I made the mistake of speccing pyro for the first time.

[tbsly]

After playing pyro last night, I dont think I'll ever spec back into a shieldtech hybrid spec for pvp.

 

The burst damage of pyro is just out of this world. I would have problems with some classes as a 21/2/18 spec. Last night, I just blew people up. There is a worlds difference in burst damage from full pyro to a shieldtech hybrid such as 21/2/18.

 

I did miss jet charge though. Jet charge may be the only reason i ever spec back into shieldtech.

 

I'm still rocking 5 pieces of centurian gear, the rest champion. I'd hate to see the numbers a mostly battlemaster pyrotech would do in pvp using stims, adrenals, and trinkets.

[Libertine]

you will stop missing jet charge after 2-3 days of playing pyro.

 

sad fact is that hybrid builds are allways lacking in terms of killing power compared to full pyro spec. sure, youll get somewhat better survivability out of it but what good is it if you can withstand the zerg for 7.5sec rather then 5sec compared to just go ******* and blowing up people with a series of 4k crits ?

 

i gave hybrids a try but in the end full pyro is just better, you may be more squishy but you kill stuff a helluva lot faster so it doesnt really matter.

 

pyro in action:

http://swtormovies.com/movieview.php?id=1847

http://swtormovies.com/movieview.php?id=2155

Edited February 14, 2012 by Libertine

[exphryl]

you will stop missing jet charge after 2-3 days of playing pyro.

 

 

This.

 

Once you get familiar with Pyro's playstyle, it's a very hard spec to well, spec out of. You have to get over not having Jet Charge (Which really is only useful in 1 WZ), and a much much much lower survivability rate. The trade off being intense damage that if you focus the right players can help your team out greatly.

 

For example, that tank that is guarding the healer? You can apply massive burst damage to him and follow it up with a DFA on both for a lot of damage which is very hard to heal through.

 

That Healer that nobody can kill? Use your burst do down him. Sure, you'll probably die afterwards but it's enough to help your team push that objective or point though.

 

Even with the surge nerf, the few games I played didn't hurt me at all. Had a harder time getting the 5K Medal but still doable if you get a high ranged crit (with trinkets/adrenals etc obviously)

[Dharagada]

After playing pyro last night, I dont think I'll ever spec back into a shieldtech hybrid spec for pvp.

 

The burst damage of pyro is just out of this world. I would have problems with some classes as a 21/2/18 spec. Last night, I just blew people up. There is a worlds difference in burst damage from full pyro to a shieldtech hybrid such as 21/2/18.

 

I did miss jet charge though. Jet charge may be the only reason i ever spec back into shieldtech.

 

I'm still rocking 5 pieces of centurian gear, the rest champion. I'd hate to see the numbers a mostly battlemaster pyrotech would do in pvp using stims, adrenals, and trinkets.

 

Heh you may change your tune when you start becoming a high priority target for the other team and they make it a point to focus you down as soon as they see you.

 

Both the Pyro spec and a good shield pvp spec are valid choices just different jobs.

 

There's something to be said for being able to hold the turret/door long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Also a pyrotech is probably one of the worst ball carriers in the game, so if you want to be a ball carrier don't spec pyro.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm pyro and I love it, but I do like to switch it up now and then, it helps keep things fun.

[Libertine]

Heh you may change your tune when you start becoming a high priority target for the other team and they make it a point to focus you down as soon as they see you.

 

Both the Pyro spec and a good shield pvp spec are valid choices just different jobs.

 

There's something to be said for being able to hold the turret/door long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Also a pyrotech is probably one of the worst ball carriers in the game, so if you want to be a ball carrier don't spec pyro.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm pyro and I love it, but I do like to switch it up now and then, it helps keep things fun.

 

you get anything but a sorc carrying the ball your doing something wrong ... :-)

 

anyway, getting focus fired happens as a pyro once you wiped the floor with the enemy once or twice...happens to me almost every game...

ofc this is also in a way fulfilling my role since they tend to put a lot of effort in to hunt me down which makes the neglect warzone objectives at times.

 

shieldtech just gets ignored after some time since you cant do damage worth s*it anyway.

[Prolyfic]

Not if you carbonize ppl on your ball carrier (if it works but when it does woot), pull the ball carrier into the hazards with grapple and stun him there, drop oil for 20% miss chance to ALL enemy players surrounding your capture point or your bomb at the door then spam flame sweep to interrupt clicks, jump off the ledge next to the ball carrier spamming grapple and fling him down below, jump into the acid with 20% hp when surrounded by four players and grapple one to melt him with you..

 

See a PVP tank is more than just defense. Its about pissing ppl off so bad they can do nothing but try to kill you. its called building player agro If ppl are able to ignore you as a utility laden defensive pvp tank, then you aren't doing it right. With player agro on top of guard and taunts, you can prevent more dmg to your teammates than any single dps just killing off targets one at a time.

 

If you spec to pyro and prefer it more than shieldtech, you become a pvp dps one of a million. It may feel good doing high numbers after being a tank for so long, but a great pvp tank is a huge asset and not nearly as common in swtor as pvp dps that can crit for 4k.

 

Personally I can't wait for dual spec so I can mix it up while pvping, but if I can only have one build its shieldtech.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Prolyfic

[Sevvy]

I love Pyro. But Iron Fist is fun as hell, too. I'd spec that more often if Carbonize wasn't broken by the 2-piece Combat Tech set bonus.

[Dharagada]

I love Pyro. But Iron Fist is fun as hell, too. I'd spec that more often if Carbonize wasn't broken by the 2-piece Combat Tech set bonus.

 

Two reasons I don't use Iron Fist more, the two piece being broken and the fact that I usually switch back to a DPS spec if I run an operation.

 

I need to go raid the republic fleet and steal the vanguard armor.

[Dharagada]

you get anything but a sorc carrying the ball your doing something wrong ... :-)

 

anyway, getting focus fired happens as a pyro once you wiped the floor with the enemy once or twice...happens to me almost every game...

ofc this is also in a way fulfilling my role since they tend to put a lot of effort in to hunt me down which makes the neglect warzone objectives at times.

 

shieldtech just gets ignored after some time since you cant do damage worth s*it anyway.

 

Warriors/Knights, Assassins/Shadows, Sages/Sorcs are all excellent ball carriers.

 

Shield Techs, Sentinels/Marauders are decent ball carriers.

 

Pyrotechs, Operatives, Snipers horrible ball carriers.

 

Yeah we definitely can get focused fired once they realize how hard you hit, so once that starts happening it's time to start peeling to full effect.

 

A pure shield tech doesn't do much damage, but can still be a good ball carrier, and good at protecting doors/turrets and keeping healers and other squishies alive.

 

Speccing into something like Iron Fist gives decent damage, damage that can't just be ignored even when using the eliminator set, even better if we had a working combat tech set. It's obviously not Pyro level, but then again your not going to be focused down as fast either.

[Pokupo]

I have found that I had gotten more Hate on me from the other side when I was a Shield Tech PT.

 

I think it is because people are cluing in that if you kill the guy Guarding the Healer, and who is throwing Taunts out at everyone it will make their life Easier.

 

That and in the capture the three Points WZ I can usually solo defend, or with someone else, get rolled and live long enough preventing people capping that my allies arrive and we do not lose the point.

 

I also get more medals as a ST or Parakeet Hybrid atm than if I am full Pyro. Even though I do more DMG and kill more Targets.

 

And I hate Ball Carrying, unless I am Advance Prototype.

[tbsly]

i couldn't take it. i had to go back CP spec. over half of my games on my server are huttball. CP is just good for hutball. Yes, pyro does rediculous damage. i was topping damage done numbers at the end of every wz but i got tired of getting zerged. i felt like i was wearing paper as pyro. for my gear level, my railshots as cp aren't hitting that much less than for pyro. probably 1000 damage less. i can live with that considering the buff in survivability and overall utility of CP.

[SeanofSF]

I am in a similar dilemma. I really like playing CP because I feel like it is extremely versatile, but only viable for huttball. It can be frustrating when i cant get an enemy down very quickly. However, with jet charge and guard I can either be a ball carrier or good support. Of it was based on medals I would stay on this build.

 

Pyro does tons of damage, but I don't really feel like I can change a game. It's nice to be able to burn a target down quickly, but I'm not able to stay up as long. I have been switching back and forth, but not completely sure where to stay. One thing I have to do more is my aoe taunt.

[Vanash]

Recently switched to pyro. In terms of WZ's there's no huge loss in having IGC active. Lose a root but gain alot of surviveability, and can still guard a healer (and dps down/taunt their attacker) Only trouble is you end up being more reliant on IM to be the dot to proc RS and the 8 heat return, which can lead to heat issues.

 

If a bit more cautious than the usual guns blazing 21/2/18 you can still be pretty versatile.

[exphryl]

Pyro does tons of damage, but I don't really feel like I can change a game. It's nice to be able to burn a target down quickly, but I'm not able to stay up as long. I have been switching back and forth, but not completely sure where to stay. One thing I have to do more is my aoe taunt.

 

If you pick and choose your targets, much like an operative would, you can change the game *entirely*.

 

Common examples: Healers, Tanks guarding a ball carrier, etc.

 

We've all been in games where a healer isn't focused and just healing away with his team not dying, well hell, as pyro, you can "easily" solo him, or at the very least put enough pressure on him so he HAS to just heal himself (Grapple him out of his guard range if that's the case).

 

Just one of many possible situations where you can actually change the game

[SeanofSF]

You're right. Definitely can focus fire.

 

If I am solo qeueing I can be more of a game changer if I can do some damage and score or protect goal scorer.

[AetherMcLoud]

Jet Charge is the only thing the hybrid tank spec has going for it. What I LOVE about a full pyro spec is the talent that reduces the Shield cooldown by 6 seconds whenever you take damage. I can pretty much spam shield as a full pyro, while as a tank I have to wait 2 minutes between activations

 

Still I'd trade Jet Charge for Grapple any day of the week.

[TheronFett]

I'm still not a believer in hybrid specs. Jet Charge is okay, but it's not really worth investing that many points in ST to get when the DPS available from Pyro is so overwhelming.

 

The best defense is a good offense. At least in my experience, when running the CP build, I was focused down by multiples more often because I was much harder to kill. When spec'd as Pyro, you add a lot more range to your arsenal and can rain death from a distance and even more so if someone is stupid enough to close in on you.

 

I've found that by getting deep enough into ST for the 16% armor increase is a good balance between armor and DPS. You lose some crit % in doing so, but gain quite a bit of armor in the process.

[DjasPuhr]

Jet Charge is the only thing the hybrid tank spec has going for it. What I LOVE about a full pyro spec is the talent that reduces the Shield cooldown by 6 seconds whenever you take damage. I can pretty much spam shield as a full pyro, while as a tank I have to wait 2 minutes between activations

 

Still I'd trade Jet Charge for Grapple any day of the week.

 

Does Energy Rebounder only reduce the 2 minute cooldown by 6 seconds? If so doesn't seem that great for a pyro talent of all things. Am I missing something?

[Dharagada]

Does Energy Rebounder only reduce the 2 minute cooldown by 6 seconds? If so doesn't seem that great for a pyro talent of all things. Am I missing something?

 

It reduces the cool down by 3 seconds every time your hit, but has a cool down of 1.5 seconds.

 

Considering how squishy Pyrotechs are and the lack of escape mechanics having our shield up faster is a good thing.

[Sevvy]

Pyro does tons of damage, but I don't really feel like I can change a game. It's nice to be able to burn a target down quickly, but I'm not able to stay up as long. I have been switching back and forth, but not completely sure where to stay. One thing I have to do more is my aoe taunt.

 

Get good at surviving and you'll be fine. Once you start getting focused because you blow people up, you'll be forced to learn. I don't die more than 2 or 3 times very often. And if I play with a group, I usually don't die at all. It's all about LOS and knowing when to leave a bad situation.

 

I am definitely a game changer.

[DjasPuhr]

Jet Charge is the only thing the hybrid tank spec has going for it. What I LOVE about a full pyro spec is the talent that reduces the Shield cooldown by 6 seconds whenever you take damage. I can pretty much spam shield as a full pyro, while as a tank I have to wait 2 minutes between activations

 

Still I'd trade Jet Charge for Grapple any day of the week.

 

Does Energy Rebounder only reduce the 2 minute cooldown by 6 seconds? If so doesn't seem that great for a pyro talent of all things. Am I missing something?

[Holy_Wars]

I've played a powertech and vanguard to 50. Tried every build out there extensively. I find a heavy tank build to be most effective in most scenarios, and most valuable to my team.

 

25% shield chance, 76% armor, 13% raw damage reduction, 6% absorbtion, rocket jump, 3 second root and guard just gives too much staying power and utility to pass up.

[exphryl]

Does Energy Rebounder only reduce the 2 minute cooldown by 6 seconds? If so doesn't seem that great for a pyro talent of all things. Am I missing something?

 

Everytime you are hit it'll reduce it by 6 secs (basically makes it a 1 min cooldown or so)

[sludgeviper]

Pyrotech is huge burst damage but it's about one of the shallowest classes in any MMO ever. Boring as hell, one trick pony. All you do is work for that Rail Shot proc. Maybe I'm just nuts that I'd rather have fun with AP instead of being whatever is best. I specced this once and got the same damage as AP or better, but spent at least 30% less time on the playing field.

[Umpire]

I LIKE HAMMERS BETTER AHHHH

 

I LIKE SAWS BETTER AHHHH

 

two different specs for two different jobs