Rate my spec thread

[Gorlough]

Well I'm doing Flashpoints alot with my wife as two-man tag team, being in the position to have to tank at the point the tank companion bites the dust.
I've also had to tank often enough already, when being in a PuG or at least having second agro. Sometimes I also have to kite as someone else messed up or is too plain stupid to do so
While stationary I'm doing an aweful lot of damage (I'm usually better geared than my groupmates) with the tracer/unload combo - and that's also my problem in said cases. After getting agro (sooner or later) I'm on the run and lose immediately most of my damage output. This in return usually ends up with too few damage on the bosses and thus wiping (since noone, besides a select few, seems to do appropriate damage).

As stated earlier - HS works surely better for more damage in a perfect world - but as you may see, mine is far from being perfect and I've just been trying to adapt

[Nisk]

Sorry to jump in mid conversation, but what do you think of this 10/31 Bodyguard/Arsenal build?
http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#300bfoMZrIk0RrdRkcz.1
This is to be used primary for PvP and soloing w/ Blizz. I generally find that PvP ish builds are good leveling builds. (currently lvl 40) Focusing here on get talents buffing the tools I'm using regularly. I wonder how effect a healer I can be with this type of build in flash points as well. I was able to heal any of the fps so far with just 3 points in Bodyguard. Really enjoying the hybrid Merc playstyle in my limited PvP action so far, we just have so many tools.

[GWARRR]

(01-10-2012 12:56 AM)Nisk Wrote:  Sorry to jump in mid conversation, but what do you think of this 10/31 Bodyguard/Arsenal build?
http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#300bfoMZrIk0RrdRkcz.1
This is to be used primary for PvP and soloing w/ Blizz. I generally find that PvP ish builds are good leveling builds. (currently lvl 40) Focusing here on get talents buffing the tools I'm using regularly. I wonder how effect a healer I can be with this type of build in flash points as well. I was able to heal any of the fps so far with just 3 points in Bodyguard. Really enjoying the hybrid Merc playstyle in my limited PvP action so far, we just have so many tools.

I think you sorely need Power Barrier; even if you're not necessarily the one taking damage, you will be. Your DPS will probably be high enough that Blizz may not be able to completely hold aggro, so the effective 10% DR is very, very important. Also, for PvP you will also definitely definitely need Power Barrier, because without it you're squishier than you look. I'd drop Integrated Systems, Pinning Fire, or Jet Boost to pick it up, personally.

Also, I'd probably rather have System Calibrations (flat 4% Alacrity) over Critical Reaction (5% on crits). It's only a 1% difference but the uptime is gonna be 100% while Critical Reaction relies on crits/RNG.

I do have a question: do you find yourself stance-dancing often? Or is it really just when you want to heal Flashpoints? I'm not a huge fan of stance-dancing personally, just because with a stance requiring charges and one with out it, you're going to be losing stacks switching. And also because I have a terrible habit of getting caught in the wrong stance for the lose when I try stance-dancing a lot.

[Nisk]

Good points about Power Barrier and System Calibrations. Definitely have not fully thought this through. I also felt wierd calling this a PvP build but skipping Endurance boosting talents.

I find myself using High Velocity gas when soloing and whenever I get into a 4 man group situation I seem to end up the healer 90% of the time as I am happy to heal and people don't seem to love it. In that case I use Combat Support and still find time to do some damage, mostly with instants, while keeping people topped off and heat down. I haven't PvPed enough to know how this will play out but I would guess it will be Combat Support and leveraging super charge. Could flip to straight DPS depending on group comp. In short no I don't find myself dancing between stances just switching situationally and mostly staying put.

[Kino]

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GMh...ZZfhrbzh.1

During pve and pvp I have noticed the lack of getting around. Hydraulic Overrides, just didnt seem to ever be enough. So my build takes the jet charge from tankign tree combined with the rest points in pyro tree, giving you really nice dmg on rocket punch and tons of railshots. heat loss is great from when railshot procs off rocket punches/flame bursts.

[Gorlough]

I found this being a very nice hybrid for soloing w/ Blizz and doing flashpoints as main/off-healer: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#300bfR0RZMIkdordRzc.1

Essentially you've got nearly the full damage potential of a 31 Arsenal merc while using HVGC and you're a half-assed healer with the benefit of a fully skilled Koltomissle.
If things go wrong in a flashpoint, you're able to switch mid-fight to CSGC and start healing or start off with it right away.
While soloing I use HVGC for normal/strong/elite mobs and CSGC for somewhat uglier pulls and champions.

[jscoppe]

Kino,

I like where you are coming from. I made this spec for a lot of the same reason: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hRG...ZMsMroZb.1

The focus was max control and instant cast damage. But now looking at yours, going from mine to yours, you trade in some survivability by committing to combustible gas cylinder, and some reduced cooldowns for things like grapple and quell, but end up with a lot more damage capability. I think I might even be inclined to choose yours.

One point of discussion, though: Would you consider giving up Flame Surge for 2 points in Puncture? Superheated Rail already ignores 30% armor, and then 2 points in Puncture would add in another 40%, for a total of 70%. Not sure how the calculations would play out compared to 30% bonus crit damage for Rocket Punch and Flame Sweep, but considering the spec focuses on Rail Shot quite a bit, it might be worth it.

Edit: It occurs to me that since Flame Shield is giving you 30% extra crit chance on Rocket Punch, that you'll be critting a lot and see a ton of benefit from the increased crit damage from Flame Surge.

The only thing I really would like to point out, though, is that we still use a shield, but lose 15% shield rating from not using Ion Gas Cylinder. You also give up the ability to use Guard.

[sherlock]

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801hRG...ZMsRroZb.1 (28/14/2 Shield/Gut PvP spec)

Picks up Gut for the long DoT (great for node interrupts/defense), grabs Storm, the Harpoon/Stealth Scan root, Ceramic Plating and Neural Overload as key talents in Shield Spec. Frontline Defense & Tactical Tools in Tactics.

I've PvP'ed with a deeper Shield spec before, and the added shield chance from Counterattack isn't worth it as things currently stand. Shield absorb doesn't work on all abilities, or even a majority, and when playing as Republic you come across a ton of Sith Sorcs, making it less useful. The Gut DoT + lower Riot Strike CD more than make up for the very small loss in mitigation.

[Fado]

(12-11-2011 05:13 AM)Kiwii Wrote:  

(12-10-2011 02:36 PM)Style Wrote:  5/31/5 Mercenary Arsenal

Completely agreed, I think this is with no doubt the main Arsenal-Spec when you hit 50.

Hi there, first post

About the main Arsenal spec (if such a thing exists) i've been doing some napkin math and it seems to me that the 5/31/5 Mercenary Arsenal might be improved.

I've been working with the 6/31/4 Mercenary Arsenal. Thing is that with our high critical rating we are around 30% crit. In the 6 seconds of the buff that critical reaction gives (and i'm not taking into account the actual alacrity) you can deliver 4 critable actions (more, not counting again on unload). So we are standing on a 4x30%=120% chance of criting in those 6 seconds.
You can add to that IA buff, or 2-set bonus to get a even bigger chance.

Bottom line i think we can get the 2% Alacrity from system calibrations and the 5% from Critical reaction. Even with the GCD cap it will always be a DPS increase, even if minor.

[dean771]

(01-25-2012 03:35 AM)Fado Wrote:  

(12-11-2011 05:13 AM)Kiwii Wrote:  

(12-10-2011 02:36 PM)Style Wrote:  5/31/5 Mercenary Arsenal

Completely agreed, I think this is with no doubt the main Arsenal-Spec when you hit 50.

Hi there, first post

About the main Arsenal spec (if such a thing exists) i've been doing some napkin math and it seems to me that the 5/31/5 Mercenary Arsenal might be improved.

I've been working with the 6/31/4 Mercenary Arsenal. Thing is that with our high critical rating we are around 30% crit. In the 6 seconds of the buff that critical reaction gives (and i'm not taking into account the actual alacrity) you can deliver 4 critable actions (more, not counting again on unload). So we are standing on a 4x30%=120% chance of criting in those 6 seconds.
You can add to that IA buff, or 2-set bonus to get a even bigger chance.

Bottom line i think we can get the 2% Alacrity from system calibrations and the 5% from Critical reaction. Even with the GCD cap it will always be a DPS increase, even if minor.

Thats not how math works, its bout 75% using your numbers.
Not too mention the dps gain is so low anyway its hard to measure