Hi friends,

It's great we have heroics since 4.0 being a viable way to grind comms, credits, boxes, companion gifts, gear, etc., etc., etc. However, there are a good two dozen or more on both Imperial/Republic sides that are absolutely not worth doing for one reason or another including slow respawns, insufficient objective clickies, and so on. I know it is not a huge issue for many, and it really isn't, but some of these changes can be made just by a simple change of a single number in a respawn timer.

So, Eric & Tait/Devs, here's a very quick series of fixes that could be made to bring these on par with the others. I've bolded those that really, really do need just a minute of attention:

Republic Heroics:

Alderaan

• Into the Killik Warrens: Reduce spikes needed from 8 to 4.
  

Balmorra

• Hit 'Em Where They Live: Reduce sniper group respawn timer from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.
  
• Justice for the Lost: Reduce Elite groups that drop the codes respawn timers from 300+ seconds to 60 seconds.
  

Belsavis

• The Stasis Generator: Remove 1-2 packs of NPCs not guarding the 4 stasis generators.
  

Coruscant

• The Face Merchants: Reduce respawn timers of NPCs outside heroic entrance from 300 seconds to 60 seconds. Additionally, reduce number of NPCs for exterior bonus from 15 to 10.
  

Makeb

• Savage Skies: Needs completely reworked. Number of steps to complete heroic is the same time one would spend on 6-8 other heroics. Number of NPCs also needs to be decreased.
  
• All Makeb Heroics: Bonuses need to grant credit rewards on par with other heroics (12k-18k depending).
  

Nar Shaddaa

• Blood Money: Decrease number of Pit/Infamous Fighters from 10 to 8.
  
• The Morgukai: Either remove the stun/slow grenade from the silvers or the hard stun from the golds. Too many stuns/slows at once.
  

Taris

• Mutations: Instance the zone or decrease respawn timer of Irradiated Rakghouls from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.
  

Tatooine

• Down the Hole: Reduce respawn timer of War-Master Rhigoth from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.
  
• A Jawa's Concern: Move Padawan body/heroic transport closer to cave entrance.
  

Voss

• Cyber Mercenaries: Decrease number of enemies in heroic area to a reasonable number (far too many packs) and the bonus should reflect the decrease.
  
• Not Afraid Enough: Decrease number of Tribesmen/Mawvorr needed from 10 each to 8 each.
  

Imperial Heroics:

Alderaan

• The Lanar Question: Reduce number of forces from 25 to 20 and Smugglers from 15 to 10 or 12.
  
• Shock Doctrine: Remove cooldown timer of special mission item to place mark on corpses.
  
• Sabotage: Remove a SIGNIFICANT number of NPC packs from heroic area. Far too many packs of silvers/golds.
  

Belsavis

• Breakthrough: Reduce 1-2 golds in each pack to a silver.
  

Dromund Kaas

• Possessed Hunter: Instance OR reduce Valen Korik's respawn timer from 900 seconds to 60 seconds!!!
  

Hoth

• Joint Training: Reduce respawn timers of Talz War Veteran and Talz Taskmaster from 300 seconds to 60 seconds. Additionally, several NPC types do not count towards the Republic and Talz forces, but are Republic and Talz forces!
  
• The Big Find: Reduce Jedi respawn timers from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.
  
• A Traitor's Punishment: Reduce the number of knockbacks/stuns from Sith. Every pack stuns/knocks back. Not worth the time currently.
  
• Static: Remove 2-3 NPC packs or reduce length of tunnel to main cavern.
  

Makeb

• All Makeb Heroics: Bonuses do not currently reward credits, need to be added to give comparable 12k-18k credits as other heroics do.
  

Nar Shaddaa

• A Pound of Flesh: Reduce number of Exchange Members needed from 30 to 20 and reduce number of Organ Shipments destroyed from 8 to 6.
  
• Hunger of the Vrblthers: Reduce number of pylons needed for 2nd stage from 12 to 4.
  
• Building a Better Beast: Remove 1-3 NPC packs that don't have a Breeder within.
  

Taris

• Spilling Chemicals: Reduce number of barrels from 10 to 6 or change respawn rate from 300 to 60 seconds.
  

To those that take the time to read this, thanks!

I can't help but feel that the current state of the Heroics has made credit grinding far too easy if you are willing to group up and run those with bonuses.

And you want to make it more convenient!?

I'm impressed by your effort, but part of efficient farming is the ability to minimise time spent running a task, some of this just comes down to knowing which missions are worthwhile running and which aren't.

Coruscant

The Face Merchants: Reduce respawn timers of NPCs outside heroic entrance from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.

 

Taris

Mutations: Instance the zone or decrease respawn timer of Irradiated Rakghouls from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.

 

Dromund Kaas

Possessed Hunter: Instance OR reduce Valen Korik's respawn timer from 900 seconds to 60 seconds!!!

These three for me. I don't mind when things take time (ie: having to kill many mobs) but I often do Heroics on leveling toons with an XP boost on me and it really blows having to sit there and wait 5 minutes for mobs to spawn. I'd rather end up having to kill more mobs than necessary than to sit there twiddling my thumbs for a good while and the wait for respawns is especially bad with the 3 quests quoted.

Just want to say yes. Sounds very reasonable to me and in line with what BW actually wanted with this system.

Now let's see if they take note.

This is a pretty decent list, overall. I approve.

If I had to prioritize, I'd do a once-over of the various mobs and trim down the number of knockbacks/stuns/snares. They in no way add challenge or difficulty and only add frustration and boredom. Not a single one of these mobs can actually kill me with my companion out, and most would be hard pressed to do so were I alone, but they sure can lock me down and stop me from playing the game constantly. If I'm not advancing through content at a sustainable pace, but instead sitting around half the time staring at a frozen toon with every mob, I'm not having fun. The cave of rogue Sith on Hoth is the absolute worst for this.

The Makeb bonuses absolutely need a credit reward since they give exactly NOTHING at present.

If you're not going to lower the respawn timer on the open world objective mobs, then you need to instance them. That possessed mando on DK at the end of the hallway in the Temple has no business taking longer than most of the other Heroics purely because you have to wait in line to get him. Drop an instance gate at the hallway entrance (like every other hallway in the Temple already has) and we're good to go.

The number of mobs isn't really the issue, as long as they all logically count towards either the main or bonus objective (and they aren't all loaded down with every knockback/stun/snare in the game).

A pet peeve of mine is the gas trap room in that one Makeb Heroic. False History? I know you supposedly "fixed" that, but it still deals a stupid amount of damage. It wouldn't be so frustrating if I wasn't constantly getting hung up on the chairs in front of the tables that block the clickables. The last one is always just out of reach, so I have to jump on the table, inevitably get caught on the chair, my comp dies trying to self heal and then I'm toast a second later. To add insult to injury, I'm booted out of the instance and the whole thing resets.

LOL wut?

It's the ONLY heroic in the entire game that does this. It's not fun or worth the effort for a single crate. It's stupid. If you're not going to lower the damage to a less insane amount, fine, but get rid of the damn chairs. Or even better, let me respawn INSIDE the instance so I can try again when the gas clears.

I can't help but feel that the current state of the Heroics has made credit grinding far too easy if you are willing to group up and run those with bonuses.

 

And you want to make it more convenient!?

 

I'm impressed by your effort, but part of efficient farming is the ability to minimise time spent running a task, some of this just comes down to knowing which missions are worthwhile running and which aren't.

Yes, min/max your time for maximum efficiency is good, but that shouldn't mean they should stop making other content at least worth doing. At the moment there is 0 reason to do these heroics above, they however, should still be VIABLE at least.

On a side note... great list OP... and thank you for taking the time to make it.

Nar Shaddaa

• Blood Money: Decrease number of Pit/Infamous Fighters from 10 to 8.
  

Im a bit confused about this one. I think there needs to be MORE of the mobs we need, in fact I would suggest they change most if not all of the mobs into the ones we need, or reduce the amount we need.

If I am mistaken and these are NOT the mobs we need, then I digress.

Otherwise, great list.

Yes, min/max your time for maximum efficiency is good, but that shouldn't mean they should stop making other content at least worth doing. At the moment there is 0 reason to do these heroics above, they however, should still be VIABLE at least.

 

On a side note... great list OP... and thank you for taking the time to make it.

Hyperbole much

They are viable. They may not be as easy or as quick to run as some Heroics, but they drop Alliance crates if that's what you are after as a solo player.

If you are levelling and not yet 65, at least you can solo them all still (I find it hard to believe you'd be under level) before 4.0 the only option was to wait until you'd over levelled far enough to be able to solo them. And that was more to see the content because the rewards weren't scaled.

The fact that Heroics have rewards that are now scaled (even the Korriban heroics drop level 61 green and blue items for my level 65 characters) makes them an extremely fast way of earning credits.

Most people struggling with stuns/knockbacks are just reluctant to learn how to play their character or utilise their companion... or co-ordinate in a group. Set companion to tank stance, make companion attack the mobs first (crowd control one if you have the ability), use snares/ pushback if available. The fact that there are still mobs that require some tactics is a small boost, I thought it was bad enough that standard story content is now just a case of spamming the characters AoE attack.

Coruscant

The Face Merchants: Reduce respawn timers of NPCs outside heroic entrance from 300 seconds to 60 seconds.

This - since the NPCs drop the required key to enter the instance for the second half of the mission. Or just move the instance entrance farther out - though that might cause issues with the one elite that spawns by the current instance boundary

This - since the NPCs drop the required key to enter the instance for the second half of the mission. Or just move the instance entrance farther out - though that might cause issues with the one elite that spawns by the current instance boundary

It would help already if the drop wasn't a chance but guaranteed. Some run around killing several groups until they get the key.

It would help already if the drop wasn't a chance but guaranteed. Some run around killing several groups until they get the key.

I've never had an issue with getting the key once I can jump a mob. It's the waiting around for the respawn timer that kills it. And the bonus mission is basically not an option, because if you do it, you're guaranteeing the next few people through can't get a key until the respawn timer ticks over

I could not agree more with Mutations. It's a freaking bottleneck there.

Mutations is basically not doable right now. Instance the whole zone.

Most people struggling with stuns/knockbacks are just reluctant to learn how to play their character or utilise their companion... or co-ordinate in a group. Set companion to tank stance, make companion attack the mobs first (crowd control one if you have the ability), use snares/ pushback if available. The fact that there are still mobs that require some tactics is a small boost, I thought it was bad enough that standard story content is now just a case of spamming the characters AoE attack.

Fair point for the rest of the post, but here... meh

Its not "struggling" its just a minor annoyance constantly tossed in the air like a football. One can only utilize so much of his class before taking off on the sith express on that one heroic in the caves on hoth pubside. The main problem is how the heroics can now take literal actual zero effort, and you can literally let your comp do all the work for you. Since the chance of death of now a astounding ratio of 0%, it just becomes a annoyance and no longer becomes hard or challenging... it just becomes tedious... and tedious things aren't fun. If the game was somewhat a actual challenge, they could rely less on stupid control affects and more about rotation... DCDs.... interrupts.... stuns... etc etc.

Your last sentence in your post though... really brings me memories.

I remember I use to run with my friend who was a operative healer and used a healer comp, while I was a DPS commando with a DPS comp and ran heroics with him... sadly these got so boring on our third heroics that we decided to spice it up. He would chain pull EVERY possible mob he could, while I whittle them down fast enough before we could get overwhelmed. Disappointingly enough, we only struggled with a handful of them, and even took this a step further and did it in a few star fortresses, and with some cheesing, we were able at one point to almost run straight through getting every mob. We had to cheese it a bit by knocking the paladins off the edge, but still... we shouldn't be able to literally dash through a entire section of the game while killing mobs on the run, even at times accumulating 20+ mobs and still coming out alive due to OP comps and weak DTPS.

Mutations is basically not doable right now. Instance the whole zone.

It's doable if you have a ton of time to waste. Instanced, it's a 5 minute mission if that.

Fair point for the rest of the post, but here... meh

 

Its not "struggling" its just a minor annoyance constantly tossed in the air like a football. One can only utilize so much of his class before taking off on the sith express on that one heroic in the caves on hoth pubside. The main problem is how the heroics can now take literal actual zero effort, and you can literally let your comp do all the work for you. Since the chance of death of now a astounding ratio of 0%, it just becomes a annoyance and no longer becomes hard or challenging... it just becomes tedious... and tedious things aren't fun. If the game was somewhat a actual challenge, they could rely less on stupid control affects and more about rotation... DCDs.... interrupts.... stuns... etc etc.

I'll be honest I don't run the Heroics on Republic characters, Imperial side just have a better selection of instanced fast heroics.

I'm well set up for Heroics with many alts (no where near the max of 40, but enough to get by )

So, for Heroic runs I forget about my Republic characters.

I have 12 Heroics that can be run very quickly because they are instanced or have fast respawn times, I save these for my Sith (Warrior/Inquisitor) as two of them are on Korriban, and run them solo. ~700k per hour

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays when there's a lot of interest on fleet for forming groups I'll tend to use my non-sith Imps, sit on fleet next to the mission terminal and group up for bonus mission runs. ~1.2mil per hour

I've never had a faster rate of credits.

Unfortunately it's the nature of MMO mechanics to make the combat tedious. There is little random element in the gameplay, the little there is can be eliminated with gear. This leaves the devs very few tools to offer variety.

Knockbacks and stuns are fine and can be planned around... that's known as tactics

It may be from sending in the companion first or you may choose to set up your utilities to counter snares/stuns and knockbacks. It's only tedious if you think you can one button press your way through the combat.

If they decrease spawn to 60 seconds for the champ/elites, theyd have to remove loot from them as well in order to prevent abuse with farming.

I'm good with it. Most of the loot is vendor trash anyways.

If they decrease spawn to 60 seconds for the champ/elites, theyd have to remove loot from them as well in order to prevent abuse with farming.

I'm saying this as a realist, since most people on these forums would consider me a White Knight for Bioware:

They haven't stopped all the other farming abuse going on, why start now?

Why do some players think they know better than everyone else what's is and what is not needed to fix the game?

Because here is yet another!

He means the number required for the objective, not the number in the mission area.

Ah, Fair enough.

Well, I think it is a fantastic list, and the suggested changes are very intuitive. I expect there would likely be many folks that would welcome these changes.

I am certainly among them.

I'm saying this as a realist, since most people on these forums would consider me a White Knight for Bioware:

 

They haven't stopped all the other farming abuse going on, why start now?

Sure, but they don't want to actively encourage it. I mean, they did take stuff away from folks who abused the credit exploit, after all.