Given the issues finding more than a handful of people on the midrange planets, I think Heroic+2 missions beyond the origin planet should be doable with a companion. Some are almost doable with good tactics, and it wouldn't take much to nudge the difficulty down a tad for 1 player and a companion. I think this would help round out XP gain for those of us who don't spend hours PVPing and prefer planet exploration. I would defianately take the time to do them.

 

I also think that missions that are coded normally should not end in a Champion (gold/silver star) boss - I'm looking at you Balmorra. If it starts out normal difficulty then it should end that way. I very much appreciate that missions denote normal, heroic +2 or heroic 4 right on the tracker for easy deletion if I know a group isn't likely.

 

A note though: leave Heroic 4's how they are. Those are a different kind of mission and I'm not asking to change those.

 

Dez

Most of the time if you haven't been able to find somebody to do it with you can go back when they are green and you have better gear and solo them with your companion. I don't think there is really a need to change them due to that.

 

I do agree with you on Balmora. Adding a H4 (or is it now H2?) to the end of a normal quest chain was a cheap shot. Especially to those on low pop servers.

Most heroic 2 are doable solo already, take longer, more risk, but usually doable.

 

My only complain is the presence of H4 quest in the bonus series of planet.

What is bonus series? it's a series of quest that you unlock by completing the planetary questline. They are short (about 1 level worth of XP), totally optional and often don't have a strong story behind them. Thet are design to let you catch up in level is for some reason you fall behind the curve.

 

Because of the following 3 reason

 

- Few people does these questlines. They move on to the next planet, to continue the class story or already out level it, so there is no point.

 

- Because those quest line are short, people don't stay long on the planet for those.

 

- Finally the H4 on these questline are lock to other player that have not completed the planetary questline.

 

There are only a handfull at best player on a given bonus series, which make finding group for H4 nile impossible. Tatooine has 3 H4 in the bonus series, that's more H4 than in the regular tatooine questline.

 

Conclusion: H4 are fine as optionnal content in the regular planet questline but are not fine in the bonus series, too few people.

Balmorra bonus series end mob iis still an H4. I just did it again - well, up until then - last nightm, which is why it was at the top of my mind. I feel like such a loser, bragging about how tough I am and then I get to the last part of the chain and am all, "oh gosh, know what? I was JUST called off planet, sorry about that, here's the codes, they should help, bye!"

 

To be honest, I haven't tried H2 quests since the capital worlds after getting stomped by two of them on Dromund Kaas and on Coruscant. Starter worlds were the perfect difficulty for them in my opinion, and I could feel the difficulty curve rising fairly sharply. My current toon is a cybertech, so my mods are always up to date, but frankly when I walk up to a mob group with two golds and a strong I walk away. I don't care how good I am solo, my companion and I cannot take that on. I would come back when they are grey, but I can't see the point.

 

And as a nod to the low populations, I was playing on Krath last night and I was literally the only player on Quesh for the longest time.

Just noticed last night that there was actually H2 quest. Always thought they were all H2+.

 

I think it was on Tattoine for the Empire. I think it also may be part of the bonus series.

Just noticed last night that there was actually H2 quest. Always thought they were all H2+.

 

I think it was on Tattoine for the Empire. I think it also may be part of the bonus series.

 

Yes, and those are the ones where if you just have a companion, its just a taaad outside the ability to complete at or a bit above level and easy as pie with one other person.

 

Dez

H2 and H2+ are usually soloable if you've a way to disable one of the mob, so that'd be Merc/Op/Sorc for all H2s, Sin if there are humanoids, and Sniper if there are droids (are there other classes that can CC droids? Not too sure here). Some H2s are just way harder than others, though, like Poisonous Strategy is just brutal compared to other level 50 H2s.

H2 and H2+ are usually soloable if you've a way to disable one of the mob, so that'd be Merc/Op/Sorc for all H2s, Sin if there are humanoids, and Sniper if there are droids (are there other classes that can CC droids? Not too sure here). Some H2s are just way harder than others, though, like Poisonous Strategy is just brutal compared to other level 50 H2s.

 

I think the point here is that while some classes may be able to solo them, others can't. My BH Merc was able to pull off quite a bit, but a JK Sentinal is just a grass stain on the same quest. I've been playing the Sential a lot lately and feel the pain very acutely. I love the class, and normal quests are fine. Golds are fine with some strategy though being good at interrupts is essential.

 

The thing is, when there are only 1-4 or at most 8 players on a planet, unless people feel like stoping their level grind or you happen to have guildies not busy running nighmare operations, then you're on your own trying to do these, and I see no reason why the Heroic +2's shouldn't be soloable with a companion for all classes.

 

Dez

I think the point here is that while some classes may be able to solo them, others can't. My BH Merc was able to pull off quite a bit, but a JK Sentinal is just a grass stain on the same quest. I've been playing the Sential a lot lately and feel the pain very acutely. I love the class, and normal quests are fine. Golds are fine with some strategy though being good at interrupts is essential.

 

The thing is, when there are only 1-4 or at most 8 players on a planet, unless people feel like stoping their level grind or you happen to have guildies not busy running nighmare operations, then you're on your own trying to do these, and I see no reason why the Heroic +2's shouldn't be soloable with a companion for all classes.

 

Dez

 

You pretty much can't solo them if you can't CC a mob since heroic 2s trash packs are designed to beat any one person quite comfortably without CC, and I do agree this is something that should be looked at.

 

One easy fix would be to give companions the ability to CC mobs for 60 seconds for classes that do not start with such abilities so that you don't run into a brick wall if your class doesn't have a 60s CC.

Better idea, give everyone a CC that works on everything ,problem solved.

Did some more on Tattoine with my Juggernaut, same level and one level higher. Doable with cool downs, where as my lightning spec'd Sorcerer was doing them with Khem two levels lower than the quests. CC and lightning shield is godly.

 

The CC aspect is weird. My main is a Merc, and I can't remember if my Vanguard has CC. If so it would be everything. If not, no CC for Powertech/Vanguard, none for Juggernaut/Guardian, and Assassin/Shadows get a stealth humanoid one. With a healer companion and cool downs I reckon they should be able to solo them. As with you though, wouldn't go near one with my Sentinel.

 

Semi on topic, what is with the stealth CC? Assassin/Shadow can use theirs as they want, but Operative/Scoundrel ones aggro when the stun wears out. Is that because the person spec'd into stun after it wears out?

Did some more on Tattoine with my Juggernaut, same level and one level higher. Doable with cool downs, where as my lightning spec'd Sorcerer was doing them with Khem two levels lower than the quests. CC and lightning shield is godly.

 

The CC aspect is weird. My main is a Merc, and I can't remember if my Vanguard has CC. If so it would be everything. If not, no CC for Powertech/Vanguard, none for Juggernaut/Guardian, and Assassin/Shadows get a stealth humanoid one. With a healer companion and cool downs I reckon they should be able to solo them. As with you though, wouldn't go near one with my Sentinel.

 

Semi on topic, what is with the stealth CC? Assassin/Shadow can use theirs as they want, but Operative/Scoundrel ones aggro when the stun wears out. Is that because the person spec'd into stun after it wears out?

 

Ops can spec so that after their CC wears off, it procs another debuff on the mob, reducing its damage for a short while. This obviously aggros the mob. Assassins don't have any side effect on their Mind Trap, so when it wears off it just wears off and if you haven't done anything to annoy the mob or its friends, it will happily leave you alone.

 

I always thought it's stupid that as an Assassin I can't do heroic 2s if it features all droids. I don't mind if every class simply gets a CC for 60s but there might be implication for WZs, which is why I suggested just making classes without a good CC have companions that can do it instead. For the most part, Assassin CC is good enough (humanoids are far more prevalent than droids). SW archtypes + PT don't seem to have a long term CC at all, and I think Sniper can only do droids? Those classes are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to Heroic 2s and I think the choice is rather arbitrary.

Yeah, Sniper/Gunslinger and Maraurder/Sentinel are droid only CC.

 

I kind of like the companion CC idea. Or using systems already in place (will annoy some people), use legacy to give you an NPC only CC every 2 or 3 minutes (a pack of 3 elites will take longer than that to kill anyway) or something. Make it worse than what classes with CC get though, otherwise more complaining.

As an Sith Inquisitor/Sorcerer and Imperial Agent/Operative I soloed all h2's up to Hoth, however, keep in mind that I don't play bonus series so I skipped all bonus series heroics.

 

Generally, once you have ability to stun enemy for 60 seconds you can easily isolate and defeat whole groups (especially as operative as you get two 60-second stun abilities), just turn off your companion aoe powers.

 

After that only diamond bosses with insane amount of health are problem, and first one you get is on Hoth...

Heroic 2 missions are definitely solo-able. The player just needs to be cautious and plan out each fight in advange. Most Heroic 2 (using the Lord Raxxus one on Belsavis as an example) have 1 Elite, 2 Strongs, 2 Standards or 4 Weak pulls. The best way to beat this fights is to stun/CC the strongest enemy first then keep as many others stunned as possible.

 

Heroic 2+ missions are sometimes solo-able as well, though usually they're meant for two players. Heroic 4 fights usually cannot be done alone, yet some can be solo'd. What makes an easily solo-able Heroic 2+/4 to one that isn't is whether or not the objectives want you to kill mobs or not. Usually, in the Heroics where you go someplace and collect an item while avoiding most of the mobs, you can complete it alone. However, if you're forced to fight in a Heroic 2+, you may end up dying, and if you're forced to fight in a Heroic 4 alone, you're definitely dying.

 

All Heroic 2+ missions can be duo'd with ease. Most Heroic 4 missions can also be duo'd with smart players that also have some CC and heals. There are only a few Heroic 4 missions that need 3 or more.

For the guys who say Heroic 2s are easily soloable if you can CC the mob, 4 out of 8 classes can only CC droids, which isn't exactly common in a Heroic 2. You absolutely will not come close to beating the generic Heroic 2 trash pack without using your heroic moment ability assuming you're not extremely overgeared. They're soloable for half of the classes in the game that can CC humanoid or better, but the droid-CC only guys are screwed.

Yeah, Sniper/Gunslinger and Maraurder/Sentinel are droid only CC.

 

I kind of like the companion CC idea. Or using systems already in place (will annoy some people), use legacy to give you an NPC only CC every 2 or 3 minutes (a pack of 3 elites will take longer than that to kill anyway) or something. Make it worse than what classes with CC get though, otherwise more complaining.

 

This is actually an excellent idea. Using the legacy system that is already in place to give a companion the ability to CC - or better yet, to be able to buy an ability such as is listed on the class page, that is a CC.

 

Dez

My current toon is a cybertech, so my mods are always up to date, but frankly when I walk up to a mob group with two golds and a strong I walk away. I don't care how good I am solo, my companion and I cannot take that on.

 

I actually tried this once. A scoundrel and Bowdaar(with AoE and toss turned off, obviously). Because they were a mix of humans and droids, I could do mez two, and kill the them in turns. I just got bored of it halfway through, because it was so mind-numbingly slow.

H2 and H2+ are usually soloable if you've a way to disable one of the mob, so that'd be Merc/Op/Sorc for all H2s, Sin if there are humanoids, and Sniper if there are droids (are there other classes that can CC droids? Not too sure here). Some H2s are just way harder than others, though, like Poisonous Strategy is just brutal compared to other level 50 H2s.

 

Sentinels/marauders have a droid CC too.

 

Scoundrel/Operative are especially lucky, as the get slice droid, AND tranquilizer, allowing them to control two targets at the start of a fight (catch is, the two mezzes are exclusive. Anyone that is affected by slice droid is immune to tranquilizer)