupts, pushback, stuns and knockbacks its just too easy to stop)

 

This is also all from a pvp perspective.

 

It's just my own personal opinion on how dodgy kolto missile is with serverlag and knockbacks, changing to how i proposed it doesn't change a thing really quality wise but it just gets more reliable for pvp.

No one stands still in pvp and no one should be stacked up either and this way its hella lot faster to get a kolto missile off so I don't understand you don't like a change like this suggestion.

 

I'm not saying the gunnery tree should be completely reworked, just have a viable alternative to tracer in power shot when tracer gets interupted and better heat management and less penalty on damage for having to kite or when you get trained.

 

Pyro suffers the least from casting problems yeah but it still does suffer unless you only multidot+instants with a 15sec cd, you still relly on unload and power shot to get procs.

The procs are still fairly unreliable as it is and that with not being able to cast anything cause you're getting trained in arena, you'll have no burst at all.

 

Things are fine if you're left alone, but you never are as a merc in competitive arena cause you're the easiest dps to lock down apart from lightning sorc (wich no one in their right mind plays) so you'll just get trained.

[cs_zoltan]

It's just my own personal opinion on how dodgy kolto missile is with serverlag and knockbacks, changing to how i proposed it doesn't change a thing really quality wise but it just gets more reliable for pvp.

No one stands still in pvp and no one should be stacked up either and this way its hella lot faster to get a kolto missile off so I don't understand you don't like a change like this suggestion.

You couldn't aim it between 2 players and hit them both

[PhatMcMuffins]

You couldn't aim it between 2 players and hit them both

 

This. If it has a radius and it casted on a player, that means it only hits people within the x radius. However, when i can place it anywhere, i can hit players that are 2x (the full diameter) apart

 

and i won't argue that the class as a whole needs cast help but even in rateds i rarely have power shot interrupted and if unload gets interrupted, i usually have the rail shot proc already.

 

Regardless, the class needs help. It is one of the most team reliant classes and that would be okay if there were a real payoff for it. There isn't.

[FoFo]

I just hit 55 the other day, so I figured I would throw in my two cents. Although I have not done a whole lot of OP's or Ranked PvP, I have some General MMO knowledge from games such as WoW. This is coming from a PvP perspective, because that is mostly what I have played.

 

My thoughts so far are I really enjoy playing Mercenary, It is just a very fun class personal. Although I believe this class could use some love. I normally play a kiting class in games, for example WoW my hunter was my main. I just enjoy playing keep away and constantly moving. While kiting is very doable in this game, I feel that I can only truly be dominate when I blow my CD's. I.e Power surge. Which should not be the case. I would love to see this class become more mobile and be a true kiting class. I see this class as a support class, it shouldn't' do the most damage, it should bring utility to the group. Which isn't really the case. I don't really feel that any of my utility abilities are anything that another class doesn't have. But down to business. I mostly posting Idea's I have not seen, I agree with a lot that has already been posted.

 

General-

Make unload usable while moving. This is Arsenals really only snare, we should be able to move with it.

Make Power Shot usable while moving. It is still a cast, we can just cast it while moving like Hunter's Steady Shot. Plus, Arsenal Merc's can get use out of it then.

Energy Shield is so weak, 25% seems like nothing. Reduce the duration to 4 seconds and make it so we have 75% Damage Reduction.

Kolto Overload also seems weak, make it so we instantly gain the 35% health.

A Disengage ability would be fantastic.

At the current state Jet Boost seems broken, classes can resist. Which as of now is one of our few ways to gain distance.

Hydraulic Overrides- Bump up the speed, melee range is really far in this game, the fact that I can barely get away with 30%. Make it at least 40% if not 50%.

Concussion Missile should be an Instant cast.

Missile Blast is so weak for 25 heat! Reduce the heat cost or bump up the damage.

Arsenal- Isn't too bad if we gain more mobility it would make a huge difference, a slight damage increase overall would be helpful.

Pyro- Needs a lot of work, while it is enjoyable to play, the DoT's are weak and Heat management is awful.

Bodyguard- I have had nothing but success with healing on Merc so far, although It could use some love.

 

Overall I feel this class really isn't in an awful state, we are still very viable in all areas. Although if we gain mobility and utility, that would go a long way!

[Hell_Kaiser_Fett]

Pyro- Needs a lot of work, while it is enjoyable to play, the DoT's are weak and Heat management is awful.

 

Sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree.

[PhatMcMuffins]

Arsenal- Isn't too bad if we gain more mobility it would make a huge difference, a slight damage increase overall would be helpful.

Pyro- Needs a lot of work, while it is enjoyable to play, the DoT's are weak and Heat management is awful.

Bodyguard- I have had nothing but success with healing on Merc so far, although It could use some love.

 

Overall I feel this class really isn't in an awful state, we are still very viable in all areas. Although if we gain mobility and utility, that would go a long way!

 

Sounded decent until your evaluation of the specs. Pyro is in the best place overall. It isn't a dot spec. It is a burst spec that has a dot setup. It has the most mobility and not much heat problems if played right.

 

Arsenal has mobility, interrupt and hear issues due to casting and poorly working procs. It's easy to shut down, lock down or overheat when procs aren't there (which is often)

 

Bodyguard hurts the most at endgame pvp. There is no place for it in team or solo ranked. It is by far my favorite spec and can do well in regs but its heat management and easiness to shut down completely render it by far the worst of the three specs (although still my favorite spec of any AC for some reason)

[DarthBloodloss]

Regarding targeted AoE such as Kolto Missile.....

 

I prefer the manual aim better. As already mentioned, you can hit more people. If you aren't pulling in 60-80k healing in an unranked WZ (without even trying), you probably aren't using Kolto Missile enough.

 

However, they could simply add an additional ability called "Kolto Missile (targeted)". It would have the same exact stats and share the cooldown, but would allow the user to cast it as targeted, or aim it manually. They could actually do this with other class' attacks as well, such as Death Field. (You just choose if you keybind Targeted, or Non-Targeted version of the attack. or both)

Edited December 5, 2013 by DarthBloodloss

[FoFo]

Sounded decent until your evaluation of the specs. Pyro is in the best place overall. It isn't a dot spec. It is a burst spec that has a dot setup. It has the most mobility and not much heat problems if played right.

 

Arsenal has mobility, interrupt and hear issues due to casting and poorly working procs. It's easy to shut down, lock down or overheat when procs aren't there (which is often)

 

Bodyguard hurts the most at endgame pvp. There is no place for it in team or solo ranked. It is by far my favorite spec and can do well in regs but its heat management and easiness to shut down completely render it by far the worst of the three specs (although still my favorite spec of any AC for some reason)

 

Just as I said I am a pretty fresh 55 I have not had a whole lot of experience yet at endgame, even though I have had a lot of success in PvP so far, that's what I see. Pyro can burst well, but against a good healer I feel like he can easily heal through it. I can totally understand how aspect's of a game can change at high level of play and endgame.

[Fusillade]

And now for something completely outside the box, but related to changing Mercs. Eric, please take a minute to consider this in your feedback to those that make the big decisions.

 

New DPS Merc Tree:

Explosive Specialist

[Melon_Lord]

Merc Pyro is broken, it shouldn't be doing 400-500 more DPS than PT Pyro