Something that I had recently thought about was the mentality behind buffing classes and nerfing classes. We all know what they each mean, but their affect on gamers is drastically different. These days everyone is asking, yelling, screaming, qqing, etc. for nerfing which is a negative impact on the classes themselves and in affect negatively on the players that play them. Taking a strong class that many players use and effectively hurting them to bring them down to the level of other classes.

In the early days of SWTOR, there was a lot of Nerfing which caused many players to leave the game because their class was hurt by a nerf. Some of it was necessary and some wasn't when we look back at it today. Some of the most recent class rebalancing that has been done have actually been buffs which brings a positive influence back to players. I've seen many old players returning and other players rolling other classes that got buffed. Yes there are FOTMs but as an example, I made an Assassin because they rebalanced the Deception tree and it looked like a lot of fun.

We are now past the times of crazy Nerfing or Buffing. It's all little tweaks at this point, that is until the level cap gets raised and new skills get added to the trees and we will have to see then. For now I don't think there is really any class that needs a crazy nerf. Yes minor tweak to the bubble spec (or just the resolve mechanic) or maybe decrease the damage output of the smashers, but it's not that bad. We know at least one class that needs a decent buff, Mercenary/Commando. That is honestly the only class that needs the biggest change buff or nerf.

Overall, you keep players around and happy with buffs, not nerfs. Not to say nerfs shouldn't be done, they are needed, but not to the amount that people are crying over. Example, what happened to all the Operative/Scoundrel players early in the game? They switched classes or stopped playing after early updates. Same with early Sorcs/Sages and then they got buffed with the Bubble which drove a lot of players to create a Sorc/Sage. What do you think will happen if Mercs/Commandos get a decent buff? More people will play them which overall means they are playing the game more.

Overall agree, TTK is in a good place for regs and rated... a happy medium even. Slight tweaks are the way to go as major buffs or nerfs could be game breaking for the TTK aspect.

Obviously some classes need it more than others and a few things could be toned down, but I think these things should be done gradually since we've all seen what a relatively small change can do to a spec.

The problem with the whole Buff/Nerf cluster**** is that usually it swings too much. Instead of a change here and there, a class either ends up a GOD or neutered to the point of being useless.

A good SWTOR example is melee operatives, were a beast at launch and now 90% are just a aggrovation when they target you (I have seen a handful that still slaughter but its rare).

If I win, I have skillz. L2P LMFAO

If you win, you are skilless and OP. Nerf you.

That about sums it up

The problem with the whole Buff/Nerf cluster**** is that usually it swings too much. Instead of a change here and there, a class either ends up a GOD or neutered to the point of being useless.

 

A good SWTOR example is melee operatives, were a beast at launch and now 90% are just a aggrovation when they target you (I have seen a handful that still slaughter but its rare).

This pretty much sums it up. One of the few good tweaks (in my opinion) was the PT "nerf". Our range was effectively brought down and we can now be kited fairly easily, however we still deal out considerable damage face-to-face.

This pretty much sums it up. One of the few good tweaks (in my opinion) was the PT "nerf". Our range was effectively brought down and we can now be kited fairly easily, however we still deal out considerable damage face-to-face.

To be fair PT is significantly a melee class.

If I win, I have skillz. L2P LMFAO

 

If you win, you are skilless and OP. Nerf you.

 

That about sums it up

^ Or basically this is the issue ^