Brick wall Leveling ~ 36

[Eppywon]

I know some people have been griping about this since BETA, and thought some fixes were implemented, but I really feel like I've hit a brick wall leveling wise since post Balmorra on my Vanguard. Thinking of switching back to SS to see if that helps, but it seems like Elara can't keep up with the heals and I'm hitting the dirt in no time.

 

I know the first thing I should do is deck myself out proper to my level, but I'm also having trouble finding what I can deck myself out with, Armormech doesn't really pose much of an answer without schematics (which my server isn't selling much of) and I don't want to hunt down and re-run too many Flashpoints for random gear.

 

Any suggestions for anyone else who's felt this way?

[Zendokun]

Get orange armour gear and mod them with commendation mods from the latest planet you are on. Do the same for your companion that you use most. Personally you should choose 2 choice companions and gear them up and use them on different occasions. I use Elara for healing and Forrex for tanking while I DPS. Play space missions and Warzones to get a level or 2 higher than your Class Missions to make progress easier.

[TormDK]

Funny, I have it the other way around - I'm outleveling the gear I can buy for commendations by the time I'm done with a planet, and I don't even do pvp, flashpoints or all the Heroic quest areas per planet.

 

Leveling seemed to get easier, not harder as levels went by as a Shield Specialist.

[TranSUN]

i noticed that i die quicker now.

 

tbh i didnt pay much attention in the levels before, i just charged any group without looking.

 

now i need to pop defensive moves once in awhile, stun, mess, smoke, shield.

 

although when i pay attention i am pretty much invincible still.

[IlexGlabra]

I do better with Jorgan than I do with Elara. Ending fights faster with his extra DPS allows me a higher degree of survivability than is provided by Elara's heals. Granted, I haven't taken the time to really gear-out Elara, which I'm sure would make a difference.

 

Still, at 37, I can comfortable take down four regular mobs, two Strong ones, or a single Elite.

[Veragon]

I am finding leveling as a shield specialist incredibly easy, although I cannot compare it to other classes because I haven't played them. I am confused why you are finding it hard.

 

I took up armormech and can comfortably equip myself and Elara with epic level gear. I chose gear with high Aim and Crit bonuses with a little defense and absorb thrown in for good measure, and for Elara I chose high crit and power to boost her heals.

 

So far I am level 41 and can easily take on a group of strongs, and even an elite and strong together and still comfortably kill them without dropping below 50% health.

 

I haven't tried using other companions since I got Elara, I just love how I dont have any downtime even though the fights last a little longer. I actually keep Elara in her pistol stance so she can put out slightly more DPS because her healing power has never been a problem.

 

-Veragon.

[Eppywon]

Get orange armour gear and mod them with commendation mods from the latest planet you are on. Do the same for your companion that you use most. Personally you should choose 2 choice companions and gear them up and use them on different occasions. I use Elara for healing and Forrex for tanking while I DPS. Play space missions and Warzones to get a level or 2 higher than your Class Missions to make progress easier.

 

What's the easiest full orange trooper set to come by?

[Mavic]

Leveled to 50 as SS, used Jorgan EXCLUSIVELY.

 

Used my talents, interrupts, and medpacks to blow through stuff while Jorgan blew stuff up. Usually open with either Artillery Barrage, Stickybomb, on a combo of both.

[TheRabbit]

What's the easiest full orange trooper set to come by?

 

Do a planet's "easy" heroics, and it will give you almost a full set of orange gear. Or, hit level 20, do pvp, buy level 20 pvp set (which is almost entirely moddable).

[Darguth]

I've gone Armormech and I keep myself and Elara in full blue gear (for the slots I can craft, obviously) every single level.

 

Do the green schematics a level or two above you and reverse-engineer all of it. You'll crit, get various blue schematics, and will have time to craft them and have them waiting for you as soon as you level.

 

I make myself the gear that favors Endurance over Aim, and vice-versa for Elara. If I can get defensive stats on me great. I also tend to favor Power over Crit to smooth out my healing throughput on Elara.

 

I can easily solo champs up to 2 levels higher than me in Shield spec, usually sitting around 90% health at the end of the fight. Just pop your defensives on CD, keep your standard tank rotation rolling, and you should be fine. Stock up on some medpacs and stims if you REALLY have to, but it shouldn't be a problem.

[Mightyscott]

Leveling is getting more and more easy for me. I'm a level 35 shield specialist and can take down three level 37 heavy mobs with elara Gotta love shield spec

[Eppywon]

Guess the answer is that I should bit the bullet and respec back into Shield Spec.

[qwinnet]

I tried the VG dps specs but they felt clunky after being shield specced. I also didn't think the dps was any better. Of course there is the survivability of being shield specced. As for the "wall" - I though Voss was a big change in mob damage and taking on two silver elites became a challenge.

[Pigeye]

Anyone who's dying as a shield specialist, with Dorne, is under-equipped, it's as simple as that.

 

I'm 43... 11.5k health (buffed), >800 Aim + Endurance...7k AR, 37% shield, 36% absorbtion, and I can stand in front of an elite sipping coffee pressing nothing but Hammer until he's dead. Health rarely drops below 80%, and if it does I freeze him and let Dorne catch up on the heals. This has been the same since level 10...I was soloing champions in my 20's (i didn't even realise the first time - I remember thinking, god this guy is taking a long time to die, then I spotted the Champion legend on his badge lol!).

 

GEAR UP. If you don't, you're not being a very good tank. And stop equipping Crit and Power stuff. Get orange gear and upgrade it. Look after yourself.

 

Oh, and it should go without saying, keep Dorne geared with oranges too. You'll have a much more pleasant experience, and be the pride of the pack when doing heroics.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Pigeye

[aRtFuL]

While gear is important, I suspect that it has less to do with your gear or spec more to do with the fact that you did not use your interrupts on the elites.

 

I found that as Tactics spec once I use interrupts on the elite's key damaging/healing abilities, I have no trouble at all.

[canobeansPL]

I am a level 46 shield specialist and I find your experience very strange indeed.

 

It may be that you're not taking advantage of all the orange items being thrown your way. Most heroic quests, some random drops as well as flashpoints should provide you with a multitude of moddable items. You can then spend your commendations on up to date barrels/armorings, mods and enhancements. It depends on the planet, but it is not unheard of to afford 4 or 5 fully upgraded items by the time you leave the larger ones.

 

The other side of the coin is using your abilities correctly, which is much more difficult to achieve than upgrading a few pieces of gear. If you're not doing well on this front, expect to be hitting that wall for quite some time yet . I have noticed many players leveling in zombie-mode, which later infuriates me to no end when they join my flashpoints.

 

You have a number of key abilities you are supposed to be using. They make most encounters easily manageable. As a rule, you should be able to take down any even-level elite 1 on 1 with any of your companions when you use these abilities appropriately. You should also be able to grind down any champion and heroic +2 quest about three levels below you when using Elara. Your skills are these:

 

1. Riot Strike and to a lesser extent Cryo Grenade. These are your absolute number one skills. Learn to switch targets for them too. You can insta-gib trash by Cryo-ing and following with Blitz+SS.

1a. Storm is also an interrupt. You can quite comfortably jump between a silver and an elite or a bunch of silvers in a difficult fight. Analyze the fight a bit.

2. Reactive Shield, Smoke Grenade, Recharge Cells - if they are not on cooldown, you're doing it wrong.

3. Buy Relics in the Light/Dark Side shop and put them on your skillbars.

4. Learn a proper rotation of skills for AoE and single target pulls. Don't underestimate Hammer Shot (and later Energy Blast). As a rule you should keep your top ammo regen rate for most of the fight and then burn down all your ammo as the fight is coming to a close, to end up with 0 ammo and a dead elite/champion.

5. Learn to position mobs for Pulse Cannon, which is your second most powerful skill after Mortar. Use this as an opportunity to train Line of Sight pulls and Harpoon positioning, which are both very useful.

6. Your companions have skillbars too. It is often advantageous to use them (to focus fire, for example). Elara works better when very close to you (she will get a little damaged and then proceed to cast her powerful AoE heal on herself). Elara, Aric and Yuun can comfortably off-tank a silver and also temporarily a gold.

 

Another important tip is: consumables exist for a reason. Biochems have it easier, but even a non-biochem can hoard medpacs. If a mob has a yellow star by its name, it is expected that you'll pop a medkit somewhere down the line. Ask a friend to cook you up a batch of stims, too.

 

I have to say that for me leveling has been very easy. I generally do 2+ heroics on my own to have a bit of a challenge (the aoe heal that Elara receives at 35 makes her insanely good). At about level 40 I decided to remove absolutely all of my defensive mods/enhancements and started using power/surge modules for convenience.

Edited January 6, 2012 by canobeansPL