if you don't care about getting into a rated team, pick whichever AC you prefer. you'll be plenty effective in regs. plus, I'd rather not think I helped make another sniper.

sorc and merc DPS can do just as well as a sniper in RWZ. you just have to be good enough

sorc and merc DPS can do just as well as a sniper in RWZ. you just have to be good enough

snipers require less support from the team. but yeah, skill will always trump class, pretty much regardless of class balance.

edit: and many guilds will set teams based solely on class.

I beat this marauder in a 1v1 duel and he called me a hacker because he didn't think it was physically possible for a merc to out play him.

I remember playing on the PTS (I think for 1.3) and someone started reporting me and accusing me of hacking because he couldn't fathom how a Commando could possibly reach Elite Warlord. But hey, I play shooters, calling me a hacker is actually a compliment.

Yeah, I\m pretty sure most of us would trade electronet damage for a shorter cooldown in a HEARTBEAT.

I vote NO.

I use it to great effect as-is... which probably means it'll get nerfed. "Can't let 'em have anything nice." *sigh*

It's an elegant tool as it's designed. The netted player has choices: stand there exposed or move and take additional damage (the player must decide if they can "afford it," or if the exchange is one they have to make to have a chance to survive at all -- the lesser of the proverbial two evils). For maximum effect, we must be equally judicious in it's deployment when facing skilled foes. It has been interesting watching the choices made given the circumstances and by whom. You can tell the smart ones are thinking but the ones that got used to mindlessly and repeatedly coming after Commandos (and refuse to alter tactics) are dropping like rocks. There have been some positive strides, but mostly the net is effective because opponents need to think their way through the fights. Is it perfect? No, but it's helping to make Commando less miserable to play.

...but yeah, skill will always trump class, pretty much regardless of class balance..

LOL. Fallacy!! In other words, NO. Were you not around when an Operative could jump out of stealth, stun lock you and have you dead w/o firing off a single ability in 1-2 GCDs? How was your skill workin' for ya back then? lol. Class mechanics are huge, I'll go so far as to say: a poorly skilled player in a strong class will only have limited effectiveness against a less strong class in the hands of a skilled player. But to imply class mechanics have no bearing on outcome as long as in the hands of a skilled player is patently false.

lol. I used to kite kill ppl (pre 2.0) all the time with one plasma, 1-2 hib's and the rest hammer shots, but not every class and never the best players of any class. when I got electro net, though...omg! the best players on the server were in trouble if I had all my cds up. the dmg you can deal with net (including what you do while they're snared) is crazy. by the time the snare effect ends, they're down around 45%-30% (depending on crits from mortor volley, hib, etc). I can literally face tank and hammer shot most ppl at that point. (and net didn't do a darn thing to their resolve!) so yeah. the dmg aspect of net is awesome, but it's a ridiculously powerful ability. and that's not even using it in an organized fashion to neutralize the other team's healer.

 

I would definitely miss baiting dps heroes into isolation and then netting them for an easy kill, but just the snare on a short cd is reasonable. remember though, you're still a turret in gunnery. so it's only gonna give you a quick grav and maybe a series of instants...maybe catch them in FA as net is breaking.

I used to be a assault specialist like you... But then I took a nerf to the knee and became gunnery

(I liked AS for it's mobility... Being able to miste everyone with just hammershot...)

Wish they would buff mercenary healers.

Considering they currently heal 1/3 of what an operative/scoundrel can I don't see the logic in that argument. Anyone actually seen merc healers in warzones?

Considering they currently heal 1/3 of what an operative/scoundrel can I don't see the logic in that argument. Anyone actually seen merc healers in warzones?

Yes, I did today

Impressive, eh?

Mercenary's medic spec is fine. Multiple mercenaries on Jedi Covenant have healed for over 2 million healing in WZs. Just because scoundrel's medic spec is extremely strong does not mean that mercenary's medic spec needs buffed. Scoundrel's medic tree is going to get nerfed.

that is quite a hefty assumption. and unless the basic mechanics of scoundrel/operative healing is changed, it will always outperform both sorc and merc. scound/op have more instant heals, and in PvP standing still is a great way to die.

Merc healing isnt fine... there are a lot of broken/downright stupid things in the skill tree that need adjusting.

Have said it before and will say it again - best way to manage class rebalancing is to measure which subclasses are used in ranked warzone matches by the winning team. Subclasses that are overrepresented are overpowered. Those that are underrepresented are underpowered. This metric correctly leverages the knowledge base of the best players in the game. In contrast the current metrics used (meta averages) inherently weight the worst players in the game with as much influence on determining class rebalancing as the best players. The current metrics used can not account for the overwhelming use of stealth classes as solo guards and solo scouts that have low output but are critical parts of the team.

The irony here is that so much of what is broken in this game such as Bolster and class (im)balance is very easily fixed. But BW is simply pig headed and won't abandon its sacred cows. Hence we are in the upteenth iteration of Bolster exploit loopholes and 2.4 will see another round of buffs to snipers, operative healers and stealth classes.

Have said it before and will say it again - best way to manage class rebalancing is to measure which subclasses are used in ranked warzone matches by the winning team. Subclasses that are overrepresented are overpowered. Those that are underrepresented are underpowered. This metric correctly leverages the knowledge base of the best players in the game.

+1. This metric is not perfect but it is probably better than any others. It would help if BW would make PvP WZ infrastructure changes that would increase the number of people playing RWZ. Larger rated populations will make the above metric better.

merc pyro and healing are mediocre spec that could use improvement but can do the job as they are in my opinion. I got 500k heals consistently and I got 720k dmg with pyro with my lv46 merc , but both need buffs because other heals/dps specs are alot better I think.

I should be 55 this weekend but I am still not sure if im going to main merc or assassin, I love both classes and its hard to decide.

merc pyro and healing are mediocre spec that could use improvement but can do the job as they are in my opinion. I got 500k heals consistently and I got 720k dmg with pyro with my lv46 merc , but both need buffs because other heals/dps specs are alot better I think.

I should be 55 this weekend but I am still not sure if im going to main merc or assassin, I love both classes and its hard to decide.

I love my merc too. It really doesn't help when they do class balancing patches one in a blue moon. If they did weekly balance patches this game would be much better.

merc pyro and healing are mediocre spec that could use improvement but can do the job as they are in my opinion. I got 500k heals consistently and I got 720k dmg with pyro with my lv46 merc , but both need buffs because other heals/dps specs are alot better I think.

I should be 55 this weekend but I am still not sure if im going to main merc or assassin, I love both classes and its hard to decide.

Well... You'll get higher dmg on pyro due to dots, but arsenal is still better...

that is quite a hefty assumption. and unless the basic mechanics of scoundrel/operative healing is changed, it will always outperform both sorc and merc. scound/op have more instant heals, and in PvP standing still is a great way to die.

 

Merc healing isnt fine... there are a lot of broken/downright stupid things in the skill tree that need adjusting.

Correct.

Peacekeeper is such a lame talent in the medic tree. Sure it might come in handy in some situations, but let's be honest... I'm sure most people would prefer something a bit better.

No! I love pew pewing my targets to death even though I'm a healer!