DOA Commando-Merc terrible in PvE leveling since change to 3.0 Disciplines

[Idaho-D]

Commandos-Mercs are terrible in PvE leveling since change to 3.0 Disciplines.

 

Level 44 Merc, Level 54 Commando. I do the PvE missions and character storyline missions and they either mow down trash mobs or get crushed by the first level Boss. I was doing a Bounty with the level 54 medic (switched to Medic out of desperation to try to continue with leveling) and he died three times before just barely surviving. Had to barrow credits to repair the armor (17000). Blue and Purple gear on both him and companion.

 

The problem is that the Commando-Merc Heals are not available when needed or take too much time to deploy. In pre-3.0 I would take the Medic tree far enough to get the basic heal and then go Assault and when a tough battle happened he had the heal to bounce back with. Now it has that goofy Supercharge Cell mechanic which is mind-numbingly cumbersome and no Adv Med Probe unless you go full Medic. I would never, ever have leveled either my Commando or my Merc if I had had to use the Supercharge Cell for heals and did not get a good basic Heal set with Assault. I would have just erased them 3 years ago and started a Vanguard or Pyrotech in their places.

 

However now, three years into leveling them you completely change how they play. That is unfair and dishonorable. You need to restore them to their old abilities with no Supercharge Cell required/optional or allow Commando and Merc players to switch to another sub-Class or Class that is to their liking. The 3.0 changes just went too far and the only honorable thing to do is let players out if they hate what happened to their characters or you, BioWare, make a serious attempt to restore the game mechanics to some semblance pre- 3.0 Disciplines.

[Stanimir]

Hm, it's kind of hard to help you here as I have had no trouble leveling as a pyro merc. It's really one of the easier classes to level for me given the amount of AOE we get measured with the amount of single target we can do in either pyro or arsenal.

[Bejarid]

Change happens; it's inevitable in an evolving and growing MMO, and "honor" (or an aspersions to the lack thereof) has absolutely nothing to do with it. Really, though, the only major thing that's changed is the old talent trees no longer allowing for hybridization.

 

So, I gotta ask, what are you doing so absolutely wrong that you're having such trouble leveling? 55~60 has been a breeze on all three characters I've taken that far - including my Commando.

[Floplag]

I find this hard to believe.. are you trying to do content well above your level?

[rballen]

I leveled my Commando to 60 from character creation since 3.0. I didn't spec to assault until after 60 so I can't speak to that but gunnery was about as easy as could be. I have to think you're doing something very wrong.

[mrvwbug]

I suspect somebody doesn't know how to play their class, and possibly using a bad choice of companion?

 

Merc/Mando is stupidly easy to level.

[ForceWelder]

Leveling my commando and my merc, I only ran into trouble at Rishi where you tended to pull more than one silver at a time. That was me just being stupid and careless on a planet where it doesn't pay to be stupid and careless.

 

I have to say though, I can't help but think you are doing something wrong. These two classes eat story mode PVE content for breakfast. They don't even have to burp afterwards.

 

If you are getting beat on, you should be using your healer. Pretty much the only companion I use is Alera on my Commando. She does just enough healing so I don't have to. And if I'm in an intense fight, I then have my own heals as a reserve. I have toyed around with Treek while leveling, but I didn't think the Ewok's healing was on the same level as Elera.

 

But life gets silly stupid once you hit 55. Then you can do the Forced Alliance quest and have God droid kill everything for you. Exit out of the instance before you complete, and you can rense and repeat the same stage with the droid over and over again (not that you have to).

 

But if all else fails, you can always level with space missions and PVP. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it does get the job done. You might even reach level 60 with enough ranked comms to get your first ranked piece right when you ding.

[Idaho-D]

I guess you folks who say it's so easy don't ever challenge yourselves? I mean, yeah I could run around and avoid the hard content and just level up on trash mobs, but I would have quit SWtoR long ago if that's all there was to the game.

 

In fact if you would re-read my original post I say the Commando blows through the trash mobs like it was punching the clock. No challenge whatsoever. It's when the toon faces a level boss that it folds like a wet rag. What made the 2.XX Commando tough in PvE boss battles was it had a few good heals that it could re-fill it's health with. Nothing fantastic, but enough to be challenging. Now to get those heals you have to be a Medic so BW changed the whole gameplay mechanics completely for Assault/Gunnery.

 

Basically my take on the post 3.0 balancing is it has no rhyme or reason. Some Classes were gifted extraordinarily and others completely blown apart. And there is nothing wrong with giving BW a critique on their game. What is wrong is saying nothing is broken when the gameplay of the Commando is so much worse than before.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Idaho-D

[Bejarid]

It's when the toon faces a level boss that it folds like a wet rag.

 

And, again, I on mine had no issues whatsoever with the leveling story bosses - and needed no personal heals. I mean, the solo Revan fight sucked, but that's an issue with the fight mechanics, not one of class mechanics; way too many long stuns and knockbacks, every class (that I've done so far) suffers there.

 

So, again, what're you doing wrong? What companion do you use? How up-to-date was your gear? How are you handling your rotation?

[midianlord]

Dude, we're trying to help you, here...

 

Merc is probably the most solo PvE (and OWPvP too, IME) friendly class out there. You can solo most [HEROIC 2]s and even a few of the easier [HEROIC 4]s on/slightly above level.

 

Sounds like you need to do the following:

 

Don't take on things too far above your level, especially multiple Strong-and-higher tier enemies. +2 levels, if you are geared as best you can be for your level is probably it for most pulls.

 

Both you and your companion need to be at least decently geared. This class is forgiving of being a little undergeared, but is still somewhat gear-sensitive.

 

You have a 60-second sleep. Use it on the big guy/s. (This, not the off-heals are what make Merc such a marvellous H2/some H4 solo'ist).

 

You have a four-second hardstun. Use it on one of the guys who almost certainly is beating on your companion...In general, if your healer-companion dies if/when you've bitten off more than you can chew, then you die...That's why they need to be geared, too, so they can take a hit or three before you have time to switch targets.

 

Don't rely too much on your off-heals --aside from their needless castration for this iteration, they will also overheat you very quickly. Use DCD, Kolto Overload (hit it below 25% health, let it tick out, then your medpac), the best medpac you can, and if needed, your Heroic Moment .

 

Healer-companion: My darling Mako is the first companion the BH gets, and for a damager, the last one you should ever need. Use her, peel for her (see above), make sure she's geared. You'll never regret it. For Commando Elara is the second one you get (end of Rep-Taris), and again, the last one a damager (or Tank-Vang) should ever need. Bonus for Elara's delightful Accent Of Teh Sexay.

 

Make sure you're in the right cylinder for your spec, and/or that you haven't accidentally clicked it off (we all do this from time to time, so no worries )

 

Interrupt: Use it!!! Hardly anyone ever does, it seems, and this just causes more totally avoidable incoming damage. ("Terminate" hurts a lot --interrupt this, if you never interrupt anything else.)

Edited April 28, 2015 by midianlord

[JamieKirby]

I never have trouble with pve quests regardless of classes, i mean i don't do heroic quests on my own, i see no point in it, the challenge never equals the reward, i mean most heroics give 3 commendations, all i got to do is 3 normal pve quests and i have 3 commendations already right there and it was VASTLY easier.

 

I never bother with those bounties, they are never there all the time to use in my leveling process, i suggest if you are a healer, use a tank companion, if you are a dps, use the healer....problem solved.

[Idaho-D]

I play all the Classes. There is no comparison to the weakness of the Commando. Medic is all that works now in PvE, but I did not ever want my Commando to be a Medic. If you like it fine, but I say it's ruined compared to what the Commando was prior to the Disciplines and needs some work. That's just my critique, it's not a request for assistance, but thanks. Edited April 29, 2015 by Idaho-D

[ForceWelder]

I play all the Classes. There is no comparison to the weakness of the Commando. Medic is all that works now in PvE, but I did not ever want my Commando to be a Medic. If you like it fine, but I say it's ruined compared to what the Commando was prior to the Disciplines and needs some work. That's just my critique, it's not a request for assistance, but thanks.

 

I play both a dps commando and merc. As long as I have the healer out, it is no problems leveling these two at all. I can't help but wonder if you are doing something wrong. Mayb using the wrong cylinder or bad gear or maybe using the wrong companion for leveling.

 

But I would never recommend leveling as a healer unless your focus is PVP. The healers just take too long to kill things and they rely heavily on the companion to do the bulk of the work. It is just more efficient (time wise) to level it as a DPS and then switch roles after you are done.

[ekwalizer]

I suspect somebody doesn't know how to play their class, and possibly using a bad choice of companion?

 

Merc/Mando is stupidly easy to level.

 

This is my thought as well.

 

OP: Make sure your gear is up to date. If you are having trouble be sure to use Mako/Dorn/Treek as appropriate and that they are geared.

[ekwalizer]

I guess you folks who say it's so easy don't ever challenge yourselves? I mean, yeah I could run around and avoid the hard content and just level up on trash mobs, but I would have quit SWtoR long ago if that's all there was to the game.

 

In fact if you would re-read my original post I say the Commando blows through the trash mobs like it was punching the clock. No challenge whatsoever. It's when the toon faces a level boss that it folds like a wet rag. What made the 2.XX Commando tough in PvE boss battles was it had a few good heals that it could re-fill it's health with. Nothing fantastic, but enough to be challenging. Now to get those heals you have to be a Medic so BW changed the whole gameplay mechanics completely for Assault/Gunnery.

 

Basically my take on the post 3.0 balancing is it has no rhyme or reason. Some Classes were gifted extraordinarily and others completely blown apart. And there is nothing wrong with giving BW a critique on their game. What is wrong is saying nothing is broken when the gameplay of the Commando is so much worse than before.

 

I have not experienced these issues. It sounds to me like you are biting off more than you can chew. Be sure to use your concussion missile (and rep equivalent), interrupt things that are really going to hurt you, keep you and your healer companion geared and you will have no issues.

Edited May 1, 2015 by ekwalizer

[mrvwbug]

I guess you folks who say it's so easy don't ever challenge yourselves? I mean, yeah I could run around and avoid the hard content and just level up on trash mobs, but I would have quit SWtoR long ago if that's all there was to the game.

 

In fact if you would re-read my original post I say the Commando blows through the trash mobs like it was punching the clock. No challenge whatsoever. It's when the toon faces a level boss that it folds like a wet rag. What made the 2.XX Commando tough in PvE boss battles was it had a few good heals that it could re-fill it's health with. Nothing fantastic, but enough to be challenging. Now to get those heals you have to be a Medic so BW changed the whole gameplay mechanics completely for Assault/Gunnery.

 

Basically my take on the post 3.0 balancing is it has no rhyme or reason. Some Classes were gifted extraordinarily and others completely blown apart. And there is nothing wrong with giving BW a critique on their game. What is wrong is saying nothing is broken when the gameplay of the Commando is so much worse than before.

 

Merc is probably the best solo content class out there. I solo lvl 55 FPs and the Ziost monoliths (the roaming ones, not the WB) for fun.

Edited May 7, 2015 by mrvwbug

[mrvwbug]

I play all the Classes. There is no comparison to the weakness of the Commando. Medic is all that works now in PvE, but I did not ever want my Commando to be a Medic. If you like it fine, but I say it's ruined compared to what the Commando was prior to the Disciplines and needs some work. That's just my critique, it's not a request for assistance, but thanks.

 

At this point it is clear you are just trolling.