Xann Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Hey there fellow Sents, I'm a fairly new level 50 Sent and I'm a fairly casual player, but have been doing quite a few HM FPs with my guildies lately. I am coming to the realization that there is no real point to being melee DPS in this game. Ranged DPS puts out very comparable damage numbers while doing it from a (relatively) safe distance. There is basically nothing a melee DPS toon brings to the table that a ranger can't do more safely and sometimes more efficiently (can put out damage when I am running to next target if my Force Leap is cooling). Plus they start out with full "ammo" or whatever it is while I have to build up to my hard-hitters...while being in the danger zone. I don't really understand this, what I perceive to be, imbalance. Any insight for a player who is kind of getting a little frustrated with literally the ONLY class in the game that he's interested in? Ah, forgot to add that this is purely from a PvE standpoint. I don't PvP at all so I have no comments about it at all. Edited August 14, 2012 by Xann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllanGand Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 correct me if i'm wrong, but as far as I know sentinels are the only class in the game that can provide a raid wide speed boost and damage/healing boost. That sounds like quite a lot more you can provide to a group. As for the building up of resources, I honestly don't know what to say. You'll get used to it in time, The real question here is, what do you expect to bring extra to a raid than a ranged dps? Cause it seems like this is more of a your expectations haven't been met problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolenthar Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Losing your faith, you should not. Sure, melee dps is more demanding than ranged dps, always been in all MMORPG. Range is for the lazy, melee for the strong However, when it comes to your role : - Sentinel/Mara has the highest DPS potential of all classes - Sentinel have very powerful group buff. - Sentinel has the tool to survive in melee, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terencechan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Range is for the lazy, melee for the strong Yep, range is when you need a break from gaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusFTW Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Its probably a more challenging class to play for pve then say a commando or gunslinger but the party buffs and dps rewards are worth it even if you do have to look at every champions backside for eternity. If you are used to playing the other classes it will seem hard maybe. I started off as sentinel so i am used to it.. They are up there for pure single target dps once you get the rotation down (also dependent obviously). Edited August 14, 2012 by AngusFTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlznSmri Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Just use Rebuke off cooldown and Saber Ward during periods of heavy AoE. Force Fade should be used almost exclusively as an aggro dump, and Guarded by the Force is only one of those "**** hit the fan" defensive cooldowns when you're like the last guy left and the boss is only like 3 hits away from being killed. Melee DPS is easily the most active and engaging role to play in any game, and remember, ease breeds complacency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbare Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hey there fellow Sents, I'm a fairly new level 50 Sent and I'm a fairly casual player, but have been doing quite a few HM FPs with my guildies lately. I am coming to the realization that there is no real point to being melee DPS in this game. Ranged DPS puts out very comparable damage numbers while doing it from a (relatively) safe distance. There is basically nothing a melee DPS toon brings to the table that a ranger can't do more safely and sometimes more efficiently (can put out damage when I am running to next target if my Force Leap is cooling). Plus they start out with full "ammo" or whatever it is while I have to build up to my hard-hitters...while being in the danger zone. I don't really understand this, what I perceive to be, imbalance. Any insight for a player who is kind of getting a little frustrated with literally the ONLY class in the game that he's interested in? Ah, forgot to add that this is purely from a PvE standpoint. I don't PvP at all so I have no comments about it at all. Completely untrue. Sentinels/marauders have more utility in a group than any other dps class in the game. They have a group speed boost which is very helpful for Kephess. They have a group damage buff which is useful in any boss. They have a droid cc which can be helpful in Denova. They have group healing with Zen watchman. They have the shortest CD on interrupt in the game. Did I also mention they do the most damage in the game? Marauders are the least expendable dps class in the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terencechan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Completely untrue. Sentinels/marauders have more utility in a group than any other dps class in the game. They have a group speed boost which is very helpful for Kephess. They have a group damage buff which is useful in any boss. They have a droid cc which can be helpful in Denova. They have group healing with Zen watchman. They have the shortest CD on interrupt in the game. Did I also mention they do the most damage in the game? Marauders are the least expendable dps class in the game. You didn't mention that you were referring to Combat sentinels specifically? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbare Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 You didn't mention that you were referring to Combat sentinels specifically? No, Watchman is the optimal pve sentinel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalBasss Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ranged DPS only have an actual advantage in select circumstances (Jarg/Sorno, Toth/Zorn). In my opinion, the rest of their "advantages" are simply perceived to be advantages by the community (LR-5, oldschool Krel Thak, the list goes on and on). If the team knows the encounters well enough, there really is not much of a difference on most encounters, and therefore I prefer Sentinels in most of my groups due to their dps superiority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaxberd Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Alacrity can actually be useful for Sentinels since it would help us build focus faster as opposed to helping us deplete energy more quickly. At least, I assume it will. I'm still leveling up from the middle so I haven't started gearing for this sort of thing yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbare Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ranged DPS only have an actual advantage in select circumstances (Jarg/Sorno, Toth/Zorn). In my opinion, the rest of their "advantages" are simply perceived to be advantages by the community (LR-5, oldschool Krel Thak, the list goes on and on). If the team knows the encounters well enough, there really is not much of a difference on most encounters, and therefore I prefer Sentinels in most of my groups due to their dps superiority. Having some Melee makes things easier in a few fights. For example, HM Vorgath and the Nightmare Pilgrim, where interrupts are necessary. Melee have shorter interrupts and don't have to disrupt a cast/channel to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AidanLightwalker Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Alacrity can actually be useful for Sentinels since it would help us build focus faster as opposed to helping us deplete energy more quickly. At least, I assume it will. I'm still leveling up from the middle so I haven't started gearing for this sort of thing yet. As a sentinel, we want nothing to do with alcracity. What do we need it for? Faster channel times on master strike and force stasis?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaxberd Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 As a sentinel, we want nothing to do with alcracity. What do we need it for? Faster channel times on master strike and force stasis?? Build focus more quickly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besbin Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Alacrity has absolutely nothing to do woth focus generation mate. It reduces cast/channel times, nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalBasss Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Alacrity has absolutely nothing to do woth focus generation mate. It reduces cast/channel times, nothing more. And I believe it has been tested by someone in this forum within the last month or so, and it didn't affect Master Strike anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlznSmri Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Since there's no Auto-Attack swing timers (like in WoW) and since Alacrity (Haste) doesn't affect global cooldowns, pretty much no dps Class needs Alacrity, least of all sentinels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuffystuffs Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 (edited) I am coming to the realization that there is no real point to being melee DPS in this game. Ranged DPS puts out very comparable damage numbers while doing it from a (relatively) safe distance. Depends on the melee and ranged class. From my experience playing a Sentinel and Sniper (which I think are the best melee and ranged DPS classes respectively), Sent puts out more DPS and has raid-wide buffs. Now compare a DPS Operative/Scoundrel and Sniper/GS (of similar skill/gear)....I'd say most would pick the GS for their raid. Even so, different people prefer different play-styles and some prefer to do their damage up close and personal, so there will be a place for melee based on fun factor. Edited August 17, 2012 by stuffystuffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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