DEVS: Mercenary needs an escape/leap

[XIthRobben]

I've been hoping for an escape mechanic for this class since I first started playing it, and had always hoped they'd get something like the hunter escape form WoW making use of the jetpack. Ideally a heroic leap would be the most fun and utility (getting in and out of combat) but I think there would be too many concerns with terrain interaction to ever give us a free cast jetpack leap, as cool as that'd be.

 

On the topic of hunters I also thought the camouflage mechanic was an interesting idea to deal with this and is in line with the theme of commando's/hunters without encroaching on stealth class territory. Could offer immunity to leap and a stationary stealth to give us a bit more utility and protection from being immediately focused.

 

Either way I hope something is in the works to give mercs/commandos some kind of survivability boost pvp wise, but it seems we've been waiting for a long time already.

[DuEldrvarya]

"what I wanna see is a Oh sith button"

 

You mean like Electro net?????

 

Lolz use it as a defensive cd sometimes

[szczypaczek]

EN is not oh **** button lol, what crack do u smoke ;p EN is a kiting ability, oh **** would be more like bubble or vanish

[CrownofGold]

Oddly enough, my survivability on a my Merc is not an issue unless I am focused down by like 3-7 players (which happens often when they realize you are a healer) but on my Commando I am always being attacked first...it may not help that my Healer Mando's name is KOLTO (no special characters) but I have no survivability even against one other player. Commando DPS as a healer is terrible. Mercenary DPS as a healer is still viable. I have no idea why this is.

 

Explanations?

[CrownofGold]

Did someone just suggest that the BIGGEST BURST CLASS IN THE GAME NEEDS A KITE ABILITY?!?!?!?

 

In my personal opinion, merc's don't need any escape/leap (And yes I play them all the time and actually love doing so).

 

We have the strongest single aoe ability in the game now, we have a 6 or 10 second escape ability in hydraulics (yes its slow, but at least it prevents being pulled back unlike force speed in dps specs), of all the dps/heal classes in the game, we are (to sadly use biowares horrid terms) the only ones that can truly "make them pay". Yea so what if we are squishy outside of our rather long defensive cooldowns? That's kinda the point of the cd. (and they reset each arena)

 

The only non-bug fix change I could ever support in fairness to the game would be a passive increase in the speed boost granted by hydraulics ONLY FOR MERCS, something that puts it up to maybe 50-75% movement boost.

 

On a side note, someone please make the *********** knock-back activate immediately, not with a stupid delay.... No other KB is that delayed.

 

As a MERC/COMMANDO healer I can certainly tell you that we need a great deal more survivability than what we currently have. Our DPS output is not going to save us. Period.

[Osxoba]

"what I wanna see is a Oh sith button"

 

You mean like Electro net?????

 

Lolz use it as a defensive cd sometimes

 

Please don't feed this troll.

[Rambeezy]

One quality of life buff I think we could reasonably be given is reduced damage when stunned or rooted. Maybe like 15% reduced damage when rooted and 20% reduced damage when stunned.

[TezMoney]

One quality of life buff I think we could reasonably be given is reduced damage when stunned or rooted. Maybe like 15% reduced damage when rooted and 20% reduced damage when stunned.

 

Wow... so basically you want to be a dps with tank like durability? With the amount of stuns and slows that go around + a guard or taunt, would basically kill any sort of burst.

 

No one likes getting killed when they are stunned, but it's also the most effective way to kill a player, otherwise matches would last way too long.

[Krendor]

The only sensible post in the thread. Its a shame the Devs don't read the forums. The merc my original character is the least played. If I pvp I use my Op survivability isn't even in the same realm I rarely and I mean rarely die on my OP. My merc on the other hand will top dps but also die 5 times more then my OP. Everyone knows the game suffers from way to much CC. The other problem is so many classes get effective escapes/gap closers that the Merc simply doesn't have access to. Giving us more defensive survivability isn't going to help being burst down during stun lock. We simply need a viable way to escape and re-engage like every other class gets.

 

What i want see is a "oh sith" button, to escape, to some point survive mutiple attacking enemies, especially if their use stun, every other class has at least one such ability.

 

Situation:

2-4 enemies are attacking and additional are not the dumbest and uses stun.

Some Solutions

what classes can do to escape or mostly avoid these situation, if necessary with use of stunbreaker (DD and heal spec perspective):

 

Scoundrel: Vanish (choose when to join battle), Battle Vanish, AOE stun, almost invulnerability for up to 5 sec., roll,

Gunslinger: almost invulnerability for up to 5 sec, complete immuntity to cc for up to 23 sec. every 45 sec., aoe knockback with immobilize, roll

Sage: stun bubble (one spec), force barrier, force speed

Vanguard: AOE stun then hold the line, shoulder cannon (at least some damge in stun, very good for defending)

Guardian: MIGHTY passive selfheal, AOE stun and slow, almost invulnerability of 3 sec + reflect damage, instantly up 30m movement

Shadow (vague, i dont play this class) : Vanish (choose when to join battle), Battle Vanish, Resilience (invulnerability, bye bye electro net), stunmaster.

Sentinel (vague, i dont play this class): battle vanish, invulnerability and i think he have more

 

Commando / merc (i give a rating from 1 = best and 6 = worst, based on situation escape / avoid):

Energy / reactive shield = reduced damge 25%, good ability but not activitable in stun, will not save him against multiple enemies anyway, at least survive 1 or 2 seconds longer. RATING 4

Passive selfheal up to 35% = saved me from time to time, but means 2-3 attacks at once makes it useless. RATING 5

Concussion charge / jet boost = not activitable in stun, for this situiation many times not effective, because of gap closers. RATING 5

Hold the line / hydraulic override = THAT escape skill for trooper / bounty hunters, but good for only one dd spec, no immunity to stun, so if the attackers not retarded = no escape possible, but at least a chance to escape, a win of a few seconds. RATING 3

 

Multiple Enemies in combination with the Bioware CC system, the merc lack the ability, that all other classes have, to either avoid / escape / survive situations against multiple enemies. The Merc is the only class, that is DEPENDENT on help from other classes, to manage these situations. For all random matches a "no go" and the reason why he is target number 1

 

So my idea:

Change the way concussion charge / jet boost works and make it useable in stun. If activated in stun, targets gets immobilzed instead of slowed. Direct damage ends this effect.

[Bobbafatter]

Actually I think Commando/Mercenary just needs a defensive stance. 50% damage reduction and 50% dps reduction while active or something like that. That should be enough to stop being auto-focused in the arenas ... Edited September 24, 2014 by Bobbafatter

[Jimvinny]

What makes mercs so special that they think they should be able to do devastating damage from range, but still somehow survive focus fire? I can stand back and wreck people with my merc, but if two or more melee get hold of me with no cooldowns, I die. And that doesn't bother me in the slightest. You don't get to annihilate melee from range AND the ability to kite and destroy them when they get close. How would that be balanced at all?

 

Personally, I don't think PvP balance has ever been as good as it is right now. Pretty much any class is viable right now in the right hands, as it should be. Makes me sad, because I know the new expansion and level increase is going to ruin that, what with new abilities and stat rebalancing, but what can you do. As for right now, I'm going to enjoy being able to play any of my toons, and not whine because I can't solo half the other team at will.

[Bobbafatter]

What makes mercs so special that they think they should be able to do devastating damage from range, but still somehow survive focus fire? I can stand back and wreck people with my merc, but if two or more melee get hold of me with no cooldowns, I die. And that doesn't bother me in the slightest. You don't get to annihilate melee from range AND the ability to kite and destroy them when they get close. How would that be balanced at all?

 

Personally, I don't think PvP balance has ever been as good as it is right now. Pretty much any class is viable right now in the right hands, as it should be. Makes me sad, because I know the new expansion and level increase is going to ruin that, what with new abilities and stat rebalancing, but what can you do. As for right now, I'm going to enjoy being able to play any of my toons, and not whine because I can't solo half the other team at will.

 

Hmm, DPS commando viable in arena ? Sounds strange to me ... Ever tried ranked with a DPS commando ?

 

But I agree we should not have massive DPS and survivability at the same time, that would almost as stupid as Juggs are today. A defensive stance with significant survivability buff and corresponding dps/healing decrease is what we need.

[Jimvinny]

Hmm, DPS commando viable in arena ? Sounds strange to me ... Ever tried ranked with a DPS commando ?

 

But I agree we should not have massive DPS and survivability at the same time, that would almost as stupid as Juggs are today. A defensive stance with significant survivability buff and corresponding dps/healing decrease is what we need.

 

I agree that commando/mercs are in a little tough in ranked. The really good ones make it work, but they're still the #1 target. But the idea of a defensive stance is not a good solution. 50% DR at the cost of 50% DPs/ healing would just mean they are the ignored until they switched back to their offensive stance, at which point everyone would just switch back to them. Something like a static DR buff when stunned or slowed would be my proposal. I just don't think ranged turret classes should be able to faceroll when they're ignored, while still being able to kite and do significant damage on the run. There has to be a sacrifice when you choose a class that is really good at one thing.

[Gyronamics]

I agree that commando/mercs are in a little tough in ranked. The really good ones make it work, but they're still the #1 target. But the idea of a defensive stance is not a good solution. 50% DR at the cost of 50% DPs/ healing would just mean they are the ignored until they switched back to their offensive stance, at which point everyone would just switch back to them. Something like a static DR buff when stunned or slowed would be my proposal. I just don't think ranged turret classes should be able to faceroll when they're ignored, while still being able to kite and do significant damage on the run. There has to be a sacrifice when you choose a class that is really good at one thing.

 

Commandos can't do anything worthwhile if forced to move.

 

Hold The Line is 10s of movement speed which at the same time denies the ability to use all casts which are the real damage abilities.

 

It was a vanguard ability and it still is a vanguard ability, a commando kiting is a commando not doing damage.

[Jimvinny]

Commandos can't do anything worthwhile if forced to move.

 

Hold The Line is 10s of movement speed which at the same time denies the ability to use all casts which are the real damage abilities.

 

It was a vanguard ability and it still is a vanguard ability, a commando kiting is a commando not doing damage.

 

That's my point. I think that it's working as intended.

[PhatMcMuffins]

That's my point. I think that it's working as intended.

 

LOL SO in your opinion snipers and sorcs must be op because snipers don't need to kite (not the same way, at least. they have tools to open gaps and keep melee away. knockback, roll, cc immunity, ranged root, self-purge/white damage immunity, insta 30m mez) and sorcs can deal damage while kiting(madness and 0/30/16)?

 

a defensive stance is the dumbest idea i've ever heard. But it's its equally as dumb saying dps mandos/mercs (well, the ac in general since they are now bottom of the barrel healer once again) are fine in ranked. even in team ranked, arsenal is easily shut down by a competent melee and a pyro merc is far less desirable than a pyro pt.

Edited September 25, 2014 by PhatMcMuffins

[BigDumbViking]

There are a lot of reasons why Merc is one of the worst Arena classes.

 

1. Our enemies can see what our rotation is going to be just by tabbing on us. No other healers are so easy to target.

2. Our escape mechanism show's up as a bright circle around us on the ground... which is awesome because we don't escape fast enough to get out of range of the stuns that are eminent as soon as we hit HO.

3. Despite the tool tip, warrior leap and ravage will root us/glitch and cause us to port back to where we were initially rooted. not like it would matter, the speed boost isn't enough to get us out of eating an entire ravage if the warrior is in melee range when we pop HO.

4. Jet boost can often times miss targets who are in melee range and hitting us, because of a pebble on the ground.

 

Just on this list along, the problem is 50% lazy Bioware for not fixing the flipping bugs that have been known issues for years. Expecting anything new when we can't get our existing stuff to work right, is a bit naive.

 

 

That said, adding a root to melee attacks against a merc while HO is active would be helpful to getting us out of harms way... Additionally, how about we double the speed boost attached to it.

Edited September 29, 2014 by BigDumbViking

[eGraced]

Because I don't like similar skills on multiple classes, I was kicking around the idea of a "mutually assured destruction" style cooldown. Something like:

 

"Inflicts back all damage received to enemies within melee range for 6 seconds."

 

In other words you still take damage, but you reflect it back on the player hitting you within melee range. Kind of a "go ahead and kill me, but I'll take you with me" sort of skill. Might make us a less appealing target.

[Huez]

We are not going to get an escape for merc on next patch.....

which is really disappointing since we are the only class with the crappiest cd's

 

Why cant they figure out that Energy Shield and Kolto Overload can be out dpsed easy and even used at the same time we can be outdpsed

oh and how about a super obvious Hydrolic Overrides which compared to a sorcs speed boost we are slow as hell and easy to predict and compared to a snipers and even the infamous Operative double roll with its defense bonus make us look like a fatty trying to catch a twinkee.

 

CANT WE GET A DEV TO UNDERSTAND THIS? I dont care if this message gets deleted but I want a dev to try and dps in a ranked pvp as a merc. I want them to suffer the slow Hydrolics, panic as they see their shield probe not protecting their heath as they thought it would and pray as they see their life pike up and down closer to death than before with Kolto overload on full blast

 

BUT! Not to fret! we will get a raid buff ability that gives 10% alacrity to you and your friends <3

and some other abilities depending on which tree you go that will make you insta cast or make you immune to interrupt in certain circumstances. Yeah with these we will be unstoppable. (sarcasm but im giggling on the inside)

Edited October 30, 2014 by Huez

[mandoforlife]

This has been a suggestion for a LONGGGGG time. Pre-2.0. And I've always been supportive of it. And from what I've seen of all the threads started about it, so is the general Merc/Mando population. So to find out that it's NOT a new skill coming in 3.0, I am very disappointed.

 

I think the hard thing for BW is that we have godly DCD's- on paper. 25% damage reduction on ALL types, slow/root immunity on a low CD, rapid healing below 35%, Kolto Missile; it all sounds so good. But the reality is it just doesn't work. It doesn't work because the strat is focus the Merc. When you're focused, 25% damage redux means very little, you get stunned in HO, and anything more than one attacker burns through Kolto Overload. Think about Sorcs: what saves them when their focused? Not Static Barrier, not their KB, not their heals; Force Barrier and Force Speed. Force Speed gets them distanced, and Force Barrier makes focusing them useless.

 

Let us distance ourselves in a pinch. For the love of all that is good and pure.

[Darth__Reaver]

We need to change kolto too 45% and allow it to be used thu stun like the juggs healing ability. Also we need a range root and them to bring back rocket punch's knock back. If we had all that I think we would be OP

[Transcendent]

Kolto Overload can be out dpsed easy and even used at the same time we can be outdpsed

 

........

 

BUT! Not to fret! we will get a raid buff ability that gives 10% alacrity to you and your friends <3

 

Kolto Overload has been **** ever since they nerfed it to only activate below 35%. It was okay before that change as you at least had a hope of surviving more than 2 seconds when you had 3 players jump on you to burn you down. Now? It's just ****.

 

Don't go there with the 10% Alacrity raid wide buff. Just don't. What are BioWare playing at? Seriously are they taking the piss out of merc / commando players with this? A 10% Armour penetration buff, sure, but Alacrity? They've already tried making it better and failed miserably at that. No doubt it'll remain the same joke as it is now.

 

As to needing an escape, root with RP, activate HO and get your distance, if they jump you use JB to push them back and slow them. Keep rooting and keep your distance in 1v1. 3v1? Respawn

Edited November 5, 2014 by Transcendent

[Darth__Reaver]

Kolto Overload has been **** ever since they nerfed it to only activate below 35%. It was okay before that change as you at least had a hope of surviving more than 2 seconds when you had 3 players jump on you to burn you down. Now? It's just ****.

 

Don't go there with the 10% Alacrity raid wide buff. Just don't. What are BioWare playing at? Seriously are they taking the piss out of merc / commando players with this? A 10% Armour penetration buff, sure, but Alacrity? They've already tried making it better and failed miserably at that. No doubt it'll remain the same joke as it is now.

 

As to needing an escape, root with RP, activate HO and get your distance, if they jump you use JB to push them back and slow them. Keep rooting and keep your distance in 1v1. 3v1? Respawn

 

Yup the life of a merc is a short one. Aside from arenas mercs are pretty damn good for dps but sorcs ATM outclass us. And as I said ^^^above they really need to take a look at kolto have it give us immune to crap once we hit 35% health or somthing. PT's kolto is fine mercs for some reason can get burned to the ground 1v2 its useless. I mean juggs get 10 hits to heal all the way to full. A smart merc would heal during that time but well pyro can't cleanse its dots off targets.

[Pagy]

Hydrolic overrides is meh.. Let's face it. It's our only /sigh "escape" when we get focused in wzs.. Which we all know we are the first focus targets.

 

How about we get a jetpack escape/leap with a cool down similar to exfiltrate OPs have? A new ability would calm the community and give mercs at least SOME survivability in pvp. It could be on a cool down with jet boost and would activate a jetpack animation jumping into or out of combat.

 

Thoughts? Feedback?

the merc can be fun in warzones, but are unplayable in arenas.

too many classes have an ability that causes dps to change targets from them to someone else. snipers/bh's need something because they have no choice but to stand there and die.

 

since playing my pt i wont use my merc in wzs anymore. and the pt aint that much better once they are focused.

[ViolentAngel]

What if Death From Above took you out of melee range?

 

 

Obviously Troopers would need an equivalent CQC Shield or something