0/12/29 PVP Spec: Insta-Nuker with CC

[taugrimtaugrim]

http://taugrim.com/2012/01/17/powertech-vanguard-insta-nuker-with-cc-01229-pvp-spec/

 

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The 0/12/29 spec for Bounty Hunter Powertech / Trooper Vanguard is a heavy DPS spec with good CC capability.

 

Here are links to the spec: Powertech | Vanguard

 

I did not take the 31-pt talent Thermal Detonator (Assault Plastique). TD (AP) is an excellent ability and hits for ~50% harder than the base Explosive Dart (Sticky Grenade). That being said, keep in mind the ability has a 15-sec cooldown and I decided to go with the interrupt talent instead.

 

As Powertech and Vanguard Advanced Classes are mirrors, I reference the corresponding Vanguard talents and abilities in parentheses below.

 

Spec Strengths

1. Strong sustained and burst damage mechanics:
   
   • +6% total Tech Crit Chance
     
   • +6% Crit Chance for fire (Elemental) attacks. Keep in mind all of our fire attacks are Tech attacks, so this stacks with the previous bullet point
     
   • 60% armor penetration and 30% armor penetration for the talents for Rail Shot (High Impact Bolt)
     
   • The proc-reset talent for Rail Shot (High Impact Bolt)
     
   • +9% damage to burning targets for key abilities including Rail Shot (High Impact Bolt), Rocket Punch (Stockstrike), and Rapid Shots (Hammer Shot)
     
   • +30% Crit damage bonus for Rail Shot (High Impact Bolt), Incendiary Missile (Incendiary Round), and Combustible Gas Cylinder (Plasma Cell)
     

[*]Good CC capability:

• Interrupt with a 6-sec cooldown instead of the base 8-sec default. This is very helpful for shutting down healers / casters
  
• Ranged pull on a 35-sec cooldown instead of 45-sec. In Huttball I use the ranged pull to disrupt EFCs and to pull people into the acid and fire pits
  

 

Spec Weaknesses

Spec’ing is all about tradeoff decisions. As such, here are the things you give up with this spec:

1. Limited mobility. This spec lacks Charge capability from the tanking tree and the passive movement buff and on-demand unstoppable sprint in the middle tree
   
2. Guard capability, since this spec is most effective at DPS’ing when running Combustible Gas Cylinder (Plasma Cell)
   

 

Narrated PVP Footage

The following video contains gameplay footage of my Vanguard with this spec and includes real-time commentary from me and my team mates:

http://www.twitch.tv/taugrim/b/305733320

 

Our <Maven> premade consisted of:

• Ris’ek 26 healing Sage: this is Justin Lowe, co-founder of darthhater.com and my co-host on GAMEBREAKER’s SWTOR The Republic show
  
• Tamgros 38 Shadow: this is Matt, my co-host on GAMEBREAKER’s RIFT The Sanctum show
  
• Talac 42 healing Sage, later replaced by Liral a lowbie healing Sage not from our guild, later replaced by Swartz 43 DPS Commando
  

We won 10 consecutive matches (including a lame 11v8 in Alderaan) as I completed my 50 warzone weeklies for the first time. Speaking of gear, in the video I started with 3 pieces of Champion gear, and during the stream I acquired another 2 pieces. So far I’m 5 for 11 on bags

 

If you are looking for more in-depth information on Powertech / Vanguard, check out my Guide on Powertech / Vanguard Mechanics and PVP.

 

Let me know your questions and feedback.

[Phaedrynn]

Your timing is excellent. As a Powertech who has been shield tech specced throughout my short life so far (leveling with a couple of friends, so I have been tanking all PvE content) I have come to realize how poorly that spec stacks up in PvP. Hit up the forums looking for a better PvP spec and will be trying this one out this week.

 

On a side note, I also found it useful to see your key binding layout, as I have been struggling to find one that worked for me in PvP (PvE tanking rotations aren't nearly as deep, or as demanding as PvP).

 

Appreciate the post and video, thank you.

[Lezale]

Forgive me, but it seems as though this spec can be summarized as: "Pyrotech with points from TD and Energy Rebounder in Hitman."

 

I am less interested in seeing the benefits and drawbacks of a 0/10/31 PvP Pyrotech spec with a few points shifted, than I am to see an expansion of the following section:

 

That being said, keep in mind the ability has a 15-sec cooldown and I decided to go with the interrupt talent instead.

 

Why do you feel that this trade-off is worthwhile?

 

Is the additional 50% proc chance from Energy Rebounder unnecessary? If so, why? Does it proc so often that it pushes the frequency below the 1.5 second hard cap, and the points are therefore less valuable? Or does the additional survivability from more frequent Energy Shields simply not compare due to lack of opportunity for use?

 

Is the additional burst from TD not enough to overcome the additional healing allowed by reducing the cooldown of Quell by 12.5%? Does using Explosive Dart instead provide more use since it is an AoE, thereby placing more pressure on the (assumed) healer to heal his or her teammates instead of themselves?

 

Do you find yourself so often against opponents that necessitate interrupts via Quell that other interrupting utilities such as Carbonize and (to a lesser extent) Grapple do not allow the kill without the 25% reduction in Quell cooldown?

 

How does the reduction of Quell overlap from 4 seconds down to 2 seconds specifically affect your PvP and the openings it allows your opponents?

 

 

I think the boards would find a discussion like this more interesting - and hopefully the answer is not just, "I wanted Hitman and I had to give up TD and a point from somewhere to get it."

[exphryl]

To be honest, I do not fully understand the purpose of this build. This is just my personal opinion. (No, I'm not trying to get you to change your view, I am just speaking for myself why I do not like it)

 

Lower Grapple Cool-down, in theory, is useful. In actual practice, Grapple has a tendency to cause more issue then what it's worth. And by issues, I mean headaches when it doesn't work properly (i.e No Resolve but doesn't pull, Pulls a person to the platform above you, pulls but then the person goes back to their original spot)

 

No Infrared Sensors: I personally find this to be a pretty invaluable PVP Tool. See Operatives/Scoundrels easier as well as keep Stealth Scan up a lot more to help point control in Void Star or Civil War.

 

No Thermal Detonator. Yes, it's a 15 Sec cooldown. However, in actual practice it is up in PvP usually when you need it. When the stars align and you hit a Crit on That, RP, and RS it can pretty much insta-gib most healers, and if not they are near dead enough where it's easy to follow up. (Interrupts are nice and all, but since it doesn't lock out the tree entirely killing them works a lot better). If you are running a DPS Orientated build in PvP I see zero reason to NOT take this.

 

No Retractable Blade: You have 1 point in rebounder which makes it not 100%, and in turn give up an extra dot you can apply to add more pressure to your opponent.....not understanding that either.

[taugrimtaugrim]

Lower Grapple Cool-down, in theory, is useful. In actual practice, Grapple has a tendency to cause more issue then what it's worth.

 

Grapple is amazing in Huttball and for peeling.

 

As you said, it doesn't always work, but I've pulled hundreds of people into fire and acid to their death at this point and prevented EFC caps, so I'll stick with having the chance to bury them.

 

No Infrared Sensors: I personally find this to be a pretty invaluable PVP Tool. See Operatives/Scoundrels easier as well as keep Stealth Scan up a lot more to help point control in Void Star or Civil War.

 

The choice I have for Degauss over Stealth Scan is debatable.

 

Stealth Scan as-is is a terrific ability. I use it to guess-pop players out of stealth, and especially as a counter to in-combat stealth.

 

No Thermal Detonator. Yes, it's a 15 Sec cooldown. However, in actual practice it is up in PvP usually when you need it. When the stars align and you hit a Crit on That, RP, and RS it can pretty much insta-gib most healers, and if not they are near dead enough where it's easy to follow up. (Interrupts are nice and all, but since it doesn't lock out the tree entirely killing them works a lot better). If you are running a DPS Orientated build in PvP I see zero reason to NOT take this.

 

It depends on your philosophy in PVP.

 

As players get more geared up, they're harder to insta-gib.

 

No Retractable Blade: You have 1 point in rebounder which makes it not 100%, and in turn give up an extra dot you can apply to add more pressure to your opponent.....not understanding that either.

 

RB doesn't synergize with the mechanics. When RS is on cooldown, you want to use RP and FB to reset the cooldown.

Edited January 18, 2012 by taugrimtaugrim

[Guntsu]

I am sorry but the spec is fail...you dont pick up rail loaders which is a must Pyro uses rail shot so much that damage increase is huge.

 

Degauss as a talent is not worth it imo and then you only take 1/2 from rebounder which would make it somewhat better

[taugrimtaugrim]

Forgive me, but it seems as though this spec can be summarized as: "Pyrotech with points from TD and Energy Rebounder in Hitman."

 

Sure, that's fair.

 

Why do you feel that this trade-off is worthwhile?

 

PVP against better / geared players tends to shift from insta-gib land to control-burn land. At least, that's been my experience across games and what I'm seeing against well-geared opponents in SWTOR.

 

Is the additional 50% proc chance from Energy Rebounder unnecessary? If so, why? Does it proc so often that it pushes the frequency below the 1.5 second hard cap, and the points are therefore less valuable?

 

If there were on internal CD, the 2nd point would be much more valuable.

 

Is the additional burst from TD not enough to overcome the additional healing allowed by reducing the cooldown of Quell by 12.5%?

 

Reducing an 8-sec cooldown to 6-sec is a 25% reduction (2 / 8).

 

Do you find yourself so often against opponents that necessitate interrupts via Quell that other interrupting utilities such as Carbonize and (to a lesser extent) Grapple do not allow the kill without the 25% reduction in Quell cooldown?

 

Interrupt isn't just against healing.

 

You can interrupt channeled AOE, cast-time nukes, etc.

Edited January 18, 2012 by taugrimtaugrim

[taugrimtaugrim]

I am sorry but the spec is fail...you dont pick up rail loaders which is a must Pyro uses rail shot so much that damage increase is huge.

 

The 6% damage increase is excellent. Spec'ing is about tradeoffs - you can't have everything.

 

I knew before making this post that people would have an issue with investing talents points in CC over raw DPS.

 

If you don't see the value in improved CC capability, you don't see the value.

 

Degauss as a talent is not worth it imo and then you only take 1/2 from rebounder which would make it somewhat better

 

Degauss is a debatable choice, I agree.

 

The value of Rebounder's 2nd talent point is lessened by the internal cooldown.

[Teacosy]

as i've told you before and i'll tell you again,

 

you cant call a spec "insta-nuker" which essentially calling it a burst spec, without taking the primary burst setting up ability that powertechs have.

 

also "with CC" basically just boils down to, verging on useless cooldown reductions.

 

if anything this spec could be called "Pyrotech Utility" at its best. nothing more.

[Dekai]

Hmmm, I normally like your builds, but this one makes no sense. You call it a nuker, but it's not. Your only "Nuke" is Railshot. What makes Pyro so strong, and why it's called the "Nuke" spec is because of one rotation.

 

ES > IM > TD> RP > RS. That combo there is our "Nuke". By the time you Rocket Punch, TD goes off as your GCD becomes free for a Rail Shot so you can do A LOT of damage in a short time frame, especially if they all crit.

 

Your build is all about spamming Flame Burst, our lowest hitting attack out of any combo other then Rapid Shots (I can hit 2.5k crits, but that's stacking all buffs and still pales in comparison to RP and RS in damage).

 

If CC is your goal, should you instead pick up PES for Electro Dart?

 

Wouldn't say...

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#3010MZbsMrZfhMbdGhMM.1

 

Be much superior then your build? You trade 1% Tech crit chance(Only working on FB and RP since you didn't get TD, and Rail Shot would be the burst in your build and it goes off Ranged Damage), you drop ER since only 1 point in it is useless, you lose 6% crit to Flame Burst and gain 6% damage for Rail Shot and most importantly you gain a lower CD on Electro Dart.

 

Just seems a waste to go that high up and not get TD just for interrupting. If for PvE, sure TD seems to be a DPS loss, but in PvP it's about control or burst, which your current build lacks in both respects.

 

Edit:

Or maybe:

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

If your goal is to spam Flame Burst.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Dekai

[Dharagada]

The build looks interesting for a little extra utility. I won't lie of all the talents in the AP tree it's Hitman I miss the most, being able to more reliably shut down casters is nice.

 

Missing out on TD just feels wrong, I'll be honest its not something I use in a regular rotation but I certainly make use of it for that little extra oomph.

 

I'll give the build a go, going to try the one where you drop TD for the extra Aim in the shield tree first later I'll give this one a shot.

[Agroovesak]

Main problem I see with getting quell as pyro is you don't really have the heat venting to support it normally without some massive rng success.

[Dharagada]

Main problem I see with getting quell as pyro is you don't really have the heat venting to support it normally without some massive rng success.

 

What?

[taugrimtaugrim]

No Infrared Sensors: I personally find this to be a pretty invaluable PVP Tool. See Operatives/Scoundrels easier as well as keep Stealth Scan up a lot more to help point control in Void Star or Civil War.

 

I've replaced Degauss with IS in a 31-pt Pyrotech build equivalent I ran yesterday, and you are right.

 

The talented Stealth Scan is the much better choice over Degauss.

 

The mobility of 31-pt Pyrotech is pitifully bad relative to the other trees, and Degauss isn't enough to save it.

 

So thanks for your feedback. Going to update my Guide accordingly.

Edited January 19, 2012 by taugrimtaugrim