Very nice post - I agree - this class needs fixing asap. It is so far behind the top DPS classes that it is a joke. I do not understand why they would do this and then leave it as long as they have done.

I don't understand why we're getting shafted so much, luckily I can Dps pretty well as Advanced Prototype and my PT is actually in my guilds main progression team. But still...when I compare parses and Dps to my Sniper alt who is in lesser gear (Arkanian) and see higher numbers and superior parses...it just doesn't make sense. Most of these nerfs need to be reverted. I want to make my own detailed post on the whole thing at some point but the amount that are already flooding the forums and are being ignored is infuriating. Doesn't mean I'll quit my Powertech though, it's my main and favorite class to play. Just hope it gets the love it deserves.

Pyrotech

The next issue is the new volatile igniter talent.

 

Pyrotech is a single target DPS spec. That was always its job. Advanced pyrotech is the powertechs AOE heavy tree. Now I get that nobody was using the flame sweep talent for pyrotech. This is simply because the classes job is to burn down targets fast. Flamesweep does not fit this description. The other problem is that since the combust spec DOT was halved, it's not even worth wasting a global applying it to multiple targets. The talent just doesn't fit the tree at all. If you must add some kind of AOE to the tree then it has to be done in such a way that it doesn't detract from its single target focus.

 

While you should hopefully not be totally surrounded, when you do find yourself in the thick of combat, and you often will, why would you not use flame sweep to affect all those around you. How about if it not only took advantage of all your other fire damage/crit increasing talents but added a dot (combustable gas), slowed everyone affected (sweltering heat), and maybe even reduced their damage (combust) adding some much needed survivability. All from one quick flame sweep. I think you're overlooking this talent, and considering your other options, it seems like the obvious choice to me.

 

I disagree with you about incendiary, yes it's a high heat cost but stacking dots make it very powerful. If you have heat issues with it, use your thermal sensor override. You don't need to apply it to every single target, just the tough ones you're trying to focus.

 

Most of the rest of the stuff seems like a wish list and would be pretty game unbalancing in the opposite direction. Nice if you're a pyro sure, but you'd be getting nerfed all over again very soon.

Add in one more.

 

Automated Defense is a waste of a skill. Unlike Energy Rebounder in the AP tree, it has no defensive redoubt proc. Redoubt gives the AP a shield that can absorb a small amount of damage, it can activate once every ten seconds.

 

Fix: Give automated defenses a random proc to heal us for a small amount every ten seconds or so.

 

Kolto overload by itself is an *** skill. It only works when you're already low enough on health to be executed, and it doesn't take you out of the execute health amount. So it end up being the 'press this and just die anyways" button.

 

Automated Defenses and Infrared Sensors. Both are about as useless as talents get!

 

I'd say Automated Defenses needs to just heal you for 2%-4% of the damage you deal for 10 seconds.

 

Infrared Sensors and No Escape need to switch places on the talent tree.

 

My 2 cents

I don't understand why we're getting shafted so much, luckily I can Dps pretty well as Advanced Prototype and my PT is actually in my guilds main progression team. But still...when I compare parses and Dps to my Sniper alt who is in lesser gear (Arkanian) and see higher numbers and superior parses...it just doesn't make sense. Most of these nerfs need to be reverted. I want to make my own detailed post on the whole thing at some point but the amount that are already flooding the forums and are being ignored is infuriating. Doesn't mean I'll quit my Powertech though, it's my main and favorite class to play. Just hope it gets the love it deserves.

 

we got shafted because bioware doesn't know how to deal with us these devs are *********** they play favorites with a few classes lol we got nerfed because imo we were the original FOTM class yes in 1.1-1.5ish or whatever it was we were op i would never disagree with that but once they nerfed our range it balanced our class... forcing our class to go deeper in the melee range and as we all know our class has little to no survivability stack us up to a smasher or a shadow our survivability is a joke... but people that are stupid/bad at this game don't see it that way they just watched their own HP bars and saw how fast we were dropping them and than came here to *****... that said we did drop people fast but our burst was our survivability the pvp balance dev or devs didn't see it that way they took the one thing that made our class good and destroyed it. The class will NEVER be buffed again your devs have no clue how to balance or deal with us just get used to the fact that your gonna need to play a smasher/sniper to get buffed and still be able to be competitive ( if you wanted to dps that is) in high lvl pvp. I know the pvp situation isn't great for pt/vg dps i don't pve much myself but what i pretty much said applies to you as well.

 

 

These devs saw us all as FOTM players didn't *********** stop to think that some of us were day vanguards/powertechs.

Thats why i always say **** these devs there killing there own game.

 

Keep buffing dem sniper/smashers devs.

 

eso..........

Edited July 3, 2013 by mfourcustom

TBH. I think the real reason they nerfed the **** out of powertechs burst is because of hydraulic overrides. overrides is an extremely good kiting tool. You take that and couple it with the burst that pyros had and it leaves so many classes in the dust. As it is right now tho, because of the "lack" of burst, I've specced into oil slick and that coupled with overrides gives me good survivability + good control and kiting.

 

One thing that I forgot to add to my initial post is about the 4m interrupt. Powertechs abilities are almost all 10 - 30m. a 4m interrupt is such a joke.

TBH. I think the real reason they nerfed the **** out of powertechs burst is because of hydraulic overrides. overrides is an extremely good kiting tool. You take that and couple it with the burst that pyros had and it leaves so many classes in the dust. As it is right now tho, because of the "lack" of burst, I've specced into oil slick and that coupled with overrides gives me good survivability + good control and kiting.

 

One thing that I forgot to add to my initial post is about the 4m interrupt. Powertechs abilities are almost all 10 - 30m. a 4m interrupt is such a joke.

 

If thats really the case all i have to say is i'd drop my hydraulic overrides for my burst back any day.....

 

Lets face it hydraulic overrides good? hell yes

Does it make our class stand out and give rated teams a reason to take us? lol no

What made our class stand out was the burst at the cost of everything else I.E survivability so on and so forth.

tbh even with hydraulic overrides it could be simply fixed by making the cd longer like 60 seconds flat or even 1:15/1:30 but that'll never happen.

TBH. I think the real reason they nerfed the **** out of powertechs burst is because of hydraulic overrides. overrides is an extremely good kiting tool. You take that and couple it with the burst that pyros had and it leaves so many classes in the dust. As it is right now tho, because of the "lack" of burst, I've specced into oil slick and that coupled with overrides gives me good survivability + good control and kiting.

 

One thing that I forgot to add to my initial post is about the 4m interrupt. Powertechs abilities are almost all 10 - 30m. a 4m interrupt is such a joke.

 

As a starter, as a person who played PT PvP for month, "man if I only can break the root or run slightly faster," said no pyro tech ever. Its a semi-useless skill for pyro tech for the most part. I never needed a root breaker and the extra moment speed barely have any use to chase anyone, because it would take most enemies 3-4 seconds to get out of 10 meter range and I can still rain fire from 30 meter. And if you are the one trying to kite, then you seriously need to re-consider what class you are playing.

 

The only place where this skill puts pyro at an advantage is hutt ball. Other than that its semi-useless for a class that is mostly ranged.

Just switch Overrides with Jet Charge in that case. Then give us the burst back.

 

Give tactics/AP the Overrides as a talent again.

 

Not I'm not part of the: "Jet Charge and it's all good!!" crowd, but having that would give us the needed mobility, without being OP like Bursting around with Hydraulics MIGHT be.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Luxidenstore

As a starter, as a person who played PT PvP for month, "man if I only can break the root or run slightly faster," said no pyro tech ever. Its a semi-useless skill for pyro tech for the most part. I never needed a root breaker and the extra moment speed barely have any use to chase anyone, because it would take most enemies 3-4 seconds to get out of 10 meter range and I can still rain fire from 30 meter. And if you are the one trying to kite, then you seriously need to re-consider what class you are playing.

 

The only place where this skill puts pyro at an advantage is hutt ball. Other than that its semi-useless for a class that is mostly ranged.

 

So you don't kite smashers and other melee dps around when you engage 1v1? you face tank em? cause like thats such a smart way to play right??? lulz I think your the one that needs to seriously re-consider what class your playing....

Edited July 3, 2013 by mfourcustom

Hydraulic Overrides is fkin awesome. No longer can the melee classes just hit us with a slow and hug us for the whole fight. HO lets us dance in and out of their range. I do miss the burst of TD, and feel that HO definitely gave us something back- just not quite enough.

 

I don't care about the CGC nerf. I think they did that to stop the PVE'rs parsing so high. PVPers just got hit twice though when we lost a worthwhile TD AND the CGC nerf. Not sure why they nerfed TD.. most PVE'rs don't even use it I think?

 

Edit: I wouldn't mind a 2 piece set bonus on the eliminator gear for Powertech's too

Edited July 3, 2013 by ausmisc

Hydraulic Overrides is fkin awesome. No longer can the melee classes just hit us with a slow and hug us for the whole fight. HO lets us dance in and out of their range. I do miss the burst of TD, and feel that HO definitely gave us something back- just not quite enough.

 

I don't care about the CGC nerf. I think they did that to stop the PVE'rs parsing so high. PVPers just got hit twice though when we lost a worthwhile TD AND the CGC nerf. Not sure why they nerfed TD.. most PVE'rs don't even use it I think?

 

Edit: I wouldn't mind a 2 piece set bonus on the eliminator gear for Powertech's too

 

I would love a spec that didnt depend on eliminator, but that's just crazy talk.

 

They also took some of our armor pen away. Why? I have no idea, I guess the devs were sick of PT's hitting for 1K less than smash, when they thought it should be 2-3K.

 

They also took rebounder away from PT pyros. There went the CD reduction on our ONE defensive move. They have it to AP, which probably needed it too, but there are better ways to solve that problem. Personally I like the idea of oil slick that an AP could ignite with PFT.

 

To fix the pyro spec

 

1. Give us back our armor penetration on rail. We should be able to hit in the 7k range on a crit.

 

2. Give us a real defensive CD like rebounder. Do not want automated defenses or kolto loloverload unless they are buffed considerably. Automated defenses needs to do something else, like proc a small heal on a DOT crit.

 

3. Fix TD. A thermal detonator should do as much damage up front as immolate. Come on already.

 

4. Heat cost on incendiary missile is a joke. Fix.

 

5. Synergy. Make our pyro abilities work together more. Like +10% rail shot crit on a target burning from incendiary missile or thermal det.

 

/fixed and viable.

So you don't kite smashers and other melee dps around when you engage 1v1? you face tank em? cause like thats such a smart way to play right??? lulz I think your the one that needs to seriously re-consider what class your playing....

 

As a starter I really don't care much about 1v1 outcome and pyro never was a strong solo class, it always excelled in team play format. And if my goal is to survive against a melee class in a solo situation of course it should come in handy, but again you should rarely be fighting away from the group.

 

Pyro goal was to get close and terminate high priority enemies ASAP. You obviously want to be in close range. In addition, your number one target is healers then probably smashers. In neither situation you will be running away from the enemy but towards them. Apparently you think pyro plays like a madness sorc, dot and run. Pyro does not have the tools or the range sorc has. Once you engage with pyro there is no running away or going back, you either kill the target or target will kill you. If you plan to kite, you are just wasting time that can be used to capture objectives or kill enemy healer. And here were the skill falls flat, because the pyro never had problem chasing targets and it does not help much defensively.

 

The problem is that pyro damage was gimped to a laughably position, wither its burst or sustained damage, and the improved chase ability is not going to come in handy, due to the low damage. What can be assured is the pyro is not a dot and run class. If you think an extra 6 sec of 30% movement speed changes that fact there is not much that can help you.

 

And yes, pre-expansion, out side defensive cool downs, pyro would face tank any smasher and kill them. Now, most classes can out dps you easily in short parses, paired with low survivabillity, pyro went from a glass cannon to a glass broken bow.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Ottoattack

As a starter I really don't care much about 1v1 outcome and pyro never was a strong solo class, it always excelled in team play format. And if my goal is to survive against a melee class in a solo situation of course it should come in handy, but again you should rarely be fighting away from the group.

 

Pyro goal was to get close and terminate high priority enemies ASAP. You obviously want to be in close range. In addition, your number one target is healers then probably smashers. In neither situation you will be running away from the enemy but towards them. Apparently you think pyro plays like a madness sorc, dot and run. Pyro does not have the tools or the range sorc has. Once you engage with pyro there is no running away or going back, you either kill the target or target will kill you. If you plan to kite, you are just wasting time that can be used to capture objectives or kill enemy healer. And here were the skill falls flat, because the pyro never had problem chasing targets and it does not help much defensively.

 

The problem is that pyro damage was gimped to a laughably position, wither its burst or sustained damage, and the improved chase ability is not going to come in handy, due to the low damage. What can be assured is the pyro is not a dot and run class. If you think an extra 6 sec of 30% movement speed changes that fact there is not much that can help you.

 

And yes, pre-expansion, out side defensive cool downs, pyro would face tank any smasher and kill them. Now, most classes can out dps you easily in short parses, paired with low survivabillity, pyro went from a glass cannon to a glass broken bow.

 

 

 

Realtalk.

as a starter i really don't care much about 1v1 outcome and pyro never was a strong solo class, it always excelled in team play format. And if my goal is to survive against a melee class in a solo situation of course it should come in handy, but again you should rarely be fighting away from the group.

 

Pyro goal was to get close and terminate high priority enemies asap. You obviously want to be in close range. In addition, your number one target is healers then probably smashers. In neither situation you will be running away from the enemy but towards them. Apparently you think pyro plays like a madness sorc, dot and run. Pyro does not have the tools or the range sorc has. Once you engage with pyro there is no running away or going back, you either kill the target or target will kill you. If you plan to kite, you are just wasting time that can be used to capture objectives or kill enemy healer. And here were the skill falls flat, because the pyro never had problem chasing targets and it does not help much defensively.

 

The problem is that pyro damage was gimped to a laughably position, wither its burst or sustained damage, and the improved chase ability is not going to come in handy, due to the low damage. What can be assured is the pyro is not a dot and run class. If you think an extra 6 sec of 30% movement speed changes that fact there is not much that can help you.

 

And yes, pre-expansion, out side defensive cool downs, pyro would face tank any smasher and kill them. Now, most classes can out dps you easily in short parses, paired with low survivabillity, pyro went from a glass cannon to a glass broken bow.

 

10/10

Hydraulic Overrides is fkin awesome. No longer can the melee classes just hit us with a slow and hug us for the whole fight.

Thank you for the morning giggle. I just imagined a Combat Sentinel coming up to me for a hug on a Novare Coast for some reason. It was oddly specific.

As a starter I really don't care much about 1v1 outcome and pyro never was a strong solo class, it always excelled in team play format. And if my goal is to survive against a melee class in a solo situation of course it should come in handy, but again you should rarely be fighting away from the group.

 

Pyro goal was to get close and terminate high priority enemies ASAP. You obviously want to be in close range. In addition, your number one target is healers then probably smashers. In neither situation you will be running away from the enemy but towards them. Apparently you think pyro plays like a madness sorc, dot and run. Pyro does not have the tools or the range sorc has. Once you engage with pyro there is no running away or going back, you either kill the target or target will kill you. If you plan to kite, you are just wasting time that can be used to capture objectives or kill enemy healer. And here were the skill falls flat, because the pyro never had problem chasing targets and it does not help much defensively.

 

The problem is that pyro damage was gimped to a laughably position, wither its burst or sustained damage, and the improved chase ability is not going to come in handy, due to the low damage. What can be assured is the pyro is not a dot and run class. If you think an extra 6 sec of 30% movement speed changes that fact there is not much that can help you.

 

And yes, pre-expansion, out side defensive cool downs, pyro would face tank any smasher and kill them. Now, most classes can out dps you easily in short parses, paired with low survivabillity, pyro went from a glass cannon to a glass broken bow.

 

It's not really the run speed that makes it awesome though, it's slow and root immunity. I agree however, that pyro is a broken glass bow.

I think Kolto Overload should at least work at 50% instead of execute range, that would make automated defenses a bit more useful. Or if it stays at 30% it should do .5/1% heal on DoT crits like most people want.

 

Power Bracer is kind of sad as well, that should probably be 15% and maybe also reduce the cost of IM by 4 or something. TD should do it's damage over 6 seconds or go back to how it was

 

It would be nice if like the other DoT classes, Lethality gets energy on poison crits and Annihilation gets rage when doing a direct attack to a bleeding target. Why does Pyro not have something similar? Yeah Rail Shot venting heat is nice but sometimes it doesn't proc.

 

Why is Rail Shot auto crit in the Adv. Proto tree instead of Pyro? Why is Flame Engine in the tank tree instead of Adv. Proto?

I've found HO very handy for keeping on healers or targets i'm attempting to burst down. It's not just a 1v1 tool. I don't think it was a fair exchange considering what we lost but it does help us a bit when people are trying to peel us from our target. Mind you I'm also running a hybrid Pyro/AP spec atm seeing as though TD in its current form is useless, so I have the increased length on HO.

 

Problem with Bioware is they always just swing so far in their nerfs and buffs. They don't just change one ability and see how it goes and maybe alter it again in a month. They'll change 5 things and either make a class godlike or pointless, give it a year to see how it goes then maybe think about fixing it.

 

Had the same issue with the APAC server concerns. Obviously there are a lot of people concerned about these changes, but BW can't even give us a post to acknowledge our concerns- whether they're happy their changes or not- it's pretty rude to give so many players zero response.