Gwena Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) I really enjoy the stealth + healing combo on my Operative (and Scoundrel)! However, compared to my Sage and Merc healers, the Operative seems to be kinda lame when it comes to doing DPS. It could be my imagination, but killing things seems like a drag in comparison. I feel I must be doing something wrong. So: any general tips for Operative/Scoundrel DPS when heal spec'd, particularly when solo'ing (PvE)? Is there a "rotation" I could follow, perhaps? All my healers use DPS companions already. I accept that my Operative healer isn't going to melt things like my Assassin DPS does, I just want to see if I can optimize the DPS that the healer Operative is capable of. Edited May 17, 2015 by Gwena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiRunner Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 especially post 3.0, scoundrel healer dps 'feels' less cool. with the removal of explosive probe and orbital strike. If I had to say, simply use backblast from stealth as an opener, grenade another target, Vital shot, pistol whip, then blaster volly for aoe groups. I hate to say it, but thats about all the meaty dps abilities you have. I would highly recommend you switch to a dps spec to level, or really gear up a dps companion if you cant stand how long/boring it is. It doesn't get much better unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkii_boy Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Scoundrel heals are terrible at DPS but its always worth trying to maximize it.. the rotation I use when I have spare room to dps is vital shot>back blast>blaster whip>charged burst>flurry of bolts. i strongly advise you not to level as a heals but rather respec into it in ur late 50s to save time but still get a feel for it before you start running ops/flashpoints/60pvp. good luck Edited May 18, 2015 by Sharkii_boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahldea Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Yeah, I have noticed the same thing, unfortunately. I am a recent returning player and have noticed that the 3.0 changes have negatively affected the DPS capabilities as a Sawbones / Medicine healer. Before, you had more options with Explosive Charge, Flyby, and access to DPS talents in the Scrapper / Concealment tree. This makes me sad, as I LOVE hybrid playstyles in games. However, I agree with Sharkii. When in close, prioritize Backblast / Backstab and Blaster Whip / Shiv. If trying to burst someone, if you can start with a stealthed opener followed by a vanish and a re-opener, you should be able to add some respectable damage to a burst target. Don't forget to follow up with a Dirty Kick / Lacerate to lock the target down and interrupt them with Distraction if they attempt to hard-cast a heal. At range, Charged Burst / Snipe and Frag Grenade are your go-to's. Keep Vital Shot / Corrosive Dart up on the target as a good "fire-and-forget" ability when you need to keep up the healing. If your heals are not needed at any given moment, it may not look pretty, but you can always use Cool Head / Adrenaline Probe and spam Quick Shot / Overload Shot for a "burst" of DPS. Sawbones / Medicine DPS is not really ideal, and is certainly not what it used to be. But you still have options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahldea Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Also, my apologies - I tend to think of every question as if it were PvP-related. Even when you specifically state that PvE is your main priority. Most of what I said should still apply to PvE. However, definitely consider using a high DPS companion with up-to-date gear. If you focus on keeping your companion alive and controlling the NPC's, you should not have any issues making progress. To state the obvious, if you want to kill things faster - respec. However, if you just want to level as Sawbones / Medicine, it is totally doable. Edited May 18, 2015 by Kahldea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwena Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Thanks so much for your helpful tips and comments replies, guys! I leveled my Scoundrel ages ago and played her a lot in the 1.x time, and recently revisiting her I sorely missed the Freighter Flyby that I liked using when I did dailies. My Operative I also leveled awhile ago, but I'm thinking of rerolling him, so maybe I'll try DPS for leveling in that case. And I shall have to try those sniper type ranged abilities on the occasions that I send my companion in first! I had completely forgotten about those as I got it into my head at an early point that I wasn't ever supposed to use those as an Op/Scoundrel. xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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