Shield Spec but grab Gut?

[Daekarus]

As per title. I'm a shield spec Vanguard @ 37, and I'm currently working towards adding Gut to my abilities. I reason that the additional effective melee ability will help my dps without compromising my ability to tank. I usually play solo by virtue of my short play times and odd hours (thank you 2nd shift job!), and I feel like it makes sense. Any other shield specs going with gut?

[spootoo]

I can't say from personal experience, but it seems like I've seen several people opting for a 30 ss/ 11 tactics build to get gut instead of energy blast.

 

Never used either skill myself (going with a 23 ss/18 assault build) but I think I would prefer to have gut over EB if I was to make a "full" ss build.

Edited January 20, 2012 by spootoo

[Guurzak]

Just keep an eye on your ammo usage. Some people who try the 30/11 build love it, others switch back to 31/8/2 when they find themselves struggling with ammo.

[Shedomon]

I'm thinking about using a 23/18/0 build mainly so I lower the cooldown on riot strike, while grabbing Gut and possibly serrated blades or battering ram. If there is anything in pvp that makes me frustrated it's not being able to shutdown a healer that I've focused. Two less seconds on riot strikes cooldown should help a ton with that.

[pogmahone]

Gut is a hit or miss skill with some people. I ran it for awhile in my pvp build, but ended up dropping it.

[pogmahone]

I'm thinking about using a 23/18/0 build mainly so I lower the cooldown on riot strike, while grabbing Gut and possibly serrated blades or battering ram. If there is anything in pvp that makes me frustrated it's not being able to shutdown a healer that I've focused. Two less seconds on riot strikes cooldown should help a ton with that.

 

To shut down a hear I use. Riot strike then cryo, back off while using ranged attacks. Then storm while he starts to cast followed by riot if need be.

[Sanzorz]

I went with Gut instead of Blast, as Gut can be used constantly. You get the hang of ammo regen pretty fast, so it's not terribly hard to fit inbetween of things. For pvp it's useful aswell to apply a 15s on capping targets before you die.

[origional]

I guess it depends on what you are planning to do.

 

I added gut very late in my build but found that in the later stages of the game I was having to work closer in (i prefer to fight at range and can do that for 90% of the mobs but some you do need to get close to) and found gut to be of benefit. Certainly more than energy blast would be. I actually ran with a 25/11/5 build.

 

However once I got back in to pvp I dropped gut as it didnt suit the style of play and decided to go for survivability over damage.

[MoxArcus]

double lag post Edited January 20, 2012 by MoxArcus

[MoxArcus]

I can't speak to PVP, but in PVE tanking Energy Blast feels much better. I ran with Gut for awhile, but switched over to Energy Blast recently and am happy I did.

 

The ammo cost difference between the two skills is actually 3 ammo (Gut costs 2, EB refunds 1). With that 3 extra ammo every 15 seconds, I am able to use Hammer Shot less often and can use more heavy threat skills.

 

Before I switched over, I wasn't always able to use Stock Strike on cooldown/proc and maintain the highest regeneration tier (I can now!). Over time, dipping into the lower regeneration tiers is a bad thing, If you dip too low, you have to use Hammer Shot three or more times in a row to get back to baseline regen. I also wasn't always able to use Sticky Grenade on cooldown (which is good threat even on single targets).

 

Yes Gut is a spammable skill, but it is also a pretty big ammo drain. Ion Pulse is a spammable skill as well, and I now use it to spend excess energy (while everything else is on cooldown and I have greater than 8 ammo).

 

From my experience, Gut is fun (love the animiation), but there are better ways to spend my ammo.

[LandisKan]

I'll be taking Gut purely because I like the idea of a gauntlet mounted vibroblade like Republic Commando.... Man I love that game.

[Zeel_Aldair]

I mostly PvP (at 50) at the moment, and I can't begin to tell you how useful a spammable 15 second DoT is. So I went with Gut there and would definitely recommend it if you're a shield spec Vanguard in PvP.

 

I haven't even tried Energy Blast actually, but if you're having much in the way of ammo/threat problems it could definitely help out. I tend to find threat isn't a problem vs bosses though - it's only when you get a few strongs/elites at once in trash that some of them might get away. No big deal, it's not like they'll 1-shot anyone and there's always Sonic Round if you mess up.

 

Also bear in mind that, if you don't have Gut, your spammable ammo-using attack is Ion Pulse, which does more DPS but less damage per ammo than Gut.

 

But you, OP, asked about solo questing I think - and for that I'd actually say Energy Blast is better. As a leveling tank I tended to spam Ion Pulse a LOT just to get an enemy dead as soon as I could, especially when fighting a couple of strongs or better at once. Energy blast should help you put out more DPS in the short term that way.

[Shankking]

I can't speak to PVP, but in PVE tanking Energy Blast feels much better. I ran with Gut for awhile, but switched over to Energy Blast recently and am happy I did.

 

The ammo cost difference between the two skills is actually 3 ammo (Gut costs 2, EB refunds 1). With that 3 extra ammo every 15 seconds, I am able to use Hammer Shot less often and can use more heavy threat skills.

 

Before I switched over, I wasn't always able to use Stock Strike on cooldown/proc and maintain the highest regeneration tier (I can now!). Over time, dipping into the lower regeneration tiers is a bad thing, If you dip too low, you have to use Hammer Shot three or more times in a row to get back to baseline regen. I also wasn't always able to use Sticky Grenade on cooldown (which is good threat even on single targets).

 

Yes Gut is a spammable skill, but it is also a pretty big ammo drain. Ion Pulse is a spammable skill as well, and I now use it to spend excess energy (while everything else is on cooldown and I have greater than 8 ammo).

 

From my experience, Gut is fun (love the animiation), but there are better ways to spend my ammo.

 

This is basically what I was going to say. Once I acquired Energy Blast I use Hammer Shot much less and I am able to use my other hard hitting abilities more often with much less concern of low ammo.

 

Just from reading on forums here and elsewhere - Gut seems to be the more popular option. I can't comment because I haven't tried it.

[icantbebigwill]

I run 25/14/2 currently and it's really nice. I'm thinking about trying a shield/assault spec when my next free respec comes around

[Nijraw]

As per title. I'm a shield spec Vanguard @ 37, and I'm currently working towards adding Gut to my abilities. I reason that the additional effective melee ability will help my dps without compromising my ability to tank. I usually play solo by virtue of my short play times and odd hours (thank you 2nd shift job!), and I feel like it makes sense. Any other shield specs going with gut?

Not me bro, for PvP Gut is nice but people seem to forget the Trooper Shield spec is about out lasting fools and gut seems like a waste if a point, after all you will get a HIB ever 15 second no matter what due to your Ion cell procs.

 

Play your spec as it is to be play and that is outlast/burst people down, here is the spec i run with and I will be damed if I ever lose to ANYONE 1v1 and even sometimes 2 v 1.

 

 

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

In this spec you have 1 point left, I guess you can put it in Gut but its not needed.

[Silverspar]

As the above poster said, shield spec is about outlasting, not killing. If you're looking to be burst, then you might as well choose another spec, not shield spec.