hi i played the game at launch, took a long break and i recently came back

 

i have a 50 sage but i just can't seem to get into it so i was looking for something else to play. i tried a low assassin i had already and although i do like the aspect of stealth i much prefer range classes and from what i've heard sins are usually resorted to node def in pvp (which i'd be more focused on) which doesn't sound that fun

 

what are the current state of commando/merc in pvp now? i remember them being pretty bad before but has that changed much since nearly 2 years ago?

 

 

baaah i don't know what to play ;_;

Well, from my experience, yes, Mercs/commandos are pretty good with all three trees.

Although your only options with them are pretty much:

1. Be an easily interrupt-able (But good) healer.
   
2. Be an annoying spammer. (My opinion)
   
3. Be a damage obsessed pyromaniac :]
   

I think we have a few things in common. I came back to the game about a month ago (started at launch, took a few month break). I also prefer ranged and mainly pvp. I have a 51 shadow that I play middle dps tree (infiltration) and occasionally have fun with - 1v1 that I initiate almost always end badly for my opponent - but it's not my favorite class.

 

In spite of its weaknesses, I really like my sage. TK is a blast to play when people leave you alone to free cast, but really prone to interrupts and is nearly impossible to win 1v1 vs anything melee. If somebody wants to ruin your day, it can be really frustrating. In 4v4 arenas, if I'm the only sage, you can guarantee that I am their primary target.

 

On the other hand, the balance tree works rather well due to extra slows + insta-casting DoTs. The strategy is pretty much DoT, DoT, slow, run, TT, TT, TT, DoT, slow, run, TT, etc. Keep melee off of you with slows, stuns, and burst away from them. Stay far enough away that they can't hit you, but not so far that they can leap to you. It's a game of range. Balance sages perform rather well in 55 pvp. I've seen over 1m damage (I've done about 900K at best - voidstar with healers on both sides).

 

Commandos/mercs are actually better now than they were a while back. I remember them being pretty terrible in pvp. You might give one of them a try. Alternatively, snipers/gunslingers have always been good. I have one of each, but the cover mechanic bothers me, so I don't play them much (lvl 13 and 24).

 

Hope that helps!

Edited January 31, 2014 by teclado

yeh the cover mechanic bothers me too or i probably would have made a sniper already

 

i think i'll give commando a go as i like the idea of the big guns and i find some of their armour pretty nice but my god the story is so boring

i think im one of the few people that actually likes the cover mechanics. if you have a high apm it just takes getting used to. if youre a clicker tho like most people i can see how the cover system is kind of a drag.

i think im one of the few people that actually likes the cover mechanics. if you have a high apm it just takes getting used to. if youre a clicker tho like most people i can see how the cover system is kind of a drag.

I got a razer naga about a month ago and have gotten pretty used to it by now. So yeah, I used to click, and haven't really played my gunslinger or sniper since then, so maybe I'll give it another go. Mainly I just didn't like getting knocked out of cover, then attempting to spam abilities only to realize that I can't use them because I'm not in cover anymore. Plus, I think I'd rather LoS people than constantly have to figure out where to move camp.

yeh im not a clicker either but just the thought of having to be in cover for abilities to work

 

i guess i don't really like to be restricted in my movement

If you pvp don't bother with sniper/gunslinger. Too easy to interrupt and kill. There are almost none on the leaderboards. Now with the nerf to OS, players just ignore it so it's useless as defense and even as area of denial.

If you pvp don't bother with sniper/gunslinger. Too easy to interrupt and kill. There are almost none on the leaderboards. Now with the nerf to OS, players just ignore it so it's useless as defense and even as area of denial.

Not to speak of making the ability useless in PVE as well. So yes, new (or returning) players should stay clear of any class that got a 60% damage nerf to their signature ability. Better play something else, like a sorcerer or commando?