Taugrim's Guide to Trooper Vanguard Mechanics and PVP

[taugrimtaugrim]

The first question I have is regarding smoke bomb. Having read up on the defence/avoidance mechanics for PVP, wouldn't that make smoke bomb relatively useless in pvp as well? Since the ability debuffs the accuracy of ranged and melee attacks, wouldn't that just affect auto-attack abilities mostly? And therefore be a waste of a point?

 

There are non-Auto Attack abilities that are classified as Ranged or Melee.

 

E.g. Snipe and Ambush for Sniper, Unload for Bounty Hunter, Vicious Slash for Sith Warrior, etc.

 

Situationally for 1 point you can reduce the damage you or your friendlies are taking.

 

So I think it's still worth taking, although as you noted there are plenty of attacks that it will not have any effect against.

 

Secondly, I personally prefer to spec into 4% extra dmg reduction through Ion Shield and Power Amor, dropping Charge and Tactical tools for it. This is because I find a movement boost after storm situational at best, since I generally want to be in melee range for a stockstrike immediately after. Besides, I will be slowed mostly anyway, so I won't be getting the full benefit of the movement increase. Also, while tactical tools seems nice in theory, in practise I rarely come across instances where I want to use Ion Pulse in pvp and it's on cooldown. The only real benefit would be -10 secs off the cd of harpoon, which can be nice in huttball, but I'd prefer the extra 2% dm reduction there.

 

My spec would be something like this (having one point spare I got from smoke bomb):

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801GRGb0RroMZMsrboZb.1

 

So, TLDR, you think getting 4% extra dmg reduction is worth dropping situational utility? And is smoke bomb worth the point?

 

Thanks!

 

Your logic makes sense.

 

Spec'ing is all about tradeoffs. You are looking to improve your always-on mitigation over situational mobility and pull cooldown.

 

So the way you spec'd makes sense.

[SensualPanther]

question about degauss. If I put two points in that skill, does it mean that everytime I activate the shield, I gain immunity from movement impairing effects for as long as the shield is up?

[taugrimtaugrim]

question about degauss. If I put two points in that skill, does it mean that everytime I activate the shield, I gain immunity from movement impairing effects for as long as the shield is up?

 

AFAIK, it breaks any movement-impairing effects when you bubble but it's not an immunity during the bubble.

[Raggok]

AFAIK, it breaks any movement-impairing effects when you bubble but it's not an immunity during the bubble.

 

Correct. It's useful for certain 1v1s to have a second root breaker (shouldn't use Tenacity to break root unless there is no other option). It's also useful for Huttball if you are closing in on a score.

 

For general group play, it could be skipped. I think it has a lot more value for solo-style players than group-style players.

[SensualPanther]

AFAIK, it breaks any movement-impairing effects when you bubble but it's not an immunity during the bubble.

 

 

thanks! Your youtube channel is great too.

 

Just one more question lol

 

I wanna spec 31 points into Assault tree, but I don't know where I should put the two points to get to the ionic accelerator line. Degauss, Soldiers Endurance or Nightvision Scope?

 

And are two points in Steely Resolve better than Blaster Augs? 6% aim over 3 % crit chance?

 

And which would you recommend? 3 points in Steely Resolve and 2 points in focused impact? Or vice versa?

 

Sorry for all the questions

[taugrimtaugrim]

I wanna spec 31 points into Assault tree, but I don't know where I should put the two points to get to the ionic accelerator line. Degauss, Soldiers Endurance or Nightvision Scope?

 

Nightvision Scope.

 

And are two points in Steely Resolve better than Blaster Augs? 6% aim over 3 % crit chance?

 

Blaster Augs is 1 talent point. You're comparing 2 talent points against 1 talent point.

 

And which would you recommend? 3 points in Steely Resolve and 2 points in focused impact? Or vice versa?

 

The Armor Pene of FI is what makes HIB hit as hard as it does.

 

Assault Spec revolves around HIB usage, so make it count.

[Unext]

Great guide, I've been trying a hybrid build of 8/8/25 for Vanguard. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801hMhZMsMZfI0bkGhM.1

 

If you get a chance review this build and let me know what you think. I've been trying this in OPs and HM flashpoints and it seems to have increase my damage.

[ururururu]

Great guide, I've been trying a hybrid build of 8/8/25 for Vanguard. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801hMhZMsMZfI0bkGhM.1

 

If you get a chance review this build and let me know what you think. I've been trying this in OPs and HM flashpoints and it seems to have increase my damage.

 

move points from frontline offense -> burnout

[taugrimtaugrim]

move points from frontline offense -> burnout

 

Agree with ururururururururururururu

 

The passive always-on Tech Crit Chance from Burnout is a nice effect.

[taugrimtaugrim]

Added the PVP gear sets to the Guide:

taugrim.com/2012/01/04/guide-to-bounty-hunter-powertech-trooper-vanguard-mechanics-and-pvp#pvp-gear

PVP Gear Sets

 

There are 3 “tiers” of PVP gear

• Centurion: purchasable via Centurion commendations, which are what you get when you open Champion bags
  
• Champion: purchasable via Champion commendations. Champion bags cost 200 Warzone Commendations + 200 Mercenary Commendations. Champion bags have a chance to drop a random Champion piece and provide Centurion commendations
  
• Battlemaster: purchaseable via Battlemaster commendations. Requires Valor Rank 60+. Battlemaster bags as of Patch 1.1 give Battlemaster or Champion commendations. The Earpiece and Implant pieces are purchaseable for the same price as Champion bags
  

There are 3 sets to consider for this AC (in alphabetical order) and their set bonuses:

• Combat Tech: this is a good choice for offensively-oriented tank and hybrid builds
  
  • 2-pc: +0.5 seconds to duration of PBAoE stun, reduces CC breaker cooldown by 15 sec
    
  • 4-pc: +15% Crit Chance to Rocket Punch (Stockstrike)
    

  [*]Eliminator: this is a good choice for specs with 18+ points in Pyrotech (Assault Specialist)

  • 2-pc: N/A
    
  • 4-pc: +15% Crit Chance to Rail Shot (Eliminator)
    

  [*]Supercommando: this is a good choice for specs with 21+ points in the tanking tree

  • 2-pc: -1.5 second to cooldown for Heat Blast (Energy Blast) and Jet Charge (Storm)
    
  • 4-pc: +5% damage while Guarding
    

Edited January 26, 2012 by taugrimtaugrim

[Unext]

move points from frontline offense -> burnout

 

So you think that the 3% increase to crit chance on tech attacks and an execute ability is better than the 6% increase to Ion Pulse one of my main attacks in my melee rotation?

 

Please explain your reasoning. I would "think" that the 6% base damage increase would be greater than a small chance to crit over time. I REALLY wish we had someway to tell.

[Kryptorchid]

So you think that the 3% increase to crit chance on tech attacks and an execute ability is better than the 6% increase to Ion Pulse one of my main attacks in my melee rotation?

 

Please explain your reasoning. I would "think" that the 6% base damage increase would be greater than a small chance to crit over time. I REALLY wish we had someway to tell.

 

Lets look at it this way:

 

Assume you have 30% crit before Burnout, and crits do 200% damage (double damage):

 

Assume 500 DPHit before accounting for crits, so your adjusted DPH is...

 

(500*2*30 + 500*70)/100 = 650 DPH

 

Adding 6% damage to JUST Ion Pulse will increase it's damage to: 500*1.06 = 530

 

so your adjusted damage is now...

 

(530*2*30 + 530*70)/100 = 689 DPH

 

If you instead increase your crit by 3%, your adjusted damage is...

 

(500*2*33 + 500*67)/100 = 665 DPH

 

This means the 6% bonus to Ion Pulse only does 3.6% more damage than investing 3% crit for just Ion Pulse. In addition, that 3% crit applies to Sticky Grenade, Incendiary Round, Assault Plastique, etc.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Kryptorchid

[lemmywinks]

Taugrim is a straight beast in pvp & we're proud to fight along side him & all of Maven on Ajunta Pall. Nice guide!

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Krooks

[taugrimtaugrim]

Great guide, I've been trying a hybrid build of 8/8/25 for Vanguard. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#801hMhZMsMZfI0bkGhM.1

 

If you get a chance review this build and let me know what you think. I've been trying this in OPs and HM flashpoints and it seems to have increase my damage.

 

So you think that the 3% increase to crit chance on tech attacks and an execute ability is better than the 6% increase to Ion Pulse one of my main attacks in my melee rotation?

 

Please explain your reasoning. I would "think" that the 6% base damage increase would be greater than a small chance to crit over time. I REALLY wish we had someway to tell.

 

Burnout is good, and you will get much better damage switching from your 8/8/25 to the 4/6/31 spec.

 

For more information, listen to my explanation of 4/6/31 in my PVP Spec video:

 

You have 8 points in the Tactics tree. For DPS, you are much better off sticking with 6 and putting points into Burnout.

 

Burnout gives 3% always-on Tech Crit Chance, aside from the increased DoT damage when the target's health is low.

 

All of the Elemental damage abilities (IM, stance DoT, Ion Pulse, Pulse Cannon, etc) and many of our other key damage abilities (SS, MV, etc) are classified as Tech, so BUrnout buffs many more abilities than what you get by buffing just the damage of Ion Pulse by 6%.

 

Don't believe me? Read this guy's thread, who is now a believer in the 4/6/31 spec:

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=241192

Edited January 27, 2012 by taugrimtaugrim

[taugrimtaugrim]

Taugrim is a straight beast in pvp & we're proud to fight along side him & all of Maven on Ajunta Pall. Nice guide!

 

-Krooks

 

Thanks Krooks!

 

Always a pleasure to see <Vendetta> on the battlefield

[taugrimtaugrim]

Very nice, thanks for the info.

 

Per this comment above, I added tuskake's post with the stats DR chart and target soft caps:

http://taugrim.com/2012/01/04/guide-to-bounty-hunter-powertech-trooper-vanguard-mechanics-and-pvp#stats

 

For the "secondary" stats, there is diminishing returns. Check out tuskake's post on the official forums for a chart and numbers. Based on tuskake's post, here are "soft caps" for some of the secondary stats relevant to this AC:

• Crit Rating: 300
  
• Surge Rating: 150
  

PVP

 

• Primary stats: Aim = Endurance, favor one over the other for damage vs time-to-live
  
• Secondary stats:
  
  • DPS builds: Expertise > Crit Rating > Power = Surge Rating > Accuracy Rating > Alacrity Rating = Defense Rating > Shield Rating
    
  • Max durability builds: Expertise > Defense Rating > Shield Rating > Crit Rating > Power = Surge Rating > Accuracy Rating > Alacrity Rating
    

Alacrity is similar to WoW's Haste mechanic, and as the vast majority of your GCDs will be spent on instant-cast abilities, this stat is mostly wasted. Alacrity does shorten channeled ability cast times but all of our meaningful channeled abilities have significant cooldowns.

[Unext]

Lets look at it this way:

 

Assume you have 30% crit before Burnout, and crits do 200% damage (double damage):

 

Assume 500 DPHit before accounting for crits, so your adjusted DPH is...

 

(500*2*30 + 500*70)/100 = 650 DPH

 

Adding 6% damage to JUST Ion Pulse will increase it's damage to: 500*1.06 = 530

 

so your adjusted damage is now...

 

(530*2*30 + 530*70)/100 = 689 DPH

 

If you instead increase your crit by 3%, your adjusted damage is...

 

(500*2*33 + 500*67)/100 = 665 DPH

 

This means the 6% bonus to Ion Pulse only does 3.6% more damage than investing 3% crit for just Ion Pulse. In addition, that 3% crit applies to Sticky Grenade, Incendiary Round, Assault Plastique, etc.

 

 

I believe the tool tip says a 3% CHANCE TO CRIT. Not a 3% increase in CRIT DAMAGE. SO, I don't know how to quantify a 3% extra chance to crit on many abilities against 6% damage increase to a single ablility.

 

Now just typing that it does seem that over time the 3% chance could well out damage the 6% on one ability.

[LordPorkins]

Hi taugrim. I'm not really keen on tanking but like the idea of a mobile DPS character. Is an assault vanguard a good choice?

[Kryptorchid]

I believe the tool tip says a 3% CHANCE TO CRIT. Not a 3% increase in CRIT DAMAGE. SO, I don't know how to quantify a 3% extra chance to crit on many abilities against 6% damage increase to a single ablility.

 

Now just typing that it does seem that over time the 3% chance could well out damage the 6% on one ability.

 

Don't worry, that's what my equations compare, 3% crit chance vs. 6% Ion Pulse dmg. Let me explain:

 

(500*2*30 + 500*70)/100 = 650 DPH

 

The bold is your damage due to crits. Italic is your damage due to non-crits. Assuming a 30% chance to crit, that means I will statistically get 30 crits out of every 100 attacks, leaving 70 non-crit attacks. That's why I multiple the "crit damage" portion by 30 and the "non-crit damage" by 70 and average the total damage over the number of total attacks (100 attacks).

 

The next equation reflects the bonus to crit chance by changing the "30" to "33" and lowering the "70" to "67" since I will now get 33 crits every 100 attacks (making 67 non-crits). If I was equating a 3% damage increase to crits, my crit damage portion of the equation would look like:

 

500*(2*1.03)*30 or

 

500 base damage * 206% bonus damage * 30 crit attacks out of 100.

[taugrimtaugrim]

Hi taugrim. I'm not really keen on tanking but like the idea of a mobile DPS character. Is an assault vanguard a good choice?

 

Assault Spec has low mobility.

 

If you want a mobile gunner with solid DPS, try 1/22/18 or 0/23/18.

If you want all-out DPS will low mobility, go 4/6/31.

[Kesrik]

Assault Spec has low mobility.

 

This low mobility is balanced by the our range flexibility. You pretty much trade the ability to get out of a bad position with the ability to not have to get in a bad position in the first place.

[TronP]

Taugrim are you still using your Iron Fist build? Or have you switched to the 1/22/18 build as I saw on your comments section in the video feed? I love gut makes the game really fun, but I feel weak without ionic accelerator. Parakeets build is superb but I feel like a lot of wasted talent points to get IR and Ionic accelerator.

[Thandellon]

Well, at nearly 11000 views and 70 replies as of this point in time, I think this thread is LONG overdue for some STICKY attention, please.

 

Thank you for all the on-going work you do for us, Taugrim!

[taugrimtaugrim]

Taugrim are you still using your Iron Fist build? Or have you switched to the 1/22/18 build as I saw on your comments section in the video feed? I love gut makes the game really fun, but I feel weak without ionic accelerator. Parakeets build is superb but I feel like a lot of wasted talent points to get IR and Ionic accelerator.

 

Iron Fist is a build I came up with after realizing the limitations of the Defense and Shield Mechanics for tanks.

 

I just started playing it 2 days ago, and it's been my favorite spec at 50, by a mile.

 

I'm uploading a video of it to YouTube, will share it here tonight or tomorrow.

[taugrimtaugrim]

This low mobility is balanced by the our range flexibility. You pretty much trade the ability to get out of a bad position with the ability to not have to get in a bad position in the first place.

 

Vanguard needs to be within 10m of the target to deal meaningful sustained damage. This applies to Assault Spec too, even though it has the best ranged mechanics of the 3 trees.

 

Why?

 

Ionic Accelerator only procs with use of our 10m and 4m attacks.