Lethal Discharge 0/28/13 PvP Guide

[Krayshawn]

I have followed gunslinger and sniper play styles, builds, hybrids, rotations, etc. through my time of playing SWTOR. I have Rolled a Gunslinger previously but now I am going the more obvious route, Sniper.

 

Our class has insane potential in every field, burst, sustained damage, AoEs, and Survivability. In this guide I will be addressing an Engineering/Lethality Hybrid designed for surviving, maintaining energy, and dishing out damage on the run in PvP.

 

0/28/13:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400ZrIMbRobRMcZhrbkM.2

 

Game Play:

The Premise of this build is how to utilize your abilities to the best of your energy management AND to staying alive. Every second you waste behind that spawn door is time in which you are loosing DPS.

 

With this build you want to Bob and Weave through line of sight (LoS). Throwing your dots, throwing your frag grenades, timing your Explosive Probes. Cluster Bombs must be timed correctly to regain energy when EMP Discharge and Adrenaline Probe are on CD.

 

Taking Cover: This is a Sniper and Gunslinger mechanic hated by most and loved by some, it is typically a turn off to many from the class. This build takes the cover mechanic into account but does not run off of it. Cover is used for Series of Shots (SoS), Hunkler Down, and some various other long range shots you might have to make. Other wise, you want to minimize your use of Cover, staying in one spot for too long will get you killed, but don't neglect the mechanic all together.

 

Why i took what i did...

 

This is not the first Hybrid, I am not saying it is the best either, I am posting this guide to help players interested in the class and PvP content.

 

First ability to talk about is Plasma Probe, This is an awesome ability, it provides utility, an AoE snare, a stun, and AoE Damage, this ability also benefits from a good portion of the tree, but, I did not take it. This is a Hybrid, not a full Engineering spec. Corrosive Grenade (CG) and Targeted Demolition are taken in its place, CG provides a DoT on up to 3 targets which means better sustained DPS. Yes, This dot can be cleansed but is only on a 12 second CD and does not frighten the flock with a GIANT RED AoE marker on the ground. Targeted Demolition Further increases the damage of our frag grenade.

 

EMP Discharge is arguably one of the best abilities in the game, it provides great utility, toughness, and synergy. It does not require LoS, it is 60m range, and it doesn't respect Global Cool Down(GCD). On top of all of this, it refreshes the CD on Shield Probe and Adrenaline Probe. What it does for the tree:

1. Vital Regulators: 6% health back over 3 second when using Adrenaline Probe.

2. Augmented Shields: 30% increased absorption by Shield Probe

3. Energy Overrides: Next Explosive probe is free, this also ties in with Imperial Methodology which can give you up to 20 energy in five seconds.

 

Slip away provides a 30 second CD on Debilitate and gives 30% increased movement speed for four seconds. This means more stuns, and gives the ability to create a larger gap with the opponent you are fighting.

 

Electrified RailGun(ER) Versus Lethal Purpose and Cut Down: Energy Managment will come with practice, Cut Down is only giving SoS a 6% Damage increase where as ER can provide an exponential increase in damage.

 

I Take Razor Edge because in all honesty, even though we are a Ranged DPS, we come into close encounters very often in this build.

 

What about Gear?

The current consensus about "min/maxing" (minimizing useless stats and maximizing the good ones) is that power is the way to go, I agree, but I am still a strong proponent of Cunning and believe gear should still be augmented with it.

 

For the set bonus it is between Enforcer or Field tech.

The two piece Enforcer gives an extra second on Evasion, that second could be the last, hardest hitting, tick of master strike, and the four piece gives an additional 5 energy.

 

The Field Tech two piece gives an additional 3 seconds on our airstrike and the and the four piece gives 5 extra range on our interrupt and finisher (Distraction and Takedown).

 

The set bonus choice is up to you, I personally would go with Enforcer.

 

Please leave Questions, Comments, Suggestions and Feedback, Thanks!

Edited December 18, 2012 by Krayshawn

[Defiantt]

Can you share the rotation and any other details? Im interested in trying it out.

[NoTomorrow]

How is you energy management doing? CG and CD spam will eat quite a lot of resources. PP is quite cheap with 16 energy..

[Defiantt]

Can you share the rotation and any other details? Im interested in trying it out.

[Krayshawn]

Can you share the rotation and any other details? Im interested in trying it out.

single target scenario to kill**

Open with Interrogation probe-> corrosive dart-> explosive probe-> series of shots->(optional legshot/cover pulse as needed) -> Laze target +snipe -> Takedown (THIS IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE)

**this rotation is single target only and is to assume you can heal to regain energy after. If you cant and another situation arises, Use your Cool Downs, Adrenaline Probe, Shield Probe, and EMP Discharge as necessary.

 

Energy Managment Group Fight **

Interrogation Probe-> corrosive grenade->Explosive Probe (timing this ability and its consecutive cluster bombs are essential for success in this build)->Rifle shot-> Frag Grenade(this is only based on how the grouping looks, with a build like this there is not set in stone rotation)-> (optional orbital strike depending on grouping and energy at the time)->Takedown (this is number one if you see an opponent with dwindling health)-> Depending on grouping, another corrisve grenade-> at this point you have probably run out of energy if rifle shot hasn't been thrown in so pop an adrenaline probe and go for a SoS.

 

The abilities to use really are not some "rotation" I do not follow one, the abilities are used based on the situation and how much energy you have, another thing to remember is health and how your taking damage, a lot of time you spend kiting builds back some energy regen, or requires you to use shield probe and in turn EMP Discharge.

 

How is you energy management doing? CG and CD spam will eat quite a lot of resources. PP is quite cheap with 16 energy.

 

You are right, PP is only 16 energy but, You won't always get the damage from plasma pulse for your energy cost. I do not spam CD and CG because as you said, they do cost alot, I only use them when i have the energy to spare (I know my cool downs are up such as EMP) So why the lack of PP for these options? I think that the damage potential of the dots can outweigh the costs of PP's Great utility. If Running into issues with energy management, you can take 3 points out of ER and put them into cut down and Lethal Purpose.

 

In all honesty Full Engineering is a very viable, VERY fun spec, it is a jack of all trades. I just wanted to show the potential for a hybrid and to give the forums a breather from all the MM fanboys out there.

[NoTomorrow]

The question is what do you get extra compared to let's say a full lethality build. Your extra survivability is only because you have more powerful shield probe and you can reset its CD. Which is all good, but outside of that you are just as squishy as a full lethality without ballistic dampers.

 

Now damage wise, i have trouble saying anything here without trying it out. But i can note one important thing: you can overwhelm operatives with your 3 dots, toxin scan only cleanses 2, so you've got a higher chance to ruin their cloaking screen.

 

Personally i suspect that any sustainable damage hybrid will more often than not loose to full lethality. Your big hitter is still ShatterShot + EP + SoS. And that is every 30 seconds. On other hand Lethality has Cull which can perform very well and is only on a 9s CD. Leth has already the adrenaline probe on 1:30, so you only win extra 30s over lethality. This roughly means (50 energy from adrenaline probe+16 from energy overrides)/60= 1,1 energy per sec with engineering EMP and 50/90=0,55 energy + no idea how much energy you get from your crit poisons with lethality.

 

Therefore you have to kinda work harder for your energy with leth which makes it a little more difficult.

[Krayshawn]

I understand your dilemma, Full Lethality is pretty awesome, I run it on my Operative. In all honesty, Single target wise, I don't think you will find a significant advantage in this build. What you would find, if getting better at grouping targets and knowing when to use particular abilities, is that your numbers in certain War Zones would be particularly higher. Games like Void Star and, big battles over mid in Civil War have great groupings.

 

You may think, well what does all this AoE really do for my team if I'm not looking for just numbers and not bursting targets down? Well, It puts a lot of pressure on the enemy team, it will deplete their healers energy and cross healing will get diminished over time. If the healers are concentrating on keeping themselves alive with minimal energy, the DPS will fall and the battle will be won faster.

 

Full Lethality and other hybrids associated with it are all great builds, Lethality offers way more Single Target beat Down then this spec and if that's what you are going for, do it. Lethality still offers some spread damage with CG and Targeted Demo, but it does limit your range and on your hard hitting abilities. If going full tree I have no doubt in your ability to kill who ever you want with Devouring Microbes and Weakening Blast... It just isn't the play style I was going for with this spec.

 

For survivability, Your right, I only Have EMP Discharge, but, there have been SO many occasions where 10% health is a matter of life and death. With EMP you have the potential, in a scenario of getting ganked, to: Deplete energy with your burst->Adrenaline Probe (+6% health)-> Enhanced Shield Probe-> EMP Dishcarge ->More wastful Burst->Adrenaline Probe (another 6%Health)-> Shield Probe. This is a nasty Combo of 12% Health back and alot of damage absorbed, stun is on a 30 second CD, increased Movement speed ETC.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Krayshawn

[NoTomorrow]

Can you run a few WZ on same map, like voidstar, ith this build and full engi and full leth? I would like to see some statistics.

 

For example 35/3/3 MM single target spec, i mostly reach 300k, 450k in a prolonged voidstar at best. 7/31/3 Engi is somewhere 100k damage more than MM, leth in the same situation outperforms MM by 150k on average in same conditions.

Edited December 19, 2012 by NoTomorrow

[Jadenn]

why 2 point in shiv? i don't even have that on my hotbar, and you''ll probably get a better result from the alacrity boost.

[Krayshawn]

why 2 point in shiv? i don't even have that on my hotbar, and you''ll probably get a better result from the alacrity boost.

 

I get up close and personal, shanking is the bomb diggity!

[NoTomorrow]

why 2 point in shiv? i don't even have that on my hotbar, and you''ll probably get a better result from the alacrity boost.

 

Its a yellow attack, its for those rare occasions against a target with high miss chance or debuff, like obfuscate. Ypu can use it after you throw your grenade.

[Kattla]

The ops build is not one i would run, but i may give it a try one day.

Almost full engineering, and not take plasma probe is a sever lack of utility.

The dots would sure hurt, and series of shots with electrified railgun and cluster bombs are very nasty burst. But not taking "Steady shots" and "Cut Down" weakens series of shots by 12 %.

I'd less certain about Vital regulators. 6% of ~20k hp is 1200, 12% is 2400 hp over 6-7 secs. It may very well provide a good increase in survivability over ballestic dampers and vital serum.

With liberal use of adrenalin probe, i guess energy management is fairly allright with that build.

 

Razors Edge instead of Deadly Directive , hmm, it is allright i guess, without any slow in interrogation probe, melee would be onto you fast enough for it to be useful. Personally i would rather taken Deadly directive, but that is just an old thinking of mine. I may consider taking razor edge in my future builds.

 

My own current build, overkill. . Not energy efficient, very squishy, but it kills just about anything. Tanks, healers, you name it, it kills it. IP-CG-CD-Cull,

EP-Series of shots, Cull again. If they cleanse my first dots, plan b, Explosive probe + Series of shots/rifle shot still hurts pretty bad.