SW:TOR Mechanics - The Basics

[FobManX]

What exactly is ability queueing? If you have a .5 second queue, does that mean you can use your next ability .5 seconds after your last one and it'll automatically activate after the GCD ends?

[DarthxRage]

(12-07-2011 05:35 AM)Alratan Wrote:  [*]Defense/Shield seems to occur at 360 degrees, so I don't think there's any benefit to being behind aside from positional damage and cleaves/AoE attacks.
[S][/list]

Could someone please elaborate on this? Does this mean that only certain abilities (I am guessing primarily stealthers) get bonuses attacking from behind or is there always a positional advantage for hitting, but you also get to apply defense/shield?

[Kaedis]

Quote:What exactly is ability queueing? If you have a .5 second queue, does that mean you can use your next ability .5 seconds after your last one and it'll automatically activate after the GCD ends?

Yes. It basically means you have a 0.5 second window before the end of the GCD or cast in which triggering an ability will cause it to be automatically cast by the server as soon as the current GCD or cast is complete.

Quote:Could someone please elaborate on this? Does this mean that only certain abilities (I am guessing primarily stealthers) get bonuses attacking from behind or is there always a positional advantage for hitting, but you also get to apply defense/shield?

It refers to abilities like Maul

Maul
Sith Inquisitor (Assassin)

Force: -50
Range: Melee (4m)
Activation time: Instant
Damage Type: Weapon
Mirror: Shadow Strike

Deals [<1>] weapon damage to a single target. Only usable from behind the target. Requires a double-bladed lightsaber.

, which are only usable from behind. In addition, if bosses function similar to WoW, most melee "cleave" style attacks are frontal-cone only, so melee dps will still want to stand behind the boss.

[LagunaD]

(12-10-2011 03:34 AM)FobManX Wrote:  What exactly is ability queueing? If you have a .5 second queue, does that mean you can use your next ability .5 seconds after your last one and it'll automatically activate after the GCD ends?

Basically yes. The window is the length of time before the end of the GCD where any ability you try to activate will be queued.

(12-10-2011 03:51 AM)DarthxRage Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 05:35 AM)Alratan Wrote:  [*]Defense/Shield seems to occur at 360 degrees, so I don't think there's any benefit to being behind aside from positional damage and cleaves/AoE attacks.
[S][/list]

Could someone please elaborate on this? Does this mean that only certain abilities (I am guessing primarily stealthers) get bonuses attacking from behind or is there always a positional advantage for hitting, but you also get to apply defense/shield?

Well, the shield is not like a hand-held medieval shield, and there is no reason it shouldn't work from behind.

And my character would quite frequently deflect blaster shots from enemies she was running away from (the animation - holding your lightsaber behind your back - is pretty obvious), so I am fairly sure Defense also works from behind.

So basically I think you are correct - there are a handful of abilities that require being behind the target, otherwise there is no real advantage (apart from maybe avoiding frontal attacks).

[suzina]

(12-07-2011 05:51 PM)SlimX Wrote:  Actually, I'm pretty sure the choices in the TG weekend test were 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0

Than again, we'll know in a week, either way.

This is true, not 5 second queue. 1 sec is max I believe.

[Sol]

Yeah I must have gotten confused between 5 seconds and 5 increments sorry.

Also, is weapon damage mitigated by armour? Or does it depend on what type of weapon e.g. lightsabers mitigate, blaster don't.

[Alratan]

All weapons do kinetic/energy, so yes, they are all mitigated my armor.

[Theril]

Periodic abilities evaluate a person's buffs on each tick and not just on the initial cast. For instance, Revivication (Sorcerer's AoE heal) was ticking for about 326 raid buffed. After the cast, during ticks, I popped my Rakata Attack Adrenal and the subsequent ticks were around 390. The same happened when I procced my Relic of Forbidden Secrets during ticks and saw the frequency and magnitude of my crits increase. Of course this works in reverse as well, where when buffs are removed, the damage/healing of an ability will change.

Just an interesting observation and one that I have yet to find discussed.

[Freehugs]

Good work Theril. On the subject of DoT's, do they clip when you reapply them or do the ticks continue on their timer?

[Kaedis]

Quote:On the subject of DoT's, do they clip when you reapply them or do the ticks continue on their timer?

They clip, resetting the tick timer as if you had just applied the spell for the first time. If you spam a DoT that ticks every 3 seconds every GCD, it'll never tick.