imperial agent with a conundrum

[Yazule]

so I have my BH for heals and dps, i have my sorc for heals and dps...

 

I want to make a toon for pure unadulterated HUGE dps for PVE, BH and sorc both keep my pvp itch scratched.

 

People told me that sniper is biggest single target dps, which makes sense because they have no alternate ability tree (healing or tanking). My conundrum is that the sniper in my raid puts out significantly less dps than my BH arsenal spec.

 

are they doing something wrong or is my information on sniper being largest single target dps incorrect?

 

I need a tune for pure raiding and now looking around I do not know whether i should go sniper or ops on my agent.

 

I apreciate any responses, thank you in advance.

[Yazule]

really? nobody has an opinion?

 

I read the bible sticky, is it accurate, are snipers #1 single target dps in raid?

[Vlayue]

I wouldn't mind seeing a reply to this..I was told the same thing and yet also see the same things occur between class dps comparison.

 

Someone will come in with the obligatory "durrr we can't figur it oute til we haz numburz" but it's rather obvious when someone is doing the same damage as you.

[Yazule]

I wouldn't mind seeing a reply to this..I was told the same thing and yet also see the same things occur between class dps comparison.

 

Someone will come in with the obligatory "durrr we can't figur it oute til we haz numburz" but it's rather obvious when someone is doing the same damage as you.

 

EV solo fight boss, BH wins in my raid (me), followed normally by another BH, sniper comes in last, and it baffles me based on what everyone says.

[Vlayue]

Hate to say it but after hitting 50 I'm starting to think we're a broken class. Not that we can't match others for damage output..but that we can't do anything but that.

 

Why have a class solely for damage output if it can't be the best? Why make MM so horribly unviable in PVP when our classes name is SNIPER? Why make plasma probe so awful no one specs full engineer? (hurry up 1.2) Why is lethality and lethality/some engineering our only viable pvp spec?

 

there's plenty more questions I could ask that make me question why I'm even a sniper...the IA storyline was neat ..I suppose..

[mangarrage]

how are you tracking your damage vs the sniper?

[Nyysjan]

Against tanks, sniper dps kinda sucks (other classes can bypass some of their defenses, especially shields), otherwise our dps is fine.

 

The problems with sniper come in with lack of utility, low mobility and lousy mitigation, as well as very penalizing resource system.

And bugs.

 

1.2 seems to answer some of these issues though, wether enough or if more work needs to be done (almost certainly) remains to be seen.

Outside the effectivenes and UP/OP comparisons though, i like my sniper, and will keep playing wether or not our issues are dealth with (i'll just avoid pvp).

[Yazule]

how are you tracking your damage vs the sniper?

 

ev HM second to last boss (solo bosses), both on the same hp boss, bosses do not knockback or interrupt in HM... ready set go! .... mine dies and sniper has boss at 70% dead

[Yazule]

Against tanks, sniper dps kinda sucks (other classes can bypass some of their defenses, especially shields), otherwise our dps is fine.

 

The problems with sniper come in with lack of utility, low mobility and lousy mitigation, as well as very penalizing resource system.

And bugs.

 

1.2 seems to answer some of these issues though, wether enough or if more work needs to be done (almost certainly) remains to be seen.

Outside the effectivenes and UP/OP comparisons though, i like my sniper, and will keep playing wether or not our issues are dealth with (i'll just avoid pvp).

 

sounds like sniper and BH arsenal are about the same, cover mitigation makes up for heavy armor

 

i just want the biggest bang single target, i have two other 50's for pvp

[Flovust]

Bioware stated that sniper is currently the top dmg in the current raids.

[Vixion]

ya snipers don't have high dps in pvp or pve i have seen melee putting out just as much damage or more, and range dps putting out faster damage. now i would like to see snipers putting out more damage then the other class's like it should be but we will have to see.

[psi_overtake]

ya snipers don't have high dps in pvp or pve ...

 

Completely untrue. You may need to NOT target the tank, or try the lethality spec. Either way, snipers do great burst and sustained damage.

[muffinslol]

playing 2/16/23 snipers are putting out something like 1800 dps+ im not sure on the exact number cause we have no way of testing and saying that i did 1850 dps on the council fight isent accurate, being that it is under a minute fight.

[Gimia]

ev HM second to last boss (solo bosses), both on the same hp boss, bosses do not knockback or interrupt in HM... ready set go! .... mine dies and sniper has boss at 70% dead

 

First it isn't that great of a DPS check as some ACs can't use everything such as concealment operatives, secondly as an arsenal merc you gain much more armor pen then any other class in a 1v1 fight which will cause your DPS to beat out pretty much anybody else (if left to free cast). Lastly that sniper is either being completely ineffective with energy management or is severely undergeared (like in greens level of gear).

[lambandmartyre]

Its entirely possible that your sniper isn't managing his energy as well as the BH is managing his heat, with both classes you want to keep your energ above 60% and heat below 50 to get the maximum regen rate for both, faster regen means you can use more attacks through out the fight which should make the fight last shorter. if your auto attacking waiting for enough energy to snipe rather than adding an auto attack inbetween your snipes your losing dps.

[Azurien]

My main is a 50 sniper and i must say they are by far the highest single target dps'er in the game at the moment and come update 1.2 that will be even more so, i know full Battalemaster and rakata sorcs re rolling to snipers. Anyways to the point the sniper in your raid grp is doing something horrible wrong, my suggestion is look at his spec he should be running FULL Marksmenship for raiding, yes we cant really do crap in terms of trash mob pulls but come boss pulls snipers are KEY when it comes to damage. Also a fun side note, if there are going to be 2 snipers in your raid i suggest both respecing to lethality, now before everyone freaks out let me explain, also as a note this ONLY works with !!!TWO!!! snipers. Int he lethality tree you get your 2 poisons, and the channeled ability "cull" does considerable damage and the damaged is increased each second per "poison" on the monster, NOW with two snipers the monster will have 4 poisons and in turn DOUBLING the damage each snipers "cull" does. This works because "cull" at the moment only recognizes the two skill names(poisons) on the monster, so when it see 2 of each of the poisons with will in a sense do an ADDITIONAL 1,444 DPS( granted it will also increase/decrease depending on your gear) on top of the damage cull already does ALSO on top of your poison ticks. Now i know people out there are going to try and dismiss this but i urge you to try it, this will also work VERY well in PVP you just have to be on vent, my buddy and i can MELT tanks before they can even get up to us(because they cant force jump due to cover). You can also run straight MM in pvp, now a lot of people are against this due to the lack of mobility but if you play the spec right you will get TOP 3 DPS every warzone guaranteed, shoot i can even get top dps solo full spec lethality to be honest just have to know how to play them, NOW the sniper wont be anything like your BH, you cant take much damage so it will be a new play style to learn but when you master it i can personally promise you, you wont regret it. Current FACTS ARE: Imp agent( sniper) is the most unplayed class at the moment, this is starting to change though, sorcs are getting pretty nurfed coming 1.2 so snipers are even more so the top dps in the game at the moent and come post 1.2.

 

If you have any questions please feel free to message me and ill be happy to answer any and all question, just remember a lot of people hate the sniper and really dont know what there talking about or they hit 50 and dont instantly top the dps charts, it takes work but if you put the work into the sniper you wont regret it

 

mark my words come post 1.2 you will see plenty more snipers around, people will then realize the sniper true potential.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Paralassa
content

[Yazule]

My main is a 50 sniper and i must say they are by far the highest single target dps'er in the game at the moment and come update 1.2 that will be even more so, i know full Battalemaster and rakata sorcs re rolling to snipers. Anyways to the point the sniper in your raid grp is doing something horrible wrong, my suggestion is look at his spec he should be running FULL Marksmenship for raiding, yes we cant really do crap in terms of trash mob pulls but come boss pulls snipers are KEY when it comes to damage. Also a fun side note, if there are going to be 2 snipers in your raid i suggest both respecing to lethality, now before everyone freaks out let me explain, also as a note this ONLY works with !!!TWO!!! snipers. Int he lethality tree you get your 2 poisons, and the channeled ability "cull" does considerable damage and the damaged is increased each second per "poison" on the monster, NOW with two snipers the monster will have 4 poisons and in turn DOUBLING the damage each snipers "cull" does. This works because "cull" at the moment only recognizes the two skill names(poisons) on the monster, so when it see 2 of each of the poisons with will in a sense do an ADDITIONAL 1,444 DPS( granted it will also increase/decrease depending on your gear) on top of the damage cull already does ALSO on top of your poison ticks. Now i know people out there are going to try and dismiss this but i urge you to try it, this will also work VERY well in PVP you just have to be on vent, my buddy and i can MELT tanks before they can even get up to us(because they cant force jump due to cover). You can also run straight MM in pvp, now a lot of people are against this due to the lack of mobility but if you play the spec right you will get TOP 3 DPS every warzone guaranteed, shoot i can even get top dps solo full spec lethality to be honest just have to know how to play them, NOW the sniper wont be anything like your BH, you cant take much damage so it will be a new play style to learn but when you master it i can personally promise you, you wont regret it. Current FACTS ARE: Imp agent( sniper) is the most unplayed class at the moment, this is starting to change though, sorcs are getting pretty nurfed coming 1.2 so snipers are even more so the top dps in the game at the moent and come post 1.2.

 

If you have any questions please feel free to message me and ill be happy to answer any and all question, just remember a lot of people hate the sniper and really dont know what there talking about or they hit 50 and dont instantly top the dps charts, it takes work but if you put the work into the sniper you wont regret it

 

mark my words come post 1.2 you will see plenty more snipers around, people will then realize the sniper true potential.

 

thank you one and all for your replies... it is as I suspected, need to work with our snipers build/play style

 

going sniper when i get home (been sitting on the decision point since I first posted this)

 

and Azurien i will keep you in mind when i have questions i will drop y ou a line.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Paralassa
content quote

[psi_overtake]

... my suggestion is look at his spec he should be running FULL Marksmenship for raiding, yes we cant really do crap in terms of trash mob pulls but come boss pulls snipers are KEY when it comes to damage. ...

 

Before I switched to MM/Leth, I was MM and did a LOT better killing trash than I did as Leth. Why? Because in Leth you can't really use CG because it'll break the nearby CC, which gimps Cull damage, so it's not worth using. As MM, your entire trash rotation doesn't do AoE, so you can down the target faster. It's also more energy efficient because if you poison trash, it dies before the poisons can crit enough times for it to be worth DoTting them up.

 

... Also a fun side note, if there are going to be 2 snipers in your raid i suggest both respecing to lethality, now before everyone freaks out let me explain, also as a note this ONLY works with !!!TWO!!! snipers. Int he lethality tree you get your 2 poisons, and the channeled ability "cull" does considerable damage and the damaged is increased each second per "poison" on the monster, NOW with two snipers the monster will have 4 poisons and in turn DOUBLING the damage each snipers "cull" does. This works because "cull" at the moment only recognizes the two skill names(poisons) on the monster, so when it see 2 of each of the poisons with will in a sense do an ADDITIONAL 1,444 DPS( granted it will also increase/decrease depending on your gear) on top of the damage cull already does ALSO on top of your poison ticks. Now i know people out there are going to try and dismiss this but i urge you to try it, this will also work VERY well in PVP you just have to be on vent, my buddy and i can MELT tanks before they can even get up to us(because they cant force jump due to cover). ...

 

Cull says "For each of YOUR poison effects on the target..." so having 2 snipers DoTting up the enemy should NOT increase your own Cull damage twofold. It could be bugged, making your statement correct, but if working as intended, this isn't the case.

 

... You can also run straight MM in pvp, now a lot of people are against this due to the lack of mobility but if you play the spec right you will get TOP 3 DPS every warzone guaranteed, shoot i can even get top dps solo full spec lethality to be honest just have to know how to play them ...

 

I usually didn't get top damage in WZ as my MM sniper. I've significantly increased when switching to MM/Leth. For this, I'd like to explain 2 things:

 

1. Leth poisons cut through armor, and keep ticking even after you die. These result in higher damage done.

 

2. I normally didn't get top damage because I was busy assisting the team with objectives and using tactics:

 

• In Huttball, slowing the team down running after your ball carrier is better than killing them and letting them kill your carrier after they spawn.
   
  
• In Civil War I do more damage, but would still rather stun/root a group of enemies going after a node rather than killing 1 and then dying.
   
  
• In Voidstar, you can get away with justifying that more damage = higher chance of winning the WZ. Still better to use your CCs at the right times, though.
  

 

Also, please wall-of-text less. It makes your post harder to read and more unlikely to be read.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Paralassa
content quote

[CTifer]

ev HM second to last boss (solo bosses), both on the same hp boss, bosses do not knockback or interrupt in HM... ready set go! .... mine dies and sniper has boss at 70% dead

 

Are you taking into considering that other sniper's gear compared to your BH?

[Yazule]

Are you taking into considering that other sniper's gear compared to your BH?

 

me in 2 piece rakata (and belt and waste)

 

sniper in 3 piece rakata (and belt and waste and both implants and ear)

 

i am outgeared in a big way (the rest of both of us is columi or better

 

i only have rakata offhand, columi main while sniper has rakata main weapon

[Dasamukha]

I am not sure that anyone has a firm handle on the dps across the classes. The council fight is the closest to patchwerk fight we have in terms of stand and burn. I am in about 1/2 pvp gear and a mix of rakata and colomi gear, so I don't hold myself out to be full optimized for pve combat. My mileage varies.

 

I finish middle of the pack if I manage my energy correctly. We have 10 dps in a 16 man raid and I finish in the before some and after others but we are all within about 10 seconds of each other. I am punished harshly if I don't manage my energy properly. In those pulls I have finished embarrassingly last. I am not too proud to admit that I have played poorly.

 

Additionally, while there are gear levels, skill levels, and class balance issues, RNG plays a role also. You are taking one particular fight with a very limited number of tries and trying to extrapolate that limited data to the entire class. Your sniper buddy is probably under geared and maybe suboptimally geared. Your sniper buddy is probably handling his energy poorly. And there is no guarantee that he has had a good run of RNG.

[Nyysjan]

sounds like sniper and BH arsenal are about the same, cover mitigation makes up for heavy armor

 

i just want the biggest bang single target, i have two other 50's for pvp

 

my BH is powetech tank, so can't really comment on that.

But, cover mitigation does not make up for lower armor, portable cover works only against ranged damage (which only other snipers and gunslingers use as their primary damage type), and static cover is directional (and often not available).