Why is HAM falling by the wayside?

[Efaicia.3672]

Noone wants Heal/Alac Mech in fractal groups anymore. evidently people are under the impression that HAM doesn't provide Stability, protection or Aegis as well as alacrity. ALL IN THE SAME ABILITY. Everyone wants a Healbrand for quickness and someone playing a dps that provides alac. That's the new group build and HAM has lost their place. I have worked on a scrapper build ..but it's dps output is pitiful, i do more with the HAM build! Growl. /rantover

 

Not to mention that the healbrand everyone is currently obsessed with has less than minimal dps output, not that HAM is incredible, but there is at least SOME. THE ONLY thing they provide that HAM doesn't is quickness. period. This entire thing is driving me bananas because it makes ZERO logical sense.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Efaicia.3672

[Alcatraznc.3869]

I would argue HAM is in a better place than HQS. In fact Elixir kit and Medkit got a pretty heavy nerf because of HAM and despite the nerf HAM is still a solid support that isnt just about spamming skill off CD.

 

Now I dont know what build you are doing but :

-if you're doing a DPS Scrapper build and you say the damage is lower than your HAM build, then you have to double check your build

-if you're doing a power support Scrapper build, last time I check the DPS is about 30k which is pretty respectable for a support build. To put it into perspective PMech used to bench ar 33k which is pretty garbage for a DPS. I highly doubt HAM reaches that number when power alacrity mech can barely reach 25k DPS.

-if you're doing a HQS build then idk why you mention DPS because it is not your role. The extra DPS HAM brings over HQS isnt going to matter in most scenario.

 

Anyway, if you are making a group as a HAM you shouldnt even have much trouble finding people. Most people either play full DPS or support DPS.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Alcatraznc.3869

[Noah Salazar.5430]

you need pair ham with dps quickness Scrapper

As qdps Scrapper you will provde missing stab, superspeed, 3ppl ress of f5, and aoe stunbreak on bypass coating

 

don't pair qdps fb with ham, thats a baisc mistake

ham need supply for ress and stab, if it's provided, ham is superior to Healbrand, not mentioning qdps scraper provid alot of aoe cc to a team 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Noah Salazar.5430

[Jerus.4350]

You’re not valuing Stability as high as others.  A single stack every 30s just doesn’t cut it for some fractals.  When you need Stab or Reflects HB and Herald shine.

 

Get me a quickdps source willing to help with reflect and stab and HAM is great, without that I’d rather a HB too.

[Noah Salazar.5430]

3 hours ago, Jerus.4350 said:

You’re not valuing Stability as high as others.  A single stack every 30s just doesn’t cut it for some fractals.  When you need Stab or Reflects HB and Herald shine.

 

Get me a quickdps source willing to help with reflect and stab and HAM is great, without that I’d rather a HB too.

@Jerus.4350

Here

reflect on 2 evry 6s, and f3 25s

stab on f3+f4 

protection on f1 as autor of post mentioned bit of lack of prot

fury and might suply as dps

Superpseed

And most importent, range ress ability (f5)

4s 35% dmg transfer on bulwark gyro

 

in fractals wher you no need stab as much you exchange elixir B for Blast gyro for more cc, might and aoe stun break 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Noah Salazar.5430

[Jerus.4350]

5 hours ago, Noah Salazar.5430 said:

@Jerus.4350

Here

reflect on 2 evry 6s, and f3 25s

stab on f3+f4 

protection on f1 as autor of post mentioned bit of lack of prot

fury and might suply as dps

Superpseed

And most importent, range ress ability (f5)

4s 35% dmg transfer on bulwark gyro

 

in fractals wher you no need stab as much you exchange elixir B for Blast gyro for more cc, might and aoe stun break 

 

 

Yeah, Scrapper can cover stab decently.  Was talking about HAM where it's just Crisis Zone (unless you have a bugged character that can use the toolbelt skills).

[Xerxez.7361]

Its simply because Stability Spam is king in fractals. Why bother avoiding Mechanics when you can rely on a single class to protect you from Mechanics.

[Zoser.7245]

"Reconstruction Enclosure" and "Soothing Detonation" also does not work with Med Kit for the mechanist as the F1 of the mechanist  does not trigger traits linked to the F1 of the toolbelt , dead traits for the mechanist, also is crap underwater, the mech should work underwater too.  The feeling is that is still an unfinished  product, an unfinished specialization.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Zoser.7245

[Noah Salazar.5430]

12 hours ago, Jerus.4350 said:

Yeah, Scrapper can cover stab decently.  Was talking about HAM where it's just Crisis Zone (unless you have a bugged character that can use the toolbelt skills).

like i said it's not your job as ham

evry alac heal have low amount of stab, cuz it's job of dps quickness provider

do you see any stability here or here or here 

Tempest and Ham have single skill for it while quicknes providers have 2-3 or aoe stun breaks 

 

If you got perfect synergy, then ham > hfb 

if your got bad qdps, then your screw as ham or any other alac healer

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Noah Salazar.5430

[Kuma.1503]

HAM has more competition thanks to a combination of constant nerfs and other supports getting consistently buffed (Ele especially). 

It's still good though, It's far from unviable, and does a little bit of everything you'd want from a support. With the exception of rezzeing. 

[Stalima.5490]

It should be obvious really, because when composition changes, so does the required healer, it is likely they are already taking alacrity thus making the HAM redundant.

[Zzik.5873]

Never had issue doing frac as Ham... Well I often more tham anything do my own group. Or if they dont want Ham I got a milion viable build on engi for any role really ready at all time, just missing a good scrapper gealer because I dint make one yet... and Ham exist I guess XD

But yeah no never had issie joining as Ham really? And yeah Im talking about T4, Im not a peasant.

[chris.9142]

You rarly need agis in fractels it's not even a thought most of the time for me

 

 

The only valid concern is the lack of stab

[draxynnic.3719]

Anecdotally, I've been finding that fractals tends to go smoother with a HB or HQH than with a HAM, even when Stability isn't an issue. I couldn't tell you why, but if others are having the same experience, it could explain the trend you're observing. Strike pugs still seem to be happy to HAM it up, though.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

I don't think its fallen off, if anything its more common than ever since most Healbrands have stopped playing, and almost every Firebrand you see in a group is a Qiuckbrand. What you're actually seeing is players refusing to let go of "LF HB" despite that they now need to sit in LFG for up to half an hour to find one.

Edited March 20, 2023 by SoftFootpaws.9134

[Stalima.5490]

I think HAM makes fractals increadibly easy but realistically it lacks a proper heal that syncs with it so if you have a steady group then HAM is extremely strong but if you have yo-yos in your group then firebrand is likely alot better.

[AlPower.2476]

I created a  HB build for fractals and I can honestly say that I prefer it over any other healing build, even for challenge modes (CM).. Although Healing Burst may not be the strongest healing build, it can help your team avoid some evades.

I never played with a heal tempest on the team, but heard that he's good too

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by AlPower.2476