On companions - kinda feel underpowered (spoilers?)

[Crocolisk]

-Kaliyo feels like a paper tank.

 

-Loken's Rakghoul form seems to have only two dps abiltities, making him only effective as a healer, and I want to level healer since my group of friends needs me to fill that role.

 

-Vector does good dps but dies very, very fast.

 

-Ship droid needs to be shot in the face, since he says, "Excellent, I was just wondering what I could do to please you" about 5 times a minute (not a joke, try using him sometime, ugg).

 

As healing spec, I feel relegated to Kaliyo. Even keeping her in blues every 3 levels, she still needs a ton of healing, and for me to do the majority of the dps.

 

Am I doing it wrong? Is concealment/Lokenheals the only way to go without being annoyed to death?

 

Mostly this stems from friends playing bounty hunters with Mako just tearing through packs of mobs without ever stopping to recuperate...

Edited January 1, 2012 by Crocolisk

[Farami]

I'm only level 18 but I have noticed that she does significantly less damage than Khem Val or other tank companions I have played with.

I can't tell that she's dying quick but that is probably due to my low level.

[Crocolisk]

Answered my own question:

 

Vector in level 33 greens is tougher than Kaliyo in 33 blues, and hits much harder.

 

Even on same level elite pulls, or multiple silvers, I just heal through any tough parts, and help dps the rest.

 

Feels much faster so far ( currently level 36 on Quesh).

[Crocolisk]

Quick update:

 

Solo'd a level 36 Jedi Champion with 53k hps with Vector tanking. Took 3 minutes or so, but no problem at all.

 

He tanks better than Kaliyo for sure.

 

Poor Kaliyo, tries so hard...

[Crawler]

I think its kinda ufnair comparing yoruself to powertech - its tank-dps , gets awesome aoe early and mako just keeps him up. We dont have real aoe till 48 and even then you wont be to use it form pack to pack. And if you are medic it surely doesnt make things faster.

 

Sneak around just do quest objectives and feel the lacking exp with group content or pvp .

[Crocolisk]

I think its kinda ufnair comparing yoruself to powertech - its tank-dps , gets awesome aoe early and mako just keeps him up.

 

You are essentially saying I shouldn't compare a good solo-er to a poor solo-er? Why not?

 

The point of a comparison is to show the difference between two things. There is quite a difference, in this case. It seems to just be that Agents are late bloomers, so to speak. They need to give Agents Hidden Strike much sooner in my opinion. Or a better tank in Kaliyo =)

 

Regardless, the Agent is definitely more fun soloing with Vector as dps, and me as healing.

[Battro]

Another Medicine Operative here, and I can't say that I had the same results at all, regarding Kaliyo's toughness vs. Vector's. Kaliyo not only generally keeps mobs on her more consistently, I find healing her far less strenuous. And I give them both a mixture of blues/greens.

 

Which is disappointing to me, really... I'd much rather have Vector around than Kal (being a -generally- lightside, pro-Empire Operative). But I simply can't solo with anyone else. Kinda wish Lokin's Rak form were a viable melee tank, since we lack one of those.

[Crocolisk]

Mobs are often on me when I have Vector, but that's fine because I tank better than Kaliyo =-o

 

I don't know, maybe my Kaliyo is bugged, but Vector has been a far better experience taking on same-level enemies.

[elvedrano]

Are you gearing her with defense gear? I mean.. I just started to collect +defense gear for her because she dies so fast, and was wondering if that's a viable route. Edited January 1, 2012 by elvedrano

[Zaikrem]

Medicine Op here too. Been using Vector almost exclusively since I got him and have just been tanking stuff myself. Works pretty well, been able to solo most random champion mobs I've come across through chapter 2.

[saintgeist]

couple of things with kal

first make sure shes in tank stance the game defaults her to sniper mode

two drop the pistol unlike BH pcs she can use a shield generator and a blaster rifle

and keep her gear defense oriented i have her tank for me and never pull agro off her

[Hamchuck]

Conceal op here.

 

During what I call "the lean times," -- when I wasn't hitting all that hard yet -- I took Vector around with me. He's pretty easy to heal, even with concealment healing. Since he hits pretty hard, it felt like fights didn't take as long. He tanked a good chunk of the Act 1 fight for me and held up well enough to allow me to hit the boss every so often. Yeah, Kaliyo could probably have tanked for me, but she didn't hit as hard so fights took longer.

[Crocolisk]

Are you gearing her with defense gear? I mean.. I just started to collect +defense gear for her because she dies so fast, and was wondering if that's a viable route.

 

Yep, had my Armormech buddy make her as much blue and green defense gear as possible, and going to the GTN for the rest. It didn't make much difference. Perhaps closer to 50 when gear with defensive stats really starts kicking in, but not at 35.

 

Vector just seems better.

[Crocolisk]

couple of things with kal

first make sure shes in tank stance the game defaults her to sniper mode

two drop the pistol unlike BH pcs she can use a shield generator and a blaster rifle

and keep her gear defense oriented i have her tank for me and never pull agro off her

 

Only thing I haven't done there is use a blaster rifle rather than a blaster pistol. The stats between them seem negligible.

 

Also, the problem is not aggro - she is extremely squishy and either dies on every pull, or goes to 25%. I have to spend time healing her half the fight, and she doesn't do much damage on her own. So I might as well use Vector, and expect to heal. He takes down enemies much faster, so it works better.

 

I think Kaliyo is just a weak companion, and that's fine since we get more than one.

[Riusu]

As a operative medic I prefer Vector, he's able to take down target faster and works really well with a healer as you take most of the aggro and with shield probe and survival training you should have no problem surviving while Vector takes them down one at a time and against melee mobs you can kite them while Vector takes the ranged ones while Kaliyo's tank mode would just get everyone to concentrate on her and she would have a hard time surviving. Vector just seems like a great fit for the operative medic's abilities.

[Iivewire]

how is scorpio? im on the planet to get her and im hoping she's worthy of being used full time

[Tsaimath]

how is scorpio? im on the planet to get her and im hoping she's worthy of being used full time

 

I love(d) her

Great tank, makes Leveling so much faster, I only used her once I got her. Plus, if you are a bad guy, her affection will sky rocket (I think the highest affection I got with her was about 1.2k in a single quest.)

[Saeria]

Hey, Level 50 Medic here.

 

Couple of things, if you want Kaliyo to tank, make sure she has a SHIELD equip and NOT a Generator or a Vibroknife. Very, very important.

 

Second, make sure you focus on +defense, +shield absorb and endurance items. Also armor is probably the most important stat. If it has higher armor, it's probably better.

 

Personally though, I just used Vector. Make sure he is in his Combat Pheremone's stance, the 10% healing is quite noticeable and it's the main reason I preferred Vector.

 

To me, Kaliyo absolutely holds aggro better than Vector and she also has more AoE options, but Vector required less healing and generally did better dps. Also, me tanking instead of my companion works wonders.

 

Maybe the best way to explain things is to work from the mindset of "glass canon", just blow things up before they get to you.

 

Also, for the love of god, USE YOUR STUNS. Every single time there's a "strong" NPC (the ones with blue) make sure your stun(s) is up.

 

Another important thing. Don't try to play ranged. Sniping works at lower levels, but you need to be in melee range to use your Stun and also to Backstab/Shiv/Hidden Strike/Sleep Dart/Carbine Burst.

 

If there's a pack of 4-5 mobs, make sure Evasion is up. Use it on the pull.

 

Remember, your 5-s stun is on a 45s cd (30s talented) and your Evasion (100% Dodge) is on a 60s cd. You can pretty much always use at least one.

 

Lastly, once I got Ensign Raina Temple, I just used her. She does superior DPS to Vector and it's far easier to gear her. She's squishier for sure, but I can tank so she can blow **** up.

[Rayaleith]

Thanks for the info all.

 

I am at 24 now. I don't know if I just got used to the game (combat feels different than wow) but with my operative (medic) I do not die any more since level 18 or so. You say to save evasion for group of 4-5 mobs. Even normal 4-5 mobs? I usually open with grenade while I run towards them and get a TA with shiv and use carbine burst. Is this not viable later?

 

Something else. Is it ok to stop putting point in medic after I get the instant 21 pt talent (cannot remember the name)? I want to deviate after this point to lethality since I pvp alot.