ratfanatic Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I'm a combat knight and I have to say Master Strike feels very awkward in any kind of rotation. It just feels like it breaks up the flow and doesn't really fit anywhere. I'm trying to fit it in as a finishing move but it's just such a slow action. Am I even supposed to be using this ability? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devildocyoung Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Use master strike every time its available and you have either no-little focus or/and your main hitters are on cool down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vid-szhite Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I'm a combat knight and I have to say Master Strike feels very awkward in any kind of rotation. It just feels like it breaks up the flow and doesn't really fit anywhere. I'm trying to fit it in as a finishing move but it's just such a slow action. Am I even supposed to be using this ability? Yes, it's just very situational. Use it when your rage spenders are on cooldown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talorra Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 What they said ^ If it's up and all of my big stuff are on cooldown, it gets hit. Then I grab a sip of beer while it channels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iCanUseTheForce Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I use it when Zealous Strike is on CD and I'm low on focus. It deals good free damage and generally ZS is ready to use by the time Master Strike is done channeling. I'd rather use MS than spam Strike, which always seems inefficient to me. The only caveat is when the target is almost dead and a single Strike will finish him off. Strike (kill) and move to next enemy, using Zealous if it's ready or Master if it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahdii Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 As a focus spec'd sentinel from a pvp aspect. After a gap closer and using of force exhaustion. Enemy player has to run pretty far away to stop the damage. Using my surge/crit relic prior increases it damage alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryCartel Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I am a watchman specced Sentinel and I use this all the time in PVP. When you have no abilities up, put your slow on the target and use master strike. A lot of the times the target does not get out of range before the 3 seconds is up. It also does pretty good damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nubzz Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I use it vs ppl that want to stand still but most ppl are smarter than that it seems and some will move when they see the animation/cast bar going and I miss the last hit for range. Irritating. I switched to watchman yesterday out of focus spec and I have been using it even less so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KilllerRock Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I like to stay on top of my target. So i will sometimes even use strike over it if im trying to stay right on a guys a**. But ya if some fool is going to stand there for a couple seconds i will use it for the first 2 tics and then depending on how much focus i have or what CDs im waiting for i might let it finish the 3rd hit. But the 3rd one takes forever...the first 2 are pretty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KruelhandJorb Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I'll use it when I pvp when my target is rooted/stunned and cannot just walk away from it. I make sure to pop my crit relic also so that when I hit that sucker it'll finish him. I'll also pop that **** when you can see someone not moving, just standing in 1 place like a noob. It give syou a moment to get all your focus builders back up, and it hits super hard. In PvE I'll use it on bosses and what not when I have my zen dots up and it packs a huge punch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piethief Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) I'll also pop that **** when you can see someone not moving, just standing in 1 place like a noob. It give syou a moment to get all your focus builders back up, and it hits super hard. My attack of choice on commandos or mercenaries spamming grav/tracer rounds, if only to assure them that they're not the only ones who can spit out bit numbers. Edited February 23, 2012 by piethief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psybin Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Several situations it's useful. On someone that's CC'd or otherwise not concentrating on you. On an idiot thats attempting to stay still and stand toe to toe with you. To force someone thats spamming some skill to move, or get hit by the pain train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pomg Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 When ppl try to hop around you with some lag. Normal melee attacks dont not have auto rotate, but this skill like other channels has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShiroRX Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 (edited) I use the first two hits usually then break it to move into something else. It's decent burst when controlled, the animation is just far too long to use all the way through 99% of the time. My favorite move with it is when everything is ticking on a target and i just merciless'd into 3-4 focus, ill use the first two hits to try and push them under 20% and kill with dispatch. Looks slick and is pretty effective. Situational though. the two hits occur SO quickly compared to the third -_- p.s. does anyone else love it when you fight a warrior and they try to Ravage you? i mean, cmon guy lol Edited February 23, 2012 by ShiroRX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodrin Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I use the first two hits usually then break it to move into something else. It's decent burst when controlled, the animation is just far too long to use all the way through 99% of the time. My favorite move with it is when everything is ticking on a target and i just merciless'd into 3-4 focus, ill use the first two hits to try and push them under 20% and kill with dispatch. Looks slick and is pretty effective. Situational though. the two hits occur SO quickly compared to the third -_- p.s. does anyone else love it when you fight a warrior and they try to Ravage you? i mean, cmon guy lol Just remember the third hit can crit very hard. Running a combat spec currently and after precision slash I have seen the third hit crit over 3.8K. That will usually get the target's attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugee Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As Combat Spec this is a bread and butter ability for PVE. Precision Slash > Master Strike > Blade Storm is a wall of *** whooping. 0.0s Precision Slash1.5s Master Strike4.5s Blade Storm By chasing Precision with Master, you leave yourself a whole GCD to fire off Blade Storm with 100% penetration, and practically a guaranteed autocrit, and extra Ataru procs. Your core 5 abilities are Zealous Strike, Precision Slash, Master Strike, Blade Storm, and Blade Rush; plus Strike when nothing else is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShiroRX Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Just remember the third hit can crit very hard. Running a combat spec currently and after precision slash I have seen the third hit crit over 3.8K. That will usually get the target's attention. Yea I don't have to bother with the last hit as Watchman lol. It's not rooting so the free damage is only free as long as it doesn't impact my distant to target ;P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodrin Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 As Combat Spec this is a bread and butter ability for PVE. Precision Slash > Master Strike > Blade Storm is a wall of *** whooping. 0.0s Precision Slash 1.5s Master Strike 4.5s Blade Storm By chasing Precision with Master, you leave yourself a whole GCD to fire off Blade Storm with 100% penetration, and practically a guaranteed autocrit, and extra Ataru procs. Your core 5 abilities are Zealous Strike, Precision Slash, Master Strike, Blade Storm, and Blade Rush; plus Strike when nothing else is available. That's pretty much it, and incidentally I do not currently have the root on master strike talented as I have been trying out the increased crit rate on slash instead (I've been testing whether or not rotating slash into my Zen cycles beats blade rush spam, and I'm still not sure). I usually use it immediately after a crippling throw root though, or immediately after snaring the target. Either way, they rarely get far enough away to avoid the last hit of the channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Direwolfe Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 (edited) The first two hits are near instant and can deal pretty good damage, it cost no focus and it's easily cancelled... why wouldn't you have it on a bar? Edited February 24, 2012 by Direwolfe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyManRaygun Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I actually tend to use Master Strike as my main burst skill and it works insanely well! I am combat spec and we get this epic skill that causes enemies to be immobilized for the duration of MS. This skill makes MS one of the most versatile attacks that a Sentinel can have. I use MS in my opening combo almost as a staple. Force Leap>Precision Slash>Master Strike (around now is when a squishy enemy such as a healer would try moving away but cant because of the immobilize)>Zealous Strike>Blade Storm. With full armour pen plus high crits I can easily score up to 5-6k damage with this opening combo (with added Ataru strikes thrown in as well. Also, as the skill has a 4 meter range (which is actually decently far) you can easily use it on an escaping enemy and get epic damage on them while they just stand in place. The beauty about the skill is it ALWAYS takes people off guard. In 60-70% of cases that I use it in, enemies are left dumstruck as to why they cannot move and just end up staring at a wall for 4 seconds, only to move after the channel finishes. To be honest I am the only person I have ever seen using MS as much as I do, but I think that is a great thing. Keeps the enemies on their toes and makes it so a counter will never really be developed. Anyways, in short, if used properly MS = One of the best moves ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chessack Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I'm playing a level 40 pure Watchman spec and I use Master Strike all the time. It does enough damage to one-shot a regular mob (approximately). It would take at least as many seconds as Master Strike would animate, worth of less damagey skills, to do the same thing. I'm completely unclear as to why I'd want to do, say, Strike, Slash, Slash, Slash... rather than just Master Strike. As an added bonus, Master Strike has my absolute favorite animation in the game. I can't get enough of watching it. So even if it did 10% of the damage it actually does, I'd still use it for the pretty animations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slowantics Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 when im combat i ususaly use it after i use my crippling throw so they cant move. or when they are slowed down (in pve crippling throw + opp strike works great) master strike is usually one of those things u have to watch for. if someone on ur team stuns another target thats when u should do it. the last hit from master is beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBaronUK Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I haven't used Combat in a while - they fixed the talent to make Master Strike root the target now? If so, Combat utility just went up for me so I might try it again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marqhill Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I have a friend who is a Combat sentinel and he uses Master Strike all the time. It roots properly now. However, even as a guardian I still have the issue where the master strike animation will happen but the ability won't actually be working. It's not that common but when it does happen it's REALLY annoying. I have just started using master strike as a Guardian and I will say I don't know what I did without it. I actually use it as an opener immediately after I force leap because my opponent will be rooted so I will more often than not get the entire attack done. Which hits for massive damage and costs no focus. Once you really find a place for it in your own personal play style you'll feel crazy for not having used it before. At least that's how I feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coille Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'm a level 42 sentinel watchman spec and use it all the time. It comes second on my rotation after force leap and I'll hit it again after cool down as often as I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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