Ever since Neverwinter Nights (1991) CC in PvP has been an issue. You would think that after this many years a game could get it right. Especially since there are so many good ideas from players from around the world about how to work it.

 

That is what pisses me off the most about this game. PvP is a must for any new MMO and CC is seriously a major issue and this game has done nothing to address or fix the issues.

 

Resolve is broken. 100% snares are 100% Bull****. Being CCed to death by 2 players with a "system" in place is bull****. Of course getting CCed to death by 3 - More is acceptable (you should never have a chance againt those odds)

 

The OP based a great theory about how this resolve system should work. But lets face it, it is all a theory at this point.

 

OK so now my ideas to fix

 

 

just wanted to say what someone said before

CHAIN CCed TO DEATH IS NOT FUN

 

1) Stuns need a longer recast time to cast. These should only be broken by your "trinket" or when full resolve.

 

2) Roots and Mezz should always break on combat(they don't)

 

3) Get rid of the 100% snare this is a caster killer plain and simple.

 

4) even out the WZs I would suggest lvl 10- 29 and 30-49. Then of course the 50 bracket. even with the stat boost a lvl 10 going against a lvl 49 is just plain crap.

Edited July 26, 2012 by PatrickCMaher
OH YEA

Ever since Neverwinter Nights (1991) CC in PvP has been an issue. You would think that after this many years a game could get it right. Especially since there are so many good ideas from players from around the world about how to work it.

 

That is what pisses me off the most about this game. PvP is a must for any new MMO and CC is seriously a major issue and this game has done nothing to address or fix the issues.

 

Resolve is broken. 100% snares are 100% Bull****. Being CCed to death by 2 players with a "system" in place is bull****. Of course getting CCed to death by 3 - More is acceptable (you should never have a chance againt those odds)

 

The OP based a great theory about how this resolve system should work. But lets face it, it is all a theory at this point.

 

OK so now my ideas to fix...

 

Since you have the perfect answer that others repeatedly ignore, I look forward to beta testing your new game in a few years. Start here.

When the bar fills up, the person gains immunity to further CC

 

This is I think where the big mis-understanding with the resolve system (as currently implemented by TOR) comes from. People read through these guides, spot that one sentance, take it out of context and come to basically the wrong conclusion about what resolve is and how it works, then when it doesn't work the way they expect they complain that is must be broken.

Based on my observations from numerous WZs both as a the player getting stunned and the player doing the stunning I have noticed the following. Having a 100% full Resolve Bar does not on it's own grant you immunity from being CC'd You only get that immunity AFTER you use your CC Breaker. So if your Resolve Bar is full but your CC Breaker is still stuck on Cooldown, Resolve will do nothing for you. Most of the players who complain in threads all over this site about "Resolve being Broken, please fix" are under the mistaken belief that a full Resolve Bar automatically stops you being stunned, sorry boys and girls it doesn't

The problem mainly arises because most players have 2 or 3 CC's with cooldowns ranging between 30 & 60 seconds while they only have 1 CC Breaker with a 2 minute cooldown.

The solution (without drastically changing the game mechanics) put a buff on all players in WZs that drops the CC Breaker Cooldown to 30 seconds, but as a trade off have resolve fill more slowly (3 to 4 stuns), that way you can still stun someone but not take advantage of 2 man stun rotations to stunlock some poor muppet to death, which at best I would call unsporting at worst (if it is done maliciously) I would call greifing

Edited August 23, 2012 by magi_melcior

Based on my observations from numerous WZs both as a the player getting stunned and the player doing the stunning I have noticed the following. Having a 100% full Resolve Bar does not on it's own grant you immunity from being CC'd You only get that immunity AFTER you use your CC Breaker. So if your Resolve Bar is full but your CC Breaker is still stuck on Cooldown, Resolve will do nothing for you. Most of the players who complain in threads all over this site about "Resolve being Broken, please fix" are under the mistaken belief that a full Resolve Bar automatically stops you being stunned, sorry boys and girls it doesn't

 

this is just plain wrong. Resolve does grant immunity when the CC-break is on cooldown. Of course you must first ride out the stun that filled your resolve and not be dead when it ends. It is common in WZ for your cc break to be on cooldown, your resolve empty , be stunned 2 times consecutively (the 2nd stun usually turns your resolve bar white) and die before the 2nd stun finishes. You then get to enjoy the benefits of resolve as you sit behind the respawn door .

 

rather that drawing observations for the chaotic WZ environment, I recommend dueling with a cooperative opponent to test out the hypothesis. To confirm the invalidity of the above statement you need 2 players:

 

1. stun victim: first he pops his CC break so it is on cooldown
   
2. stunner: stuns #1 enough to fill resolve
   
3. wait for the resolve filling stun to expire
   
4. stunner applies another stun while resolve is still white
   
5. observe whether the stun victim is stunned or not after 4
   

 

Don't take my word for it -- try it out yourself!

 

NOTE: of of the skills better players have is paying attention to your resolve bar and not stunning you until enough gray resolve has gone down so that when they stun you your bar is nearly full but not quite.

As I said in a post, the pvp has become a stun arena instead of shootout battles. Using a CC breaker at the right time doesn't help me if the next enemy can cc me too. It's a crappy system and should be rethought. For me weapons battles are way more fun than stunning each other, isn't it more fun to win/lose fighting instead of being executed while defenseless? The game has way too much stun/resolve bs in it. I played WOW for years and have been here for some time now, don't consider myself inexperienced player as you call us. It's just not fun or fair the way it is. Complexity can be a good thing but I think you're killing the game putting resolve/stuns as such a major part of it. Maybe it's time to head back to WOW.

this is just plain wrong. Resolve does grant immunity when the CC-break is on cooldown. Of course you must first ride out the stun that filled your resolve and not be dead when it ends. It is common in WZ for your cc break to be on cooldown, your resolve empty , be stunned 2 times consecutively (the 2nd stun usually turns your resolve bar white) and die before the 2nd stun finishes. You then get to enjoy the benefits of resolve as you sit behind the respawn door .

 

rather that drawing observations for the chaotic WZ environment, I recommend dueling with a cooperative opponent to test out the hypothesis. To confirm the invalidity of the above statement you need 2 players:

 

1. stun victim: first he pops his CC break so it is on cooldown
   
2. stunner: stuns #1 enough to fill resolve
   
3. wait for the resolve filling stun to expire
   
4. stunner applies another stun while resolve is still white
   
5. observe whether the stun victim is stunned or not after 4
   

 

Don't take my word for it -- try it out yourself!

 

NOTE: of of the skills better players have is paying attention to your resolve bar and not stunning you until enough gray resolve has gone down so that when they stun you your bar is nearly full but not quite.

 

Ok if resolve grants immunity without having the use the CC Breaker first, then explain the following situation, which is typical of what I have seen happen, both to me and to others.

Voidstar, we're attacking and have made it to the 2nd room. I'm trying to hack the bridge control when I get stunned Juggernaut (Force Choke), it fills my resolve bar (it's gone white), i didn't have to use the CC break because some others from our team attacked him and interrupted his channel. After we killed him, we extended the bridge and ran across (me still having a full white resolve bar). On the other side is a stealthed Operative who stuns me just on the bridge (trying to set me up to be knocked off), fortunately I had CC breaker ready and got out of it (at which point resolve kicked in) but if you're right the Operative should not have been able to stun me in the first place, and yes is was a stun not a root (I do know the difference).

 

Recently I have been playing more on my shadow alt and using the resolve situation to my advantage, stunning someone and tricking them into using CC Break early and then re-stunning them again (Mind Maze on Shadows is deadly when done this way) even when their resolve bar is white I can still stun them, the only time I can't is when their resolve bar is slowly emptying after using the CC Break.

 

Maybe it's a game bug, maybe it's lag, but there are enough people posting on these threads concerning resolve issues to suggest that it is not working the way the developers intended. Many of these posters are not n00bs or morons, they know how resolve is supposed to work (they've probably read this guide which explains it very well), they DON'T need to l2p, but they all agree Resolve is not working the way it was supposed to.

I have to agree, chain stunning is a rediculously infuriating way to die, especially when your fighting one guy, he nearly falls and then 3 stealthers jump you and you never move again.

 

Still, my biggest gripe is with the operatives. not sure if its just my personal experience but ahving fought against them with jedi, troopers, sith and even as another agent, they really seem OP, their stun, knife more, stun again, kinfe to death ability is the cause of most of my frustrating moments.

 

But overall, there is too much CC in the game when you measure it against the 1 stun breaking skill that most classes have (as far as i can remember), maybe it would be a good idea to reduce its cooldown a bit so that you dont get repeatedly stun locked?

Finally, a real step in the right direction. According to the 1.4 PTS Patch Notes:

 

When a player becomes immune to control due to Resolve, his Resolve meter will not start decaying until after all the current controlling effects expire (instead of decaying immediately after the immunity begins).

Recently I have been playing more on my shadow alt and using the resolve situation to my advantage, stunning someone and tricking them into using CC Break early and then re-stunning them again (Mind Maze on Shadows is deadly when done this way) even when their resolve bar is white I can still stun them, the only time I can't is when their resolve bar is slowly emptying after using the CC Break.

You make this sound like you can always do this, or at the very least, that you can do it frequently. Please FRAPS and post a link to a video demonstrating your claim above.

 

Maybe it's a game bug, maybe it's lag, but there are enough people posting on these threads concerning resolve issues to suggest that it is not working the way the developers intended. Many of these posters are not n00bs or morons, they know how resolve is supposed to work (they've probably read this guide which explains it very well), they DON'T need to l2p, but they all agree Resolve is not working the way it was supposed to.

 

There are definitely bugs. With BW tweaking the game now and then we get new bugs to replace old ones that get squashed.

 

Putting aside the issue of bugs, I have an alternative theory as to why lots of people write posts complaining about resolve: People on internet forums like to complain. MMO forum folks more so than the population at large. They have to complain about something. Resolve is one of those somethings.

 

If the game reached some mythical state of perfection, users would still complain by the boatload because a huge segment complain as a hobby.

 

Finally, a real step in the right direction. According to the 1.4 PTS Patch Notes:

 

Hallelujah! It is infuriating to see resolve immunity draining away while you are helpless. From a psychology standpoint this is a big improvement. (it is nice from a practical standpoint too).

Now the resolve in 1.4 has completly destroyed pvp, its horrible atm and i hate it!

You made changes to make the game fun but guess what? it has failed horribly.

Im so angry at this change if it is not sorted then im off for good,Pffft!

 

Yes this was a rage post!

I have to agree, chain stunning is a rediculously infuriating way to die, especially when your fighting one guy, he nearly falls and then 3 stealthers jump you and you never move again.

 

Still, my biggest gripe is with the operatives. not sure if its just my personal experience but ahving fought against them with jedi, troopers, sith and even as another agent, they really seem OP, their stun, knife more, stun again, kinfe to death ability is the cause of most of my frustrating moments.

 

But overall, there is too much CC in the game when you measure it against the 1 stun breaking skill that most classes have (as far as i can remember), maybe it would be a good idea to reduce its cooldown a bit so that you dont get repeatedly stun locked?

 

You're kidding right? My main is an op and you just must be caught at the right time of full on CD's.

the shoot first ability will knock you down until u get up, which is kind of like a cc cuz u cant do anything, and it doesnt affect the resolve bar, then we can flash bang and then we can dirty kick... which will fill resolve typically. then we can root u and disappear so we can sap you when u try to find us (with you non full resolve bar)

 

if any of these are nerfed, then we will become nothing more thasn suishy meatbags unable to 1v1 anyone.

the latest resolve fiasco has just ruined it all for me. cc has become a staple move in pvp, rather than something to use at opportune moments.

 

its all about cc now...they should just add a row and medal count for how many cc's you did on the window at the end of each match..."i did 300k damage and 42 stuns, sweet !"

 

seeing who can get their cc off first in a fight...may as well toss a coin and choose a winner that way. theres about the same amount of skill involved.

 

i do not believe its as simple as "waiting for the right time to use your breaker" when i usually dont live to see the resolve bar fill up. one on one i do very well but i have to stay close to other players and hope im not the one cc'ed to death when theres more than one opposing player...its just not skillful or tactical, at least not in the broader sense of pvp'ing.

 

you basically have to cc/get cc'ed then get the whole resolve thing overwith so you can actually use your other skills for 20 secs...yay

Last night during hutball, repeatedly I would get slowed, stunned and stopped while my resolve bar was full and/or dminishing but still white. Something is definitely rotten in the State of Denmark (no offense to the Daines, I love you guys).

 

Twice, with a full white resolve bar I was stopped right short of the scoring line, and then beaten to death while being chain stunned.

 

This needs to be fixed. I'm assuming it is just bugs, rather than by design, but these bugs reduce the fun factor fairly significantly.

 

--Me

This is I think where the big mis-understanding with the resolve system (as currently implemented by TOR) comes from. People read through these guides, spot that one sentance, take it out of context and come to basically the wrong conclusion about what resolve is and how it works, then when it doesn't work the way they expect they complain that is must be broken.

Based on my observations from numerous WZs both as a the player getting stunned and the player doing the stunning I have noticed the following. Having a 100% full Resolve Bar does not on it's own grant you immunity from being CC'd You only get that immunity AFTER you use your CC Breaker. So if your Resolve Bar is full but your CC Breaker is still stuck on Cooldown, Resolve will do nothing for you. Most of the players who complain in threads all over this site about "Resolve being Broken, please fix" are under the mistaken belief that a full Resolve Bar automatically stops you being stunned, sorry boys and girls it doesn't

The problem mainly arises because most players have 2 or 3 CC's with cooldowns ranging between 30 & 60 seconds while they only have 1 CC Breaker with a 2 minute cooldown.

The solution (without drastically changing the game mechanics) put a buff on all players in WZs that drops the CC Breaker Cooldown to 30 seconds, but as a trade off have resolve fill more slowly (3 to 4 stuns), that way you can still stun someone but not take advantage of 2 man stun rotations to stunlock some poor muppet to death, which at best I would call unsporting at worst (if it is done maliciously) I would call greifing

 

I think some people need to read this.

I think some people need to read this.

 

Don't know how I missed that, but thank you. I definitely needed to read that.

 

--Me

This guide doenst help that much, since you still get CC so much due to that resolve drops off so fast.

Resolve, Crowd Control (CC) and You

 

Players first coming to SWTOR often complain that the “resolve” system doesn't work. In my opinion, it represents a unique solution to the problem of chain CC. For those who understand how it works, like my readers at the end of this guide, resolve offers a system in which good players will make good choices and thereby reap the benefits that lesser knowledgeable players will complain don't work.

 

First, what is crowd control (CC)?

Crowd control, or CC as it's abbreviated, was originally intended in MMO's as an ability used by certain low dps classes to make them worthwhile in a group. The abilities range from a short term stun that allows continued damage of the target, to a long term sleep used out of combat to make a mob no longer take actions until it receives damage. PvPers immediately saw the value in these abilities and adopted them for their own uses often to the scorn of those pvpers that didn't have them.

 

In SWTOR we have three types of CC:

Snares: an ability that slows the target by a percent up to 100%

Mezz: an ability which causes a target to no longer have the ability to take action for a period of time or until damage is taken (whichever comes first). Sometimes these abilities can only be used against certain types of targets (droid) or when a target is out of combat.

Stun: an ability of a short term duration that prevents a target from taking action regardless of the amount of damage taken

 

In PvP the three above categories have specific uses to consider. First, one will usually always keep one's target snared so that one can keep on top of them as a melee, or away from them as a ranged. Even in a ranged versus ranged fight, putting a snare on the enemy will help to unbalance his gameplay a bit and reduce the chance he can successfully use LOS (line of sight) to avoid one. Second, Mezz can be useful in a small engagement where AoE will unlikely occur. For example, in Voidstar the disarm bomb ability is much shorter in length than the time a Whirlwind will take a player out of action. Lastly, stuns work best either in a chain with another player to maximize the amount of time an enemy has to endure damage OR when the other player is in a hazardous situation (environmental damage area). Additionally, stuns can be used a cast interrupt against healers OR as an actual stun to kill a player that doesn't know what he's doing or perhaps burned his CC Breaker earlier.

 

Secondly, what is a CC Breaker?

In SWTOR, every character has a stun ability and a CC breaker. The CC breaker is an ability that BREAKS CC. Different classes have different names for this ability. Not all classes have the same cooldown between uses of this ability. Not much more to say about that other than learn when to use it. Although all characters get a CC breaker, not everyone knows when to use it properly (to be elaborated on).

 

Thirdly, what is Resolve?

Resolve is SWTOR's method of preventing chain CC. Generally, for those leveling up through the pvp bracket, Resolve seems to do nothing. I myself have played part to numerous occassions in which I've been stunned, broken the stun with my CC breaker, only to get immediately stunned again. While quite frustrating, I eventually came to realize I was not using my CC break at the right moment.

 

Resolve is a bar that fills up next to one's avatar and the avatar of one's enemy. When the bar fills up, the person gains immunity to further CC. The length of this immunity is almost long enough to run a huttball from the beginning of the ramps to the goal with a bit of luck. The problem is, most players find that the bar doesn't fill up until they're just about dead. Even when the bar does fill up, the immunity doesn't matter until the cc that filled one's bar wears off. This is where an experienced player knows why resolve is kinda cool.

 

Finally, how do I take advantage of this system?

An experienced player uses his damage mitigation abilities in preperation of an incoming CC. Then, while stunned and taking a beating, he doesn't take as much damage as the enemy is hoping to inflict. Thus the CC wears off and the player resumes his PvP having SAVED his CC breaker. Now, when the player gets CC'd again, he immediately uses his CC breaker (because two stuns will fill the bar) and gains immunity to all further CC for a good length of time. Getting this to work in Huttball while carrying the ball works wonders since most players have no idea their CC won't work when the target has a white bar of resolve.

 

Its very important to remember that CC does not work on a player who has a white bar of resolve. Its also important to realize that using CC on someone will give them immunity to further uses once the bar fills up HOWEVER, resolve does not affect snares. So when the resolve bar fills up, one can still snare the player even to the point of zero movement. Furthermore, snaring a player does not increase his resolve bar. So use snares as often as needed without any worry. For those warriors with the ability to cause a 100% snare, remember that it will ALWAYS cause this effect. There is no immunity against it.

 

Another simple strategy to use regarding CC is to test a player's knowledge. Instead of opening up with one's awesome 6 second stun, try using a garbage mezz on the player. If one has an addition stun like many melee classes do, try using that first. A less sophisticated player will automatically use their CC breaker, thus allowing one to immediately follow up with the long 6 second stun whenever it tactically suits one. I use this strategy all the time.

 

In reverse, its important to know what stuns to break and which to eat. Anytime someone stuns one's character in a manner that throws one on the ground, beware using the CC break. A stun that floors a player will only last between 2 and 3 seconds. Stealthers will often mezz a player before starting a fight, just to see if the player will try to break it. If the situation will allow it, save one's CC break. Additionally, don't use a CC break on a snare unless absolutely necessary since snares usually have VERY short cooldowns and can rapidly reapply.

 

Examples of CC not to break include, snares that result from getting pushed. Snipers and some Sorcerors have a 100% snare they do when they AoE push people away. Unless one is taking damage or really want to kill the pusher, consider eating this one. If one's character gets slept, don't break it. As mentioned twice above, abilities that cause a lose of control belonging to the "Mezz" class of CC breaks if one takes damage. So when tactically unnecessary for one to take action, just ride it out. There is only one objective in game that can be capped in the 8 seconds and that's the disarm bomb in voidstar.

 

So in retrospect, resolve may seem like a broken system, but actually has some interesting layers of complexity to it. Those players who know these tricks, will see that resolve not only does work, but can be gamed to work for one.

 

A unique system that stops chain CC my fanny we are still constantly CC'ed and have no way to combat it with spaming roots/snares/slows till ur resolve is empty then re-cc, these roots/snares/slows need to fixed so they add resolve as it is atm its game breaking and you wonder why you have un-subbed players PVP is broken fact. people are smart and find holes in BW systems as soon the new system is implemented its not only this game some players go out of there way to find these holes and exploit it till the Devs fix it, after thousands of posts about it and months of leting these players get away with it and resulting in the time taken to fix it more and more players UN-SUBBING.

A unique system that stops chain CC my fanny we are still constantly CC'ed and have no way to combat it with spaming roots/snares/slows till ur resolve is empty then re-cc, these roots/snares/slows need to fixed so they add resolve as it is atm its game breaking and you wonder why you have un-subbed players PVP is broken fact. people are smart and find holes in BW systems as soon the new system is implemented its not only this game some players go out of there way to find these holes and exploit it till the Devs fix it, after thousands of posts about it and months of leting these players get away with it and resulting in the time taken to fix it more and more players UN-SUBBING.

 

I was about to say the same thing. It now takes more than 2 CC's to fill up resolve. In fact, I've seen an Operative knock someone down 3 times, while he killed his target on a one on one. I've seen it several times in the same Warzone by the same person, in pre-level 50 Warzones. I didn't even know Operatives can knock someone down 3 times one after the other. I have a Scoundrel at level 40, and I only have one knock down that I had to talent into. Even if they use their combat stealth that is 2 times. Still Resolve is not filled after that, and the enemy died barely leaving a scratch on the Operative. What is the third knock down? As I've said, the only one I know, is the one that you must be in stealth to use. PvP has become an Effing joke here. Especially post level 50. Worse than WoW. And I hate the PvP in WoW! Face facts. Resolve is BS!

Yeah not working as intended... just ask GZ. Resolve works about as well as his idea that PVE gear can work nearly as well in warzones as PVP gear.... NOT!

 

You wanna fix it, when the resolve bar is full it PASSIVELY removes the stun you are currently on and you are released with the CC immunity offered by a resolve bar coming down. The melee will be equal to ranged.. Consulars, Smugglers, Troopers, Agents, Inquisitors, and Bounty Hunters.

 

Until then, melee that cannot stealth will always be at a disadvantage.

 

Or don't fix it and watch people to continue to leave in droves.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Damhooligan

Yeah not working as intended... just ask GZ. Resolve works about as well as his idea that PVE gear can work nearly as well in warzones as PVP gear.... NOT!

 

You wanna fix it, when the resolve bar is full it PASSIVELY removes the stun you are currently on and you are released with the CC immunity offered by a resolve bar coming down. The melee will be equal to ranged.. Consulars, Smugglers, Troopers, Agents, Inquisitors, and Bounty Hunters.

 

Until then, melee that cannot stealth will always be at a disadvantage.

 

Or don't fix it and watch people to continue to leave in droves.

 

Yup

As a newbie to pvp I wonder what pvp would be like without resolve, snares, roots, stuns and meez

 

Make for some close games I reckon

 

Pve players would soon get up to speed and pvp'rs wouldnt have the advantage they have over newbies now

 

You would get a lot more Pve players hanging around and Pvp would be popping all over the place

This is so out of date its not really that relevant now

Yup

 

Yeah resolve doesn't work in any useful way unless you already have the maximum gear to survive long enough for resolve to kick in - nice for the top players who already have the advantage of max Expertise as well, pretty pointless for the rest of us.

 

Also need to rethink having the stun release ability reset each death. DO the math: 1 release every TWO MINUTES in PVP - while 8 opposing sith players each have 3 or more stuns. Why bother giving a stun release ability - its practically useless since it is permanently on cool down.

 

HOW ABOUT you make stun release grant an immunity to the further stuns for the duration of its cool down? eh? why not?

I am a new sub. And I'm kinda shocked at how much cc there is in PVP. Its very disappointing. Some classes seem to be able CC you indefinitely!

 

Why cant some one make a game with no cc? Just let have control of mine and you have control of yours. No one likes to lose control of their character in a fight.