Read all the posts first before you act that way, really...

A small analysis of the attacks. Notes before checking screenies: 1 - Don't mind the gear. I know very well its a bad setup. Couldn't bother gearing properly as I just wanted to test the abilities and how they work, nothing more. 2 - Don't mind the tactical either. List of abilities: 1 - Corrosive Dart: 1.1 - No Crit : https://prnt.sc/onglmf 1.2 - Crit : https://prnt.sc/ongffu 1.3 - Crit + Lethal Strike buff: https://prnt.sc/onggco 2 - Corrosive Grenade 2.1 - No Crit : https://prnt.sc/ongmnr 2.2 - Crit : https://prnt.sc/onggy6 <- There was a double tick and one was higher than the other because relic proc 2.3 - Crit + Lethal Strike buff: https://prnt.sc/onghi9 3 - Toxic Haze + Toxic Blast: 3.1 - Toxic Haze No Crit + Toxic Blast Crit: https://prnt.sc/ongidl 3.2 - Toxic Haze Crit + Toxic Blast No Crit: https://prnt.sc/ongj2w 3.3 - Toxic Haze + Lethal Strike buff: https://prnt.sc/ongjr2 <- I have no idea whats with the 3.8k hit but it was there, for some reason. The 8k hit is the Toxic Haze one. The debuff from is also applied but Toxic Haze is considered internal damage, not Tech, thus is not affected or shouldn't be. If it does, it's 5% so whatever. 4 - Corrosive Assault: 4.1 - Corrosive Assault No Crit: https://prnt.sc/ongkkf 4.2 - Corrosive Assault Crit: https://prnt.sc/ongev1 This is simply a short review of the attacks individually. Anyway, for the math time now... For your burstier attack with Corrosive Assault, you'd have used Shiv + Corrosive Dart + Corrosive Grenade + Toxic Haze + 3x Toxic Blast(one per dot) + Lethal Strike + Corrosive Assault. Put everything in crit state ( it should be easy to have 70% crit chance on your dots so its easy to have everything crit, over all. The only uncertainties is the Corrosive Assault and Toxic Blast) and you got your high CA hit. And as doubtful as it may sound, it happens more often than you'd believe. And, don't forget this fact, the chance of double tick is also applied to Corrosive Assault while I haven't verified that in Toxic Blast, when boosted by the tactical item. PS: I noticed that the burst attack can be nice if EVERY tick goes into crit. IIRC, I saw a -60k HP in a target. Still, not worth it due to the reasons I presented due to how the rotation/sustained damage will work, most likely, over all damage is going to be toned down. Devs already said this.

The troll part is mostly because I had feedback from other five friends of mine saying the same thing as I said. Don't take it bad but I'm surprised as you say the raw damage is higher when you have lower output in sustained damage. 1 : Could you make 2 parses with and without the tactical? 2 : I never found difficulty in taking down other operatives and some of the matches were relatively short. Its tenuous already, regardless of spec. My longest duel as Leth vs Conceal was 51 minutes and won it and as Conceal vs Conceal was 38 minutes and lost it. And it was basically me getting back into shape for duels and was a while ago. 3 : The Corrosive assault is doing more damage if everything is setup than this attack. From personal experience, the new attack has been doing was -17% at best and that's generally what Corrosive Assault also does. Can you make an estimative of how much % it saps off of someone on your side? And I'm doing the best setup possible -> Shiv -> Both dots -> Lethal Strike -> Toxic Blast.

1 : I doubt you're parsing higher with it. I highly doubt it. A tactical that is meant to just lower your over all dps in trade of burst abilities? Sorry, but not a good troll. 2 : You could always beat people with it rather easily? Even against other Ops. 3 : The damage is still ridiculously low to what it does.

If anything, 100% would be the right value. Or maybe I'm exaggerating but it does feel immensely underwhelming. Turned out as I expected They have to make it deal massive damage because its doing less about -10k damage than Corrosive Assault + 2 Dots + regular Toxic Blast on hit. And, if anything, it should be +20k compared to the usual attack that Leth does. But they won't, so this tactical is basically going to acumulate dust in the vendors. I'd prefer if they'd make Noxious knives insanely powerful while Toxic Haze is up, to give the same kind of AOE pressure like Virulence has honestly but I guess this is fine too.

If you put it in current patch terms, you'd be making your Toxic blast tick for more 500 damage if non crit and more 1000 damage if crit. It's not that much of a "buff". Only noticeable in PvE and even still, not that great.

You're underestimating how much the utility can support you, honestly. Its extremely good for Lethality, given the fact that it has a much shorter CD compared to Medicine and Concealment. I mean, on top of reducing 20% damage taken, it also heals 5% each 3s, and that makes it 5% x 6 = 30%. On a CD of basically "every minute". Couple that with the natural 5% you should ALWAYS take from the first tier and possibly the 3% per kolto probe on you, you're going to walk around with 30% DR in total while also healing from Stim boost and Kolto Probes. I understand the logic behind the use of the holotraverse TA but for PvE, its very, very picky in this way. Regardless, we were talking about the Poison Overload and I just think its not worth it. If you would put it in the current patch, it would be the same as trading consistent DPS and a proper TA build for an attack that will do, at most, 35k damage(if lucky, that is), and I think its not worth it and puts you on a reset for rotation. On top of this, there are a bucket load of things that can screw over you. Small list: 1: Cleanses: (Evasion from other Operatives, Force Shroud from Assassins and the Bubble from Sorcerers) making your DPS from Toxic Blast being non existant because dots are gone; 2: DCDs that increase defensive rating : (Like AP PT, after using the Aoe taunt, and IO Merc abilities after using Aggro drop, Saber Ward, Evasion and Roll from Snipers and Mad Dash from Marauder and Juggernaut, Roll from Operatives, specially Concealment and finally Deflection from Assassin) and all this because Toxic Blast is weapon damage, not Tech. 3: DCDs/Tool abilities that screw with your accuracy: Obfuscate from Marauders, Diversion from Snipers (and that weird Utility that removes 20% accuracy when flashbang ends that Operatives have that but I don't think its that relevant) that present a huge chance for missing the attack and due to the same explanation at the end of 2. 4: Abilities that make your target "vanish" out of sight: Combat Stealth from Marauder, Operative and Assassin, Phasewalk from Sorcerer. 5: Reflect/Massive DR DCDs: Reflect from Jugg and Assassin(if spec'd into it) and Responsive Safeguards from Mercenary, Undying from Marauder. You probably noticed I haven't added all the defensives from 6.0 for each different class, like Sniper Holo-locate, or whatever its pronounced and many more. The list of DCDs earlier was made because the attack is going to become massively predictable since you will want to maximize its damage and that can only be accomplished by doing this: Shiv (applies one debuff, can't recall which right now) -> Lethal Strike -> Dot - C.Grenade, f.e. -> Dot - C.Dart, f.e. -> Toxic Blast You're garanteed to be stunned/knocked out of range just as you cast your 2nd dot on target and that will make the burst from Toxic Blast to be more weak. And from what I understood from other's streams, the attack is dealing actually less damage than the Dot + Dot + Toxic Blast + Lethal Strike + Corrosive Assault "combo"

If you have the utility to lower the CD of the hardstun, and assuming you're playing with 2nd alacrity tier, your CD in hardstun is exactly 26s. And I doubt that you take the Trick Move with UH to PvP when the two utilities of StimDR+Heals and Reflect on Evasion/Countermeasure with heals. Its really risky. Not a bad one but the other 2 are significantly better. The alternative I'd like to have was making Lethal Strike on a CD of 15s, like the original Toxic Blast, keep the crit buffs and have it as a TA builder. Or making Shiv give 2 TA + Fatality. You actually have a lower DPS and you can find yourself using Rifle shot way more frequently than you'd like to. Pretty sure it was significantly harder to parse. I know its possible, tried it myself, but I do less dps this way, in Conceal, and I am sure you noticed it too. It just is like that. The closest you can check on this is by doing this: Flashbang -> Cast 2 dots -> combination with any order of Toxic blast + Lethal Strike + Shiv -> Corrosive Assault. And I am talking a blunt damage taken in target. Memorize the % that the target is at before you use Corrosive Assault and after. Make the math of the % before and after the attack by the Max health, but if you want a quick math, here. Corrosive Assault = 12k at the least, can go somewhat higher. C, Dart and C.Grenade tick up to 4k when under the effects of Lethal Strike(Don't forget it can double tick per dot). Toxic Blast does 2k damage. 12k + 4k + 4k + 2k * 2 = 24k at least. You also have to add more 4k and 2k because one of the 2 dots is ticking in the same turn, boosting it up to +25k. Add more 4k + 2k if a dot double ticks, which can make +30k easy with all this combined. And my build is 7.5k Mast + Tier 2 Alac + 1.95k crit in PvP and only thing changed is the crit for PvE, which goes down to 1.75k. Previous arguments reply to this. Well, you must be lucky not getting too much focus then as Leth/Ruffian is one of the most focused specs out of all. Of course there are exceptions such as this case but still, the ideal use of Stim boost is for defensive purposes mostly to counter hardswaps and heal yourself to take off load off of your healer. Like I said, the reset of the stuff is meant more for the Stim boost than the Lethal strike. Concealments have the best cake in this part.

Okay, I can tell that you either play Concealment most of the time or you are not thinking outside of PvE stuff like Flashpoints/SM Ops with Lethality, since you're saying/thinking that that a 34k hit every 22s is worth the trade to your consistency of damage, which is the strongest point of the spec. Allow me to explain why in a few points. Reasons on how your rotation will change, for the worse: 1 - This is the most impactful of the small list: Your TA builder is going to be in a CD that is as long as your hardstun with utility that reduces its cooldown by 15 seconds. It is also horrible for your DPS regardless of situation. As it is now, you can use 4 to 5 times Toxic Blast every minute. In 15 minutes you can use it about 55 to 70 times; And with this change, you can only use 2 to 3 times per minute. In 15 minutes, you can use it around 30 to 40 times. That means I am going to have more +20 TAs on average in 15 minutes(Average time of Nim fights perhaps? or at least the important fights). If you want a good comparison, imagine putting Veiled Strike in a 12s CD while buffing its damage to double. Try to play Concealment while using your Veiled Strike once every 12s. Pretty sure you'll go back in your word. 2 - Follow up of the disaster that is the reason number 1: Using the ability in this way will force you to have down time because you have to cast 2 dots, probably want to use Lethal strike to increase dot damage and follow with the "burst" from Toxic Blast. Now, you have a problem here. You're forced to place the dots on target once again. This also means that you will have to do way more fillers with Rifle Shots / Overload Shots that you think and if you have to spam them then that is horrible, in any sort of content. Arguments on how your DPS will change, for the worse: 1 : As of now, my Corrosive Assaults can already sap 25k up to 35k when both dots and Toxic blast are on target and with this, those will drop by about 20k to 30k easily, and Corrosive Assault was meant to be your "burst attacks". 2 : Your DPS over time will be lower, as well. Not just each Corrosive Assault use. Conclusion: If the dot damage or the 'damage' of this specific attack, when changed, isn't increased when used, then this tactical is a straight nerf. I'm open for counter arguments, no problem, in this one. I am almost 100% sure that you will want to save that ability for defensive terms in PvP, not for offensive purposes. Why? it's simple. It resets your Stim Boost and if you play PvP, I am 100% sure you will take the utility where your Stim Boost gives 20% DR + 5% heals every 3s. A proper comparison is like telling a sniper to use refresh of all DCDs so he can double roll or something, without using all other defensives yet. You don't want to sacrifice a major defensive to have minimum increase of DPS. For PvE; I guess, but still, I don't it is that strong, imo. You're going to use it more because of Stim Boost, not Lethal Strike(I am 100% sure this came as an extra).

Pretty sure that Arsenal is way too friendly for new players. The rotation is like Veng juggs, honestly. Too easy to handle.

Well, dot specs are significantly more viable than burst specs in almost all occasions, not sure whats the problem with this.

Regarding this one. Is the damage dealt by this going to be good? I am curious since this is delaying an ability that produces Tactical Advantage by almost double of its CD time. I mean this is a sacrifice of consistency (and a high price at that one) for one attack that can be used once every hardstun, with utility.

There's no bs 98% Damage Reduction. If anything, at most, 80%. Still a lot, so I agree anyway, but that's not the topic. Since there's clueless people how the % is working. Damage Reduction buffs are not accumulative. They are 'added' but differently. Allow me to show an example Part 0: Let's assume you take "100%" of the damage. You'll take a 20.000 damage from the hit. Part 1: Pop a 20% Damage Reduction ability -> If you have 20% DR, you'll only take 80% damage now Math : 20.000 * 0.8 = 16.000 So you'll take 16.000 damage from the hit. Part 2: Let's say you also added 15% Damage Reduction, as well, with the 20%. If it was by 'adding', it would make it 35% but since it doesn't work that way, the numbers will be different. So it will work like this: Damage of hit * (1 - DR_1) * (1 - DR_2) * etc DR_1, DR_2 and so on depend on how much DR each ability gives individually. Math : 20.000 * 0.8 * 0.85 = 13.600 So this corresponds to taking about 68% (1 * 0.8 * 0.85 ) and not 65% ( 1 - 0.2 - 0.15 ) damage taken of the original hit. Part 3: Let's add now 50% Damage Reduction on top of the previous two. Math: 20.000 * 0.8 * 0.85 * 0.5 = 6.800 And this corresponds to 35% (1 * 0.8 * 0.85 * 0.5 ) and not 15% ( 1 - 0.2 - 0.15 - 0.5 ) damage taken. Hopefully you understand how Damage Reduction works now...

Unless you want to go through suffering and pain(PvP wise) to learn it, as a PT, pick Tank spec, not DPS. Merc is pretty much broken as heck in PvP right now. At least 3 lives with the current DCDs it has(When porplery managed can be that or even more), Ranged class, can selfheal, has a hinder, and its a pretty darn good damage dealer class.

PvE only, I hope? Considering the short CD it has, it would simply be broken in PvP.

The main problem with Pyro spec is that you're forced to play in clumped up places to make the dotspreading/aoe effective. The damage that the spec can do can actually be higher when properly landed but its gimmicky in the way it works but I stick to it because its fun to use It would be nice if both dots would spread but sadly only one does. The way I 'negate' the downsides of this is to play around 'LoS' to force Ranged classes to 'be together' as they stalk me and/or play tight places/gaps (Favorite spots list: Orbital Station/Rishi Cove/Mandalorian Battle Ring ramps/corners + Makeb Mesa on the metal ramps or around the hut on one of the sides, Corellia Square behind the crates on the tight spaces + Tatooine Canyon huts or those pipe things next to each respective spawn area) to make the job easier. Standing out in the open is basically letting yourself eat free damage from ranged. Plus, everyone knows that if you play PT, you're there to dish out as much damage and die by doing that. Still, I agree, Pyro is far less appealing than AP when you look at the cards you got. Kiting is questionable. Sure you can work up to 'live longer' that way but its a bit of a gamble because you just need to get slowed down/rooted/stunned to have plans ruined xD I just tend to build up every DR available in the utils tree and equip anything that can hit back while I'm alive and being damaged. Stuff like gambling on LoS to get out of combat is just asking to your opponents to not be smart Also, doesn't the Carbo + grenade give full resolve?

Well, what buff would you give for Concealment then?

Would this go for all specs?

I tend to leap, having 'crit' Plasma Flare/Immolate(It is your biggest hit so might, as well, just use it), Shockstrike/Flaming Fist to root, cast both dots in one target, use dotpsread on as many as possible, Deadly Onslaught/Artillery Blitz(If you are tight on Energy/Heat, use Reserve Powercell/Thermal Sensor Override to mitigate some of the 'unwanted' energy waste on this ability), then spam of Flame Sweep/Explosive Surge as much as possible before resuming on doing the same. You can try also spreading the 30s dot to every target if you find the opportunity. If you're a full dot spec then you should be aiming to screw with everyone. In defensives, wait for Kolto Overload to trigger and use DR Stim along with it because Kolto + the 30% DR from Pyrotech is not enough to be 'unkillable', most of the times, that is. Just a safety measure. If you can save the DR stim for later then that's great. After Kolto is done, Medpac + Reactive Shield/Energy Shield(take the utility that deals damage to targets if you get attack while this is up. Just extra damage to bite back) + Shoulder Cannon with heal utility and DR (utility) from using Explosive Fuel/Battle Focus to bring you back to top. After all of this, all you can hope for is that you can survive for a 2nd Kolto Overload. If you do, you're already surviving for far longer than you should be and that is great. I don't take the buffed up hydraulics to 'kite away' because rarely a PT manages to escape the mayhem. It is a gamble that rarely works. I have no idea how AP PT rotation of offensive and defensives should be played out but I believe its harder.

I don't think you played Concealment long enough or you haven't played it? Related to offensive abilities 1: I guess the change of energy can go there although what does it accomplish? 2: I don't think spreading Volatile substance is a good idea honestly. Sure it would be great but I believe its a bit too much? Maybe spread the dot from Backstab/Back Blast? 3: You already can do that when you pop Volatile. Tactical list: 1: Concealment already has it 2: Lethality perk 3: Lethality perk 4: Utility does that 5: Combat rev is a thing and in PvE. That's why it exists and if you enter in combat again, you shouldn't be able to Revive. Simple. On the PvP side. it is extremely rare revive someone and you can't do it on arenas. 6: Not sure what that would accomplish. In ranked, your tank does that and in regs, its a numberfarm fest. 7: There's an utility that gives knockback and range extension to overload shot. Works the same way. 8: Its a good one.

I already suggested a sort of refresh and honestly and it should be done in an expensive ability (energy terms).

Don't you think merc has enough defensives as it is? Adding that just makes them being able to rotate Kolto Overload and Reflect perfectly to be almost unkillable. Unless you're going to take the current broken kolto or the reflect away from mercs, this should not be a thing. I mean, what you're asking is basically another way of another life. Might as well add the part of adding a version of Sorcerer's bubble? Or temporary stealth or Undying like mara?

That's dumb. Just shows you never even bothered to see what the spec is about

I told him the same but the intention was to make it less RNG, I believe I've changed in the way I think would be better suited. Also added republic sides

1. Revealing Weakness debuff from Volatile Substance to become a buff so it could be used on any target. 1. Hot and Ready debuff from Blood Boiler to become a buff so it could be used on any target. 2. Crippling Shards: When Crippling Slice is used on a target, it releases shards on the vicinity, making other targets suffer the same effect. 2. Loose Slugs: When Shank Shot is used on a target, slugs bounce back on the vicinity, making other targets suffer the same effect. 3. Crippling Slice changed the not able to turn line into allowing to use Backstab from front, as well, for full damage. 3. Shank Shot changed the not able to turn line into allowing to use Back Blast from front, as well, for full damage. 4. Acid Haze: Toxic Haze now spreads Acid Blade effect up to 8 targets. 4. Dirty Bushwhack: Bushwhack now spreads Flechette Round effect up to 8 targets. 5. Silent Steps: Player can now have up to 3 Exfiltrates but cooldown is increased to 15 seconds. 5. Going Down: Player can now have up to 3 Scampers but cooldown is increased to 15 seconds. 6. A tactical item which makes the next Laceration have 50% more damage when used after Veiled Strike. 6. A tactical item which makes the next Sucker Punch have 50% more damage when used after Bludgeon. 7. Backstab will grant Enforcer's Critical Combo, making your next Laceration deal double the damage. 7. Back blast will grant Smuggler's Critical Combo, making your next Sucker Punch deal double the damage. 8. Elite Strategy: When applying Volatile Substance, the target is hindered for 1.5 seconds. In addition, when Volatile Substance is triggered, target is slowed down by 40%, for 3 seconds. 8. Surprise Element: When applying Blood Boiler, the target is hindered for 1.5 seconds. In addition, when Blood Boiler is triggered, target is slowed down by 40%, for 3 seconds. 9. Backstab refreshes Kolto Probe on self if 2 stacks are present. 9. Back Blast refreshes Slow-release Medpac on self if 2 stacks are present. 10. Veiled Strike makes your next Laceration have 100% critical chance. Cannot occur more than once every 9 seconds. 10. Bludgeon makes your next Sucker Punch have 100% critical chance. Cannot occur more than once every 9 seconds. Suggestions from me and friend, Slimshady.