Gunslingers/Snipers have a very high skill cap across multiple specs. They are arguably equal or even higher than Mara/Sent in difficulty.

Hey guys, I'm just coming back after not playing swtor since February. Found out my server was dead and rerolled an Operative on The Fatman. Anyways, I know way back when, Biochem was considered a must for endgame PvP, especially Operatives/Scoundrels. Before I start leveling Armstech, is this still the case? Have the other crew skills caught up yet>

Hey everyone, So, I've run into the problem of needing something to spruce up leveling. I leveled two 50 Repubs (GS, Van) on my old server pre-1.2, but recently started playing again transferred to a bigger server, and started leveling an Operative with a friend. However, when he isn't playing I want to level something else. I was thinking Sentinel or Mara, but I heard they were FotM, so I'm not sold. So, I'm looking for advice on two things. 1) What class to play (on either faction)? I prefer classes that are underplayed/underrated. Also, ideally that class would have a good storyline, what's the general consensus on the SW story? 2)Anyone use any fun ways to make leveling more interesting (don't get me wrong I love the class quests but trudging through a planet the 2nd or 3rd time can be very dull. I'm considering doing a playthrough where I can't die (can't remember the name). Anyone have any other ideas to make things more interesting? Thanks

Your calculations are about right, but keep in mind everyone has a base 10% damage reduction. So for your Juggernaut example original : (35% + 10% = 45%) Flourish Shot : (35% * .80 + 10% = 38%. so a 7% reduction instead of 9%. I'm not saying that it is a completely useless ability, but out of personal preference, I would certainly rather use another ability.

@Plaga From another thread where Flourish Shot was being discussed. You could Flurry of Bolts instead and it would be more effective.

Vital Shot will do less damage then pretty much anything else that you have unless you spec into it. Use it only when you need a DoT on them. Flourish Shot's debuff is very minimal and will increase your damage by less than 5%. Use it only when a large group of your team is trying to take down a tank on their team that is getting healed, or a guarded healer.

@SubSub That is one thing that I have been torn over with this build. I absolutely love Hunker Down, it is such an amazing ability and absolutely crucial for winning duels. Flyby is another completely awesome ability, and 15 seconds off the both of them can be big. On the other hand, the bonuses to Trickshot are nice, but in my mind not needed for this build. With 2 points, it reduces the energy from 10 to 6 and reduces the cooldown from 9 to 6. As for the energy, we know it takes up a GCD and you would lose 10 energy. However, due to innate energy regen, we would gain around 9 back, which translates into a near free of charge ability as it is. As for the CD reduction, I think this is once again more important for pure Sharpshooters. With our spec we do not get the 30% crit chance bonus, which really boosts Trickshot into a key ability in the rotation (I see it as 30% crit chance bonus * 35% crit = roughly 10% increase DPS on the ability). But 15% more AOE damage? This guy is awesome. It works with both Shrap Bomb and Flyby. Flyby already has a base damage of around 5-6k. 15% bonus to that comes out almost 1k more damage. Shrap Bomb dots 3 targets for around 2k, a total of roughly 6k damage. 15% bonus adds almost 1k here as well. As a bonus, it works with Sabo charge, adding around 500 damage to it. Keep in mind this is all before any critting, so the bonus damage could be higher. I think if you were more concerned with 1 on 1 scenarios, your build may be better with the Trickshot bonuses and reduced CD on HD and Flyby. However, the 15% damage on AOE is definitely noticeable in WZs. I would also say that if you preferred the reduced CD on HD and Flyby, instead of 1 point, you could put 2 into it, and put 2 points into the bonus AOE damage for 10%. That was something I have debated. Thanks for the feedback, it is awesome to know other people have been using this.

@FROGJOHN While I can see where you are coming from, I would emphasize that bleeds are by no means the focus of this spec. The focus of this spec is to maintain the burst of a SS spec while adding the utility of Shrap Bomb and DF tree. And the 15% bonus damage to AOE in Sab tree is just the cherry on top, as it affects Flyby (amazing ability) and Shrap Bomb (also amazing). @Smack I can't answer this as definitively as I would like since I haven't used it for all that long. However, so far it has been really nice. Sab Charge + Aimed Shot still hits like a truck. When I was pure Sharpshooter I had a problem on occasion with stealth classes living if things went badly for them, but Shrap Bomb and Vital Shot are great. For one on ones, I think this spec is more than competent. -While it uses some bleeds, my DPS is not completely dependent on it, so the threat of having my bleeds cleansed is not really an issue like DF specs are. -Shrap Bomb and Vital Shot have proven to be great fillers in 1v1s where the enemy is trying to run/LOS/whatever since I can use them on the move. -With bleeds, I can use LOS to my advantage when I need to, something not obtainable with SS spec. If I had to give a breakdown, mostly comparing to pure SS, the spec I was using Marauder - Rough, but easier than pure SS. The Dirty Escape skill helps and DoTs keep ticking even when I am kiting. 75/25 Jugg - Frustrating as always, however this build has much more non-mitigated damage than pure SS so it is noticeable against Heavy Armor. One downside is that this build will burn through energy quicker, and if one isn't prepared for a long fight against a Jugg, they could be in trouble. 70/30 Sorc - Rarely if ever have problems with these guys. My burst is almost always superior than their DPS. The only time I will lose this matchup is if they catch me low health and/or without Hunker Down. 90/10 Assassin - It's not uncommon for properly specced Assassins to tear through anything right now. I think this matchup really depends on if you can keep them off of you. I pity the poor soul who is attacked by an Assassin already near full resolve, very hard to beat them without using knockbacks/stuns. Sometimes I burst Assassins like Sorcs, sometimes I dont touch them, hard to say. 55/45 Mercs - Pyros are somewhat problematic, but not particularly as one can deal with them even easier than a Marauder. Arsenal Mercs are even easier because we need to simply interrupt the Tracer Missiles to win. The only time an Arsenal Merc can win is if they are much better geared or get some lucky crits, or if they manage to LOS you and heal up. 80/20 Powertech - There aren't many Powertechs on my server, and most of them seem to build the pure tank variety. Its hard to hurt them, but it is easy to beat Advanced Prototype specs. Hard to say as I don't meet these guys 1v1 a lot. 50/50 ??? Operative - These guys suck. Sometimes if they get the jump, I just have to accept death. However, this build is not lacking in tools to deal with them with DoTs, knockbacks, and CD reduction on Hunker Down. 30/70 Snipers - In my experience if they are Lethality/Dirty Fighting I will win simply due to Diversion to pull them out of cover and immediately interrupting the Cull/Wounding Shots. As it is with mirrors, it is whoever uses their abilities at key times, and whoever has better gear/more cooldowns to blow. Whoops got carried away there, sorry for the wall of text. I'm going to play some more with this spec and post results.

This is a build that I have been experimenting with recently. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#700bsrddRoozZbIZGbbk.1 Pros -Keeps the high burst damage inherent to the Sharpshooter tree. -Trickshot -Sharp Bomb adds excellent utility for controlling objectives in WZs. -15% bonus AOE damage is synergistic with Shrap Bomb and Flybly, two excellent skills in WZs. -Still good solo potential with more Internal damage than Sharpshooter, along with Dirty Escape. -Huge damage numbers in WZs. I haven't given this build a huge amount of playtime yet, but it had been amazing so far. -Adds a little fluidity to your rotation if you are re positioning, on the move, etc. Cons -Loses some of the initial burst of Sharpshooter. -Maintaining energy is harder with this spec than a pure Sharpshooter, but still not as draining as DF. -Trickshot is slightly less wonderful now. -7.5 second longer CD on Hunker Down and Flyby than Sharpshooter. I am loving this build, and would definitely recommend giving it a try. Any criticism/discussion is appreciated! A game I played earlier. For reference, I have no BM gear. http://imgur.com/GwX2V

I've hit 715k without any BM pieces (using a Pve offhand at the time). Stats something like 16.7k health, 1600 cunning stimmed, etc. I was using adrenals a good deal. Granted the stars aligned and they had a ton of healers, but still the damage was high. I NEVER use grenade, EVER. I am in partial champ gear with Rakata bracers and belt and I average 430k on Voidstars that last full duration. http://i.imgur.com/pVFIh.jpg http://i.imgur.com/9ezvu.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ccu38.jpg I love Saboteur but it relies on a good team a lot. You have really interesting utility and area control. I also feel like it definitely lacks in the 1v1 department vs. say a SS. However, you should post higher numbers than a SS, as long as you are using Flyby and Firebomb constantly. One thing I don't understand is why the 15 second reduction on the Flyby cooldown is in SS tree, it should be in Sab tree. That 15 seconds is huge IMO, when coupled with the PVP 2-set bonus, you can literally have Flyby up 50% of the time.

You have a pretty solid build but I think taking Wounding Shots would be necessary. The additional DPS you get from it is astonishing. I would try something like...http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#700ZrI0boRbZhrbkrrhz.1 The only thing that is different is I removed the skill that makes Cool Head heal 6% of your health and added 1 point into Utility Belt and 1 point into Wounding Shots.

I just wish they had some more class specific titles. My smuggler is not an Elite Warlord.

Hey, very nice video, I like the music. Just out of curiosity, why do you prefer the hybrid spec that you use over say, full Sharpshooter?

I really like this post and your ideas OP. It wasn't something I would have thought of but after reading I completely agree.

I am closing in on BM on my Gunslinger and I honestly think the damage is fine as it is. I love Gunslinger, it is my favorite class by a huge margin. Our DPS is sick, I think our dueling (1v1) is underrated in most cases. Defensive Screen sucks admittedly, but Dodge can be amazing if timed right (mostly in Gunslinger vs. Sniper or Marauder). When it comes to utility, the knockbacks in SS tree have saved me countless times. However, there are a couple situations that arise in PvP that are brutal to handle. 1. A geared Operative. If an Operative makes it their goal to shut me down, often they can to a good extent. The stunlock that they have allows them to absolutely tear through me in many cases, and despite being in full champ gear, have died before coming out of stun. Often times, if I don't die, I've lost enough of my health (60-80%) that I can't recover in a 1v1. Solution: Ballistic Dampeners should last for 5 seconds out of cover. When an Operative knocks me down, it mitigates the knockdown but none of the hard hitting abilities. 2. A Juggernaut who is smart with defensive cooldowns. Especially if they go after me after already having a high amount of resolve. It results in an awkward desperate kiting. Solution: Nothing on our end, Juggernaut destroying squishies is not a Gunslinger problem. 3. Hunker Down commits me to a certain point too much. In a group fight if I hunker down in a spot, often times I get two or more bounty hunters and inquisitors AOE beneath me, forcing me to run and waste a CD or take the damage. Solution: Hunker Down should last for 15 seconds and apply to any cover you take in that time period. You could leave a spot you HD on and then HD at a new spot for the remaining time.