Powertech tank

[yoyodar]

Hey guys now that my pt tank is almost to 50 I was wondering if grapple still builds threat on bosses when it doesn't pull them because if been doing some fps to get ready for tanking at 50 and noticed that if I didn't have guard on some of the dps then they would pull the boss or mob of me unless I tounted and that if grapple still made high threat it would help

[bbare]

Hey guys now that my pt tank is almost to 50 I was wondering if grapple still builds threat on bosses when it doesn't pull them because if been doing some fps to get ready for tanking at 50 and noticed that if I didn't have guard on some of the dps then they would pull the boss or mob of me unless I tounted and that if grapple still made high threat it would help

 

Excellent question. Yes, Grapple builds threat even on immune bosses. That's why on my assassin I use force pull as an opener. It actually builds a huge amount of threat. (over 5k) It is probably your highest threat skill you have, so I would suggest using it as an opener. Just remember not to use it if you actually have to grapple something less than 45 sec later, which is pretty much never the case.

Edited February 20, 2013 by bbare

[yoyodar]

Awesome thanks for the quick reply

[Marb]

Grapple generates roughly the equivalent threat of any special attack without the actual damage and crit / surge component. Your better off using jet charge and firing off your rocket punch immediately to get it ready for the shield vent proc. Grapple should never be used as a threat builder, even if for whatever reason your stuck at 30m without jet charge up, you have infinitely better options then grapple (death from above, explosive dart and even a taunt if you really need to). Edited February 21, 2013 by Marb

[ellenbec]

Grapple generates roughly the equivalent threat of any special attack without the actual damage and crit / surge component. Your better off using jet charge and firing off your rocket punch immediately to get it ready for the shield vent proc. Grapple should never be used as a threat builder, even if for whatever reason your stuck at 30m without jet charge up, you have infinitely better options then grapple (death from above, explosive dart and even a taunt if you really need to).

 

If you are looking to maximize your threat on a boss pull though, you WANT to grapple first, then jet charge, followed by your rocket punch. The extra 5k threat on the pull is very nice, particularly if you have gung ho SW who leap in right behind you.

 

And truthfully, why would you even think that not using Grapple as a threat builder from range would be a good thing? It is pure threat, ED has a 15 second CD, DFA is channeled and can miss, and your taunts also have a CD.

 

Assuming weird mechanics where you will spend a good chunk of time outside of melee range. First GCD --> ED Second GCD --> DFA Third GCD --> Taunt. Now you are either left with sitting there spamming Rapid Shot, which deals very little damage and threat, or Missile Blast, which is a very high Heat ability for moderate damage. Now, instead, your Fourth GCD would instead be a Grapple, which will generate a much higher amount of threat before being placed in the waiting line for something good to come off CD or the range forced phase to end.

 

Threat is threat, no matter how you generate it, whether via taunt, damage generated, or a fixed amount from a ability. If you aren't using Grapple in your opener when available you truly are skimping your opening threat rotation.

[cidbahamut]

Where can I find out the amount of threat generated by non-damaging abilities like Grapple?

[Uggliey]

Check your log file, or upload it to a parser site and analyze it there. Last I looked, Grapple did like 2500 threat. while assassin force pull did around 5000. My numbers may be off, it's been a while since I looked.

[cidbahamut]

Thanks. I thought there might be a comprehensive table somewhere that everyone was referencing and my Google-Fu was just weak.

[Marb]

If you are looking to maximize your threat on a boss pull though, you WANT to grapple first, then jet charge, followed by your rocket punch. The extra 5k threat on the pull is very nice, particularly if you have gung ho SW who leap in right behind you.

 

And truthfully, why would you even think that not using Grapple as a threat builder from range would be a good thing? It is pure threat, ED has a 15 second CD, DFA is channeled and can miss, and your taunts also have a CD.

 

Assuming weird mechanics where you will spend a good chunk of time outside of melee range. First GCD --> ED Second GCD --> DFA Third GCD --> Taunt. Now you are either left with sitting there spamming Rapid Shot, which deals very little damage and threat, or Missile Blast, which is a very high Heat ability for moderate damage. Now, instead, your Fourth GCD would instead be a Grapple, which will generate a much higher amount of threat before being placed in the waiting line for something good to come off CD or the range forced phase to end.

 

Threat is threat, no matter how you generate it, whether via taunt, damage generated, or a fixed amount from a ability. If you aren't using Grapple in your opener when available you truly are skimping your opening threat rotation.

 

 

Grapple generates about 2.5k threat on average. For comparisons sake a rapid shots is similar assuming the odd stray crit and an ion gas proc, and a flame burst is about the same. To compare to all your other options, grapple is just above rapid shots in the threat it generates. Its pretty much second to the worst option you have out of all other alternatives outside of 10m.

 

If you're delaying your opener for a grapple, you're wasting a rocket punch proc, and delaying using your highest threat moves coupled with explosive fuel. Burst threat is about generating as much threat as you can in the shortest time possible, what you suggest is delaying it for what is essentially a rapid shots.

 

The example you constructed is not reflective of any in game encounter that I am aware of. Now if you are stuck outside of that range for any longer then it takes jet charge to come off cooldown, then ok, using grapple would be novel in that case, assuming all other avenues have been exhausted.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Marb

[Eternalnight]

Assassins use force pull as a threat builder, because they literally have nothing else they can use from 30m range.

Powertechs however have many other options.