You'll become more effective at 20 with Slow-Release Medpac, and again at 30 when you get Emergency Medpac. Leveling Sawbones is smart; Scrapper doesn't really begin to shine until 36-40, and Sawbones will keep you in-demand for groups as you level.

You just reinforced up my entire point. It's an unmemorable, unremarkable, inconspicuous animation. Additionally, EMP's activation animation (like all other Scoundrel heal animations--they're all the same) can often be clipped by movement or prior animations. Compare that to Emergency Scan, etc.

For elites prior to level 40 or so, you're probably better off just with Slow Release Medpac -> Stealth -> Blackblast -> crouch + Sab Charge -> spam Charged Burst until the elite is dead. Use Cool Head. That should be the fastest way of dealing with elites until your 40s.

I think you're confusing whining with reporting a legitimate gameplay problem. I would challenge you to look at every single other heal in the game for their audiovisual cues. I've seen all of them, and they all have distinct cues that are either audio or visual. The Smuggler is the only class in the game that uses the exact same activation animation for every single heal, and Emergency Medpac is the now only instant heal in the game with both an inconspicuous activation animation AND sound effect. Compare Emergency Medpac to the Bounty Hunter's Emergency Scan. Emergency Scan's activation animation can be easily clipped by movement, but the impact animation is blatantly obvious. Further compare it to the Sage's new Force Mend ability. Force Mend has virtually no sound effect (much like Emergency Medpac), but is has a VERY obvious impact animation (and, as I established above, Emergency Medpac does not). You're right—watching the Upper Hand count does work. Unfortunately, it's now the only reliable way to tell if the ability has connected. And that's where the problem lies. Animations and audio cues matter, Thorriin. If they didn't, we'd all still be playing text-based MUDs.

Straight-up healing between the two has been fine since 1.2, though they do operate differently. The area where the Sage/Sorc has an advantage is utility and convenience; a Sage healer has abilities like Force Armor, Rescue, Force Speed, and Force Mend that a Scoundrel just can't match. Scoundrels have fewer luxuries, but in the end, can do the job just as well. I'd suggest giving it a shot, particularly due to the huge difference in regen mechanics. I've been leveling a Sage, recently, and found that I really have to look at fights differently as a Sage than I would as a Scoundrel. The Sage is much more like a Priest from WoW—you've got a set resource pool, and you need to plan ahead for the entire course of the fight. Scoundrels heal much more in the moment; their Energy regenerates rapidly, and Cool Head / Adrenaline Probe is essentially a second Energy bar.

As far as I know, there's been no word on whether or not the audio changes in 1.4 were intentional, or an oversight. That said, I'd like to bring up what I think is one of the more important skills that was affected: the Scoundrel's Emergency Medpac. Emergency Medpac previously shared a sound effect with your companion healer's instant heal: a crisp, clear, distinct "beep." I have no doubt that some players might find this annoying, which makes me wonder if the change was intentional. However, regardless of personal preference, the fact is that the change has caused a fairly fundamental gameplay problem for Scoundrel healers: lack of an audiovisual confirmation of successful cast. Let me explain and expand a bit more on that concept by comparing 1.4's Emergency Medpac to its Imperial Equivalant: the Operative's Surgical Probe. 1. The sound effect for Surgical Probe has a much higher pitch that Emergency Medpac; it's easy to hear regardless of what's going on. Comparatively, Emergency Medpac's sound is muffled, distant, and easily overpowered by other sounds. The new sound is essentially a quiet "woosh" -- barely audible over a saber swing. 2. Surgical Probe's activation animation noticeably alters your player's pose, regardless of movement state. It's an obvious visual cue. Emergency Medpac's animation is often clipped by movement, prior ability use, or animation bugs. All Scoundrel heals use the same activation animation, and Scoundrels will often become animation bugged during combat, forcing them to retain this pose for a period of time. The combined result: it's often unapparent that Emergency Medpac connected. 3. Surgical Probe has a conspicuous impact animation. Emergency Medpac does not, unless it is cast directly on the player. The audio change to Emergency Medpac essentially removed the ability's only distinct audiovisual cue.

No, it isn't. With the sound change, the two aren't even CLOSE. I've played a Medicine Op and Sawbones Scoundrel extensively since launch. While the lack of polish and detail with the Sawbones animations is a bit frustrating compared to the Operative, this recent change to Emergency Medpac presents a very fundamental problem for healers. 1. The sound effect for Surgical Probe has a much higher pitch; it's easy to hear regardless of what's going on. Emergency Medpac's sound is muffled, distant, and easily overpowered by other sounds. The new sound is essentially a muffled "woosh" sound followed by a distant, typically very quiet "beep." Compare this to a companion medic's Kolto Jolt ability, which still retains the crisp, clear activation sound. 2. Surgical Probe's activation animation noticeably alters your player's pose, regardless of movement state. It's an obvious visual cue. Emergency Medpac's animation is often clipped by movement, prior ability use, or animation bugs. ALL Scoundrel heals use the SAME ACTIVATION ANIMATION, and Scoundrels will often become animation bugged during combat, forcing them to retain this pose for a period of time. 3. Surgical Probe has a conspicuous impact animation. Emergency Medpac does not, UNLESS its cast directly on the player. In that case, yes, it does have a conspicuous impact animation. Unlike the other Smuggler sound changes where most objections boil down to loss of enjoyment, the change to Emergency Medpac removed the ability's ONLY distinct audiovisual cue. It is absolutely NOT the same as the Operative's Surgical Probe.

My Scoundrel is full neutral. There are some really satisfying and rewarding dark side choices throughout the class story. They aren't really dark in the fanatical, psychopathic Sith sense, though—it's more about, as you mentioned, looking out for number one.

I think the most important thing when trying to level a Scoundrel is getting into a rhythm. Scoundrels are a weird hybrid of melee and ranged that, honestly, is somewhat clunky until you get used to it. Try leveling Sawbones until at least your mid 30s. Backblast is strong enough untalented, and Slow-Release Medpac lends Corso serious survivability. Plus, you'll be in-demand for the group finder. Take Cover frequently. Charged Burst and Sabotage Charge are some of your hardest-hitting abilities before 40. For a while, you'll be able to burn through elites using Charged Burst and Cool Head. Use Blaster Wave as often as you can. It deals highly competitive damage, and is AoE on top of it. Thermal Grenade -> Cheap Shot is an excellent low level combo. At 34, the lazy man's version becomes Thermal Grenade -> Head Shot. Use Disappearing Act frequently. It's now on a 2 minute cooldown. When an elite jumps on you after a cutscene, or a pull doesn't quite go your way, go ahead and pop Dodge -> Disappearing Act so you can start the fight your way. Put Corso on passive beforehand. A typical low-level burst routine on a large group of mobs might look like Stealth -> Backblast -> Thermal Grenade -> Cheap Shot -> Blaster Wave -> Blaster Whip -> Blaster Wave -> Take Cover -> Sabotage Charge -> Charged Burst. Put 2 stacks of Slow-Release Medpac on Corso prior to a fight; refresh them between fights, or between kills on long fights. Use Defense Screen liberally. It has a short cooldown. Between Defense Screen and Corso, your Smuggler should take very little damage overall. At 30, Emergency Medpac makes you a fantastic Warzone healer and really ups your survivability overall. At 36, you get Shoot First, which is an added opener to the above routine. At 40, your burst becomes much more substantial as Scrapper and is absolutely work checking out. Search the GTN for purple barrels for both yourself and Corso every 5 levels or so. They make a huge difference, and are usually very affordable.

It sounds like BioWare's at least aware that our sounds aren't working correctly: http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=5211497&postcount=24

Nice job!

Hey all, don't forget to /bug report this when you guys are in-game. I know for a fact that the following Smuggler abilities have had their sound files altered or bugged: Charged Burst Emergency Medpac I don't have a Gunslinger, but I've heard that many of their shots are also affected. Make sure you guys are listing them in your posts by the exact skill name, as well as doing a /bug report in-game to ensure this gets addressed.

I can confirm this... The crisp, clear beep sound that lets you know EMP connected is now gone. The sound effect sounds muffled and distant. What's weird is that Kolto Jolt, which shared the same sound effect, remains the same. I'm sincerely hoping this is a bug. If not, it unfortunately rounds out an extremely lackluster sound and animation set for the Sawbones when compared to the Medicine Operative...

The sound effect for Emergency Medpac was also changed... The original (Kolto Jolt's present sound effect) was crisp and clear. The new one sounds distant and muffled.

Sawbones. 1) Perceived as a valuable healer in a post 1.2 game in all environments. 2) Satisfied overall. Would like to see Kolto Pack looked at; its Upper Hand cost is not justified compared to the Sage and Commando equivalent heal. With a little Alacrity, Underworld Medicine is usually better. Heal animations also need to be revisited; most are recycled, compared to Operatives with have unique animations for all of their heals.