Rail shot hits rather hard in the pyrotech tree. It hits pretty hard in the arsenal tree. I found it useful for the final burst and/or mobile dps. Not every ability can hit for as much tracer missile can.

Updated with diminishing returns page.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: There appears to be diminishing returns included in all the stat ratios for the ranged tab. I am double checking my results at this point, but it (unfortunately) renders much of the above work useless. I apologize for any inconvenience this caused. I will try to prepare a sequence to determine how this effects certain stats etc.

I think heat is going to be the biggest concern. Without terminal velocity in the arsenal tree, as I remember it, is pretty heat intensive. Edit: Also, if this a pure maximizing dps spec take that point out of kolto vents. It is useless as a damage talent.

I am almost positive that this is the case or early levels would be rather difficult. I have not done any of the math for the earlier levels so if you are of that level go ahead and post a couple of the ratios. The next question I would like to answer cornering stats is: if any of the stats use diminishing returns or exponential growth as the stat increases. I have a feeling that Bioware included diminishing returns for certain tank stats such as dodge, but I do not currently possess any other defense stats rather than my armor and base stats.

Diminishing returns I created this section to basically cover what diminishing returns are, how they effect your character, and a ROUGH estimate on how they effect your character's stat ratios. What are diminishing returns? Diminishing returns is a commonly regarded in video games as a (It is commonly linear or exponential to my knowledge) decrease in character stat power and an increase in stats required to hit a certain percentage point. In other words, an inverse correlation would appear if it were to be graphed. There is another concept, I am not sure what it is called, but it is the exact opposite of diminishing returns. Basically, as you increased in percentage, the amount required to hit that next percent is decreased overtime and eventually rapidly decreases. If anyone is familiar with Armor Penetration from World of Warcraft in Wrath of The Lich King, armor penetration worked this way. How does this effect me? The easy answer is: I am not sure yet. The better answer is: It would mean that rather than focusing in one specific stat, it may be better to have a variety of stats. I have no idea. I will try to provide the data and then you make your own assumptions and conclusions. All that you need to know now is that as you increase in gear, you will find it harder and harder to make that next percent of crit or expertise. Rough estimate for diminishing returns. I currently only have expertise mapped out. More to come. Expertise Rating: 180 Rating per Percent: 39.523 Percent: 4.52 Expertise Rating: 131 Rating per Percent: 38.416 Percent: 3.41 Expertise Rating: 85 Rating per Percent: 37.28 Percent: 2.28 Expertise Rating: 46 Rating Per Percent: 36.22 Percent: 1.27 What does this mean? From what I can tell, it means that it takes approximately one more stat point after one percent to get to the next percent. More data to come. Stay tuned.

if you have death from above use it against the group. If you don't try to fusion missile a pair and single target them down. Explosive dart isn't very cost effective unless there is more than one target imo unless you need the burst bad. Sweeping blasters is kinda **** at the moment. I wouldn't use it unless you are in need of aoe. Flamethrower is good for melee targets that like to get up all in your ****. For elites, afterburners is probably one of the best talents for killing bosses by yourself. You can interrupt their casts and heals. You can also keep melee elites away from you when you are soloing. Oh and missile blast is kinda **** unless you need damage on the run and you have no heat.

I would agree that Alacrity is a great healing stat. Beyond that I would have to say it is a rather mediocre damage stat. Just thinking out-loud here, I have no mathematical evidence to support this claim, I haven't been able to see if it decreases the gcd at all and since there is no auto attacking while doing other special abilities, it only increases damage dealt by either channeled attacks or attacks that have a cast time. Therefore, that stat doesn't benefit much while other stats benefit all attacks such as power, crit rating, or surge rating. That and the stat ratio to gain 1% of alacrity is rather high at 27.5 roughly per percent. Just my two cents.

Tracer missile is your best friend. Use that, unload, railshot, and if they are still alive. Use tracer missile some more. When you get higher up, your rotation will change a bit due to how talents work. But until then use the abilities listed as your primary damage dealers. Happy Hunting.

I can answer your second questions and your third question. Stats do differ from pve to pvp. Pve tends to be about maximizing your damage output or healing output. Endurance and defensive stats become less important than damage or healing increasing stats such as: Power and Tech rating. Expertise gives you three bonuses to your character in PvP only: One: Increases a percent damage to other players. Two: Decreases a percent damage by other players done to you. Three: Increases your healing output to other players in PvP. For your first question, I have no idea. I am sure power is great as well as alacrity rating. Along with Tech rating. I believe there is a healing guide posted somewhere in this forum. Check with that.

I made this handy little list for situations just like this: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=70055

Title says it all. These calculations were done as a mercenary. I apologize if my math is off. If you believe something is wrong, please add a comment below. Update 2: These stats are just a relative figure for a starting level 50. They do not hold true for all characters. Please see below for more information. Leave a comment while you are at it. Defense Stats: Health Points: Endurance Stat: 1 : 10 (Health points) Damage reduction: (Energy and Kinetic) Armor stat: 147.3 : 1 (Percent) Health Regen: Endurance stat: 1 : .029 (Health regained) (I have no other defense stats, if others have the ratios for things like dodge, etc... post them please.) Damage Dealing Stats: Ranged Tab: Critical Chance: Aim stat: 143.34 : 1 (Percent) Critical Rating Stat: 23.75 : 1 (Percent) Crit Chance Multiplier: Surge Rating Stat: 5.8 : 1(Percent) Hit Chance: Accuracy rating stat: 30.33 : 1 (Percent) Bonus Damage: Aim Stat: 5 : 1 (Damage point) Power Stat: 4.35 : 1 (Damage point) Activation Speed: Alacrity stat: 27.5 : 1 (Percent) Tech Tab: Critical Chance: Aim stat: 143.34 : 1 (Percent) Cunning Stat: 124.7 : 1 (Percent) Critical Rating Stat: 23.75 : 1 (Percent) Crit Chance Multiplier: Surge Rating Stat: 5.8 : 1(Percent) Hit Chance: Accuracy rating stat: 30.33 : 1 (Percent) Bonus Damage: Aim Stat: 5:1 (Damage point) Cunning Stat: 5:1 (Damage point) Power Stat: 4.35:1 (Damage point) Tech Power: 4.34:1 (Damage point) Bonus Healing: Aim Stat: 7.14 : 1 (Healing point) Power Stat: 5.8 : 1 (Healing point) Tech Power: 5.88 : 1 (Healing point) Activation Speed: Alacrity stat: 27.5 : 1 (Percent) PvP Stats: PvP Damage Boost: Expertise Stat: 36.22 : 1 (Percent) PvP Damage Reduction: Expertise Stat:36.22 : 1 (Percent) PvP Healing Boost: Expertise Stat: 36.22 : 1 (Percent) Companion effectiveness: Champion health increase: Presence stat: 1 : 5 (Health points) Champion damage increase: Presence stat: 1 : 0.14 (Damage point) Champion healing increase: Presence stat: 1 : .029 (Healing point) Primary Weapon Damage: Since there isn't much of a ratio here. I will just tell you how to calculate it and a little bit about the implementation. To get your primary weapon damage you take your base damage range, add the ranged damage bonus* to both the low end of the base damage and the high end. Example: Base Damage range for a blaster: 211-392 Ranged Damage bonus: 281 Total Primary Weapon Damage: 492-673 *(The Ranged damage bonus is calculated using a ceiling function. It uses your bonus damage under the ranged tab, in simple terms, rounds up to the next highest number regardless of the decimal. For example: 281.1, the ceiling of this number is 282. The definition of ceiling is as follows: Ceiling(x) = n iff n-1 < x <= n ) Secondary Weapon Damage: The calculations are rather simple. At 50, my base modifier, it appears, for secondary weapons is 30%. This means that you take the base weapon damage of your offhand and multiple .3 and the product is your offhand weapon damage. It does not seem to gain any bonuses from ranged bonus damage like the primary weapon does. I am not sure if any other stat currently boosts this percent. If you have conflicting results. please add a comment. (All of these stats were calculated at maximum level) Update 1: 12/22/2011 The Cunning ratios have been added. I am currently trying to figure out if there are any diminishing returns on any of the stat values. I will keep you posted as I recalculate stats at various levels. I also added health regeneration, presence calculations, and how to calculate primary and secondary weapon damage. Making it look pretty so it easier to read. Update 2: 12/23/2011 I added some information on diminishing returns. Feel free to comment and add whatever you want in the comments below. I am one person and I make mistakes. If you feel that something seems amiss then say so.