Companion Nerfs in 4.0.2

[CanisBlack]

I'm still patching but I'm seeing some early reports that they cut the companion healing by something on the order of 90+% has anyone been in game to tell if this is actually correct?

I'm finding it difficult to wade through the normal "FU Bioware/EA" and other bile that accompanies...well any changes. But most are reporting that the Heroic 2+ stuff which is supposed to still be doable with just a companion is either no longer doable or has gone from "fun, but occasionally challenging" to "frustrating and not at all fun anymore."

[Intisar]

Companions were way, way over-powered to the point that all solo content and some group content was trivialized. No one should be surprised by the nerf.

I think the forum reaction is overboard. Planetary Heroics, especially when done by level 65 characters are still easy. A healer companion can no longer keep you at full if you stand in the fire, but I don't think it's too much to ask players to, you know, not stand in the fire. Stuns, interrupts, defensive cooldowns and crowd control should all have their place in the game and can make tough pulls easy.

The Heroic Star Fortresses, however, will be trickier to solo, no doubt. However, once you have higher influence with a companion and your Alliance specialists, the extra buffs should make a difference.

If anyone is having trouble with a Star Fortress, please don't be shy about asking for a hand. There are often folks around happy to help out! Personally, I find Star Fortress runs much more fun with a group.

[Tygir]

yeah the healing difference makes my heartache and annoys me but Intisar has a point. it needed the nerf bc it was waaaaay to easy

[CanisBlack]

I'll not disagree that a nerf was needed, but after spending some time in game I have to agree that it was too much. The intent behind the 4.0 change was said to have been to give you the ability to run whatever companion you liked. This...was kind of true before the Nerf, but certain companions just weren't good at healing - I never quite got around to trying out any of the other roles though I was starting to - but now? I'd never use someone like Tanno Vik or Yuun as a healer given just how utterly bad at it they were before the nerf.

Additionally, my admittedly limited, time in game so far has indicated that unless you've got the resources to dump into lots and lots of companion gifts then you're not really going to have any viable companions other than your first one since you can run a solo Esseles/Black Talon to boost that one's Influence rating quite high.

Point is, while it's still possible to play the game as they say it should be able to be played around the companion Nerf it no longer feels like I can choose, or even swap between, companions like I could before.

[Windemere]

I only have one data point, my own, and that data feels fine and the unbuffed star fortress heroic felt like just the right difficulty in terms of doing it solo given my gear, legacy, and individual companion influence. It was pretty challenging but doable, which is what I would expect for a H2+ flashpoint.

That said, it's just one data point for someone who enjoyed the game prior to the shift towards making the "MMO bits" of the game largely soloable. I don't know what the experience is like for people without a strong legacy and high presence. I suspect it could be quite different without it. I may play a bit on my very old Progenitor toons to see what it's like.

I do think some of the outrage is of Bioware's own making because the game has a bit of an identity crisis right now. They are increasingly making end game and MMO bits with explicit solo modes and players (especially newer ones) are accustomed to achieving what they want without a lot of effort. It's going to be tough to please both crowds, and while I like the side of the fence they're currently straddling with companion strength, I can understand if a significant contingency of the player base feels a bit like this:

[Pods]

As a 'newbie' to SWTOR, I'll say I had no problem going through heroics on the planet with my companion as a healer. As a point of reference, I only have comm gear from the planetary vendor, nothing else.

I do have to be more cautious regarding area effects and interrupts, but that is common in MMOs. It seems to me that people want a reason to complain, nothing more. If it isn't a 'nerf' then it's lack of content or the itemization, etc, etc. I simply enjoy the game for what it is, a fun romp through SW universe!

Pods

[Windemere]

Good to know, thanks for the feedback and glad you're enjoying it.