1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes? [Arsenal] Can do alot of damage to other classes if left to attack enemys freely.

2. How do you perceive your own spec? [Arsenal] Again, I feel I can do alot of damage if I'm left alone to attack, but as soon as an enemy attacks me I become pretty useless as we have barely any defensive abilitys or hard hitting instant cast abilitys, I also seem to die a heck of alot faster than my Powertech.

1. PvP wise dmg is overall weak and lacking, heals are not what they used to be, i have heard they do decently better in PvE situations.

2. Overall dmg and healing are terrible in pvp, i cant even farm comms to even try to get warhero gear, ive been playing a merc since release and they used to be so much fun, in all honesty i think the most balenced they ever were was right after 1.2 when tracers dmg was nerfed but heatseeker did 50% extra dmg rather then 25%, im fine with tracer not doing any dmg, but when my main hitters (heaseeker, and railshot) are hitting people with recruit gear for 2k on a crit, something doesnt sound right

Bodyguard spec

1. Never played with anyone that didn't enjoy the mercs healing or having one in the group.

2. Personally for me is hands down the best class in the game, with 2.2k AIM and 1.9k Endurance I can easliy double as DPS if need be and be on par with other dps classes on top of healing. Bar none this class for me is the most fun to play.

I'm a bodyguard merc so...

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

This can drastically range between the opposing player and class in terms of PvP. Some may consider a bodyguard as near un-killable with the instant heals and defensive abilities., while other may look to me as a free kill knowing the class flaws and how to shut them down. With PvE we are just viewed as tank healer that can easily be replaced with an Operative healer if need be.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

The lack of utility with the class can make it very stressful in PvP when you notice something and lack the ability to do anything about it yourself. SCG should be looked at again, I loved the utility it gave before 1.2 came out but after that, it almost feels like there is no point to it. Overall, I'd liked to see the spec require more anticipation and long term planning with abilities rather then the strict limited amount of moves that can be played within a 6 second window.

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

[PvE Arsenal] Ranged damage class than can be replaced with any other ranged damage class.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

[PvE Arsenal] It's fine. No complaints. If I could change anything, it would be less "stationary turret" and more instant-cast abilities. Perhaps something in the skill tree that reduces cast time to zero for certain skills.

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Most people look down on dps mercenary because they lack the damage output and utility of other classes.

I've played most classes. This is the one I'm currently leveling. A couple of months ago when I first made this toon, it felt overpowered. Now it feels much weaker. It also feels weaker than the other classes I've gotten to 50 so far (Gunslinger, Maurader, Sage, Operative). In pvp I do ok by the numbers, but try to avoid 1v1 on this class. I enjoy the play style of this class, but find myself doing 50 pvp on other toons instead of leveling this one, because it feels just a tad too weak for me to find the groove.

Your healing toolkit feels empty till mid game.

It is really awkward and I almost felt like I was forced to go arsenal to level before level 30.

First off, I've played as all 3 specs since June beta of last year so I feel I should be able to comment on all 3. That said, I'm currently playing as Pyro spec 3/7/31.

PYRO

1-No matter the dps spec we're usually considered a non threat and even as pyro spec we're called Tracer spammers for some idiotic reason. Easily replaced by another ranged DPS, particulary a Pyro Powertech.

2-As Pyro we can do fairly well but not without it's faults that are inherent to the AC itself. Being the most mobile of the 3 specs means we can break LOS a lot easier to escape incoming damage. Even then, I think we lack the defenses/utility to compete with classes like Powertechs, Marauders, and Snipers who all can do much better DPS with some added functionality within a group. Needs an escape mechanic.

BODYGUARD

1-Excellent heals and survivability but easily replaced with Op or Sorc healer due to mobility/utility issues.

2-Same as above. Energy Shield is a bit OP when combined with Power Shield and 2 piece gear set, with a guard it is basically godmode. Lack of utility or escape mechanic.

ARSENAL

1-Generally considered the laughing stock of Mercenary. Easily shut down in PvP.

2-Same as above. Even when I play my Pyro I gun for Arsenal/Gunnery specs as they are by far easily killed. When I play my Assassin or Marauder I can basically guarantee myself an easy solo kill against them. The spec needs a drastic overhaul from it's current state by making Tracer Missile less of a central attack source for so many buffs/debuffs.

1. Bodyguard specs are a challenging kill but others are straightforward, with tracer missile spammers getting a lot of attention as they are perceived as skill-less, despite needing to spam tracer missile for the arsenal spec.

2. Just respecced from arsenal to pyro and the difference is HUGE. Now loving the mobile DPS role with dual pistols - the kind of character I imagined the gunslinger should be. Probably not as good 1v1 as a pyro powertech, but can do most of my damage at 30m to compensate.

I would like to preface my post by saying that I only PvP and do little PvE other than the occasional hardmode.

1. How do you think your Mercenay spec is perceived by other classes?

Frankly, I feel like mercenaries are viewed as a free kill by others unless they are heal spec. The healer being uninterruptable with the shield is viable and useful to a team. Both other specs are underrated and either ignored by the oposing team or quickly killed.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I have run Arsenal and Pyro on my merc. I really like arsenal for the big crits from heatseeker missiles. I dont like tracer spam, but after 1.3 I feel this has improved slightly. Still Arsenal is a gimped spec and completely and utterly useless against a good team. If you are getting carried by your team and are allowed to free cast its decent, nothing more. A good team will interrupt and kill you in an instant. Pyro is better but why take a pyro merc when you can take a PT.

I play all 3 healing class types at a end game level, aka cleared EC HM on all and Achived a high rating on all.

Bodyguard

1. Weak in comparison to the other healers, due to lack of mobility and heat issues.

2. Feels like we have to work harder than the other healers to achieve similar results ( i play all 3 in full war hero/BM gear). We can take a bit more damage than the other 2 healing types but without a shorter cool down on our knock back or a way to talent it so it can root people affected by the knock back we struggle, as we can not escape from tricky situations unlike the other 2. Heat is tough on healing as one of our main heals costs 25% of our total heat and when you are in a tough situation and need to keep someone alive, there is no other way but you use rapid scan - rapid scan which can save the person you are healing but is very detrimental on heat. Unlike the operative who can heal continuously due to the diagnostic scan change.

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

We are the laughing stock of PVP. Never leave Merc to watch a turret, because every class can 1v1 them. You can look at any post and all classes make fun of Mercenaries. Pyro isn't as bad as Arsenal, but it still under performs in pvp compared to other ACs. Its rough playing a class that isn't wanted in rated WZs. In a perfect senario, Mercenaries can do descent DPS, but its usually AE based and against poorly geared players.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I'm honestly embarassed to play my Mercenary in pvp. Guildies will let me group with them in RWZs at times, but you can tell they are just being nice. Arsenal is very poor for pvp. Undoubtedly the worst class in the game. I recently quit playing the game, because how poor Mercenaries perform in PVP. Pyro is better, but still not desirable. There isn't one thing that Mercenary can do better or equal to snipers or Powertech. i think Heatseaker damage needs to be increased by 10% and Tracer Missle cast time needs to be reduced by .5 seconds to make us some what equal to other ACs in pvp. Heat would then be an issue for us, but burst would be a tad better. It would be a worthwhile trade in my opinion. Increasing our damage shield to 75% might help as well, since we have no other options to keep melee off of us.

This is my perception as an 88 Valor full WH Merc

My point of view as an Arsenal Merc with one of the top PvE guilds with DPS meter up during Ops, etc.

PvE

View from others:

- I can give a "decent" amount of "sustain" damage over time with exception of possibly the first 5-10s if Unload happens to proc., where I'll shoot right up in the meter.

- As for utilities I can cc in combat where with the right CD it'll be an instant in combat cc which can be useful if we need an emergency cc BUT don't expect any interrupting from us.

View from ME:

- While it "feels" that I'm doing allot of damage the meter tells me otherwise., it's "not bad" BUT we shouldn't be dealing this much less DPS than the Marauders.....it's embarrassing at times!

- i like how the rotation is played at the moment but at times it does seems we're spamming only one ability for another to proc BUT it has improved in 1.3.

- The ability to make a "cast" ability instant is great., either for cc or that emergency self healing!

- I do struggle on bosses where movement is require to get out of AoE as the main ability of unload and TM require me to be still so e.g. If unload proc and I start using but I need to move then I loose it all.

PvP.....I'm full Warhero, Conquerer.

View from others:

- A Merc....must be a healer!

- have the potential to do some damage if left alone and/or have a pocket healer.

- A Merc! Mark, interrupt and take him down!

View from ME:

- it is right now soooooo frustrating that I've given up PvPing till some thing changes!

-in 1-1, interrupt my TM and I'll never get the rail shot stack or Unload to proc....bye bye DPS.

- I can stun them once in a blue moon....it feels that way anyway.

- the push back and self heal is probably the most useful.

- if I happen to be left alone to do some DPS any "burst" if you can consider it a burst will push me to the heat limit.

- but generally Merc is being targeted as people know if left alone we can do damages and we're easy defenseless take down...yes, even with all our defensive CD's.

Bodyguard spec (PvP)

1. We seem to be the least common of the 3 healers. Some people see us as impossible to kill, some see us as a joke of a healer, depending on how well their understand our cooldowns.

2. Overall, I like the way that Bodyguard plays; we have a wide variety of heals that are all useful in different situations. That said, in PvP we just can't keep up with the numbers of a Sorceror's Revivification or an Operative's emergency medpacs spam and are much less mobile than either (with their Force Speed / Instant Casts, respectively). We do well at standing and tanking hits while keeping up a specific target, but once Reactive Shield is down we can easily be shut down and killed.

1. Haven't done a lot of grouping with others on my merc, so not sure what the overriding attitude is.

2. It used to be more fun, but I've largely stopped playing my merc. Tracer takes too long to set up, very movement unfriendly for the amount of dps we're hitting, and heat can be a pain to work with. Lack of an interrupt for bosses is a problem.

How Others Seem to View Mercs

People in my guild seem to think really well of Mercs. Two of them are primary dps, and I am a healer (recently re-specced, and apparently stuck that way). We are a very casual guild though, and do very little in the way of min-max'ing, so that may not be 'correct.' I'm pretty much the only one in the guild who even visits the forums.

In PvP, I tend to be viewed as a free kill. Been doing better as healing recently, even though I probably suck at it. Still, it's something, and people sometimes leave me alone now, and sometimes dps on my team even help, where before an enemy would just ride me until I died, lol.

How I View Mercs:

To be honest, I'm so new to healing on this class that I don't feel comfortable trying to be authoritative on it. I spent the last 6+ months since I made the Merc in December playing as Arsenal, and that's what I'll comment on. I will say that I don't have any particular complaints about healing, in pve or pvp.

As an Arsenal Merc, I feel like an Elemental Shaman from Burning Crusade in WoW (a class I gave up). You are a stationary turret, and the damage looks really impressive from where you're standing, but outside metrics tend to value it lower than I would think. I don't know if the damage is where BW wants it, so I don't know how to comment on that. Tracer Missile does seem somewhat cumbersome though, since nearly EVERYTHING about the spec revolves around it.

But this style and similarity extends to (and is probably far more annoying in) PvP, where you have pretty good burst, but no defensive CDs (Jet Boost is laughable), and easily crumple if someone gets on you. Which why wouldn't they?

Thanks Bioware, for taking the initiative to gather feedback from us. I have three 50s (merc, powertech, juggernaut) and will be providing feedback for all 3.

I have played only arsenal and pyro mercs and will comment on those.

PvE - For PvE there is little to be said. Both arsenal and pyro are excellent specs with good rotations and damage. Any serious PvE guild views mercs as a good DPS addition to a team.

PvP - My views match the views of how others perceive this AC, so I will just comment on the two trees.

Arsenal: Viewed as very damaging if left alone. However, 1v1 VERY EASY to shutdown. On my other toons I view arsenal mercs as a quick free kill. Kiting is available, however not the best in the game. More can be done about that. More of a turret spec, mobility is bad.

Pyro: More mobility than arsenal, better kiting due to sweltering heat. However having to be stationary to cast unload or PS which procs RS can be a problem against melee. Would be nice if we got some root abilities like snipers. Or maybe give us an uninterruptible bubble skill.

And more important than anything else, please for the love of God give us that interrupt!!!

1. How other classes view my merc.

PvE: Good DPS or a decent healer. Better not take more than one though, or the lack of interrupts will lead to a possible party wipe.

1-49 PvP: Who even cares? Doing well in 1-49 is mostly determined by who has a clue or not. There's not a single class or spec in the game, I won't devour worlds with, in 1-49 PvP.

50 PvP: Free kill. A walking assassin medal. It's certainly how I perceive other mercs and commandos.

1. How I view my merc:

PvE: Great. Fine. Not having an interrupt is obnoxious, and somewhat baffling, considering that there are specs with far more utility than we have, which get one (and ranged at that), but excepting on flashpoint bosses, rocket punch can help (though playing arsenal at melee range somewhat defeats the purpose). Healing is fine. Pyro is silly to PvE with, and nowhere near the DPS of the powertech version.

PvP:

Healing wise, I feel about as good as sorcs, but significantly less effective than operatives.

Arsenal wise, I feel like a gigantic joke. We are a stationary, ranged turret class, yet have been systematically stripped of the talents that allowed us to stand up. Power Barrier being halved, jet boost's CD being lengthened...All so painfully unnecessary as they didn't help much in the first place. Snipers get cover, extra ranged defense, shield drones, ballistic dampeners...and arsenal mercs get 5% extra damage reduction. Snipers get that too. The ability to cleanse and heavy armor, does not make up this difference. Off-healing is rarely a good idea in competitive pvp.

Pyro wise...It's better than Arsenal, but feels horribly gimped compared to the powertech version. This is mostly owing to Power Shot vs Flame Burst. Power Shot sucks balls, and flame burst is amazing. Maybe if Power Shot applied the DoT automatically, the specs would be closer in line.

Arsenal Mercenary

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

I'm an Arsenal Merc. I think that I get laughed out of town. I bring nothing to the table but theoretically high DPS that can only be sustained in certain conditions. Other classes can do it better and with more utility than I.

In a PvP scenario? Free kills. I achieve nothing in PvP on my Merc because the opponent has a laser-lock on my behind.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

I enjoy the spec; the rotation is simple and the damage is high -- again, under a very specific set of circumstances.

I've done a bit of PvP and it's disconcerting that the backbone of my DPS rotation can be interrupted so readily, or that it has such a long cast time. I feel like Tracer Missile should be instant or have a short cast time so that it takes skill and awareness to interrupt. As it is now, the cast time is so long that the window for an opponent to interrupt is huge.

For PvE: My lack of interrupt abilities is a little jarring, and I really notice it now that I have other level 50s. Electro Dart is a 1.0 min CD; that's not acceptable when viewed against the 12 sec CD interrupts that other classes have (SI as comparison, my only other level 50). Mercs need one of those. Period. I have the feeling that I'm going to be passed over more and more should PvE encounters arise that have a reliance on interrupts or enemy cast management, and that's not a feeling I want to have.

1. pvp...aresonal spec. I feel we are seen as the easy kill and the least sought after spec for any sort of pvp.

2. Havning played the aresonal spec from launch till about 2 months ago I notice a steady decline in our damage and utility once other people learned to use interupts to make our class almost useless. The damage nerf wasn't needed and further hurt our gimped class.

Bodyguard perspective.

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

In PvP - free kill if they know the class, otherwise I'm damn near unstoppable. In PvE, I get groups just fine as a healer and haven't ever heard of a group denying a merc healer.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

In PvP the only thing we're missing is an interrupt and a maybe a root on knockback. In PvE we're doing pretty well - heat management can be a little rough in certain encounters, but I still maintain that we're the best single-target healers in the game. Would like to see a buff to Kolto Missile though (either more targets or smart targeting) and re-evaluation of the purpose of SCG now that it vents practically no heat.

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

PVE is good and welcome to groups.

2. How do you perceive your own spec?

PVE arsenal less standing and casting more mobility, and please let us have a worth while jet pack skill.

ARSENAL MERC

1. I wont speak for others as I don't put much stock in what most of them think anyway.

2. In spite of 1., Wykedsynn nailed it with his post and so I quote: " the most balenced they ever were was right after 1.2 when tracers dmg was nerfed but heatseeker did 50% extra dmg rather then 25%, im fine with tracer not doing any dmg, but when my main hitters (heaseeker, and railshot) are hitting people with recruit gear for 2k on a crit, something doesnt sound right " This is with 5 tracer locks and heat sigs, granted they do MORE dmg but still c'mon now. But I wouldnt accept tracers doing NO dmg.

1. How do you think your Mercenary spec is perceived by other classes?

I think a majority of the playerbase views Arsenal as really good DPS (when played properly) in PvE. In PvP, it's pretty much accepted that when we are ignored we are are pretty good. However, it's gotten to the point that if anyone sees a merc, they are instantly focused down. /Freekill.

2. How do you perceive your own spec? Again, mercs do competitive damage in PvE when played properly but are a liability in PvP. All in all, they are a fun class to play but are a little complex, which is what I like about it.