Sylriana Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Opportune and Pommel are used rarely and I never use Juyo (as combat or focus. Shii-Cho has a few niche uses on huge AoE groups for the Zen if you aren't focus). Other than that, everything has at least some use. As for getting used to it. It's only intimidating if you try to take it all in at once. Go slow, get a new skill and work out a keybind for it. Doing it piecemeal will make it come more naturally (IMO) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeptastic Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Watchman is a focus starved spec to begin with. In light of that, blade storm is not a reasonable focus cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talorra Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Watchman is a focus starved spec to begin with. In light of that, blade storm is not a reasonable focus cost. lol, what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chessack Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Watchman doesn't use blade storm. That's about it. My spec is pure Watchman at level 38 and I use Blade storm regularly. It's not like it's an either/or situation.... There are cases where you can use Blade Storm but not other powers, like when the target is at range and Force Leap is not up yet. Rather than running toward them and not doing any damage as I close the distance, I will do Blade Storm, Saber Throw, and if leap is not up still, then Stasis. Usually the combo of those 3 will more than kill any standard foe. In a typical fight against 3 standards that are apart and at range (so AOEs won't do any good), I will Leap in, chew up the first standard with melee attacks, target foe #2, then Blade Storm, Saber Throw, Stasis, dead, then target #3, Force Leap, and finish with whatever melee moves are "up." Usually most of them are up by now. I kill 3-4 mob standard clusters quite fast doing this, and it feels quite effective. I'm sure there are other ways to do it (Sents have soooo many options compared to other classes, IMO)... but I don't think it's necessary to take Blade Storm totally off the hot bars. And while we're at it, I use Riposte too, sometimes, though not as often. Mostly I use it when I have focus and nothing else but "slash" is up. I get tired of doing slash-slash-slash so I will mix in a Riposte just for variety. I do not feel like my DPS suffers for it over the times when I don't use it. I could live without Riposte, though. But Blade Storm.. I'm not sure why I'd want to forego one of the only attacks we have at range. That seems like purposely gimping yourself. Sure you don't use it when better options are available, but when a mob is a BS range away and you have the focus, especially when one BS will kill, why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliteSeraph Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 I'm surprised so many people don't use master strike in PVP. It's such an awesome ability that does plenty damage. I use this all the time. Make sure you get your leg slash on the target. Then try to anticipate which way the target is moving. Position yourself in a way that the target will be in your range for longest amount of time trying to walk away. You'd be surprised how far away you can be from your target and still be hitting it. I actually use Master Strike in pvp pretty often. Even if I don't get the last hit(the biggest hit!) I still get a focus free 2 hits in with no problem. And I'll always try to use it against stunned or rooted/slowed targets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveGarbage Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'm a Watchman: I've taken both Riposte and Blade Storm off my hotbars. Both are too expensive focus-wise for the damage they deal. Otherwise I pretty much use everything else. Also as a PvE player, I always use Zen and never pop Transcendence. I love Pommel Strike and Opportune Strike for helping me clear out weaker mobs and I've recently found an appreciation for Dispatch too. There are a lot of skills I don't use often - Resolve, Saber Ward, Stun Droid, Force Camouflauge, Guarded by the Force and Call on the Force - so I have those on my hotbar but not mapped. When I need them I rely on an good old mouse click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifferdude Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 In pvp, I dont really use zen tht much, probably because Im to focused on fighting than looking to see if I ahave 30 centering yet.... so, ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apocalypse- Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Opportune and Pommel don't have a place on your bar. They're mildly useful for clearing trash, but I don't waste keybinds on something I don't even pay attention to. As Watchman, I don't regularly use Riposte or Bladestorm, but I have both on keybinds (shift+G for Riposte, G6 (G110 keyboard, I hit it with the base of my little finger) for Blade Storm. Riposte is only used to bypass BPE to apply overload saber if I need to, Blade Storm is only used as a BPE bypass and as a failsafe if out of range and Dispatch doesn't kill. If you expect to be really competitive as a Sentinel, expect to use 20-25 different skills per fight and have another ~5-10 available for light use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFirewind Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 It's safe to say that Riposte is the only ability that gets no use from me. Everything else has some sort of use and stays keybound. I'm Watchman spec BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliteSeraph Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Opportune and Pommel don't have a place on your bar. They're mildly useful for clearing trash, but I don't waste keybinds on something I don't even pay attention to. This actually makes a lot of sense. Trash is pretty inconsequential, so getting max DPS while fighting them isn't really all that important. How about for PVP tho? Are Opportune and Pommel Strike pretty lackluster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blarse Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 How about for PVP tho? Are Opportune and Pommel Strike pretty lackluster? Can't use them in PvP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chessack Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Opportune and Pommel don't have a place on your bar. They're mildly useful for clearing trash, but I don't waste keybinds on something I don't even pay attention to. I still have them on my hotbar but they're becoming an endangered species, since I almost never use them. If I run out of room (I have a total of 2 slots left at level 39), they'll be the first to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalBasss Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Opportune and Pommel don't have a place on your bar. They're mildly useful for clearing trash, but I don't waste keybinds on something I don't even pay attention to. This. I never use them. I'd rather do Overload Saber + Cyclone Slash + Force Sweep which all have a place on my bar anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaramis Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Watchman is a focus starved spec to begin with. In light of that, blade storm is not a reasonable focus cost. Yeah, 3 focus for a 2000+ hit is completely unreasonable. It's a nice "burst" dps skill, and one that *should* be a staple until your 40s. Once you pick up Dispatch, Blade Storm becomes redundant if the target is below 20%. However, it's still a very worthwhile gap closer if you have the focus for it and don't feel the need to Force Leap (or if it's on CD). Blade storm, OL Saber, Zealous Strike, Cauterize, (Merciless) Slash, Force Stasis, Dispatch, /win. For Combat and Focus specs, it should still be a staple even at 50, for obvious reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hizoka Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Yeah, 3 focus for a 2000+ hit is completely unreasonable. It's a nice "burst" dps skill, and one that *should* be a staple until your 40s. Once you pick up Dispatch, Blade Storm becomes redundant if the target is below 20%. However, it's still a very worthwhile gap closer if you have the focus for it and don't feel the need to Force Leap (or if it's on CD). Blade storm, OL Saber, Zealous Strike, Cauterize, (Merciless) Slash, Force Stasis, Dispatch, /win. For Combat and Focus specs, it should still be a staple even at 50, for obvious reasons. its 4 focus... and that same 4 focus can be used on Merciless Strike for double that damage. So yeah its focus to damage is trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaramis Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 its 4 focus... and that same 4 focus can be used on Merciless Strike for double that damage. So yeah its focus to damage is trash. Ok, 4 focus. However, to reiterate my point, pre-40, why wouldn't it be an ability you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliteSeraph Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 And post-40 you can replace it, is what it sounds like. And that's the purpose of this thread: to see how to better optimize the sentinel hotbars by removing abilities that you don't need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFirewind Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 its 4 focus... and that same 4 focus can be used on Merciless Strike for double that damage. So yeah its focus to damage is trash. Except that: 1) MS costs 5 focus to use, not 4. Even with the refund talent you still need 5 Focus to use it. 2) Blade Storm is our only hard hitting ranged attack usable on someone over 30% HP. 3) Blade Storm is Kinetic Damage meaning that your opponent gets to defence roll against it. MS is weapon damage which means that not only can it be defended against but it's also mitigated by armour. Please research the class before trolling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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