1.2 no thanks. Switching to Guardian.

[RakeHoxven]

1.2 oversimplifies Sentinel and in exchange improves general abilities.

 

 

 

Guardian is looking much more enticing with some pretty great changes.

 

 

 

I guess I will have to build yet another 50 (this will be my 4th).

[DDDAze]

I'm a level 50 Sentinel with 2 alts and I quite enjoy my main Sent. To be honest, I'm still new to the whole MMO genre, but I've been killing Imps left and right

[RakeHoxven]

I'm a level 50 Sentinel with 2 alts and I quite enjoy my main Sent. To be honest, I'm still new to the whole MMO genre, but I've been killing Imps left and right

 

1.2 didn't make it less effective it just made it linear and less customizable. There is only one good build for Watchman and only one good build for Combat and there isn't even a good build for Focus.

Edited April 13, 2012 by RakeHoxven

[DDDAze]

1.2 didn't make it less effective it just made it linear and less customizable. There is only one good build for Watchman and only one good build for Combat and there isn't even a good build for Focus.

 

That makes sense. I see that you're probably more avid in MMO's than I am =) I just hack and slash my way basically

[AidanLightwalker]

1.2 didn't make it less effective it just made it linear and less customizable. There is only one good build for Watchman and only one good build for Combat and there isn't even a good build for Focus.

 

You would think that until you see some of the builds people run around with lol! I have a friend in RL and when I seen his build, he had half his points in combat and the other half in watchmen! I loled!!

 

There are still people out there that do crazy things.... Most of the builds that center around dps will be very similar, the only thing that will change from player to player is like the 5 points that spend on utility skills.

[Smuglebunny]

I feel like watchman has improved. I tried focus last night and meh. Its ok for pve but totaly relies on force sweep and kills way slower on single target. Ive never used combat.

 

Im ok with the changes. For the sentinel at least.

[Aaramis]

I feel like watchman has improved.

 

It has, mostly because:

1) Master Strike now does more damage, which further boosts dps if you use it liberally (and you should!);

2) Expertise reshuffling now means people in full BM are going to get something like a +20% damage bonus. Combined with Merciless Slash's already impressive damage, this is now even more damaging.

 

Combining these two, especially with an expertise stim and/or Inspiration, drops a ton of damage in a very short period. Inspiration + Master Strike (2 ticks) -> Merc Slash = O.o.

 

Combat is no different, either. Inspiration + Precision Slash (for 100% AP buff) + Master Strike + Blade Storm and/or Blade Rush(es) was good damage before 1.2. Now it's silly good.

 

 

*edit* - to the OP, I wouldn't say Sentinel is "oversimplified". Far from it, it's still the hardest class to play IMO. It's just now a bit "FoTM", which is perhaps turning you off of it. If this is the reason, I can understand completely. But if you really feel it's oversimplified, I would beg to differ.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Aaramis

[Jaceenn]

Doesnt everyone get more expertise? So damage from a full BM to a full BM remains the same right.

[furiousferret]

1.2 oversimplifies Sentinel and in exchange improves general abilities.

 

 

 

Guardian is looking much more enticing with some pretty great changes.

 

 

 

I guess I will have to build yet another 50 (this will be my 4th).

 

Sorry but in 1.2 Guardians don't hold a candle to Sentinels. My fresh 50 Marauder does the same amount of damage as my full BM Vengeance Jugg. Yes the Jugg has more utility, which comes into play in Huttball which is played less now.

[Gnotong]

yes,if you want to play focus you should play Guardian.

 

I used to play focus guardian 50 once but I feel like my damage is depend on only 1 skill too much and I can do alot of damage once every 12 seconds( cant remember the cd on force sweep ).Bottomline I have much fun with sentinels

[Xerain]

Lol maybe if you weren't playing noob smash spec and you were actually good at playing sentinel you wouldn't have a problem Rake.

[Spungey]

1.2 didn't make it less effective it just made it linear and less customizable. There is only one good build for Watchman and only one good build for Combat and there isn't even a good build for Focus.

 

what are you smoking and where can I get it. No good build for Focus...lol..when Sweep is critting for almost 7k with relics and 5k normal crits..lmao...Pop Zen, Zealous Leap then Sweep...oh my 1 Focus..lulz, use your 6 stacks of Zen to fill your focus right back up. Focus is unbelievable in pvp and really overpowered in 1.2

[Sobius]

While I see some exaggeration going on, I do believe Focus is not as terrible as people make it out to be, especially for Ops where there are specialized roles for tanks, DPS and healers. I tried switching from Focus to Watchman, and saw a significant loss of damage in both PvP and PvE, though perhaps I did not play it long enough (gave it two weeks)

 

Force Exhaustion and Force Stasis are solid DOT abilities, and the 1.2 5k Force Sweep is indeed a nice addition. While I would not suggest it is ZOMG super powerful, it holds its own as far as I am concerned in PVE, raids and Ops.

[Sevryn]

Well... now I don't know What build to use.

I mostly PVE, but will look at getting into PVP and Ops when I hit 50.

 

I will admit, I am more of a button masher than a chess player.

 

What build will allow me to kill quickest (DoTs or direct DPS)?

Edited April 14, 2012 by Sevryn

[arkitip]

A guild mate and I did some parse testing, he's combat spec, I'm watchman. I also did a focus respec to test as well, and he did a watchman respec.

 

We found that with our primary specs we were between 1200-1300 DPS, and on our respecs we were both 1100-1200. Basically what we concluded was that we weren't very familiar with the other specs, accounting for the DPS loss, and that each sentinel spec in fact does similar DPS and are all viable.

[SkiaTheShade]

It's kind of nice to see someone who is actually favoring Guardian lol. On the Guardian forums everyone is ************ about being "nerfed". I'd say your playing the more powerful class ATM. However, being FoTM is a complete and utter turn off for me too. Give Guardian a try if you like utility.

[Bivaccus]

becasue they think force sweep has a 9 seconds cooldown on a sentinel, which it has not. They removed a talent in the watchman tree that reduced CD by 3 secs as well. Edited April 15, 2012 by Bivaccus

[prideaux]

1.2 oversimplifies Sentinel and in exchange improves general abilities.

 

 

 

Guardian is looking much more enticing with some pretty great changes.

 

 

 

I guess I will have to build yet another 50 (this will be my 4th).

 

Sorry i dont see where you are coming from... i

 

When i first started playing with 1.2 and new UI, every fight felt a little off. Timing wise and Focus building was my main concern. At first i thought it was 1.2 (and general nerf paranoia) then i decided it was finally having UI arranged how i wanted it, lvl 48 is too late in game to relearn where each button is...

 

but the thing is, now a few days later (with no new gear since then) i am feeling a lot tougher, general fights seem a lot more fun, my love for the class is even greater

 

not only is Master Strike hitting much much harder but the best thing is Pommel strike is much more useable now, at many different times, especially given you can now use it... "Force Leap-POW-Pommel Strike" the first mob in the group is basically dead

 

that always makes me smile

[Visue]

I'm a level 50 Sentinel with 2 alts and I quite enjoy my main Sent. To be honest, I'm still new to the whole MMO genre, but I've been killing Imps left and right

 

Because your class needs to be reigned in. It's stronger by far than any other in the game right now.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Visue

[Temeluchus]

A guild mate and I did some parse testing, he's combat spec, I'm watchman. I also did a focus respec to test as well, and he did a watchman respec.

 

We found that with our primary specs we were between 1200-1300 DPS, and on our respecs we were both 1100-1200. Basically what we concluded was that we weren't very familiar with the other specs, accounting for the DPS loss, and that each sentinel spec in fact does similar DPS and are all viable.

 

I'm not going to knock you and your friend or anything as you are probably right and the lack of comfort with your repsecs came into play, but I've done some parse testing(very comfortable with all 3 specs) and people that are way more knowledgeable than me have done extensive parse testing with the specs. Watchman consistently comes out on top about 1350-1500,then Combat and Focus are very near each other in the 1100-1200 range.

[RakeHoxven]

I find it funny that everyone is saying sentinel is overpowered now when before the patch my build did a lot more damage then the new combat build.

 

 

 

 

People will be idiots i guess.

 

 

 

and I am not coming back to Sentinel since they oversimplified and nerfed all the advanced class skills and what increased their value in exchange for slightly increasing general skills.

 

 

p.s. the dispatch change is aweful. Dispatch is supposed to kill or come close to killing something, now it's just an extra bladestorm.

Edited April 17, 2012 by RakeHoxven

[ProfessorWalsh]

1.2 oversimplifies Sentinel and in exchange improves general abilities.

 

 

 

Guardian is looking much more enticing with some pretty great changes.

 

 

 

I guess I will have to build yet another 50 (this will be my 4th).

 

So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

The Guardian is no more complicated however. The class needed to be simplified a bit as the difficulty curve was way above most player's heads.

[Jeffor]

what are you smoking and where can I get it. No good build for Focus...lol..when Sweep is critting for almost 7k with relics and 5k normal crits..lmao...Pop Zen, Zealous Leap then Sweep...oh my 1 Focus..lulz, use your 6 stacks of Zen to fill your focus right back up. Focus is unbelievable in pvp and really overpowered in 1.2

 

Not to mention, damn near impossible to kite which is very important in PVP. I choose focus at launch with no knowledge of any of the trees and I still roll with a focus spec. I love it in PVP.

[Hizoka]

you know i was called a troll for saying sentinels were a very strong class in beta IF you knew how to play them. here we are 5 months later and people are complaining they are OP.

 

Bad players will always be bad and good players will always be good players.

[FadedSpark]

I'm not going to knock you and your friend or anything as you are probably right and the lack of comfort with your repsecs came into play, but I've done some parse testing(very comfortable with all 3 specs) and people that are way more knowledgeable than me have done extensive parse testing with the specs. Watchman consistently comes out on top about 1350-1500,then Combat and Focus are very near each other in the 1100-1200 range.

 

Spam slash and uber crits make focus useful against multi target. the DPS is there, it's just incredibly bursty and loses out fast without multi target.

 

WIth watchman you can keep it up, and the better your rot mastery, the better your DPS if you can get it tighter and tighter.