Dev Post EricMusco Posted June 16, 2017 Dev Post Share Posted June 16, 2017 Hey folks, Round 2! Below are the changes planned for Arsenal Merc / Gunnery Commando in Game Update 5.3. Here are the notes from the Combat Team: Note: All changes below are currently in development and are subject to change before being released. Mercenary Arsenal Blazing Bolts deals 4.89% less damage and costs 20 heat (up from 16)Barrage no longer increases the damage dealt by Blazing Bolts, but still finishes its active cooldownRiddle no longer improves UnloadThe critical damage bonus provided by Target Tracking is now 15% (down from 30%)Decoy now has 2 charges (down from 5) Commando Gunnery Boltstorm deals 4.89% less damage and costs 20 energy cells (up from 16)Curtain of Fire no longer increases the damage dealt by Boltstorm, but still finishes its active cooldownRotary Cannon no longer improves Full AutoThe critical damage bonus provided by Deadly Cannon is now 15% (down from 30%)Decoy now has 2 charges (down from 5) DevNotes: With the changes to Arsenal / Gunnery, we wanted to bring the Discipline down to its target DPS. We also wanted to make heat / energy cell management a little more challenging for the Arsenal / Gunnery player, so we slightly increased the cost of Blazing Bolts / Boltstorm while reducing the damage it deals. Another goal we had for Arsenal / Gunnery was to tone down its burst damage potential a bit, so we reduced the critical damage bonus granted by Target Tracking / Deadly Cannon to shrink the size of those big Heatseeker Missile / Demolition Round and Rail Shot / High Impact Bolt critical hits. Finally, we felt that Decoy needed a significant reduction in power, so we reduced the number of charges it provides from 5 down to 2. Let us know what you think of the changes coming to Arsenal and Gunnery in GU 5.3. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtWorthJim Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Looks good. A gentle tap with the Nerf Hammer and not a crushing blow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VladThePada Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Something about Trauma Regulators too? or what's the name of the 75% heal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K_osss Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I'm concerned that the survivability of Mercs/Mandos in PvP which was not addressed will still remain drastically higher than other classes. I believe the Merc/Mando survivability rather than damage is the main complaint against them. The fact that survivability doesn't factor into your balancing (per the balance post from earlier) is very concerning. It's critical to compare how classes survivability stack up against each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elracor Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) Something about Trauma Regulators too? or what's the name of the 75% heal I'm concerned that the survivability of Mercs/Mandos in PvP which was not addressed will still remain drastically higher than other classes. I believe the Merc/Mando survivability rather than damage is the main complaint against them. The fact that survivability doesn't factor into your balancing (per the balance post from earlier) is very concerning. It's critical to compare how classes survivability stack up against each other. While these issues obviously need to be addressed, none of them are specific to Arsenal/Gunnery, and these changes are specifically Arsenal/Gunnery. We'll need to wait for the (hopefully coming) change logs to see if they address the DCD issues. Edited June 16, 2017 by MFollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctprock Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) What the hell these changes are nothing Edited June 5, 2019 by ctprock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death-Hammer Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Nothing in the changes you list addresses the problems most people have with this spec. Leave the dps alone and reduce Trama Regulators and most complaints with this spec will disappear. Nobody is complaining about this spec's dps but it's survivability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_McSkill Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Are they seriously not nerfing Mercs defensives??? How can a ranged burst spec have the best facetanking defensive cooldowns in the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow_ Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 trauma regulators lives on lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icykill_ Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 This does nothing to address the Merc survival issue... that is what needed the nerf.. not the damage.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXSistros Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 The only overpowerd aspect of the Merc is his def cd equipment... damage, in my opinion, is really fine, with IO delivering high damage combined with a difficult rotation, and Arsenal being a high burst spec. Ok, i could agree with the heat adjustments, Arsenal indeed is really easy to play... But the damage ist the only thing i would NOT fix... Please, Bioware, leave the damage where it is, just let us mercs die a little bit more, ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VladThePada Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 This does nothing to address the Merc survival issue... that is what needed the nerf.. not the damage.. exactly, it's the 3 lives (reflect, kolto and shield) maybe remove heal from reflect too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKtheindomitable Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Approval: Looks good to me. Commentary: I main as Tactics Pub side, but my second is Gunnery. It did feel a bit strong, but the energy management is the part I appreciate the most. I often find that the energy management is too easy. I use the recharge cells and reserve cell less than platinum items drop from cartel packs (and that's even when I use healing abilities. As Tactics it's a requirement to use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arehonn Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 The changes are for just the discipline. Trauma Regs is a utility skill that you can pick up for any of the three Commando/Merc specs. I'm assuming that this is just phase 1 and that they'll look into adjusting utilities after fiddling with the specs themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKtheindomitable Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Now give trauma regulators to Vanguards and everything will be fine. /Signed with nite: "DPS only can get." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtWorthJim Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 They did reduce some of the DCD. Decoy now has 2 charges (down from 5) Some of you will not be happy until Mercs are glass cannons again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eloi_BG Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Stop asking about utilities, they heard, we all know there is a problem, this is a post about DPS numbers. Some random quick calculations I just did make this an about 650 - 700 DPS loss (for an over 10k parse). This brings down this spec to about the same DPS sniper MM does, which is kinda depressing, but I guess it was the point. Was hoping more for a 300-400 nerf and a 300-400 buff to MM. Tried to take the heat changes into account in my calculations but will wait to see how it really pans out in game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolixe Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Stop asking about utilities, they heard, we all know there is a problem, this is a post about DPS numbers. Some random quick calculations I just did make this an about 650 - 700 DPS loss (for an over 10k parse). This brings down this spec to about the same DPS sniper MM does, which is kinda depressing, but I guess it was the point. Was hoping more for a 300-400 nerf and a 300-400 buff to MM. Tried to take the heat changes into account in my calculations but will wait to see how it really pans out in game. They only thing is.. the damage didn't have to be changed. This is going to hurt PvE, where it hardly matters, and do nothing for PvP.. which is the whole reason this class needed change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micnevv Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) I welcome these changes however they not address the main issue with mercs in PVP at the moment. Mercs currently outshine all other DPS mainly due to their survivability, not just the raw damage they output. As long as they retain these extremely powerful defensive abilities they will remain at the top of the food chain in PVP, regardless of DPS nerfs. Edited June 16, 2017 by micnevv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RikuvonDrake Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 It's like people don't read, they will address utilities in the next balance patch, first, their priority was to ensure the healing and damage output of classes was in line with their overall strategy, then they will adjust utilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bidli Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 trauma regulators and heal from reflect - those two things are a concern nerf one or another, or somehow both.. and you dont need to touch decoy, that is probably useless anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissingaiur Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 .... why do we see damage nerfs? Merc's damage isn't the issue. The issue is they are standing there, turreting while tanking 5 people without a way to punish it. Remove trauma regs (or nerf it) and you will significantly fix their survivability imbalance. Nerf their survivablity and you will nerf their damage because they will be forced to think about cds, kite and LoS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadagyt Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 so... mercs are the new sorc lightning when it comes to pve.... nice, you've done it again. You don't even listen to what we say, right? You nerfed the DPS??? This is just horrible. Keep destroying classes because of pvp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenariusJay Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Obvious aside, atleast getting blasted in the face by 35-38k crit missles will be over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolixe Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 (edited) .... why do we see damage nerfs? Merc's damage isn't the issue. The issue is they are standing there, turreting while tanking 5 people without a way to punish it. Remove trauma regs (or nerf it) and you will significantly fix their survivability imbalance. Nerf their survivablity and you will nerf their damage because they will be forced to think about cds, kite and LoS. Watch them change utilities the next round and see Mercs become completely useless again because they have neither survivability nor damage output. The vicious circle of Bioware Class Balancing. Have a good one people. I would advise you guys to stand up to these changes if you know whats good for you. Because this will never end this way. Edited June 16, 2017 by Evolixe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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