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[SWcolonTOR] Damage Thread: I find your lack of DPS disturbing.

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  • TaranisTaranis Registered User regular
    Is it possible to have a good ranged DPS spec as an Operative? I'm between that and my merc, but EVERYONE is a merc (for good reason atm, I know)

    I haven't tried it, but you'd want to max out the shared tree at the very least. All of the ranged operatives that I've played with in warzones didn't fare nearly was well as my stealth specced operative so I'd imagine that it's a difficult spec to play if not outright less effective than other specs.

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  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    I played a warlock for years in WoW and I found full lightning all but impossible to play efficiently. There are too many buffs/debuffs/cooldowns to watch, and the UI puts them all over the place. Creeping terror was similar, but at least you don't have to watch your cooldowns as much.

    13/28 is the most fun to play, but it's also unsustainable over a long fight if you are using a lot of wrath procs on chain lightning.

    absolutely agreeing with all of this after having done HM EV/KP

    nightmare must be ridiculous for efficiency

  • trevelliantrevellian Registered User regular
    Is it possible to have a good ranged DPS spec as an Operative?

    Just out of curiosity, why are you not looking at the sniper AC if you want a ranged DPS spec?

    I am currently at lvl 45 with my Operative, but I levelled as a healing spec (although now I am more hybrid http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#401Mff0dhMozZZhrdkM.1). I did play around briefly with the lethality tree but I couldn't really get into the swing of it and found it better to either go concealment or what I am now (healing PvE and general nuisance in PvP).

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  • ringswraithringswraith Registered User regular
    This is what I'm planning for my Gunslinger. I have an extra point still and I'm not sure where to put it. Any comments or suggestions (am I doing it wrong)?

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    This is my Sniper build, in Gunslinger form. Im tempted to say Spacer is worth it, but I like that the 3s cast time on Freighter Flyby allows me to regen energy.

  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    This is what I'm planning for my Gunslinger. I have an extra point still and I'm not sure where to put it. Any comments or suggestions (am I doing it wrong)?

    I'd drop the Cover Screen and pick up Burst Volley. That'd give you a place to put that stray point, as well.
    emp123 wrote: »
    This is my Sniper build, in Gunslinger form. Im tempted to say Spacer is worth it, but I like that the 3s cast time on Freighter Flyby allows me to regen energy.

    I'd have to say the build I suggested for @ringswraith would be the best way to go. You're not going to need the heal on Cool Head, and if you REALLY need to regen, you could always wait an extra second after casting an Orbital Strike. Spacer is very handy for getting that AoE out in a hurry.

    See you in Town,
    -Z
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    3 talent points for what abouts to basically .1s reduction of cast time (slightly more for Series of Shots/whatever the Gunslinger version is called) just seems like a massive waste for me.

    As for Orbital Strike/Freighter Flyby Ive never needed it to hit right now, the extra second has always been acceptable. If it made the beams start hitting faster then Id say take it, but personally it just doesnt seem worth it.

    As for Cover Screen, I think it worth it - in raids I end up having to move more than Id like and the added ranged defense helps.

    Honestly, the last couple points in the Sharpshooter build can basically be put wherever you want.

  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    Oh, I wholly agree that you can do whatever you want with that last handful of points. I like the flexibility built into the trees, and I'm not saying your choices are bad at all. They're just not my choices.

    That said, the reasoning behind my choices are as follow..

    Spacer - For one point, it drops 1/3 of the cast time off. On fights like Gharj or anytime I'm just tooling around and want to burn a lot of things down at once, this comes in very handy and allows me to get back on the move after calling my ship.

    Burst Volley - I like it for the stacks. I'll get 3 stacks of Burst Volley, pop Illegal Mods and my relic, and go to down with 3 consecutive Speed Shots. That all adds up quite a bit.

    Cover Screen - I can't see a whole lot of places where this would've helped me. The only one that really springs to mind is the first boss in EV, after he knocks you out of cover. Other than that, there isn't all that much incidental damage with which I've had trouble.

    See you in Town,
    -Z
  • ringswraithringswraith Registered User regular
    I'm with emp123 on this one- Burst Volley just seems useless compared to something that will protect me when I need to move or switch cover positions (such as when I see a large AOE targeting reticle beneath me).

  • FoefallerFoefaller Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    This probably what I'm shooting for with my Gunslinger. I PvP quite a bit though, so the cover screen and the shortened cooldowns on Leg Shot, Thermal grenade and Flash Grenade are a bit more valuable to me than 6% extra damage on charged and speed shot and the stacking alacrity proc.

    Foefaller on
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  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    So is this Sniper build as weird as I think it is?

    Apparent rotation is:
    Explosive Probe
    Corrosive Dart
    Interrogation Probe
    Corrosive Grenade
    Adrenal+Relic+Target Acquired
    Cull
    Series of Shots
    Orbital Strike
    Adrenaline Probe
    Cull

    Looking at it makes me think youre out of energy 5 seconds into the first pull...

    I could see it being a decent PVP build, but it looks like a really shitty PVE build.

  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    What I'm trying to figure out is why AoE attacks are part of the "normal" rotation...

    That's the kind of stuff you throw in as needed. It's not a staple. Or are the ticks on the Orbital Strike dot that powerful?

    See you in Town,
    -Z
  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    Orbital strike is like the highest DPCT ability those ACs have, IIRC, even on single targets.

  • FoefallerFoefaller Registered User regular
    It's the same for Troopers and Bounty Hunters for Mortar Volley/Death from Above. Might even be so for Force Storm/quake as well. I know that when I'm fighting G4 in Karraga's Palace, DfA is the first thing I use once it gets hit with the debuff from the flame jets, where it will do 2.5k per tick with nearly 4k crits, and that's in tank gear.

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  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    It's not the case for force storm/quake. Those are non CD AoEs that don't hit very hard at all, definitely not on a single. It's just the ones that have long(60ish second CDs), which is why it makes sense they do so much damage.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Yeah, Orbital Strike does a lot of damage... Its like 2k a tick on bosses and does even more on the KP robot after its been flamed, although it's hard to time it so the strikes will hit if you're the one pushing the buttons.

  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    Man, I really wish we could have some damage meters in this game. I really want to know how my Vigilance DPS stacks up against my fellow guildmates. In our HM EV last night, I finished my dude on the council about 2 seconds after our Sentinel(he couldn't use Zen though so I give him a couple extra seconds on me), and we both finished well ahead of our Gunslinger and two Commando DPSers. The commandos are in worse gear, but the Gunslinger is in almost entirely Rakata, so it definitely was nice beating him. He's a good player too, so I like to think I'm actually competitive. I'm finding all my assumptions about the ceiling on Guardian DPS being low were unfounded.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Is anyone a dps Jug/Guardian? Im temporarily speccing dps until I can get enough armor to tank HMs/Ops.

    Anyway, I have a basic build, but I dont know what my rotation should be.

    Currently Im doing:
    Saber Throw
    Force Charge
    Sundering Assault
    Shatter
    Force Scream
    Sundering Assault
    Impale
    Smash
    Sundering Assault
    Shatter
    Force Scream
    etc

    EDIT: Turns out it doesnt matter, after a ran an instance I got enough gear to tank with but Im gunna leave this here because 1) I think it does pretty good damage and 2) if I end up dpsing again any critique would be helpful.

    emp123 on
  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    That's fairly close to the spec I use for my vigilance Guardian DPS, but with some changes, like I don't have the +15% slash crit because I rarely ever use it due to the high focus cost of Overhead slash and Plasma Brand. Also, I took Unremitting and the talent that applies Guardian leaps effect to me as well, but I just like having those damage reduction/cc immunity talents.

    As for rotation, after I saber throw and charge, I typically go ahead and overhead slash(Impale), then blade storm(Force Scream), then sundering, then Plasma(Shatter), then the first two ticks of master strike(Ravage)(happens in less than 1 second of the 3 second channel) then interrupt that for force sweep(smash), then from there I sundering when it's off CD, and hit overhead/blade storm/plasma as they come off CD, making sure the +60% crit buff is up for blade storms, then at 20% switch to hitting the execute as the highest priority, because it also gets the +60% crit chance. Keep hitting the first two ticks of master when it comes off CD from the talent.

    It's a fairly simple rotation, but it's a lot of fun to play imo, especially with all the other utility you have, in both pve and pvp.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Yeah, I specd DPS to run EV/KP normal and I was unsure if my rotation and talents were actually doing anything useful, but after running a couple of hard modes after that and actually seeing the damage I was doing despite being in mediocre tanking gear I was really surprised at its damage potential.

    Having specd back to tank, I kinda miss the dps tree.

  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    The DPS is very good in Vigilance/Vengeance if you play it right, and it's a very fun spec to play. I let another guy in my guild take over tanking because I just really don't enjoy tanking in this game the way I used to in other games, and I am having a lot more fun just dpsing.

  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Ive always avoided tanking since it kind of stresses me out, I guess I'll see how it goes in this game. So far it hasnt been terrible, but Ive basically only tanked HM BT and HM FE...

  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Made the fattest sentinel.

    Has a ghengis khan mustache and a sumo face.

    He's currently wearing a huge white robe.

    He chunders through the battlefield, each ponderous step indicating through imposing ground tremors the inevitability of his enemies demise, then flings his one ton of bulk through the air and lays waste to all and sundry with his command of cutting people up with lightsabers.

    I called him Wanton. (One ton)

    I regret nothing. This is probably the best character I've made in years. David Hayters voice fits so well. All the snobby light side jedi posturing appears genuinely humble on his massive frame. Any man of that size, one thinks unconsciously, who is being so damn nice, well he probably really is.

    I'm here to ask wether I should be going straight up the watchman tree while levelling. I want to be one of those unkillable watchman pvp wrecking machines, but I understand that this mostly happens at high level. Is combat better until I get more points under my (prodigious) belt?

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • emp123emp123 Registered User regular
    Male body type 4 is made for Jedi Knights and Smugglers.

    I wish I had any information regarding Sentinel builds, but I cant.

    Fat knights/smugglers 4 lyfe.

  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    I accidentally took the tunic off and was horrified until I actually opened my eyes and saw they're all muscle.
    That belly.
    Six pack.
    Each individual abdominal muscle is bigger than your hand.

    They're monsters.
    They're not man boobs. They're pecs. Pecs that could crush your head with a single flex.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • FoefallerFoefaller Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Made the fattest sentinel.

    Has a ghengis khan mustache and a sumo face.

    He's currently wearing a huge white robe.

    He chunders through the battlefield, each ponderous step indicating through imposing ground tremors the inevitability of his enemies demise, then flings his one ton of bulk through the air and lays waste to all and sundry with his command of cutting people up with lightsabers.

    I called him Wanton. (One ton)

    I regret nothing. This is probably the best character I've made in years. David Hayters voice fits so well. All the snobby light side jedi posturing appears genuinely humble on his massive frame. Any man of that size, one thinks unconsciously, who is being so damn nice, well he probably really is.

    I'm here to ask wether I should be going straight up the watchman tree while levelling. I want to be one of those unkillable watchman pvp wrecking machines, but I understand that this mostly happens at high level. Is combat better until I get more points under my (prodigious) belt?

    Only if it's the only way you can justify to yourself putting points into Defensive Forms before hitting the top of Watchman. Otherwise it's pretty much the same for Combat, only it doesn't quite reach the hieghts that Watchman does (though I have heard good things about a properly executed Zen>Precision Strike>Blade Rush>Slashspam) On the other hand, I got a Marauder speced Carnage (i.e. Combat) and I've been enjoying it more that early Annilation (Watchman) mainly because I not bothering with putting Dots on things that, pre-level 30, aren't enough of a hassle to need to dot and reap the benifits Juyo-speced Marauders/Sentinels get in the first place.

    Foefaller on
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  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    I think you were too roundabout for me to understand you there.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • Jealous DevaJealous Deva Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    I actually am enjoying focus for sentinel at low level. You get your extra attack earlier than the other two (level 20), and you get the big aoe for clearing packs, which is what you spend 75% of your time doing leveling.

    As an added bonus for sentinels over guardians, blade storm is actually focus efficient, so you spend little time running around chasing enemies, if the enemy is within 10 yards there's usually some ability up on your bar that can hit it.

    Jealous Deva on
  • FoefallerFoefaller Registered User regular
    I think you were too roundabout for me to understand you there.

    Okay.

    It pretty much doesn't matter at low level, save that there is no dot spamming required for Combat/Focus.(which I've always found tedious against low-level mobs who die before it ticks more than a couple times) Also, Defensive Forms is a must-have, especially if you're not running around with T7 all the time, since it speeds up how often you can use your centering-based abilities.

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  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Ah ok.

    Well I'm 21 and have overload saber now. I noticed a huge difference in pvp in terms of survivability and damage, personally. And since I'm currently pvping my little butt off with zero concern or care about anything else I think I'll stick with it for now. But that's a good point about defensive forms. I might take a couple of levels to grab that once my force leap is 12s.

    Also the level 20 sentinel chestpiece is hilarious. The cape makes me look awesome from behind, so I get awesome. But the front. Oh I pity my enemies. Fat man all up ins. It hides nothing.

    Just to like give an example of how into pvp and how much I love it, I hit 20 in pve, went and bought the chest piece and legs, then pvped all afternoon. I'm 21.25 just from pvp and have 2ximplants, ear slot, gloves and one other piece of armor I can't remember.
    I adore my sentinel. It's like an action game in an mmo.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • BrainleechBrainleech 機知に富んだコメントはここにあります Registered User regular
    Is there really a free to play weekend Starting this Thursday?

  • ArrynArryn Ask not the Innkeeper For destiny is thy name!Registered User regular
    Brainleech wrote: »
    Is there really a free to play weekend Starting this Thursday?

    Yeah. Details and a link are in the main SWTOR thread.

  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    I'm at work and thus unable to access the SWTOR site right now... but was there an expiration on the friend passes? I'd like to hook a friend up with a pass back-to-back with the free weekend.

    See you in Town,
    -Z
  • CormacCormac Registered User regular
    I do know once you send them a pass the they have two weeks in which to use it, but I haven't found anything that says how long we have to send them out.

    Steam: Gridlynk | PSN: Gridlynk | FFXIV: Jarvellis Mika
  • ArrynArryn Ask not the Innkeeper For destiny is thy name!Registered User regular
    I'm at work and thus unable to access the SWTOR site right now... but was there an expiration on the friend passes? I'd like to hook a friend up with a pass back-to-back with the free weekend.

    Here's the official announcement for the free weekend:
    Today we are excited to announce the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Weekend Pass Free* Trial. Now for a limited time, you will be able to live out your very own Star Wars™ saga with thousands of other players for free! With the Star Wars: The Old Republic Weekend Pass Free Trial, individuals who don’t already have a previously-active Star Wars: The Old Republic account will be allowed to see a portion of what the game has to offer, free of charge, with no payment method required, for up to four days!

    Individuals who take part in the Weekend Pass will be able to experience the opening adventures of each of the eight character classes in the game, exploring both their Origin World and their faction’s Capital World. Additionally, Weekend Pass players will have the chance to face off against other players in PvP Warzones, or join up with friends and play through a couple of early faction-specific Flashpoints in the game, The Esseles and The Black Talon.

    The Weekend Pass Free Trial opens Thursday, March 15th, 12:01AM CT / 5:01AM GMT and ends on Monday, March 19th at 2:00AM CT / 7:00AM GMT. To learn more, visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/weekendpass and come back on March 15th to create your account, download the game, and begin your free trial! Have questions? Visit the Weekend Pass FAQ.

    As far as the buddy passes, no expiration date other than from the time you send them the email pass, they have 14 days to use it:
    You friends have 14 days after they are accepted into the Friends Trial program to take advantage of the seven (7) day free trial. To indicate that your friend(s) have been accepted to the Friends Trial, your friend’s email address will populate above the referral form within “My Account”. At the same time, an automated email will be sent to your friend telling them they have been accepted to the Friends Trial program.

  • FoefallerFoefaller Registered User regular
    Ah ok.

    Well I'm 21 and have overload saber now. I noticed a huge difference in pvp in terms of survivability and damage, personally. And since I'm currently pvping my little butt off with zero concern or care about anything else I think I'll stick with it for now. But that's a good point about defensive forms. I might take a couple of levels to grab that once my force leap is 12s.

    Also the level 20 sentinel chestpiece is hilarious. The cape makes me look awesome from behind, so I get awesome. But the front. Oh I pity my enemies. Fat man all up ins. It hides nothing.

    Just to like give an example of how into pvp and how much I love it, I hit 20 in pve, went and bought the chest piece and legs, then pvped all afternoon. I'm 21.25 just from pvp and have 2ximplants, ear slot, gloves and one other piece of armor I can't remember.
    I adore my sentinel. It's like an action game in an mmo.

    Ah, my experinces with Watchman vs Combat at low level had a lot to do with PvEing most of the time, with only 1 or 2 WZ matches every 5 levels or so (though they get more frequent the closer I get to 50) If you're doing most of your leveling through pvp, then go ahead, go dot crazy!... and definatly pick up Defensive forms as soon as you feel confortable with doing so.

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  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    I grabbed it after overload saber and it's already gotten me a couple of assassin medals. It really is so damn handy. Right when you need it, there it is, instead of too late.

    I just got force stasis now. What a 1 vs 1 boost that is. Dot em all up and stun while it ticks. It's a beautiful healer ender.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • vagrant_windsvagrant_winds Overworked Mysterious Eldritch Horror Hunter XX Registered User regular
    Madness Is anlot of fun in PvP. You have disruption, aoe, cc, and lots of pressure and high damage (but not burst) through dots.

    I prefer Darkness because it's built around being a colossal troll in PvP, but if I speced dps again I'd probably go Madness.

    // Steam: VWinds // PSN: vagrant_winds //
    // Switch: SW-5306-0651-6424 //
  • JoshmviiJoshmvii Registered User regular
    So I have a very specific thing I noticed, and I can't figure out what the hell is going on. It's about Blaster Volley, the little frontal cone AoE Scoundrel gets that uses upper hand. I've found that if and only if it kills a target, it does not consume Upper hand, or it automatically re-grants it. The tooltip doesn't say anything about it as far as I can tell, but I tested it extensively enough to tell that 100% of the time I kill something with it, I will have the same charges of upper hand as I did before firing it.

    Anybody know why this is? I guess it's just a bug but it seems like a weird one.

  • RakaiRakai Registered User regular
    Joshmvii wrote: »
    So I have a very specific thing I noticed, and I can't figure out what the hell is going on. It's about Blaster Volley, the little frontal cone AoE Scoundrel gets that uses upper hand. I've found that if and only if it kills a target, it does not consume Upper hand, or it automatically re-grants it. The tooltip doesn't say anything about it as far as I can tell, but I tested it extensively enough to tell that 100% of the time I kill something with it, I will have the same charges of upper hand as I did before firing it.

    Anybody know why this is? I guess it's just a bug but it seems like a weird one.

    If it's anything like the operative, it grants it whenever you kill something with any attack. A finishing blow with an attack that consumes it allows you to use it again. A finishing blow that doesn't consume grants an additional stack.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]XBL: Rakayn | PS3: Rakayn | Steam ID
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