The only thing I agree with in your post is that we fall over like a deck of cards when Mele attack us, yet we have nothing to counter this or the ability to shut down any other AC in a simmilar fashon. Basically, Mercs are FUBAR unless you are overgeared and queing against random noob PUGs.

This &

Developers should allow mercs to fly upwards, straight up, at the very least. This will have an immunity to charge for the duration and interrupts and pulls, and if it's huttball, they will be able to hoover up a level to a ground targeted area or just fly up and hover for 3 seconds so that they can move their character onto the above huttball platforms.

Even with fake casting or baiting interrupts so that the enemy interrupts the wrong ability like flamethrower, fusion missile, power shot, so the merc can cast tracers and unload, the merc dps will still be wayyyy behind in any fight single or multiple enemies.

Ah, true about the GCD and the cast time making the rate not increase by not having the channel; but it would allow you to run while firing by having it instant, non-cast.

I think making tracer missiles instant would take Merc DPS back to the dark ages and breed a new generation of tracer missile spammers. No...we don't want those bums and losers back in WZs again.

I think making tracer missiles instant would take Merc DPS back to the dark ages and breed a new generation of tracer missile spammers. No...we don't want those bums and losers back in WZs again.

Those bums and losers all quit the game already, how many mercs have you seen lately?

I think making tracer missiles instant would take Merc DPS back to the dark ages and breed a new generation of tracer missile spammers. No...we don't want those bums and losers back in WZs again.

Wouldn't be spamming it any more than they do now if the damage was moved more from the missiles and placed on the stacks of heat signature and tracer lock. Actually; might get a chance to burn those more often in PvP since you would be able to move aand keep the pressure on rather than have someone get out of range before you get your second TM off.

This &

 

Developers should allow mercs to fly upwards, straight up, at the very least. This will have an immunity to charge for the duration and interrupts and pulls, and if it's huttball, they will be able to hoover up a level to a ground targeted area or just fly up and hover for 3 seconds so that they can move their character onto the above huttball platforms.

 

Even with fake casting or baiting interrupts so that the enemy interrupts the wrong ability like flamethrower, fusion missile, power shot, so the merc can cast tracers and unload, the merc dps will still be wayyyy behind in any fight single or multiple enemies.

Sounds stupid. Would rather have shoulder slam useable in pvp over some silly jet pack move.

Just a reminder... Mercs problem is survivability not DPS. So if you're complaining about DPS... your problems most likely stem much further than any issues with the class.

I would say it's time to utilize THIS.

Granted, I agree that the buffs to Mele classes have not helped Mercenaries at all, but I also think that Nightkin is dead on with his statements. I played a LOT of pvp in the beginning. I was valor 80 before War Hero armor came out. I think that Nightkin is referring to the fact that NO ONE used to interrupt Tracer Missile. They would QQ about it all day, but they would never interrupt it.

 

And as to Spamming Tracer missile: First of all you gotta remmeber that barrage used to have only a 30% chance to proc. It was not unusual to cast 6 in a row before they changed it to a 45% proc rate. Also remember that we need 3 stacks of tracer debuffs on each target, and with the wildy moving PVP scene and switching targets it could look like we were just tracer spamming.

 

By the way nightkin, that vid you posted of the tracer spammer is pathetic. If he was actually using the right cylinder he might have gotten a crit bigger than 3k. I know that before 1.2 I was getting over 600k damage in Voidstars. He didn't even break 300k.

 

And to the Pyro Mercs: You say you would get eaten up by mele if you sacrificed your mobility. I say learn to keep 30m away from the fray and use LOS. I went Pyro for 2 months, but ended up going back to Arsenal. PT Pyros are supposed to be in the fray, and they also melt things twice as fast. Mercenaries have to learn to stay 30m away from the fight and have a pillar close by. I'd rather have a stronger KB and greeater DPS than slightly more mobility and spells that hit like a mosquito bite. Esplosive Dart, Heatseeker Missile, Rail Shot, Rapid Shots...all instant, so I can be mobile too in a pinch. Jet Boost -> Unload is a pretty decent combo if they wasted their leap as well.

 

Phaser (50 Arsenal Merc)

The Shadowlands

Yeah that is another thing that made me quit playing arsenal at the beginning. You'd catch so much crap from the idiot caster classes for tracer missile spam but little did they realize its needed to unlock the max potential of 3 of our moves. Unload - Rail Shot - Heatseekers. They can ***** about it and still be sore over it but lets face it caster classes that spam moves like Disturbance are doing the exact same thing just the animation of the move is different. Also like you said, if some ppl understood how and when to use an interrupt maybe mercs wouldn't have caught so much crap at the beginning of the failed mmo.

Just a reminder... Mercs problem is survivability not DPS. So if you're complaining about DPS... your problems most likely stem much further than any issues with the class.

 

I would say it's time to utilize THIS.

I know my class can push harsh dps when well geared. I just want whats owed to me. After all these nerfs I've suffered I at least was some survivability in return. I think I've more that paid my dues in blood in 50 pvp.

I know my class can push harsh dps when well geared. I just want whats owed to me. After all these nerfs I've suffered I at least was some survivability in return. I think I've more that paid my dues in blood in 50 pvp.

I understand your frustration and I completely agree that Mercs could use some love... but here's the problem with your statement.

Nothing is owed to you...

You pay them for a service, you have the choice to continue that service or discontinue that service. Think of it as a cable bill... if you choose a lousy cable company and keep them for 2 years would you expect them to give you 6 months free?

If you hear a song from a new band and buy the CD, and the rest of the CD sucks... don't buy their next CD. Simple as that. You can not return it and the band does not owe you anything.

You shouldn't, this is your choice to pay for a product. It would be like complaining about Netflix having crap movies and demanding they buy you 6 seasons of Dexter.

It doesn't work that way. You're a customer... not all customers are going to be happy. And if you think these analogy's suck.... well, they're all related to forms of entertainment so I don't know how I could be any closer to home on this one. And if you still don't like them... no... I do not owe you anything for the time it took you to read this.

I understand your frustration and I completely agree that Mercs could use some love... but here's the problem with your statement.

 

Nothing is owed to you...

 

You pay them for a service, you have the choice to continue that service or discontinue that service. Think of it as a cable bill... if you choose a lousy cable company and keep them for 2 years would you expect them to give you 6 months free?

 

If you hear a song from a new band and buy the CD, and the rest of the CD sucks... don't buy their next CD. Simple as that. You can not return it and the band does not owe you anything.

 

You shouldn't, this is your choice to pay for a product. It would be like complaining about Netflix having crap movies and demanding they buy you 6 seasons of Dexter.

 

It doesn't work that way. You're a customer... not all customers are going to be happy. And if you think these analogy's suck.... well, they're all related to forms of entertainment so I don't know how I could be any closer to home on this one. And if you still don't like them... no... I do not owe you anything for the time it took you to read this.

You gotta start taking the things ppl say with a grain of salt bra. I was being dramatic with my statement for added effect. You obviously took me too seriously and wasted the time getting all philosophical on me. I wish you and all your infinite internet wisdom could have seen that before wasting the time trying to make silly internet analogys.

Regardless thanks for understanding my frustration with mercs.

if the devs are going to get serious about merc, this is what needs to change

- we need a disengage skill, some kind of burst run that breaks slow/roots and prevents them for a short time (think force speed)

- interrupt resistance. unload for arsenal needs to be uninterruptable, power shot should be instant cast for pyro. solves a crap load of problems with just those 2 simple changes.

- a real slow. if you want to leave it tied to CGC for pyro, it needs to be cranked up to at least 50% slow, if not 60-70%, b/c it is not guaranteed like Powertech's version. arsenal also needs a real slow, i would suggest increasing the duration of the unload slow to 8s, as well as increasing the duration of the jet boost slow to 8s (through arsenal skill boxes)

if the devs are going to get serious about merc, this is what needs to change

 

- we need a disengage skill, some kind of burst run that breaks slow/roots and prevents them for a short time (think force speed)

 

- interrupt resistance. unload for arsenal needs to be uninterruptable, power shot should be instant cast for pyro. solves a crap load of problems with just those 2 simple changes.

 

- a real slow. if you want to leave it tied to CGC for pyro, it needs to be cranked up to at least 50% slow, if not 60-70%, b/c it is not guaranteed like Powertech's version. arsenal also needs a real slow, i would suggest increasing the duration of the unload slow to 8s, as well as increasing the duration of the jet boost slow to 8s (through arsenal skill boxes)

I would love if they made those changes, but if they did, I think I would be broken. Honestly, if you make merc/commando pyro/assault just as strong as VG/PT pyro/assault, with the range we have now, they would be god mode. That's my opinion anyway. You might feel differently. =)

You gotta start taking the things ppl say with a grain of salt bra. I was being dramatic with my statement for added effect. You obviously took me too seriously and wasted the time getting all philosophical on me. I wish you and all your infinite internet wisdom could have seen that before wasting the time trying to make silly internet analogys.

 

Regardless thanks for understanding my frustration with mercs.

What you call dramatic is the norm for many around here. I have seen the "they owe me" mentality around here enough that my assumption was validated.

And no waste of wisdom... it flows naturally and gracefully like the Nile river. I only wish to share it with the common folk.

No seriously... why has a sarcasm font not been invented yet?

I would love if they made those changes, but if they did, I think I would be broken. Honestly, if you make merc/commando pyro/assault just as strong as VG/PT pyro/assault, with the range we have now, they would be god mode. That's my opinion anyway. You might feel differently. =)

these changes wouldnt make us OP. they would barely put us on the same level as a powertech or a marauder.

the things i suggested are all tools that other classes have, in some shape or form.

the major obstacle i see with the community is that merc is so far below the level of sniper/mara/powertech that to make all the necessary changes in order for merc to be on par, it will appear as if merc is getting a massive buff. when in reality, there is a massive discrepancy that needs to be filled.

if the devs are going to get serious about merc, this is what needs to change

 

- we need a disengage skill, some kind of burst run that breaks slow/roots and prevents them for a short time (think force speed)

 

- interrupt resistance. unload for arsenal needs to be uninterruptable, power shot should be instant cast for pyro. solves a crap load of problems with just those 2 simple changes.

 

- a real slow. if you want to leave it tied to CGC for pyro, it needs to be cranked up to at least 50% slow, if not 60-70%, b/c it is not guaranteed like Powertech's version. arsenal also needs a real slow, i would suggest increasing the duration of the unload slow to 8s, as well as increasing the duration of the jet boost slow to 8s (through arsenal skill boxes)

Now this is something I could get behind. Too bad the devs will never look at this, and even if they did, they wouldn't be smart enough to implement it anyways.

I disagree with the first part. I have had BIS gear for months and I can tell you that now, even when I'm 100% left alone I am not OP. Id say Max dps for a 14 minute voidstar is about 700k depending on how noobish the enemy is about grouping together while you DFA. That really doesn't hold a candle to the potential of a Rage/Smashfest Marauder. I also have noticed that its a lot harder to kill a good healer now.

 

No...I don't think we would be OP even if everyone left us alone. I don't even think we would be balanced yet. It would take un-nerfing tracer millise and giving us back the 8k HSM in addition to giving us some type of defense against mele to bring us back in line. Just thinking of what my recruit/Battlemaster geared Deception assasin can do in 3 global cooldowns is insane compared to Merc burst DPS. And our susstained is very poor compared to our PT brothers, and Marauders, Snipers, and good Sins/Sorcs for that matter.

 

The only thing I agree with in your post is that we fall over like a deck of cards when Mele attack us, yet we have nothing to counter this or the ability to shut down any other AC in a simmilar fashon. Basically, Mercs are FUBAR unless you are overgeared and queing against random noob PUGs.

Gunnery is meant to be Single target DPS no? But one of my biggest points, which I admit was hard to see because of poor formatting is that building the spec around grav round and trace missile just doesn't seem very iconic. I think an uninterruptible unload would be what I would balance the tree around, and add back an AOE version of it.

I think the class should be built around Heat-seeker missile. I think we should have more ways wind up and build its power and then bang 10k HSM. I don't think anyone could claim that's OP either considering the 5-7k Smashes in War Hero geared Players.

Unload is kind of a blah ability in my mind. HSM looks sweet and is instant cast. I think it should be like how deception assassins build up their debuffs for shock. Make HSM hit 5k without being buffed, 10k with.

That would make the class really fun IMO, plus having the best burst in the game would make us valuable in Ranked for Killing healers. Pyro PTs can't do it as well as before with the range nerf.

I think the class should be built around Heat-seeker missile. I think we should have more ways wind up and build its power and then bang 10k HSM. I don't think anyone could claim that's OP either considering the 5-7k Smashes in War Hero geared Players.

 

Unload is kind of a blah ability in my mind. HSM looks sweet and is instant cast. I think it should be like how deception assassins build up their debuffs for shock. Make HSM hit 5k without being buffed, 10k with.

 

That would make the class really fun IMO, plus having the best burst in the game would make us valuable in Ranked for Killing healers. Pyro PTs can't do it as well as before with the range nerf.

yes, an ability that can easily do 7-8k damage (ive had a 9k unload before even) is a blah ability

*this* is the kind of suggestion that would make merc OP. the point is to BALANCE merc, not continue to god forsaken merry-go-round of nerfs/buffs.

yes, an ability that can easily do 7-8k damage (ive had a 9k unload before even) is a blah ability

 

*this* is the kind of suggestion that would make merc OP. the point is to BALANCE merc, not continue to god forsaken merry-go-round of nerfs/buffs.

Yeah it is a blah ability. Mele have a bazillion ways to deflect/mitigate white damage. Snipers always dodge unload and Rail-Shot. Its a terrible ability to be built around because its only really good at killing Sorcs.

Yeah it is a blah ability. Mele have a bazillion ways to deflect/mitigate white damage. Snipers always dodge unload and Rail-Shot. Its a terrible ability to be built around because its only really good at killing Sorcs.

There is no way you can say a 10k HSM would be OP when Mele are smashing for up to 10k on up to 8 targets. That's completely inconsistent by any standard.

Unload is channeled, where HSM is instant. Mandos do tech damage and HSM is a tech ability. To me, HSM should be our iconic hard-hitting ability not unload. What else could be more iconic to a DPS ranged caster than a big critting spell? A channeled ability is just ick filler.

There is no way you can say a 10k HSM would be OP when Mele are smashing for up to 10k on up to 8 targets. That's completely inconsistent by any standard.

5 enemies

up to 7k damage

hsm is fine. merc damage output is absolutely fine. the problem with the class has nothing to do with damage output, and when people like this guy spew crap like this it makes it appear as if mercs are simply whining for their turn on the merry-go-round of nerfs.

we need utility/mobility, and we need it badly

5 enemies

up to 7k damage

 

 

hsm is fine. merc damage output is absolutely fine. the problem with the class has nothing to do with damage output,

 

Well then I'm sorry but you are just wrong. When I have to have 3 stacks of tracer debuff and not be attacking a heavy armored person to get a 5k hit THAT IS A PROBLEM. Mele can do over 5k on MULTIPLE targets without batting an eye. Our burst is FUBAR compared to other dps classes and if you think we have good sustained compared to other DPS then you are delusional. Even if we were untargetable 100% of the time we would not be in line with other DPS. We need A LOT more than just utility.

Well then I'm sorry but you are just wrong. When I have to have 3 stacks of tracer debuff and not be attacking a heavy armored person to get a 5k hit THAT IS A PROBLEM. Mele can do over 5k on MULTIPLE targets without batting an eye. Our burst is FUBAR compared to other dps classes and if you think we have good sustained compared to other DPS then you are delusional. Even if we were untargetable 100% of the time we would not be in line with other DPS. We need A LOT more than just utility.

by melee, you mean smash specd jugg/maras. not all melee classes can do what you are talking about. this is pretty widely considered over-balanced right now, hopefully the devs tone it back down to what it was previously. asking to be balanced around an overpowered ability is only going to perpetuate the massive imalances in this game, which nobody wants

merc damage is fine. hsm can hit for nearly 5k, often for 4-4.5k, rail shot is around 4k, unload is 7-8k, and tracer missiles still crits for >2k easily. its operator error if you cannot keep pace with dps output of other classes under optimal circumstances

btw, sniper can do 5k damage a tick to ALL enemies with the aoe from Orbital Strike (close to 15k total), why are you not also crying about that?

by melee, you mean smash specd jugg/maras. not all melee classes can do what you are talking about. this is pretty widely considered over-balanced right now, hopefully the devs tone it back down to what it was previously. asking to be balanced around an overpowered ability is only going to perpetuate the massive imalances in this game, which nobody wants

 

merc damage is fine. hsm can hit for nearly 5k, often for 4-4.5k, rail shot is around 4k, unload is 7-8k, and tracer missiles still crits for >2k easily. its operator error if you cannot keep pace with dps output of other classes under optimal circumstances

 

btw, sniper can do 5k damage a tick to ALL enemies with the aoe from Orbital Strike (close to 15k total), why are you not also crying about that?

In a good long 14 min Voidstar I can break 600k damage. Thats pretty good for a merc. A PT Pyro can do that by spamming 2 abilities. You want to explain my operator error hmm? My assassin can kill someone in 4 global cooldowns from stealth. You really think Merc burst damage is OK?