Anyone else notice they die when the pylon goes off if they have their phase walk placed in the blast zone but are in the safe zone?

It's preseason, but typically ebon hawk has had an average ranked population compared other servers. I think it's slightly grown over the last 2 seasons, especially for the republic side. You'll find teams is about the same as it is everywhere else. It requires some coordination and planning, but it's available. Solo que is just a few fleet chat spams away at peak hours.

Madness gives you added survivability. Single target, lightning is the better spec. Madness can pick up dps in multiple mob fights. I'd probably work leveling up your companion if you're having trouble with star fortress.

I thought the new meta made crit > power?

LMFAO. Skill in this MMO. You so fun-nay.

I'm sorry, but to the poster who was saying he's roflstomping with an op healer, you're not roflstomping an actual sorc healer who has a higher intelligence than the can of air duster on my desk. I heal for lulz since 4.0 started, and in DPS gear I'm able to hit 5k+ hps just derping around. Give me a set bonus and the time and effort to develop the muscle memory of mechanics of the class, and 6k will be simple. You're argument to play group ranked is still invalid. Just look at PVP records. Some sorcs are topping out at almost 8k hps. And group ranked is not the end all be all of balance. Because there are pretty set BiS classes for 4s, the same as there are fotm classes for solo que. The day BW should balance around group ranked, is when I can run a double lethality operative, assassin tank, and merc healer group and have a standing chance against a pt tank/sniper/ap pt/sorc healer comp.

Game Update 4.1 Highlights Classes + Combat Sith Inquisitor Sith Sorcerer Sorcerer's can now fly.

The best part of an operative is the ability to sit behind a target, lock that target into place for 6 seconds and unload your burst. I tend to think of my operative as not having a set rotation, because I'm not trying to push the max dps rotation that's used in PVE like you may try to do with other classes. My personal preference is a volatile substance -> crippling slice -> veiled strike -> backstab - > debilitate -> lacerate x2. - When I use this rotation, I lock a target in place for 8 seconds, take minimal damage from them (aoe only typically) and it allows for backstab to almost immediately to set off my volatile allowing for a tighter burst window. There are other ways to get better overall DPS (backstabbing from stealth for instance), but I feel like it spans out the burst window too long and allows for heals and dcd's to help the target to recover. Another trick I like to do in 1v1 scenerio's is the sap, volaile, snipe into crippling slice, then rotation above. Down side, you're going to white bar the target if you throw in a debilitate, so you'll be going on the defensive after that rotation. But the snipe is an added dps boost that is greater than what you get from a backstab from stealth. As for utilities, I personally take: -Skillful Chem-resistant Inlays Infiltrator Slip Away -Masterful Counterstrike Forified Kolto -Heroic Evasive Imperative Evasive Screen Sometimes I'll take Sedatives if my goal is for 1v1 fights. I just drop Evasive Screen in those cases and pick up Sedatives. As far as gearing, I'm not a number cruncher but I typically shoot for ~40% crit 70% multiplier, and try to get around 6% alacrity. Depending on my moods I'll drop some alacrity. I try to sit around 2300~ power. I'm sure a number cruncher can tell you exactly where the diminishing returns come in to play. My best piece of advice is learn to manage your burst window. When not in burst window you're utilizing your defensive cool downs properly, depending on the class or classes your fighting. Roll and Evasion are very versatile defensive cool downs that can also be used during burst windows to avoid damage/knockbacks. Also, those hots are more important with 4.0 because of the damage reduction utility. And don't be afraid to put those hots on a team mate. Team mates love hots.

JC is fun. It's just Imp dominated. I wouldn't expect to have fun on pub side unless you're bringing your own group into que. I've heard whispers of a group ranked scene there, but I haven't tested it out personally. I'm sure it's like anywhere else. Just gotta catch the people at the right time. Ebon Hawk isn't horrible, and if you want to play pubs with competent folks, it's the server to be on. There's 5 or 6 guilds that run regs non stop. Ranked, it pops often for pubs (not since preseason though). I'd expect it would be much of the same as last season for solo ranked, since most people give up on group ranked once the dominant team emerges and runs the tables. There's only maybe 4 or 5 consistent teams on the server anyway.

JC has far less sorc/sage healers running around with guards. That alone is enough to make me enjoy it. TEH is great as you can play either faction, but the amount of sage/sorc heals with tanks is silly and every match tends to be a turtle up.

Once they nerf sorc/sage heals, i think a lot of the aggravation will go away. A guarded sage/sorc atm is silly, and now even more so they nerfed everyones surge.

I transferred a few toons over a few days ago. So far so good. Toxicity is low compared to the servers housing the ranked communities (ie: Harb, SL, TEH). Player base is generally friendly and quiet, and PvP is heavily imp dominated. As far as player skill, the middle of the pack seems a few steps down from SLs and Harb. Lots of hardcasting things that shouldnt be hardcast, and lots of keyboard turning, but it's not as bad as the RP servers.

If no major changes come to Sorc heals, that's going to be the easiest path to a high rating in solo ranked. You only have to be better than the healer across from you and your going to win a lot. In the all DPS setting, Sorcs, Assassins, Operatives, Juggernauts will perform well. Powertechs, even though there burst is insane right now, I still think lack the survivability of the above to be reliable for solo ranked. Good players will flourish, average players ratings will reflect with PTs. Same for Maras. I'm not sure how snipers are going to fair, but i'd imagine simular to previous seasons in solo ranked. There's just no way for them to break combat and reset. Mercs, I think are in the same boat as before. Survivabiltity has minimally improved. So your safest bet is going to be PT tank or Sorc heals, same as the previous season. If you're better than the tank or healer across from you, you'll win a majority of your matches and allow for a higher rating with less luck required.

This thread is gold.

What, all 3 of them vs Dread Court?

Galvik, Arvengis would get my vote. Both pretty nasty with concealment. Yes. 1000%.

The pvp vendor that sells wz medpacks/adrenels, color crystals, and all that jazz. FYI, i've bought probably 100 of those boxes and never saw one.

Hollyhox has to be a 2nd runner up for both factions, if not gold medalist.

Playing DPS Jugg, Madness Sorc, and Gunnery Commando. Nerf all 3...and operatives.

Wooooow. Please be for real. Pretty please.

Probably mains an AP PT and alts as a sorc healer.

Concur on both. Take a stack off energy burst and lighten up the top end of railshot and rocket ouch. Reallocate the damage to the dot or somewhere else. Balance out the burst some. Sorcs, ive only goofed with it a bit but I would say a stack off roaming mend, cap the innervate ticks, and maybe add an increase in the amount of time between instant cast dark heals. And just for sorcs in general add 45 seconds to the CD of phase walk. Every 45 seconds a sorc is now capable of a reset. I can't say 4.0 is as bad as 3.0 was, but there are some glaring gaps in the sense of PvP balance with pts and sorcs. Although, it wouldn't hurt my feelings of lightning burst got scaled up some. PTs, Mercs, and snipers are all in excess of 20k crits, but my lightning sorc seems stuck in the 13-14k range.

I suppose it is. It's no secret TEH has been an easy server to nab T1's on, in the past. Since the end of season 5 though, it's seemed to pick up as a place for republic players to que for solo's. I haven't played much solo ranked since the middle of season 6, but I still see the same names floating around.

That's always been TEH though. Hopping in the beginning of season and end of season all the people who didn't T1 a toon on their home server come to "farm the bads" on TEH. Group ranked hasn't been a serious thing people strive for outside of the niche group that does it since...uh...forever.

Ebon Hawk has a pretty solid pub side.