Operative/Scoundrel: Thoughts on the class's current state?

[WarpedAcorn]

I've been debating on what class to roll next, only knowing that I definitely wanted to give healing a try. I narrowed it down to the Sage/Sorc or Op/Scoundrel, and am now pretty sure I'll go Operative.

That being said, how is the class as a whole right now (in both PvP and PvE)? I remember back in the day that Operatives were decent PvE healers and crappy PvE DPS. Has that changed?

[Skulljin]

I've been debating on what class to roll next, only knowing that I definitely wanted to give healing a try. I narrowed it down to the Sage/Sorc or Op/Scoundrel, and am now pretty sure I'll go Operative.

That being said, how is the class as a whole right now (in both PvP and PvE)? I remember back in the day that Operatives were decent PvE healers and crappy PvE DPS. Has that changed?

Healing is pretty strong. And it plays out quite nice imho.
Scrapper/Sublety is very fun to play, but depends a bit more on skill, especially with other classes being able to do almost everything you can do, but better, at least in PVP. PVE DPS is okay though if I am not misstaking.
Dirty Fighting/Lethality can do good numbers in PVE, but the long ramp up time kills it for PVP. The only really thing you can do is do lots of fluff damage nobody cares (or should care) about.

Apart from that, you are very squishy and only have two real Deff CD's which both don't last long or are easily broken.
You have stealth which gives you the well known tactical advantages of being able to choose your battles and get the enemy by suprise.
With Ghost (with the middle tree) and Exfiltrate/Scoundrel Equivalent, you are one of the, if not the most agile and flexible class in terms of Movement and should be able to avoid all kind of bad stuff in PVE or travel across maps really quick.

[Deleted]

Operative/Scoundrel PVE DPS is not weak, just harder to play well than, say, Mara/Sentinels.

[Revik]

For healing OP/Scoundrel is the best you can get in the game. HoT's for on the move healing, EMP for low life healing, and rolling for mobility. IMO there is a lot to love with the OP/Scoundrel in terms of healing.

Dirty Fighting/Lethality - It is a pretty good tree. People regard this as a fluff tree as in it props up your damage but the damage is meaningless damage. In a way it is true and in a way it is false. It can feel true because aren't really killing anything. It can be false because you are putting damage pressure on everyone that's still a lot of damage that needs to be healed. You're DoTs are pretty powerful and they counter act their HoT's, take down shields, etc stuff that makes things easier to kill. Killing is something you relying almost entirely on your team to perform. If you are on a bad team you may feel totally ineffective.

One thing before I go to the other spec. This spec probably has THE largest amount of burst of any spec it just takes a bit of ramp of time but if you can actually get off a hemo->WS->WS->BW->WS->WS->Pug->WS you are looking at 20K+ damage.

Scrapper/Sub - I personally find the spec a little too singularly minded focusing all your damage on a single target but in terms of single target killing this is a much more superior spec than Dirty Fighting/Lethality. You really play an opportunist as this spec. You are not going into the middle or the fray. You are not going in to fight an even 1v1 fight. Your primary goal is to help assist train weakened foes and kill then get back into stealth, rinse and repeat. A secondary goal might to get in the back rank and try and kill healers. I don't really suggest this because getting stuck in the back without support is just asking for death with limited defensive options. The best thing you can do is help kill people suddenly before a healer can react.

[Deleted]

I've been debating on what class to roll next, only knowing that I definitely wanted to give healing a try. I narrowed it down to the Sage/Sorc or Op/Scoundrel, and am now pretty sure I'll go Operative.

That being said, how is the class as a whole right now (in both PvP and PvE)? I remember back in the day that Operatives were decent PvE healers and crappy PvE DPS. Has that changed?

Healing operative is probably only overpowered class/spec in swtor in pvp. In pve it's hot healer (resto druid:P )

Concealment- in pvp is poor mans assassin, conc is weaker in burst, survability and node defending aswell. For pve you should roll lethality

Lethality- bigger ramp up time than conc, but you can do some nasty burst via 4 culls in 5 GCDs. And ofc its better for cheating score in pvp thanks to aoe dotting players :P

[davispunx]

MY 55 scoundrel is my dedicated pvp healer. I love it.

[ScarySecret]

I only just started to level my operative but I am having a lot of fun with it.

[Psychlon]

Operative healer is fun as long as you don't run into anyone playing PT AP or Vanguard with Tactics spec because you can't run away from them and they will kill you eventually without backup :P (yes I do love to do so)


Ps: Dps Leaderboard 2.0+

[WarpedAcorn]

Just put a little more time into my Operative this past weekend and was able to get him to 25. I entered my first Warzone and it was just nuts. I have no idea how to heal and I have always sucked at healing in other games, but after I found a good key to bind "Friendly Target Cycle" to...it was just Cycle - Probe - Cycle - Probe - Cycle - Probe. Topped the healing charts by a lot and I don't think anyone died on my medical watch. Trying to heal on my 25 Merc was a little more difficult, and thus far I would say the Operative is a lot more forgiving if you make mistakes. Its crazy.

[AlderaiMischi]

As new skills come forth and more group play you will get enough practice that healing will be a breeze. The games rounded out the roles pretty well and I would say a combination of getting to slightly higher content and keeping up with your Operatives skill design will have you flying off the handle in no time.

I tend to run a lot of dps now a day, but playing a healer especially in a more active battle oriented game like swtor can be a welcomed break from the norm

[Morros]

To add a question to this thread without having to make an entirely new thread:

What is the best way to level a Scoundrel? I purchased the Field Respec, so when I queue for Warzones I always go Sawbones, but I'm now level 36ish, and I find healing to level to be slow and a bit painful, Corso and Bowdaar both take some time to kill elites and the like, and I find myself being bored. I've tried Scrapper with a tank, and it's just too high maint. having to stop after every group and heal my tank. Tried Scrapper with a healer and not using backblast made it seem slow.

Any tips?

[WarpedAcorn]

I'd be interested in that for the future as well. I had planned on using a DPS like Vector or Temple (maybe even Lokin in his alt. form), then just keep myself up with those handy probes.

[mstieler]

To add a question to this thread without having to make an entirely new thread:

What is the best way to level a Scoundrel? I purchased the Field Respec, so when I queue for Warzones I always go Sawbones, but I'm now level 36ish, and I find healing to level to be slow and a bit painful, Corso and Bowdaar both take some time to kill elites and the like, and I find myself being bored. I've tried Scrapper with a tank, and it's just too high maint. having to stop after every group and heal my tank. Tried Scrapper with a healer and not using backblast made it seem slow.

Any tips?

I'm currently 45 on my Scrapper Scoundrel, and I immediately swapped to Guss once I got him (as I tend to do as soon as I get a Healer companion; not getting Guss til Hoth made me a sad Scoundrel), and while yes, losing Backblast does suck, you can typically chain enough Sucker Punch/Upper Hand (so long as you start from stealth; Flechette Round/Shoot First + Flechette Round Backblast is a great opener; 2 pts into K.O. makes Shoot First drop the target to the ground unless it's one of those "can't be controlled" bosses) to take out strongs in a handful of seconds, and Elites don't usually give too much trouble on their own. Plus, Tranq is super helpful in case you run into a pack filled with nasty crap.

Edit: so, at 35, you can have 1 point in K.O., but you don't get Shoot First til 36. Shoot First grants Upper Hand when used; so my starter at that point would be:
Shoot First (get UH)
Back Blast (since they're on the ground, and you're still technically "behind" them)
Blaster Whip (2 stacks of UH)
Vital Shot (keep debuff up)
Sucker Punch (may be 1, may be 2 stacks of UH, depending on whether Flying Fists triggered or not)
Sucker Punch (0 or 1 stack of UH, due to Flying Fists)
Depending on how many stacks of UH you currently have (essentially, you've been given two chances for Flying Fists to regrant Upper Hand, I have yet to see 0 stacks remain at this point, but it's possible), either another Sucker Punch, a Blaster Whip (since it should be off CD), or yet another Sucker Punch.
And now, it's pretty much just "keep VS up, use BW on CD, and SP whenever you can". You can also use your CDs to give Upper Hand or grant you some Energy.