I'm really bad with melee attacks.

if you dont like melee, try sorcerer/sage, mercenary/commando, sniper/gunslinger

Sniper/Gunslinger Edited September 30, 2012 by Skullbash

sniper/gunslinger hands down, commando/merc are just plain garbage

Sniper/Slinger in a heartbeat.

 

Merc/Mendo sucks

 

Sorc/Sage tickles.

Sniper/Gunslinger

 

^ This/This.

Yeah sniper/gunslinger. Though there has been a few mercs owning me in warzones this last week. Not sure if it was some 1.4 buffage or the fact that the server merger brought some competent ones over. DPS mercs are no longer free kills for me I have to work a bit for it.

Don't underestimate Mercs and Sorcs, all three pure ranged classes put out some nasty numbers in both PvE and PvP. The difference is style and gameplay.

Commandos/ Mercs are actually a great class if you took the time to play one and be good at it. Edited October 4, 2012 by Newyankalt

Don't underestimate Mercs and Sorcs, all three pure ranged classes put out some nasty numbers in both PvE and PvP. The difference is style and gameplay.

 

the diference is that merc and commando cant do anything in pvp, in gunnery spec, and if they are assault/pyro spec might just play vanguard...

the diference is that merc and commando cant do anything in pvp, in gunnery spec, and if they are assault/pyro spec might just play vanguard...

 

Like I said, don't underestimate them.. Problem is, most are terrible.. have met a few good ones and they tear people apart just as fast as my Sniper.

Gunslinger/Sniper is probably the correct answer, but keep in mind very many of their attacks are easily deflected by tanks with high defensive stats or Knights/Warriors with Saber Ward or Smugglers/Agents with Dodge. Mercs/Commandos have the advantage that their hard-hitting attacks are all Tech-based except Unload and Rail Shot - Tracer Missile, Heatseeker Missiles, Thermal Detonator, Sticky Dart, etc. can all go through the aforementioned defensive cooldowns. Edited October 5, 2012 by Jenzali

Gunslinger/Sniper is probably the correct answer, but keep in mind very many of their attacks are easily deflected by tanks with high defensive stats or Knights/Warriors with Saber Ward or Smugglers/Agents with Dodge. Mercs/Commandos have the advantage that their hard-hitting attacks are all Tech-based except Unload and Rail Shot - Tracer Missile, Heatseeker Missiles, Thermal Detonator, Sticky Dart, etc. can all go through the aforementioned defensive cooldowns.

 

well even though unload makes roughtly about 40% of the mercs single target dps the main difference between the two classes is that a merc can more ore less switch between tech and ranged whenever he feels like it. meaning when an assassin pops shroud you can still railshot and unload him (4.5 sec of pure white attacks) and when someone pops dodge you can spam missiles. while the sniper cannot really do that so easily.

 

furthermore does the merc have 35% armorpenetration on everything and +65% ap on railshot and unload, plus they automatically apply -20% armorrating on the target without spending a gcd for it (sadly that armor debuff is not exactely stacking with armor penetration, but multiplicative so it translates into ~5-10% ap and not 20%).

 

don't forget that armorpenetration sometimes makes normale energy/kinetic damage deal more damage then internal/elemental since internal damage reduction is always at least 10% and for marauders it is between 10% and 37% (depending what spec they are and whether cloak of pain is on)

 

 

and lastly the merc has (if he runs with the 4set pve shells with pvp mods) no heat problems whatsoever, making railshot free and all other attacks cost only 16 heat , allowing him to go essentially without standard attack forever.

 

with all that said. the merc is has no abilities to keep melees at range as the sniper has. and one marauder (even a poorly geared one) will shut down a merc complentely while a sniper has ranged roots, root on knockback and most importantly cannot be charged.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Quantemoq

Like I said, don't underestimate them.. Problem is, most are terrible.. have met a few good ones and they tear people apart just as fast as my Sniper.

 

i dont understand these statments... what can a commando do against a marauder or powertech? interrupting 24/7 nothing thats what, the best is people know this so they jump commandos all the time until they ragequit. And if you play assault meh like i say vanguard is miles ahead even with the range nerf.

Edited October 8, 2012 by xxIncubixx

i dont understand these statments... what can a commando do against a marauder or powertech? interrupting 24/7 nothing thats what, the best is people know this so they jump commandos all the time until they ragequit. And if you play assault meh like i say vanguard is miles ahead even with the range nerf.

 

Like I said, don't underestimate them..

Like I said, don't underestimate them..

 

theres nothing to underestimate...

Don't underestimate Mercs and Sorcs, all three pure ranged classes put out some nasty numbers in both PvE and PvP. The difference is style and gameplay.

 

For emphasis on the topic question, which did not include info about PvE or PvP. All 3 ranged classes hit like a truck and will do about the same DPS over time. The difference is application.

 

You wanna whine about how bad Mercs are in PvP, then there is a PvP and Class forum where you will meet like minded people that support each other in endless self pity

 

..or find a way to make them work, like some pointlessly try to argue in those threads.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Svii

For emphasis on the topic question, which did not include info about PvE or PvP. All 3 ranged classes hit like a truck and will do about the same DPS over time. The difference is application.

 

You wanna whine about how bad Mercs are in PvP, then there is a PvP and Class forum where you will meet like minded people that support each other in endless self pity

 

..or find a way to make them work, like some pointlessly try to argue in those threads.

 

i don't think it is pointless . but saying all classes do equal dps ,without adding any further explanation on how you came to this conclusion, makes it seem that maybe your input is not needed in this discussion.

 

ps: "they hit like a truck" or "they tear people apart" are phrases that have about 0 meaning when there is no defenition on how hard a truck really hits (it might be a toy truck)

Edited October 10, 2012 by Quantemoq

Merc/commando is actually very awesome... in PVE

 

In PVP they suffer because their strongest and most used moves in gunnery force them to stand still, and unlike sniper/slinger they do not have interrupt / leap immunity. A commando can succeed but needs a really good team to do so, where as a sniper is much better at not needing to be babysat.

 

Sorc/sage play completely different and can't really be compared. (though lightning is similar in ways)

Edited October 12, 2012 by Mordeguy

i don't think it is pointless . but saying all classes do equal dps ,without adding any further explanation on how you came to this conclusion, makes it seem that maybe your input is not needed in this discussion.

 

ps: "they hit like a truck" or "they tear people apart" are phrases that have about 0 meaning when there is no defenition on how hard a truck really hits (it might be a toy truck)

 

I'm stating a fact proven many times over. Anyways, I have experience with good Sorcs and Mercs in my groups: We have all 3 classes in our raid group and we're all fighting for 1st place in deeps, usually depends on fight mechanics and raid roles. I didn't elaborate because it was not asked for. In general, all ranged classes does well. Also true for PvP, a _good_ player is able to play to their strengths and make a difference. A general question is answered generally.

 

RE ps. Of course it will have ZERO meaning to someone that strives to pick apart every little word in a statement, just to argue some more (and pointlessly). Most people would think a truck hits pretty hard, regardless of speed and mass of said imaginary truck. Thus, the statement makes sense to most people!