New to combat help please

[Slamuel]

Hi there. I had been a combat sentinel until 30, then switched to watchman, and never looked back. However, it seemed liked combat is better now than it was. I was getting bored of using cauterize and overload all the time, so I decided to Combat a try again, because of the increased accuracy, speeds, and roots. However, I do not know how to play combat, especially with combat trance, blade storm, precision, and blade rush. Please help me understand rotations and how to use the new skills. I only play PvP, besides dailies of course.

 

Thanks for the help.

[MasterFeign]

You'll generally be attacking one enemy at a time but this is what I do (you can always pop Awe if you need to anyway):

 

force leap > force stasis (if they stun break this it's more to your advantage) > precision slash > Master strike (if you spec Debilitation, they can't run away unless if they stun break) > blade storm (the 4.5 second debuff from precision slash should last you enough time to get a blade storm in there. Also by the end of master strike your blade storm should also be ready to be critted).

 

Now hopefully at this point you are or are close to getting 30 stacks of centering, otherwise it's good to get up some focus. It's 9 seconds from your blade storm to your next chance to use precision slash, you can use force camouflage or help the team. If you're clustered with your group it's better to use something like inspiration or transcendence otherwise you can use zen then precision slash then blade rush 6 times (4 of which will be hit by the 100% armour debuff). You can also pop valor when you need to to get another crit ready right away.

Edited July 22, 2012 by MasterFeign

[Slamuel]

You'll generally be attacking one enemy at a time but this is what I do (you can always pop Awe if you need to anyway):

 

force leap > force stasis (if they stun break this it's more to your advantage) > precision slash > Master strike (if you spec Debilitation, they can't run away unless if they stun break) > blade storm (the 4.5 second debuff from precision slash should last you enough time to get a blade storm in there. Also by the end of master strike your blade storm should also be ready to be critted).

 

Now hopefully at this point you are or are close to getting 30 stacks of centering, otherwise it's good to get up some focus. It's 9 seconds from your blade storm to your next chance to use precision slash, you can use force camouflage or help the team. If you're clustered with your group it's better to use something like inspiration or transcendence otherwise you can use zen then precision slash then blade rush 6 times (4 of which will be hit by the 100% armour debuff). You can also pop valor when you need to to get another crit ready right away.

 

thanks for the help.

[KruelhandJorb]

I'd recommend trying this because I think it will offer more consistent dmg

 

Save Force stasis, i'd never open a fight with it personally, you need to save that to interupt heals or as a counter to their own channeled abilities like master strike or whatever. The best thing about Watchman is the 6s cooldown on your Kick, the extra interupt is big but in Combat you trade that for roots (which are awesome) and extra group utility. Save your interrupts for when they blow their cooldowns (ie if a Marauder pops his mirror to guarded by the force, force stasis him or pacify him)

 

leap in if you want to...

Zealous Strike

Blade Rush - this will put you in trance

Precission and Masterstrike. PS is off the cooldown, put those two hotkeys by each other or time it so you're hitting PS just a spit second before Masterstrike.

 

watch the animation and the cast bar for masterstrike. Practice this at fleet so that once your cast bar hits 0.5 seconds your final hit will register and you can hit bladestorm. the cast bar will say cancelled, but no your last tick of MS and blade storm will hit almost exactly at the same time, your BS will get your trance crit and benifit from your armour ignore buff. This is esspecially devestating in PVP game play as you can pretty much kill someone with that entire rotation if they aren't guarded and the time for the rotation to deal it's damage is really hard for a healer to counter. Even if the BS doesn't kill them they ought to be in Dispatch range for the next Global Cooldown

 

With Zen, remember that you will want to pop zen with as much Focus as possible, hit Precision slash and 3 Blade Rushes then a Blade Storm so that your BS has the auto crit+armor debuff then whatever you want to after, dispatch if possible. I like to try to save my Zen buff for if Master Strike is off of cooldown.

 

If you're in PVP that's especially important because smart players will punt, stun or blind you the second they see a Combat/Carnage spec player using Masterstrike/Ravage because the damage is insanely high (too high probably). When they CC you if you can come back with Zen and BR+BS spam they'll no doubt have white bar'd you or blown all their CC trying to **** and you can crush them with serious dmg.

Edited July 23, 2012 by KruelhandJorb

[thebigdoubleu]

I'm mainly Watchman, and only toyed around with Combat (really fun spec IMO). I assume that Precision Slash is something I only use (asides from Zen spamming Slashes/Blade Storms) when Combat Trance is active so I can drop an auto-crit Blade Storm followed by a Master Strike (if off cool down) for some WTFPWNAGE. Is this correct?

[MasterFeign]

I'm mainly Watchman, and only toyed around with Combat (really fun spec IMO). I assume that Precision Slash is something I only use (asides from Zen spamming Slashes/Blade Storms) when Combat Trance is active so I can drop an auto-crit Blade Storm followed by a Master Strike (if off cool down) for some WTFPWNAGE. Is this correct?

 

It'd be the other way around, I think, master strike first, just because you have a faster chance using it while the 4.5 seconds is up, because you also have to contend with the global cooldown for 1.5 seconds.

[Cavad]

Hi there. I had been a combat sentinel until 30, then switched to watchman, and never looked back. However, it seemed liked combat is better now than it was. I was getting bored of using cauterize and overload all the time, so I decided to Combat a try again, because of the increased accuracy, speeds, and roots. However, I do not know how to play combat, especially with combat trance, blade storm, precision, and blade rush. Please help me understand rotations and how to use the new skills. I only play PvP, besides dailies of course.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

 

If you're still around 30, dont both with combat. The spec is terrible until 40, bare minimum. The spec doesnt really start to shine until around 45-47. I strongly suggest sticking with watchman until that point.

[Slamuel]

leap in if you want to...

Zealous Strike

Blade Rush - this will put you in trance

Precission and Masterstrike.

 

Seems like a good rotation, and on the other side of precision, I use BS and blade rush a lot? What exactly do I do in between when precision is on CD?

[Stealios]

Seems like a good rotation, and on the other side of precision, I use BS and blade rush a lot? What exactly do I do in between when precision is on CD?

 

Spam bladerush, strike & when not on cooldown zealous strike. It sounds weird, but that is pretty much the entire combat sped:

-bladerush>precision>MS>BS

- keep focus + spam bladerush until precsion is back up

- precision slash> bladerush/BS (since MS won't be up always)

 

And the occasional: zen + precision slash> bladerush x3 + BS

[KruelhandJorb]

Seems like a good rotation, and on the other side of precision, I use BS and blade rush a lot? What exactly do I do in between when precision is on CD?

 

BladeRush is your anytime attack. If you have Focus built up, but Blade Storm or Masterstrike is on cooldown, use crippling throw or blade rush.

 

People crap on Combat for PvE, seems to me like it's fine, especially when you need to burn down mobs fast, the burst dmg is crazy. Really it' a PvP spec, I want to run HM Op as combat to see how it feels, if it feels viable.

[Kel-el]

The above rotations are great, BUT, from what I've read, Blade Storm DOES NOT benefit from the Armor reduction.

 

"Single Target – Combat

The combat rotation revolves around keeping Precision slash on cooldown and following it up with Blade Rush's to get the maximum effect. As stated, Blade Storm does not benefit from the armor penetration but does have a 100% chance to crit during a combat trance. At this level in the Combat Tree, you should almost always been in a combat trance so the best time to Blade Storm is when Precision Slash falls off and you're waiting for it to cooldown.

 

Force Leap, Rebuke, Zealous Strike standard focus opener. In Combat you'll have 10 focus to play with which lends itself nicely to a Precision Slash (3), Blade Rush x 2 (4), Blade Storm (2), with 1 focus and 2 gcd left until Zealous resets. After this point you'll be generating 2 free focus every Zealous Strike cooldown from Combat trance which means you'll basically have 8 Focus to work with every 12 seconds unless you mix in some Strikes. That 8 Focus is only going to allow you to work with a Precision Slash, Blade Rush, non-spender / strike, Blade Storm rotation until some of the remainder focus starts to pool then you can Blade Rush x 2 or work in some utility. Remember to use your non-spenders and utility to fill the time until Zealous Strike resets."

 

Taken from - http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=47695

 

Can anyone confirm if that is actually the case?

[Mr_Fuzzle]

From what I've been able to tell, Blade Storm is affected by armor penetration. With combat trance, my crit with blade storm hits for ~30% harder with the armor penetration buff up. Also, precision slash only costs 1 focus now and is and instant cast. The PVE rotation should be something along the lines of Force Leap>Rebuke>Zealous Strike>Precision Slash>Blade Rush (hit this immediately after you toss out Precision)>Master Strike>Blade Storm then start the Blade Rush spam. Once your Precision Slash comes off cooldown, immediately toss out Blade Storm then go back to Blade Rush spam. Try to keep Rebuke up at all times to generate focus. When you have Zen available, try to save it for when your Precision Slash is coming off cooldown, pop it right before then hit Precision Slash and Blade Rush as much as possible. Don't try to get Blade Storm in during the Zen burst since it has a longer cooldown than Blade Rush. Once your Zen burst is over, toss out Blade Storm to get it back on cooldown. To sum up, work in Master Strike to the armor buff period as it comes up and fill gaps with Blade Rush. If you find yourself running out of Focus at any time, toss out a single Strike to tide you over for the Focus generators.

[Kel-el]

From what I've been able to tell, Blade Storm is affected by armor penetration. With combat trance, my crit with blade storm hits for ~30% harder with the armor penetration buff up. Also, precision slash only costs 1 focus now and is and instant cast. The PVE rotation should be something along the lines of Force Leap>Rebuke>Zealous Strike>Precision Slash>Blade Rush (hit this immediately after you toss out Precision)>Master Strike>Blade Storm then start the Blade Rush spam. Once your Precision Slash comes off cooldown, immediately toss out Blade Storm then go back to Blade Rush spam. Try to keep Rebuke up at all times to generate focus. When you have Zen available, try to save it for when your Precision Slash is coming off cooldown, pop it right before then hit Precision Slash and Blade Rush as much as possible. Don't try to get Blade Storm in during the Zen burst since it has a longer cooldown than Blade Rush. Once your Zen burst is over, toss out Blade Storm to get it back on cooldown. To sum up, work in Master Strike to the armor buff period as it comes up and fill gaps with Blade Rush. If you find yourself running out of Focus at any time, toss out a single Strike to tide you over for the Focus generators.

 

You are correct. I've double checked and tested.

 

Thank you!

[LagunaD]

From what I've been able to tell, Blade Storm is affected by armor penetration. With combat trance, my crit with blade storm hits for ~30% harder with the armor penetration buff up. Also, precision slash only costs 1 focus now and is and instant cast. The PVE rotation should be something along the lines of Force Leap>Rebuke>Zealous Strike>Precision Slash>Blade Rush (hit this immediately after you toss out Precision)>Master Strike>Blade Storm then start the Blade Rush spam. Once your Precision Slash comes off cooldown, immediately toss out Blade Storm then go back to Blade Rush spam. Try to keep Rebuke up at all times to generate focus. When you have Zen available, try to save it for when your Precision Slash is coming off cooldown, pop it right before then hit Precision Slash and Blade Rush as much as possible. Don't try to get Blade Storm in during the Zen burst since it has a longer cooldown than Blade Rush. Once your Zen burst is over, toss out Blade Storm to get it back on cooldown. To sum up, work in Master Strike to the armor buff period as it comes up and fill gaps with Blade Rush. If you find yourself running out of Focus at any time, toss out a single Strike to tide you over for the Focus generators.

 

This is somewhat different from what I've found most effective in actual pve combat, and in simulation.

 

In your suggested rotation, you don't use Blade Rush until the fourth attack. This is a mistake. You always, always want the buff from Blade Rush that increases Ataru proc chance. And you want to get Combat Trance up for sure as quickly as possible.

 

Also, I think it should go without saying that Blade Storm is used on cooldown, any time the Combat Trance buff is up. If it is not up, then you Blade Rush first. Delaying abilities to overlap them with Precise Strike is a mistake, I think, because it means you will use your best abilities less often.

 

Here's how I would open on something that I can't use Opportune Strike or Pommel Strike on:

 

Valorous Call -> Zen -> Rebuke -> Force Leap -> Blade Rush -> Zealous Strike -> Precise Strike -> Blade Storm -> Master Strike -> Blade Rush spam until Zen is used up and you are out of focus, at which point Zealous will be coming off cooldown. In many cases you will also need to throw Force Camo in there, because unless the tank is very good he won't be able to keep up with you.

 

At this point, you start watching buffs to make sure Blade Rush and Combat Trance are always up, and if they are, generally use your core abilities as they come off cooldown (Zealous, Precise, Blade Storm, Master Strike, in that priority order) while filling with Blade Rush at least every 4th GCD, or any time either buff is missing. The only time I would delay using Precise Strike is when Master Strike is on cooldown and I will have to use Strike or Zealous Strike while the buff is up. Instead, use the focus builder first. The only time I would delay using Blade Storm is if the Combat Trance buff is missing (in which case use Blade Rush first).

 

The importance of maintaining the Ataru buff from Blade Rush cannot be over-stated.

Edited August 2, 2012 by LagunaD

[terencechan]

Study your combat tree and you should find the answers to what you need to prioritize.

 

Blade Rush - top of tree

Ataru form - tree foundation

 

Blade Rush enables Ataru. If you don't intend to max the use of the Ataru form, then u shouldn't be playing combat.

 

Unlike Watchman, Bladestorm is the most lethal single hit you can use when specced combat, however you will need a lot of practice and almost perfect timing to max its use. The reason why Sents are extremely hard to master is because of the constant split second decisons you need to make to alter your rotations depending on fight circumstances.

 

You get better with practice and muscle coordination, not through 'set' faceroll rotations.

[Mr_Fuzzle]

This is somewhat different from what I've found most effective in actual pve combat, and in simulation.

 

In your suggested rotation, you don't use Blade Rush until the fourth attack. This is a mistake. You always, always want the buff from Blade Rush that increases Ataru proc chance. And you want to get Combat Trance up for sure as quickly as possible.

 

Also, I think it should go without saying that Blade Storm is used on cooldown, any time the Combat Trance buff is up. If it is not up, then you Blade Rush first. Delaying abilities to overlap them with Precise Strike is a mistake, I think, because it means you will use your best abilities less often.

 

Here's how I would open on something that I can't use Opportune Strike or Pommel Strike on:

 

Valorous Call -> Zen -> Rebuke -> Force Leap -> Blade Rush -> Zealous Strike -> Precise Strike -> Blade Storm -> Master Strike -> Blade Rush spam until Zen is used up and you are out of focus, at which point Zealous will be coming off cooldown. In many cases you will also need to throw Force Camo in there, because unless the tank is very good he won't be able to keep up with you.

 

At this point, you start watching buffs to make sure Blade Rush and Combat Trance are always up, and if they are, generally use your core abilities as they come off cooldown (Zealous, Precise, Blade Storm, Master Strike, in that priority order) while filling with Blade Rush at least every 4th GCD, or any time either buff is missing. The only time I would delay using Precise Strike is when Master Strike is on cooldown and I will have to use Strike or Zealous Strike while the buff is up. Instead, use the focus builder first. The only time I would delay using Blade Storm is if the Combat Trance buff is missing (in which case use Blade Rush first).

 

The importance of maintaining the Ataru buff from Blade Rush cannot be over-stated.

 

I can see the point of throwing Blade Rush out as quickly as possible, makes sense. I may switch up the rotation a tiny bit at the beginning. but the only time that makes any difference is at the immediate beginning of a fight. after that, the proc is pretty much always up. Now, using Valorous Call to get Zen right off the bat is just silly. One of the Sentinel's greatest assets is its team utility with Inspiration. If you want to get your personal DPs numbers up, sure waste Valorous Call on Zen, but to max the raid's DPS, you absolutely must use Inspiration. Overall higher DPS for the entire group instead of just for you.

[LagunaD]

I can see the point of throwing Blade Rush out as quickly as possible, makes sense. I may switch up the rotation a tiny bit at the beginning. but the only time that makes any difference is at the immediate beginning of a fight. after that, the proc is pretty much always up. Now, using Valorous Call to get Zen right off the bat is just silly. One of the Sentinel's greatest assets is its team utility with Inspiration. If you want to get your personal DPs numbers up, sure waste Valorous Call on Zen, but to max the raid's DPS, you absolutely must use Inspiration. Overall higher DPS for the entire group instead of just for you.

 

Valorous Call is not required for Inspiration...

[Mr_Fuzzle]

Very true. But for use at the opening it is. Then it gets put on cooldown. Maximizing the use of Inspiration means you use it as soon as possible (using Valorous Call) to get it on cooldown as soon as you can for the most team utility. If you don't, you're wasting time and potential DPS for the raid.

[LagunaD]

Very true. But for use at the opening it is. Then it gets put on cooldown. Maximizing the use of Inspiration means you use it as soon as possible (using Valorous Call) to get it on cooldown as soon as you can for the most team utility. If you don't, you're wasting time and potential DPS for the raid.

 

I can't think of many Level 50 boss fights with enrage timers shorter than 5 minutes, or longer than 10 minutes, and I can rebuild 30 stacks in well under a minute, so it is pretty much two Inspirations per fight regardless. Using Inspiration at the very beginning of a fight is sometimes a good idea, and sometimes not. If I want to use Inspiration at the beginning, I will still build 30 stacks first though because I want to use Zen together with it.

 

Just like Inspiration, not getting maximum benefit from Valorous Call (by keeping it on cooldown) is wasting time and potential DPS.

[Solaufein]

People crap on Combat for PvE, seems to me like it's fine, especially when you need to burn down mobs fast, the burst dmg is crazy. Really it' a PvP spec, I want to run HM Op as combat to see how it feels, if it feels viable.

 

It's fine for PVE HM Ops.

 

I've always run as Combat, cleared all Ops content inc. Denova HM. Next time I run it I'll dig out a Combat Log.

 

The on demand burst damage, and transcendence buff, actually make a Combat desirable spec. Watchman self-heals in HM Ops are pretty much worthless anyway. Healers heal. DPS'ers DPS.

[BlznSmri]

TValorous Call -> Zen -> Rebuke -> Force Leap -> Blade Rush -> Zealous Strike -> Precise Strike -> Blade Storm -> Master Strike -> Blade Rush spam until Zen is used up and you are out of focus, at which point Zealous will be coming off cooldown. In many cases you will also need to throw Force Camo in there, because unless the tank is very good he won't be able to keep up with you.

 

While I like this and plan on changing my own opening priority queue I disagree with one thing (er well a few things after starting this post). After Precision Slash use Master Strike THEN Blade Storm because unless you have God-like reflexes or a Gaming mouse that can Macro Precision Slash and Blade Storm together, you run the risk of the Precision buff falling off before the final tick of the Master Strike channel (the hardest hitting part) because of the Global Cooldown between Blade Storm and Master Strike. Otherwise, I hadn't really thought of I hadn't really thought of using Blade Rush so early in the opening Queue, mostly because by the time I get to Blade Storm I've already had an Ataru Form proc hit, giving the Combat Trance buff. Also, I typically save Valorous Call for whenever I need to use an Inspiration (early on in the fight of course) getting 30 Centering Stacks > Inspiration > Valorous Call > Zen > (Power Relic) and so on and so forth for my big burn phases.

Edited August 6, 2012 by BlznSmri

[Tethyr]

At what time do you apply your ZEN as watchmen, do you do it, when you have 3x stack burned up..or you apply Overload Sabre then Hit Zen?