Pyro PVE Raiding Gear Choice.

[exphryl]

So have a dilmena I am working through and wanted to get some input from people who actually Raid as Pyro to help out (I MT for my guild so DPS'n is something I do fairly never but I like to prepare regardless)

 

I have two DPS Sets in bags.

4/5 BM Gear Eliminator (Everything remodded with Crit/Surge)

5/5 Columi Combat Tech (again, making sure everything is Crit/Surge)

 

I know there is a tier difference between the two but it will be awhile until I get tokens to use for an offset in PvE.

 

Anyways, in both gear sets I am sitting around 36-37% Tech Crit.

In the Columi set I gain close to 75 AIM (Give or take from what I remember )over the BM Gear

 

I am finding it near impossible to give up that extra 15% Crit for 8% Damage+Lower Explosive Fuel Cooldown.

 

Maybe because Crit Rail Shots just hit so incredibly hard that even 1 more crit RS would overshadow the damage increase.

 

(Obviously nothing to actually parse so this is just my perception of things)

 

So just curious what experienced Pyro Raiders feel is best?

Edited February 2, 2012 by exphryl

[ericdjobs]

Did you seriously take all the accuracy out of your gear and replace it with crit/surge?

 

Yes, the itemization on the combat tech set stinks.. and requires some tweaking.. but you can't totally negate accuracy.

 

Rail shot is our big damage attack, and it's a weapon damage attack. It's also our only method of venting heat besides long CDs. A dodged/deflected railshot will totally eclipse ANY damage gains you get from stacking crit/surge. On top of that, it will screw your heat management.

 

You need SOME accuracy. I'm not quite sure what is perfectly optimal in relation to other stats, but if you're doing raid DPS you need at least some accuracy.

 

Remember, crit and surge ratings suffer from diminishing returns. Stacking them is actually counter-productive. You want a good balance.. and when you start to hit DRs on your ratings, you want to stack power.

 

The 8% damage bonus to railshot that combat tech provides is an excellent set bonus. It gives more damage to railshot than 100+ power would, easily. The 15% crit to railshot is also a very nice bonus; but IMO you lose too much.

 

We can't really say for sure without parses, but for SUSTAINED PvE Raid DPS...I firmly believe the combat tech to be better once outfitted with proper itemized 56 mods/enhancements.

 

PvP? Eliminator.. the 15% crit is jelly for burst, and the expertise makes it a no brainer.

[exphryl]

Sorry if my initial post was misleading.

 

I have a bit of the crit/accuracy enhancements to fill my accuracy needs when combined with earpiece/implants.

[Turockin]

Whats your rotation?

[ericdjobs]

Whats your rotation?

 

There really is no set 'rotation' for pyrotech because the spec relies heavily on PPA procs for damage and heat management.

 

You adjust your rotation to fit within your current heat signature etc.. usually it's something like

 

TSO -> IM (I always use TSO on IM) -> Railshot -> Flame Burst

 

Now here's where it gets tricky.. now you're going to have to use IF THEN statements

 

IF PPA procs THEN Railshot

if NO PPA Proc Rocket punch

IF rocket punch PPA proc railshot

if no PPA proc, flameburst again until RP is back up or until it's time to start weaving rapid shots in for heat management.

 

See, it's very variable. Basically the goal is to maximize PPA procs because they manage your heat as well as do amazing damage. You can't let yourself go over 40 heat though, because regen goes to ****; so you do have to weave in rapid shots depending on the amount of procs you get.. sometimes you're lucky and can string procs.. if that's the case your heat is really not much of an issue.

 

For burn phases I use explosive fuel combined with trinket/adrenal (gets the most out of explosive fuel), as well as using THermal Detonator on cooldown (it's really good damage/heat, problem is that it really screws up heat management for ppa fishing if you use it allll the time.. end up having to rapid shot more which means less chance to proc railshots which means less heat vented etc)

 

If there's no 'burn' phase for a given boss fight I will start the fight getting up to about 60-70 heat and blow vent heat from the start, usually with a fuel/trinket/adrenal.. because more than likely they will all be back up again for second use if you use early.