Combat Medic Archive

My original idea wasn't to create a Nerf FAQ. (After all, who really reads FAQs.) It was rather to simply create a list of "canned responses", like the vast majority of help desks. For example:

1) The community as a whole agrees that the range +65m range issue is a bug which needs to be fixed. Until then, don't be surprised if some people use this "feature"

2) If you remove that ability, what do you propose to give to the combat medic community in return

3) We are not simply a "support class". One of our titles is a "chemical warfare expert", and we need *combat* experience in the marksman line for our class

4) Don't go into battle unbuffed and be surprised if you are killed

5) That tick could only have been caused by a rare loot drop spider venom, and nerfs should not be based on rare loot drops which only few people have access to

6) etc...

I'm sure 95% or more of the nerf arguments can be summed up in one of 15 or 20 sentences. (Maybe phrases to give more background or understanding to the first time forum reader.)

Then, rather than listing the same sentences over and over every time, just have people reference the numbers and the posts. It is less fun, but it get's the information across, as well as telling the would be nerfers that we *have* discussed this before and you are not bringing anything new to the conversation. When a new point or idea about bugs, nerfing, etc comes up, it will then be much more apparent and get a lot more attention.

As I understand it, these are the 24 major arguments that combat medics consistently make in the nerf cries. Now, if somebody who is more knowledgeable and eloquent than me cares to look it over (checking numbers), and if we could get arguers in nerf cries to start referring to these lines by numbers (and not responding if provoked), we *might* see some decrease in long nerf threads. Then again, this is working off the assumption that we would rather the combat medic forum be used for something besides nerf cries (which may or may not be true). This turned into much more of a FAQ than I originally envisioned...

1) We agree that being able to hit somebody outside a building and affecting people is a bug that should be fixed. Until it is, we have no control over this, and do not be surprised if people take advantage of this ability.

2) The only way to get a tick that high would be to use a very rare loot drop, of which the strongest does not spawn anymore. It is unreasonable to base a nerf off of rare loot drops.

3) You could only have been incapped by a disease-poison combination. There has not been a clear statement whether this is a bug or intended by the devs. This is the same with flamethrower damage. It also is the only way to incap using combat medic skills. Until fixed in the code, do not be surprised if people use this ability.

4) We agree that we should not be able to throw poisons and diseases more than 65m. This is a known bug devs are working on fixing. Until this fix, do not be surprised if people take advantage of this ability. If you feel somebody is egregiously taking advantage of it, /report them.

5) It can frequently take two or more months for the resources necessary for advanced components for spawn in any quality, much less the quality used by major PvP players. Furthermore, the rarity of resources and the small market means that the finished meds are very expensive. (Note, not including kryat tissue, a 40 use poison C takes more resources than an FWG5.)

6) There has been no official line from the devs if combat medics are a support class or a primary class. Furthermore, we are *combat* medic, one of our titles is "chemical weapons expert", and we user *combat* experience in the marksman class. Furthermore, we can't heal states, we can't buff, and the vast majority of our schematics are for poisons and diseases.

7) Double check your information. A poison will tick first after 10 seconds, and ticks every 6 seconds. A disease will first tick after 40 seconds, and ticks every 10 seconds. Exaggerating about numbers will only antagonize combat medics and make us ignore you.

8) Not including loot drops, a master combat medic using an area poison will do around 500 damage per tick. A single target poison will do around 700 damage per tick. An area disease will do around 200 damage per tick. A single target disease will do around 250 damage per tick. Exaggerating about numbers will only antagonize combat medics and make us ignore you.

9) One of the major downsides of combat medics is they have extremely low defenses. In fact, a master dancer and a master musician has more defenses than a master combat medic.

10) Combat medics are tied with commandos for second for the most SP required to master. In return for this, it seems reasonable for us to have some very strong skills.

11) We agree that an area cure should be implemented. It is currently being debated whether doctors should get an *area* cure, or combat medics should get area *cures*, but we agree that area cures, depending on how they are implemented, would be a welcome addition to the game.

12) Combat medics have among the lowest damage per seconds in the game. We do around 70 damage per second. Even if you multiply this by 3 (as we can target a specific HAM bar, rather than general damage), we do 210 per second. How much damage can a master marksman, or a low level pistoleer do per second?

13) Don't go into serious PvP combat without being buffed, and expect to win. You might be able to, but if you die, that's a matter of not being prepared.

14) You are essentially removing a major benefit of being a combat medic. For example, when commando's had the DoT effect of flamethrowers lowered, they in turn did more damage on the initial hit. What do you propose to give to combat medics in return?

15) We are aware the line of sight problem where you can poison somebody you do not have direct line of sight to using area poisons and diseases. The devs are aware of this as well and claim this is as intended (either because of system limitations or as designed). Many of us agree that this should be changed. If you have a concern with this, bring it up with the devs. In the mean time, do not be surprised if some of us use this feature.

16) Try bringing some doctors to combat. In every other massively multiplayer online role playing game, you are expected to have 1 cleric/healer for every 3-6 other classes. Why should Star Wars Galaxies be any different?

17) Notice that poisons and diseases are our primary, and only weapon.

18) Poison resist foods have been tested, and shown to give a significant resists to poisons and diseases (depending on the quality of food used). Seeing how they take about 16% of the food bar, you might try using them next time you go into a serious PvP conflict.

19) It has been discovered that you will get the "xxx has applied poison to you" message even if you resisted it. It's entirely possible for you to have resisted poisons in the past and never known about it. We have filed a report with the CSRs to have them try to change this message.

20) When we throw anything (a poison, disease, ranged stim, or area stim), we are immobile for 4 seconds. If you want a poison and disease, that is 8 seconds total, which is more than enough time to burst run into attack range.

21) Wait into the combat revamp before complaining about mind damage, and we know you are talking about mind damage because nobody ever complains about a body or action damage in PvP. The devs have also promised that mind damage will no longer be special. Imagine how you would feel if medics could only throw health poisons and diseases, and then think if your complaint about damage is still valid.

22) As a whole, the combat medic community also wants better resists. Possibly some for of inoculation which doctors or combat medics could administer, depending on how they are implemented.

23) Next time, try spreading out and using some tactics. If a group is properly set up, it is difficult for a combat medic to hit 3 people with an area poison or disease, and almost impossible to hit 4 people.

24) Notice doctor cures are *much* easier to create than combat medic diseases and poisons. Also a fairly well crafted doctor cure (not even an very well crafted doctor cure) can easily heal two of the strongest poisons a combat medic can craft.