PVE Combat/Watchman Experimental Build

[Xiij]

So I was looking to boost my damage output a bit and started messing around with some Combat builds. After a while I determined that there are some things in the Watchman tree I can't afford to lose. So I've been messing around with a hybrid build and wanted to know what people thought, or if anyone else has a good hybrid build.

 

18W/23C/0F

 

The only thing that really bothers me about this build is that I don't have two points in Watchgaurd. I feel like the point in precision slash is necessary, as are the two in Close Quarters. Also, Swift Blades makes Blade Storm almost as spammable as the standard attack.

 

Thoughts?

[Elear]

Try it out, and never go back to it.

 

You got Watchman usability if Leap one more DoT and base healing from DoTs, don't have increased chance to crit with DoTs, no autocrit Zen or heavy hit from Merciless Slash.

You got Combat chance for Ataru and Precision Slash, you don't have any Combat roots, no autoproc for Ataru, no increased chance to proc, no movement speed bonus for Ataru, no movement speed bonus for Transcendence.

Zen is medicore with this build, just like Transcendence. You don't have single talent to increase critical damage.

 

I doubt it could provite even part of Watchman survival without help of Zen, and it's nowhere close to Combat burst potential. Play it if you want to, but it's not good.

[Xiij]

Thanks for your opinion (even though some of the things you listed don't make sense). I'd appreciate any advice in improving this build you could provide (other than "switch to watchman"). That being said, I don't see where the lack of movement speed bonuses are a negative; as the thread indicates this is a PVE build and unless I missed something where damage is increased by having increased move speed it's not a big deal to not have it. Same goes for the roots, they aren't very viable in end-game PVE as far as I'm concerned, unless it is a stun (which the combat ones are not best I can tell).

 

Try it out, and never go back to it.

 

You got Watchman usability if Leap one more DoT and base healing from DoTs, don't have increased chance to crit with DoTs, no autocrit Zen or heavy hit from Merciless Slash.

You got Combat chance for Ataru and Precision Slash, you don't have any Combat roots, no autoproc for Ataru, no increased chance to proc, no movement speed bonus for Ataru, no movement speed bonus for Transcendence.

Zen is medicore with this build, just like Transcendence. You don't have single talent to increase critical damage.

 

I doubt it could provite even part of Watchman survival without help of Zen, and it's nowhere close to Combat burst potential. Play it if you want to, but it's not good.

[Elear]

Movement speed means you run faster from danger or to target if can't leap. If it's PvE build, you don't really need misculine survivability buff or that reduction of CD on interrupt. Only real gain you have from Watchman is you can use Leap as Focus builder/interrupt, but it's not like you need more focus in Combat. In theory you do get extra damage running almost in backgrouund from DoT. In reality, without boost to damage you'll get from 3 stacks is smaller than what you would get from single Blade Rush.

 

Only possible advice - Sentinel doesn't work well with hybrids, stick to full Combat.

[Xiij]

You make a valid point on whether or not leap is useful; however, for killing certain mobs some sort of consistent interrupt is needed (i.e. Sorno from KP).

 

Either way, your last comment is pretty accurate, with the way that the Watchman tree is laid out, hybrids using it are almost impossible.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

Movement speed means you run faster from danger or to target if can't leap. If it's PvE build, you don't really need misculine survivability buff or that reduction of CD on interrupt. Only real gain you have from Watchman is you can use Leap as Focus builder/interrupt, but it's not like you need more focus in Combat. In theory you do get extra damage running almost in backgrouund from DoT. In reality, without boost to damage you'll get from 3 stacks is smaller than what you would get from single Blade Rush.

 

Only possible advice - Sentinel doesn't work well with hybrids, stick to full Combat.

[Jiating]

Anything with points spent into Juyo are wasted points. Since your mainly combat specced you are going to be in Ataru form.

[Xiij]

The watchman tree is the only tree where there is a linked set in the tier 2 and tier 3 to where you must use a point to progress to tier 4. Plainly I mean that, in order to get to tier 4 (the line that contains watchguard and close quarters) you must put at least one point into juyo mastery. Without juyo mastery and subsequently searing saber (because it requires juyo mastery), there are only 14 points where it requires 15 points to reach the tier 4 skills. Again, I appreciate your comments. I was upset when I had to waste a point in juyo mastery. Must be an oversight I would have to think since it's the only class like that (excluding sith warrior since the skill tree is the same). Personally I'd like to see close quarters moved to tier 3 with blurred speed. Just my two cents.

 

Anything with points spent into Juyo are wasted points. Since your mainly combat specced you are going to be in Ataru form.

[Xiij]

I'm going to have to call shinanigans on myself here. After writing this comment I decided to go check this. Not entirely true, but close to it. Made a suggestion on it's behalf though.

 

The watchman tree is the only tree where there is a linked set in the tier 2 and tier 3 to where you must use a point to progress to tier 4. Plainly I mean that, in order to get to tier 4 (the line that contains watchguard and close quarters) you must put at least one point into juyo mastery. Without juyo mastery and subsequently searing saber (because it requires juyo mastery), there are only 14 points where it requires 15 points to reach the tier 4 skills. Again, I appreciate your comments. I was upset when I had to waste a point in juyo mastery. Must be an oversight I would have to think since it's the only class like that (excluding sith warrior since the skill tree is the same). Personally I'd like to see close quarters moved to tier 3 with blurred speed. Just my two cents.

[Jiating]

I figured that was the idea, but it just seems like a waste. I imagine overload saber would be great but why spend all those points for leap itself? Are you really going to be using that as a builder so much in your combat setup?

I figured something like this would bring a bit more DPS, since you can up the crit damage on your combat skills you are using more.

It just seemed like you were throwing a lot of points into getting one skill to be ok for use, at the cost of making others marginal as well.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501GGMRRr0dhZbZdcro.2

[Xiij]

I figured that was the idea, but it just seems like a waste. I imagine overload saber would be great but why spend all those points for leap itself? Are you really going to be using that as a builder so much in your combat setup?

I figured something like this would bring a bit more DPS, since you can up the crit damage on your combat skills you are using more.

It just seemed like you were throwing a lot of points into getting one skill to be ok for use, at the cost of making others marginal as well.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501GGMRRr0dhZbZdcro.2

 

You make a valid point on leap. But again, I don't know if I can cope with losing Watchguard completely. However, I may give this build a try. It has the self heal and the second dot, which is what I should be focused on getting if I'm only going partial Watchman. I'll let you know how this works out.

[Stealios]

Don't want to be rude & burst your idea but sentinel hybrids don't work and here's why:

 

The top tier abilities are way too important not to have:

- Blade rush, if you don't have it there's no point in being combat specced since your entire spec evolves around this ability for focus building & procs

 

- Merciless slash: Yeah, DoT damage is nice, but only because you have a hard hitting skill with low cooldown to use in between.

 

Also don't forget that all the critical damage increase on bladestorm, dot's etc. are 25+ skillpoints in the tree.

Is it worth to give up +30% crit dmg on your attacks just to get another attack that does less dmg? Seems a bit pointless.

[BlznSmri]

I'm in agreement with others in this thread along the lines of Hybrids not working for sentinels because of the importance of their Top Tier abilities (Blade Rush, Merciless Slash, Force Exhaustion), also, you take wayyy too many wasted talents just for Close Quarters and the the 1 point in Watchguard.

 

While the range reduction on leap (and the extra interrupt it gives) is really nice, you've got to remember that it is a necessity in the Watchman tree because of the Focus "issues" the tree has which is something that Combat doesn't have to deal with because none of it's abilities really cost more than 2 focus (after the refund from Focused slash). Also, your burns are absolutely terrible without the bonuses from Juyo form and the talents and abilities that affect it.

 

Sadly, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.

[Ananaku]

After the Patch (where PS was taken of the GCT) I goofed with this build for around a week.

 

Single Target DPS was amazing and I was ripping through Heavy Armor targets as easily as lighter armored enemies. The Combination of PS making my next 4 swings hit hella harder and maintaining my watchman burns/heals made for a pretty cool spec....for the Record I had crits on Master Strike and Dispatch over 5K when PS Debuffed. The intent is to use Juyo Form/Zen but simply buff the Melee Strikes in between using PS.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501GGrozbMzZZbIbRMRM.2

 

Mind you I am running a 1100 Power/1550 Strength/1300 Expertise buffed. So likely a good idea to try if you are already geared well....

[Xiij]

After the Patch (where PS was taken of the GCT) I goofed with this build for around a week.

 

Single Target DPS was amazing and I was ripping through Heavy Armor targets as easily as lighter armored enemies. The Combination of PS making my next 4 swings hit hella harder and maintaining my watchman burns/heals made for a pretty cool spec....for the Record I had crits on Master Strike and Dispatch over 5K when PS Debuffed. The intent is to use Juyo Form/Zen but simply buff the Melee Strikes in between using PS.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#501GGrozbMzZZbIbRMRM.2

 

Mind you I am running a 1100 Power/1550 Strength/1300 Expertise buffed. So likely a good idea to try if you are already geared well....

 

This build looks interesting... At least enough so to maybe mess around with it a bit. It does however look to be more of a pvp build and based on your listed stats it looks like that is what you are using it for. But interesting.