Do the "Good" Watchman Sentinels Not Use Master Strike?

[Quesadilla]

I recently started a sentinel alt and been watching some videos of people play, and I was noticing that watchman sentinels don't use Master Strike nearly as much as I do at level 30 right now... Is this because the skill is a channel and the person just has to walk away from you? Even then it seems like it has a pretty forgiving range once you start the channel. It doesn't cost any focus and it does a considerable amount of damage it seems if you have all your DOTs ticking, but should I just get in the habit of not using it now?

[EasymodeX]

Master Strike is a lower priority at high levels for Watchman:

 

1. Watchman spec has no capabilities that enhance Master Strike.

2. Many tight Watchman specs don't even have the cooldown talent for it.

3. You spend enough time/effort pumping out other attacks.

4. MS is inherently situational.

5. Note: you are lower level so you don't have Merc Slash, which sucks up a lot of time (costs 4 focus, so you have to use more focus builders throughout your general gameplay).

6. Master Strike is still very solid when you want to set up a higher level of burst. In Watchman, though, it's not like it's a GINORMOUSLY HIGHER burst. It's just slightly elevated. Combat and Focus specs both use Master Strike more extensively.

[Bullwrath]

MS is situational, but definitely part of the skill set.

 

The advantages are 1) it is *free* 2) it hits hard 3) it can be used to apply Overload Saber dots.

 

The disadvantages are 1) it can be interrupted 2) you have to stand still and within range of your enemy.

 

Any time you are attacking someone who is slowed or immobile is a good time to use it. Especially if they are in a crowd and can't see what is going on too well.

 

 

 

Edit: My assumption was that we were talking about PvP; in PVE you would use it almost every pull as part of a regular rotation.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Bullwrath

[witelightnin]

I still use MS quite frequently. Even if it gets interrupted halfway through you still get 2/3 hits of it and it's pretty decent burst damage. Usually I'll throw on all my DoT's, merc. slash, then Master Strike for a huge chunk of HP. It's also highly effective against weak mobs as it stuns them for the duration. So you can take a group of 3-4, apply DoT's to a couple of em, then swap to one and pretty much 1-shot it w/ MS, then Merc Slash whatever has most health left.

 

I'm actually quite surprised it doesn't get used more with how much damage it puts out and the fact that you can use it WHILE your DoT's tick away. Now, if you're fighting mobs that will interrupt it, or in PvP I can see it being a lot more situational...

[Quesadilla]

How about blade storm? Should I avoid using that unless I have no other ranged abilities to utilize? Or is it still good in a close-quarters rotation?

[Bishidoblade]

There have been several threads regarding this topic.

 

Yes master strike IS used, though its very situational in regards to its PVP application. In my opinion the best time to use it while fighting is right after you force camo - you are dropped from target, and can circle behind them and get a good amount of damage in before they really know whats going on. If you time it so they change targets first, even better.

 

 

Bladestorm I really don't use often, while i keep it like all my ability's key-bound, the bang for buck isn't all that impressive. I use it while stuck at range, and i have no other options but to use that or stand there ;P

[Bullwrath]

How about blade storm? Should I avoid using that unless I have no other ranged abilities to utilize? Or is it still good in a close-quarters rotation?

 

There may be some argument among watchman sents on this question.

 

Blade storm hits hard, but takes 4 focus.

 

The cost is too high, in my opinion, and as a guy who does a lot of PvP, I tend to use crippling throw (3 focus, moderate damage, healing DPS) instead.

[EasymodeX]

How about blade storm? Should I avoid using that unless I have no other ranged abilities to utilize? Or is it still good in a close-quarters rotation?

 

Almost never use Blade Storm in Watchman spec. There are only 2 situations where you want to consider it:

 

1. Charge and Dispatch are down, and you are out of range and need to finish a person who will absolutely die with that Blade Storm, and you don't have Transcendence up to roll them, etc.

 

2. An Op/Scoundrel healer pops their 100% dodge buff (or you are blinded from Obfuscate, or your target has a 50% dodge buff and you want reliability) and they are close to death and you have a lot of focus and you have already used Smash.

 

Bottom line: it's a last resort, but it is ranged and bypasses defenses.

[lxyao]

I find master strike useful when all my dots/merciless are on cd, I try not to slash as I rather save the focus for merciless strike the moment it comes up. And of course you need to look at the situation and use it with discretion.

[AngusFTW]

Its situational for sure but you cant argue with a move that costs 0 focus and does that much damage. Its great for getting guys out of cover.. force camo behind them and use ms they'll soon be out of cover.

[neeman]

I pretty much exclusively use it on baddies who insist on standing still and eating the damage.

[Asphen]

I don't know about the 'Good' ones, but the Great ones sure use it.

[RG_jhanlec]

PvP I use in desperation with no rage, on a person not moving at all and that is about it. In PvE it is a low priority rotation piece for me, if all my abilities are on CD and I would rage dump with slash but master strike is up, I will use it. I will not use it or interrupt it if I am about to lose my CD timer for anything, however. It is low priority to keeping up your short term buffs.

[Sylriana]

I pretty much exclusively use it on baddies who insist on standing still and eating the damage.

 

It's amazing how many people actually let me get all the ticks of master strike off.

[supermandrew]

I am Watchmen build and use MS all the time. Considering that Watchmen does not have many high burst damage abilities, having MS in my semi-regular rotation (it has a fairly long CD) is incredibly useful. Plus, I put a few talent points into the bottom of the focus tree that reduces the CD of MS and Force stasis. This setup brings these abilities into my rotation rather frequently, and act as good finishing moves.

 

Note: The only tough part about Master's Strike is the fact that if they get too far away then the ability does not hit. I only use it when the enemy is right up in my business and after I put a slow on them because by the time they are walking away from me the second half of the ability is hitting and they are within range.

[Pantheros]

Some of the best burst you'll have with the class is to 3 stack overload saber, cauterize, master strike, and then merciless slash right as the last hit of master strike ends. I generally use it as a part of any serious rotation.

[Hizoka]

everything has a use, just not everything is always usable. That is the essence of the sentinel class as a whole. Anyone who saiys they never use any skill is a bad sentinel, everything has a use at some point knowing when to use it is what makes you good or bad.

 

 

Master strike has lots of uses but like others said its situational, you are not gonna use it if you cannot get all the hits off.

[Eszi]

I use ms when I have no focus but still want to deal nice damage. Other than that - it's the definition of "not reliable"

[bliapis]

How about blade storm? Should I avoid using that unless I have no other ranged abilities to utilize? Or is it still good in a close-quarters rotation?

 

I personally use bladestorm alot. Since we have no penetration skills, the bladestorm looks like it does more damage than slash (i dont have merciless slash yet) on most opponents and esp on heavy armored ones. Its also excellent to use it when the target gets away or when u are running away.

[Rotanartlu]

I find master strike useful when all my dots/merciless are on cd, I try not to slash as I rather save the focus for merciless strike the moment it comes up. And of course you need to look at the situation and use it with discretion.

 

This.

 

Blade Storm should never be used unless the 2 reasons someone posted earlier. It is kinetic damage which is indeed affected by armor. Not to mention the number of abilities other classes have to reduce/ignore force damage. To the person saying they are using it allot you need to stop! Its 2 more focus points than slash and if your doing it right. i.e. using master strike like the quoted person and I do then your rarely are going to use slash in pvp.

[FluxWing]

I picked up a nice tip on these forums a while ago.

 

Since the first 2 ticks of MS comes out really fast, like in the first second. Then you wait for the final big hit at the very end of the 3 sec.

 

So you start casting MS, then after the second hit lands you press merciless.

 

So you get about 50% dmg of MS while channel time is reduced to 0.5-1 sec.

[Chessack]

Master Strike is a perfectly acceptable attack to use as a Watchman in PVE. As was said above, it hits hard, and it doesn't cost focus to use. And since, unlike PVP, having to stand still is a non-issue in PVE (since NPCs don't "kite"), there is absolutely no reason not to use it. The thing can basically one-shot a regular NPC enemy (depending on the relative level and some other things). In a typical battle, I Force Leap, Zealous, and do some focus-spenders to kill mob 1, ranged attack mob 2 (blade storm, saber throw, stasis), and then force leap master strike mob 3. 3-man NPC teams die EXTREMELY quickly to that combo. No reason not to use it.

[khsolo]

I recently started a sentinel alt and been watching some videos of people play, and I was noticing that watchman sentinels don't use Master Strike nearly as much as I do at level 30 right now... Is this because the skill is a channel and the person just has to walk away from you? Even then it seems like it has a pretty forgiving range once you start the channel. It doesn't cost any focus and it does a considerable amount of damage it seems if you have all your DOTs ticking, but should I just get in the habit of not using it now?

 

I use it mostly on PvE champions who dont move, in PvP is almost useless really

[Hizoka]

I picked up a nice tip on these forums a while ago.

 

Since the first 2 ticks of MS comes out really fast, like in the first second. Then you wait for the final big hit at the very end of the 3 sec.

 

So you start casting MS, then after the second hit lands you press merciless.

 

So you get about 50% dmg of MS while channel time is reduced to 0.5-1 sec.

 

and that is how you do less damage.

 

 

I do not know what moron though up interrupting master strike but the 3rd hit of master strike can crit for ALMOST as much as merciless crit. so you lose out on damage.

 

 

This is why there are so many terrible players, you get one person posting 100% terrible informationt hen every ******* out there thinks its right. It is no different then who said more accuracy = armor penn.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Paralassa
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[Chessack]

I do not know what moron though up interrupting master strike but the 3rd hit of master strike can crit for ALMOST as much as merciless crit. so you lose out on damage.

 

I completely 100% agree.

 

I learned a long time ago, mostly when playing COH, that "forum wisdom" can both help and hurt you. Just like I'm glad I didn't listen to the idiots who told me not to take, slot, or turn on the toggles in Super Reflexes in COH... I'm glad I did not listen to the people here who are saying not to use MS as a Watchman... or never to use Blade Storm... etc.