Officer useless

[Brengar]

What is the point of officer now after nerfs? I struggle to see a reason to pick him over any other class.

[Rosh+]

So, before anybody answers this, please elaborate on how the nerfs make Officer 'useless', please.

[Occultist]

I can't imagine how hard some fights could be without officer/grand strategist on higher difficulties. But to each his own I guess.

[Brengar]

First of all, I am ok with nerfs, but i think officer get hit too hard.

About officer, his talents not so useful now. +3 resolve is nice for sanctic, but thats about it. His buffs too slow or have too short duration to be worth using over another dps. Bring it down is ok but range is low and as soldier u get 2 attacks too but lower damage as officier. Heroic act is good but thats about all.

[Imperator]

In my opinion all is ok, still useful for the party (playing on very hard difficulty)

[BIG E.]

I don't think you can even beat unfair without any officers.

They are stupidly overpowered.

Idk how they were before nerf since i bought the game recently but, officer is outright broken still it seems. Free turns, infinity momentum, healing etc.

[Alkei]

Officer is the best choice if you have a good damage dealer. Heavy buffs and 2 free turns from officer => my RT is clearing encounters single-handedly in the 1st round.

[Frikadelka]

I was using officer only to give a second turn and buffs to my cassia and argenta, this was not nerfed at all.

[Brengar]

Originally posted by Alkei:

Officer is the best choice if you have a good damage dealer. Heavy buffs and 2 free turns from officer => my RT is clearing encounters single-handedly in the 1st round.

How do you get 2 free turns? There no seize the initiative now, so its only bring it down (and only 2 bonus AP) and thats not stronger than having another dps instead of an officer.

Originally posted by Frikadelka:

I was using officer only to give a second turn and buffs to my cassia and argenta, this was not nerfed at all.

Sure but is it more effective comparing to another soldier or soldier psyker instead of officer? Especially after Cassia nerfs.

[Alkei]

Originally posted by Brengar:

Originally posted by Alkei:

Officer is the best choice if you have a good damage dealer. Heavy buffs and 2 free turns from officer => my RT is clearing encounters single-handedly in the 1st round.

How do you get 2 free turns? There no seize the initiative now, so its only bring it down (and only 2 bonus AP) and thats not stronger than having another dps instead of an officer..

1) Bring it down is 4 AP for my RT thanks to perks and Air of authority. And he can use his Warrior Heroics to get extra turn in that extra turn thanks to extra momentum from officer.
2) Finest hour officer heroics with no attack limits.

That's actually an overkill. Everything dies long before my RT runs out of all that action points

[Balekai]

Honestly the extra free turn on combat start form Seize mid late game was becoming fairly over the top for my Officer/GS/Sanctic Psyker buff/healer bot. As in, it was getting to the point that when combined with all my other GS/Sanctic, itemizations gimmicks (items are a big deal), I was RUNNING OUT of things to do in the first front loaded Turns of combat using like 6-8+ Abilities. Not to mention having Cassia also being an Officer/Navigator/GS hybrid on top of that.

The nerf did scale down some power out of the gate and I miss abouth two extra character turns on Round One. So when I would use Yrliet and Argenta twice via Cassia and RT, then two others like Pascal or Heinrix, I can only use the first two now. The others were the extra cherry on top to get them into better positions etc. that ended fights before they began really. That still happens of course and i still get the front loaded use of my RT's ultimate extra turn, because I broke the secret of the paradox with her (a reward from Chronicles of Kiava Gamma I believe if you play nice with the ancient AI or "near" AI there).

I still am able to use all the key abilities in my build as I did when it reached a "feature complete" level of power, and the 20% or whatever damage boost off the top of my head vs. enemies that haven't acted yet, is in some situations, as good or better for me personally, because it can scale off my major boosts to party wide base damage like Hammer of the Emperor etc.

I understand though that this isn't the case for all builds especially non-GS, and more Officer focused builds (rather than "mult-classing" with Psyker or Cassia's Navigator), that will have a hard time taking advantage of the new Seize the initiative mechanics if at all. So a huge nerf in that case. I'm still mulling switching it for something else myself.

Edit: Also early Act 1 to early Act 3 is going to be a lot harder than it used to be for Officers.

Edit 2: Actually after a few minutes to think since I have been playing other games for a while. What I started using Seize of Initiative turns for because of their lower AP availability and the amount I could get done on the next turn, was just to slap on VOC and Take Aim on Argenta and Yrliet with RT and Cassia, then do my buff + extra turn + Cassia routine on GS First Turns for them. So basically what i'm losing out on, are two extra applications of VOC + Take Aim which has to be done now on the proper turn thereafter, so I need to sacrifice a proactive use of Light of the Emperor (maybe) for the extra Temp Wounds (because of overheal mechcanics with some Biomancy) on fight start.

[Brengar]

I stopped using most officer buffs after the first nerf (only one extra turn per round) just didnt feel them impactful enough. And after last one, I just struggle to justify using an officer at all instead of a soldier or operative (for MT or GS). Maybe i am wrong, but i dont see how this buffs will be better then bolter burst lets say.

[Alkei]

Originally posted by Brengar:

I stopped using most officer buffs after the first nerf (only one extra turn per round) just didnt feel them impactful enough. And after last one, I just struggle to justify using an officer at all instead of a soldier or operative (for MT or GS). Maybe i am wrong, but i dont see how this buffs will be better then bolter burst lets say.

It is still way more efficient to overbuff one decent DD and give him/her tons of extra attacks. Especially when his/her attacks are getting stronger consequentially.

[Balekai]

Originally posted by Brengar:

I stopped using most officer buffs after the first nerf (only one extra turn per round) just didnt feel them impactful enough. And after last one, I just struggle to justify using an officer at all instead of a soldier or operative (for MT or GS). Maybe i am wrong, but i dont see how this buffs will be better then bolter burst lets say.

You still want Officer if you're going full support like my build.

Take Aim! is really important now more than ever. For those that don't know. It modifies all attacks like Burst Fire unlike Hammer of the Emperor that just modified first hit. Attack ignore Cover. With VOC active on the ally, it makes Ally completely ignore Dodge and ignore damage reduction FOR ANY REASON (even some hard immune damage reduction like near the end of Chapter 3 I believe), up to a %. I got up to around 60-75% damage reduction ignoring with this ability.

Also talents like Focus! which with all that buffing, you're stacking bonuses of Perception and BS on all teammates just using abilities. That adds up to tons of extra ranks (not as much now I think it was nerfed a bit this patch lol :p :P). There's some other synergizing things for support like Inspire Courage that makes your support skills more supporty.

You also have to take into account your characteristic progression and Fellowship for that Resolve.

Lastly you need to keep in mind itemization starvation. I would rather have one or two OP DPSers in the group decked out in the most optimal crazy gear, and just give them extra turns + stackable buffs + make them completely ignore dodge and ignore 50ish% or more damage reduction, than have yet another not so OP version as RT (or vice versa since we all make our RTs as OP as possible!), that has less optimal gear, less damage etc etc.

Now if you're playing an Officer that's more of a combatant than support or buffer, there's an argument to be made that another DPS build may be better. Especially if you're overflowing with OP equipment not being used.

That wouldn't be the case for me. There's no way i'm giving up map wide mass heals/overheals, map wide damage buffs, zone damage reduction, zone auto kills at low life, mass DPS buffing, elimination of Wounds/Injuries as a thing, elimination of knockbacks as a thing, elimination of cover destruction as a thing, 50-100+ Perception + BS on all party members (low balling due to what I think was a nerf), and still being able to hit like a truck with Sanctic Staff with literally no investment in direct damage other than high Resolve lol.