[Patch 1.0-1.1 ARCHIVE] Mercenary | Commando DPS Compendium

[Huntsman_]

(03-31-2012 09:09 PM)Crythe Wrote:  I tweaked some numbers in Bural's spreadsheet and I'm quite sure Matrix Cube is going to be 2nd best relic after energy/kinetic proc ones, unless you manage to get Boundless Ages(power) one with an augment slot.

I didn't see the Gravity Wave Device on his worksheet. I did see the item I just got, the Columi Relic of Forbidden Secrets (+ to crit and surge). However, while he assigned a hard value to this relic, wouldn't it actually be relative to what the player's current stats are? For instance my crit is about 29% and my surge around 74%..I'm probably pretty nesr the doft caps so would I be able to make full use of this relic?
How does the Gravity Wave Device stack up compared to the CRoFS? Overall, Bural ranks each relic. What rank # would you assign to the GWD?
Oh, and is this a bug? I can't remove my Matrix Shard relic from the slot. If I want to remove it will I have to destroy it? I don't really feel like going on another easter egg hunt to replace the shards if I decide I want to put the matrix cube back on in the future...

[ATownArmy]

If you destroy it you get the shards back.

[frmorrison]

(04-04-2012 02:43 AM)Huntsman_ Wrote:  I can't remove my Matrix Shard relic from the slot. If I want to remove it will I have to destroy it? I don't really feel like going on another easter egg hunt to replace the shards if I decide I want to put the matrix cube back on in the future...

You can remove the Matrix shard relic, it just belongs in the 2nd tab (mission items) instead of your normal inventory. If you destroyed it, I don't think you can go back and get the matrix shards again.

[Phaser]

I noticed that the OP has Stabilizers (tier 2 in the arsenal tech tree) marked as mandatory. First of all, I don't seem to experience any pushback. I would think that I should be able to notice it when I'm on the catwalks in Hutt Ball, but even if I sit there casting for over a minute I don't seem to move. I never have speced into this ability because it seems completly worthless.
Am I missing something?

[Freehugs]

(04-04-2012 04:41 PM)Phaser Wrote:  ...even if I sit there casting for over a minute I don't seem to move.

You character doesn't move, that's knockback not pushback. Pushback is when your cast bar gets pushed back towards the start of the cast when you take damage. Channeled casts like Unload and Death From Above are pushed towards the end of the cast, so you can loose the final tick if you take damage during the channel.
It's not an issue if you're not taking damage, but it's pretty annoying if you are.

[Keren]

you cant destroy mission items, could you?

[Crythe]

(04-04-2012 02:43 AM)Huntsman_ Wrote:  I didn't see the Gravity Wave Device on his worksheet. I did see the item I just got, the Columi Relic of Forbidden Secrets (+ to crit and surge). However, while he assigned a hard value to this relic, wouldn't it actually be relative to what the player's current stats are? For instance my crit is about 29% and my surge around 74%..I'm probably pretty nesr the doft caps so would I be able to make full use of this relic?

How does the Gravity Wave Device stack up compared to the CRoFS? Overall, Bural ranks each relic. What rank # would you assign to the GWD?

Oh, and is this a bug? I can't remove my Matrix Shard relic from the slot. If I want to remove it will I have to destroy it? I don't really feel like going on another easter egg hunt to replace the shards if I decide I want to put the matrix cube back on in the future...

Gravity Wave Device acts like Relentless Winds relic, just does slightly less damage due to being a normal mode drop. If you want to see exactly how much it's worth replace the proc damage value in Relentless Wind calculations (CalcsV2 sheet B403 cell). Should be about 7% weaker than Relentless Winds.
Columi Relic of Forbidden Secrets calculations actually do take your current stats into account, it does not have a hard value. Those crit-surge relics are quite sweet when your freshly dinged 50, but lose their value quick when you gear up. Matrix Cube M7-B3 & Gravity Wave Device should be the best 2, followed by power and crit-surge relics.

[Phaser]

(04-04-2012 05:10 PM)Freehugs Wrote:  

(04-04-2012 04:41 PM)Phaser Wrote:  ...even if I sit there casting for over a minute I don't seem to move.

You character doesn't move, that's knockback not pushback. Pushback is when your cast bar gets pushed back towards the start of the cast when you take damage. Channeled casts like Unload and Death From Above are pushed towards the end of the cast, so you can loose the final tick if you take damage during the channel.
It's not an issue if you're not taking damage, but it's pretty annoying if you are.

And here I lvled up to 80 valor thinking that the pushback on my Tracer Missle when taking damage was an unavoidable balancing mechanic. Those Sorcerers are in for a surprise now that their lightning wont affect my dps. Wow, I can't believe I've been oblivious to that for so long.

[Huntsman_]

So I guess my question is:

* when the dust settles what is the arsenal merc's DPS relative to other the other DPS classes?

Is it better than DPS of Imperial Agents or Assasins who can, in addition to doing great damage, also kite much better, interrupt, and use stealth?

[Phaser]

(04-06-2012 04:53 AM)Huntsman_ Wrote:  So I guess my question is:

* when the dust settles what is the arsenal merc's DPS relative to other the other DPS classes?

Is it better than DPS of Imperial Agents or Assasins who can, in addition to doing great damage, also kite much better, interrupt, and use stealth?


I think what you are getting at has huge pvp implications. An assasin for example can be stealth by where the Hutt Ball spawns, CC anyone nearby, grab the ball, and sprint halfway to the goal before anyone has a chance to react. Even if they do react they have an ability that makes them 99% imune to all forms of damage.
Like it or not, Mercenaries have the absolute worst utility in the game. Even now before the 1.2 nerf our knockback is laughable compared to abilities like Sprint, Pull target, Jump to target, or assasins "I'm untouchable for 8 seconds while I kill you and heal myself" ability. There are also too many circumstances where our knockback doesn't affect the target.
The only way to argue that this is balanced would be if mercenaries did a considerable amount more dps than other dps classes. This is not the case, however, and even if Mercenaries could 1-shot people that wouldn't stop operatives from bringing you to 10% health from out of stealth before you even get a chance to click anything. A lot of folks QQ about merc being 1 button wonders, but don't care that operatives can kill you while denying you the chance to click any of your buttons!
Nerfing tracer missle was not necessary imo, but I don't mind much because we will probably gain overall from HSM and Barrage procs. The nerf to survivability and our knockback ability is what I'm most upset about.
Being "a good dps class" is not enough to counter-balance our lack of utility unless we are able to 1-shot people.