Marauder spec question

[Viores]

Ok so I've been looking around the forums and seeing how most people spec. I'm only a level 13 marauder and new with the class. I keep seeing that people like Annihilation spec for it cause of the bleeding damage, But I keep getting told that Annihilation was nerfed. The other one I see is Carnage/Rage spec being the next one others do. So My question is which is truly better for pvp, The Annihilation's bleeding damage or Carnage/rage spec?

[CoolJaZ]

None of the specs were nerfed, simply stuff moved around. The only thing that was removed from Anni spec is the +30% Predation speed. Force Camoflauge was changed a bit but that's it. I suggest for leveling go for either Carnage or Rage.

[Yescek]

Ok so I've been looking around the forums and seeing how most people spec. I'm only a level 13 marauder and new with the class. I keep seeing that people like Annihilation spec for it cause of the bleeding damage, But I keep getting told that Annihilation was nerfed. The other one I see is Carnage/Rage spec being the next one others do. So My question is which is truly better for pvp, The Annihilation's bleeding damage or Carnage/rage spec?

 

Depends. It USED to be that if you didn't go Anni you were gimping yourself. Not so any more. I would encourage you to level as Annihilation simply because it's easier. But you should know that you're VERY likely to gravitate towards whichever spec you level as because you'll be used to how it flows.

 

Annihilation - Pros: 1. High sustained damage with decent burst, 2. 1% per tick self heals if your DoT's crit which is convenient seeing as how berserk makes all DoT's autocrit when in Juyo form, 2. Longer Camo, 3. More interrupts, 4. Your damage is not mitigated by armor, 5. You can charge from point-blank making Charge a very effective rage-builder

 

Annihilation - Cons: 1. Your damage takes time to set up and get fully rolling and this includes your burst, 2. Healers can dispel your DoT's, 3. You can't swap targets on the fly due to item #1, 4. You lack CC almost entirely

 

Rage - Pros: 1. High AoE burst damage, 2. Force damage isn't mitigated by armor either, 3. High mobility due to having essentially two Charges, 4. Essentially perma-predation, 5. Quick target switching, 6. Base 10% armor-pen

 

Rage - Cons: 1. Laughably easy to dodge your derp-smash as it's telegraphed like a mofo which effectively neutralizes a significant part of your DPS

 

Carnage - Pros: 1. Fairly mobile due to the CC break attached to Camo, 2. Roots out the *** if Deadly Throw is talented, 3. Free 600-800 damage procs off of most of your attacks, 4. Fastest predation available which if stacked twice makes you FAR faster than a Sorc, 5. Quick target switching

 

Carnage - Cons: 1. Gore will telegraph your burst, 2. Gore only lasts 6 seconds so if you don't get your rotation off flawlessly you lose a lot of DPS which can happen alot if you're getting thrown around like a ragdoll, 3. All your damage is Kinetic and weapon based which means you can shred clothies like they're not even there but heavies will give you fits

 

That's more or less it as far as I know. If anyone else has anything to add, by all means.

[Empathicone]

I used Carnage for leveling and under 50 PvP. When I got 50 I went to anni and it had great damage because of the top skill at the tree.

[Cisza]

I would definitely recommend Annihilation for leveling, as Massacre and Force Crush is essential for Carnage/Rage. With the self heal from dot crits you'll basically heal yourself for 18% HP every Berserk. Anni at least until 30 (Gore in Carnage), then you can try Rage at 40.

[Irishpierre]

I disagree with Cis.

 

You're level 13, rock Carnage for now. At around 20-25, start getting into different specs and PVPing, seeing what you like best.

 

Earlier levels you'll most likely power house through most of your NPCs, wanting to drop the normals in 1-4 hits. Annihilation is bleed/Internal damage, Carnage is your upfront.

 

Since you're level 13, continue to use the Juyo form, since you won't get Ataru until later. This increases, so it says, your melee damage.

 

 

Later, when you feel as though you need a change, reset and see what fits BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR PLAYSTYLE. Until then, enjoy.

[Cisza]

BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR PLAYSTYLE.

 

 

I agree with this, but let me run a scenario by you, to show you how great Anni can be. Say you have a group of 2 normal an 1 strong. Jump in, Deadly Saber and Rupture and first normal bleed out in seconds, Ravage the second normal, and by then you got your 5 stacks of Juyo form. Then use Vicious Slash and Assault as fillers until DS is off CD, and he'll be gone before dot is over.

 

Carnage however is very lackluster until auto crit proc on Scream, and would not recommend it until Gore.

[Viores]

Wow so many opinions I'm happy that people actually want to help. Right now im using the bottom two abilities in Annihilation. They are not bad, I was wondering though can you do Annihilation/Rage for the second jump. Cause if you get pushed back you have to walk back to them. Would that spec work? Edited April 15, 2012 by Viores

[Glutez]

I saw someone posing on forum that leveling with rage is really great because with the high damage smash. And with leveling your always fight groups. I did not level in rage but if you think about the logical it make sense.

[Blloodbane]

I saw someone posing on forum that leveling with rage is really great because with the high damage smash. And with leveling your always fight groups. I did not level in rage but if you think about the logical it make sense.

 

PVE is easy, any of the trees will be good, if played right. MOB AI = Dumb

 

Anhilation, is some self healing so you could get away with different companions for use. The longer the fight the better you are because of the dots. Great for big boss fights, so long as they dont go immune during the fights, which prevents dots from working. However, it sustained damage. pre 1.2 this was the DPS tree of choice.

 

Rage, as far as I can tell his a one trick pony with Smash, but is still a DPS tree and is still good. The problem is that ranged PVE the mobs rarely move. If you take the time to try break LOS, you can maybe group them up with smart play. Not sure how effective on bss fights this would be.

 

Carnage, is good for taking out the trash rather easily and is good for 1v1 fights. I know that before I was geared out with Columi or even Tionese, that my Carnage Mara can solo level 50 champions (not all mind you). I solo'ed "Freeing the Fallen" without using the suicide trick. Forced Camo the big fights, killed some strongs along the way, got the Champion Jedi at the end and solo him with Quinn. This as pre 1.2 and playing with the carnage bugs too. Carnage is extreme burst damage, you can actually sustain that burst damage on fights on any target.

 

I have not played the other two trees, and I have heard they are equally good for differing results, so my thoughts on them could be rather restricted. I am only experienced with Carnage.

[Irishpierre]

I agree with this, but let me run a scenario by you, to show you how great Anni can be. Say you have a group of 2 normal an 1 strong. Jump in, Deadly Saber and Rupture and first normal bleed out in seconds, Ravage the second normal, and by then you got your 5 stacks of Juyo form. Then use Vicious Slash and Assault as fillers until DS is off CD, and he'll be gone before dot is over.

 

Carnage however is very lackluster until auto crit proc on Scream, and would not recommend it until Gore.

 

 

This is true, though I would almost say the opposite. At such a low level as 13, (6 alts, Various level 10-20s and like 3 level 30's), most of your enemies are dying in 1-2 hits WITH your companion active.

 

Those bleeds work wonders for bosses but I suppose, yes, Anni would be technically easier, since you'd have more survivability, but I feel as though Carnage plows through those low level enemies up until about 20 or so like a truck. You'll probably lose about half your health until you have Quinn, but just stop for an extra 3 seconds and regain it, rinse and repeat.

 

It would really just have to come down to his/her playstyle. I liked Carnage for leveling -and- PVP, but that's my playstyle.

[Quantemoq]

Rage - Pros: 1. High AoE burst damage, 2. Force damage isn't mitigated by armor either, 3. High mobility due to having essentially two Charges, 4. Essentially perma-predation, 5. Quick target switching, 6. Base 10% armor-pen

 

 

force is an attack type not a damage type, much like tech. and if you are refering to attacks like force choke/scream/smash they all deal kinetic damage that is mitiated by armor.

 

 

force attacks though have the advantage that they (almost) cannot be deflected

Edited April 15, 2012 by Quantemoq