Being unable to be targetted, or even damaged by anything not an AoE, is a pretty powerful defensive cooldown. I'd make the duration 4-5 seconds in that case.

 

You understand what synergy is right? Being untargetable sounds more like an operative/Assasin ability to me.

You understand what synergy is right? Being untargetable sounds more like an operative/Assasin ability to me.

 

How exactly do you think it doesn't synergize with the class? You'd be free to cast for 4 seconds (that's 2 GCDs) and no one would be able to target you to interrupt you. You know what doesn't synergize with the class? The talent in assault/pyro which makes reactive shield clear movement impairing effects. Great for Vanguards/PTs I'm sure but useless for the class that plants and casts from range. You know what doesn't synergize well with the class? A 4m root.

 

How exactly do you think the suggested idea doesn't synergize well with the class or isn't a legitimate defensive cooldown? Because the feel isn't right? Sending out a ton of holograms (or a smoke screen with chaff flares? I dunno how the merc version looks) seems like it'd fit perfectly into the "feel" of the ability from a RP perspective if that's really what you're talking about. You aren't vanishing out afterall.

Edited October 24, 2012 by ArchangelLBC

How exactly do you think it doesn't synergize with the class? You'd be free to cast for 4 seconds (that's 2 GCDs) and no one would be able to target you to interrupt you. You know what doesn't synergize with the class? The talent in assault/pyro which makes reactive shield clear movement impairing effects. Great for Vanguards/PTs I'm sure but useless for the class that plants and casts from range. You know what doesn't synergize well with the class? A 4m root.

 

How exactly do you think the suggested idea doesn't synergize well with the class or isn't a legitimate defensive cooldown? Because the feel isn't right? Sending out a ton of holograms (or a smoke screen with chaff flares? I dunno how the merc version looks) seems like it'd fit perfectly into the "feel" of the ability from a RP perspective if that's really what you're talking about. You aren't vanishing out afterall.

 

No point arguing since there isnt a chance in hell they are actually reading this and implement anything, but I think making yourself untargetable is more of a stealth class ability, rather than something a hardened warrior in heavy armor would do. The merceary has nothing even mildly resembling this ability so its not synergistic at all. At least the jetpack ability and the hardened armor abilities are things that actually make sense with a Mercenary.

Mercs are good solo-healers but they're not very resilient in PvP.

 

On my merc I've killed Sage Healers 1vs.1 but that's not even 1 AC that I find easy to beat, that's 1 role of 1 AC.

No point arguing since there isnt a chance in hell they are actually reading this and implement anything, but I think making yourself untargetable is more of a stealth class ability, rather than something a hardened warrior in heavy armor would do. The merceary has nothing even mildly resembling this ability so its not synergistic at all. At least the jetpack ability and the hardened armor abilities are things that actually make sense with a Mercenary.

 

I think it makes sense, since the Commando's Diversion shows numerous illusions of your character when used.

 

Mercs are good solo-healers but they're not very resilient in PvP.

 

I disagree. Perhaps it is a gear scaling issue making lower-geared Merc healers seem squishy but with top gear they are by far the sturdiest healer of the 3 - although less "slippery" than an Operative healer I'd attribute that more to their mobility rather than sturdiness. Once you start acquiring lots of Power on your gear the effective of Kolto Shell is very powerful especially when you double proc it from talents. This is in addition to the "god-mode" shield for 15 seconds. Merc healers are very viable in ranked but the DPS specs definitely need some love.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Jenzali

There is definitely something "off kilter" with the Mercs in PvP. I currently have three 50's, all with a similar mix of gear that has them all within a 100 Expertise of each other. But my Sorceress and Marauder will *always* score higher than my Merc (which usually is towards the bottom of the list). It's gotten to the point where I don't even want to do the daily with my Merc anymore, and just PvP with my Sorceress and Marauder (which makes me sad, because I really liked playing my Merc in PvP while leveling up).

*bump*

 

So at what point does this thread pass the "smell test" for a response from EA/BW?

 

At least throw us a bone? A belch? Something?

*bump*

 

So at what point does this thread pass the "smell test" for a response from EA/BW?

 

At least throw us a bone? A belch? Something?

 

Often times, I have seen game developers say they will not respond to threads that call them out. This of course being the irony in the fact they wouldn't be called out if they had communicated in the first place.

Merc/Commando are completely viable for rated warzones. I run a merc healer in the top pvp guild(s) on my server. I can regularly top 600k heals in heal spec and 600k damage for both arsenal and pyro WHILE in heal gear. You're crazy if you think merc/commando heals are not useful in a warzone. Maybe you have some other heavy armored single target healer that I don't know about.

 

Merc/commando 1vs1 could use some improvement. That being said heal spec using combustible gas is your best bet for 1vs1 though I have not tested arsenal in 1vs1 since the last patch. I feel like as heal spec,with practice, the only classes/specs that will give me trouble are annihilation marauders and heal spec sorcs/ops.

 

Heat management could use improvement as well.

Merc/Commando are completely viable for rated warzones. I run a merc healer in the top pvp guild(s) on my server. I can regularly top 600k heals in heal spec and 600k damage for both arsenal and pyro WHILE in heal gear. You're crazy if you think merc/commando heals are not useful in a warzone. Maybe you have some other heavy armored single target healer that I don't know about.

 

Merc/commando 1vs1 could use some improvement. That being said heal spec using combustible gas is your best bet for 1vs1 though I have not tested arsenal in 1vs1 since the last patch. I feel like as heal spec,with practice, the only classes/specs that will give me trouble are annihilation marauders and heal spec sorcs/ops.

 

Heat management could use improvement as well.

 

They are not talkimg about heals, glad you think its alright btw 600k heals is average.

I can regularly top 600k heals in heal spec and 600k damage for both arsenal and pyro WHILE in heal gear. You're crazy if you think merc/commando heals are not useful in a warzone. Maybe you have some other heavy armored single target healer that I don't know about.

 

Sorry but I have to call shenanigans on 600k damage. My Merc can go a whole WZ without dieing, and slapping the entire team around the whole time. You aren't going to hit 600k even if you only AoE and DoT everyone and just go for high damage. But to to hit 600k in RWZ is even harder since everyone else is a PT, Assassin, Mara, etc

 

And you said arsenal can get 600k damage in a rated? They cant even get half of that in a non-rated.

 

And "in heal gear". Arsenal...in heal gear....dropping 600k damage....in a rated. Cmon man

 

Umm...yes we do need a damage buff. We have mediocre burst damage and sub par susstained compared to both warrior classes and Powertechs.

 

PTs have the exact same survivability we do (maybe a little less because of no Knockback). The only reason they do so well is because when anything gets close they explode in fire.

 

No. We don't. We do excellent damage and we are RANGED. I have killed entire teams with Fusion Missle, Death from above, Cybertech's Fire grenade (the epic one) and sweeping blasters. When we can kill 5 people while staying out of the thick of the battle, i say we're pretty decent. I'm getting off track though.

 

PTs have high burst, thats their offense and a form of defense (if its dead, it can't hurt you....unless its a walker =) ) Our defense is ranged. Problem is, PTs and assasins can pull you in, Sorcs have ranged and Force speed, Juggs and Marauders can leap at you (usually twice, negating jetboost as a defense) and Ops have a 3 second god-mode and can restealth, again negating jetboost.

 

So if EVERY class has a method of negating Jetboost (with minimal or no talents required) its purpose is limited. We need a mobility option or a defensive cooldown to match it. Currently, if ANY class wants to kill us, they can because they know we aren't gunna run fast enough or defend well enough to stop whatever said class wants to do to us.

Merc/Commando are completely viable for rated warzones. I run a merc healer in the top pvp guild(s) on my server. I can regularly top 600k heals in heal spec and 600k damage for both arsenal and pyro WHILE in heal gear. You're crazy if you think merc/commando heals are not useful in a warzone. Maybe you have some other heavy armored single target healer that I don't know about.

 

Merc/commando 1vs1 could use some improvement. That being said heal spec using combustible gas is your best bet for 1vs1 though I have not tested arsenal in 1vs1 since the last patch. I feel like as heal spec,with practice, the only classes/specs that will give me trouble are annihilation marauders and heal spec sorcs/ops.

 

Heat management could use improvement as well.

 

Thank you, +1.

 

They're just not designed to be a 1v1 class, they're a crucial support role both as healing and as dps.

Sorry but I have to call shenanigans on 600k damage. My Merc can go a whole WZ without dieing, and slapping the entire team around the whole time. You aren't going to hit 600k even if you only AoE and DoT everyone and just go for high damage. But to to hit 600k in RWZ is even harder since everyone else is a PT, Assassin, Mara, etc

 

And you said arsenal can get 600k damage in a rated? They cant even get half of that in a non-rated.

 

And "in heal gear". Arsenal...in heal gear....dropping 600k damage....in a rated. Cmon man

I usually solo pug, and I can hit 600k. I would say average (full length game) DPS is 400k for me. 600k would be more exceptional but viable in a heal-heavy match.

Thank you, +1.

 

They're just not designed to be a 1v1 class, they're a crucial support role both as healing and as dps.

 

I have to disagree about the DPS part. There are no rated teams that run with a DPS Merc as they don't bring anything that another class can't do better. They don't provide crucial support - they can not off heal to any effectiveness, they lack the taunting capabilities of Powertechs, they do less damage (if noticed), defense and have worse mobility than Powertechs, and they lack the CC abilities of Powertechs, and don't provide any crucial support abilities like Predation, Bloodthirst, or the Trauma debuff. Their main DPS is all tied to a single ability which is prone to interrupts.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Jenzali

They're just not designed to be a 1v1 class, they're a crucial support role both as healing and as dps.

Sry this is wrong. They were absolutely intended to be effective 1v1, they just weren't given the tools. Watch this Bioware vid explaining the class (from 2:14 on).

I usually solo pug, and I can hit 600k. I would say average (full length game) DPS is 400k for me. 600k would be more exceptional but viable in a heal-heavy match.

 

Also please note he said an Arsenal Merc in Healer Gear, in a Rated Warzone....dropping 600k damage.

 

When you drop 400k, I'd assume you are a Pyro in DPS gear?

Who's willing to bet that if we finally get a response, it'll be something like, "The class is working as intended, but we'll continue to monitor player performance and make changes as necessary"?

 

Metrics™

Who's willing to bet that if we finally get a response, it'll be something like, "The class is working as intended, but we'll continue to monitor player performance and make changes as necessary"?

 

Metrics™

 

I'm thinking it might be along those lines. The fact that arsenal Merc is good for PvE stuff likely makes them less inclined to go changing things. I don't know. Maybe that is fine if people know that coming in to the AC; but perhaps that's why PvP seems unbalanced to many due to the PvE performance.

I'm thinking it might be along those lines. The fact that arsenal Merc is good for PvE stuff likely makes them less inclined to go changing things. I don't know. Maybe that is fine if people know that coming in to the AC; but perhaps that's why PvP seems unbalanced to many due to the PvE performance.

 

the changes that need to be made would have zero affect on pve performance.

 

making unload uninterruptable, zero affect. adding in a skill that makes merc uninterruptable for x amount of time, zero affect. making rocket punch root + knockback, zero affect. etc etc

 

merc dps output is absolutely fine. the problem is we lack the mobility + utility to compete with melee opponents

I have a commando Full WH and Elite WH gear, also a Gunlinsger Full WH/EWH. Merc/commandos are hard to play in PvP, you need to be fast and smart, but u have the tools now to win a 1vs1 fight even vs a BH/Vanguard or sentinel/Mara.

I have a commando Full WH and Elite WH gear, also a Gunlinsger Full WH/EWH. Merc/commandos are hard to play in PvP, you need to be fast and smart, but u have the tools now to win a 1vs1 fight even vs a BH/Vanguard or sentinel/Mara.

 

having BiS gear means absolutely nothing, only that you put a lot of time into the game. i think its funny that people seem to use that as some kind of a qualifier.

 

merc IS at a massive disadvantage against every other dps class. it has nothing to do with damage output, and everything to do with mobility/utility. merc is heavily dependent on casting, but has no way to resist interrupts. merc is solely reliant on range, but has a weak assortment of abilites to repel melee opponents.

 

make unload uninterruptable for arsenal spec, and power shot instant cast for pyro spec, and merc would instantly be able to compete.

I have a commando Full WH and Elite WH gear, also a Gunlinsger Full WH/EWH. Merc/commandos are hard to play in PvP, you need to be fast and smart, but u have the tools now to win a 1vs1 fight even vs a BH/Vanguard or sentinel/Mara.

Wow. Just wow. That's the problem: everyone here just isn't fast enough and smart enough to play this AC.

Wow. Just wow. That's the problem: everyone here just isn't fast enough and smart enough to play this AC.

 

i am... just saying

Wow. Just wow. That's the problem: everyone here just isn't fast enough and smart enough to play this AC.

 

That was the problem with deception assassins for months.

 

Most people who played them never figured out how to play them, and even Bioware went public with that information.