Tactics for Jedi Sentinel avoiding AoE powers?

[TorBot]

I have a few issues with SWTOR - mainly the user interface and the amount of walking between missions - but I've tried to persevere with a Jedi Knight Sentinel, combat-spec, on a PVE server just so I can try to enjoy the story.

 

I was having massive problems with Lord Praven on tatooine, and I died more than 20 times before I beat him, and then I beat him easily. Very random!

 

I'm now on Alderaan and trying to defeat sith war apprentices, who appear to be just as powerful as Lord Praven! (I'm lvl 28, they are lvl 29.) I'm totally demoralised and am seriously considering leaving this character for something a little different, like a smuggler. Before I do, maybe someone can switch on a lightbulb for me and help me with how to do the combat?

 

One of the problems I am having with the user interface is that if I try to avoid AoE powers I need to step back (slow!) or strafe left/right. If I strafe then the camera and character is no longer facing my target and I need to rotate it so I can watch for the right interrupt cue. Doing that means my attention comes off the keyboard and cooldown timers and I lose the flow, and then the battle. How do I avoid AoE powers without getting my rear handed to me within the next few seconds? All other bioware games made the camera stick to the target, but I can't find an option for that in this game.

 

Are there any tips anywhere that specifically deal with PVE combat that maybe I've missed?

 

Thx.

 

(Sorry for the wall of text.)

 

PS I'd ask for help in-game, but I am literally the only player on alderaan, and only 30 players on the whole server. Doesn't look very multiplayer to me.

[Mirdthestrill]

I'm a level 31, watchmen spec, but when I started Alderaan, I was also at 28 and had extreme trouble with all the fights (a mob of about 4 with one of them being silver could take me out), but I also had trouble with Praven, as you said.

 

A couple things helped me. First, you can PVP a lot to bring up your level. You may already know this, but you can join a PVP match from almost anywhere and be returned to the same spot.

 

You could also try re-specing. I haven't used combat spec before, but I was a focus until I started to have major trouble with anyone ranked gold or higher. About the time I fought Praven, I decided to re-spec into watchman, and it helped a lot.

 

Don't know what will help you this is just what worked for me. Also, make sure to figure out which powers do the most damage to you and interrupt those. I've lost a lot of fights earlier on because I was interrupting buffs.

 

Sorry if this post is too basic, like i said it's what worked for me.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Mirdthestrill

[Ratatooey]

You can also do space missions to get some XP.

 

I second the watchman spec. I did not have any problems with Praven, but was higher level by then.

 

I will say if you are frustrated by the squishiness of a Sent, don't try a smuggler. I have level 50s in both, and I can tell you which has died more by far.

[Veniras]

It's been a while, so i don't remember if you got Force Camo or not. Reducing Threat is a great thing if your comp is alive.

 

Let your companion take some damage for you. I leveled using Combat and let T7 be the tank. He held aggro while I took them down. After T7 go down you can think about using Saber Ward if you think it's needed.

 

Oh yeah, as always. Interrupt on heavy hitting abilities is key.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Veniras

[OsloWoodworks]

I've tried to persevere with a Jedi Knight Sentinel, combat-spec...

 

I'm now on Alderaan and trying to defeat sith war apprentices, who appear to be just as powerful as Lord Praven! (I'm lvl 28, they are lvl 29.) Before I do, maybe someone can switch on a lightbulb for me and help me with how to do the combat?

 

Are there any tips anywhere that specifically deal with PVE combat that maybe I've missed?

 

Alderaan's a tough point for Sentinels due to the large spike in enemy difficulty, especially Elites like the War Apprentices. What you'll have to do to survive is to use every trick in the Sentinel handbook.

 

* Use Rebuke and Pacify in every fight. Wait until Rebuke is over before you use Pacify if it's a one-on-one fight; if they don't hit you for six seconds Rebuke ends early. Pacify will buy you time to continue to DPS since it's off the global cooldown. Don't use Saber Ward right you've used Pacify; wait until Pacify's effect's over - if you pop Saber Ward first you waste six seconds since you're not being hit.

 

* Force Stasis can be used as an interrupt if your Force Kick interrupt is on cooldown. Save it for when you need a moment to breathe. Interrupt as many things as you can with Force Kick and Force Leap as they're available.

 

* Use your relics as well - the buffs are noticeable. Have them hotkeyed.

 

* Hotkey a medkit. Don't be afraid to pop a medkit when fighting elites, and do it before your health drops below 40%. Mobs on Alderaan and beyond drop medkits frequently, so there shouldn't be a shortage. You'll want to pop it early since some big hits from elite mobs can take off as much as 30% life or more, killing you in the time it takes to hit the medkit hotkey.

 

* Having a comfortable interface is critical, too - here's a screenshot of my ability bars, which is of a 50 Watchman.

 

Medkits Buffs off the global cooldown go on the F-keys, F1 to F6; second set uses Shift+F1-F6 for Centering Spenders and escape tools. These are easy to reach because they're close to 1-0, which you'll be using a lot of.

 

Skills themselves can be keyed in the order you like; the important thing is keying the second set of hotkeys with Shift plus whatever key the first is, minimizing the reaching you have to do on the keyboard.

 

* Companion-wise T7 dies very easily and is tough to gear up; if you can keep him geared up he can be very useful. I preferred instead to use Kira for the extra damage output, which comes in spades. Use her charge move to get the mob's attention, let her beat on it a second or two, then Force Leap in and begin your usual damage routine. If Kira can keep the attention for ten seconds, that's ten seconds you're not taking damage. Make sure she's got the best hilt she can equip so she's doing enough damage. Always send Kira against the toughest mob first and kill the mooks yourself; she'll do much less damage if she's running from mob to mob.

 

* Watchman spec will be easier to level with at this point due to the self heals from critical hits and the fact that popping Zen will heal both you and your companion, giving you more longevity than Combat Spec. Watchman spec lets you interrupt faster, as well as remove the distance requirement on Force Leap so you can interrupt with that, too.

 

Combat Spec is still viable, it's just going to be a damage race, even moreso than Watchman.

 

Here's a Watchman Spec for your level: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501bIbRMoMZ0M.1;

 

Here's a Combat spec: http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501bZGMRRRz.1

 

The focus here is to generate as much Centering as possible so you can continually pop Zen for the damage/healing or pop Transcendence if you need to move quickly, like out of an AoE. The boost to movement from Transcendence is huge, enough to dart around, and buy you time to spin the camera with right mouse button. You should be able to build from zero to 30 Centering at least twice in a fight; three times or more if it goes long.

 

* If you go Watchman, the points in Close Quarters will let you interrupt things with Force Leap without having to back away. This is very valuable.

 

As a Sentinel, rotations will depend on what procs are up and how much focus you have.

 

Watchman - Single Target

Opening set - Force Leap > Overload Saber > Zealous Strike > Cauterize > Master Strike

From there, prioritize having Overload Saber up and Cauterize. They're the biggest sources of damage at this level. Use Slash if you have focus.

 

Watchman - Multi Targets

Open - Force Leap > Force Sweep > Pommel Strike > Zealous Strike > Switch Targets > Overload Saber > Cauterize > Master Strike

This should eliminate two regular mooks right off the bat and let you isolate a Strong mob; if there's more than two regular mobs continue the application of burn effects to kill them.

 

Combat at this level doesn't really have a set rotation since you don't have Overhead Slash or Blade Rush yet. Use Master Strike as it's available, use Slashes as your main source of damage, build Focus with Zealous Strike, Combat Trances from Ataru Form, and damage procs from Rebuke. Use Force Sweep to stun mooks in the AoE and use Pommel Strike as it's up.

 

How do I avoid AoE powers without getting my rear handed to me within the next few seconds? All other bioware games made the camera stick to the target, but I can't find an option for that in this game.

 

There's no sticking the camera to the target as far as I can tell. Closest you can do is to spin the camera quickly by using the right mouse button to click and drag. Again, if you've got 30 stacks of Centering, which should build quickly, you can pop Transcendence and build some decent distance, buying you time to spin the camera.

 

One storyline tip - After completing Act 1 you'll face Sith Harrowers on Tatooine - their gimmick is that at low health (~35%) they float in the air, become immune to damage, and do a huge AoE pulse that will kill you quick. When they float in the air, just back away a good distance, wait for them to finish pulsing and hit the ground, then go back in and finish them off. As with all gold mobs, send Kira in first, then pull attention away from her when she's around half life.

 

There's also a bug with the Harrowers where they'll knock your companion over with the pulses and they won't give up; you'll have to dismiss the companion and resummon to fix it.

 

Let me know if this helps!

Edited May 29, 2012 by OsloWoodworks

[conundrumx]

You should be mouse looking, I think that will eliminated your visibility issues. Right click and hold on part of the screen that isn't the UI. You'll be able to control the camera directly with mouse movements, like an FPS.

[Rafaman]

Combat spec here. Previous posts have great advice. I will only add a few things that have helped me.

 

As Combat, you may not have a rotation but you should have a priority. Pooling focus and stack centering is a must. I can't remember all the abilities I had when I hit Ald, but my attacks would have looked something like this for lower levs. Leap>Strike.ZealousStrike>Slash>Cauterize(notice, you should still use it)>BladeStorm>MasterStrike. This will allow you build focus and dump it so that when you are back to Strike, ZealousStrike should be off of cool down. Remember, it can be situational so don't forget sweep and stasis and interrupt all you can. Use strike as your filler and do not forget about Rebuke, Saber Ward and Zen. Always have Rebuke on cool down and as soon as Zen pops you need to use it.

 

About the camera. What helped me is to realize that the view didn't really matter. Your toon will attack the target no matter the camera angle as long as it is in range, so go with it. Keep executing your attacks and forget about repositioning the camera. Very rarely you may have an issue seeing something but even then, if you keep executing you will be successful. I do think that you should be zoomed out a bit for my suggestion to work. It doesn't have to be a birds eye view, but just zoomed back enough to see everything going on in the surrounding melee range.

 

Don't give up on the Sent. It can get tough, but I promise you, it is well worth it in the end. You are really learning the mechanics of the game and after you have capped your Sent all other alts will seem almost comically easy.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Rafaman

[ColonelBurton]

If you have open from legacy Unity use it.50% reductiono for you and companion.Its realy help.I was combat+t7 and dont have problem with combat Edited May 30, 2012 by ColonelBurton

[Rafaman]

If you have open from legacy Unity use it.50% reductiono for you and companion.Its realy help.I was combat+t7 and dont have problem with combat

 

Those legacy perks can pay off when running an alt through. In addition to Unity, you also get your mains buff which is an instant 5% improvement to your main attribute. Love that bit.