Commando Feedback.

[Ellyidol]

Hey all, got my commando to 21 today (currently, may play a bit more). Just wanted to share my observations and get your comments as well.

General Gameplay:

Felt good. It was nice to have my attacks land even as a level 1, rather than missing a whole lot.

Skills:

The Beckon equivalent seems useless, along with that AoE damage tick for 10 seconds. Their purpose is much too slow. Mobs are pretty much dead when either of these skills even begin to work. With how wide-spread the other AoE attacks are, these two don't really cut it IMO.

Damage-buff seemed useless at first, same reason for Beckon + AoE Tick (I have to learn those names!), mobs are usually dead. It was when I got to Numa and faced those heavily armoured mobs and boss, then that damage buff could actually be put to a bit of use (too short, IMO), maybe should be # of attacks based and not time.

Weapons:

I've loved Canon type weapons since level 1. Are they the only ones with AoE attacks? Also, do all canons have a 'canon' suffix to them? Just curious since I've seen other weapons with the same weapon icon as a canon but a different type of look.

I'm considering getting a high DPS weapon for boss fights, an AoE attack is completely useless to a single boss anyway.

Tanking:

Still a bit confused. In a way, tanking seems to be done indirectly through knockdowns and pushbacks, as well as a bit of kiting when slowed. Different from the usual up-close and head-on tanking I've been used to.


What are your findings? Overall, I'd say I have a positive impression on my commando. Though some ups and downs, mostly positive.

[Flowman]

The beckon equivalent actually works fairly well if you're the first one in. I use it right away (after nebula) and then use the stomp equivalent about a second. The delay is because of the time it takes for the skills to hit, and I found that waiting instead of instantly casting had a better result. It's beneficial because the stomp generates aggression towards you, and also knocks down the mobs.

Commandos have a lot of skills that keep mobs knocked down but doesn't push too far. One thing I hate about the Operatives Lurch skill is that it often pushes the target out of range, even at lvl 1. I found that the commandos knock downs don't have that same large area push effect, however my "stomp" is only at 3 and I've never had it any higher on previous builds.

I actually really like the skill "Nebula" which is the 10 second AOE skill you said you saw no purpose in using. Yes, the mobs die fast, but again, if you're the first one in and use nebula first, the mobs will take continuous damage. After you knock them down, they're still taking damage. I have my nebula to 5, and have found it extremely useful and comparable to the Engineers "Transference" without the healing aspect. Hit's multiple targets pretty hard each hit and is good "background damage."

The one skill I don't like is the skill that shoots out directly in front of you in a cone. Yes, it's taunts, but it's really only good on bosses.

Don't bother with a high DPS weapon for the bosses. The operatives and even some engineers do enough damage per second to make up for yours. My commando is at 71 DPS or so, and I think it works out really well. Some of the harder bosses take very little damage per hit, and a weapon with more dps and lower base damage isn't gonna do much.

[Ellyidol]

The beckon equivalent actually works fairly well if you're the first one in. I use it right away (after nebula) and then use the stomp equivalent about a second. The delay is because of the time it takes for the skills to hit, and I found that waiting instead of instantly casting had a better result. It's beneficial because the stomp generates aggression towards you, and also knocks down the mobs.

Commandos have a lot of skills that keep mobs knocked down but doesn't push too far. One thing I hate about the Operatives Lurch skill is that it often pushes the target out of range, even at lvl 1. I found that the commandos knock downs don't have that same large area push effect, however my "stomp" is only at 3 and I've never had it any higher on previous builds.

I actually really like the skill "Nebula" which is the 10 second AOE skill you said you saw no purpose in using. Yes, the mobs die fast, but again, if you're the first one in and use nebula first, the mobs will take continuous damage. After you knock them down, they're still taking damage. I have my nebula to 5, and have found it extremely useful and comparable to the Engineers "Transference" without the healing aspect. Hit's multiple targets pretty hard each hit and is good "background damage."

The one skill I don't like is the skill that shoots out directly in front of you in a cone. Yes, it's taunts, but it's really only good on bosses.

Don't bother with a high DPS weapon for the bosses. The operatives and even some engineers do enough damage per second to make up for yours. My commando is at 71 DPS or so, and I think it works out really well. Some of the harder bosses take very little damage per hit, and a weapon with more dps and lower base damage isn't gonna do much.

Thanks a lot Flow, will keep these things in mind.

I agree, these skills are actually quite good. I have to play more, a lot more, to find my ideal skill set up

That cone-skill, is it really a cone? Mainly because when I use it, and I see it explode, I can see a circular damage radius instead of a cone.

I might try and alter my skill setup more now to suit Numa. Mobs are tougher, bosses are stronger.

[Flowman]

hah whats funny is I posted this before I respeced...only a few things changed. In regards to the 'cone', it basically fires outwards from your body and extends in one direction with the spread increasing as it moves away from you. This forms a directional cone-like attack (maybe not the best shape to describe it) opposed to the other AOE's which attack at a radius all around the commando.

[Acyer]

Finally welcome Elly glad ya found your way to us commandos.

Ok my impression on my commando as lvl 26 i love the gravity well + singularity on groups of mobs. It keeps aggro on you if you are the first in to do the damage. Graviton slam and force hammer are my other two main skills them being pretty much as damage taunt skills. Now im like u i dont use nebula or the energy regain either. I put those points in growing rage which you get at 24 picture bears rage in pl.

Now the major thing i see for commandos that need twinking is just taunt itself needs to be buffed as it takes 2 engineers spamming heals and heal aggro will destroy a group.

My overall score for commando is 9/10.

[kamikazees]

The Beckon equivalent seems useless, along with that AoE damage tick for 10 seconds....Damage-buff seemed useless at first, same reason for Beckon + AoE Tick (I have to learn those names!), mobs are usually dead.

Gravity Well is the Beckon, and I think it is fantastic. I maxed it out. It is an extremely high damage skill. There is a delay as mobs get damaged and drawn to you, but part of the reason they are dying is because Beckon goes a long way toward killing them too. It also taunts and recharges in 10 seconds. The AoE damage tick is Nebula, which I have found no use for. I don't like DOTs for the reasons you posted.

On my approach, I head toward a wall and cast Gravity Well, and then Neutron Stomp as enemies are being pulled and damaged. I then step away from the wall while casting Singularity and auto-attack with my cannon. Singularity goes off as they are getting up, smashing them all against the wall, knocking them down again and bunching them all up together to get hit by the cannon fire. Done. I use Increase Mass and Gravity Slam as needed.

I have 3 points in Growing Rage (damage buff), but I'm thinking about dropping those into Kinetic Reservoir (the energy buff). Because of the 60 second recharge I find myself always saving Rage for something "around the corner," which usually means I end up not using it until the boss. I have 2 in Kinetic Reservoir now and still have energy problems. I've found I can often time Neutron Stomp or another skill right as it goes out, which gives a huge boost in damage. Maybe at higher levels the 2 seconds of increased damage may actually outweigh the 5 seconds of decreased damage.