[Guide] Imperial Agent Operative: Leveling as a Healer

[Newti]

I'll start off with an overview of the 3 possible skill trees of Operatives.

Concealment

Tactical Advantage. Required Level in (BRACKETS).

TA Generators: Kills (10), Shiv (10), Tactical Opportunity (26), Hidden Strike (36)
TA Sinks: Stim Pack (12), Kolto Infusion (14), Carabine Burst (16), Laceration (20)
Advantages: Better Stealthing, High Single Target Burst, Two Stuns, Signature Ability at level 20 (early)
Disadvantages: Weak Against Bosses, Significant slowdown if Companion gets Killing Blow(s), Worst Energy Regeneration


Lethality

Tactical Advantage. Required Level in (BRACKETS).

TA Generators: Kills (10), Shiv (10), Hidden Strike (36)
TA Sinks: Stim Pack (12), Kolto Infusion (14), Carabine Burst (16), Cull (30)
Advantages: Another AoE Ability, Good Energy Regeneration
Disadvantages: Requires Poisons to do full damage (Weak Burst), Signature Ability at level 30 (late), Low TA Generation, Bad Mix between melee and ranged combat


Medic

Tactical Advantage. Required Level in (BRACKETS).

TA Generators: Kills (10), Shiv (10), Kolto Injection (11), Kolto Probe (27), Surgical Precision (31), Hidden Strike (36)
TA Sinks: Stim Pack (12), Kolto Infusion (14), Carabine Burst (16), Surgical Probe (30)
Advantages: Abundant TA Generation, Can Solo very hard Quests with Companion Healing, (Easy to find Flashpoint groups as a Healer)
Disadvantages: Low single target damage, Signature Ability at levels 25-27 (relatively late)

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As you can see by this simple comparison, Lethality stands out as the most ineffective leveling spec since it relies on slow ticking poisons to kill and needs to go melee to even generate TA while being a pseudo ranged spec. Leveling is mostly about burst, kill speed and downtimes.

Playstyle of a Medic Operative

Use a tanking companion.

The true Power of a Medic lies in Massive AoE Burst Damage fueled by his good TA generation and extreme "soloing" capabilites. Both are essential when leveling.
The most common group of enemies encountered while questing is a group of 4 weak enemies. This is where the medic shines.

Before your get Medical Engineering at level 25 your basic approach to 3-5 weak enemies is as follows:
- Stealth close to the furthest away, ranged enemy.
- Throw a Frag Grenade at the furthest enemy, knocking him towards the rest of the enemies, bunching them up.
- Shiv
- Carabine Burst
- Backstab/Overload Shot on the low hp enemy
- Frag Grenade
- Spam Carabine Burst until all enemies are dead

Once you have Medical Engineering use Kolto Probes on you and your companion while moving towards the group. You should have at least 1 TA or generate one during the first few seconds in combat:
- Frag to Knock an Enemy in
- Carabine Burst
- Shiv
- Carabine Burst
- Frag
- Carabine Burst

When you get hidden Strike at level 36 you can use the TA from hidden Strike instead of Kolto Probes.
Coupled with the AoE from your Companion (EMP and Frag Grenade) the group will fall in no time. Throw on new Kolto Probes while moving to the next group, renew stim packs and there you go, zero downtime. This will be faster than any concealment or lethality spec.
I will add some Clips for demonstration later.

Your weakest part are Stronger Enemies (Silver Star). If they are grouped up with at least 2 weak enemies, use the same approach as for any group of enemies and then proceed to finish of the stronger enemy with a snipe + explo probe burst or a Stun > Evis > Backstab > Shiv > Overload combo.
If they are grouped with 1 weak enemy, use stun + evis + backstab (+shiv) on the weak enemy (usually kills him in 3-4 globals) and then go cover mode to kill the stronger enemy with corrosive dart, explo probe and snipes (mix in rifle shots, don't empty your energy). These groups will be slower than a concealment or lethality specced operative.

As a medic you will be able to solo every single HEROIC 2 and HEROIC 2+ quest. I don't think there are (m)any other classes/specs who can.
Keys are HoTs, Smoke Screen and two 60 second CCs (Sleep Dart and Slice).

Basic approach for strong + elite or elite + elite or strong + strong + elite:
- Turn off AoE Abilites for your companion.
- Use sleep dart/slice on the strongest enemy.
- Keep Kolto Probe active on your companion while he kills the 1 or 2 active enemies.
- Deal energy-neutral damage (Corrosive Dart, Rifle Shot, Explo Probe, Rifle Shot, Snipe, Rifle Shot, etc). Keep Stim Packs up.
- Whenever you switch to your companion to renew Kolto Probe, use any TA you have on Kolto Infusion and Surgical Probe.
- Depending on the incoming damage you need to heal more or deal more damage.
- Repeat for second enemy once the first is dead and your HP/Energy are full.

If you have a group of strong + elite + elite or even 3 elites, things can get rough.
- CC the strongest enemy with sleep/slice.
- Send your companion on the weaker of the 2 remaining enemies.
- Heal your companion as good as you can.
- When your companion drops below 20% and you can't heal him anymore, use Flash Bang to disable both enemies for 8 seconds. Heal up using adrenaline probe.
- Now focus only on killing the target (keep around 80 energy as long as possible and empty it as soon as you are in kill range). Let your companion die if necessary. Dont Forget to use evasion, distraction, medpacks, etc.
- Once one enemy is dead, Smoke Screen and move away. Recuperate to full, ressurect companion, etc. and kill the remaining 2 enemies as usual.

Against Bosses or Champion Enemies you should focus 100% on healing your companion as efficient as possible.
- Keep 2 Stacks of Kolto Probes on your companion at all times (refresh before they run out)
- Try to keep at least 1 Stack of Kolto Probes on yourself even if you take no damage, it will proivde you with more TA. Don't worry too much if you can't. Always Keep Stim Packs up!
- Try to find a good Rotation that keeps you between 65 and 100 energy as much as possible.
- Plan Adrenaline Probe ahead and use it for Burst healing
- If the incoming damage is low and you got time to do damage, apply Corrosive Dart to the enemy.
- If the incoming damage is extreme, make sure you get the most out of Surgical Precision and never overcap TA or Energy.
- On some fights Distract and Flash Bang can interrupt big damaging abilites and greatly reduce the incoming damage.

I will add clips of some Heroic quests and boss fights later.

Conclusion:

If you like a fun and refreshing playstyle, want a challenge (you actually need like 15 buttons...), like to solo hard content and still want to be effective at what you are doing, give the medic a shot!

And don't underestimate the need for healers in Flashpoints. You will have no problems finding groups while leveling!

I'll add some Youtube clips later today

[HemmerN]

I second this, another note is that whenever you get across Named "Champion" mobs kill them (some have self heal and out heal the companion dmg, just vanish and walk away,) they have lvl approbreate gear that you can use or sell

[psuhoser]

can we get a build you recommend

Thanks

[Hecow]

i would like the build as well.. this was a great run-through thank you for the time.