Shredz's 1.2 PvP Tanky AP Build/Guide

[Shredzz]

Shredz's 1.2 Tanky PvP AP build/Guide

 

This guide will explain my version of Advanced prototype/Tactics. I'm already aware there is a thread about the in and outs of AP/tactics made by theopf and I highly recommend anyone who is interested in rolling any AP spec should check it out. Heres the link;

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=404703

 

Ok now on with the spec;

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GorZMsrrobfkds.1

 

Pros:

• Being fairly tanky with Ion gas cyclinder & stabilized armor
  
• Being able to put out relatively okay damage(I would say probably 80-90% of Full AP dps builds - my opinion you can disagree)(Managed to get 1169 dps on a 5min fight against an operations dummy)
  
• Ability to guard = extra utility
  
• Lots of Slows, 50% on ion gas proc(so you can slow from ranged with auto attack), 30% on retractable blade, AoE slow on Flamethrower
  
• Still great AoE dmg
  

Cons:

• Heat management is quite bad compared to Full AP, so if you're not experienced in what to do situationally you might struggle to keep underwraps, though with so much downtime in pvp I personally think this isn't much a problem.(Tip: Charge up stacks of prototype flamethrower with flame sweep in between downtime/before match begins)
  
• Loss of 8% on Ele/internal dmg, 8% on rocket punch and 3% aim, you gain some back from ion gas though(it made 7% of my dps)
  
• Loss of 15% movement speed - to be honest I don't really see this as much a loss since you gain a ranged slow proc and guaranteed slow proc on one of your main abilities(rocket punch)
  

 

The spec consists of going full AP/tactics and sinking only 10 into shield tech tree, with using ion gas cyclinder(tank stance) instead of High energy gas cyclinder. Some might argue that there is too much of a loss of dps/mobility/heat management but I'm hoping with some convincing they can see where I'm coming from This is more of a spec to rival Iron fist's build than to rival a dps build so don't expect crazy damage numbers, It just makes you a tanky dps.

 

While using this spec I tend to win most of my 1v1's, also seem to hold my own against Assasins/marauders from my personal experience.

 

Currently I only really see 2popular specs for tanks in pvp and thats full shield tech or iron fist, though from my perspective the only really point of going down so far into shield tech is for jet charge but do we really need jet charge? Sure jet charge is great against ranged but usually all ranged have knockbacks anyways.

 

In my personal opinion I think hydraullic Overrides is much much better as you are completely immune to roots/slows/knockbacks/pulls and run at sprint speed in combat for 8secs, so for those 8secs you can lay it into anyone with assurance your not going to be stopped unless stunned/mezzed(on full resolve your unstoppable). This makes you;

• Easier executing you're dmg when popping explosive fuel/relic/adrenal
  
• An amazing ball carrier
  
• Someone thats safe to pass to
  
• Being able to counter knockback classes much easier rather than being knockbacked right after charge
  
• Kite melee while doing dmg from 10m range(Immolate/Flameburst/Flamethrower)(hint: easier with a slow applied to enemy) or 10-30m range(rapid shots/railshot/explosive dart/unload)
  
• Actually being able to stick to a sniper/gs with cc shield up(since you cant stun + charge/stun + grapple)
  

 

Hydraullic Overrides = An escape option! you can move much more freely around the map and be way more objective based than shield tech/pyro ever can. For example, pop it when;

1. You just got a door down in voidstar, you use it to break away and get ahead for the cap on bridge etc etc
   
2. Enemies have stormed your east node its 5 of you vs 4 of them you get one down its now 5v3, you notice mid is in trouble, you use it to break away and safe the day!
   
3. You're down to 50% hp in voidstar and you see a medheal, pop it and run to pick up(90% of the time i usually always make it without being stopped)
   

Its something you can rely on! Granted its on a 30sec cd but Charge on the other hand won't save you from that 2nd knockback off the ledge.

 

So By having Hydraullics I'm able to kite my melee foes by acting like a ranged and still pumping out dmg(no real benefit of staying in 4m range with a melee other than a rocket punch), and stick to my ranged foes by being immune to knockbacks/roots/slows.

Basic Priority for the spec(from my experience in pvp)

1. Immolate
   
2. Rocket punch(free)
   
3. Flamethrower(5stack)(You might agrue why not flamethrower first on priority? well thats because i would like there to be a slow applied on my target prior to using flamethrower and rocket punch applies a 2sec 50% slow)
   
4. Retractable blade dogt kept up
   
5. Railshot(guaranteed crit)
   
6. Flameburst
   

 

Situational Abilities

Neural dart(single target taunt) - I use this ALL the time, on anyone bothering my healers/ball carrier/that ranged spammer.

 

Sonic missile(aoe taunt) - I use this ALL the time, on any zerg of 2+

 

Unload - Unload if 10-30 meters from target(won't do great dmg but its still something to do from afar

 

Explosive dart - Same again if im 10-30meters away from target though i use it in other situations. for example(this also works for thermal detonator);

• When force shroud(assassin 99% tech resist ability) has 3secs left I pop this so it goes off once it comes down so it doesnt get resisted - extra dmg over just doing rapid shots/unload.
  
• When undying rage(marauder 99% dmg reduction ability) has 3secs left I pop this so it goes off once it comes down as well.
  

DFA - I mainly use this to interupt objective cappers(though flame sweep/flamethrower are equally good at that as well) the range is a bit sucky now but dmg is still ok, if they stay in it, its still good.

 

Rapid Shots - standard auto atk(does some extra dmg from ion gas and slows atleast )

 

Thermal Sensor Overide - I always use this on my flamethrower.

 

Vent heat - If i break my <40 heat rule i'll pop this to maintain my heat management.

 

Flame sweep - Stacking prototype flamethrower stacks in downtime/interupt cappers.

 

Quell(6sec cd) - On healers I always use this on a hard cast(not channel), a good tip for interupting heals is interupt it just before the end of the cast so they waste the most amount of time.

 

Carbonize - Aoe stun, amazing synergy with flamethrowing groups.

 

A key thing to this build is being able to feel what your suppose to do situationally, like see those knockbacks coming, seeing what abilities your opponents are doing and counter.

For example;

• Counter knockback with hydraullics
  
• Counter Force speed with grapple
  
• Counter melee popping cds by stunning/ retractable blade(for slow) + hydraullics to kite while spamming flameburst *tip* keep 5m-9m so they can't charge you though.(flamethrower makes a nice finish when hydraullics runs out - they literally charge into it)
  

Gear

Full Bm/Warhero combat tech set

Offhand bm/warhero supercommando offhand(for some defense)

Power relic

Shield absorb relic(to become a semi tank for 20secs every 2mins - makes me have 35% shield chance 40% absorb)

Mods - Grab all the power/surge or crit/surge you can, though its down to personal preference. Build doesn't rely too heavy on railshot dmg so I don't stack accuracy.

 

If you have any questions feel free to ask I don't mind feedback of any kind and I hope this helps someone somewhere

Edited May 1, 2012 by Shredzz

[TheOpf]

Shredz,

 

IGC AP builds have been around since pre-1.2. They were used in pre 1.2 to offset the loss of a slow, and gain a little bit of defense since only a few people had figured out how to setup PFT without a slow. Since 1.2 and our own inherent slows there is no reason to use IGC.

 

Guard is a great ability, but I don't see it as gamebreaking. I know many guys who alternate between IGC/HEGC depending on what they are doing at the time. If you remember I tested a CGC build recently, and found that while the damage is noticeable the heat management itself makes it unwieldly.

 

There are three major disadvantages to IGC running in pvp and only one real noticeable benefit.

 

Disadvantages:

 

1. Heat management is horrible. The loss of the passive venting means you will need to weave Rapid shots in every two attacks at best. I found this out while using CGC build, and that's with a great dps dot.
    
   
2. You do not gain anything that a full AP or Norse builder cannot gain while simply swapping IGC/HEGC situationally. There is no bonus to IGC defensive abilities that I can't gain in my Norse build.
    
   
3. You lose over 12 percent total damage in a dps tree, and gain a ranged slow. Yes the ranged slow is nice, it's the only thing I miss being Norse, but ranged slows are not gamebreaking, as I don't really ever lose someone or a kill because I needed a slow.
   

 

Pros:

 

Guard is up all the time.

 

 

That's it, that's all. However, without the Health and defensive skills of the Tank tree, and the fact that half the players you will fight will use skills that won't be mitigated by armor or shield the advantage of IGC goes down. Essentially you gave up 12 percent damage, passive venting, and 15 percent in combat slow for a very low hitting dot that has a 50 percent slow and permanent guard. Does that seem like a good switch? If you are running constantly with someone who stays in the range of guard than great. If your guy gets dragged out of guard than you have to run to keep with him, but you don't have the speed boost, and you don't have Jet Charge so now your buddy is dead and you are simply using a weaker cylinder.

Edited May 1, 2012 by TheOpf

[Agooz]

 

[*]You lose over 12 percent total damage in a dps tree, and gain a ranged slow. Yes the ranged slow is nice, it's the only thing I miss being Norse, but ranged slows are not gamebreaking, as I don't really ever lose someone or a kill because I needed a slow.

 

You loose alot more than 12%. The heat management alone could amount to at least 10% more damage. So I would roughly estimate that switching to IGC would lower dps by at least 20%.

[TheOpf]

Oh, and there are three tank builds currently. Two Hybrids and one full tank.

 

31 PT Shield

IronFist

Bubble Tank.

[Shredzz]

Shredz,

 

IGC AP builds have been around since pre-1.2. They were used in pre 1.2 to offset the loss of a slow, and gain a little bit of defense since only a few people had figured out how to setup PFT without a slow. Since 1.2 and our own inherent slows there is no reason to use IGC.

 

Guard is a great ability, but I don't see it as gamebreaking. I know many guys who alternate between IGC/HEGC depending on what they are doing at the time. If you remember I tested a CGC build recently, and found that while the damage is noticeable the heat management itself makes it unwieldly.

 

There are three major disadvantages to IGC running in pvp and only one real noticeable benefit.

 

Disadvantages:

 

1. Heat management is horrible. The loss of the passive venting means you will need to weave Rapid shots in every two attacks at best. I found this out while using CGC build, and that's with a great dps dot.
    
   
2. You do not gain anything that a full AP or Norse builder cannot gain while simply swapping IGC/HEGC situationally. There is no bonus to IGC defensive abilities that I can't gain in my Norse build.
    
   
3. You lose over 12 percent total damage in a dps tree, and gain a ranged slow. Yes the ranged slow is nice, it's the only thing I miss being Norse, but ranged slows are not gamebreaking, as I don't really ever lose someone or a kill because I needed a slow.
   

 

Pros:

 

Guard is up all the time.

 

 

That's it, that's all. However, without the Health and defensive skills of the Tank tree, and the fact that half the players you will fight will use skills that won't be mitigated by armor or shield the advantage of IGC goes down. Essentially you gave up 12 percent damage, passive venting, and 15 percent in combat slow for a very low hitting dot that has a 50 percent slow and permanent guard. Does that seem like a good switch? If you are running constantly with someone who stays in the range of guard than great. If your guy gets dragged out of guard than you have to run to keep with him, but you don't have the speed boost, and you don't have Jet Charge so now your buddy is dead and you are simply using a weaker cylinder.

 

Ye i know its existed but no one covers it? it works a charm post 1.2 since the changes, but what's the point of that 12% damage if they just kill you first anyways due to better defensive cds? TTK is alot lower and i find a full dps build just doesnt cut it for the range you need to be in. Sure your buddy can be taken out of guard but theres other things you can do

 

Taunt

Stun

HO to get closer

 

This is pvp, lasting longer at a lost of 12% dmg and some heat is worth it in my opinion, I don't see the fuss of having to stick 4meters with enemies all the time with jet charge I keep to my enemies fine(and to my buddies) as i mix up melee and range alot.

 

I'm advertising this as a Tank build not to compete with dps builds

Edited May 1, 2012 by Shredzz

[Shredzz]

Oh, and there are three tank builds currently. Two Hybrids and one full tank.

 

31 PT Shield

IronFist

Bubble Tank.

 

So you don't see any benefit for being tank in AP? I find that hard to believe, Ill being covering this build better in my next video so till then

[Agooz]

So you don't see any benefit for being tank in AP? I find that hard to believe, Ill being covering this build better in my next video so till then

 

There is certainly a benefit to switching to IGC with a deep AP. In fact it works out better than a deep Pyro switching to IGC. But the point is you dont need to invest points into IGC. You can do everything you mentioned in the OP while speccing a traditional AP spec. You will perform better in HEGC and still have the options to switch to IGC and use Guard whenever the situation calls for. 5 points spent to get a 2sec slow on an opponent is not worth it at all.

[TheOpf]

There is certainly a benefit to switching to IGC with a deep AP. In fact it works out better than a deep Pyro switching to IGC. But the point is you dont need to invest points into IGC. You can do everything you mentioned in the OP while speccing a traditional AP spec. You will perform better in HEGC and still have the options to switch to IGC and use Guard whenever the situation calls for. 5 points spent to get a 2sec slow on an opponent is not worth it at all.

 

This is what I meant. You gain a slow that will work sometimes, and the net gain is a significant loss in damage for 5 percent total damage reduction and some better armor which I can do by switching in a fight where 3 guys are charging my node. There is only a net loss in your build and no dps possiblity.

 

The total amount of TTK gained by switching to IGC is maybe one more hit if that much. So you have a net gain of 1 sec of life compared to actually being able to kill someone.

Edited May 1, 2012 by TheOpf

[Shredzz]

There is certainly a benefit to switching to IGC with a deep AP. In fact it works out better than a deep Pyro switching to IGC. But the point is you dont need to invest points into IGC. You can do everything you mentioned in the OP while speccing a traditional AP spec. You will perform better in HEGC and still have the options to switch to IGC and use Guard whenever the situation calls for. 5 points spent to get a 2sec slow on an opponent is not worth it at all.

 

Well if you like cyclinder switching so much thats up to you, the cast time to switch is alot of downtime in my opinion, plus because of the dot tick you can actually open with a railshot. Its all down to personal preference really

[exphryl]

Shredz,

 

IGC AP builds have been around since pre-1.2.

 

Technically, pretty much any build mentioned has been around since Beta =/ Just people add silly names to them now.

 

At the very least I would feel a 12/28 would be a better "IGC AP" Build simply for the venting when being attacked.

Edited May 1, 2012 by exphryl

[TheOpf]

Well if you like cyclinder switching so much thats up to you, the cast time to switch is alot of downtime in my opinion, plus because of the dot tick you can actually open with a railshot. Its all down to personal preference really

 

You don't switch in fight. No need to get a little testy ;p. We are simply bringing valid points of disagreement to your build. I don't see the benefit of any IGC or tank build without Oil Slick (really strong in pvp) Ablative Upgrades, Shield Vents, Ion Screen, and Supercharged Ion Gas.

 

Something like 19/22/0 would give you an actual difference in TTK.

 

The essential problem is that without some of the actual tank builds, your ability to kill other targets is significantly reduced at a greater margin than your ability to survive.

[Shredzz]

This is what I meant. You gain a slow that will work sometimes, and the net gain is a significant loss in damage for 5 percent total damage reduction and some better armor which I can do by switching in a fight where 3 guys are charging my node. There is only a net loss in your build and no dps possiblity.

 

The total amount of TTK gained by switching to IGC is maybe one more hit if that much. So you have a net gain of 1 sec of life compared to actually being able to kill someone.

 

Well if i'm spending the majority of the time in that stance then there is a benefit, and the slow will work all the time on rocket punch. Each to his own i guess, on my server I just get focused too much to not be anything but tanky and i always use guard

[Shredzz]

You don't switch in fight. No need to get a little testy ;p. We are simply bringing valid points of disagreement to your build. I don't see the benefit of any IGC or tank build without Oil Slick (really strong in pvp) Ablative Upgrades, Shield Vents, Ion Screen, and Supercharged Ion Gas.

 

Something like 19/22/0 would give you an actual difference in TTK.

 

The essential problem is that without some of the actual tank builds, your ability to kill other targets is significantly reduced at a greater margin than your ability to survive.

 

Ye i see where you coming from dont worry i appreciate all the feedback. But to get all those tank talents you lose immolate/crit bonus. I don't think those things warrantee the amount of dps you lose as its mainly the cyclinder thats protecting you from most things. Sure you'll be a god against anyone doing white dmg but terrible against anything but

[TheOpf]

Well if i'm spending the majority of the time in that stance then there is a benefit, and the slow will work all the time on rocket punch. Each to his own i guess, on my server I just get focused too much to not be anything but tanky and i always use guard

 

Again, what do you gain by going deep AP in Survival that wouldn't be better in a more traditional Tank Spec. The key to all Tank or Survival Builds is to reflect some form of benefit.

 

See The Following Hybrid/variation Builds and their gain:

 

Norse: 4 percent less damage for 6 percent more damage reduction, faster quells, faster electro darts, better rotation control

 

Maverick: Gives up 4 percent total damage for a higher RS burst and a bit more Utility.

 

Bubble Tank: Gives up ease of heat management and 3 percent damage/threat for More Energy Shield usage and damage while in dps cylinder

 

Iron Fist: Gives up Shield Chance and 31 point ability for a small damage increase, faster quells, and RB.

 

Tibetan Candle: Gives up heat management for 5 percent dps increase and persistent slow.

 

 

For every negative there is a positive which makes the tree viable. There is no net gain in your build. You simply picked up a weak dot and gave up significant damage. Everything you want to do can be done the same way with a standard AP build in IGC, or using a Deeper tank build.

 

I might give it a try (I can't this week as this is my teams major war hero push, and I have two raids this week), but on paper and first glance there is no net benefit, and a huge net loss.

Edited May 1, 2012 by TheOpf

[Shredzz]

Fair enough, i still like it what would you recommend to someone who prefers to just stick in ion gas? and your thoughts on the rest of the guide? i more or less write it up during the downtime cause i was bored

[Agooz]

Fair enough, i still like it what would you recommend to someone who prefers to just stick in ion gas? and your thoughts on the rest of the guide? i more or less write it up during the downtime cause i was bored

 

If you prefer staying in IGC, then definitely go full ST. Much better heat management will make you pump out about the same damage as you do now with this spec, but you will be more durable.

One thing I often see people confuse is survivability and durability. I truly believe that a dps spec has more "survivability". If you're able to take out your opponent in half the time, you survive the encounter. I often find that those who say a dps spec (namely Pyro) lacks survivability, have not spent enough time playing as a dps. This is very understandable given that the majority of PTs level up as shieldtech. Switching from tank playstyle to dps, is a big change that requires time to get used to. Once mastered though, dps specs have great survivability.

What a PvP tank spec has is "durability", which is different. You will take more hits, and less damage per hit, but without a healer or another dps on your side, it's tough to survive a dps opponent that knows what they are doing. That's why you see the more successful tanks running in premades. In a coordinated group, a tank has much more uptime on guard, has a much easier time filling the role of defender, ball runner etc..because he is communicating with his group. I find that for solo pvp however, dps specs are a lot better.

[Shredzz]

If you prefer staying in IGC, then definitely go full ST. Much better heat management will make you pump out about the same damage as you do now with this spec, but you will be more durable.

One thing I often see people confuse is survivability and durability. I truly believe that a dps spec has more "survivability". If you're able to take out your opponent in half the time, you survive the encounter. I often find that those who say a dps spec (namely Pyro) lacks survivability, have not spent enough time playing as a dps. This is very understandable given that the majority of PTs level up as shieldtech. Switching from tank playstyle to dps, is a big change that requires time to get used to. Once mastered though, dps specs have great survivability.

What a PvP tank spec has is "durability", which is different. You will take more hits, and less damage per hit, but without a healer or another dps on your side, it's tough to survive a dps opponent that knows what they are doing. That's why you see the more successful tanks running in premades. In a coordinated group, a tank has much more uptime on guard, has a much easier time filling the role of defender, ball runner etc..because he is communicating with his group. I find that for solo pvp however, dps specs are a lot better.

 

I do way more dmg in ap tank build than shield tech hybrid or full, I've mingled with alot of specs and even combat parsed and i personally like HO over jet charge

[TheOpf]

Fair enough, i still like it what would you recommend to someone who prefers to just stick in ion gas? and your thoughts on the rest of the guide? i more or less write it up during the downtime cause i was bored

 

 

The rest of the guide is pretty straightforward. You underestimate the benefits of jet charge. It's pretty incredible in pvp. I prefer grapple, but jet charge is pretty strong.

 

You are absolutely right about HO (which I think is your main purpose for going so deep into the AP tree. If this is the case than only build until HO and see what you can come up with.) HO is an absolutely amazing weapon when used correctly. I still forget to use it all the time. Only downside is coordinated teams see the emblem and will mezz, stun, or CC you immediately. Against most pug queues, you can use it with impunity and it works wonders. I love using it in huttball.

 

The rest is solid info, but I think deep shield tech or at least 12 points in Shield are needed to really get durability. I have no problems surviving as AP. Once you get geared and know how to use cd's it's really tough for 2 guys to take you down quickly.

 

I do way more dmg in ap tank build than shield tech hybrid or full, I've mingled with alot of specs and even combat parsed and i personally like HO over jet charge

 

I would say you probably do about 10 - 15 percent more than a full tank build, but your heat management and durability is about 50 percent worse.

Edited May 1, 2012 by TheOpf

[Agooz]

I do way more dmg in ap tank build than shield tech hybrid or full, I've mingled with alot of specs and even combat parsed and i personally like HO over jet charge

 

If you parse full ST vs AP with IGC on a practice dummy, of course you will see higher number with the AP build. The dummy however does not hit back and so you are not accounting for not only more heat vents (which translates into more dps), but also more Rocket Punches, which for an ST is the biggest portion of the tree's damage.

[Shredzz]

If you parse full ST vs AP with IGC on a practice dummy, of course you will see higher number with the AP build. The dummy however does not hit back and so you are not accounting for not only more heat vents (which translates into more dps), but also more Rocket Punches, which for an ST is the biggest portion of the tree's damage.

 

Rocket punch is also mitigated alot by what target you are hitting and flamethrower > flame sweep for aoe dmg by far

[Shredzz]

The rest of the guide is pretty straightforward. You underestimate the benefits of jet charge. It's pretty incredible in pvp. I prefer grapple, but jet charge is pretty strong.

 

You are absolutely right about HO (which I think is your main purpose for going so deep into the AP tree. If this is the case than only build until HO and see what you can come up with.) HO is an absolutely amazing weapon when used correctly. I still forget to use it all the time. Only downside is coordinated teams see the emblem and will mezz, stun, or CC you immediately. Against most pug queues, you can use it with impunity and it works wonders. I love using it in huttball.

 

The rest is solid info, but I think deep shield tech or at least 12 points in Shield are needed to really get durability. I have no problems surviving as AP. Once you get geared and know how to use cd's it's really tough for 2 guys to take you down quickly.

 

 

 

I would say you probably do about 10 - 15 percent more than a full tank build, but your heat management and durability is about 50 percent worse.

 

Suppose i am, just not a fan of jet charge Ill run some more parses and find that sweet spot i like in my build

[exphryl]

Suppose i am, just not a fan of jet charge Ill run some more parses and find that sweet spot i like in my build

 

I've not been a huge fan of jet charge either. Unless we are talking about Huttball because a charge is pretty clutch on that warzone. The other 3, eh, not so much. Rather have snare/root immunity.

[Agooz]

Rocket punch is also mitigated alot by what target you are hitting and flamethrower > flame sweep for aoe dmg by far

 

A full ST in dps gear or even a deep AP crit rocket punch will do more damage than an AP's crit RS. Who said flame sweep is better than FT. STs use flame sweep to mitigate damage, not for aoe spam.

Also if you are staying in IGC all the time, then the point in Prototype Cylinder is also wasted. So that's 6 points in total you've invested in a 2sec slow, that in order to even trigger it with a lot of success you need to be in melee range using Rocket Punch. Being in HEGC will have you move 15% faster + retractable blade's slow of 30% ends up being a much better "slow" than the IGC setup for slowing opponents.

I understand what you are trying to accomplish. But try and re-invest these 6 points somewhere else and remain in IGC. I highly doubt you will miss the 2sec snare, while increasing your dps and utility. Then eventually switch to HEGC with situational use of IGC and you will become alot more effective.

Edited May 1, 2012 by Agooz

[TheOpf]

Suppose i am, just not a fan of jet charge Ill run some more parses and find that sweet spot i like in my build

 

I appreciate your positive outlook. Like I said, none of us are against experimenting, and are more than willing to be proven wrong. Well, maybe not Agooz ;p. I really like Hybrids, and mixing things up. I really enjoyed testing the Tibetan Candle as it gave me a greater appreciation of the passive venting of AP.

 

I do have a few questions though.

 

With the gear you have, you shouldn't be getting smoked that often. I have a single piece of WH gear, and I may die 9 times in a WZ. The worst was when the opposing team just wanted to see how often they could kill me. I died 14 times in a span of 7 minutes in huttball. It was not pretty, but it was funny. However, even in shield tech I would have died that many times.

 

The benefit of being a deep AP with HEGC is you have survivability and the ability to kill someone fast. Facing equal geared people I can kill one, and survive long enough to maybe kill the others. Against undergeared people I can roll through two people. A buddy of mine and I ran into 3-4 recruit and half bm gear guys and won.

[Shredzz]

A full ST in dps gear or even a deep AP crit rocket punch will do more damage than an AP's crit RS. Who said flame sweep is better than FT. STs use flame sweep to mitigate damage, not for aoe spam.

Also if you are staying in IGC all the time, then the point in Prototype Cylinder is also wasted. So that's 6 points in total you've invested in a 2sec slow, that in order to even trigger it with a lot of success you need to be in melee range using Rocket Punch. Being in HEGC will have you move 15% faster + retractable blade's slow of 30% ends up being a much better "slow" than the IGC setup for slowing opponents.

I understand what you are trying to accomplish. But try and re-invest these 6 points somewhere else and remain in IGC. I highly doubt you will miss the 2sec snare, while increasing your dps and utility. Then eventually switch to HEGC with situational use of IGC and you will become alot more effective.

 

Yes but you are forgetting the dmg of immolate which is higher than rocket punch, and rocket punch is still doing alot of dmg and also flameburst does way more dmg, the points for the extra snare is just a reassurance so you don't have to spam that retractable blade for a 6sec slow. Its somewhat works together more than it looks on paper. Granted I miss out on the 15% faster but i'm not missing out of retractable blade slow i have both for guaranteed slowage.