Jedi Shadow - lvl 14 - A couple questions

[Exar_Xan]

Well, after reading a lot of great guides out here I still feel like a noob for not understanding most of it, so I figure just to ask here what is best for my Jedi Shadow character.

 

I found out that during the game I like to stealth close to an enemy, then use Shadow Strike followed by Force Wave to knock them away from me. Then I use Quezen to tank and to keep the enemy away from me, while I use Telekinitic Throw and Project from a distance.

 

Who here can help me by giving me a great character build skilltree to supplement this kind of gameplay? Or recommend me something better if this doesnt work for the rest of the game.

 

Also:

 

1. When can you heal others from a distance? I came across that a lot while reading guides, but havent found that option anywhere.

2. Is there a preffered/handy way to arrange the Quickslot bar for my type of play?

3. Crew skills: They can only be updated by sending them out on those missions? If so, why then so many people at Coruscant and on Carrick Station who do nothing for you after picking the 3 that you can pick?

4. About Crew Skills: I picked Synthweaving, Archeology and Underworld Trading, after deciding I got no use for Biochem and making stims/medpacks (since I have found a lot of them alreayd and never used them). Good choices? I mainly picked these 3 since I like the items they can give me, altho it is highly unclear to me also when I acquire the more usefull schematics for said items (clothing mostly) since right now I can just make a few things and all are less then what I have equipped already.

 

Thanks for keeping the explanations as simple as possible for me!

[Noleader]

Well, after reading a lot of great guides out here I still feel like a noob for not understanding most of it, so I figure just to ask here what is best for my Jedi Shadow character.

 

I found out that during the game I like to stealth close to an enemy, then use Shadow Strike followed by Force Wave to knock them away from me. Then I use Quezen to tank and to keep the enemy away from me, while I use Telekinitic Throw and Project from a distance.

 

As you level up you will find that knocking things away from you just requires you to spend more time getting to them. While that works at low levels you will not use project/throw as a go to ability in later levels. As you work down one of the 3 spec trees you will find most of those abilities get buffs based on saber attacks/procs.

 

As far as good builds it really comes down to play style. I leveled as a tank (made things easy) and respeced inf at 50. Both specs are fun to play but if I had to give advice I would say go tank spec to lvl as it limits downtime.

 

1. When can you heal others from a distance? I came across that a lot while reading guides, but havent found that option anywhere.

 

Does not exist. We do not get any healing abilities which target others. One of the spec trees will heal you as you damage but it is limited healing.

 

2. Is there a preffered/handy way to arrange the Quickslot bar for my type of play?

 

Most used skills grouped together in the center bars and lesser used ones on the sides.

 

3. Crew skills: They can only be updated by sending them out on those missions? If so, why then so many people at Coruscant and on Carrick Station who do nothing for you after picking the 3 that you can pick?

 

The collection skills have no training.. they level up as you use them and new missions become active. The primary trade skill (biochem, artifice, etc) can be trained as you level to gain access to more powerful items.

 

4. About Crew Skills: I picked Synthweaving, Archeology and Underworld Trading, after deciding I got no use for Biochem and making stims/medpacks (since I have found a lot of them alreayd and never used them). Good choices? I mainly picked these 3 since I like the items they can give me, altho it is highly unclear to me also when I acquire the more usefull schematics for said items (clothing mostly) since right now I can just make a few things and all are less then what I have equipped already.

 

The trade skills are still being tweaked by BioWare so things are a bit up in the air still but those trade skills should serve you well. Right now Biochem is the must have it you min/max but with the next patch that is set to change.

[Exar_Xan]

As you level up you will find that knocking things away from you just requires you to spend more time getting to them. While that works at low levels you will not use project/throw as a go to ability in later levels. As you work down one of the 3 spec trees you will find most of those abilities get buffs based on saber attacks/procs.

 

As far as good builds it really comes down to play style. I leveled as a tank (made things easy) and respeced inf at 50. Both specs are fun to play but if I had to give advice I would say go tank spec to lvl as it limits downtime.

 

Well considering I do want to play all the classes eventually, I guess doing it as quickly as possible with builds have to make me go tank. Whats a good tank skill tree build that you recommened then?

[Kai-Eurah-Tird]

Kinetic Combat is the only tanking tree shadow gets.

[Exar_Xan]

Tank it is then...now all I need is a good skill-tree then that I can follow.... Edited February 3, 2012 by Exar_Xan

[PinnyFox]

Well considering I do want to play all the classes eventually, I guess doing it as quickly as possible with builds have to make me go tank. Whats a good tank skill tree build that you recommened then?

 

Leveled as infiltration up to 38, respecced to kinetic combat, then went back to infiltration at 40.

 

If you want to "play it safe" (IE never die ever) then sure, go with kinetic combat. You'll do reasonable damage, but an infiltration shadow will do much more.

 

For PvEing as kinetic combat, the build is pretty simple: You take everything that increases your shield chance.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#601rubckrskbs.1

 

Consulars start out with a tank companion, and get their healer around level 24-25, so I'd really recommend being infiltration up until that point, and then you can respec into kinetic combat. Otherwise, you'd just be at a disadvantage with two tanks.

[grandmasterub]

Well, after reading a lot of great guides out here I still feel like a noob for not understanding most of it, so I figure just to ask here what is best for my Jedi Shadow character.

 

I found out that during the game I like to stealth close to an enemy, then use Shadow Strike followed by Force Wave to knock them away from me. Then I use Quezen to tank and to keep the enemy away from me, while I use Telekinitic Throw and Project from a distance.

 

Who here can help me by giving me a great character build skilltree to supplement this kind of gameplay? Or recommend me something better if this doesnt work for the rest of the game.

 

Also:

 

1. When can you heal others from a distance? I came across that a lot while reading guides, but havent found that option anywhere.

2. Is there a preffered/handy way to arrange the Quickslot bar for my type of play?

3. Crew skills: They can only be updated by sending them out on those missions? If so, why then so many people at Coruscant and on Carrick Station who do nothing for you after picking the 3 that you can pick?

4. About Crew Skills: I picked Synthweaving, Archeology and Underworld Trading, after deciding I got no use for Biochem and making stims/medpacks (since I have found a lot of them alreayd and never used them). Good choices? I mainly picked these 3 since I like the items they can give me, altho it is highly unclear to me also when I acquire the more usefull schematics for said items (clothing mostly) since right now I can just make a few things and all are less then what I have equipped already.

 

Thanks for keeping the explanations as simple as possible for me!

 

I feel like you picked the wrong advanced class or maybe just have gotten them confused in the guides you read.

 

Jedi Shadows are melee to mid range. They use melee saber and force attacks. You will be very reliant on procs from melee.

 

If you are an infiltration shadow you will want to send Fess in first. Then move in using double strike to proc circling shadows and find weakness. Project is used with circling, shadow strike is ONLY used with find weakness.

 

If you are a kinetic shadow your rotation is going to be double strike to proc particle acceleration then project. You will also be maintaining force breach and kinetic ward.

 

Based on your play I think the balance tree is your best fit as a shadow. Although again it is still very reliant on melee to proc talents.

 

1. Sages get the heals

2. Personal preference. I clump mine by how often I use them or by offense vs defence.

3. Crafting is lvl'd by making non grey items. Archeology lvl'd by open world gathering or by crew missions. Underworld trading is only by crew missions.

4. For almost all professions. The crafted items will only be useful if your craft lvl is ahead of your lvl. So if you can only make lvl 12 belts then its not going to be better than your lvl 14 quest item. Also remember you can "reverse engineer" your crafted items to get materials back and learn better versions of said item.

 

Honestly though I think a Jedi Sage might have been what you were looking for. They almost exclusively range force abilities. They can heal. Etc...

[Exar_Xan]

Thanks for the replies!

 

Yeah, I may have choisen poorly out of noob-ness...but that is okay, I dont mind what playstyle I get used to, aslong as it makes me beat the game. So tank it is now, seeing as that works best and quickest.

 

So who can help me with a good filled in skilltree for this?

[Bilirubin]

One was posted. Also check the guide stickied at the top of the forum, under Kinetic Combat.

[MithrilSoul]

For PvEing as kinetic combat, the build is pretty simple: You take everything that increases your shield chance.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#601rubckrskbs.1

 

Consulars start out with a tank companion, and get their healer around level 24-25, so I'd really recommend being infiltration up until that point, and then you can respec into kinetic combat. Otherwise, you'd just be at a disadvantage with two tanks.

 

 

Nope, a few problems with that suggested build. 3 talent points in Mental Fortitude is generally considered a waste; 3% increase to endurance just isn't very much at all, especially when most of our survivability does NOT come from soaking damage but shielding/avoiding it. Whereas Technique Mastery is absolutely vital to us, so to only have 1/3 points in that is foolishness, and Mind over Matter is absolutely essential if you PvP, and even if you don't is extremely important as it extends the length of Resilience by 2 seconds which is a very important defensive skill for us against attacks that normally we cannot shield/deflect.

 

If you want to play as a full tank build, then you want to work towards 31/0/10. Great survivability, still pretty strong damage output especially once you have Particle Acceleration (KC tree tier 3), Bombardment (KC tree tier 5) and 3/3 Upheaval (Balance tree tier 2)...your Particle-Accelerated-Projects will absolutely hit like a truck and about half the time you'll be flinging a second rock doing another 50% damage. Can be a devastating amount of damage coming from someone with the defensive abilities of a tank.

 

Combine this build with a DPS companion and you will be rocking most solo content; if a fight is really really hard, switch out for a healing companion and you are just about unkillable.

 

Have fun with it.

[PinnyFox]

Nope, a few problems with that suggested build. 3 talent points in Mental Fortitude is generally considered a waste; 3% increase to endurance just isn't very much at all, especially when most of our survivability does NOT come from soaking damage but shielding/avoiding it. Whereas Technique Mastery is absolutely vital to us, so to only have 1/3 points in that is foolishness, and Mind over Matter is absolutely essential if you PvP, and even if you don't is extremely important as it extends the length of Resilience by 2 seconds which is a very important defensive skill for us against attacks that normally we cannot shield/deflect.

 

Works for me. I originally thought technique mastery was good, then saw that everyone was saying it's terrible and not worth it, so meh.

[MithrilSoul]

Works for me. I originally thought technique mastery was good, then saw that everyone was saying it's terrible and not worth it, so meh.

 

9% internal/elemental resistance as a tank is really, really nice...since those types of attacks ignore armor (which makes our armor buff worthless) and can't be shielded/deflected. So basically it is an extra 9% survivability against the attacks that typically give us (and all tanks) the most trouble.

[Exar_Xan]

Browsing trough the skills as posted by MithrilSoul, I gotta say I do like the sounds of this build. Any particular order I should go for them, or just go bottom row from left to right first and then work my way up?

[Bilirubin]

If you are talking about the 31/0/10 build (which I am currently leveling up) fill in the kinetic tree first, then add in the balance elements.

[MithrilSoul]

Browsing trough the skills as posted by MithrilSoul, I gotta say I do like the sounds of this build. Any particular order I should go for them, or just go bottom row from left to right first and then work my way up?

 

Just my $0.02, don't take this as gospel truth or anything, just my own suggestion...

 

 

Points 1-2 in Double-Bladed Saber Defense. Increases your defense plus provides a low but steady buff to your Force Regen (which is an issue for Kinetic tanks, IMO, until you get your talent points in One with the Force in tier 4)

 

Points 3-5 in Technique Mastery.

 

Points 6-7 in Rapid Recovery (increases your self-heal) and 8-10 in some combination of Elusiveness and Applied Force.

 

Points 11-12 in Kinetic Ward and Particle Acceleration; order depends on whether you feel at this point you need better defense or more DPS.

 

Point 13-15 in Mind over Matter and Shadowsight. If you PvP a lot I'd say Mind over Matter first; if you don't, probably Shadowsight (for the defense buff) first.

 

Points 16-18 One with the Force...huge huge help in keeping your Force pool up.

 

Points 19-20 with Impact Control. Helps your defense a little. The self-healing part of it we don't get until level 50 however.

 

Points 21-23 in Stasis, Bombardment, and Force Pull. I call these the "big 3." All are really, really nice. Order up to you.

 

 

At this point, I think you then have some choices. Some would continue on in KC all the way to the capstone. I, on the other hand, once I got the big 3 of Stasis, Bombardment, and Force Pull, switched over and started putting points into the Balance tree. Upheaval (Balance tier 2), when combined with Particle Acceleration and Bombardment, makes your Projects hit like a truck...it's almost an absurd amount of damage for someone with the defenses of a tank. (Shhh...don't tell anyone. lol) And then with Psychokinesis (Balance tier 2) those Projects are also costing you only 39 Force to cast. At the same time, the stuff at the top of the KC tree is nice too; Slow Time is a really good defensive skill that with recent changes is doing decent damage too, and Harnassed Shadows can make your Telekinetic Throws hit hard too and also provide some nice self-healing.

 

But by the point you need to make that decision, you will be level 33 or so, and so will probably have a much better feel for how your Shadow is shaping up and what you want to do with him.

 

Good luck!

Edited February 4, 2012 by MithrilSoul

[Exar_Xan]

Thanks a lot!

 

Shae I dont play on the Jedi Covenant server or I would have looked you up

Edited February 4, 2012 by Exar_Xan