33/6/2 - The Khufu Build/95 Percenter

[Morrikan]

Welcome to the Khufu Build(AKA the 95 Percenter)

Following the success of the (Amazing) Carolina Parakeet name I figured I'd go for something a little wacky with the name of this build. Why is it named this? Read this snippet from wikipedia.

3362 Khufu is a near-Earth asteroid. It was discovered by R. Scott Dunbar and Maria A. Barucci at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California, on August 30, 1984. Its provisional designation was 1984 QA. It is named after Khufu, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

It is also called the 95 Percenter because it is for those who wish to be able to run perfectly well in PVE, as well as in PVP. Sure you won't get the extreme damage of the Carolina Parakeet, but you will be ridiculously tanky in both PVE and PVP.

 

The Build:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GkGrdorogzZMsZb.1

The PVE straight Build:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GMGrdorogzZMsZb.1

 

Why Should you pick this build?

It is a tanking build, straight and simple. You are meant to mitigate damage, and be skillful at doing so. I've played quite heavily with these builds and I find that this is the one that suits my specific playstyle the best. It plays in a way that will be slightly controversial to most, as it removes certain skills almost entirely from the damage rotation.

 

In PVE:

Threat isn't an issue, neither is mitigation. I'm above 40% shielding chance and 40% absorb, over 10% defence rate and 17k HP, and I'm not insanely well geared. I'm no raider. The point of this build is to stack absorb and shielding up to the soft caps of 50% before focusing on anything else. The chances of you doing so are minimal at best without raiding gear, so stack it as high as you can. This build will improve DRAMATICALLY in the 1.1 patch, where reports are showing that shielding now works on Elemental, Kinetic and Force damage, which will greatly reduce the damage incoming on many fights.

The Rotation:

The rotation isn't so much a rotation as it is a "Priority Bar". It is as follows.

Death From above> (To start most grouped pulls, then Jet Charge in) >Rocket Punch > Rail Shot > Heat Blast > Explosive Dart > Flamethrower > Rapid Shots.

 

Don't forget to use your brain. Don't explosive dart around cc'd targets, the aoe range is too large. Flamethrower when possible on mutliple targets or simply whenever everything else is on cool down. Flame sweep can also be used on clumped targets for that burst of aggro. I recommend this, as you will definitely have the heat available to do so once or twice, read below to see why.

 

But what about flame burst?

Now the average powertech will go... wait a second... Flame Burst is missing. And you're right. It is. Why is this? Well because Flame burst is a heat dump, plain and simple. Its dps isn't fantastic, nor is its threat gen for the heat usage it has. Honestly removing it has had very little effect. I only use it when i am under 10 heat, or in a burn section of a boss. You rarely use it unless you are seriously blue lining your heat. With this I rarely go over 50 heat, and keep in the 3/4 bars of heat regeneration. This allows me to (When Required) blow my cool downs like you wouldn't believe. It also allows for more flame sweeps in tight situations.

 

This build might not be to everyones enjoyment but I really seriously recommend it. It feels like heat is not an issue, but a mechanic after this, and you have everything at your disposal when you need it.

 

 

 

In PVP

This build really shines in PVP, even now. Sure you don't have the damage potential of the Carolina Parakeet, but you certainly have all the support you need to stay alive. Myself and a healer friend regularly take on 5-6 players on nodes, and win. I average about 9 medals a match and have a complete blast while playing. You just need to know how to use it effectively!

 

PLEASE NOTE:

This build will become entirely more effective in 1.1, due to the shown changes that shielding effects Elemental, Kinetic and Force damage. Seriously, i'm hard to kill as it is. This will make you ridiculously hard to kill.

 

Strategy:

1.Guard, Guard, Guard.

This skill is amazing. Throw it on every ball carrier you run with, every healer who decides that he likes you, and hell just keep it up all the time. The damage transfer is mitigated by your stats, even things like Energy Shield effect it. Use it liberally, especially with the supercommando buff that gives you 5% Extra damage when guard is up.

 

2. Learn to Grapple, Kite and Charge.

Grappling is amazing, in huttball it can win the match in so many ways. From Fly swatting opponents by grappling from the safe zone(Great for taking out ball handlers who are just -so- close to winning.), tugging players off ramps, depositing others in fire or simply bringing a healer into the middle of a large amount of very angry people on your team. Never underestimate it. Sure its buggy, but learn to live with the bugs. Kiting is also amazingly effective, especially with Neural Overload. I've seen certain(Bad) melee players simply give up and wait to die when strafe fleeing upon them.

 

3. Sometimes its best to offtank.

Seriously, you don't need to run the ball every time or be the number one damage target. Often its better to be sneaky with your plays. Sonic missile is an amazing tool. Lets take Huttball for example. Lets say your friend has the ball. You don't need to have it to be effective here. Guard is up on them, 50% of all damage they take is transferred to you. Excellent, suddenly they are so much harder to kill(Harder than you even!), and they take 5% less damage over all. The enemy swamps them, you toss out a Sonic missile, and suddenly they are doing another 30% less damage to him for 6 seconds! Thats enough to get the ball across the line, let me tell you that.

 

4. Don't be afraid to Rapid Shot

Rapid shots is fantastic for several reasons, Pretty much a guaranteed neural overload(Due to Ion Gas being able to proc more than once on a rapid shots) will allow you to close gaps faster, it has a 30m range so you can help stop those pesky cappers, it does decent damage and costs no heat. Use it liberally when at range.

 

5.Rotation, Rotation, Rotation,

 

The rotation isn't so much a rotation as it is a "Priority Bar". It is as follows.

Death From above> (To start most grouped pulls, then Jet Charge in) >Rocket Punch > Rail Shot > Heat Blast > Explosive Dart > Flamethrower > Rapid Shots.

 

As with the pve rotation, flame burst is all but extinct upon the bars. Sure, you can use it more regularly(Due to death being the best loss of heat in the game), but its not a requirement. Killing players isn't an issue, healers go down easily with quell, shock and Grapple management, dps don't stand a chance 1v1, and with a healer you're pretty much golden. Use your strengths to your advantage!

 

 

 

Comments welcome.

[exphryl]

I am just curious why you would give up defensive talents (i.e in AP) for a bit more dps?

[chainsawsamurai]

PLEASE NOTE:

This build will become entirely more effective in 1.1, due to the shown changes that shielding effects Elemental, Kinetic and Force damage. Seriously, i'm hard to kill as it is. This will make you ridiculously hard to kill.

 

Do you have a link to back this up? I've been all over the PvP, Tanking, and PTR forums and seen nothing but people complaining about how the system works. Nothing about changes.

 

Not trying to sound like a jerk, but this is obviously very important to the community and I'm trying to avoid having to go on the PTR myself to test it.

[Citnes]

why do you post some nonsense specc... no 2% dmg reduce? UMAD!?!

I mean, why do you take the "more railshotdmg" over dmg reduction as a TANK? This is rly the 95% specc, 95% of missing your class specc. I have 23k HP and playing 31/8/2 Specc, and im a baws either in PvP or PvE.

[Shivus]

why do you post some nonsense specc... no 2% dmg reduce? UMAD!?!

I mean, why do you take the "more railshotdmg" over dmg reduction as a TANK? This is rly the 95% specc, 95% of missing your class specc. I have 23k HP and playing 31/8/2 Specc, and im a baws either in PvP or PvE.

 

I used something of a variation on this for a while. The damage output is poor but with a heal buddy it really can stand up to quite a bit.

 

An extra 2% damage reduction is next to nothing with that build which already has upwards of 30% reduction with only decent gear before the extra 16% armor and the increased shielding chance.

 

Although 3% railshot damage isn't much either, and that point could really be placed anywhere depending on whether one would want more utiilty, or damage of a particular flavor.

[AnAcuteAngle]

Shield Mitigation is rawful in PvP right now.

 

No offense, but I also don't think you contribute much to your team is you only sit there and soak up damage.

[Virindi_UO]

I'm geared for tanking with supercommando pvp gear, will definitely give this build a try. Much thanks.

[Virindi_UO]

No offense, but I also don't think you contribute much to your team is you only sit there and soak up damage.

 

That's a pretty big contribution actually...

[AnAcuteAngle]

Not really.

 

People should know not to attack tanks; First they'll go for your healer, and probably successfully kill him/her because you don't have the DPS to fend them off.

[chainsawsamurai]

Not really.

 

People should know not to attack tanks; First they'll go for your healer, and probably successfully kill him/her because you don't have the DPS to fend them off.

 

That is what Taunt and Guard are for.

 

I'm not sure of the exact numbers and whether their mitigation comes into play before or after but Guard alone makes your healer take less damage than if they outright went for you. Throw in Taunts and they are wasting their time.

 

People give up on killing the healer that is taking less than 50% of the damage they're dealing and healing it easily (very easily if you peel well). Eventually they then turn to kill you.

 

The fastest way to kill a Guarded Healer+Tank combo in this game is to kill the Tank first. Dealing 100% of mitigated damage to one target is much faster and more efficient than splitting damage between two targets. It takes significantly more people to deal enough Spike damage to put down a Guarded Healer than it does to burst the tank down while controlling the Healer.

[theangryllama]

Find it kind of odd myself. I mean compared to the general 31/8/2 tanking build you've dumped power armor and picked up neural overload and 1 point in rail loaders and thats it.

 

Don't get me wrong I can certainly see the use of ion overload in a pvp build, but there is so many better talents to pull that point out of than power armor which as far as mitigation in pvp goes atm is part of the only real damage reduction we have.

[InfiniteShift]

Shield Mitigation is rawful in PvP right now.

 

No offense, but I also don't think you contribute much to your team is you only sit there and soak up damage.

 

People should know not to attack tanks; First they'll go for your healer, and probably successfully kill him/her because you don't have the DPS to fend them off.

.

 

Yes, soaking over 100k damage for your healer + being able to fend off a point with only 2 people against 6-8 people while your team arrives as back up. No contribution at all.

 

Tanks are amazing in PvP.. though you don't want too many or you have no damage on your team.

[dfrezell]

Heat Blast is your heat dump.

Flame Burst is your dmg reduction debuff ability, assuming you took Combust.

[Bamfed]

9% more Aim for tank is retarded.

 

Tanks have such small aim pools that the 1% damage increase you get from 9% more aim is a waste of 3 valuable points. I looked at your spec and skipped reading any more of it for a 3 point failure.

 

It was stated before 3% more damage to your rail shot you use every 15sec is your lucky vs 1/2% less damage take ALWAYS. Fail.

 

I also like rock punch but 4/8% more damage on it is like 100-150 damage per punch which isn't bad but easily replaceable. Get this if your gear sucks and you have problems with boss aggro.

 

 

Your rotation or priority bar is retarded. You need either flame sweep or flame Burst in there every 15sec for 4% damage reduction.

 

Your build + rotation gives up 6% damage reduction... what is your purpose to die faster because your 1.% damage increase isn't going to kill fast enough to make up for all the extra damage you will take over me.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Bamfed

[Doozzer]

well there's certainly something interesting going on here.

 

if the reports are true and shielding typed damage goes live in 1.1, then its going to change the way we all look at the shieldtech tree, that's for sure.

[ZNICK]

Threat is a non issue because ANY setup can PvE... but if PvP, where you need a LOT more skill, 9% AIM just may save your *** or someone around you. 2% damage reduction is just as minimal.

 

Z

[Bamfed]

Threat is a non issue because ANY setup can PvE... but if PvP, where you need a LOT more skill, 9% AIM just may save your *** or someone around you. 2% damage reduction is just as minimal.

 

Z

 

That 3 pts in AIM is a threat talent only. So it is even more useless in pvp. I was just stating I don't even need it it pve.

 

I'll have to find the post where someone did the number crunching. People see 9% and assume that has to be better than 2% but it's not.

 

2% more damage reduction vs the 9% aim ends a 1v1 fight with you at a higher % total hp pool. This is my goal to live as long as possible. Your not dps.

 

**Now if you want both get them both for even better results** BUT DO NOT give up 2% damage reduction for the 9% aim you will end fights with less hp every so slightly faster, but loose more hp in the process.

 

This is all assuming 1v1. WZ's you will get attacked by more than one at a time far more often. The more attacking the the more weight the 2% damage reduction gets vs 9% AIM.

 

Bottom line. Do your job. Live as long as freaking possible and control the hell out of people.

 

I have 13% damage reduction to your elemental and internal damage vs the OP's 7% I win.

[Emmcee]

@bamfed, while I may or may not agree or disagree with what you are saying ...

 

When you start off what should be an intellectual debate with, "you are retarded", you automatically lose in the minds of your audience.

 

Just sayin' ...

[broaf]

This build will improve DRAMATICALLY in the 1.1 patch, where reports are showing that shielding now works on Elemental, Kinetic and Force damage

 

pls2explain,

 

1. What is force damage? Are you saying that any Force attack can be shielded? I was under the impression that the various force attacks dip into one of the four damage types (kinetic, energy, elemental, internal). So is it all force attacks, or just elemental and kinetic force attacks, or all elemental/kinetic dmg regardless of attack type?

 

2. When was this tested? Did you perform the testing? Which abilities were tested against the powertech shield? I poked around the PTR forum and a few other places I'd thought this info might be - and found nothing.

[JoyProtocol]

pls2explain,

 

1. What is force damage? Are you saying that any Force attack can be shielded? I was under the impression that the various force attacks dip into one of the four damage types (kinetic, energy, elemental, internal). So is it all force attacks, or just elemental and kinetic force attacks, or all elemental/kinetic dmg regardless of attack type?

 

2. When was this tested? Did you perform the testing? Which abilities were tested against the powertech shield? I poked around the PTR forum and a few other places I'd thought this info might be - and found nothing.

 

Shield is currently sub-par because it only reacts to WEAPON DAMAGE abilities - things that produce "white damage". In other words, weapon-based Kinetic and Energy. It does not help at all versus TECH abilities (internal/elemental) or FORCE abilities (internal/elemental).

 

This way, (if you are dependant on your shield/defences) fighting a Jedi Shadow, they will eat you alive. If you are fighting a Jedi Knight, you will eat them alive. Majority of abilities you see in PvP are not currently shieldable. The patch is promising to change that.

[MigSebes]

Shield Mitigation is rawful in PvP right now.

 

No offense, but I also don't think you contribute much to your team is you only sit there and soak up damage.

 

The number of times my team have scored because I was getting 4+ players to gank me begs to differ.

[QiBao]

So, standard tanking build but instead of 2% less damage taken at all times, you took 3% to RS damage and 3% aim? I would just use standard tanking, which is great for PVP if you know how to guard.

 

Also, FB is used strictly for the 4% debuff, ie not much in PVP. The only other use is that it's instant and 10m range, so there's that.

[QiBao]

Not really.

 

People should know not to attack tanks; First they'll go for your healer, and probably successfully kill him/her because you don't have the DPS to fend them off.

 

Taunt and guard swing the tide of many pvp battles. AOE taunt is -30% for several players, which combined with guard makes your healer nigh invincible. Shield Tech damage isn't great, but it's enough to whittle down dpsers not supported by a healer.

[JoyProtocol]

Khufu really doesn't roll off the tongue well.

 

How about the Asteroid? Then we have the 'roid build, which naturally becomes the Tanking Steroid Build.

 

Or, with some stretching, the meteorite. Then it's the 'right tanking spec.

[QiBao]

Khufu really doesn't roll off the tongue well.

 

How about the Asteroid? Then we have the 'roid build, which naturally becomes the Tanking Steroid Build.

 

Or, with some stretching, the meteorite. Then it's the 'right tanking spec.

 

It's a standard tanking build with 2 bad choices (imho). No need for a name.