Well 1.4 is here now so what does everyone think to the changes to this class (although minor) PvP and PvE wise?

Love the interrupt.. hate the cryo grenade nerf. 20m would been an acceptable nerf, but for a ranged commando 10m is next to useless. In Huttball we have almost no way of stalling a ball carrier anymore. (You can pop Tech overide then CC real quick but then dmg from others just lets them loose again) so what are we to do? Heal spec can throw a Kolto bomb that slows them 50% but if they have speed increased they are usually out of range before you can target them with it.

 

I'm a heal spec commando and so far I love the new skills/changes. But nerfing our only practical stun was a bad call.

The interrupt is certainly nice, I have already made good use of it so far (PVE). I do absolutely hate the lose of my knock back with stock strike though, the root is almost completely worthless. Even if I use it then use concussion charge the root runs out just as the target touches back on the ground .... worthless. On top of that, how am I supposed to fight if I root someone (for 2-4 wasteful seconds) and am expected to run away. By the time I run out of range the root is gone and they are after me again. The nerf to cryo grenade distance is a bad call, I didn't use it to create distance but to keep it. Again, why would I want to stick someone right next to me that forces me to move and not be able to cast my attacks? As for the instant AMP with the buffs for high impact round well, it is alright. I never used to bother with off healing but now I just might pop an AMP every now and then. I still wish they would have made it for MP instead of AMP since AMP already has a short cast time and is certainly weaker. I am not a combat medic so I cannot comment much on the changes there.

Good news, the interrupt is great.

 

Bad news:

 

Cryo grenade change is a terrible idea. We are a ranged class predicated on the concept of standoff and being a base of fire. We cannot maintain standoff for any period of time now nor can we shape the battle from our normal firing position. We are now overrun without the ability to control. I also don't have a control option for snipers now unless we are all within 10m. This design, development, and testing was completely ineffective.

 

Knockback: I ran two commandos through multiple warzones last night and finally quit. At no time did I want and could use a root. I was either rooted/snared so a root was pointless, but a knockback would have helped. There were several times I could have used root to an effect in huttball, but I would have rather had a knockback to get the better effect of knocking them off the catwalks. Again, poor thought process, poor design, poor development, and ineffective testing.

 

I am giddy with anger.

Edited September 27, 2012 by DashaAdair

really wish they would just make it a 4s daze that breaks immediately on damage on damage or something

 

the knock back "did too much resolve to make it useful" but the root is completely useless

 

 

 

nerf to cryo is kind of annoying, but i used it as a pseudo-interrupt for the most part, so it doesn't affect my playstyle too much

 

 

overall though, my thoughts are: WE FINALLY GET AN INTERRUPT!!!!!shiftone!!1

then i feel really sad that i'm excited about something we should have had since the beginning

 

which are roughly my thoughts when we finally got an in-combat rezz

Edited September 28, 2012 by oaceen

PVE-wise I love the changes for Combat Medics.

 

Cryo Grenade 10m or 30m doesn't really matter, I only use it when some adds are on my back.

 

The reduction on skill points for Potent Medicine allowed me to acquire 4% alacrity and 2% heal done.

Here's my thoughts, the nerf to sweltering heat was retarded. They gave us nothing in the way of defense as dps Commandos, they nerfed the one viable tree we had for PVP as DPS spec, by reducing the snare to 30%. There's no way to maintain distance between us and melee now. Instead we get a root and snare increase in Gunnery and... nothing else to help that tree for PVP. You are still forced to be a turret and you're still susceptible to interrupts in Gunnery so what was the point I ask?

 

Just come out and say you have no idea how to balance the class for PVP at ALL.

commando is still pretty underwhelming, to easily shut down, and assault specialist is still gimped compared to vanguard version, not much changed... the root is pointless, i dont get it why they did that change lol

 

balance is not so bad, bettewen the other classes, its just that commando/mercenary suck hard on everything possible period.

Edited September 28, 2012 by xxIncubixx

I miss the originaly Trooper Class / Commando. At least back then a Commando actually had a purpose.

 

I focussed almost all my points on Combat Med after 1.4 because it is laughable to be anything other than a half-*** medic in SW:TOR

As a long time combat medic, I'm pretty happy with the changes. I don't care too much about a 10m vs 30m cyro nade. I pretty much only use them on mele anyhow. The interrupt is a big welcome. I'm not sure the new trauma probe ability is going to really ever get used (by me) effectively, but it is nice to have. All the people who complain about trauma prob being inefficient are technically (mathematically) correct, but I love being able to heal in two place at once and am willing to pay the price in ammo to do it. Its really helpful in PvP at least.

The one thing that is nice about Assault DPS is their range (with exception of Cyro Grenade) remained unchanged -- the changes solely impacted Vanguards for the 11- and 31-point abiltiies. Sure, it's not nearly as bursty as the Vanguard version, but you can do it at range. I suspect that is a very valuable thing.

 

For Gunnery, I'm still meh about it. It's fun to me strictly in PVE. I still think it needs some help in PvP, but still believe its too early to comment on the changes they got in 1.4. There is a lot of habits to break, namely using knockbacks or Cryo Grenade as an interrupt. Now that we have a legitamate interrupt, they'll need to focus on using their CC largely in self-defense and control instead of a makeshift interrupt.

 

As a Combat Medic, I've been enjoying myself. The slow isn't exceptional but there are tons of ways to use it that I am looking forward to. The self-heal on Trauma Probe does burn through the 10 charges awfully quick, which does make it more challenging (but still rewarding) to keep it up. I like it. Oh, and that interrupt. If I find you using force-lightning on me ever you better believe I am interrupting that.

Last night two words came to mind in reference to the changes made specifically to Cryo Grenade and the knockback on Stockstrike: inconsistent and disjointed.

 

If the reasoning to make almost all of the 4 second stuns 10m is in the name of 'balance' I'm inclined to label it unimaginative or lazy. I like the rock, scissors, paper approach to classes working together and developing synergy as opposed to the cookie cutter approach.

 

My experience last night was flat. Dynamic interactions and reactions at different ranges has been muted. To paraphrase a movie, if everyone is good at 10 meters, no one is.

For Gunnery Commando, even with the interrupt, we've regressed a bit with the change to SS and Cryo. We still lack the utilities that make GS and Snipers effective. I think we're still fine for PvE, but PvP is another story especially the nerf to cryo and SS. It's already too easy to take a Gunnery Mando out of the fight.

 

If the changes were because of Vanguard, well then they fail because they should unlink the specials from each AC. Right now we're the only casting class and ranged class that has nothing to keep space other than concussion charge cand that is only a 50% snare that can be broken.

 

Add on top of that the fact that heavy armor is all but irrelevent in PvP because of all the dots, internal, and elemental damage in PvP. Our shield is 12 seconds every 2 minutes and diversion is pointless in PvP.

 

Our damage is fine, but either our survivability or utility needs to be addressed sorely, for pvp at least.

they should just do when charge barrier is up be immune to interrupt, but if u moved the barrier would disapear or something.

they should just do when charge barrier is up be immune to interrupt, but if u moved the barrier would disapear or something.

 

With 5 stacks only, and the AMP buff should take charged barrier stacks instead so something is consuming them. Thing is it would be getting those initial 5 that would be such a problem. I'm still holding out for Hold the Line

With 5 stacks only, and the AMP buff should take charged barrier stacks instead so something is consuming them. Thing is it would be getting those initial 5 that would be such a problem. I'm still holding out for Hold the Line

 

yeah hold the line would fix alot actually of the commando problems to be honest

Gunnery Commando here.

 

PVE:

No difference except some minor irritations with cryo grenade. I'm used to stacking at melee range on my VG and 20+ on my commando, 10 is some sort of hypothetical range that I really don't have an instinctive knowledge of yet. Interrupts are nice particularly when PUGging with idiots, the minefield and LR-5 but honestly not that big a deal. I'm our backup cleanser and the guild would much rather have me focused on that than interrupts.

 

But, you know what? I tie for top DPS in my guild with a similarly geared Assault Vanguard. When we take the newbies on EV/KP gearing runs, I manage 10% or more of our healing (more than that in cleanses, and no points in heals beyond bottom row) while carrying 3 other DPS often in tionese through the Op with no danger of enrages--. So I just can't find anything to complain about.

 

PVP:

Haven't played again yet and honestly might not on my commando for a while. Was a consistent 3-500k DPSer in normal WZs (even huttball) before I got tired of it. I can see the interrupt being nice for things like sorc lightning and shutting down healers, but what i really wanted was some survivability, an offensive CD, or durability.

 

Internal/elemental dmg remains the biggest problem with PvP and remains so. The next most concerning is the insane dmg mitigation and self-heal abilities of certain classes. (sorc bubble/force mend, shadow and watch sent self-heals etc.) A pyro lights me up and I sit there and take it. Those big heavy armor plates apparently have no flame retardant properties whatsoever. I attempt to smack a sorc with my grav round, 3 times. He giggles when it smacks against his bubble, 'it tickles!!!'

 

I really enjoyed PvP, and if my guild gets its act together with a ranked team, i'll be participating (we have enough full WH peeps, just not a set time to play rankeds yet), because I enjoy playing with my guildies, but that's most likely the only thing that'll convince me to play.

 

 

BUT as I watch these guys mess around with a formula that just plain works in PVE--and really wasn't as bad in PVP as people said it was--I'm really worried that we'll end up like DPS scoundrels...

Edited October 2, 2012 by SafeJungleFever

Massive dissapointment for me. I've dropped PVP on my main (Combat Medic) & feel like a weak link most of the time at Operation/Raid level compared to similar geared Scoundrel/Sage healers.

 

Maybe it's just me and the tedium is setting in for this class, but I was hoping for something more exciting as a healer Combat Med since launch, dropping Potent Medicine to 3 points instead of 5 & giving us an interupt (which we should of had since launch anyway) has not really done alot for me.

 

Just being honest & only my personal opinion.

Love the interrupt.. hate the cryo grenade nerf. 20m would been an acceptable nerf, but for a ranged commando 10m is next to useless. In Huttball we have almost no way of stalling a ball carrier anymore. (You can pop Tech overide then CC real quick but then dmg from others just lets them loose again) so what are we to do? Heal spec can throw a Kolto bomb that slows them 50% but if they have speed increased they are usually out of range before you can target them with it.

 

I'm a heal spec commando and so far I love the new skills/changes. But nerfing our only practical stun was a bad call.

 

I can relate they nerfed the Inquisitor/Concular knockback skills Overload/Force Wave so you can only hit the enemies in front of you instead of all the way around you which I feel was a very bad call all because the PVP hardliners complained. That ability saved me more times than I can count when going solo before the update now I am lucky to survive swarm attacks now. Since Tank Spec'd players like me depended on that skills ability to nail those enemies behind us. AS for what they did to the Comandos I like the new skill/changes but agree with the person I quoted. Messing with the only practical stun that build has was NOT a good move all because hardcore PVPers took their whining to BioWare/EA the rest of us get screwed.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Kyriosgundam

I'm not sure why anybody in their right mind felt 1.3 commandos needed pvp nerfs.

 

As far as pve goes - in the sense that I don't particularly want to subject myself to another round of unstoppable melee death trains to really test out changes in pvp - I'd rather they'd not bothered with the charged barrel-advanced medical probe thing. It's made supportive spot healing as gunnery (as in, the thing it's designed for) even more detrimental than it already was. Not that it was ever especially amazing, granted, but at least popping out a heal probe or two from time to time only cost you dps equivilant to one global cooldown. Now I lose that, plus 1-3 grav round's worth of charged barrel stacks. For as much as advanced medical probe heals for - which is to say, virtually nothing - it's hardly ever worth it.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Bleeters

I left Swtor shortly after 1.2, for multiple reasons.

 

Coming back to it, I've found a renewed love for some facets of it. Legacy perks for alts, GF, Ranked PvP, etc...

 

As I was returning, I created and leveled a new commando to 50, and since my Merc is a healer, I decided to gear and play Mal as a DPS (Gunnery atm) commando. Half way into WH and well augmented, I'm regretting it. Perhaps I do not understand my roll, but it seems more often than not I'm more of a liability to my team then an asset.

 

Sure if I'm left alone, I can happily spam grav round, full auto, and finish people off with a quick Sticky+Demo Round+HiB. Any class can excel if left alone. It feels as if I can barely guard things, and half the time the only thing I can do is stay alive an extra 5-10 second until a sin/maurader/jugg/PT comes to actually defend the node.

 

I do manage to piss people off when I start off-healing our healer in a pinch, but I ask myself... why spend 31 points in gunnery if the only time I "shine" is throwing a few off heals at the right time?

 

To tie this into the topic... since 1.4 hit... I'm kicking myself for not beginning my Commando's WH grind as a Medic.

I left Swtor shortly after 1.2, for multiple reasons.

 

Coming back to it, I've found a renewed love for some facets of it. Legacy perks for alts, GF, Ranked PvP, etc...

 

As I was returning, I created and leveled a new commando to 50, and since my Merc is a healer, I decided to gear and play Mal as a DPS (Gunnery atm) commando. Half way into WH and well augmented, I'm regretting it. Perhaps I do not understand my roll, but it seems more often than not I'm more of a liability to my team then an asset.

 

Sure if I'm left alone, I can happily spam grav round, full auto, and finish people off with a quick Sticky+Demo Round+HiB. Any class can excel if left alone. It feels as if I can barely guard things, and half the time the only thing I can do is stay alive an extra 5-10 second until a sin/maurader/jugg/PT comes to actually defend the node.

 

I do manage to piss people off when I start off-healing our healer in a pinch, but I ask myself... why spend 31 points in gunnery if the only time I "shine" is throwing a few off heals at the right time?

 

To tie this into the topic... since 1.4 hit... I'm kicking myself for not beginning my Commando's WH grind as a Medic.

 

Honestly it was mostly this way before 1.4 as well. DPS Commando/Merc is by far the weakest class under any sort of pressure in PVP. Very frustrating a lot of the time, especially if you aren't in a premade.

PvP wise, gunnery Trooper:

 

The interrupt is nice but I didn't really need it as used the KB or the cryo grenade when needed.

 

10m on Cryo grenade make it mostly useless now. I want to stop enemies before they get in range not after.

 

The removal of KB made the Trooper useless in Hutball and well worse in other WZ.

BTW my Trooper don't need a root because it's a turret type of DPS.

We are static DPS. If you keep the root give more mobility to the Trooper.

 

 

The 70% snare is garbage. I used it at 50% dropped it and never missed it. Tried again the new one and it's still a waste of skill points, even in HuttBall.

 

All in all we got nerfed hard, Gunnery Trooper sucks even more in PvP and I don't play mine at all anymore.

PvP wise, gunnery Trooper:

 

The interrupt is nice but I didn't really need it as used the KB or the cryo grenade when needed.

 

10m on Cryo grenade make it mostly useless now. I want to stop enemies before they get in range not after.

 

The removal of KB made the Trooper useless in Hutball and well worse in other WZ.

BTW my Trooper don't need a root because it's a turret type of DPS.

We are static DPS. If you keep the root give more mobility to the Trooper.

 

 

The 70% snare is garbage. I used it at 50% dropped it and never missed it. Tried again the new one and it's still a waste of skill points, even in HuttBall.

 

All in all we got nerfed hard, Gunnery Trooper sucks even more in PvP and I don't play mine at all anymore.

 

Actually the root would be pretty awesome.....if we could use it at 30m. Would be great then. 4m? Just not very good.

Actually the root would be pretty awesome.....if we could use it at 30m. Would be great then. 4m? Just not very good.

30m root: we had the cryo grenade + the shockstike KB