BioWare wants everyone to be a Bounty Hunter/Commando

[Kurin]

Tin foil hat time:

 

BioWare has finally realized that they simply cannot balance the game across this many classes, and so they are nerfing everything that isn't a Bounty Hunter/Commando. When the entire remaining player base is playing those 2 classes, they will have solved their balance issue.

 

In the latest, "What are they thinking?", BioWare has announced proposed changes on the PTS for both Scoundrel/Operative and Sorc/Sage healing. In both cases, the changes are advertised as Quality of Life (QoL) changes. When I read that, I think...could, things will be easier.

 

Except in both cases, the healing output of healers is being substantially reduced. Empirical testing of Sorc/Sage has healing potential down at least 10%, while making that output substantially more difficult to achieve...that's not a positive QoL. Operative/Scoundrel most used Heal over Time (HoT) was nerfed by 60%. Roughly half of the typical healing output of an Op/Scoundrel is from their HoTs...so nerfing it by 60% is...HUGE. Also, not a QoL change. Making your heals do less healing, is not a QoL change...that's a nerf.

 

With both of these alleged QoL changes, one can only assume that BioWare simply wants everyone to be a Merc/Mando healer. I can think of no other explanation. I mean...we already knew the operations were originally designed to be completed by this class alone...these proposed changes simply reenforce that notion.

[Chazcon]

lol very good

[Master-Nala]

For my part, I welcome the reign of our Commando/Mercenary Overlords.

[Ghisallo]

Tin foil hat time:

 

BioWare has finally realized that they simply cannot balance the game across this many classes, and so they are nerfing everything that isn't a Bounty Hunter/Commando. When the entire remaining player base is playing those 2 classes, they will have solved their balance issue.

 

In the latest, "What are they thinking?", BioWare has announced proposed changes on the PTS for both Scoundrel/Operative and Sorc/Sage healing. In both cases, the changes are advertised as Quality of Life (QoL) changes. When I read that, I think...could, things will be easier.

 

Except in both cases, the healing output of healers is being substantially reduced. Empirical testing of Sorc/Sage has healing potential down at least 10%, while making that output substantially more difficult to achieve...that's not a positive QoL. Operative/Scoundrel most used Heal over Time (HoT) was nerfed by 60%. Roughly half of the typical healing output of an Op/Scoundrel is from their HoTs...so nerfing it by 60% is...HUGE. Also, not a QoL change. Making your heals do less healing, is not a QoL change...that's a nerf.

 

With both of these alleged QoL changes, one can only assume that BioWare simply wants everyone to be a Merc/Mando healer. I can think of no other explanation. I mean...we already knew the operations were originally designed to be completed by this class alone...these proposed changes simply reenforce that notion.

 

 

No the healing output is not substantially reduced for Operative. Yes I had to change HOW I heal but it's no different than the "ZOMG MY SAGE?SORC DPS!!!! IS NERFED" being totally buptkis. Yeah if you look JUST at Kolto probe/Slow release it looks like a big hit. Look at an ENTIRE heal parse though and the reduction is negligible to say the least imo... the thing is that people are cranky they had to relearn how to heal when 3.0 dropped, now they will have to relearn to an extent again. This complaint I see as valid.

 

I see one other valid complaint. People have been using Probe/Release as an AoE heal basically because of the lack of resources it took to keep them up over multiple people. Now you will have to do what is intended to have proper energy management... the AoE heals to AoE heal... not a stackable ST HoT. This is analogous to the Lightning/TK fix. FS/FQ, an AoE ability, was not intended to be a primary part of the ST damage rotation. Does it make sense that a ST heal should be a primary part of AoE healing?

 

All they are doing is homogenizing the healing sub-classes (this DOES indeed annoy me) because my Commando has some changes too that has many a person unhappy.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Ghisallo

[Floplag]

PVP on one and you'll know how wrong this is... they worry about Sin/Shadow quality of life that noone is asking for and ignore our cried for help.

BH are strong right now due to poor fight mechanics/design, not because we are that powerful.

Yes we are parsing strong, but thats one part of the picture when you factor ins mechanics and utilities.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Floplag

[hunterareop]

0/10 commando and bounty hunter arent even op in pvp

[TheSeventhJedi]

Eh, I'm a commando. Only when everyone plays my class can they realize how truly 1337 I am.

[Zoom_VI]

0/10 commando and bounty hunter arent even op in pvp

 

To be fair, he never said he was talking about PvP

[branmakmuffin]

I was playing a Mercenary before it was cool.

[Kurin]

No the healing output is not substantially reduced for Operative. Yes I had to change HOW I heal but it's no different than the "ZOMG MY SAGE?SORC DPS!!!! IS NERFED" being totally buptkis. Yeah if you look JUST at Kolto probe/Slow release it looks like a big hit. Look at an ENTIRE heal parse though and the reduction is negligible to say the least imo... the thing is that people are cranky they had to relearn how to heal when 3.0 dropped, now they will have to relearn to an extent again. This complaint I see as valid.

 

I see one other valid complaint. People have been using Probe/Release as an AoE heal basically because of the lack of resources it took to keep them up over multiple people. Now you will have to do what is intended to have proper energy management... the AoE heals to AoE heal... not a stackable ST HoT. This is analogous to the Lightning/TK fix. FS/FQ, an AoE ability, was not intended to be a primary part of the ST damage rotation. Does it make sense that a ST heal should be a primary part of AoE healing?

 

All they are doing is homogenizing the healing sub-classes (this DOES indeed annoy me) because my Commando has some changes too that has many a person unhappy.

 

Merc/Mando have an AoE Single Target heal: It's Kolto Shell/Trauma Probe. This heal last 21 seconds (minimum) and while isn't capable of quite as much healing as 2 stacks of Op/Scoundrel HoT's over it's duration, it also does very little over healing...it's highly efficient (nearly 100% ehps, unlike SRM/KP, which admittedly has poor ehps).

 

Sorc/Sage doesn't have a perfectly similar single target AoE heal, but they get bubble. Bubble has about the same absorb rate as our SRM/KP or Kolto Shell/Trauma Probe. In the current state, good Sorc/Sages are bubbling a lot, and far more than just the tanks, as they did in the 2.0 tier. Bubble (was) a very viable heal to spam in it's previous form. Energy management issues with the proposed 3.2.1 changes are making extensive use of bubble far less viable.

 

I fully understand that Op/Scoundrel has a very nice AoE heal...I certainly use it a great deal. But it requires the raid to group up to be effective. DPS can't just wander in and out of it like a Sorc/Sage healing pool. Most of the Operations design in 3.0 penalizes significant grouping up.

 

Since you mentioned it, have you parsed something under the proposed changes? If you have something simple, like a parse for HM Malaphar, I'd love to see your results.

[Gameverseman]

Tin foil hat time:

 

BioWare has finally realized that they simply cannot balance the game across this many classes, and so they are nerfing everything that isn't a Bounty Hunter/Commando. When the entire remaining player base is playing those 2 classes, they will have solved their balance issue.

 

In the latest, "What are they thinking?", BioWare has announced proposed changes on the PTS for both Scoundrel/Operative and Sorc/Sage healing. In both cases, the changes are advertised as Quality of Life (QoL) changes. When I read that, I think...could, things will be easier.

 

Except in both cases, the healing output of healers is being substantially reduced. Empirical testing of Sorc/Sage has healing potential down at least 10%, while making that output substantially more difficult to achieve...that's not a positive QoL. Operative/Scoundrel most used Heal over Time (HoT) was nerfed by 60%. Roughly half of the typical healing output of an Op/Scoundrel is from their HoTs...so nerfing it by 60% is...HUGE. Also, not a QoL change. Making your heals do less healing, is not a QoL change...that's a nerf.

 

With both of these alleged QoL changes, one can only assume that BioWare simply wants everyone to be a Merc/Mando healer. I can think of no other explanation. I mean...we already knew the operations were originally designed to be completed by this class alone...these proposed changes simply reenforce that notion.

 

HAHA I love how you conveniently disregarded the fact that powertechs and vanguards lost an ability. I don't see any of the others classes losing an ability, do you? Sure their abilities get nerfed but I rather have that then have an ability be taken away all together. I also love how you throw bounty hunters (A class) and commandos (an Advanced class) in the same boat. I will just be grabbing my popcorn now.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Gameverseman

[Kurin]

0/10 commando and bounty hunter arent even op in pvp

 

I don't do much ranked these days, as my best PVP healer is a Scoundrel on Harbinger...nearly impossible for me to get a q pop, and I tried fairly hard over the last 2 weeks.

 

For ranked PVP, if these changes go live, I doubt I would recommend bringing any healer. I would just go 4 dps. The Operative/Scoundrel healer is now completely shut down by this change. Sorc/Sage is probably now best, as Merc/Mando survivability issues are still significant (and why they don't represent on the leaderboards).

[Zoom_VI]

I love how you conveniently disregarded the fact that powertechs and vanguards lost an ability. I don't see any of the others classes losing an ability, do you?

 

Vanguard lost full auto, which was about as big of a loss as losing a penny.

[Gameverseman]

Vanguard lost full auto, which was about as big of a loss as losing a penny.

 

That's your opinion and that is beside the point. Which obviously points out that your comment was intended to instigate me and/or others. The only people I know who do that are trolls. Nothing more need be said.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Gameverseman

[Hikaru_Kuma]

No the healing output is not substantially reduced for Operative. Yes I had to change HOW I heal but it's no different than the "ZOMG MY SAGE?SORC DPS!!!! IS NERFED" being totally buptkis. Yeah if you look JUST at Kolto probe/Slow release it looks like a big hit. Look at an ENTIRE heal parse though and the reduction is negligible to say the least imo... the thing is that people are cranky they had to relearn how to heal when 3.0 dropped, now they will have to relearn to an extent again. This complaint I see as valid.

 

I see one other valid complaint. People have been using Probe/Release as an AoE heal basically because of the lack of resources it took to keep them up over multiple people. Now you will have to do what is intended to have proper energy management... the AoE heals to AoE heal... not a stackable ST HoT. This is analogous to the Lightning/TK fix. FS/FQ, an AoE ability, was not intended to be a primary part of the ST damage rotation. Does it make sense that a ST heal should be a primary part of AoE healing?

 

All they are doing is homogenizing the healing sub-classes (this DOES indeed annoy me) because my Commando has some changes too that has many a person unhappy.

 

I main a scoundrel healer for progression raid. My HPS on Sword Squadron HM was 5,417; EHPS: 4,746; Total heal: 2,032,159 hp

Slow-release Medpac did 883,460 hp (43.5%); Kolto Pack did 84,099 hp (4.1%); Underworld Medicine 66,698 hp (3.3%), other heals 997,902 hp (49.1%)

Let's consider:

+ 2 stacks of current SRM is 100% x A amount of hp.

+ 1 stack of current SRM is 50% x A amount of hp.

+ 1 stack of 3.2.1 SRM is 65% x A amount of hp.

+ 3.2.1 Underworld Medicine +5%.

+ 3.2.1 Kolto Pack +5%

 

If I do 1 stack of current SRM then wait after 16s to put on another, it will be: 50%A x 16 + 100%A x 18 = A x 26 hp

If I do 1 stack of new SRM then wait after 18s to put on another, it will be: 65%A x 18 x 2 = A x 23.4 hp

Each of the above takes 2 GCDs to cast. So the new SRM will heal for 10% less with 2 gcds.

So, if I healed with the new 3.2.1 changes on Sword Squadron HM with almost the same rotations, it would be like this:

(3.2.1 SRM does 10% less) + (3.2.1 Underworld Medicine does 5% more) + ( 3.2.1 Kolto Pack does 5% more) + ( no changes to other heal) = Total heal with 3.2.1 changes

883,460 x 90% + 84,099 x 105% + 66,698 x 105% + 997,902 = 1,951,352 HP = 96% of my original total heal of 2,032,159 hp.

 

>>> Yay, my heals do 4% less with this "QOL" changes.

 

Unless you can prove otherwise with numbers, do not talk like it's fact.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Hikaru_Kuma