Am I better off switching?

[runback]

I'm level 33 right now and have been using combat which I love. I've only had problems on a couple of bosses but nothing that another level or change of strategy couldnt fix. I consider myself a good player, keep up with my rotations, always look for tips to get better, etc.

 

I've been reading that watchman is better for higher levels and this concerns me. There are some things that I love in the watchman spec and the idea of better survivability is nice. Is it worth a change to watchman from combat?

 

Its so hard to judge other people because you just dont know if its the spec or the skill level of the player. I dont think sentinel is underpowered, leveling has been a breeze so far, and PvP has been great. Just wanted to see if watchman is as great as I hear it is.

Edited January 6, 2012 by runback

[Maefly]

For some of the more difficult encounters, Watchman makes things easier since you can load up your dots and stasis the target allowing 3 seconds of big damage (especially after a zen) while not taking any damage yourself. Unless you're running a well geared tank, you're going to be taking the brunt of the damage and the less you take, the better off you are.

 

I also found that combat has a fairly long ramp up time to get decent damage going unless you enter the fight with 10 focus and 30 centering. Watchman allows a lot of front loading of damage and the burs ignore armor the entire time, unlike combat where you only get 100% armor reduction for 6 seconds. Then it really is just about maintaining dots and mitigating your own damage.

 

Leveled in all three specs (at one point my respec cost 96,000) and found Watchman with Kira to be the fastest and most efficient. However, once you get to about 45, Focus shines for groups of standard mobs but has some trouble on Champion targets.

[Fascion]

Why I feel Watchman players are having more success with some of the more difficult solo encounters is because of interrupts. Between a 6 second CD on kick and point-blank leaping, there isn't much you can't keep interrupted, which directly leads to less damage taken. There are some encounters that are just simply impossible without interrupts and a number of them are completely trivialized by this build.

 

They are also invaluable in HM Flashpoints. One Watchman spec'd Sentinel can, in my experience, take care of all of the interrupts that need to take place in any given encounter. It is very much to the point that I can't see ever spec'ing out of it.

[Coramac]

Yes, you are FAR better off switching. You are going to have far superior single target damage, significantly better survivability, and a few extra tools to make leveling easier. For leveling, in hindsight, I think your best off with two points in defensive forms to get Zen faster. It's a very, very noticiable difference.

 

Combat is really horrendous at your level. You have 8 talent points dedicated a 20% RNG proc that can't happen on one of your primary attakcs and procs a buff that can't be refreshed (negative impact on uptime; although they can't do this due to how it generates focus). Really, Combat is pretty bad until you get to level 43. At this level, you have Blade Rush which is critical and Focused Slash which increases the Focus to damage ratio of it by 33%. It also makes everything just work so much better.

 

Honestly, you probably aren't very well off going Combat until you get some solid gear in addition to level 43. Contary to popular belief about Combat, it's big hitter is not Blade Storm. The big hitter is Blade Rush used while the Blade Rush buff is up. You have a 50% chance of an additional Ataru proc (2 on the same ability) and everything crits for +30% base additional crit.

[Nyliana]

I was like the OP, combat until about level 30. I swapped at the suggestion of a friend and beta tester, and was actually a bit saddened that watchman performed so well because I really like combat. It is the perfect spec for solo leveling that is quite capable of burning (pun derherr) through mobs and maintaining high sustainability.

 

With doc and watchman I often leave fights at 90%+ health and no need to rest.

 

I would recommend swapping just to ease your pain.

 

I am 41 now, and look forward to trying out combat again in a few levels.

[WarlordGrego]

Lvl 41 Combat Sent here.

 

I think that most people like watchman because, as other have said, the survivability. I've never switched out of combat, so I have a really good feel for it. I am not planning on respeccing. For me, as long as you're well geared and using Doc, you shouldn't have any trouble with anything. I've fought Elites that are two levels above me with no significant trouble.

 

Just make sure you use your skills to their full advantage. On tactic I use is to pair up cauterize and stasis. Basically, you're doubling up on the DoT and will take an elite mob down fast. Also, if you're going to use Call on the Force, do it early. Using it when you're at 25% usually won't accomplish anything. Using it right before a fight will increase your survivability exponentially. Also, if you are using doc and you're low on health, stasis is good as a "breather." You can use it to effectively pause the fighting and give Doc 9 seconds to put some heals on you.