Are there any CORE abilities we dont use?

[Liberate]

I just got my powertech to 15, and was wondering if there were any core abilities we just didn't use? Whether it was due to the heat cost, too little damage or being out of the area our AC encompasses?

[ZeusThunder]

I stopped using Missile Blast at lvl 50 due to the ratio of damage vs. heat cost.

Also Shoulder Slam is rendered useless due to the fact it can't be used on bosses or players.

[Liberate]

I stopped using Missile Blast at lvl 50 due to the ratio of damage vs. heat cost.

Also Shoulder Slam is rendered useless due to the fact it can't be used on bosses or players.

 

Ya, missile blast was the one I was most considered with. The heat cost seemed so high, and it was like meh in damage.

[smokybones]

Agreeing with Thunder, Shoulder Slam is easily the least used spell in our arsenal, but about every other spell has a niche in our rotation

[BlazingShadow]

I keep missile blast handy just in case I'm in a situation where melee is an impossibility

 

Shoulder slam is on a very outoftheway button because although it may not be useable on golds+, it's a good, free DPS burst on the less powerful yet just as troublesome silvers.

[Dharknite]

I stopped using Missile Blast in my 20s, it cost too much and is kinetic which means its affected by armor. Lastly we have no talents that help it in anyway. Though recently I though about using as AP spec as sort of a ranged nail in coffin since Heat is bit more manageable.

[Athilias]

Missle Blast and Flame Sweep are useless except knocking people off the flag/door. Shoulder slam I find useful in PvE for taking down silver stars, since Mako will cc them, then I'll shoulder slam/rocket punch hit them. Makes for a good quick burst of damage, rather then just 1 rocket punch. Other then that. Shoulder slam is rather useless. Can use it to quickly take down a normal enemy by hitting them with explosive dart and then shoulder slam. I find myself always forgetting to use thermal override but it does have it's uses.

[Dirtybomb]

Missle Blast and Flame Sweep are useless except knocking people off the flag/door.

 

In PVE, if you decide to tank, FS will be one of your most important abilities. Keep it trained and use it as part of your normal priority/rotation.

[Athilias]

In PVE, if you decide to tank, FS will be one of your most important abilities. Keep it trained and use it as part of your normal priority/rotation.

I do tank and I literally never use it. Not good damage, doesn't aggro much (not to mention you have far better options) and it's a heat hog. If there's something I'm missing, please tell me, because I have far better options, and the thing is a heat hog.

[Xandermpls]

As a power tech many of your attacks are melee range. The advantage of missile blast is when you start to decimate someone, they will run, this is when to use missile blast to get that kill. We have long range and close range attacks. I am lvl 33 so I don't have shoulder slam but I suppose I will use it, if not on bosses and players mobs.

 

Question. Does shoulder slam move your character?

 

If yes, then I will use it, as any attack that can move your guy quickly from one point to another should never be overlooked.

[ZeusThunder]

It is perfect for gaining aggro on the additional mobs that appear after a pull starts. Just need to get them with it once so that you have aggro until dps starts attacking them.

 

It's also the only AoE damaging ability we have besides missile blast that is not on a CD. It does more aoe damage than Missile Blast.

[Athilias]

It is perfect for gaining aggro on the additional mobs that appear after a pull starts. Just need to get them with it once so that you have aggro until dps starts attacking them.

 

It's also the only AoE damaging ability we have besides missile blast that is not on a CD. It does more aoe damage than Missile Blast.

 

Sonic missle is better, and flamethrower has more aggro, and is a less heat pig. Also does more damage.

[ZeusThunder]

Sonic missle is better, and flamethrower has more aggro, and is a less heat pig. Also does more damage.

 

Sonic missile is on CD, flamethrower is a cone effect and is channeled.

[EzFlyer]

i never ever ever use missle blast.

 

other than that, granted i'm a fresh 50, but i pretty much use everything else, lol. diff situations, of course. i don't use shoulder slam when tanking elites, cause you can't, obv...

 

but i swear i think i use everything else. i use flame burst as a filler if i screw up on rotation threat on a single target and have heat to spare

[DarrkLore]

I stopped using Missile Blast at lvl 50 due to the ratio of damage vs. heat cost.

Also Shoulder Slam is rendered useless due to the fact it can't be used on bosses or players.

 

I stopped using Missile Blast long before that

[Trungalung]

Flame Sweep is good to spread Combust debuff. It's better in heat and time than tabbing around and use Flame Burst.

[DarrkLore]

I do tank and I literally never use it. Not good damage, doesn't aggro much (not to mention you have far better options) and it's a heat hog. If there's something I'm missing, please tell me, because I have far better options, and the thing is a heat hog.

 

AoE threat generation.

4% damage reduction from Combust effect if specced, and there's no reason why it shouldn't be.

[Eroex]

As pyrotech this will be your priorities

 

Incendiary Missile (for the dot) > Rail Shot > Rocket Punch > Flame Blast > Unload > Rapid shots if +50 heat.

 

I havent found thermal detonator to be worth the heat cost because it doesn't proc railshot in a PVE sustained DPS rotation. It feels very clumsy to use and rail shot procs do just as much if not more damage and reduce heat.

 

As Advanced Prototype

 

Flamethrower at 5 stacks > Rail Shot > Immolate > Retractable Blade > RP > FB > Rapid Shots if 50+ heat

 

 

Your ranged abilities will be used if you are out of range to do melee damage. Such as if you have to run out for an AOE ability you can Unload or something if you have the extra heat to spare.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Eroex

[chainsawsamurai]

As pyrotech this will be your priorities

 

Incendiary Missile (for the dot) > Rail Shot > Rocket Punch > Flame Blast > Unload > Rapid shots if +50 heat.

 

I havent found thermal detonator to be worth the heat cost because it doesn't proc railshot in a PVE sustained DPS rotation. It feels very clumsy to use and rail shot procs do just as much if not more damage and reduce heat.

 

As Advanced Prototype

 

Flamethrower at 5 stacks > Rail Shot > Immolate > Retractable Blade > RP > FB > Rapid Shots if 50+ heat

 

 

Your ranged abilities will be used if you are out of range to do melee damage. Such as if you have to run out for an AOE ability you can Unload or something if you have the extra heat to spare.

 

TD is worth it if you are separated from your target. Doesn't really change his priority though:

 

Incendiary Missile (for the dot) > Rail Shot > Rocket Punch > Flame Blast > Thermal Detonator (if farther than 10m) > Unload > Rapid shots if +50 heat.

 

If you're out of range TD should be your priority over Unload because it allows you to close distance during the GCD and its damage is better.

 

 

 

Take Missile Blast completely off the bars. There is no reason for a PT to use it. You can use it to screw around and knock things down into pits, but anything it'll knock back you could have just killed in 3 globals anyway.

 

If you guys aren't using Shoulder Slam, start. There are a lot of normal mobs in trash packs which can be utterly trivilized with Shoulder Slam. If you run with an Operative, or other class with hard stuns built into their rotation, then there will be plenty of opportunities to use Shoulder Slam on silvers as well. This is a free attack with damn good damage which you can replace a Rapid Shots with when your heat is a bit high. It is a hell of a lot better than people give it credit.

 

Then again, I have a lot more available hotkeys than most people I guess. I suppose if something did have to go I'd miss Shoulder Slam, but it might be next on the chopping block.

[MigSebes]

I do tank and I literally never use it. Not good damage, doesn't aggro much (not to mention you have far better options) and it's a heat hog. If there's something I'm missing, please tell me, because I have far better options, and the thing is a heat hog.

 

You are missing that with the talent it does a 4% damage reduction debuff to all enemies that you hit with that AOE.

[Racheakt]

You are missing that with the talent it does a 4% damage reduction debuff to all enemies that you hit with that AOE.

 

Given the states of my cool downs I open with sonic to get teh immediate snap agro from the group then i use the flame cone to build agro.

[Kavell]

I do tank and I literally never use it. Not good damage, doesn't aggro much (not to mention you have far better options) and it's a heat hog. If there's something I'm missing, please tell me, because I have far better options, and the thing is a heat hog.

 

except for the 4% damage reduction if you have it spec'd, Themal overides are nice for this on big pack pulls.

 

Edit: well they beat me to it by a mile... see what happens when you hit reply and have to leave you comp for a bit.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Kavell

[Eroex]

TD is worth it if you are separated from your target. Doesn't really change his priority though:

 

Incendiary Missile (for the dot) > Rail Shot > Rocket Punch > Flame Blast > Thermal Detonator (if farther than 10m) > Unload > Rapid shots if +50 heat.

 

If you're out of range TD should be your priority over Unload because it allows you to close distance during the GCD and its damage is better.

 

 

 

 

If that's the case then i would say 9% aim is much better than that talent and I am correct for not getting it.

 

Spec 9% aim over Thermal detonator and where ever you put 2 other points to get it.

[Athilias]

You are missing that with the talent it does a 4% damage reduction debuff to all enemies that you hit with that AOE.

 

Assuming they are all close enough, could be viable. But generally you want to save your heat, and 25 can make much more of a difference. Besides, damage reduction really only makes a noticable difference on bosses. From all the upper flashpoints I've done, none of the elite enemies have been close enough for a flame sweep, let alone once I've started kiting. PT's are a ranged tank, so if you're tanking, you should be at range. Outside of using RP on NPCs that chase, I don't get close to any enemies.

 

To each his own. I still don't see a good use for flame sweep for tanks that are kiting properly.

[Tenacity]

I almost never use missile blast, though occasionally when soloing i'll use it on standard or weak mobs to knock them down momentarily so I can follow up with a shoulder slam.