So I queued for a hard mode FP, like I do every day. And I end up in a group with a mando healer, who was using a blaster rifle instead of an assault cannon. I told him to use a cannon, because it would make his heals more effective, and he basically believed that blaster rifles are better for mandos. I was like ''are you new around here?'' Then I inspected him, and he actually had a couple of Combat Medic pieces.

 

So was this guy trolling, or does he actually think rifles are better for mandos? lol

He won't be able to use Hail of Bolts and Charged Bolts. Everything else is working the same on heal spec. Might have a slightly less tech power(not sure if this is still true) but it sure is not a big deal to heal with a rifle. And most assault cannons look awful.

How were the actual heals? Was he able to keep everyone up?

It was average

How were the actual heals? Was he able to keep everyone up?

 

It was average

There are people who do this just to troll. I came across a mando heals using a rifle in a KP HM recently. We all had a heart attack, noticing he had a full set bonus bit had a 186 rating rifle. He swapped to his cannon at the first boss and was one of the best heals I've ever had. (I was on one of my guardian tanks). He also healed me through 10 stacks of the fire (I was solo tanking, we didn't even have a dps with taunt to let the stacks drop). So yeah this guy was trolling at the beginning because apparently he gets his fun that way. Annoying but hey he was good.

So I queued for a hard mode FP, like I do every day. And I end up in a group with a mando healer, who was using a blaster rifle instead of an assault cannon. I told him to use a cannon, because it would make his heals more effective, and he basically believed that blaster rifles are better for mandos. I was like ''are you new around here?'' Then I inspected him, and he actually had a couple of Combat Medic pieces.

 

So was this guy trolling, or does he actually think rifles are better for mandos? lol

 

Neither of you knew what you were saying.

 

You didn't because you thought the weapon makes a difference for healing.

 

He didn't because he was talked into changing weapons by you so he didn't understand either.

 

Healing is based on Tech Power which is the same for a rifle or a cannon with the same mods. Everything from Med Shot to Successive Treatment takes its healing value from how much Tech Power you have.

 

So what IS the difference?

 

The difference is that the Weapon Damage is not the same, a cannon has more weapon damage and this means that all white damage attacks are weaker when you use a rifle instead. So Full Auto, High Impact Bolt, Hammer Shot.

 

Of course attack damage makes no difference to a healer in something as casual as a flashpoint but you also get some abilities disabled by using a rifle instead of a cannon. Charged Bolts, Hail of Bolts and Propulsion Round are disabled.

 

So can you heal exactly as well with a rifle instead of a cannon? Yes.

 

Is it advised? In most content, doesn't even matter, in hard PVE content where a healer might be expected to chip in some damage it would not be acceptable and in PVP it would be a bad idea to go in with Propulsion Round disabled.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Gyronamics