Solo'ing not viable IA:Sniper

[Jayded]

I glanced through the above.

 

(posted through phone)

 

Xira 47 sniper MM spec:

 

Soloing is a complete breeze. Granted all side quests were completed, heroics were skipped for the most part and zero flashpoints were run. PvP xp amounted to Gladiator title, all PvP weapons purchased, one champion bag in the vault... Cant have more... , and 1000/1000 medals to spend at 50. Entered story quest arcs 1-4 levels above me and destroyed.

 

Now with Ensign Temple my massacre has increased. Ranged DPS of death she is. Send her in on an elite. Strip the armor, set the bleed deploy probe. Swith target double tap an add, switch target Series of Shots down another add... Pop cover, reaply cover, aim, snipe, follow through the elite. Draw agro, legshot, Ambush... Repel Elite. Series of shots... Cooldown Series.... Pulse blast them back. Series of shots... Finished.

 

Pinballing adds off companions and popping oh crap survivability skills for when things get a tad rough. Stim pack for those super rare moments. Not to mention not missing my 50 Powertech one bit. This is one of the most enjoyable DPS classes I have played. Very WoW Hunter.

[mulzii]

I'm levelling an eng specc'd sniper. I dunno if this will help anyone, but a few things i found out about the hard way that made my life alot easier.

 

 

1. Make your sniper an armstech (i was arms, scavenger, investigation). Mainly doing this for levelling to make barrels for you and kaliyo. Make green barrels for your level, RE them for the blues (should only take 3-4 at most to get the blue) and keep an up-to-date blue barrel on both your rifles as you level.

 

2. Solo Black talon at your earliest convienece. I was soloing it around 8-12. You can get the orange trench coat to drop, an orange sniper rifle and a bunch of blues. I had my sniper and kaliyo all decked out by level 12. These low-level ornges will last until 50 if you replace the armor mods in them.

 

3. you should be able to get the orange pants and head during questing on Kaas. one of those is a quest reward, other is a fairly common drop.

 

4. Start pvping at 10 if thats your thing. I use Pvp to get commendations to buy gear at 20/40/50. If you pvp enough, you can keep your companion in pvp orange gear as well. Keep kaliyo in heavy gear obviously. 2-3 matches is usually enough to get decent orange/blue lvl 20 pvp gear.

 

5. replace armor mod in each piece of equipment every 2 levels, and mods as well (but armor takes priority). Always socket with blue level armoring mod you get an extra +10 ar on same level piece with a blue (or purplse if you can get it).

 

6. As an eng spec, i never start out with exp probe, as it pulls aggro. I usually start with ambush, then probe, snipe, etc. Always throwing grenades when off cooldown, using rifle/adrenline for energy management. Suppress fire is good for Aoe if mobs are packed together and other important skils on cd and you dont have SoS yet.

 

7. Create a 'dummy' char if you dont have a cyber tech. At lvl 10, you can pretty much max out cyber on him/her and keep your sniper/companion in up-to-date armor/mods/ship components. They can creat the higher armor mods (they just cannot use them until they get to that level). I would recommend: Cyber, scavenger/slicing. Slicking on this crafter is used to get money when you are playing your main sniper. (only send out on rich/bounty lockbox one lvl below your max slicking lvl, always a profit)

 

8. In PvE, even if your Eng spec, at low levels shoot to get ballistic damper in mm trees if you take too much dmg. This helps alot as well.

 

9. My rotations change based on the mob, lvl, etc. I generally cc a strong/elite mob, burn his croonies downthen take him out. Kaliyo needs alot of microanging at times too.

 

10. If your overwhelmed, run away to a decent distance, then hit Kaliyos' passive stance, she will warp to you, usually saving her *** if you time it right. Keep her in guard stance too. For some reason, she doesnt default to guard stance.

 

Keeping Kaliyo geared in orange pvp gear (and myself for that matter) with up-to-date armor mods and barrels makes a WORLD of difference in solo pve as sniper.

Edited February 18, 2012 by mulzii

[Mestrahd]

Two words: Vessex Ulgo. You will weep when you try that fight as an IA(due to getting companions late and Kaliyo being generally useless.)

 

LOL. Vessex did roll me many times. I'm in general agreement that the Sniper is harder to play than the other classes, because A) others get a heal or B) others get a CC. We get neither. I'm 43 now and it still takes a death on every story boss that starts in melee. I have a max sorc and a 40 Jugg too and they never had that problem. Different problems, but usually not reliably two or more tries on a boss. As for soloing H2s I wouldn't even dream it on my Sniper with no CC. Maybe I'm spoiled by my sorc's 60 second CC but sometimes group quests require groups.

[TheRealCandyMan]

I've never had a problem soloing as a sniper, i'm engi spec as well.

 

 

No idea what OP is talking about.

[dafoxx]

I've never had a problem soloing as a sniper, i'm engi spec as well.

 

 

No idea what OP is talking about.

 

 

How enlightening a response... /rolls eyes /sigh

 

 

To those who HAVE responded with suggestions, etc, --- THANK YOU! --- Your experiences and thoughts are greatly appreciated! Keep them coming.

[thefinalsolution]

just wait til you get doctor lokin, he makes the game 300x easier

[Aethyriel]

Had absolutely no problem at all at any time as MM sniper with Kaliyo until I got Lokin who I then kept all the way to 50 due to less downtimes (well, none except the occasional elite + strong or 2 strong misspull where I took a bit of dmg and had to reg) and his awesome personality that made me easily hit 10k affection at 50 with him without gifts or any farming.

 

I've never died to any "boss", classquest or planets storyquest or anything else really besides the usual "I've just cleared the goddamn cave I'm not doing it again"-deaths to land at the next medcenter . You gotta be careful in the beginning but once you get Followthrough it becomes really easy, the burst dmg is insane, on doublecrits you easily twoshot any normal enemy, if not, you need three skills, strong types die before they can seriously hurt you and elite never dish out that much dmg besides the very obvious casts that you can interrupt.

[Zombifikation]

Im finding it easy to lvl on my sniper. I PvP a lot, so maybe that's the difference. I level a few levels in pvp and then go back and do my class quests, which i now outlevel / own. I already have a 50, so i don't need to do all the side quests again....especially because I hate leveling in general. PvP makes things easier in the long run, especially if you get the 20/40 gear sets...then you have gear better than almost anything in quite a wide level range, excluding maybe pve gear from instances.

[SageH]

I'm not going to post a wall of text about this, but I never found a non heroic quest I couldn't solo while leveling up. I don't know what else to tell you but to examine your gear, your abilities you use and how you use them.

[Aribethx]

The problem isn't the sniper.

 

It's that BH is a ridiculously overpowered class. Sorcs too.

 

Although, Engineering is a poor, broken spec. MM isn't too bad.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Aribethx

[Evincar]

I'm not going to post a wall of text about this, but I never found a non heroic quest I couldn't solo while leveling up. I don't know what else to tell you but to examine your gear, your abilities you use and how you use them.

 

This

I don't really know what to add to this thread. I'm only lv 37, but up til this point I haven't had any problem solo'ing anything except heroics, but there not meant to be solo'd. I'm MM spec and I imagine my rotation is probably pretty straight forward.

 

Open up with Ambush, then insta snipe, if at this point I can use takedown I will, hoping to save followthrough for the next target. Once I kill the first target I usually pop outa cover then pop back in it for another insta snipe. Mix in a frag grenade+headshot when I can, flashbang+explosive probe+ambush for any stronger targets etc. Then repeat as need be adding in rifle shot ( is that what its called?) when I need to conserve energy.

 

I should mention that I've used Kaliyo up until this point as well. The only time I ever have trouble is the occasional elite that manages to destroy kaliyo way to fast for some reason leaving me scurrying around trying to use all my tricks to survive. But even this is rare, usually I can manage to kill an elite with kaliyo still standing.

 

I would say that I'm only modderately geared and Kaliyo is only in her personal items that come as quest rewards. As I said, I'm only lv 37 so I can't say how difficult it may be later on but up until this point Ive had an easier time with my sniper then any of my other toons.

[Aribethx]

Evin, I think what this guy is saying is, in comparison, BHs are a one button wonder class. Why should other classes have to juggle situational combat, 3 hotbars full of abilities and companion swapping in order to complete content that a BH or Sorc can just faceroll through?

[AetherMcLoud]

Evin, I think what this guy is saying is, in comparison, BHs are a one button wonder class. Why should other classes have to juggle situational combat, 3 hotbars full of abilities and companion swapping in order to complete content that a BH or Sorc can just faceroll through?

 

Would you mind stop calling every BH a "one button wonder class". Mercenaries maybe that, but Powertechs surely are not. There 2 advanced classes in the Bounty Hunter class. Only one of them is overpowered.

[KalSpiro]

I don't know what this is about. I soloed my class from 1-50, MM sniper. I only used Kaliyo for the whole thing. I never once ran into a mission I couldn't complete. Even the ones I see constant complaining about were a breeze. There were only two missions that I had trouble with the final boss, and both of them I completed on my second try.

 

So basically this is another thread started by someone who doesn't understand how to play their class and rather than taking a look at themselves has decided to blame the class. I personally don't care if other classes can do things easier. If I wanted to play those classes I would have. I didn't pick my class based on how easy it might be, I picked it based on the play style I wanted and the story I wanted. Sniper MM is that class and spec. I don't particularly like how Mercs function, and I'm not interested in Sorc. Sniper is just fine.

 

If you don't like it, there are eight others you could be playing instead. Try one instead of whining about this one here.

[dafoxx]

I don't know what this is about. I soloed my class from 1-50, MM sniper. I only used Kaliyo for the whole thing. I never once ran into a mission I couldn't complete. Even the ones I see constant complaining about were a breeze. There were only two missions that I had trouble with the final boss, and both of them I completed on my second try.

 

So basically this is another thread started by someone who doesn't understand how to play their class and rather than taking a look at themselves has decided to blame the class. I personally don't care if other classes can do things easier. If I wanted to play those classes I would have. I didn't pick my class based on how easy it might be, I picked it based on the play style I wanted and the story I wanted. Sniper MM is that class and spec. I don't particularly like how Mercs function, and I'm not interested in Sorc. Sniper is just fine.

 

If you don't like it, there are eight others you could be playing instead. Try one instead of whining about this one here.

 

Another unenlightening response. "oh hey, I had no problems I just did it" Gah.. don't bother with responding if you can't elaborate on HOW you did it. Go epeen elsewhere please.

 

Anyway, since I'm on my second IA, I'm gonna have to say that leveling a sniper definitely requires a bit of tactical planning. It is not a faceroll class and it shouldn't be. No good spy or sniper is going to go blasting across the universe like a BH or Sorc. You're gonna take your time, set up your shots, calculate your take-downs. The nature of the class is to be stealthy, calm and collected. It's not a race to see who gets to lvl 50 first in any case so sit back and enjoy the intrigue, double plots and subtle clues. It's a super fun class if you like that kind of thing.

 

Special thanks to those who have actually responded with their ideas, rotations and such, I feel more comfortable with my own game play as an Eng Sniper. I will send in my companion, dot up the heavy mob, cluster bomb and I practically don't even need to snipe or amush before the guy is dead or one good takedown shot puts em out. I can actually let (companion of choice) deal w/ the big mob while I snipe out the lower health ones. If you are confronted with droids, slice them droids! You'll be happier in the long run for it.

 

As far as companions are concerned, personally, I hate Kali. She's squishy as all hell and I'm sick of it. I've got Vector decked out like an assassin tank and he's blowing his way thru mobs almost faster than I can ambush em. If you don't understand this, read up on the sorc assassin gearing and you'll get my point. He's a mean killing machine when properly geared. Something I learned w/ my healing Op anyway. But use the companion of YOUR choosing. It's your game, enjoy it.

Edited February 19, 2012 by dafoxx

[Kryogenique]

Totally disagree.

 

I solo'ed all the story content, and almost all the H2+.

 

I even beat final boss without the lvl 50 ability upgrades.

IMO its 100% a L2P issue.

 

Average gear here too, by average I mean I spent my coms on my own gear.

Used Kaliyo until I got to hoth, then used Ensign Temple from there on. Temple got my castoffs.

[DJJAZZY]

Totally disagree.

 

I solo'ed all the story content, and almost all the H2+.

 

I even beat final boss without the lvl 50 ability upgrades.

IMO its 100% a L2P issue.

 

Average gear here too, by average I mean I spent my coms on my own gear.

Used Kaliyo until I got to hoth, then used Ensign Temple from there on. Temple got my castoffs.

 

About the final boss

 

 

 

 

Anyone else rather disappointed in how easy that fight was? I beat it at level 48 on my sniper and thought it one of the easiest boss fights in the game. Maybe it's different on an operative but I was disappointed on the ease of the encounter.

 

 

 

[StrykerLenz]

Leveled a sniper first, had no issues soloing content.

 

However compared to the Inquisitors we kill stuff very slowly and honestly are a lot more squishy then they are. Khem Val is hands down a much better tank then Kaliyo. Also as an Assassin I have zero issues taking down champions my same level, something that my sniper had a very difficult time doing.

 

Is it impossible to solo with a sniper? Not at all, is it on par with other classes? No its not.

Edited February 20, 2012 by StrykerLenz

[KalSpiro]

Another unenlightening response. "oh hey, I had no problems I just did it" Gah.. don't bother with responding if you can't elaborate on HOW you did it. Go epeen elsewhere please.

 

What exactly are you expecting to get? I go into cover. I use my powers. I kill the mobs before they kill me. What else is there? I use a rotation that makes sense and works. I never use a charged ability without also using a noncharged ability just as it finishes so they both go off. I try not to use Snipe with explosive probe or takedown if I can help it. I try to time it so that I do use Ambush with both of those if I can help it.

 

I don't have any melee attacks on my cover bar. I don't have orbital strike on my cover bar. I only use those powers when I'm not in cover, and I rarely need to. When things come near me I knock them back. Avoid using Series of Shots with more than a bar of energy gone. I avoid sitting and waiting when I could be using rapid shot at the minimum. I do tend to pause for half a second between bursts, to make sure my energy is getting some regen time.

 

Just because something is attacking me I don't necessarily blow my cooldowns. Not unless it is actually threatening me. I do not get up if I'm behind real cover, even if I'm out of ballistic dampeners, because getting up can be more dangerous than just staying there.

 

It's not about an epeen it's about playing the class as the class was obviously intended to be played. What else could there possibly be to it. If YOU don't get it, if YOU can't do it. It's not because of the class. That was the enlightenment you seem to have missed. The class is simple as long as you just play it the way the class was obviously designed, and I do me obviously.

 

I don't concider myself a great gamer, though maybe I should concidering I really don't understand how anyone can have trouble with this class. It's amazingly easy. You just pick a target and you keep shooting at it until it's dead.

 

As far as companions are concerned, personally, I hate Kali. She's squishy as all hell and I'm sick of it. I've got Vector decked out like an assassin tank and he's blowing his way thru mobs almost faster than I can ambush em. If you don't understand this, read up on the sorc assassin gearing and you'll get my point. He's a mean killing machine when properly geared. Something I learned w/ my healing Op anyway. But use the companion of YOUR choosing. It's your game, enjoy it.

Again, this is you going it wrong. My Kali isn't squishy. She survives as long as she needs to for me to kill everything I'm fighting. If you're Kali is dying too fast, that's because you're not doing it right. You're not fighting smart. You're not making sure she's geared in gear that you would want for yourself if you were her. Step one, get her a rifle, not a crap *** blaster pistol. You're not killing things fast enough, because that's what snipers do, and ALL snipers do.

Edited February 20, 2012 by KalSpiro

[Mamae]

I play Lethality build and I find this fine for lvling, wasn't the best until I got cull and then it was a blast.

 

I think I'm pretty average as a player, but I get through the solo quests and often have myself flagged for PVP( also something I'm decidely average at, but enjoy nonetheless ).

 

Just have to change things around I suppose. I did change my companion to Ensign Temple when available as I find the fights quicker.

 

Just a note about Temple though, when I get to 40 and put my pvp gear on, she got my old stuff which I spent several commendations on upgrading, so with standard gear she might be pretty bleh, but that can be said for any companion.

[dafoxx]

What exactly are you expecting to get? I go into cover. I use my powers. I kill the mobs before they kill me. What else is there? I use a rotation that makes sense and works. I never use a charged ability without also using a noncharged ability just as it finishes so they both go off. I try not to use Snipe with explosive probe or takedown if I can help it. I try to time it so that I do use Ambush with both of those if I can help it.

 

I don't have any melee attacks on my cover bar. I don't have orbital strike on my cover bar. I only use those powers when I'm not in cover, and I rarely need to. When things come near me I knock them back. Avoid using Series of Shots with more than a bar of energy gone. I avoid sitting and waiting when I could be using rapid shot at the minimum. I do tend to pause for half a second between bursts, to make sure my energy is getting some regen time.

 

Just because something is attacking me I don't necessarily blow my cooldowns. Not unless it is actually threatening me. I do not get up if I'm behind real cover, even if I'm out of ballistic dampeners, because getting up can be more dangerous than just staying there.

 

It's not about an epeen it's about playing the class as the class was obviously intended to be played. What else could there possibly be to it. If YOU don't get it, if YOU can't do it. It's not because of the class. That was the enlightenment you seem to have missed. The class is simple as long as you just play it the way the class was obviously designed, and I do me obviously.

 

I don't concider myself a great gamer, though maybe I should concidering I really don't understand how anyone can have trouble with this class. It's amazingly easy. You just pick a target and you keep shooting at it until it's dead.

 

 

Again, this is you going it wrong. My Kali isn't squishy. She survives as long as she needs to for me to kill everything I'm fighting. If you're Kali is dying too fast, that's because you're not doing it right. You're not fighting smart. You're not making sure she's geared in gear that you would want for yourself if you were her. Step one, get her a rifle, not a crap *** blaster pistol. You're not killing things fast enough, because that's what snipers do, and ALL snipers do.

 

AMG, you actually went into detail! Holy Sh*t, I'm gonna faint! Did it HURT you to say that in the beginning instead of epeening? Simple freaking suggestions like you just put out there for anyone to see is ALL the hell I'm saying. Learn to be constructive, not freaking negative.

 

As for Kali, IT'S MY CHOICE NOT TO USE HER. She is squishy in MY opinion for MY game play. Vec is not .. for ME. It has NOTHING for me doing something "wrong" in her gearing or otherwise. I simply am tired of scr@ping her off the ground after most fights whereas Vec is still at, at least, 20% health. I REPEAT, use YOUR COMPANION OF CHOICE.

Edited February 20, 2012 by dafoxx

[Solaras]

i'm only level 20, but isn't your rotation wrong? i start with ambush first, laze target, explosive, snipe, rifle shot, then snipe again, takedown when it's available...

 

I'm only 16 atm, but I *start* with Laze target. It lasts for a minute (plenty of time) and it saves a GCD during combat.

 

So start with Laze, then open with ambush/explosive/snipe.

 

My 2 cents.

[Dasamukha]

I am going to refrain from posting a wall of text. Compared to other classes and WoW experience, Sniper was a challenge. Choose your targets. Send in Kaly first. Work weak to strong. Heal up after a fight.

 

Please don't qq.

 

The experience of a hard class was refreshing. I liked the challenge. It was fun. Other classes rip through the content. The sniper earns it every step of the way. I take satisfaction from the experience, especially when I see QQ on the forums.

 

Always always keep you gun up to date.

[slicjedi]

From what i learned being 3-4 lvls above ur class quest makes it easier. Do the side quest, space battles, and the pvp daily quest, and fp, to get exp to help lvl u up. some. But once u get doc lokin hello easy mode lol.

[Morukai]

One interesting thing I notice on my 21 Op is Kaylio(SP) had the exact same armor and damage reduction as I did. This despite medium vs. heavy armor with equal level armor and same slots filled. This could contribute to her being squishy.