Annihilation problem

[RG_jhanlec]

So I have leveled carnage up to this point, now at lvl 42 I want to swap over to annihilation and give it a try since it may be my preference end game for PvE. I hear it does some really insane damage compared to carnage at least...

 

I feel after switching from Carnage that it does in fact do more damage, but I feel like I am rage starved all the time after initial sequence. Annihilate itself is decent DPS and all, but it uses a lot of rage (5 with 1 return)! I seem to be having problems keeping my rage up and ready when it pops in order to keep its cool down buff up.

 

So boss fights last night were like this.

Start fight>charge>deadly saber>batter assault>annih>impale, use assault to rebuild rage until deadly saber is ready again.

 

Now when annihilate comes back up I am often rage starved and lose the CD buff on it. I find that my 3rd stack of bleed is off before deadly saber is back up again and I thought was supposed to remain on target the whole time. I get so "mashy" I miss when impale is back up and battering assault is being watched like a hawk for more rage.

 

I find I use "assault" a lot more in order to keep rage going. Often to get that extra 1-2 rage to use deadly saber, impale or annihilate.

 

This is obviously an inexperience thing, but I am curious what people are doing to keep rage topped or in range to always have enough. Do you fall into auto attacks/assault much? Maybe at lvl 50 it gets better?

 

I don't really use ravage any more and force scream less too because of rage issues. Is this normal? I read ravage is less important now but it seems like a big loss of damage on stationary boss fight.... Do you use force charge every time it is up for the rage, or save it for actual use? I dont use VS anymore, not even as a rage dump at end of fights because I just dont have the rage to do so.

 

Thanks all!

[Daemondred]

You don't use force scream in PvE, ever.

 

I very rarely seen an opportunity to use ravage either.

 

Basically your charge should be talented and lined up with DS each time its up. The priority system is fairly simple and you shouldn't be using any rage abilities other than annihilate, DS, ravage, and VS if you have excess rage. If Ravage and Annihilate are both on CD you should be using assault to pool rage and bleeding any excess with VS to refresh ravage.

 

It takes some getting used to if you are coming from carnage because the abilities used are totally different. If it helps while you are learning take Ravage, Shout, Retaliate, etc all off your bars.

 

The opening rotation is basically as you described:

 

Charge (+4) > DS (-3) > BA (+6) > Anni (-4) > Rupture (-2)

 

That leaves you with 1 rage, plus any you gain through Empowerment.

 

At this point you can Assault (+2) > VS (-2) to reset Rupture early. Other than that you keep everything else on CD as it comes up. I try to keep 3 rage at all times for Rupture getting reset.

 

There isn't really a set "rotation" once the initial rotation is through. You just learn it as you play how to pool and burn rage. If you find it easier just use assault to pool up a decent amount of rage. Just make sure you burn it before things like charge/BA come off cd so you don't waste any.

[RG_jhanlec]

Cool, thanks for tips; will move scream to secondary bind then so its so habitual for me to use. Immortal tank main and now carnage marauder up til now...