Class Viability in End Game PVP

[boltOkie]

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to the game. That said, I'd still like to play an advanced class that is a welcome addition to end game groups for PVP. I enjoy ranged dps the most. My highest level characters are a BH merc and a Sage. I'm worried that if I get to lvl 55 and start working on getting geared and playing in more competitive PVP I'll have trouble finding a guild or group that will welcome me, as I've heard pretty negative comments in chat and the forums.

 

I like the healer/dps class in every MMO I play. I realize the Operative is currently considered the strongest in heals, but frankly the lore and playstyle of the Sage and Merc attract me more.

 

In skilled hands (not mine yet), will a Sage or Merc have trouble finding groups to take on RWZ?

[cashogy_reborn]

PT is very viable, but its a hybrid melee class.

 

Sniper is also good, but you dont see a lot of them in end-game PvP b/c of the LoS issues in Arenas.

Merc is viable, as is Sorc, but they have a higher skill cap than other (melee) classes. If you can get past the learning curve, and play with a group that knows how to properly support you so you can do your job, youll do fine. But on your own its much harder to be successful (ie Solo Ranked).

[Vaerah]

My highest level characters are a BH merc and a Sage. I'm worried that if I get to lvl 55 and start working on getting geared and playing in more competitive PVP I'll have trouble finding a guild or group that will welcome me, as I've heard pretty negative comments in chat and the forums.

 

,,,

 

In skilled hands (not mine yet), will a Sage or Merc have trouble finding groups to take on RWZ?

 

The only thing you'll miss on a Sage / Sorc is the "auto-skip arenas" option.

[HaoZhao]

Mercenaries and Sorcerer healers are generally considered road kill in ranked (especially in arenas). They're too easy to interrupt, don't have cloak (which is the only reliable escape), and they have to stand still and cast to get any real healing done. What makes operative healing so good is that it's has instant, mobile heals with no cool down, specifically Surgical and Kolto Probe. You can't interrupt it and they can use it while running away from you. With the notable exception of gunslinger/sniper, any class that has to stand still and cast for extended periods of time is going to be easy to shut down.

 

I personally have a lot of fun with Arsenal mercenary, but don't surprised if a lot of snob guilds would rather you be a marauder. I wouldn't get too worried over ranked. Ranked is kind of dead on many servers right now, anyway.

[TheCourier-]

PT is very viable, but its a hybrid melee class.

 

Merc is viable, as is Sorc, but they have a higher skill cap than other (melee) classes.

 

I loled. Annihilation marauder, carnage marauder, and deception assassin require WAY more skill than merc and sorc do.

[General_Aldo]

I loled. Annihilation marauder, carnage marauder, and deception assassin require WAY more skill than merc and sorc do.

 

lol no.

 

Nice try

[TheCourier-]

lol no.

 

Nice try

 

Tracer missile, heaterseeker, unload. 3 primary attacks. That does not require more skill than annihilation and deception. Annihilation and deception require 20+ keybinds each.

[JaingSkiratapwns]

lol no.

 

Nice try

 

I've played shadow/assassin for a while, as well as all of the ranged classes, and aside from powertech, the melee specs take more skill.

[HaoZhao]

lol no.

 

Nice try

 

Any ranged class is going to require less skill than any melee class. Spamming tracer missile or affliction from 25 metres back requires less skill than jumping into the face of an enemy healer only to have 2-4 other enemies immediately start pounding you.

 

I don't think you appreciate that Annihilation and Carnage don't get the nifty upgrades to Undying Rage that Rage spec gets. Marauders have the 2nd worst glass jaw in the game, only ahead of DPS operatives. Annihilation and Carnage are also going to be less effective because they don't get that second leap. All you have to do as a healer is slow them and move away. There's nothing they can do about it. Not one thing, and you think they don't need more skill to be effective than tracer spam mercenaries? Oh, okay then. Walk on, citizen.

Edited December 25, 2013 by HaoZhao

[JaingSkiratapwns]

Any ranged class is going to require less skill than any melee class. Spamming tracer missile or affliction from 25 metres back requires less skill than jumping into the face of an enemy healer only to have 2-4 other enemies immediately start pounding you.

 

I don't think you appreciate that Annihilation and Carnage don't get the nifty upgrades to Undying Rage that Rage spec gets. Marauders have the 2nd worst glass jaw in the game, only ahead of DPS operatives. Annihilation and Carnage are extra vulnerable and you think they don't need more skill to be effective than tracer spam mercenaries? Oh, okay then. Walk on, citizen.

 

I don't think I could find a post on the forums more spot on then this. Five Stars.

[Vaerah]

I loled. Annihilation marauder, carnage marauder, and deception assassin require WAY more skill than merc and sorc do.

 

Sin is harder to play without assists and heals of any kind, sorc is hard to be viable under focus regardless of support (I play both).

[helpmewin]

Shadow/sin - easy class. I play it 2 years. Infiltration is easyest spec( u can blow up smdy in 3-4 GCD-s), tank spec is much harder. For PvP ofc. Also i have guardian and vanguard - guardian tank boring as hell, DPS specs fun, vanguard DPS specs boring, tank - fun. Edited December 26, 2013 by helpmewin

[General_Aldo]

Any ranged class is going to require less skill than any melee class. Spamming tracer missile or affliction from 25 metres back requires less skill than jumping into the face of an enemy healer only to have 2-4 other enemies immediately start pounding you.

 

I don't think you appreciate that Annihilation and Carnage don't get the nifty upgrades to Undying Rage that Rage spec gets. Marauders have the 2nd worst glass jaw in the game, only ahead of DPS operatives. Annihilation and Carnage are also going to be less effective because they don't get that second leap. All you have to do as a healer is slow them and move away. There's nothing they can do about it. Not one thing, and you think they don't need more skill to be effective than tracer spam mercenaries? Oh, okay then. Walk on, citizen.

 

However, in this game, melee has the upperhand on range classes.

[Laoi]

I loled. Annihilation marauder, carnage marauder, and deception assassin require WAY more skill than merc and sorc do.

 

nothing in this game requires skill

[Laoi]

However, in this game, melee has the upperhand on range classes.

 

just no

[Sangrar]

However, in this game, melee has the upperhand on range classes.

 

I disagree a little, even on my Commando healer, my skill described as mediocre to average, all I had to do was electronet this maurader and range him, when that expired cryo grenade and ran while dpsing, and then when that ran out I used hold the line to run away out of his melee range until he was down. Even took the pylon he was guarding by myself since the noob never called inc until after he died. However, melee has stuns, slows, and gap-closers so when used effectively its a two way street too so I can see your point too.

[HBMalachorfive]

I loled. Annihilation marauder, carnage marauder, and deception assassin require WAY more skill than merc and sorc do.

 

Please tell me more about le skill cap. Anni Mara's you don't have in ranked, period. Granted carnage requires a lot of skill to play effectively but the tools available to them far outweigh most other classes and has the highest burst capability. Deception is the next in line for burst and when coordinated with CC of other players and focus fire the targeted person is going to die. Add stealth and the few other tools they have and they aren't an overly hard class to play.

Now go play an Arsenal merc in ranked arenas. Outside of your 2 insta casts a well coordinated team will focus and interrupt you until your dead. Pyro is a little better but harder to play well as you need to know how to kite effectively (which seems to be lacking a lot these days).

I won't go into sorcs but they are in the same boat. Both classes have a higher skill cap in endgame pvp, period.

[sensiblepoast]

I can only but laugh. I have both a commando and a carnage sentinel. Sentinel has a more versatile set of tools at his disposal and that is portrayed as "higher skill"? Go play with a commando at 55 and see what happens when you spam tracer and wonder why you died horribly. The sniper is way easier to use than the commando.

[Vales]

Any ranged class is going to require less skill than any melee class. Spamming tracer missile or affliction from 25 metres back requires less skill than jumping into the face of an enemy healer only to have 2-4 other enemies immediately start pounding you.

 

I don't think you appreciate that Annihilation and Carnage don't get the nifty upgrades to Undying Rage that Rage spec gets. Marauders have the 2nd worst glass jaw in the game, only ahead of DPS operatives. Annihilation and Carnage are also going to be less effective because they don't get that second leap. All you have to do as a healer is slow them and move away. There's nothing they can do about it. Not one thing, and you think they don't need more skill to be effective than tracer spam mercenaries? Oh, okay then. Walk on, citizen.

 

The delusion is strong in this one. Especially considering that you claim all Sorcs/Sages do is spamming Affliction. Yes we can take you seriously.

[Defecter]

Meh, I think that both ranged and melee require skill. Only a different skill set. Some players do amazing stuff as melee and suck complete arse as ranged and vice versa.

 

Take Snipers for example; some people simply cannot properly utilize the cover mechanic. Or take cast-based ranged classes; some people simply cannot handle the fact that their attacks aren't instant. For melee goes the same; some people cannot handle the fast-paced, in your face playstyle they have.

 

So yeah, everyone claiming one to be easier then the other, is just deluding themselves. It simply comes down to what comes more naturally to the player behind the class. I for one find melee a lot easier and less frustrating then ranged. The amount of times you get interrupted, LoS'd or focussed while trying to get off even a single cast, makes it an aggrevating experience for me to be ranged. That while other players disagree with this completely, because they know how to handle those situations better. But that doesn't mean one is 'easier' then the other.

 

The only way you're going to decide which is 'easier', is in a pure 1vs-1 setting. And that setting is pointless anyway.

[Vaerah]

I see here some are confusing "high skill cap" with class power.

The fact a sin has tons of tools at disposal does not imply it's overly easy to play. It makes it powerful in proper hands but a joke in noob hands.

 

When I played a Shadow I only found a total of 2-3 competent shadows in my same WZs, over 8 months. The others were awful.

 

Moreover as Shadow I had a very easy game vs DPS sorcs, exceptions could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

But not for lack of (their) trying: they are just hopeless vs melee DPS with interrupts.

 

Now that I play a DPS sorc myself I am even more convinced of that: the class has a lot of awesome features and storyline but (as DPS spec) I would not touch an arena queue, EVER. It's just not made for small team where opponents actually coordinate. It's OK for WZs, because it's rarer to have 3-4 guys focusing on you.

 

I would not even say sorc has a sky high skill cap, it just can do just so much regardless of skill.

I am not talking about absolutes here, I have an OP friend who can just run circles around me while healing everything, while for me it's sneeze-cast-time-fest.

 

Being the last man standing and healed to full? Nice... for the first 5-6 times. Then you start asking yourself if you should not have rolled an OP and end up with everybody still standing and winning.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Vaerah