Assault Build

[Cormacus]

I've done much better now with Assault spec. But if I compare it with my Sage which also do mainly dots the Assault Commando is lacking a lot of tools that Sage's have specially in terms of mobility. The sage is (dare I say it..) easy mode compared to an assault commando. Assault have higher damage dots but it's got none of the little extras they need. For example the sage's shield, sprint ability, interrupts, stuns etc.

 

Either Commando Assault is not balanced or done properly, or the Sage needs a nerf.

 

The one thing I like more about Assault is their Plastique, I do love seeing people blowing up, and can imagine their faces not understanding why they suddenly died in a big cloud of debris. It's definitely the best single target skill around. it might look like not much but when it crits it's amazing.

[Cormacus]

Is Reflexive Shield + Degauss worth it's points?

 

I've been testing with Adrenaline Fuelled but it's not really doing much for me, it does reduce the time on both abilities but not enough to make a big difference to me.

 

Problem is I really like Nightvision Scope and found it quite valuable to be able and spot anyone in stealth so I can dot them up before they have a chance to do their stealth attack abilites.

 

It's a choice between

 

Reflexive Shield + Degauss:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#8000cZMckZMIrrzhGMs.1

 

or

 

Nightvision Scope + Rapid Recharge:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#8000cZMckZMIrbdGhMs.1

[badatt]

I respec'd a couple days ago from gunnery to assault and I got to admit its better for pvp imho. It does not drop the big crits like gunnery but damn its nice watching that plastique killing an inquisitor. I am probably seeing a 70 to 80k increase in battlegrounds. The best thing is not sitting for 1.x seconds waiting for grab round to go off. I cannot stand fighting a sith jugg and watching him interrupt 2+ grab rounds. Not switching back soon.

[Cormacus]

I respec'd a couple days ago from gunnery to assault and I got to admit its better for pvp imho. It does not drop the big crits like gunnery but damn its nice watching that plastique killing an inquisitor. I am probably seeing a 70 to 80k increase in battlegrounds. The best thing is not sitting for 1.x seconds waiting for grab round to go off. I cannot stand fighting a sith jugg and watching him interrupt 2+ grab rounds. Not switching back soon.

 

It is great fun, but Assault have very little survivability, even less than a Gunnery commando. Just like you I love watching people suddenly blow up because Plastique goes off, but the more I play Assault the more convinced I am that they actually are not helping out the team. You often just pick off weak / low health targets and run around a lot, but those targets would have gone down easily anyway.

 

If you look at a Vanguard and the abilities they get you really notice that Assault is made for them not Commandos.

[Pourekos]

Trying both specs pre-50, I have to say that for my taste Gunnery is much better. Why? Well, let's see. Please remember this is just personal opinion, not facts :-)

 

AS is all about mobility and kiting, in exchange for low damage and survivability. Automatically this means that against range dps you are SOL, especially with no interupts. So that's one. Now for melee, considering that many specs will open on you from stealth in combination with the tools they have in other cases for getting to you/cc'ing you, kiting feels like prolonging your death (at least for me). Finally, with dots not interupting the capture of objectives, AS has lost its most vital and universal piece of utility.

 

Gunnery on the other hand mitigates some of these issues. Against range, not only I have better damage and resource management than AS, but I can also put a shield on me by using my primary attack. Additionally, against melee, I find the 20sec CD AoE pushback and the 6sec CD single target pushback (from stockstrike) to provide me with better tools for dealing with melee. That does not mean I can deal with them easily (or at all in many cases), but I really do find the stockstrike pushback very useful since it allows me to run/heal/grav round-to-refresh-the-shield according to the needs of the situation. Finally, it can also act as an interrupt if you happen to be next to an enemy caster (think of interrupting the healer protecting the ball carrier AND also throwing them off the platform, as an example).

 

Anyway, overall Commando DPS specs for pvp have their work cut for them (big time) and this is just my POV on the subject so far. Let's see what 1.2 will bring.

[AWESTRN]

Hey assault pro commandos,

Any difference in stat choices in rolling assault. I stacked Crit to ~30% base then power>surge. that change when i change specs to assault. im tired never getting a grav round off in WZs as gunnery and being useless to a good team.

 

THANKS!

[Monkpowah]

Lvl 50 assault commando here, 55 valor in mostly centurion gear and a few champ pieces like the assault cannon; leveled as assault and primarly through WZs so much experience playing with the spec.

 

One thing I love about assault and I think has a bonus over gun is that the "run and gun" playstyle really shines with assualt. Unlike what other posters have said, I feel like you can viably 1v1 anyone. I only have problems with opperatives due to the stuns and burst, but for the most part I can 1v1 almost anyone, even those with BM gear given enough time and one core component that should be seen like another ability: LOS.

 

I really cannot say enough about how intergral los to the assault playstyle. If you can effectively and efficiently incorprate pillar-humping and studder-stepping/juking, with correct timing of your limited cc's than you can be pretty much unstoppable, all the while on the move.

 

Quick examples: Grav/tracer spammer, los, while dotting/hs/ap, they get close to get los, concussive charge, they try to pop a heal, concuss if they close, or cryonade, and line up with a charge bolt/ap.

 

Trying to burst a healer or sorc, cryonade, IR if its not already up, charge bolt cast, hib (chance to bring it off cd if it was already), tech overdrive charge bolt into another hib, throw in a assault plastique for some nice burst. That is all with standing still for like 2 sec for the one casted charged bolt.

 

Anytime anyone tries to do something offensively to you, just play peekaboo and let dots/ap/hs do their job.

 

Along with making the most use out of terrain and staying mobile (a stealther/spammer usually waits til your stationary before unloading) as much as possible it is important to always be spamming hammer shot especially when kiting and when not doing something else. Remember your hammer shot burns, slows, and allows your to recharge ammo. I have found mice with extra buttons to map abilities very helpful as a assault commando, it allows for greater movement and reaction time. Just my 2c.

 

Edit: For perspective, was finishing 1st or 2nd dmg done in WZ, peaking around 300k dmg with 6+ medals before getting the champ assault cannon and completing my cent gear. Prior to that was a mix of cent and mostly lvl 50 green/blue auction house gear. Will prob be higher with the new gear. This is all with playing objectives and not medal hunting

 

TLDR: Played well, assault pvp dmg is viable and can 1v1! Use terrain and los like a mofo; if you are not hammer shotting between everthing else while moving you are doing it wrong; after a casted charged bolt into proc hib, assault plastique: tech overcharge cb to proc another instant hib = nice burst.

 

.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Monkpowah

[Cormacus]

One thing I love about assault and I think has a bonus over gun is that the "run and gun" playstyle really shines with assualt. Unlike what other posters have said, I feel like you can viably 1v1 anyone. I only have problems with opperatives due to the stuns and burst, but for the most part I can 1v1 almost anyone, even those with BM gear given enough time and one core component that should be seen like another ability: LOS.

.

 

I do agree, it can have a better chance than gunnery but the problem is that even with jumping behind pillars etc your damage it to slow and the tactic won't work on a good PvP player, specially if it's someone who remembers to cleanse your dots or can slow you down - which unfortunately a lot of the better ones always do (if they can).

 

Assault is great fun, more than gunnery by far. But I don't believe you actually make any real difference to a match, the overall damage stats might look good but that's all. At least with a gunnery commando he really can burn down a target quickly if not interrupted but that's the problem. Often Imp's don't leave a commando alone, they focus on you straight away as they know Commando's are very easy targets to take down but dangerous when left alone.

 

I just started running a Hybrid Healer/Gunnery (just turned battlemaster), and I got to say for me it's like everything fallen in place. I can more or less take on any class 1on1 and survive.. better yet sometimes I can now survive 2-3 people focusing on me. Now they simply give up and move on to a easier target which is often when I turn on them and take them down. I've had some really funny situations were I've ended up in 1on1 for a VERY long time.

 

I know some people frown on looking at medals but as a hybrid I know always do 7-9 medals each match, highest been 11 which I've never managed on Full Gunnery or Assault. I also can make a real difference with healing OR taking down targets, whatever the situation calls for. For example as Assault I often only managed to do around 200-250k dmg, now I easily do both 200k+ damage and 200k+ healing.

 

But I wish there was a viable Assault / Healer Hybrid though.

[Pourekos]

I just started running a Hybrid Healer/Gunnery (just turned battlemaster), and I got to say for me it's like everything fallen in place. I can more or less take on any class 1on1 and survive.. better yet sometimes I can now survive 2-3 people focusing on me. Now they simply give up and move on to a easier target which is often when I turn on them and take them down. I've had some really funny situations were I've ended up in 1on1 for a VERY long time.

 

I would like to ask a couple of things if that is ok. Firstly, what cell do you use for this hybrid spec, and secondly which one of the 2 tress did you emphasise in your hybrid builts?

 

Thanks

[Cormacus]

I would like to ask a couple of things if that is ok. Firstly, what cell do you use for this hybrid spec, and secondly which one of the 2 tress did you emphasise in your hybrid builts?

 

Thanks

 

I use Combat support cell, for a few reasons, I only go as high as getting double stack of grav round and go higher in the medic tree - you get 4% damage reduction with the skill in the medic tree while using combat support cell, plus I take charged barrier which each grav round gives you +2% dmg reduction which means you potentially have 14% dmg reduction! With the gunnery talent special munitions you get +3% crit while using support cell, that's +9% crit in total with the talents from the medic tree. To me that's worth more than the armour piercing you get from gunnery cell.

 

You also then have the little extras like the improved knockback + stockstrike, the lowered cost of grav round etc. Basically all the good stuff from gunnery.

 

The only negative with my build is that it hasn't got the punch in massive damage gunnery has with it's top talents. BUT my grav rounds regulary crit/hit at 2400 which is pretty good and more punch than assault builds have.

 

The major benefit is that you can't easily be killed. Now most of the time they try to kill me, give up and move on. Leaving me up for longer able to take them down.

 

 

I'll post my talent build later, can't at the moment.

[Itoao]

Any of you guys have any recommendations about what armor set to get as assault? I was considering Power Tech but people say eliminator

[Cormacus]

 

I'll post my talent build later, can't at the moment.

 

This is the build I have:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#800dfRoRbcdkZMIkbR0z.1

[Cormacus]

Any of you guys have any recommendations about what armor set to get as assault? I was considering Power Tech but people say eliminator

 

Eliminator is better for both Assault and Gunner because of the 4 piece bonus.

 

Combat Tech:

(4) Increases the critical chance of Rocket Punch or Stockstrike by 15%.

 

Eliminator:

(4) Increases the critical chance of Rail Shot or High Impact Bolt by 15%.

 

Assault Commando's are (or should) be using High Impact Bolt much more than stockstrike as that's what your skill points will be improving.

[KorroMan]

I dunno about you guys, but I play a full 31 AS spec and I'm either first or second in damage in every match. And that's while still playing for the objectives. Running about half centurion and half champ pieces as of today.

 

I don't ever tab around laying DOTs on people, in my opinion that's usually a waste of ammo with not much return. Rather, I apply IR and AP first thing, go through full auto and then rotate CB and hammer shot. HIB when it's free or when you think some burst is called for.

 

Anyways, I don't think there's some magical tactic that makes everything easy, but maybe you guys aren't using charged bolts enough or something. Seems like not many people work it into their rotation much as AS.

 

AS is a great fun imo, and works very well. Can't wait to put on my battlemaster gear (should get to valor 60 by next weekend) and see how much better my damage gets.

[Spikespeigl]

AS does insane numbers in full battlemaster gear better than gunnery

[Cormacus]

I dunno about you guys, but I play a full 31 AS spec and I'm either first or second in damage in every match. And that's while still playing for the objectives. Running about half centurion and half champ pieces as of today.

 

I don't ever tab around laying DOTs on people, in my opinion that's usually a waste of ammo with not much return. Rather, I apply IR and AP first thing, go through full auto and then rotate CB and hammer shot. HIB when it's free or when you think some burst is called for.

 

Anyways, I don't think there's some magical tactic that makes everything easy, but maybe you guys aren't using charged bolts enough or something. Seems like not many people work it into their rotation much as AS.

 

AS is a great fun imo, and works very well. Can't wait to put on my battlemaster gear (should get to valor 60 by next weekend) and see how much better my damage gets.

 

First, overall damage means absolutely nothing. I've seen sage's do 500k dmg but contribute nothing to a game.

 

Your "mobility" is out of the window if you're standing around using full auto and CB. Why use Assault? You have far better damage output on Full Auto, Grav and HiB with gunnery spec.

 

I did play Assault very similar to you in some ways, apply IR then AP, run about a bit shooting with hammer shot then HiB / Reapply AP. If there is a chance to stand still a couple of CB. But you're not actually taking anyone down that way, again to do that and to get your burst you have to get HiB to proc by standing still. If you're having to stand still to do some burst then you're just like Gunnery DPS but with less damage.. It makes no sense to be forced using CB or Full Auto to get your HiB.. look at the vandguard they get their proc on HiB through a instant cast ability which makes total sense why doesn't commandos have that?

 

Sure you do a lot of damage overall but it's not taking down any targets unless they are very low on health and you throw a AP on them. All you're doing is hacking away very small chunks of health which is easily healed. Plus if you face a decent team of players your dots will be removed regularly.

 

However my biggest problem with Assault is that all the survivability and utility commandos get are in the Gunnery tree. Assault get nothing that helps them to survive which makes no sense at all. I'd much rather have all the bottom talents from Gunnery and the top talents from Assault but that of course isn't possible.

[Tenryou]

Assault's main draw was removed when they took away cap interrupts from dots. Yes, you can pad your dmg statistic by dotting the opposing team but to down another player, you need to turret and spam FA and CB to proc resets, which Gunnery does much better. Assault does make it easier to 1v1 due to slightly increased mobility from the snare, less abilities to interrupt, as well as the increased chance to reduce shield and Adrenaline cooldowns from procs and the anti-CC shield, but it merely draws out the fight.

 

It's no Vanguard...

[Spikespeigl]

Assault's main draw was removed when they took away cap interrupts from dots. Yes, you can pad your dmg statistic by dotting the opposing team but to down another player, you need to turret and spam FA and CB to proc resets, which Gunnery does much better. Assault does make it easier to 1v1 due to slightly increased mobility from the snare, less abilities to interrupt, as well as the increased chance to reduce shield and Adrenaline cooldowns from procs and the anti-CC shield, but it merely draws out the fight.

 

It's no Vanguard...

 

i disagree, I kill people just fine gear and specific stats are extremely important to assault,

i have 74% surge and 39% crit and people die. especially healers, under 30% my dots are ticking for about 900-1000. Straight gunnery is superior in burst in damage but your only usefull if you can stay alive, Which as gunnery i get dropped whenever i walk out of the spawn.

 

Gunnery was amazing for me when i played with guard and a healer your unstoppable, but as assault is the complete opposite i never get targeted and i hardly every die most games i get 3-5 solo kills all healers.

 

Keep in mind my gear is stacked i feel that assault really needs good gear to shine and alot of surge. Gunnery is best till battle-master after that assault damage finally catches up

[Itoao]

Ok feeling better about playing assault. Wonderingg what weapon type would be best if I am using the crafted weapons. Should I go overkill for power or redoubt for dmg, etc. Any ideas?

[BobaFaceroll]

I've enjoyed Assault quite a bit over the last week. You have to move a lot in PvP and Assault is vastly superior on the move. The times I've wished I had better burst to finish someone off from Gunnery are definitely outweighed by the times I've been able to keep applying pressure while kiting/chasing/moving with Assault. Besides, I only have to get lucky on one CB or FA for a HIB reset for that extra punch. I don't mind stopping occasionally when it's safe to induct for a chance at some extra burst damage...I find it far more useful in practice than being forced to stop all the time to do any damage at all.

 

When dual spec arrives I will definitely have one spec reserved for Assault.

Edited March 13, 2012 by BobaFaceroll

[Pourekos]

This is the build I have:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#800dfRoRbcdkZMIkbR0z.1

 

Thanks for that, it is really appreciated. I will check it out when I get some free time, RL has kind of taken over all my free time :-)

[Khalirei]

Assault all the way for PvP. I tried Assault like 3 times and always went back to Gunnery because of the ridiculous burst, but I kept getting focused because all the imps know me by name, they always just redirect to me and focus me dead. Why? because they know Gunnery is NOTHING to laugh about. But I don't always have a pocket healer and someone who can taunt them off me, nope, sometimes i just have to defend myself - and you can't do that as Gunnery, not even as hybrid spec because you WILL run out of ammunition.

 

I forced myself to get good with Assault spec, and I refuse to play anything else for pvp now. I top the damage charts, I can solo MOST classes as long as I have my defensive cooldowns up, in groups I am to be feared because I can dot up 2 to 3 people while keeping my ammunition at a decent level. You're not going to kill anyone like that, but you're making the healer's job that much more difficult, and when your team starts focusing the healer at that point, you redirect all your damage to the healer, which should be easy since he's already on FIRE. Proc your instant cast and free cast ability, throw a plasma grenade, assault plastique, incendiary round, plasma cell proc hopefully, high impact bolt, full auto and watch him TRY to heal through that - Good luck.

 

Assault is not bursty, but it is CONSISTENT damage. You cannot interrupt an assault spec short of a stun, and you cannot keep them at bay since they are a ranged class and can kite most classes if given the chance.

 

Sure, damage isn't everything in a battleground, but it definitely tells you who's doing their job, and who isn't.

[Cormacus]

Assault all the way for PvP. I tried Assault like 3 times and always went back to Gunnery because of the ridiculous burst, but I kept getting focused because all the imps know me by name, they always just redirect to me and focus me dead. Why? because they know Gunnery is NOTHING to laugh about. But I don't always have a pocket healer and someone who can taunt them off me, nope, sometimes i just have to defend myself - and you can't do that as Gunnery, not even as hybrid spec because you WILL run out of ammunition.

 

I forced myself to get good with Assault spec, and I refuse to play anything else for pvp now. I top the damage charts, I can solo MOST classes as long as I have my defensive cooldowns up, in groups I am to be feared because I can dot up 2 to 3 people while keeping my ammunition at a decent level. You're not going to kill anyone like that, but you're making the healer's job that much more difficult, and when your team starts focusing the healer at that point, you redirect all your damage to the healer, which should be easy since he's already on FIRE. Proc your instant cast and free cast ability, throw a plasma grenade, assault plastique, incendiary round, plasma cell proc hopefully, high impact bolt, full auto and watch him TRY to heal through that - Good luck.

 

Assault is not bursty, but it is CONSISTENT damage. You cannot interrupt an assault spec short of a stun, and you cannot keep them at bay since they are a ranged class and can kite most classes if given the chance.

 

Sure, damage isn't everything in a battleground, but it definitely tells you who's doing their job, and who isn't.

 

Don't you find Assault is very dependant on a good team? Personally when I had a good team to play with it was fine and I could do a lot of damage, but Assault was even worse than Gunnery as soon as you were in a bad random group.

 

And I really don't understand why Assault have to use Full Auto or Charged Bolt to proc HiB when Vanguards have a instant cast ability that proc's it. Big design fault.

[Khalirei]

Don't you find Assault is very dependant on a good team? Personally when I had a good team to play with it was fine and I could do a lot of damage, but Assault was even worse than Gunnery as soon as you were in a bad random group.

 

And I really don't understand why Assault have to use Full Auto or Charged Bolt to proc HiB when Vanguards have a instant cast ability that proc's it. Big design fault.

 

If you have a bad team, you're gonna do bad regardless of your spec. But I can still do damage as assault as opposed to Gunnery. I had 4 people on me the other day, and I killed 3 of them, left the other guy with 1/3 hp - respawned and killed him. I would never have had the chance to do the same with Gunnery. I would be lucky to just kill 1 of them.

[Soshla]

And I really don't understand why Assault have to use Full Auto or Charged Bolt to proc HiB when Vanguards have a instant cast ability that proc's it. Big design fault.

What would make sense is if it could be procced off of Explosive Round instead of Full Auto. Then you would have a way of proccing it while moving.