Annihilation | Watchmen Discussion

[Zoran]

Hi all. Like AssimilateThis, I'm a long time lurker, but this is my first post. My primary toon is a Marauder, and it's still my favorite class in the game. I leveled as Annihilation spec, switched briefly to Carnage spec on frieldy assurances that it was better, then switched back to Anni after a couple EV/KP runs.

My ops group (5 Inquisitors and 3 Warriors) can take out HM KP and EV pretty easily, and we're currently working on EC. Here is my build (click).

I was rolling with the 2 points in Defensive Roll in Ravager instead, but with all the melee DPS-hating AOE in EC, I switched over to the more survivable build. While my DPS suffers a tiny bit (Ravage was never a huge part of my rotation), my healers are much happier.

Despite a crazy amount of forum complaining about Maras, I've never found them to be a particularly weak class (of course, I also don't PVP, so that could be part of the reason). Usually, in situations where group members start dying, the tankassin and I are the ones left alive, thanks to Maras having 3 defensive CDs, and moreso now that I invested the points into Defensive Roll. Apparently, they're "glass connons" in PVP, but I never feel that way in PVE.

Spren - I think you're making the right move. I have a lot more fun with my Mara than my Sorc! My group took down Zorn and Toth on Wednesday with very little trouble. We used the strategy where the MDPS focused on Toth and the RDPS stayed on Zorn and only the tanks switched. My basic stratefy was just to focus on my skill priorities and to stay out of the AOE attacks from Zorn. When Toth leaped, the two MDPS would wait until the tanks switched and taunted before jumping in to continue damage, then we followed Toth back to the wall.

On a different note, I've been playing around with an slightly modified opening rotation lately. It uses Ravage after applying bleeds and Annihilate to fair success that I figured I'd throw out there to see your thoughts on. I almost never used the skill pre-1.2, but with the damage boost and uninterruptability, I feel Ravage is worth including at points where I have nothing better to do. One of those times, imo, is right at the end of the open:

1. Force Charge
2. Deadly Saber (in the air, of course)
3. Battering Assault
4. Rupture
5. Annihilate
6. Ravage

The other option for step 6 is to Slash, as Rupture, Charge, Deadly Saber, and Annihilate are all on CD, and if Rupture is not on CD (because of Pulverize triggering off Annihilate), I don't want to refresh it until its DoT effect has run out. In playing around, I've liked Ravage better that Slash here as it A) doesn't use Rage, and B) allows time for my bleeds to generate more Rage. This ensures that I have the rage available to reapply bleeds/Annihilate quickly without having to resort to Assault. Also, with the damage buff for Ravage in 1.2, it seems to do more damage in 3 seconds than 2 Slash or Slash+Assault in this spot. If Pulverize triggered from the Annihilate, then Rupture can be reapplied after Ravage ends, because the DoT effect should be ending at the same time as Ravage.

Thanks all! I look forward to discussing this class with you!