Leveling Watchman? Really?

[Cavell]

I usually see Watchman listed 'round these parts as the better leveling spec, and I have to admit I'm fairly curious why. I understand the survivability argument, and even the better sustained DPS argument, but...wouldn't Combat's better burst come in handy when you're actually doing what you do leveling, which 90% of the time is killing trash? I toyed with Watchman for a bit - and it's entirely possible I was doing it completely wrong - but it seemed like DOTs were kinda useless when the fight's over in ten seconds, anyway.

 

What am I missing?

[iTryHard]

Because Watchman is great once you hit 20 whereas Combat sucks for quite a while, the only part of its rotation that is different from 50 for a Watchman spec is that you sub in two Slashes instead of a Merciless Slash, besides that you just stack Overload Saber on your target. Combat relies heavily on Blade Rush though which you don't get until 40, so you won't get the guaranteed Ataru procs, or the on demand 100% crit for blade storm for a while. My theory on that anyways.

[GrayGunner]

Exactly what TryHard said. Watchman gets its core abilities very early with Cauterize and Overload Sabers, along with the self-heals and some bonus crit damage on burns. Watchman is more sustained damage, which can easily be seen as inferior to burst when comparing the two in terms of killing trash mobs, but the thing is that Combat does not get its fantastic burst until much later than Watchman gets its fantastic sustain.

[DocZoloft]

Those burns are excellent for elite and other more difficult mobs that require a bit more persistence than just an opener. Besides, watchman is a great spec for PVE so getting used to the rather involved rotation is a good thing.

[PowerReaper]

Watchman gets it abilities extremely earlier then Combat.

[SRTtoZZ]

Im a level 20 watchman sent and its been insanely easy up to this point.

[Toogeloo]

Going against the grain, I will agree with the OP. I leveled as Watchman to 20, got Overload Saber, and kept grinning that the fight was usually over before even half the dots ran their course.

 

I switch to Combat at 21 and have been leveling as Combat ever since (only level 37 currently). The speed of killing seems a bit faster since Ataru form procs somewhat frequently, and my Blade Storm hits like a truck since it always crits. Focus seems to be less of an issue as well since Combat Trance comes early.

 

 

It is true though that Watchman gets Overload Saber before Combat gets Precision Strike, but the damage from Overload Saber is more or less equivalent to any procs from Ataru form (gained at the same level), and Ataru doesn't cost any extra Focus to use. Ataru procs frequently on any multi hit ability like Ravage, Strike, and Slash, so I see those extra hits a lot. I feel like my Zen pops up faster in Combat than it does in Watchman as well, which allows me to melt things faster with faster GCD attacks.

 

 

I for one do not regret leveling as Combat, and I think it works just fine, and though I haven't been a Watchman since level 20, I think the mobs die faster than if I had dots rolling on them.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Toogeloo