I am returning to the game after a year or so off the sub. I read that there are a lot of changes been made to the game so I would like some opinions. I am looking to start fresh with a healing character. What class after all the updates has been the most efficient healer? I will be looking to play on the Republic side and will be choosing a female character. I am not all that concerned about romance options and I am interested in who has the most effective companion to help in the solo aspect of the game. My interests are to play my class missions but skip most of what I can on the side missions. I am more interested in playing flashpoints mostly and some limited pvp.

Thanks for the help.

DD

Edited July 14, 2013 by _Double-D_

Operative/Scoundrel healers are making people cry in PvP these days.

 

My personal preference is sage. They start out with a tank companion (which is actually meh, unless you're soloing heroics) and sage's second companion is a healer so .. even worse if you're playing a healer. If companions matter a lot, you might be disappointed. First companion is pretty dull too imo, though I love the sage playstyle.

 

I do have a commando and the female voice actress is fantastic, and her first companion has good DPS. I actually think early on commando is far easier to heal FPs with than a sage because you get a cheap, fairly spammable AoE that you can tack a HoT to early on (and can also apply a damage shield). I really enjoy commando too ... but I think they're harder to PvP with.

 

My sage is 43ish and my commando is only mid 20s though, so commando could get better in PvP at higher levels. You're just so dang slow. No real experience on scoundrels.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Sarielle

The notion of healing has not changed since launch day with Sages still win the cake in AOE heals while Commandos are the most efficient tank healers while Scoundrels are the most mobile healer of all 3.

 

All the changes you saw are quality improvement stuff to make gameplay more efficient and has no effects on their presumed archetypes.

If your looking a good 2.0 healer for and flashpoints as you stated, I personally would choose the Scoundrel (republic, Operative for Empire). 1. Scoundrels has the easiest resource management in the game, just keep it above 60 and if below use your regen 50 energy skill, if on cooldown, use diagnostic scan (very good heal no energy). 2. Scoundrels also are VERY good at healing on the run. 3. If you decide to be bored of healing their DPS is decent if speced in the Dirty Fighting tree. 4. When leveling up I highly suggest for you to be DPS because if your speced in healing it will be a slow process leveling up.

I still prefer Sorc and Merc for healing - less boring, tbh.

 

OP, Commando/Merc is a very well-rounded character. They may have actual low HPS/fluff healing (HoTs), but they're very tanky, they stack mitigation with OC kolto bomb and armour buff, and they deal hilarious amounts of damage for a healing class. They're rather flexible, tactically, with Hold the Line, knockbacks, interrupt immunity. Might not be the first choice for main healer, but can nonetheless excel in the right hands.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Helig

Then I vote scoundrel for your healer. You start off with ranged tank corso riggs, but on nar shadda, you get the much easier to gear (if you're a fan of endurance heavy tanks like me) melee wookie tank bowdaar. I say that bowdaar is easier to gear, because he's a strength user, and there's a strength heavy mod type, and endurance heavy mod type, whereas with corso being aim, you either get aim heavy, or balanced. Some people don't like bowdaar though, because of his throw ability, which while doing a lot of damage can sometimes pull extra groups. But it adds a nice level of challenge every now and then, or you can simply toggle it off.

Just an FYI, Corso's annoying harpoon has been changed into a leap. He does not drag your targets on top of you any more, he jumps forward and tanks from there. This change alone makes soloing with Corso so much nicer.

 

Also, I always thought the female smuggler's voice had the perfect level of sassy to it. She has great lines with lots of truely "laugh out loud" comments.

Thanks for the input all. I have decided to roll with the Smug/Scound healer. All around I like the choice as it fits the aspects I like with an option to roll as a support bard type as well. Companions also fit the roll I wanted also. Scoundrel looks pretty good also when we can start wearing hats.