Rapid Shots and Kolto Shot

[VehementiNacon]

What on earth was the point of removing it from being one ability. Yeah I get it kolto isn't an aoe anymore fine.

 

But why separate rapid shot's heal into a new ability? Why take up another icon slot for something that did the same thing before? I guess they want non subs to have less room on their bars? Fine, can just keep the skill window open and cast from there.

 

Even though it's impossible to be a hybrid anymore, I'm glad I can still help heal when we have a issue in a group but honestly why separate an ability? If I see the healer having issues I'm not going to keep gas on, I'll switch to support shot anyway. So there is no need to yank that out of those skills.

[Kingtoy]

I though they were going to change the animation so it is not so obvious in pvp. But they didn't even do that!

[Nightkin]

They changed it because it had targeting issues, if you used the old rapid shot with no target (with the healing cylinder active) the players expected you to self heal, wich you couldnt. So it became a clunky mechanic that didnt work well. Now we have this instead and while it may not be a perfect solution it´s still loads better then the earlier version.

[VehementiNacon]

They changed it because it had targeting issues, if you used the old rapid shot with no target (with the healing cylinder active) the players expected you to self heal, wich you couldnt. So it became a clunky mechanic that didnt work well. Now we have this instead and while it may not be a perfect solution it´s still loads better then the earlier version.

 

So, you hit F1 and target yourself. That's pretty much how most mmo's work with group targeting. Also could have sworn I was healing myself when I had no target with it.

[Kylanna]

Most of the fun of being a Merc healer was shooting people with my blasters. Now... I'm basically an Operative with how these abilities look. I don't even use my blasters. For anything. Except stats. I use the stupid, magically appearing, wristguard thing to heal people. Where's the fun in that?

 

Hate it. With the fires of a thousand burning suns. I really want Rapid Shot healing back.

 

And I never had an issue with things being "clunky." Operations frames, ftw. Click someone, heal. Click myself, heal. Rinse, repeat. I never had an issue with targeting. And now my healing style is boring. I get the fact that it's the same amount of healing at the same rate, but the play style is no longer as much fun. I asked a bunch of people in Fleet chat what the best part of Merc healing was... and most of them answered "shooting people with my blasters!"

 

Thanks for ruining that.

[Adovir]

Most of the fun of being a Merc healer was shooting people with my blasters. Now... I'm basically an Operative with how these abilities look. I don't even use my blasters. For anything. Except stats. I use the stupid, magically appearing, wristguard thing to heal people. Where's the fun in that?

 

Hate it. With the fires of a thousand burning suns. I really want Rapid Shot healing back.

 

And I never had an issue with things being "clunky." Operations frames, ftw. Click someone, heal. Click myself, heal. Rinse, repeat. I never had an issue with targeting. And now my healing style is boring. I get the fact that it's the same amount of healing at the same rate, but the play style is no longer as much fun. I asked a bunch of people in Fleet chat what the best part of Merc healing was... and most of them answered "shooting people with my blasters!"

 

Thanks for ruining that.

 

Wow you're like the worst kind of person aren't you, they try and do something to make it easier to heal your self in a somewhat of a panic and so that you can still target an enemy. Instead of having to click your self hit HS retarget, click/tab, the enemy so you can stun/mez them or net them to then reclick your self and keep hitting HS and having to do the same thing over and over again, they made it simple. Also it is a minor buff to DPS mercs and mandos so had no bennifit of a free insta heal that could be done while moving(possibly vent heat, idk if that's healer talent) while still targeting their enemy. So you lose shooting your allies, big deal it's wasn't all that great, hardly ruining anything, it's a buff that makes your life so much easier so take it

[Kylanna]

Wow you're like the worst kind of person aren't you, they try and do something to make it easier to heal your self in a somewhat of a panic and so that you can still target an enemy. Instead of having to click your self hit HS retarget, click/tab, the enemy so you can stun/mez them or net them to then reclick your self and keep hitting HS and having to do the same thing over and over again, they made it simple. Also it is a minor buff to DPS mercs and mandos so had no bennifit of a free insta heal that could be done while moving(possibly vent heat, idk if that's healer talent) while still targeting their enemy. So you lose shooting your allies, big deal it's wasn't all that great, hardly ruining anything, it's a buff that makes your life so much easier so take it

 

... seriously? I'm the worst kind of person because I actually knew how to use Rapid Shots to heal myself without issue? LOL

 

And shooting people with my blasters was what made Merc healers unique. From what you've said, you've never even played a healing Merc to know what you're talking about and shouldn't even be replying to this post. Next time you want flame someone for their opinion on the play style of a class, at least have more knowledge and play time with that spec-- and attempt to understand that we're not all like you. We all have our opinions. Try not to smack someone down for theirs simply because you don't agree.

[Nightkin]

... seriously? I'm the worst kind of person because I actually knew how to use Rapid Shots to heal myself without issue? LOL

 

And shooting people with my blasters was what made Merc healers unique. From what you've said, you've never even played a healing Merc to know what you're talking about and shouldn't even be replying to this post. Next time you want flame someone for their opinion on the play style of a class, at least have more knowledge and play time with that spec-- and attempt to understand that we're not all like you. We all have our opinions. Try not to smack someone down for theirs simply because you don't agree.

Im actually quite happy with the loss of the old pew pew pew healing sound and animation so peoples opinions vary. They changed this as i said earlier due to the mechanic being clunky and annoying. Ofc it was possible to click the frame, infact thats about the only thing you could do to self heal with it. And to the guy a few posts up, in healing cylinder and if you used rapid shots you did not heal yourself unless you manually targeted yourself.

 

I never enjoyed shooting people in order to heal them, always felt a bit stupid to me :S

[Adovir]

... seriously? I'm the worst kind of person because I actually knew how to use Rapid Shots to heal myself without issue? LOL

 

And shooting people with my blasters was what made Merc healers unique. From what you've said, you've never even played a healing Merc to know what you're talking about and shouldn't even be replying to this post. Next time you want flame someone for their opinion on the play style of a class, at least have more knowledge and play time with that spec-- and attempt to understand that we're not all like you. We all have our opinions. Try not to smack someone down for theirs simply because you don't agree.

 

And this is where you're wrong, I've played both a healing merc and Mando so yeah. Also what would me not healing have to do with this? The concept is actually very easy to understand why you wouldn't want to constantly have to keep switching your target to heal your self while being attacked, and how even if you're the best healer out there it does make it quite annoying to have to do all that. One misclick or something of the sorts can mess you up. Although I have personally never had a problem with this I can easily see how someone with lower reaction times or APM could struggle. The change was to help and it does and it also helps the merc and Mando dps with, an admittedly small heal, healing while getting away, a small free instant heal.

 

 

And don't try to come at me like that, unlike some people I don't speak to that which I don't know.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Adovir

[Ld-Siris]

It wasn't just a problem targeting for healers but dps as well. If you didn't have a target and you tried to hit rapid shots it wouldn't auto target an enemy like all other skills.

 

And because it was tied to the base class it also affected PTs.

 

And lastly my F1 key is bound to a target marker so it was extremely annoying.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Ld-Siris

[Wasbeer]

What on earth was the point of removing it from being one ability. Yeah I get it kolto isn't an aoe anymore fine.

 

But why separate rapid shot's heal into a new ability? Why take up another icon slot for something that did the same thing before? I guess they want non subs to have less room on their bars? Fine, can just keep the skill window open and cast from there.

 

Even though it's impossible to be a hybrid anymore, I'm glad I can still help heal when we have a issue in a group but honestly why separate an ability? If I see the healer having issues I'm not going to keep gas on, I'll switch to support shot anyway. So there is no need to yank that out of those skills.

 

They changed it to a lump sum and made it a slightly bigger heal but now it's clunky and takes up extra room on the big board of hotkeys that's already overflowing. Then they added another heal on top of that, and nerfed your damage potential. In general healing is a little slower paced now too but the output is down till 60 and I've been taking my time so I'm not quite there yet. As for my opinion on the matter, I made a thread on it... http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=779618

[Beyoncia]

Let me gues, everyone who likes the change is a pvp player, and it was pvp players who had been asking about it.

I do not pvp, I know little about it and you may be right. But the old hammershot was perfect in pve content, it was convinient in every situation: solo, group, raid. I've had no problems using it and I actually have almost never healed myself with it. When the self-heal changes came live, I was like ok, but I would probably never use it. And I've almost never done it. And I think, that majority of pve combat medics would like it back.

So, all in all, It would be nice to have some options. I don't know, just two version( the old and the new) in your "spell book" to choose from, or a talent to modify it, or some other way.

[Miggzy]

Let me gues, everyone who likes the change is a pvp player, and it was pvp players who had been asking about it. .

 

Wrong and wrong. All i do is pvp and i was quite confused when i saw this change. Awful imo and its such a weird change that im really hoping they will just change it back sometime.

[Kylanna]

Or at least give us the option. Make it a Utility choice. Or give Kolto Shot to DPS only and let us healers keep Rapid Shot healing. Something. Because in its current state, I find it boring and I've lost that unique feel Merc healers had.

 

And Adovir: the next time you want a more pleasant response, I'd suggest not starting your post by telling someone that they're the "worst kind of person" simply because they don't enjoy the new play style.

[Loc_n_lol]

I don't care much for the animation but I'm feeling some serious bloat in my merc/mando abilities...

[RundoSim]

I have to agree, I miss the Rapid Shots healing. I thought that was one of the cool things about the Merc, being able to heal with 2 pistols. Now he shoots an imaginary dart and holds his hands up with his guns still on his hip. It feels clunky and inanimate to me...and boring. I'd like to see it brought back as well. I've never had a problem with healing myself or anyone else with it and tbh other than what I've read in this post I never new there was a problem with it.

[Wasbeer]

It wasn't just a problem targeting for healers but dps as well. If you didn't have a target and you tried to hit rapid shots it wouldn't auto target an enemy like all other skills.

 

And because it was tied to the base class it also affected PTs.

 

And lastly my F1 key is bound to a target marker so it was extremely annoying.

 

I never had this problem, if I hit hammershot with an enemy in front of me that I hadn't targeted yet it shot at the enemy it didn't heal me. Likely you had a LOS cone issue for the auto-target. To boot it required having the support cell (commando) to use and it's most definitively not tied to the base class, powertechs and vanguards have never been able to heal like that. What game have you been playing, are you on a legal server even?

[theBrayn]

To boot it required having the support cell (commando) to use and it's most definitively not tied to the base class, powertechs and vanguards have never been able to heal like that. What game have you been playing, are you on a legal server even?

 

He was clearly referring to the base skill being a shared ability. He was saying having the healing linked to a shared skill was causing problems. How was that hard to understand?

[Wasbeer]

He was clearly referring to the base skill being a shared ability. He was saying having the healing linked to a shared skill was causing problems. How was that hard to understand?

 

And I never experienced those problems during my gameplay so I don't understand how he's encountering them in the first place. I certainly never encountered them on my vanguard, powertech, or merc, tanking or dpsing. I also never had it on my commando healer.

[Pietrastor]

Whta I hate most is changed animation. It's just copied Operative animation... bring back kolto blaster shots animation. Commandos kept their green laser (and thank GOD cause it's the best and most defining animations of Mando healer!) so Merc should keep original one as well

[Taurax]

So, you hit F1 and target yourself. That's pretty much how most mmo's work with group targeting. Also could have sworn I was healing myself when I had no target with it.

 

Then, you would still have a conflict issue. In an ops for example, you are targeting a mob...so how do you make it decide whether to shoot dps or to heal you? So, this was their solution, you actually have two different buttons, one for dps and one for healshots (which will now heal you).

 

Put the DPS one on #1 key on the quickbar, and the Kolto on the #2 key. Then practice. You'll never have to hit a third key F1 to target self. Or get a mouse with a few additional buttons and bind them, not necessarily a 60$ mouse either.

 

As for the animation, I agree, give it the old animation with the green heal lasers so we can tell the difference either with the first rapid shot or the pew-pew one.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Taurax

[theBrayn]

And I never experienced those problems during my gameplay so I don't understand how he's encountering them in the first place. I certainly never encountered them on my vanguard, powertech, or merc, tanking or dpsing. I also never had it on my commando healer.

 

Kudos to you, however, it would appear that not everybody had the same experience you did. This change makes sense as it makes the abilities more streamlined and aligned with other classes.

[Beyoncia]

Put the DPS one on #1 key on the quickbar, and the Kolto on the #2 key. Then practice. You'll never have to hit a third key F1 to target self. Or get a mouse with a few additional buttons and bind them, not necessarily a 60$ mouse either.

You know, I'm a healer and I don't have dps abilities on my main keys. And since the game don't have the usual autoattack, it has been very convinient to have hammershot on one key. Now it's gone and I'm forced to find a space on my dps bar for another ability, and moreover I need to press that button every few seconds.

[Taurax]

You know, I'm a healer and I don't have dps abilities on my main keys. And since the game don't have the usual autoattack, it has been very convinient to have hammershot on one key. Now it's gone and I'm forced to find a space on my dps bar for another ability, and moreover I need to press that button every few seconds.

 

I dont either. I put my regular healer abilities on my main bar, with the sole exception of Rapid shots on #1. The ones I sort of use, I set them on another 'bar' on my interface in easy range to click in the center. The dps bar is on row 2, of the usual DPS ones I use.

 

Its just one more ability, so more more slot. I have plenty of open spaces to put things like medpacks, vehicles, buffs, etc. Its not that hard...and a good thing as it fixed targeting problems. The one thing I dont like is the non-bounty hunter feel of the kolto shot, and hope they change it.

[Wasbeer]

Then, you would still have a conflict issue. In an ops for example, you are targeting a mob...so how do you make it decide whether to shoot dps or to heal you? So, this was their solution, you actually have two different buttons, one for dps and one for healshots (which will now heal you).

 

Put the DPS one on #1 key on the quickbar, and the Kolto on the #2 key. Then practice. You'll never have to hit a third key F1 to target self. Or get a mouse with a few additional buttons and bind them, not necessarily a 60$ mouse either.

 

As for the animation, I agree, give it the old animation with the green heal lasers so we can tell the difference either with the first rapid shot or the pew-pew one.

I'll post what I already posted elsewhere as a response to this...

 

I guess the millions of people on WoW (which has been around far longer as we all know) who have dealt with dual functionality abilities and never had problems with it in solo/group/raid/pvp situations and appreciated the ease and utility of such an ability are just working too hard? It's not hard at all to simply self target or set a focus target if you even need it. I've never had to use focus target with this ability myself and generally if you are a healer and you're in a group you should be spending your time healing people anyway. It's far better tied together into a nice 1 ability bundle than to load the already overcrowded hotbars. This small change plus the addition of our second new heal ability resulted in pushing 3 damage abilities into highly inconvenient slots. You tell me how having a slower response rate in combat vs simply self targeting and back with the hit of a single easy access key is a good trade off.