Just switched from Watchmen to Combat...

[icantbebigwill]

And wow what have I been missing?? I have to say I find Combat significantly better in PVP. IMO what I lose in 1v1 combat I more than make up for in absolutely insane burst.

 

Does anyone else feel this way?

[Valketh]

Nice to hear something positive on Combat spec! Couple questions:

 

1) Defensive Forms; Do you notice the 15% speed increase when Sprint is off during combat?

 

2) Is Debilitation working? Is it rooting people?

[Freshtech]

I also just made the switch from watchmen to combat and I find it much more satisfying and enjoyable. It fits my play style much better, as I enjoy being able to quickly destroy enemies. Watchman was way too stressful having to manage dots, and it took too long to kill enemies. I ended up having to use guardian mods to boost my survivability while I waited for my enemies to die. My sentinel now truly feels beastly. I haven't tried pvp yet since I'm still getting used to the new combat style and rearranged keybinds, but I know I like pve a lot better now.

[Spungey]

i've spent much thought between watchman vs combat..

 

Easy solution to dispel which is the better spec. Go to Quesh, coords are (300, 200) and see how much you can drop the Quesh World Boss before he Enrages.. The enrage timer is a lil bit over 6 mins. The boss has a lil over 800k health.

 

I did 4 attempts. 2 as Combat and 2 as Watchman.

 

Combat

1st attempt dropped him to 242k

2nd attempt dropped him to 236k

 

Watchman

1st attempt dropped him to 123k

2nd attempt dropped him to 112k

 

All in all, the results in my eyes are conclusive. Watchman is the better spec. All 4 attempts I had the same buffs, same gear. No outside help. No companion nadda.

 

So there ya go. It's still all about personal preference, and this is a pve comparison, but I still use watchman in pve. Free heals are always nice.

[Threskov]

Watchman is better but harder to play. Therefore many newbs still play combat.

[Sleeptastic]

You're PVE sustain damage doesn't tell you a lot about the viability of each spec in PVP

[icantbebigwill]

Nice to hear something positive on Combat spec! Couple questions:

 

1) Defensive Forms; Do you notice the 15% speed increase when Sprint is off during combat?

 

2) Is Debilitation working? Is it rooting people?

 

Yes to both

[icantbebigwill]

Watchman is better but harder to play. Therefore many newbs still play combat.

 

Its probably better in pve. In pvp I'm beginning to think it's not. I can burst people down much faster than I ever could with watchmen and I'm routinely the top damage in warzones as watchmen so I'm not "doing it wrong".

[Xerain]

combat just doesn't have the survivability that watchmen has and blade storm isn't anywhere near as good as merc slash even with buffs up... I consistently see 3k+ hits with my merc slash... thing is a beast.

[icantbebigwill]

combat just doesn't have the survivability that watchmen has and blade storm isn't anywhere near as good as merc slash even with buffs up... I consistently see 3k+ hits with my merc slash... thing is a beast.

 

I routinely hit for over 3k on blade storm in pvp with only 133 expertise. A good deal harder in pve.

[Naethion]

Combat is good, and Ataru procs are Force, and so benefit from force crit chance. However, Precision slash requires absolute timing, because if you use it and get stunned, rooted or knocked back and your Force Leap isn't off CD you lose all the ArP you gained, and much more damage wasted.

[Cancrizans]

Watchman is better but harder to play. Therefore many newbs still play combat.

 

Of course people who play a different spec from the one you've read is "the best" on the forums are "newbs". That statement reveals more about you than it does the "newbs" who play Combat.

 

Some people simply are better with certain specs than others. I can guarantee you that there are people out there with Unorthodox specs that a lot of forum posters would lol at who will wreck a lot of people using the "best" specs.

 

You will find that usually it is the "newbs" who copy and paste specs from the interwebs.

[Metaspark]

I've been a combat sentinel since the first talent I applied

 

I've had absolutely no desire to even try a different spec. combat plays exactly like I want my sentinel to play

[Funick]

I lvled up as combat, I thought it would be better in pvp due to movement speed, roots and root/snare break on force camo...

 

after hitting 50 I tried all the specs extensively, first time I tried watchman I just couldn't get my focus saved up right for merciless slashes and was generally disappointed and went back to combat, after seeing others do so well as watchman though i gave it another try...

 

now i never leave watchman, it has the greatest damage potential, it heals you and group members, 6 sec cool down interrupt can not be stressed enough, shuts down enemy healers and tracer missile spammers so much better than the normal 8 sec cool down. oh and 80% movement transcendence lets you laugh at those who try to kite you, not to mention lets your group get from one point to the next much faster. watchman builds centering easily the fastest of all the specs. I just give up too much in any other spec.

 

combats damage isn't that much worse uninterrupted the problem is if you get cced mid-combo you're screwed, a watchman will still have dots ticking and can go right back to bursting their target down. even if combat could match us in damage they cant make up for our healing, I find it rare that i have more than 1 healer in a wz with me so any extra healing helps.

[KruelhandJorb]

I still think the best thing about Combat is spec the 3s root on Crippling Throw... I love that. I wish I could have that in any other build.

 

And root break on Force Camo, that's clutch also.

[Crawelc]

I think personally that the speed buff argument for watchmen is flawed, with the 15% boost and a 50% slow one click away I never have kite problems as combat. Leveled a mara to 50 as rage tried anni and carnage after that and now im sticking with combat on my sent. burst from scream is massive if you time it right and the extra root is very helpful.

[slowantics]

i was combat since day one. it was so hard killing ppl. i switched to watchman and i almost never lose. they have to 3v1 me for me to die. when t hey change the mechanic of prec slash is the day ill go back

blade storm just seems weak 3k? when tanks have up to 19k. focus hard hitter does more than than that and its aoe

[dkangl]

Watchman is better but harder to play. Therefore many newbs still play combat.

 

Perhaps it has NOTHING to do with being a Noob and more to do with playing the spec that fits your style of play....

 

I love when people call people noobs for playing ANY spec other than Watchman..

 

I call you a noob for calling others noobs for not following the trend that is Watchman.

[Threskov]

Its not just about calling other newb, a good player testing all three will fun watchman to be better. Theorycrafting proved it better, players who tested all three proved it better. It is better.

[Dharagada]

Combat's not bad, but it could use some adjusting

 

The burst is nice and can really catch someone off guard.

 

Also as mentioned the ability to immobilize someone with Crippling throw is also nice.

 

However Watchmen still has greater utility, shorter cool down on interrupts, faster Zen generation, healing, nice dots, a nice burst attack etc.

 

Combat would be better if precision slash worked more like overload in my opinion, that would be a start, also having something else further up the tree to help build centering a bit faster would be nice too.

[Xerain]

IMO all the specs are much more fun to play as a marauder... I don't know why they just are. The marauder just seems to be this brute force melee machine that the warrior arch type should be where as the sentinel doesn't

[SturmUndSterne]

It's really all about your rotation.

 

I've found, as a new 50, that combat benefits greatly from having *two* rotations.

 

First, you have your standard leap/zealous (focus build) followed by precision, blade rush, blade storm, master strike. I tend to let it sit through all 3 strikes in PvE just because it helps with cooldowns.

 

By that point, you've likely hit 30 Centering, you can use your Zen rotation, which, after a focus build and Precision, spams Blade Rush and Slash, with the occasional blade storm for stunning.

 

Then you can pop your 30 stack-centering ability and roll that one again. By that time, your first time-sink rotation has probably refreshed fully (master strike, etc).. or you can throw in a Leg Slash/Opportune or one of the finishing blows.

 

I can burn down 30k HP elites with this in about twenty seconds flat. I don't have any raid gear yet either, I'm only using standard oranges, purple enhancements through Artifice, and what armors/mods I can get through dailies.

 

Once I get geared up better, I'll go start taking my lumps in PvP and working my way up to Battlemaster. I don't want to instant-die every time I enter a warzone, and right now I do.

 

But the rule for Sentinels is simple.. You have to find what works for YOU. If you're a flat-rotation player, then combat is great. If you're more reactive, try focus. If you want to manage DoTs, then go for Watchman. I personally think Combat needs a couple of minor buffs (like a 1% evade chance per level of ataru mastery, for example), but once I learned how I wanted to play the class, I haven't looked back.

[Dharagada]

IMO all the specs are much more fun to play as a marauder... I don't know why they just are. The marauder just seems to be this brute force melee machine that the warrior arch type should be where as the sentinel doesn't

 

It's funny cause I actually prefer the animations on my sentinel to the marauder, I know I'm probably in the minority but eh.

[JustinxDuff]

I have played all 3 specs consistently in PvP.

 

Watchman is the best bar none.

[PantsOn]

I have played all 3 specs consistently in PvP.

 

Watchman is the best bar none.

 

I recently switched to Watchman from Combat and it's night and day in terms of how much less stressful it is to play.

 

Combat is chaotic and you really have to be on your toes to squeeze out the damage you want. You have to be incredibly aware and you have to have incredibly quick reflexes to adjust your prioritized attacks to fit in incredibly small windows. You almost have to be hyper aware at all times.

 

Watchman is much more relaxed and gathered and you really don't have to stress nearly as much. It's much more of a set rotation and there is very little you need to worry about. Set your dots, do your Merciless, wait for your Juyo stacks, wait for Zen (which you don't feel like you can even waste because it's almost always up, unlike Combat) and do it all over again for greater damage. This is just in my experience and YMMV.

 

In my opinion, Combat is much more satisfying and a greater challenge than Watchman, it's just too bad it's not as viable at this point. I do miss it greatly.

Edited March 1, 2012 by PantsOn