Well, I want to start off by saying that I just came back to SWTOR after taking a 5 month break to play another MMORPG, Guild Wars 2. But I gotta say, SWTOR always has that special place in my heart and its really difficult to part with Star Wars, as its part of me now, and part of our culture. I strongly believe its that Idea "Star Wars" that keeps many of us planted in this game for so long.

Well, coming back this time was obviously quite planned as i wanted to check out the new content, and see how classes were doing in terms of overall balance.. And having played gw2 for the past 6 months, i wanted to come back to swtor, not only to enjoy the new content, but compare it to the other MMO ive been enjoying and supporting, just to see if MAYBE swtor can pull me back in as a full timer.

Well sadly this time around, SWTOR wont be holding me very long. I felt like the content was very reused and re-skinned, and doesn't promote group play to any degree whatsoever.. Also, the new gearing system is just totally horrible for thoes who might have a job, or do anything else with their life other than PVE content. As a pvper, gearing in swtor was always decent enough, that i could acquire gear in a timely manner, even gearing up alts.. Well this is no longer the case... I must say it was really enjoyable to be a pvper prior to this patch, now gearing in SWTOR just took a turn for the worst.

On to class balance.. Mercs are just totally broken right now. Even trying to kill a DPS merc is nearly impossible unless you can stealth out while their OP cooldowns are rolling. Even then, if u manage to fight through their god mode defensive systems, they have the highest single target burst in the game, all from range... It just makes no sense to buff the class to the extent that they did. AND GIVING DPS GUARDS!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?... What were you guys thinking with that decision. Now u get into a match, and every deception sin, and veng jugg is guarding their OP merc/sorc healers. Its just a mess. I'm having trouble even finding the words right now im so aggravated with this game.

To all you out there looking to escape this mess, and get into a competitive scene i highly recommend gw2. You might have tried it, and didnt like it, but give it another go and i promise you wont be let down. Gw2's combat system is genius, and much more flexible in terms of builds and self expression with how you play your chosen profession.

Swtor was a great game, but right now its super messed up and i hope this development team comes to their senses. Swtor hasnt got much life left in it, as its getting rather old at this point and its not WoW. So, i really hope changes are made to at least attempt to keep whats left.

One thing i will say about swtor, is the classes theme, and overall design is really more interesting than most MMO's. The classes are something you would REALLY want to be if you could live in that science fiction universe of saber wielding heros.

Anyways. Mercs are OP, and sins are trailing right behind them. The new gearing system is a disaster. Please remove alliance proving grounds. Then end..

I don't even see Mercs kiting anymore in WZs. They get guarded, and just stand there and face tank everyone with all the new defensive buffs and healing they have now. If a healer is with them its practically impossible to get them down, Must be nice.

Yeah, you something's wrong when a ranged class' main defensive strategy is to facetank.

Inb4 mercs reply, "lol just don't attack me, or CC me while I have my DCDs up!" You know, it'd be nice to just ignore you guys when you popped things, but unfortunately, you're also doing the most ranged burst right now. BW dun ****ed up with this class. Merc is now like the unholy spawn of a sorc healer and a skanktank jugg.

You are complaining about a class being OP that has been **** on in pvp since launch. I have mained a merc healer since 1.2 and it finally feels good to play the class i love without getting blown up in 4v4's. I am willing to bet that most of the complaining is coming from sorcs, who have been OP since God Bubble came out. It is your turn to get the bottom end of class balance. let us mercs enjoy our one patch to be useful.

Noone is complaining about merc healers. The issue is arsenal.

The class has reflective shield, great escapes, heals, cc, electro net......ummm a bit much don't you think?

Snipers got a roll heal......wow, that's cool.

The class has reflective shield, great escapes, heals, cc, electro net......ummm a bit much don't you think?

 

Snipers got a roll heal......wow, that's cool.

So what you are saying is they are about even with Operatives trading Electro-net for stealth/combat vanish.......

My Merc feels about equal in survival to my Sorc at this point. Damage wise Mercs are up there but I feel like my combat sentinel has more burst than my Merc....as it should be.

It kinda seems like people are accustomed to Merc/Mando under performing and are a bit bias towards putting them right back there....

I shelved my Mercenary about 3.0 and decided I would not play it again until it could survive without the entire team trying to prop it up....that time is here but I'm guessing the Sorcerer/Operative/Assassin classes will try to put a stop to a new 1v1 master entering their ranks....

Mercenary has the skills to compete at the top tier in this games PvP now and people really don't seem to be happy about it....

So what you are saying is they are about even with Operatives trading Electro-net for stealth/combat vanish.......

 

My Merc feels about equal in survival to my Sorc at this point. Damage wise Mercs are up there but I feel like my combat sentinel has more burst than my Merc....as it should be.

 

It kinda seems like people are used to Merc/Manod under performing and are a bit bias towards putting them right back there....

I shelfed my Merc about 3.0 and decided I would not play it again until it could survive without the entire team trying to prop it up....that time is here but I'm guessing the Sorc/Operative/Sin classes will try to put a stop to a new 1v1 master entering their ranks....

Merc is overperforming... A good merc can't lose many 1v1s if any right now.

Merc is overperforming... A good merc can't lose many 1v1s if any right now.

How so? what are you basing this claim on? Do you play Merc/Mando? have you been dueling one on your main class to test how to fight them rather then previously just straight focus firing one down?

You have not provided any relevant information in this post.

Try stunning them through their DCDs and not just pour your damage on them.....That doesn't work anymore. Mercenary isn't my main... The only thing that is a bummer would be there are more Merc/Mandos and as a result Net is being used often in WZs....But that is a result of increased numbers....People actually starting to play the class again...

Remove healing from Reactive Shield

Tone down Kolto to 50-55%

Remove healing from the reflect ability and lower it's duration to 4-5 seconds

Honestly can't really expect much from Devs who came out and admitted they did 4.0 class balance based on how "cool" things looked. Sorcs getting Phase walk for example was done because it looked "cool"

- Merc Main who hates how easy the class is to stay alive on now.

Remove healing from Reactive Shield

Tone down Kolto to 50-55%

Remove healing from the reflect ability and lower it's duration to 4-5 seconds

 

Honestly can't really expect much from Devs who came out and admitted they did 4.0 class balance based on how "cool" things lookeod. Sorcs getting Phase walk for example was done because it looked "cool"

 

- Merc Main who hates how easy the class is to stay alive on now.

This would be pretty far over board....What server are you on? I would like to see a Mercenary/Mando performing at such a level that they want to be nerfed into oblivion.....

I wonder how many of the people complaining about Mercs in 5.0 played Sorcs in 4.0? Hmmmmm.......

Two days of 5.0 being fully live and people are already trying to say they have a complete and realistic assessment of class balance.....enough to start requesting class adjustments....Yep sounds like a legitimate request to me.

How so? what are you basing this claim on? Do you play Merc/Mando? have you been dueling one on your main class to test how to fight them rather then previously just straight focus firing one down?

 

You have not provided any relevant information in this post.

 

Try stunning them through their DCDs and not just pour your damage on them.....That doesn't work anymore. Mercenary isn't my main... The only thing that is a bummer would be there are more Merc/Mandos and as a result Net is being used often in WZs....But that is a result of increased numbers....People actually starting to play the class again...

It's true, man. I usually play Marauder, but I'm pretty much giving it up for a bit due to me not wanting to rip my hair out chasing unkillable Mercs. Also, I'm Merc heals on my operation team, so I just grind WZ CXP as Arsenal. I don't even have the dps set bonus, doesn't matter - still have extremely good deeps...at range haha. Many Juggs and Maras and Sins have died while chasing me around in futility. Cycle between all the DCDs - Absorb-reflect-heal (can be used while stunned), Energy shield (with 75% health boost as it expires lololol), Kolto Overload (all the way to 70% lololol), Medpack / Adrenal, Chaff Flare (absorbs up to 5 force / tech attacks lolol) - and you are pretty much unkillable.

BW only needed to give them maybe the absorb-reflect-heal. But they also gave them several other things as well LOL.

It's true, man. I usually play Marauder, but I'm pretty much giving it up for a bit due to me not wanting to rip my hair out chasing unkillable Mercs. Also, I'm Merc heals on my operation team, so I just grind WZ CXP as Arsenal. I don't even have the dps set bonus, doesn't matter - still have extremely good deeps...at range haha. Many Juggs and Maras and Sins have died while chasing me around in futility. Cycle between all the DCDs - Absorb-reflect-heal (can be used while stunned), Energy shield (with 75% health boost as it expires lololol), Kolto Overload (all the way to 70% lololol), Medpack / Adrenal, Chaff Flare (absorbs up to 5 force / tech attacks lolol) - and you are pretty much unkillable.

 

BW only needed to give them maybe the absorb-reflect-heal. But they also gave them several other things as well LOL.

I play a Combat Sentinel on Harbinger and have taken down plenty of Mercs already...Just have to know when to Stun and when to cloak out for a health node and go back after the DCD is burnt...

I don't try to hang with any class on my Sent that has strong DCDs I come in and out until they burn them and then drop my ridiculous burst on them......

On my Shadow I sweat Mercs even less....I use the same strategy but have an easier time since shadow has so much more control....

People need to stop trying to in your face kill Mercs while their DCDs are up....use some strategy now that they are no longer push overs......

You are complaining about a class being OP that has been **** on in pvp since launch. I have mained a merc healer since 1.2 and it finally feels good to play the class i love without getting blown up in 4v4's. I am willing to bet that most of the complaining is coming from sorcs, who have been OP since God Bubble came out. It is your turn to get the bottom end of class balance. let us mercs enjoy our one patch to be useful.

With all do respect but you realized that expansion 3.+, 4.+ and current is all about buffing mercs? Three damn years is basiclly nothing more than constantly buffing mercs?

If you really play merc sience 1.2 you should be fully aware of that...

This would be pretty far over board....What server are you on? I would like to see a Mercenary/Mando performing at such a level that they want to be nerfed into oblivion.....

Harbinger .... I had 4 Mercs over 1700 in solo ranked last season and I was the rank 1 merc in team ranked. (Minus Win traders on filthy eu servers ) It wouldn't be over board at all because it's still far better than Merc was in 4.0 and Merc was very viable in 4.0 in all forms of PvP. Along with those nerfs two simple buffs would need to be implemented as well.

Rocket out available to use when rooted and Energy Rebounder and Stabilized Armor tied into 1 utility.

With the nerfs and buffs that I've suggested Mercenary would be in a perfectly viable place, bringing back a skill level to kiting and if preformed well the class will be amazing. I understand not everyone can play that well but this game should not be balanced around the lower tier players.

I don't even see Mercs kiting anymore in WZs. They get guarded, and just stand there and face tank everyone with all the new defensive buffs and healing they have now. If a healer is with them its practically impossible to get them down, Must be nice.

Forget the guards, Mercs don't need them. With the defensive CDs, they can just deal with most things.

Mercs are OP, there is no question about it, I can practically tank on mine.

But I am seeing less and less Mercs popping than just a few days ago. There are way more stealths out there, particularly more sins than there used to be and don't get me started on the operative hell.

I'm actually preferring my Fury Mara. It's as tanky as my Rage Jugg was in 4.0, but does so much damage.

Unless you heal, you might as well put your Sorcs away, especially lightning (my main ) because burst is rubbish compared to every other class, including tanks. It doesn't matter how much survivability or healing they give you, it's a waste of time if you want to kill anything.

Snipers are doing some awesome damage. Also do they now have a speed run like Sorcs? I saw one yesterday constantly out running my Merc on overdrive.

Juggs still hit hard, take damage, but mobility has been nerfed and you are a sitting duck for other classes who have gotten speed and mobility boosts.

What amazes me is the speed buffs and utilities in this meta. I'm seeing sins on nitrous oxide and I'm surprised that the players dont get dizzy and hand cramps from controlling them. We went from stun, mez Wars in 4.0, to the fast and furious speed Wars of 5.0. It's pretty ridiculous at how fast and mobile sins are and if your a Jugg then good night. It's like racing a 9sec car with model T ford.

Remove healing from Reactive Shield

Tone down Kolto to 50-55%

Remove healing from the reflect ability and lower it's duration to 4-5 seconds

 

Honestly can't really expect much from Devs who came out and admitted they did 4.0 class balance based on how "cool" things looked. Sorcs getting Phase walk for example was done because it looked "cool"

 

- Merc Main who hates how easy the class is to stay alive on now.

Remove healing from Reflective shield? Then take away Sorc Bubble heal to full

Tone down Kolto? then give mercs a Phase walk ability to move away and heal to full like sorcs

remove bonus healing from reactive shield? take away boost to un-natural preservation

Mercs are on par with Sorcs now and it is killing them to have to actually play with some skill lol

Remove healing from Reflective shield? Then take away Sorc Bubble heal to full

 

Tone down Kolto? then give mercs a Phase walk ability to move away and heal to full like sorcs

 

remove bonus healing from reactive shield? take away boost to un-natural preservation

 

Mercs are on par with Sorcs now and it is killing them to have to actually play with some skill lol

Why are we comparing two different classes? Just because 1 class has something doesn't mean another class needs it. There were so many better ways to buffs all 3 merc specs instead of just give them lol heal2full CDS. Being able to face tank dmg is not skill.

Both Molra (Stella) and I have talked about the current Merc changes and both agree they're an absolute joke. Considering we were the top Mercs on NA during the previous seasons of ranked I think we know what we're talking about.

Current Merc game play caters to noobs. Sorry but is what it is.

Why are we comparing two different classes? Just because 1 class has something doesn't mean another class needs it. There were so many better ways to buffs all 3 merc specs instead of just give them lol heal2full CDS. Being able to face tank dmg is not skill.

 

Both Molra (Stella) and I have talked about the current Merc changes and both agree they're an absolute joke. Considering we were the top Mercs on NA during the previous seasons of ranked I think we know what we're talking about.

 

Current Merc game play caters to noobs. Sorry but is what it is.

Bioware don't know how to buff individual specs in one class. They either nerf the whole class or buff it. Sorcs are a prime example, lightning Sorcs burst got nerfed after 3.0 because of Force Storm and because they put it in the rotation and everyone QQ'd (with good reason), but it took them 3 months to finally nerf Force storm for the whole class, but they never returned lightning spec burst. So they were still underperforming in burst vs other burst classes in 4.0. Now they have nerfed the whole class again in 5.0 because healing and madness were OP and everyone QQ'd that Sorcs were OP. But people never specify, so the Devs just nerf the whole class, so Lightning Sorcs are under performing even more than they did in 4.0. RIP lightning a Sorc (my main since launch).

Remove healing from Reflective shield? Then take away Sorc Bubble heal to full

I think they already have, not once have I healed to full since 5.0, in fact I'm lucky if it goes up a quarter. Each time I've bubbled players sit and wait because my HP not climbing. Of course I can heal up ridiculously fast after that but that utility point now seems like better used elsewhere. I'm not sure if this is correct, just relating my experience since 5.0.

Remove healing from Reflective shield? Then take away Sorc Bubble heal to full

 

Tone down Kolto? then give mercs a Phase walk ability to move away and heal to full like sorcs

 

remove bonus healing from reactive shield? take away boost to un-natural preservation

 

Mercs are on par with Sorcs now and it is killing them to have to actually play with some skill lol

Funny that people still think sorcs can heal to full. DPS sorc self heals were nerfed to oblivion. Enduring bastion charges from force barrier only heal sorcs up to 15% of their maximum health. If you're complaining about sorcs now, then you need to get good honestly.