Mara seems really really squshy compared to other alts:(

[xandrietta]

Hello everyone and good afternoon.

 

I was just finishing up Taris on my Mara and it just seems alot more squishy compared to other classes.

 

I almost die on most pulls where mobs are the same level, even lower?? I have not seen this problem on my BH/Sin, they can even handle stuff several levels higher??

 

I am trying to stay current on gear with greens/mods due to the xp boost, and I have been using quinn/jaessa trying to see if there is a difference but neither seems to work better.

 

Just wondering if its just the gear, or is the class just more for damage output not so muych keeping health...??

Will it get a little better once I level off and get some better gear?

Using Carnage spec if thats applicable..

 

Thanks for reading and hope to see some replies:)

[Ridickilis]

oops, wrong thread and heavy echoing in here, nvm. Edited October 31, 2014 by Ridickilis

[DollQueen]

Well, I think part of the problem is you're using a Marauder with Jaesa. If you're really comfortable playing the class and you know how to increase your survivability, then you can get away with it, but I had to switch out Kira for Treek on Alderaan on my Sentinel, personally. So kudos to you getting this far with Jaesa. Also, Quinn is not that great of a healer, honestly. BUT what might help is you hitting the ` on your keyboard (has the little ~ above it on the same key), and you can disable Quinn's attacks so he just heals you.

 

If you can make it until you get Pierce (end of Taris), you'll see a major increase in survivability once you get a tank, as Sents/Maras are made to be walking blitzkriegs and nothing else, making their natural survivability pretty low unless you get really good at what you're doing. Also, make use of as many medpacs and stims as you can, as that will help. I believe you already have the Force Choke ability, so use that along with other interrupts (Force Charge is one, as well as Smash). What will really be the best thing for you, though, is getting Treek if you feel like spending the cartel coins. Worth every penny, IMO.

[Y-Yorle]

Well, I think part of the problem is you're using a Marauder with Jaesa. If you're really comfortable playing the class and you know how to increase your survivability, then you can get away with it, but I had to switch out Kira for Treek on Alderaan on my Sentinel, personally. So kudos to you getting this far with Jaesa. Also, Quinn is not that great of a healer, honestly. BUT what might help is you hitting the ` on your keyboard (has the little ~ above it on the same key), and you can disable Quinn's attacks so he just heals you.

 

If you can make it until you get Pierce (end of Taris), you'll see a major increase in survivability once you get a tank, as Sents/Maras are made to be walking blitzkriegs and nothing else, making their natural survivability pretty low unless you get really good at what you're doing. Also, make use of as many medpacs and stims as you can, as that will help. I believe you already have the Force Choke ability, so use that along with other interrupts (Force Charge is one, as well as Smash). What will really be the best thing for you, though, is getting Treek if you feel like spending the cartel coins. Worth every penny, IMO.

 

^ This. I don't die often anymore, but that is indeed because I know how to avoid damage really well from knowing how the class works. Also, it gets a bit better later on at 50+ for some reason. But yeah, leveling a Sent/Mara can be a pain in the lower levels because you're missing most mitigation AND damage abilities (aka, kill them before they kill you is a pretty effective way to avoid dying )

[Kaos_KidSWTOR]

I've found that using Lt Pierce is great for Marauders, if you keep him geared he's a threat magnet and even though he may die within 5 seconds of a fight, the biggest thing your trying to kill should be dead. dont try killing all the little ones first, it gets you killed by the large one, focus on the highest HP target and force Pierce by hitting ctrl + 1 to attack the largest one, also dont EVER forget this one fact, Pierce's Rifle Rush ability that is his leap is from a 20m - 10m range NOT like your Force Charge which has a 30m - 10m Range, so try to leap in at about 19m and he will leap in with you.

[MediumD]

I have a different experience. My sentinel is less squishy than my other MDPS toons. She's more difficult to play, though, since I have to carefully watch her cooldowns and interrupts. I roll with Doc so there's no down time between fights.

 

If you're having trouble with mara/sent then go read the guide on Dulfy.

Edited October 31, 2014 by MediumD

[xandrietta]

Thank you everyone for the replies..

 

I finished Taris and got Pierce seems to be going alot better now:)

[sloasdaylight]

I didn't catch what build you're using, but if you still find yourself having trouble surviving, level annihilation. It may not seem like much, but the built in heals in that build are enough to keep you alive through some pulls where you probably wouldn't have made it out before.

[Highsis]

I agree. Even if I'm not using a healer companion, I can manage just fine with any other class even if they were pure DPS. Marauder, on the other hand, dies so very often without a healer companion. DPS + DPS don't work.

[Racter]

Maras have it much easier here as we get our healer companion almost immediately. Sentinels have to suffer through til the 30s (or buy Treek) but there are a few things you can do if you aren't doing them currently to make it much easier. Keep Cloak of Pain/Rebuke up as often as possible, which is very often. Second, do not level as watchman/annihilation or combat/carnage. The heals from W/A got nerfed a long time ago and are really not that helpful anymore, and C/C is just plain squishy/out right sucks without blade rush/massacre for your procs. Focus/Rage can usually insta-kill packs of standard mobs and offers a little bit more damage reduction.

 

Additionally, definitely kill all the standard/weak mobs before going after silver/gold mobs. They all do about the same damage but s/w mobs have far less hp. If leveling with a DPS/Tank companion, send them on the s/g before you start the fights and let them eat the damage while you clear the rest. Kind of annoying, but much easier. You can instantly heal your companion by dismissing/resummoning or mounting. Additionally, don't forget about choke/stasis, awe, disable droid, or pacify/obfuscate. We don't have much in the way of cc compared to other classes but used correctly it does make things simpler.

[MDVZ]

Another vote for annihilation/watchman.

 

Keep zen on CD and use the healing. It's not major, but it's definitely the most survivable PVE spec.

[Horano_Heresy]

Be sure to make use of your cooldowns! Sith Marauders, along with Sith Juggernauts, have arguably the best-in-game defensive cooldowns.

 

You want to be using "Cloak of Pain", "Saber Ward" and "Predation" as much as possible.

 

Cloak of Pain is a really useful cooldown, in that it resets each time you take damage (it's got a rate limit though.)

 

Happy leveling

[sloasdaylight]

Maras have it much easier here as we get our healer companion almost immediately. Sentinels have to suffer through til the 30s (or buy Treek) but there are a few things you can do if you aren't doing them currently to make it much easier. Keep Cloak of Pain/Rebuke up as often as possible, which is very often. Second, do not level as watchman/annihilation or combat/carnage. The heals from W/A got nerfed a long time ago and are really not that helpful anymore, and C/C is just plain squishy/out right sucks without blade rush/massacre for your procs. Focus/Rage can usually insta-kill packs of standard mobs and offers a little bit more damage reduction.

 

Additionally, definitely kill all the standard/weak mobs before going after silver/gold mobs. They all do about the same damage but s/w mobs have far less hp. If leveling with a DPS/Tank companion, send them on the s/g before you start the fights and let them eat the damage while you clear the rest. Kind of annoying, but much easier. You can instantly heal your companion by dismissing/resummoning or mounting. Additionally, don't forget about choke/stasis, awe, disable droid, or pacify/obfuscate. We don't have much in the way of cc compared to other classes but used correctly it does make things simpler.

 

I feel like you're exaggerating the AoE damage of Focus/Rage right now, and underestimating the self/companion healing from watchman. I leveled watchman until about 50, then tried out Focus for my last few levels, and Watchman does a really good job of keeping you and your companion alive through some really crappy situations, especially on pulls with an elite or a strong mob or two. I do agree with you about Combat/Carnage, being pretty awful until you can max it out.