Gunslinger Advanced Class guide

[Riiquiem]

DF/Sab is working very well. wounding shots on top of full dots with the additional charges exploding from each wounding shot blast, all while feeding me 5 energy per? ya, its good. also you get another dot in sab... you know you want another dot. They also buffed this dot to come off cooldown when your target dies with it still on them. Is good ya?

 

The last couple talents in DF dont seem as useful. why do i care if my dots tick more at 30%? that's what Quickdraw is for. Hemorrhaging blast is pretty awesome, but ill take 4 sequential sabotage charges that feed me energy any day.

 

well it's not exactly the way you think it is.

 

Wounding shots only gets buffed by BLEED effects = vital shot, shrap bomb.. NOT shock charge.

Energy regen due to crits only procs from BLEED effects = vital shot, shrap bomb.. NOT shock charge.

 

Hybryd DOES NOT offer you cleanse protection and that's the point where hybrid goes doooown... saying the last skills from DF are not worth it... just.. facepalm.

 

oh and "wounding shots on top of full dots with the additional charges exploding from each wounding shot blast" is not true.

 

The exploding effect got a cd of 1.5 secs so actually you only proc 1 or 2.

 

And quickdraw for 30% targets instead of stronger DOTs... duh... Quickdraw is not strong enough to finish a 30% target but your buffed DOTs are

Edited April 14, 2012 by Riiquiem

[GalnarDegana]

Hey, I'm mostly an Imp player, I have a Sniper, but I saw this thread and I thought I'd throw something in.

 

Post 1.2, I don't have that much info on Sharpshooter/Marksmanship as it is a fairly straightforward and easy-to-use spec.

 

DF/Lethality is probaly the to-go spec, both in PvP and PvE, as it gives the same amount of dps as SS/Marksmanship without clustering you to that cover. Cover is still viable of course, and use it whenever you can, but your dps won't get entirely crippled out of cover while in a DF/Leth. spec. This spec also grants you the highest burst: pop up your DoTs, Explosive Probe/Sabotage Charge, Cull/Wounding Shots and watch how you'll nearly equal the burst of a Pyro PT/Assault Vanguard (----> Currently considered to be the highest possible burst in the game). Also don't forget that this spec is heavily reliant on DoTs, which pretty much neutralizes Flash Grenade or mezz abilities of other team members in the middle of a fight.

 

However if you're looking for something more than just pure, naked dps, I highly recommend to try out Saboteur/Engineering. Of all specs, this one requires the most skill to play properly as the possibilities are endless. Increased defensive abilites, as well to yourself as to your team (Ballistic Shield/Scrambling Field), highest AOE damage, best DoT and completely no energy problems at all. I'm currently experimenting a lot with this spec, as I said before, the rotation possibilities are endless.

And now, post-1.2, skills like Hot Pursuit/Calculated Pursuit, Incendiary Grenade/Plasma Probe and EMP Discharge/Sabotage make this the most versatile, but also most complicated, tree to play. In PvP, your overall utility (defending nodes and doors) will be much higher than DF/Lethality, as the only thing you can bring to your group there is just pure, naked dps (not to be underestimated, nonetheless!).

 

I love Sab for the simple reason of increased survivability. I love having buttons to hit to keep me alive and Sab gives that to me.

 

I have adjusted the guide to show my love for Sab. SS is great for PvE, but it just doesn't have enough going for it in PvP for me personally.

 

I have been playing around with a DF build recently. It is listed in the guide. I love the new Tier 6 talent Nice Try. So much. The only problem is I can't pick which talents I like best in DF, so I take 35 lol.

 

BTW, Vanguards and Powertechs got that burst damage nerfed in 1.2. They can no longer reset High Impact Bolt/Rail Shot more often than every six seconds, which is what was giving them their high DPS. They will still be good, but we will see what the highest DPS really is soon with combat logs etc.

 

So yeah, the guide is now updated for 1.2. Let me know if anyone spots anything awry.

[Riiquiem]

I love Sab for the simple reason of increased survivability. I love having buttons to hit to keep me alive and Sab gives that to me.

 

I have adjusted the guide to show my love for Sab. SS is great for PvE, but it just doesn't have enough going for it in PvP for me personally.

 

I have been playing around with a DF build recently. It is listed in the guide. I love the new Tier 6 talent Nice Try. So much. The only problem is I can't pick which talents I like best in DF, so I take 35 lol.

 

BTW, Vanguards and Powertechs got that burst damage nerfed in 1.2. They can no longer reset High Impact Bolt/Rail Shot more often than every six seconds, which is what was giving them their high DPS. They will still be good, but we will see what the highest DPS really is soon with combat logs etc.

 

So yeah, the guide is now updated for 1.2. Let me know if anyone spots anything awry.

 

Talking about your spec my friend, I'd highly recommend to delete those points in hot pursuit simply because it's dmg isn't much higher than FoB anyway and it forces you to use it for 6 seconds. During this period you could use much better skills.

 

You could spend those 2 points in 2% more life or 10 energy.

[GalnarDegana]

Yeah, I am going to try Hot Pursuit for a bit and see. My pre-1.2 spec had the 2 points in Bravado for the 10 energy, but because I was using Cool Head every minute, I didn't seem to need it. We'll see. I'll update as soon as I try it. The endurance from Underworld Hardships does add up to 700+ health now that I am better geared. Might be worth it.

[Riiquiem]

I did some testing with a warzone training dummy aboard my ship. <3 Combat logs

These are the results..

 

Vital shot without hemo: 4086+395 (nice try), 3600+377, 2157+438, 2962+578, 2962+517

VItal shot with hemo: 3176 + 438

(Keep in mind that Vital shot alone won't use Hemo Blast completely before it runs out. So I won't continue testing that, but will add Shrap/Vital + hemo together)

 

Shrap bomb w/o: 2418+421, 3258+421, 3048+421, 3258+421, 2838+506

 

Shrap bomb/Vital with Hemo: 6515+965, 8540+956, 7744+1084, 6996+898

 

(I did not take hemo blast's dmg itself into account)

 

Shrap bomb WITH "Independent Anarchy", I didn't spec it before. Compare it with the numbers above:

 

3545+459, 2858+366, 3316+645 (dmg increased from 276 to 301 and 486 to 530 AND weak version dmg increased from 112 to 122 and 198 to 215)

 

Wounding shots without DOTs: 1644 ,1333, 1577, 1460, 1443, 1565 (pretty cute isn't it?)

 

Wounding shots with DOTs: 4371, 4098, 3605, 4064, 4493, 4595

(Only WS dmg itself, not DOT ticks)

 

WS WITH "Steady Shots", I didn't spec it before. Compare it with the numbers above:

 

w/o DOTs: 1715, 1563, 1515, 1516, 1526, 1484, 1500, 1477

 

with DOTs: 3648, 4979, 4471, 4140, 4164, 3181 (hm that was a weak one), 3875

 

Rotation of following order:

vital shot,hemo,shrap bomb,flourish shot,sab charge,wounding shots

 

16460 in total with DOTs running out. 418,5 DPS.

 

18583 total 473,7 dps.

 

WITHOUT waiting for DOTs to run out, so directly afte WS end:

10860 total and 1053 dps

 

12307 total and 1129 dps

 

__________________________________________________________________________

 

And aimed shot / speed shot copied from another thread I posted in (SS specced then):

 

Aimed shot: 2195, 3948, 2442, 4496, 2655, 2386 (miss), 2495, 2694, 2250, 2224, 3942, 2306 (I am SS specced atm so aimed shots ignores 20% armor)

 

Speed shot: 4464, 5648, 4391, 2785, 5093, 4205 (miss), 4373, 3647, 3632, 4410, 3641, 3358

__________________________________________________________________________

 

Some things we may already knew but I want to make clear once and for all:

 

- Steady shots increases dmg of wounding shots only very little.

- Hemo blast does not affect Wounding shots at all.

- WS without DOTs is a joke....

- Nice Try DOTs increase WS damage.

- Independent Anarchy is a MUST HAVE for DF (see shrap bomb)

 

Specs I used for the numbers above: Dirty Fighting Sharp Shooter

 

Ranged:

Bonus dmg - 341,7

Accuracy - 96,67%

Crit chance - 33,21%

Crit multiplier - 76,105

 

Tech:

Bonus dmg - 603,2

Accuracy - 106,67%

Crit chance - 32,41%

Crit multiplier - 76,10%

 

Expertise:

990 (does it affect the WZ dummy? idk) due to modified BM gear pre 1.2

Every single slot is BM gear.. some modified, some 1.2 like.

 

I DID NOT USE ANY STIMS/BUFFS/ADRENALS ETC. TO MAKE IT COMPARABLE !!!!

 

So I wanna hear your thoughts about that^^

Edited April 16, 2012 by Riiquiem

[ptriz]

How come I can't put up as much damage with full DF as you guys : (

 

I'm Valor 47...is that why?

 

I think I'm not using flurry enough. I realize even if damage is lower than everything else, it is free and adds up over time. Also I get tunnel vision on killing people with burst sometimes...need to stop that.

 

Also I pop cover fairly frequently. This is to mitigate damge and interrupts mostly. I'll get into cover, DoT and move on. My wounding shots and XS flyby get interrupted pretty frequently if not. However the best DF videos I watch they are NEVER in cover. I'm contemplating unbinding it from my F key and forcing myself to run around.

 

Just to f/u on an old post, I focused much more on spamming flurry of bolts with occasional thermal grenade and topped the scoreboard for damage consistently. No brainer right?

[jsalemi]

I did some testing with a warzone training dummy aboard my ship. <3 Combat logs

These are the results..

 

...

 

So I wanna hear your thoughts about that^^

 

I respeced to Sab last night -- better in PvP, but I'm still not 100% satisfied with it. I'll give it another day or two, and then give your DF spec a try. Those numbers are VERY nice.

[Riiquiem]

So I did some testing again... now with hybrid df/sab and regarding those incredible numbers I get I'd say that hybrid delivers the highest amount of damage per rotation of ANY SPEC SLINGER CAN OFFER.

 

I will treat it like DF is our "main" spec and will see sab just as an addition.

Spec: 2/18/21

 

Let's have a look at the skills we get for speccing into sab tree...

 

Tier 1: Saboteur's Utility Belt

- 3 sec cd reduction of Thermal Grenade (TG) allows us to spam it more frequently and weakening whole groups.

--> I spammed it as often as I could before I went beneath 60%. 7 times and delivering 10559 dmg in total.

 

Tier 2: Independent Anarchy

- nothing more to add here, see test at the bottom of 2nd page of this thread.

 

Tier 3: Contingency Charges (CCh), Shock Charge (SC), Dealer's Discount (energy is always good)

- Sab Charge dmg with CCh: 1800. 1801, 1783, 3184 (crit) + 1200 - 1800 'cause of all 3 charges in total

 

- SC dmg: 3864, 3318, 3318, 3591 (630 crit, 358 normal.. weakest I got with only 1 crit was about 2700, strongest roughly 4400) plus cd reset when target dies while SC is applied

 

Tier 4: Insurrection, Arsonist

- Energy reg due to Insurrection making sab charge a 1 energy cost skill.

- Arsonist improve's Shrab Bomb's (SB) crit dmg but of course it always requires some luck

 

SB dmg: 3046, 3532, 3532, 3289, 3532, 3532, 4268 -that was a lucky one ...(564 crit and 320 normal)

 

Now VS + SC + SB in total when they ran out:

11526, 10898, 10954 ...(isn't it beautiful? )

Keep in mind that when I use all 3 together without anything else I just barely hit the 60% energy.

 

What happens if we add WS? 15628 (for WS dmg please take a look at the tests earlier)

So What really bothers me is the loss of "Nice Try".

If all 3 DOTs tick 'til the end the target is definitely dead within one full rotation (blah, blah without shilds, medpacks etc. of course) but since they can be cleansed we lose them AND the bonus dmg on WS.

 

I didn't find a viable option to keep "Nice Try" yet..

 

Of course just for the information here's the result for a compelte rotation consisting of

VS + SB + SC + SabC + FS + WS + SS + TG... after that we hit roughly 25 - 30% energy BUT also 26630 dmg

 

Please keep in mind that my values DO NOT EQUAL YOURS! It depends on luck with crits, gear etc. for further information please read the last post of the 2nd page of this thread.

[Ragnarok_ZA]

So I did some testing again... now with hybrid df/sab and regarding those incredible numbers I get I'd say that hybrid delivers the highest amount of damage per rotation of ANY SPEC SLINGER CAN OFFER.

 

I will treat it like DF is our "main" spec and will see sab just as an addition.

Spec: 2/18/21

 

Let's have a look at the skills we get for speccing into sab tree...

 

Tier 1: Saboteur's Utility Belt

- 3 sec cd reduction of Thermal Grenade (TG) allows us to spam it more frequently and weakening whole groups.

--> I spammed it as often as I could before I went beneath 60%. 7 times and delivering 10559 dmg in total.

 

Tier 2: Independent Anarchy

- nothing more to add here, see test at the bottom of 2nd page of this thread.

 

Tier 3: Contingency Charges (CCh), Shock Charge (SC), Dealer's Discount (energy is always good)

- Sab Charge dmg with CCh: 1800. 1801, 1783, 3184 (crit) + 1200 - 1800 'cause of all 3 charges in total

 

- SC dmg: 3864, 3318, 3318, 3591 (630 crit, 358 normal.. weakest I got with only 1 crit was about 2700, strongest roughly 4400) plus cd reset when target dies while SC is applied

 

Tier 4: Insurrection, Arsonist

- Energy reg due to Insurrection making sab charge a 1 energy cost skill.

- Arsonist improve's Shrab Bomb's (SB) crit dmg but of course it always requires some luck

 

SB dmg: 3046, 3532, 3532, 3289, 3532, 3532, 4268 -that was a lucky one ...(564 crit and 320 normal)

 

Now VS + SC + SB in total when they ran out:

11526, 10898, 10954 ...(isn't it beautiful? )

Keep in mind that when I use all 3 together without anything else I just barely hit the 60% energy.

 

What happens if we add WS? 15628 (for WS dmg please take a look at the tests earlier)

So What really bothers me is the loss of "Nice Try".

If all 3 DOTs tick 'til the end the target is definitely dead within one full rotation (blah, blah without shilds, medpacks etc. of course) but since they can be cleansed we lose them AND the bonus dmg on WS.

 

I didn't find a viable option to keep "Nice Try" yet..

 

Of course just for the information here's the result for a compelte rotation consisting of

VS + SB + SC + SabC + FS + WS + SS + TG... after that we hit roughly 25 - 30% energy BUT also 26630 dmg

 

Please keep in mind that my values DO NOT EQUAL YOURS! It depends on luck with crits, gear etc. for further information please read the last post of the 2nd page of this thread.

 

Riiquiem,

Just want to say that your posts on this forum have literally changed my outlook on my slinger for the better....I went from average DPS of like barely 250 - 300k to now around 400- 500k with only 4 BM pieces so thanks for that. Quick Question regarding your last skill post of 2/18/21. It is with regards to the 2 in SS would it not be better to move from the 6% dmg increase of WS and Speed Shot to the 8% critical increase for the same skills that you get with Reopen Wounds?...

I am work so I can't test it myself but I feel like it would benefit you more on average?

 

Anyone else able to test I would really welcome your advise

Edited April 18, 2012 by Ragnarok_ZA

[ptriz]

Thx for the help Riiquiem.

 

I wonder how much the df/sab plays the same as DF? It's been a while since I rolled sab, but I'm thinking there aren't any skills there that require cover?

 

Also lets say your DOTs get cleansed, in your opinion, would you just re-DOT immediately at the risk of going below 60 energy?

[Riiquiem]

@Ragnarok_ZA

 

This hybrid spec does not feel very fluently. Energy drops REALLY fast, even without annoying cleansers, if you want to deliver real high damage over longer fights.

The only thing you can do is to use SC first so it get cleansed with one of your bleeds, so you still have one bleed remaining which boosts WS.

So if you are forced to use WS vs cleansers do it like that: SC, VS, SB - cleanse, VS. This way you have 2 bleed effects again and can use fully buffed WS before it can be cleansed again.

For shorter fights it feels great, high damage and very, very deadly.

But still there is something missing... it doesn't seem to be as satisfying as DF is.

 

@Ptriz

 

I'm very glad to hear that, thank you

Yes indeed, I totally didn't see that its 8% crit now... yea I guess we should take out Steady Shots and spec into Reopen Wounds instead, thank you for pointing me at this.

[Tharenisis]

Great guide mate! Love it....will you have my younglings?

[Riiquiem]

Great guide mate! Love it....will you have my younglings?

 

Will try to put everything I stated so far into a complete guide tho I will only cover pvp gameplay.

[CrixusBoR]

Will try to put everything I stated so far into a complete guide tho I will only cover pvp gameplay.

 

I look forward to reading it

[trevah]

Will try to put everything I stated so far into a complete guide tho I will only cover pvp gameplay.

 

Please do. I just switched from SS to DF and I'm a little terrified. I was so cozy behind my cover with my simple rotation.

 

Speaking of which, what have you guys found to be optimal rotation for full-DF? I know that I've seen it on here before but I've looked at all these threads and have had trouble finding it.

[ByeToWoW]

@Riiquiem

 

Any new updates?

[Arehonn]

edit: wrong thread Edited April 23, 2012 by Arehonn

[ptriz]

Please do. I just switched from SS to DF and I'm a little terrified. I was so cozy behind my cover with my simple rotation.

 

Speaking of which, what have you guys found to be optimal rotation for full-DF? I know that I've seen it on here before but I've looked at all these threads and have had trouble finding it.

 

 

If not being focused my ideal rotation is

Hem blast > shrap > vital shot > wounding shots > flurry of bolts > wounding shots > flurry of bolts

 

If being focused its strafe/circle > vital/shrap/both > flurry of bolts > thermal

Dirty kick > run away if necessary.

 

Also while backing up to get away from a fight I like hem blast > shrap > vital > flury flurry flurry

[Riiquiem]

I'm trying.. university is keeping me hella busy.

I barely find the time to play at all and to record videos which I wanted to implement into the guide too.

Maybe I will start to release part after part till its completed.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Riiquiem

[Riiquiem]

If not being focused my ideal rotation is

Hem blast > shrap > vital shot > wounding shots > flurry of bolts > wounding shots > flurry of bolts

 

If being focused its strafe/circle > vital/shrap/both > flurry of bolts > thermal

Dirty kick > run away if necessary.

 

Also while backing up to get away from a fight I like hem blast > shrap > vital > flury flurry flurry

 

DO NOT use hemo blast at the beginning, you will lose time to use its complete charges.

 

full rotation is:

 

vs, heom , shrap, sab charge, florish, wounding shots, speed shot

[Drazz]

DO NOT use hemo blast at the beginning, you will lose time to use its complete charges.

 

full rotation is:

 

vs, heom , shrap, sab charge, florish, wounding shots, speed shot

 

What spec and build is this rotation for? I'm a SS gunslinger but starting to experiment and learn the other specs.

[jsalemi]

What spec and build is this rotation for? I'm a SS gunslinger but starting to experiment and learn the other specs.

 

DF; Hemo Blast is the highest skill on the tree.

[ptriz]

DO NOT use hemo blast at the beginning, you will lose time to use its complete charges.

 

full rotation is:

 

vs, heom , shrap, sab charge, florish, wounding shots, speed shot

 

I dont see why not. Hemo is for bleed effects. The only bleeds you have there are shrap and VS. Sab is periodic but is elemental, not internal. There should be no problem using VS and shrap before the 15 sec on hemo are up.

[Riiquiem]

I dont see why not. Hemo is for bleed effects. The only bleeds you have there are shrap and VS. Sab is periodic but is elemental, not internal. There should be no problem using VS and shrap before the 15 sec on hemo are up.

 

... I'm not willing to make the maths for you.... hemo has 15 sec duration for 10 ticks.... 1,5 sec gcd.... vital shot, still not tick... antoher 1,5s gcd.. shrap bomb... 2 ticks... and so on.

Under certain circumstances you will lose charges on hemo. don't argue, just dont do it.

[Riiquiem]

What spec and build is this rotation for? I'm a SS gunslinger but starting to experiment and learn the other specs.

 

I expect people to actually read the thread before posting in it.