QuestGAV Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Hi guys, I'm levelling a Powertech alt and love the concept of the class and think in general it's underplayed. However, I'm running into a problem that I'm hoping you guys can help with. Playing my powertech feels... awkward. I've got a ridiculous number of great abilities that dont seem to synch up with each other well. I'm only level 17 and hoping for some help trying to get things to work together better and manage my heat. Death from Above is obviously a ridiculous skill at this point that just lays waste to any group of normals in front of me. Mixing in an explosive dart against groups is a good way to finish them off. And then missile blast is decent single target DPS, but that small AOE was really screwing with CC when trying to do a heroic quest and it doesn't seem particularly heat efficient. Rail shot seems like a reasonable single-target DPS - but I dont have much that helps me use it. Seems like using a stun just to get off a rail shot in PvE is poor management. Unload seems like the best ranged skill along with Death from Above and I try to use it whenever off cooldown. Then there's all the close range abilities - flame thrower is fun but requires perfect positioning. Rocket punch is nice when off CD. Flame burst spammable but doesnt seem like the most efficient. Plus all this close-up fighting requires a lot of movement that doesnt synch up with the positioning required for flame thrower. Can you guys help me with a decent rotation that helps me take all these diverse skills and puts them together in a more heat efficient way? I'm levelling shield tech... are there any game changing abilities coming my way? I don't feel underpowered... just having trouble figuring out how to make use of this class. I've tanked before, I've done range and melee dps, but trying to make them all work at once is frustrating me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthMors Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I feel the same and have similar questions. Let me know when you get answers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umpire Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 poewrtech feels awk till about level 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varicite Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 poewrtech feels awk till about level 30. Sadly this is the case. It definitely felt more awkward for the first 10 levels of PT after having played mostly as a ranged character. It's counter-intuitive to suddenly run into the fray and Flame Burst is not that great when you first get it. Later on, however, talents will make it worthwhile and even great depending on your spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-royer Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I'm still leveling my powertech (22) so my input is not expert, but here are a couple simple tips: If I remember correctly, the tooltip on Rail Shot says something about the target needing to be incapacitated, but Rail Shot will activate if the target is under the effects of a damage over time ability. Other than the DoT from combustible cylinder, you have to go looking into the skill trees to find one. Shield Tree - Ion Overload should be the next talent you take. That will make Rocket Punch -> Rail Shot a predictable high damage combo for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdstephen Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 It's because the bounty hunter core class is more ranged in nature than melee, so it takes a while to fully transition into a melee class. It's the same thing with operatives; it doesn't feel natural until you hit level 20 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Stig Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 It is just you. Class is very balanced and highly mobile. You have TONS of CC tools for PvE and should NEVER die. I have never ONCE died during my leveling to a PvE mob. Trash mobs can be countered with : unload, explosive dart - DFA. Than you have your jet charge, pulls, stuns. It is an amazing class. Takes skill to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDTC Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 it did feel a bit weird at first, having a gun and a bunch of ranged skills and then having to charge into 4-10m range. you'll get used to the melee aspect of the class pretty soon, and around midlevel it gets its own feel rather well. i personally love the class. love the survivability and the mobility most of all. i say stick with it, try different things with the class until 30 or so and it'll smooth out real nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanash Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 As people have said stick with it till lv 30. As soon as you get Jet charge Things just seem to pull together. I use a version of the 21/2/18, very slightly different spend but more attune to my playstyle. A fantastic support/dps class in WZ's, and almost unkillable in PvE when using Mako. The playstyle really does transform depending on spec. Deep into the 21/2/18 build it's rare you'll use anything outside of incend, flame burst and rocket punch as you'll be pushing for rail shot procs.(which cost no heat and return 8 heat on hit due to spec) Heat dissipation also sorts itself out with this spec. Nothing quite beats Death from above'ing a pack of mobs, jet charging in to finish one off, grappling another to you and smacking it with a rocket punch. You just feel permenantly awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestGAV Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 Thanks, this is all useful feedback (except for the guy who said he never died - you're a tool). I'll continue rolling with it and see what I can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishbrewed Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Thanks, this is all useful feedback (except for the guy who said he never died - you're a tool). I'll continue rolling with it and see what I can do. Lol... My sentiment exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenzyguy Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I'm still leveling my powertech (22) so my input is not expert, but here are a couple simple tips: If I remember correctly, the tooltip on Rail Shot says something about the target needing to be incapacitated, but Rail Shot will activate if the target is under the effects of a damage over time ability. Other than the DoT from combustible cylinder, you have to go looking into the skill trees to find one. Shield Tree - Ion Overload should be the next talent you take. That will make Rocket Punch -> Rail Shot a predictable high damage combo for you. This and in the 2 other tree the first ability you can get at 20 (incendiary missile or retractable blade) put a dot on the target Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morticoccus Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 This and in the 2 other tree the first ability you can get at 20 (incendiary missile or retractable blade) put a dot on the target Why is anyone even talking about retractable blade? Incendiary missile is what every PT should have, if you look at the amount of discussion on this forum without looking at the skill trees in the game you might even think that there only is two trees and a line of loose floating skills. Advanced prototype is the build I want to play, it's just drowned out by the other two trees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krafen Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I didn't really notice the awkward feeling early on, but the abilities do come together much better as you level. Against normal mobs, you have a lot of cc. Hit one with Explosive Dart, then Unload on a nearby mob. Both will take the Explosive Dart damage and neither will be able to act. Missile Blast is heat-inefficient for straight damage, but it can be handy for moving normal mobs around. You can hit a normal with Explosive Dart, then use Missile Blast to knock it close to an enemy so they both take Explosive Dart damage. Also, alternating between Missile Blast and Rapid Shots does decent damage and shuts down the target. Rail Shot is a little awkward initially. Mako does have a DoT that will let you use it fairly often. The second tier Shield Tech skill Ion Overload will make Rocket Punch do a DoT automatically. Rocket Punch is a little awkward due to its short range, but it will become one of your primary abilities. The fifth tier Shield Tech ability Jet Charge will help a lot. Grapple is handy as well, but the cooldown is a bit long. I find Flame Burst primarily useful for applying the damage debuff Combust (Shield Tech tier one). It's also an always available armor penetrating attack, if you need just a little more damage to kill something. It generates too much heat to use repeatedly in most cases. The flamethrower cone seems fairly generous. Practice with it to get a good feel for it's size. You can often hit several targets if you think in terms of just touching them with the edge of the cone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assaultrooper Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Sadly this is the case. It definitely felt more awkward for the first 10 levels of PT after having played mostly as a ranged character. It's counter-intuitive to suddenly run into the fray and Flame Burst is not that great when you first get it. Later on, however, talents will make it worthwhile and even great depending on your spec. No! its not the case! things you are doing wrong: Don't use Missle Blast, or Unload. use flame burst as ur normal spammable attack use rocket punch when out of combat and throw in explosive dart. Thats ur rotation. IF ur lvl 17 Shieldtech or pyrotech u should already have a DOT-able specced cylinder, which allows u to use rail shot WITHOUT using ur precious stun. If you are shield tech roation would go rocket punch-rail shot-explosive dart, flame burst to death. If your pyrotech, Rotation would go Incendiary missle/Flame burst-> rail shot -> explosive dart-> rocket punch. Powertech is by far less "awkward" than mercenaries. or most any other class, u get ur basic rotation when u hit lvl 10 which will change very little. Good Hunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QiBao Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 poewrtech feels awk till about level 30. This. And Missile Blast should be removed from your action bars as soon as you feel you are comfortable with your amount of 30m ranged abilities. It's a terrible ability due to the damage/heat ratio. Once you get grapple and carbonize using FT becomes much easier. You can get off a RS using the explosive dart on normal mobs since they're incapacitated. Until you get a reliable dot (IGC for ST, RB for AP, FB for Pyro) you won't use it as much as you will later (every CD). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atemus Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 (edited) It feels ankward if you do not know what you are doing. Missile Blast should be removed from toolbar at level 10 and only used for PvP prevent capping. Use Flame burst. Here is the mini guide how to not feel ankward as PT at the starting levels: Go Pyro. Putting first few points in to Bursting Flame gives large damage increase to Flame Burst since first tick of CGC always comes with initial application and even more important it makes it so that you can Rail Shot right from the start. Edited February 12, 2012 by Atemus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakamp Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 It is just you. Class is very balanced and highly mobile. You have TONS of CC tools for PvE and should NEVER die. I have never ONCE died during my leveling to a PvE mob. Trash mobs can be countered with : unload, explosive dart - DFA. Than you have your jet charge, pulls, stuns. It is an amazing class. Takes skill to play. never die?! did u finish all endgames? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xneco Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Yeah, Powertech did feel a bit awkward in the teens.. but once I got Grapple and Jet Charge I was hooked... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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