Nerfed Compainion heals

[Batwer]

With the nerfed companions I come clear. It did not bother me, as certain companions stop the cure. In normal contend no problem. Also with the H2. But if you want to solo the MM chapters of Kotfe / Kotet, it sucks. Please nerfed the Chapters.

[BlueSorcerer]

Have they nerfed companion healing. Running a toon from 1 up and I am having to use a lot more powers to keep up?

 

God you all just want solo content, thats what ruined this game.

[Darittha]

When they were boosted back with Kotfe companions finally became viable - dont think any big changes have been done since then(i may be wrong) and imo they work fine as level 1 companions are noticeably weaker than lvl 50, why nerf what works fine.

[Einobi]

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

Share your thoughts and thanks for raising this!

 

-eric

 

Straight up, I already sense a wrong mentality in the above design. First up, whether a player feel they are taking damages or feel dangerous should be an attribute related to the strength of the mobs. If there is a need for player to feel endangered and actually feel taking damages, then make the mob stronger and not the reverse of making the healing comp performing less optimally so that player feel 'endangered'.

 

In group content fight, we healer class always pump our healing ability constantly without a pause to keep our tank max up HP without regard to whether his HP drop or not. In some fight where the boss is weaker, the tank actually don't feel his HP bar move. We don't wait for tank HP to drop to below 70% before dishing out heal so that we want to make our tank feel he is taking damages and feel 'endangered'. It just make no sense. There are places that the tank will feel 'endangered' when we faced a stronger boss. His HP will drop regardless no matter how hard we heal.

 

So make your mob stronger and not make our healing comp less 'efficient'. Don't reverse paddle. It is not progressive and is damaging to the game.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Einobi

[xordevoreaux]

Hey folks,

 

Some quick details on what you are seeing. We did make changes to Companion healing but this should not necessarily result in a nerf to them. In the current live game Companion healing is very strong but it also appears to be so strong to the point that you may play certain content and barely see your health bar move.

 

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

Share your thoughts and thanks for raising this!

 

-eric

 

Companions can't be brought into ops, so why? Players complaining?

I'm the guy who built this mod for Skyrim SE -- https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/13117?tab=description

 

So you can imagine I'm not going to like soloing and suddenly having to pay attention to more than I was before.

Hands off my comps.

[FlameYOL]

I think it overall it is fine. On Live, if I jump into a a pack of 7 normal mobs, I barely see damage done. If I jump into the same group on PTS, I actually get a little worried. It was odd.... yet refreshing at the same time!

 

Agreed, I miss things actually being able to kill me.

[DWho]

Straight up, I already sense a wrong mentality in the above design. First up, whether a player feel they are taking damages or feel dangerous should be an attribute related to the strength of the mobs. If there is a need for player to feel endangered and actually feel taking damages, then make the mob stronger and not the reverse of making the healing comp performing less optimally so that player feel 'endangered'.

 

In group content fight, we healer class always pump our healing ability constantly without a pause to keep our tank max up HP without regard to whether his HP drop or not. In some fight where the boss is weaker, the tank actually don't feel his HP bar move. We don't wait for tank HP to drop to below 70% before dishing out heal so that we want to make our tank feel he is taking damages and feel 'endangered'. It just make no sense. There are places that the tank will feel 'endangered' when we faced a stronger boss. His HP will drop regardless no matter how hard we heal.

 

So make your mob stronger and not make our healing comp less 'efficient'. Don't reverse paddle. It is not progressive and is damaging to the game.

 

That's a very interesting point and matches up with what I was told as a DPS years ago when I first started doing OPS. I was running away from the boss to heal or taking time away from doing damage to fire off a defensive and the group healer told me that it isn't the job of the DPS to worry about their health bar. By making the health bar fluctuate all over the place worrying the DPS they are going to die is the opposite of what they should be doing in an operation. Having a powerful healer is more in line with what should be going on in group content (relying on others) than having a weak one where you have to worry about keeping yourself alive. You don't learn how to play your class while leveling, all that learning happens in flashpoints and story mode operations.

[Unperson]

That's a very interesting point and matches up with what I was told as a DPS years ago when I first started doing OPS. I was running away from the boss to heal or taking time away from doing damage to fire off a defensive and the group healer told me that it isn't the job of the DPS to worry about their health bar. By making the health bar fluctuate all over the place worrying the DPS they are going to die is the opposite of what they should be doing in an operation. Having a powerful healer is more in line with what should be going on in group content (relying on others) than having a weak one where you have to worry about keeping yourself alive. You don't learn how to play your class while leveling, all that learning happens in flashpoints and story mode operations.

 

I hope you no longer raid with that healer because that's terrible advice. It very much is your responsibility as a dps to minimize damage taken and make sure you make smart use of your cooldowns. They aren't there just as decoration, and unless you are the tank, you are not the healer's priority. What you need to learn is what cd is useful against a certain type of damage, and how and when to use them without losing dps. You do not need to learn to be less aware of your environment.

 

I support any nerf of companions because it incentivizes people at least learning that there is such a thing as cooldowns, but mostly because it annoys the hell out of the "omg I may need to use cds/cc if I attack a bunch of golds, LITERALLY UNPLAYABLE" crowd.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Unperson

[rebelziggy]

I noticed with Darth Malgus he will heal once per battle and that's it

[DWho]

Did some quick testing on this with a different level companion. At level 50 (Kira), the knockback/knockdown/stun mobs on Alderan take the character down to ~25% health but the level 50 comp is able to heal through that so there is a danger of dying but most likely won't. With a level 14 (Lana) companion, the heals are not strong enough to heal through the initial burst (again down to about ~25% health) but the continuing damage from the melee types in the mob takes the character out before the stun wears off most of the time (tested 3 mobs, 2/3 character was killed while stunned with the level 14 companion - in the one that didn't die, the companion CC'd one of the high damage NPCs which likely made the difference). Shortening the cooldown on the channeled heal might be enough or slightly bumping up the healing on one of the others.

 

On the LIve server, I've done this heroic area with companions as low as level 10 without issue (pretty much looks like the level 50 on the PTS). Damage Resistance was at 24.04% on PTS / 22.84% on Live

 

Did some parsing of the combat logs from yesterday and came up with a significant difference between Live and PTS. On average, healing is about 15% lower when normalized against the length of the battle (effectively, the battles are lasting about 25% longer on PTS so the absolute amount of healing done per battle is pretty similar). The issue comes when looking at the damage taken per battle. It is actually increased since the battle lasts longer with the changes on the PTS (level sync, changes in alacrity, lost set bonuses). With the new level sync on Alderaan you have ~3000 less health on the PTS compared to Live (that's about 1/3 less). In summary, you are taking as much or more damage with less healing against a lower health pool.

 

As for the healing abilities themselves (with a lvl 50 companion and a Presence score of 3800) there are some significant differences. Soothe and Force Detain are basically the same.

 

Mending is a very big difference (to the point it might be a bug). On the PTS it heals 15K over 9 seconds with an 11 second cooldown. On Live it heals 17K over 9 seconds with no cooldown. Level synced to Alderaan, the heals are 1250 and 1686 for PTS and Live respectively.

 

Ameliorating Force heals 13k over 3 seconds on PTS and 15K per 3 seconds on Live. The cooldown is 7 seconds on the PTS and 3 seconds on Live (more than twice as long). Level synced to Alderaan, the heals are 1000 and 1500 for PTS and Live respectively.

 

Protective Barrier is a completely different ability on Live and the PTS. On the Live server, it is straight up damage reduction/prevention while on the PTS it is a heal. On the PTS it heals 5500 each time it is hit (up to 6 times) and cannot occur more than once per 3 seconds. Damage reduction is much more useful against bursts than a heal that only functions at most once every three seconds. Synced to Alderaan, the PTS ability heals 450 per hit.

 

I haven't noticed any real issues with leveling content but am only through Coruscant (where I didn't see any differences in the heroics). Though I don't have any data to back it up, I seem to recall that the original story companions perform better as healers than any of the new ones, so that may have an impact too.

[xordevoreaux]

Casuals relying on the their healers to float through are gonna scream when this goes live.

[-sakaa-]

I have seen nothing of new heals... I am leveling a toon. To me this is a nasty nerf. I run heroics which on line I can solo and that is no longer the case.

[sharkfishman]

All I can say is if anyone needs the speed feats from Eternal Championship, better get them on live NOW.

[Wagerbane]

Hey folks,

 

Some quick details on what you are seeing. We did make changes to Companion healing but this should not necessarily result in a nerf to them. In the current live game Companion healing is very strong but it also appears to be so strong to the point that you may play certain content and barely see your health bar move.

 

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

Share your thoughts and thanks for raising this!

 

-eric

 

Hey Eric, We need to go back to modify gear bonus status for all companions. I did see HK51 got gear after click on open the box for HK51. We need to restore HK51 modify gear slot. Truth, One of my characters did win the arena on planet Zakuul before companions modify gear bonus got turn off. We need it back.

Edited September 7, 2019 by Wagerbane
mistype

[xordevoreaux]

Hey Eric, We need to go back to modify gear bonus status for all companions. I did see HK51 got gear after click on open the box for HK51. We need to restore HK51 modify gear slot. Truth, One of my characters did win the arena on planet Zakuul before companions modify gear bonus got turn off. We need it back.

 

Worst idea ever.

 

Stats on gear for comps means keeping track of 14 more slots times x characters per toon times y number of toons.

 

It was a nightmare from hell keeping up with all that before.

No thank you.

[Kalorilan]

Hey Eric, We need to go back to modify gear bonus status for all companions. I did see HK51 got gear after click on open the box for HK51. We need to restore HK51 modify gear slot. Truth, One of my characters did win the arena on planet Zakuul before companions modify gear bonus got turn off. We need it back.

Worst idea ever.

 

Stats on gear for comps means keeping track of 14 more slots times x characters per toon times y number of toons.

 

It was a nightmare from hell keeping up with all that before.

No thank you.

 

W H O O S H

 

"Companion gear stats mattering" was removed well before we ever had the chance to duel in the arena on Zakuul and gain the Mysterious Stranger title.

 

BUT....if we're going to go back to horrible RNG gearing, sure, let's also revisit past bad things we've already moved on from....

[Hawkebatt]

If I can survive the burst damage in solo VM Hammer station on that first group I think it is fine. Though I might want to have red reaper up as there is the bridge group that kills even full groups with a good healer. Not sure if the instance is adjusted yet.

 

Edit: With proper cool down use and sometimes unity if I am feeling lazy.

Edited September 10, 2019 by Hawkebatt

[DWho]

If I can survive the burst damage in solo VM Hammer station on that first group I think it is fine. Though I might want to have red reaper up as there is the bridge group that kills even full groups with a good healer. Not sure if the instance is adjusted yet.

 

Hammer station VM is massively easier on PTS compared to Live. There are heroics on live that are harder. It's synced to level 17 and as a level 70-75 you so out level it, the NPCs have difficulty damaging you (level sync does not reduce your defenses significantly).

 

Ease of content has everything to do with how overleveled/overgeared you are for the content and very little to do with the level of healing. It functions exactly the same way it did at launch. Once you over level the opposition by 10 or more levels, they can't effectively hit you because your defenses are so high (reducing the damage taken). That is why removing pieces of armor increases the difficulty (your three primary stats don't change but your defenses do)

[Wagerbane]

Worst idea ever.

 

Stats on gear for comps means keeping track of 14 more slots times x characters per toon times y number of toons.

 

It was a nightmare from hell keeping up with all that before.

No thank you.

 

No it wasn't a nightmare to have a modify gear bonus status for companions before it was taken away. I'm curious on who are the protest resistance in the past told DEV the wrong thing like taken away and you made our companions weak and next our advance class characters is probably next from what I heard on other post. Turn it into new system call rig for the lazy want to speak for me and others and didn't work with a drop down level when you visit planets. Who said you got to gear 14 companions and you don't have too. Your choice is not my game experience and you don't speak for me when you told DEV to remove this for everyone is not right. I heard about Star Wars galaxies had protest resistance told lies to the DEV to mess that game up that belong to others and taken it away game experience away from folks and that game got shutdown for become broken for not meet the compliance. Most folks have only use one or two or more favorite companions their choice to get gear modify bonus status. You don't have too and don't speak for my freedom. Speak for me is a nightmare.

[scardera]

tested it on PTR and the nerf is rly not that bad I dont see anything wrong with it

[fushnchips]

I was doing the dailys yesterday and my companion was doing the healing required I don't see why people are complaining.

[DWho]

I was doing the dailys yesterday and my companion was doing the healing required I don't see why people are complaining.

 

It doesn't affect all players equally. Tanks and ranged classes are basically unaffected. It affects the melee classes the most and only those that have low influence companions. Any experienced or long term player will see a difference in the way their health bar moves (and their repair bills which was probably the reason it was done - credit sink) but will not be in any particular risk of dying (the only exception is NPCs that have a heavy initial burst, which used to be more or less blocked by the shield ability that the comp had which is now a minor heal). All in all it will likely only impact new and inexperienced players (which happen to be the most prone to being frustrated by it). It's not game breaking but can be frustrating to some. The change to level sync made the deficiency more visible, without that it would likely have gone unnoticed.

[Aeternali]

Hey folks,

 

Some quick details on what you are seeing. We did make changes to Companion healing but this should not necessarily result in a nerf to them. In the current live game Companion healing is very strong but it also appears to be so strong to the point that you may play certain content and barely see your health bar move.

 

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

Share your thoughts and thanks for raising this!

 

-eric

 

Unwanted and unneeded change. Who asked for this? Why are you wasting dev time on something like this? What problem did you believe you were solving?

[Solarmind]

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

I was almost without HP all the time and got myself killed for several times while doing heroics on Dromund Kaas ! That is definitely NOT a place I would expect the 75 level character can be killed.

Edited September 9, 2019 by Solarmind

[cmcougar]

Hey folks,

 

Some quick details on what you are seeing. We did make changes to Companion healing but this should not necessarily result in a nerf to them. In the current live game Companion healing is very strong but it also appears to be so strong to the point that you may play certain content and barely see your health bar move.

 

We made some changes to Companion healing abilities and timing so that although their healing is roughly the same, it has the appearance that you are actually taking damage. Ultimately, what we would want feedback on is does it just appear that you are getting less healing / in more danger, or are you actually dying in places you wouldn't have previously.

 

Share your thoughts and thanks for raising this!

 

-eric

 

 

First time PTS player here. On Ossus, I am effectively dying in just a few hits in areas that I have played through on the live servers and survived well. Companion healing is NOT working as intended. Something is definitely wrong.