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Exploding Penguin -> RE: Is Mercenary a bad class? (11/3/2012 20:16:53)
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Many people seem to think that merc isn't a bad class just because it's good at 2v2 alone... it lacks in 1v1 effectiveness compared to classes like TM and BH. Although atom smasher is a good energy removing skill, it pales in comparison to EMP as it's blockable and isn't worth leveling up that much. Blood commander/field commander are terrible buffs, just to be down to the point. They take a turn to use, high levels of it can raise around 8+ damage on gun and primary for the 4 turns that its effect is in play and lifesteal can be useful. Let's compared blood commander to something like a debuff. First of all, blood commander lasts 4 turns, while a debuff lasts only 3. This benefit for BC is somewhat cancelled though because it takes a turn to initiate without damaging the opponent. Then, with blood commander you don't necessarily use str-based attacks all the time, such as using field medic while blood commander is still affecting you. Smokescreen/malfunction, however, lowers the opponent's defense/resistance WHILE increasing your deflection/block chance and decreasing the opponent's. The only other benefit that BC has is that it costs a somewhat small amount of energy (and it has a weak lifesteal, but remember that BC has to have a high level to actually have an effective lifesteal amount and damage increase). Therefore commander/blood commander isn't as good as some debuffs/buffs. Hybrid armor/passive armors may seem like really good skills, but in truth, they're yet again nothing to compared to passives like deadly aim or blood lust. Rage ignores passive armors completely, and this is a humongous disadvantage to classes like CH and TLM, although less of a disadvantage to merc itself. Compared to blood lust where most hits heal 5-10 HP back, hybrid isn't nearly as good. Plus, hybrid has a large dex requirement while merc has no skills that benefit from dex. Intimidate can be useful, but strength scales slowly. If I'm a focus build and have level 4 intimidate, I can only lower the opponent's primary/gun output damage by around 5-6, or possibly even less if the opponent is a strength build. Bunker isn't nearly as good as some people think either. It costs a high amount of energy becuase lower levels of it aren't too effective, and merc has already limited amounts of energy, locking the use of bunker into place. Adrenaline is also not worth leveling up as a passive, especially compared to other passives like shadow arts and deadly aim. Its best use is only to level it up 1 time for an easy +10% rage gain, but the passive itself overall isn't that useful unless paired up with a support build, which is, as I said, the only reason merc is a "good" class because of its performance in 2v2. I agree with blaze that a buff like reflex boost would especially help merc as a class and make it more effective in 1v1, as a debuff pretty much messes up the entire fight.
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