Redesign for merc disciplines, make the class a viable choice for once

[foxmob]

Are you crazy? I could sit there on my healing Sorc, with no bubble, while typing "HAHA< KILL ME AS QUICK AS YOU CAN THE LOT OF YOU!" and survive longer than on a healing Merc actively trying to not die.

 

The class is BROKEN and only wizard, pro players have a magical way to making this class playable. It's shame because it is my favorite class too =(

 

you have to keep in mind that thecourrier completely discounted solo ranked, so he's kind of talking about a different game from most ppl on the board. my only issue with what he said is that he doesn't see regs as the same thing as solo ranked. they are.

 

in regs, you can queue in a premade, so you can theoretically control whether you have a tank on your team or not. but the reason "most mercs" want the "lol you can't kill me cd" is because 1) they aren't running around with a pocket tank and 2) a certain other class does have said ability.

 

but he's completely on point about balance in this game being supposedly based around a team (aka: trinity comps).

 

none of that really matters though. I get stuck guarding nodes 90% of the time on my commando/merc. that is, hands down, the least suited AC in the game to guard a node. there's one breaker. no leap immunity. least effective speed increase. slowest base speed. in other words, even if there is a trinity comp, it doesn't matter. the sins/ops are off doing dmg and I'm back playing the solo ranked role again. nobody cares in regs. you are on your own.

 

personally, none of this would be so galling if a certain other AC or 4 weren't SO effective w/o trinity as they are. but if you're going to make half of the ACs effective w/o trinity, then you've effectively broken your own balance meta. make them all self-sufficient or make the others just as weak on their own. I don't think this is rocket science. and I can't wait to see what someone says about what a terrible idea this is.

[TheCourier-]

The main reason that I see regs as different from solo ranked, is that if a team completely neglects to guard a node, or if I'm dying over and over again while the juggs and PTs on my team aren't taunting (seriously, it's off the global cooldown), I leave the WZ. I have better things to do than sit in a WZ where my team forces me to guard a turret while I'm playing my healers (it's going to sound prideful, but my 4k+ consistent HPS is way more valuable than the assassin's 1k DPS on the team).

 

I do not see any way to make merc heals on par with sorc heals for solo queue ranked (which solo queue ranked is horrible, so not sure why it's still used as a spec viability benchmark (not pointing at Foxmob, pointing at overall complaints about mercs in solo ranked)), unless roaming mend is limited to 1 target per use (instead of double bouncing for 20k heals on 1 target). Sorc's sheer amount of mobility while healing for more single target HPS than merc, and for PVP, almost on par AOE HPS as operative, is why it's the only healer.

 

If merc's are buffed to sorc healing spec's level, then SWTOR PVP would be over. I played through the unkillable merc healers of 1.0 (along with several other 10/10 maras and PTs). Mercs were literally nearly unkillable even for 10/10 players. Some of the suggested buffs for merc healers in this thread would cause mercs to be stronger than they were at patch 1.0. The thing, is that even though popular opinion is to say that "armor doesn't matter", in an era where there is much less dotcleave, armor does matter. Merc healer sits at around 35% passive damage taken reduction, which is nearly 14% higher than sorcs, and if specced correctly (face tank, not run around), then merc healer can get energy shield on a ~40 second CD. This makes mercenary able to withstand the most damage of any healing spec. The issue, is that merc when attacked can't keep up with much of any damage, because it's passive and instant heals are super weak. Merc is far more vulnerable to interrupts than sorc and operative.

 

On a side note, the merc healers who don't take energy rebounder and the 30% less damage taken while stunned deserve to get globalled in PVP. Merc healer is a stand and heal healer, not a "run around the map loling at the person attacking you" healer. I know how to play merc healer. I enjoyed playing merc healing during patch 2.10 to 4.0. When 4.0 rolled around, the HPS that merc healing spec can pump out at maximum healing isn't worth playing. Sorc can easily pump out 1-2k HPS more than merc, when both specs are played to top 1% effectiveness.

Edited January 13, 2016 by TheCourier-

[Lalainnia]

The main reason that I see regs as different from solo ranked, is that if a team completely neglects to guard a node, or if I'm dying over and over again while the juggs and PTs on my team aren't taunting (seriously, it's off the global cooldown), I leave the WZ. I have better things to do than sit in a WZ where my team forces me to guard a turret while I'm playing my healers (it's going to sound prideful, but my 4k+ consistent HPS is way more valuable than the assassin's 1k DPS on the team).

 

I do not see any way to make merc heals on par with sorc heals for solo queue ranked (which solo queue ranked is horrible, so not sure why it's still used as a spec viability benchmark (not pointing at Foxmob, pointing at overall complaints about mercs in solo ranked)), unless roaming mend is limited to 1 target per use (instead of double bouncing for 20k heals on 1 target). Sorc's sheer amount of mobility while healing for more single target HPS than merc, and for PVP, almost on par AOE HPS as operative, is why it's the only healer.

 

If merc's are buffed to sorc healing spec's level, then SWTOR PVP would be over. I played through the unkillable merc healers of 1.0 (along with several other 10/10 maras and PTs). Mercs were literally nearly unkillable even for 10/10 players. Some of the suggested buffs for merc healers in this thread would cause mercs to be stronger than they were at patch 1.0. The thing, is that even though popular opinion is to say that "armor doesn't matter", in an era where there is much less dotcleave, armor does matter. Merc healer sits at around 35% passive damage taken reduction, which is nearly 14% higher than sorcs, and if specced correctly (face tank, not run around), then merc healer can get energy shield on a ~40 second CD. This makes mercenary able to withstand the most damage of any healing spec. The issue, is that merc when attacked can't keep up with much of any damage, because it's passive and instant heals are super weak. Merc is far more vulnerable to interrupts than sorc and operative.

 

On a side note, the merc healers who don't take energy rebounder and the 30% less damage taken while stunned deserve to get globalled in PVP. Merc healer is a stand and heal healer, not a "run around the map loling at the person attacking you" healer. I know how to play merc healer. I enjoyed playing merc healing during patch 2.10 to 4.0. When 4.0 rolled around, the HPS that merc healing spec can pump out at maximum healing isn't worth playing. Sorc can easily pump out 1-2k HPS more than merc, when both specs are played to top 1% effectiveness.

 

I agree with all of this except that during 1.0 while we were silly strong there were no real dps threats or strong tanks like we have now other then maybe arsenal mercs and wrath chain lighting hybrid sorcs.. The game was very very unbalanced and we had low lvs fighting full bm 50s we had clicky relics and adrenals in warzones the game was pretty unstable.

[foxmob]

I agree with all of this except that during 1.0 while we were silly strong there were no real dps threats or strong tanks like we have now other then maybe arsenal mercs and wrath chain lighting hybrid sorcs.. The game was very very unbalanced and we had low lvs fighting full bm 50s we had clicky relics and adrenals in warzones the game was pretty unstable.

 

pretty sure 1.0 was crazy bursty with adrenals and no ICD on pyro rail procs (for example). ops got nerfed to the ground, but they had a bit too much front loaded burst, even for lone wolf stuff. and gear disparity was a real thing too. which makes all the other stuff tough to judge. I'm not arguing that mandos didn't sit there laughing at ppl. I would envision a long cd escape or barrier type of ability. but escape would have to actually be an escape. not a 20m sprint affected by roots and snares. I'm thinking more along the lines of barrier or PW. something that you can't just sit there healing with.

[Tykhelituss]

I would envision a long cd escape or barrier type of ability. something that you can't just sit there healing with.

Slightly stronger passive healing would solve this problem for Merc. It ensures some amount of healing is going out when you are sitting in 8s+ CC chains. Less focus on active healing is what made Mercenary and Operative viable. Sorcerer, playstyle-wise, is fine as it is. Even though it seems too strong, if you saw them get nerfed there would be no viable healing class for competitive play(whats left of it anyway). Double burst destroys both of the other healers.

[LordKitana]

Sure were a lil squishy but i heal n dps just fine on mine even against 8man premades no im talking regs i have no intrest in 4s anymore the rewards are not even worth the epeen road and they havent been simce season 3. Back to the topic i see mercs are totally fine go ahead go ape crazy and all that stuff you dont have to agree with me lol bit i have a right to my opinion go ahead and call me names it justvmakes you look butthurt in the end . Also im no troll

i been playimg alot of merc healing and dps n i really enjoy the class . Most of it juat depends on team.coordination and what you do with certain situations . Now even tho i say they are fine i have no problems open to suggestions on how to make them even better . To me they are fine .