Watchman PVP spec nuances

[Rakimou]

Greetings ladies(right) and gents.

 

Here's what I consider to be a baseline of any PVP watchman spec: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501bIbRMRMfGz.1

The only debatable points are, I think, 2/2 in Burning Focus (focus generation off dots). But overall it's hard to completely **** up a watchman spec.

 

With 10 points left it's reasonable to look at the 5 pointers in the other trees, which we might want. Those are:

Defensive Roll

Second Wind

Swift Slash

While I don't think that Second Wind and Swift Slash are particulary good, all other five pointers are completely useless in PVP.

 

Defensive Roll is an obvious winner in my eyes, but in order to get it we must spend 5 points in combat:

Defensive Forms is great, so that's 2/5, but frankly I think both Jedi Crusader and Dual Wield Mastery are lackluster. Is it worth wasting 3 points in DW Mastery in order to get Defensive Roll? If yes, then we're left with 3 points to spend. I'd put two of them in Inflammation (free snare on Cauterize), I always get it. And 1 point can go to either Valor or Focused Pursuit.

We end up with something like this:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501bIrRRRMfGzZhMM.1

 

Defensive Roll is obviously good, but very situational. Being a sentinel you shouldn't be hit by AOE too much. And it doesn't enhance our strongest point - solo DPS.

 

The problem is, if we don't get Defensive Roll, we can get both Valor 2/2 and Focused Pursuit 2/2, which I consider to be very good. And we can put 2 points in Master Focus or Stagger (I'd go with Master Focus).

The result is:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501bIrRrRrfGzZ0MZM.1

 

So it boils down to this:

DW Mastery + Defensive Roll vs a mix of Inflammation, Focused Pursuit, Valor and Master Focus.

 

At the moment I use the spec with Defensive Roll, but I think I'm going to switch to the other one.

 

Feel free to post your builds and opinions.

Cheers.

[Psybin]

Your basic spec I broadly agree with.

 

In my opinion valour is basically a must have. Defensive forms as well, for both the effects it gives. With both of these talents you should be building centering like crazy. Allowing you to pop zen multiple times against one person and then being able to trans when they are dead or if you need to bravely run away.

 

Force fade, whilst undoubtedly nice is not a must have for me. I take it if I can, but don't put it on the required skill list.

 

Focused persuit I do not bother with. 50% is already good enough. I certainly would not take it over Valour.

 

I also do not really rate defensive roll for PvP. Not as highly as you seem to. It's mainly useful against focus spec bombers, but really not many other AoEs should touch/bother you. So situationally useful at best.

 

You say burning focus is debatable? Not in my opinion. You also say Jedi Crusader is lacklustre. But personally I like to put 1 point in there. Basically, in PvP if you are taking damage Rebuke should be up. In a fight againt another melee, Within 3s you will probably get hit at least two times, therefor the chances of you getting 1 free focus every 3s is very high. This can quite often be the difference between a win or a loss in say a fight against another mara/sent. 2 points is a waste tho.

With these talents I find I have lots more focus to play with. Which means I can spam more skills. More focus = more damage = more killkillpewpew.

 

Dual wield mastery. It's not a big damage increase, but it will make for example merciless slash hit quite a bit harder. If you are in the position where you are very well geared and trying to break the 5k single hit with Merc, then this talent is required.

It adds to your baseline damage, which is multiplied by your skills.

 

Master focus. Kind of meh for me. The reduced CD on master strike is basically irrelevent. In PvP master strike is mainly useful against: a) Idiots. b) People you are tag teaming.

In either case, you are hardly ever popping it on CD.

The reduced CD on stasis. Meh. 10s reduced CD barely signifies.

 

Focused Leap. I find this a lot more useful than it seems on paper. 1 extra focus every 12s is almost irrelevent.

But with this talent, from zero focus you can:

Leap-overload-zealous-cautarise-merc. You will miss out on two stacks of juyo form on your merc, but you will still deliver a butt load of damage in 3 globals. This is pretty massive burst, especially if you have the centering for Zen.

I also always take Inflamation. In my opinion saving two focus and a global is worth it's weight in gold.

If your Merc doesn't reset cautarise, you can always apply the leg slash later. You should have the time/focus for it after delivering your train, if you have the focus building talents.

[LordBladewind]

Force Fade saved my life so many times in PvP, I would never leave home without it.