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Merc Healing 3.0

ckais

By ckais
in Commando / Mercenary

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ckais

ckais

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Is it just me or did healing mercs get completely hosed? There is no more synergy in our abilities, cost to total resource seems outrageous, hell it even seems like Kshell isn't procing near as often. I am just doing something wrong here? I couldn't keep anyone up in Assault or Korriban on any boss fight, barely made it through trash pulls.

 

Not trying to QQ, just trying to figure out if i'm messing something up, so please all the "quit crying about challenges" and such comments to yourself. Please. No one cares. Try to help out. Everyone likes that.

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Theodulus

Theodulus

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Not 60 yet but I can just say I just don't like how merc heals play in 3.0. The first thing I did when the expansion hit was doing the black hole to get a feel for merc healing. And the trash in the H4 there almost killed me because I ran out of resources trying to keep myself and HK alive. I threw in free heals and buffed AMP but the health bars just disappeared. I used to be able to never drop below 95% hp in there while also dpsing. It feels like kolto bomb and kolto shell got hit bad. And as you said I don't feel any synergy. The level 57 heal is kind of meh too. It's too weak.
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Kufuffelupagus

Kufuffelupagus

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I just started raid healing on my Commando about two weeks before 3.0 in preparation to bring it to raids. I was pretty average at it considering I had just started, and I felt like I was struggling because I was new. In 3.0 after a couple of ops, I think I'm getting the hang of it quite well, so I'd say it's quite different to what it was previously and it's understandable that those who are used to how it worked pre-3.0 would have to get used to something different.

 

I am too humble to consider myself an expert at it (yet ;) ) but here is what I've been noticing:

 

1. First off, people are harder to heal in FPs atm. I am noticing this on all my healers. I haven't run many old ops but that seems kinda samey.

 

2. Successive Treatment I use more as a single-target heal on someone who needs it and is hopefully standing near others, since some of the ticks hit nearby allies.

 

3. Chain Bacta Infusion and Advanced Medical Probe unless it's going to result in an over-heal. If you really need it you can squeeze out two APM (second one channelled) over one BI, but there's a slight delay on the second APM. If you don't need the instant APM after BI because it will result in over-heal, just hang onto it and use at next opportunity as long as there's at least 10 seconds left on BI cool-down, otherwise there's a delay on your instant APM and it's really needed in case you have to do a big heal very quickly (I can't think of a better burst than BI> instant APM and then SCC followed by more APM spam if needed).

 

4. Keep Supercharge stacks up, I find that using it often helps with Ammo management as well as overall healing. Lots of raid-wide damage in some of these new bosses too (I'm looking at you, Underlurker), I found I really needed SCC for when the adds were up every time and needed to spam Med Shot in-between bigger heals trying to keep everyone alive (bless my co-healer). Don't forget it also increases your overall heals by 5% for 10 seconds.

 

Sometimes I try to hold off using SCC to see if it's really necessary or not but there's no harm using it often as long as you're not going to need it for an intensive phase coming up.

 

5. Generally trying to keep up Trauma Probes on tanks or as many people as possible when raid-wide damage is going out; keeping an eye on Ammo, making use of how BI is free and kiting things when soloing stuff (lots of kiting...).

 

I'm not an expert but hopefully something in there will help you out maybe. If someone can give me more advice too I'd gladly take it. Hopefully you find your new rhythm because I find it to be quite fun. :)

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BrittneyNB

BrittneyNB

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I loved healing on my merc before 3.0 and love it even more now. I feel like it has much better synergy. I have discovered the most efficient use of heat is to use Proactive scan pretty much on cooldown with koto missile and kolto shot in between. Use Emergency scan with a healing scan instant proc if you need a spike in healing. Use rapid scan if you need an extra boost between cooldowns and pop supercharged gas and spam a few healing scans if you really get into trouble, this will kill your heat, make sure you have vent heat ready or enough time to recover.

 

Healing scan and rapid scan have undergone some major changes, which make more sense imo. Healing scan is pulling some big numbers now, my crits average 14.5k and my sorc guildies are pretty jealous ;) The downside to this is heat management can be rough in healing intense phases, I find myself using vent heat more than I ever have before.

Edited by BrittneyNB
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TezMoney

TezMoney

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Posted (edited)
Is it just me or did healing mercs get completely hosed? There is no more synergy in our abilities, cost to total resource seems outrageous, hell it even seems like Kshell isn't procing near as often. I am just doing something wrong here? I couldn't keep anyone up in Assault or Korriban on any boss fight, barely made it through trash pulls.

 

Not trying to QQ, just trying to figure out if i'm messing something up, so please all the "quit crying about challenges" and such comments to yourself. Please. No one cares. Try to help out. Everyone likes that.

 

Here's my take with only a week in:

A lot of your heat issues will be helped by using rapid scan 2-3 times before every healing scan. Each stack takes off 5 of the 20 heat cost. I don't know if your 59 yet, but kolto shot venting 1-2 heat so can help in between rapid and healing scans to keep your regen meter above 2 arrows. Use TSO whenever your regen dip below 4 arrows. Pop your supercharge on CD and only spam RS/EH/HS/KS combo's, don't spam kolto missile during this window but a progressive scan is good. In fact, get used to using kolto missile less than before as it builds up heat quicker, PS is your main aoe heal now, I basically only use KM to keep the residue buff up now. Your concern with K shell is a matter of perception, its unchanged as far as proc intervals.

 

Finally the new HM FP are pretty tough if you're not in full 186 and even then it's a challenge for a PUG.

Edited by TezMoney
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BrittneyNB

BrittneyNB

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Here's my take with only a week in:

A lot of your heat issues will be helped by using rapid scan 2-3 times before every healing scan. Each stack takes off 5 of the 20 heat cost. I don't know if your 59 yet, but kolto shot venting 1-2 heat so can help in between rapid and healing scans to keep your regen meter above 2 arrows. Use TSO whenever your regen dip below 4 arrows. Pop your supercharge on CD and only spam RS/EH/HS/KS combo's, don't spam kolto missile during this window but a progressive scan is good. In fact, get used to using kolto missile less than before as it builds up heat quicker, PS is your main aoe heal now, I basically only use KM to keep the residue buff up now. Your concern with K shell is a matter of perception, its unchanged as far as proc intervals.

 

Finally the new HM FP are pretty tough if you're not in full 186 and even then it's a challenge for a PUG.

 

Rapid Scan and Healing Scan both cost 20 heat. The heat reduction provided by RS is nice but I don't think it should be used regularly. I agree that Kolto shot should be used constantly, it vents heat and is a decent free heal. Kolto missile costs 15 heat, but you get a buff increasing critical damage and healing. This buff lasts just a bit longer than the CD of KM, making it pretty useful to keep up.

 

Other important buffs we get: (not directed at any single person, just a fyi)

Protected- increases armor by 10% for 45 seconds, provided by Progressive Scan

Invigorated- increases healing received by 3% for 45 seconds, provided by Healing Scan

Advanced Targeting- increases critical damage and healing for 7 seconds, provided by Kolto Missile.

Proactive Healing- a 9 second HoT (heal over time), provided by Emergency Scan.

Emergency Response- makes your next Healing Scan free, must be used within 15 seconds, provided by Emergency Scan

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TezMoney

TezMoney

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Rapid Scan and Healing Scan both cost 20 heat. The heat reduction provided by RS is nice but I don't think it should be used regularly.

On paper this sound correct but in practice I find it's made a world of difference. The cast time of using two or three RS, followed by a kolto shot or two, and then a HS barely garners any heat if at all. Granted my alacrity is over 5%. I believe this is the new strength of our class and how we bring real burst healing now. I don't even think sorc's have as strong of a burst combo as: KM > PS(x2) > SCG > RS > TSO > RS > ES > HS. The sickest part of this rotation is how it almost guarantees Advanced Targeting (any crit heal can proc this not just KM) is up for the HS, 3% healing buff on target at the end, and if you're at zero heat will only net you like 20 or less. Now in normal situations I'd put a HS before the SCG, and a few Kolto Shots after the RS's, but this is like a "gotta save the tank now" type rotation.

Kolto missile costs 15 heat, but you get a buff increasing critical damage and healing. This buff lasts just a bit longer than the CD of KM, making it pretty useful to keep up.

I'm not saying you should hardly use your KM, I'm just saying it's not as crucial as it used to be. With a less of a heat issue in 3.0, we should be looking to use RS, EH, HS more as well as PS on cooldown. No to mention HS is need in order to proc residue's healing buff now, so if you KM you pretty much have to HS soon after. Going back to my previous example, you can get two RS in before that HS to get the proc just as residue ends.

 

But like I said, these are early impressions, and I take quite a bit of alacrity and will most likely have more before I'm min maxed (whatever's left over after hitting 70% surge most likely).

Edited by TezMoney
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BLJM

BLJM

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Good Lord, get rid of Kolto Shot and let me use my guns to heal. That transition using the same key to shoot enemies and back to team members was extremely easy and fun.

 

Kolto Shot = one more key I have to put into key binding in an already crowded rotation. Creates confusion

 

Too many complaints from fellow healers how we got jacked. I'm not quite sure just yet, but I will find out on my first 60HM.

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wondernmagic

wondernmagic

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Yeah without a doubt healing is *so* much easier (and more fun) than pre-3.0. the fact that you have to cast a minimum amount now compared to previously makes it a blast. tbh the only things that seem somewhat cumbersome and confusing is what they did to supercharge with the removal of the shield on kolto bomb and that they removed the cooldown on advanced MP during supercharge, despite the fact that they made advanced MP the long cast now. previously you'd pop supercharge and spam AMP cause it was the short cast, but now its just different. but with the instant procs the burst healing is way better than before. medical -> bacta -> medical -> AMP -> wow im in love all over again. not to mention the diverse utilities from all the previous skill trees makes the mando/merc healer way more survivable too. Edited by wondernmagic
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Ghisallo

Ghisallo

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Maybe the issue is adaption. I been playing for a bit...mostly on my Jedi Shadow, had my Commando dps spec's. I use this game as the game I did NOT want to run OPs or heal in (have been a main heal raider for years in every other game.). Well finally said screw it with 3.0. Apparently I am simply addicted to healing and couldn't stay on the wagon. I find healing a little more challenging than other games but only because of the mechanics behind the heals. The lack of no-target needed group/raid heal... The need to literally click target then ST heal across a group... Not even looking for a mouse over macro tbh...a simple macro that would allow me to [target group member 2] would make me giddy. That said its only a little more challenging, all in all more than doable so long people don't derp.

 

So maybe the difficulty is about what people were used to. Mobs hit harder so you have to be more proactive than before. The rotation is different and this compounds the relearning curve. Since I didn't have any old perceptions or muscle memory to deal with it, it seems easier?

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Ghisallo

Ghisallo

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pretty sure its F2, or F3? check your keybind settings.

 

I meant one where it would look like this...Keybind to num1 /cast <insert heal> @group01. In this way I hit num1 and the selected heal automatically gets cast on the 1st member of the group. I don't see the issue with this kind of basic macro functionality being in the game. /shrug...just my 2 credits :-)

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Kantalahir

Kantalahir

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Mostly, it's the content and not the healing. Granted, we need some time to get use to changes but overall we are not OP as we were before 3.0.

 

I am sure most of us would have experiencing difficulties healing 55HM in 156 gear. And that's where we are now.

 

60HMs requires a good group. I have done them all on two healer classes and I have also wiped several times since I wasn't able to keep folk standing in red alive; or even the whole the group when we broke or didn't use CC. That wasn't the case before 3.0 being in full augmented 180/186 gear with set bonuses.

 

So, gear up and enjoy the challenge until it lasts :)

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Ruskaeth

Ruskaeth

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What are you all on about? Are you high? What is going on? Mando/Merc healing became smooth as hell with 3.0. I repeat: It's amazingly smooth to play and extremely efficient single target and aoe healer. It's just pleasant. If you are struggling with merc healing in 3.0, you are doing it wrong. :p
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Dark_Mithrandir

Dark_Mithrandir

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Posted (edited)
What are you all on about? Are you high? What is going on? Mando/Merc healing became smooth as hell with 3.0. I repeat: It's amazingly smooth to play and extremely efficient single target and aoe healer. It's just pleasant. If you are struggling with merc healing in 3.0, you are doing it wrong. :p

 

Agreed

BW give them and overpowered healer class fotm and they cry anyway.

GG :rolleyes: LOL

Seriously next post will be some vanguards/pt crying :rak_02::rak_02::rak_03:

Edited by Dark_Mithrandir
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Theodulus

Theodulus

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What are you all on about? Are you high? What is going on? Mando/Merc healing became smooth as hell with 3.0. I repeat: It's amazingly smooth to play and extremely efficient single target and aoe healer. It's just pleasant. If you are struggling with merc healing in 3.0, you are doing it wrong. :p

It was tight managing resources pre 3.0 but at least I felt powerful as a healer and actually could heal several people to full under pressure without gimping my resource pool. I boil it down to kolto bomb being useless and kolto shell not being worth it to reapply it midfight on anyone but myself in pvp while under pressure.

Spec was improved and people sith themselves. :D

Is that why my merc HPS is down in 3.0 compared to 2.10 while my op and sorc HPS are up with 3.0 in the same gear?

Agreed

BW give them and overpowered healer class fotm and they cry anyway.

GG :rolleyes: LOL

Seriously next post will be some vanguards/pt crying :rak_02::rak_02::rak_03:

Is that why you play a merc healer? I see you have an awesome track record of playing this overpowered merc healer.

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