Kyouu Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I have been wondering about this while considering changing my spec into Courrption(Healer) instead of a dps hybrid (Lightning/Madness) will Ashara make a viable companion compared to Khem? or should i just stick to DPS and continue to use Khem till i get Xelak? Thanks in Advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heffay Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I use Ashara, but i would have the same complaint that a lot of people have, her survivability. I decided to test something and it seems to work fine. Basically i decked her out in gear that has augment slots and +defense ration, or crit rating IF i cant find defense. Then i got all +defense augments and stuffed her with them. She seems to do fairly well jumping into groups and such and she deff out DPS's khem. She still isint a Khem in tanking terms, but shes perfect for me now, lightning speccd sorc. Might just use her forever, but who knows, things could change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klondeikbar Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 She is arguably your best companion if you're keeping up with her gear. If you spec corruption then you might want a tanking companion but even then you might only need it for champion mobs. She does SO MUCH DAMAGE, even if her personality is obnoxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthenfirebrand Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I am a heal specced sorc and have been using her, pretty much all of the time since i got her. Her damage is much better than Khem Val. and im not really having to do any more work to keep her up. true she is def not as durable. but shes burning down mobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashnazg Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 She is arguably your best companion if you're keeping up with her gear. If you spec corruption then you might want a tanking companion but even then you might only need it for champion mobs. She does SO MUCH DAMAGE, even if her personality is obnoxious. She is at best equal with Adronikus for damage though. And Adronikus is ranged, meaning he is much easier to manage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klondeikbar Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 She is at best equal with Adronikus for damage though. And Adronikus is ranged, meaning he is much easier to manage. No Ashara is better by a wide margin. At lvl 50, with 50 gear, she does more damage than your player character. She needs to be nerfed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashnazg Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 At lvl 50, with 50 gear, she does more damage than your player character.. I sincerely doubt that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyi Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I have been using her since she became mine. I heal and find we make an awesome team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumnutza Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I find her survivability and her lack of ability to draw aggro makes it much harder to keep not only her alive, but me alive. I stick with Khem, he holds aggro, I do the damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klondeikbar Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I sincerely doubt that. In that space when you hit 50 and haven't gotten decked out in epic gear...yes she does. It's also why she draws aggro so easily without a taunt, she just does THAT much damage. All of your companions are viable (except that stupid effing droid) so you can easily still use the one you like the most. But if you're a min/maxer, you use Ashara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natarii Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I find her survivability and her lack of ability to draw aggro makes it much harder to keep not only her alive, but me alive. I stick with Khem, he holds aggro, I do the damage. This was my experience with both her and Andronikos. I do like her story and personality, and am *really* holding out for that 'turn Ashara fully dark' moment (in a future patch please?!?), but I have not been able to make a case for her to replace Xalek in combat with me. The agro holding while I sit back and blast is just too good with a more traditional tanking companion. On a side note, I am slowly levelling another inquisitor as an assassin this time (I do enjoy the inq story) so I can make use of the companions I've sidelined with my sorcerer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelerific Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 In that space when you hit 50 and haven't gotten decked out in epic gear...yes she does. It's also why she draws aggro so easily without a taunt, she just does THAT much damage. All of your companions are viable (except that stupid effing droid) so you can easily still use the one you like the most. But if you're a min/maxer, you use Ashara. You are doing something seriously wrong if She is outdps'ing you, maybe full specd into heals? I have both Andy and Ashara pretty well geared with lvl 50 modable weps, purple gear etc etc, and I still heavily prefer Andronikus, ranged dps is 100% always more beneficial than melee dps even if their numbers are the same. Also, I'm not getting paid to baby sit her whiny *ss so why should I ever use her lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klondeikbar Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 You are doing something seriously wrong if She is outdps'ing you, maybe full specd into heals? I have both Andy and Ashara pretty well geared with lvl 50 modable weps, purple gear etc etc, and I still heavily prefer Andronikus, ranged dps is 100% always more beneficial than melee dps even if their numbers are the same. Also, I'm not getting paid to baby sit her whiny *ss so why should I ever use her lol My gear is pretty poor since I did a lot of my leveling with space missions and warzones BUT every guide I've read and every experience I've had has pointed to her being the best dps companion. Although in the most recent updates to the patch notes they're actually INCREASING her damage?! I'll agree with you on the ranged > melee and her personality is obnoxious points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelerific Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) My gear is pretty poor since I did a lot of my leveling with space missions and warzones BUT every guide I've read and every experience I've had has pointed to her being the best dps companion. Although in the most recent updates to the patch notes they're actually INCREASING her damage?! I'll agree with you on the ranged > melee and her personality is obnoxious points. I leveled almost exclusively with heal spec and keeping Andronikus alive while he nukes the hell out of everything, this includes Champion mobs I prolly wasn't supposed to be able to kill, heroic 2 and 4 quests with multiple elites, etc. Have increasingly tried to use Ashara more on dailies i've been doing, and it just isn't worth it, she gets eaten up by anything she pulls agro on, I'm better off using talos healing myself if I'm not using Andronikus. Edited January 13, 2012 by Wheelerific Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashnazg Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I leveled almost exclusively with heal spec and keeping Andronikus alive while he nukes the hell out of everything, this includes Champion mobs I prolly wasn't supposed to be able to kill, heroic 2 and 4 quests with multiple elites, etc. Have increasingly tried to use Ashara more on dailies i've been doing, and it just isn't worth it, she gets eaten up by anything she pulls agro on, I'm better off using talos healing myself if I'm not using Andronikus. That has been my experience as well. Adronikus in battlemaster / champ gear is a beast. Xalek is worthless because currently gear does not improve his shield chance / absorb rating, so the only tank stat you can increase for him is defense. I prefer to tank myself and have Andron DPS, rather than have Xalek tank and me DPS. A dual dps setup, for me, inevitably ends up working out much better than anything else. Ashara also pales in comparison to Andron because even if she does similar damage (I haven't bothered gearing her in good gear after level 40 or so), the fact that she is a melee as opposed to range is a tremendous disadvantage. Her only redeeming feature might be the fact that she does internal damage instead of kinetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavath Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Ashara was who I switched to having with me almost exclusively. Her ability to burn down mobs while I fry them with lightning is impressive. I have actually used her to tank elites more effectively than Khem did when I started to out level his usefulness (about the time Ashara showed up). Just throw a static barrier on her, make her pull, and heal her a bit, toss affliction and crushing dark, heal her, rebarrier, and then go nuts with the lightning rod action. Before I really cleaned up her gear, she would normally hold elites, boss, whatever, until about 25-10% left when she finally dropped. At that point, I could burn them down with no problems. Later, after a couple levels and gear, she would hold threat and be alive at the end of the fight. I want to pit her against Xalex. I know how that one would end... another trip to Dram Kaas staring at a new set of "hopefuls" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonbery Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I used her from when I got her to level 50. Most of the boss fights usually involved me kiting the mob with DoT's on him while she just wailed. Apparently, BW is buffing one of her spells, so she probably we do even more damage. Companions Ashara Zavros Ashara’s Force Blast ability has had its damage increased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelerific Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I used her from when I got her to level 50. Most of the boss fights usually involved me kiting the mob with DoT's on him while she just wailed. Apparently, BW is buffing one of her spells, so she probably we do even more damage. Guess how much dps your pet lost by having to chase the damn mob and stay in melee range, that you could have been doing with a ranged dps partner like andronikus...... Lots bro, lots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlana Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Not 50 yet and running darkness spec, I definitely burn through mobs with her at a good pace. For tough fights, Talos still rules for keeping me alive. Eeek! Wrong sub forum. My toon is a assassin. Edited January 13, 2012 by Catlana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashnazg Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Just to indulge the notion that Ashara is viable, I decided to run a quick test in Ilum by sending companions in solo vs 4 packs of those trash mobs (Venomous Lisks) by Poisonous Strategy area. They're all geared in roughly the same gear - level 45-50 with good mods and battlemaster / champ implants / ears. Ashara killed 1 out of 4 before she died. (1150 str, 1000 endurance) Xalek killed 1 out of 4 before he died. (He has 1200 willpower, 1100 endurance) Adronikos killed 3 out of 4 before he died in aoe mode, and killed all 4 by himself in sniper mode. (1080 cunning, 950 endurance) Amazingly unscientific, but works for me! Not to mention that Adron does 2800 on a high crit on his aimed blast. Compared to Ashara's pitiful 1200 on whatever ability she has that hits high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelerific Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Just to indulge the notion that Ashara is viable, I decided to run a quick test in Ilum by sending companions in solo vs 4 packs of those trash mobs (Venomous Lisks) by Poisonous Strategy area. They're all geared in roughly the same gear - level 45-50 with good mods and battlemaster / champ implants / ears. Ashara killed 1 out of 4 before she died. (1150 str, 1000 endurance) Xalek killed 1 out of 4 before he died. (He has 1200 willpower, 1100 endurance) Adronikos killed 3 out of 4 before he died in aoe mode, and killed all 4 by himself in sniper mode. (1080 cunning, 950 endurance) Amazingly unscientific, but works for me! Not to mention that Adron does 2800 on a high crit on his aimed blast. Compared to Ashara's pitiful 1200 on whatever ability she has that hits high. Exactly. People these days ain't got no respect for the black man. (ok i lol'd a lil when i thought of that...) Edited January 13, 2012 by Wheelerific Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinkicker Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Some reason I pictured the TF2 Demo-Man when you said that, when thinking of Andronikus in AOE mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritslev Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Choosing a companion is also dependent on gamestyle. In otherwords, how you play your character would/will determine which companion suits you the best. Personally I'm working with the healer, I've decked him out pretty nicely, and is personally a Madness/Lightning specced Sorc. My gamestyle is kiting mobs, and I can with this technique easily kill mobs +4 levels gold elite to myself. The cooldowns have a nice way of complimenting each other.,. and if I pop shield on every CD my healer can easily keep up and dish out a little DPS as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabhand Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I leveled as Corruption and used Ashara exclusively when I got her. Enemies die fairly quickly with her out, and an elite mob with me using dots and healing her we were able to handle anything pretty well. I've benched her since I started Ilum because I actually need a tank (PvE got hard!), but if I'm in a 2-3 man group and I can have a dps, I bring her. She has the best gear among my companions, although Xalek is getting close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowswillm Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I keep khem, xelak and her up with just about equal gear. I am a dps sorc and use her more then any other companion, EVEN if I have to kill a strong or higher she does enough dmg to compensate he survivability. I just shield her, have her take aggro first then cast my spells and by the time i get my thundering blast to hit the mob its at 1/4 or 1/2(depending on its strength like strong or what not) and then they run to me and she continues to kick their arses :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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