Managing heat tips

[ZDProletariat]

Hi guys, I just made a Powertech yesterday that I want to basically just PVP to 50. My main is a 62Bm gunslinger, which offers a challenge for energy management.

Maybe I'm just not used to generating resource instead of depleting it, but I find the heat management far harder at the moment than Gunslingers energy resource.

 

Do you guys have any tips of the trade for me to keep it low? Granted I am only level 14 right now, so there are probably talents I get later which would help my management (hopefully). Oh btw I am planning on going either pyrotech or hybrid shield and pyro.

 

Thanks for your time. Powertech is fun so far.

[exphryl]

If you go pyro, there *are* talents that help reduce heat a tad, considering you get good procs.

 

However, other then cycling rapid shots in between your flame bursts or other abilities heat will go up pretty fast. In PvP if you are expecting to burst somebody down, you may go through full 100 heat, a vent heat, and still max out. (Even at 50, sometimes you draw the short end of the stick in RNG and can't get the Rail Shot procs you need)

 

On a "DPS" Class you can effectively cycle rapid shots in, at your level, and still come out on top pretty well. You'll struggle with that against healers though since it's not enough pressure on them to keep their HP Below their healing threshhold.

[DragonSentry]

Well, there are lots of abilities and skills that help manage your heat and you can find them in all 3 of the trees.

 

However, the general rule is to stay below 40 Heat as much as you can. The higher your heat, the slower the Heat loss rate, but only at certain ranges. The first threshold is at 40 heat, so staying below that keeps your heat loss rate at the maximum.

 

If you are trying to drop your heat, just use Rapid Shots. You will get some abilities later on that can also reduce your heat or make an ability cost 0 heat. I typically don't use those until my heat is over 40.

 

Finally, keep in mind that your channeled abilities cost heat upfront. Flame Thrower and Death from Above give you their heat cost when they start channeling, not over the duration of the channel. So as you are channeling either one, your heat is going down. Not using the full duration of those abilities increases their relative heat cost, so be sure to complete the channel when you can.