Combat Sentinel 2.0 tree?

[TantoSix]

Howdy lads,

 

Can one of you kind souls post the changes (with details if possible!) to the combat spec skill tree from 2.0 on PTS? Sadly all my chars transferred over except the two that matter to me (my dear combat sent and my sniper lol).

 

Would be greatly appreciated if you could!

[Elear]

Dual Wield Mastery and Steadfast changed places

 

Ataru mastery increases damage by 7.5/15 %

 

Opportune Attack now works only on Blade Storm

 

Combat Trance now gives focus after Opportune Attack has been consumed.

 

Immaculate Force now increases crit chance on Opportune Attack

 

Displacemenet has new icon.

 

Fleetfooted no longer requires Combat Trance

 

Saber Screen, new, requires Combat Trance and 25 points in tree

When Ataru Form deals damage, damage reduction and melee and ranged defense are increased by 1/2% for 10 sec. Stacks up to 3 times.

 

Contemplation, new, requires 30 points in tree

Damn, no more sitting in lava Introspecting to build up centering

Reduces CD on Awe by 7.5/15 sec, in addition builds up 15/30 centering over course of using Introspection, no more often than once per 30 sec.

 

Hand of Justice, new, requires 30 points

Ataru form has 15/30/45% chance to trigger Hand of Justice, which finishes CD on Precision Slash and Dispatch, and makes next dispatch free and usable on target with any health percentage. No more often than once every 20 sec.

 

EDIT

And while not change to Combat tree, change relevant to comat sents - no more increased Master Strike damage in Focus tree

Edited February 21, 2013 by Elear

[Ryat]

The first one is a bummer as I see that very important for any Sentinel (well maybe not focus). The last has been moved as a bonus to the high end armor.

[Freezoide]

Together with all the set bonuses from PvE I get the feeling that the steady rotation/rhythm of Combat will be changed especially by the skill tree ability: Hands of Justice. Also reducing the 30% towards 15% is a bit of a bummer but Opportune makes it up for 10% only on blade storm.

It indicates that dps will increase slightly though I'm both curious and scared if the playstyle becomes more complex instead of upgraded.

[arkitip]

It is definitely more complex.

 

1st, Blade Storm is NOT auto crit anymore unless Opportune Attack is up which has the typical 30% proc rate from Ataru form. You will need to pay a lot more attention during your PS window.

 

2nd, force management is much tighter now. Zen does NOT reduce the cost of BR by 1. Instead it gives 30% alacrity to all attacks. What this means though is that during a PS window you can squeeze out 3-4 instant attacks period. During 1 I managed 2x BR, Blade Storm, and Dispatch.

Add to this the fact that you can proc the PS reset DURING a PS window and you'll see that the tried and true method of having 3 force for PS window 1 and 6 force for PS window 2 doesn't really work anymore. You'll have to treat it a bit like Watchman now and keep your force around 6-7 at all times

 

 

So far I've managed 2300 DPS unstimmed and unaugmented in the new gear while I try to relearn the spec.

[calamatiesend]

i have a mara not a sent but ill chime in here because this is a pretty big nerf to a fun spec.

 

I think the change to combat/carnage specifically to blood frenzy/opportune attack should be adjusted. Rage/focus management is too tight and only gaining 1 rage/focus when using scream/storm is a big hit to resource management unless alacrity allows our gens to give us more than their stated amounts...... The rage/focus gained from frenzy/combat trance has been cut by 50% for no reason, except to make the rotation on opportune attack/execute easier.

 

Please Bioware/EA realize that you are seriously changing the efficiency of the spec/cutting its dps by reducing the amount of rage/focus that can be generated!

[slowantics]

they really changed up this spec. my favorite spec by far. i really hope they change back our zen. force management is gnna be harder

[Ramaral]

Alacrity is turning out to be a mess for us right now, like you mentioned above, force management is much tighter. While it helps every other class i think its hurting us right now. My guess is the idea would be to throw other attacks in the mix with blade rush ie. Dispatch, Dual saber throw, both free. However, Alacrity doesn't properly contribute to focus generation and currently doesn't work on master strike (absurd bug imo). I have in a different post mentioned with regards to focus that reducing the cast of Force Stasis in many ways hurts us as well. Its the only lockdown ability we have that can be damaged through and you are potentially nerfing it in a group situation.

 

One way to solve it would be to make zen universal across all three and combine the alacrity with the force generation of the focus spec.

[Xerain]

It is definitely more complex.

 

1st, Blade Storm is NOT auto crit anymore unless Opportune Attack is up which has the typical 30% proc rate from Ataru form. You will need to pay a lot more attention during your PS window.

 

A friend is on DPS and he says it is still auto-crit. That swtor-spy talent calc is buggy and says rail shot gets 100% armor pen for pyro pt.

 

2nd, force management is much tighter now. Zen does NOT reduce the cost of BR by 1. Instead it gives 30% alacrity to all attacks. What this means though is that during a PS window you can squeeze out 3-4 instant attacks period. During 1 I managed 2x BR, Blade Storm, and Dispatch.

Add to this the fact that you can proc the PS reset DURING a PS window and you'll see that the tried and true method of having 3 force for PS window 1 and 6 force for PS window 2 doesn't really work anymore. You'll have to treat it a bit like Watchman now and keep your force around 6-7 at all times

 

 

So far I've managed 2300 DPS unstimmed and unaugmented in the new gear while I try to relearn the spec.

 

If you were using zen to gore>BR>Storm you should of had a full bar of points anyways, at least in pvp.

[calamatiesend]

Alacrity is turning out to be a mess for us right now, like you mentioned above, force management is much tighter. While it helps every other class i think its hurting us right now. My guess is the idea would be to throw other attacks in the mix with blade rush ie. Dispatch, Dual saber throw, both free. However, Alacrity doesn't properly contribute to focus generation and currently doesn't work on master strike (absurd bug imo). I have in a different post mentioned with regards to focus that reducing the cast of Force Stasis in many ways hurts us as well. Its the only lockdown ability we have that can be damaged through and you are potentially nerfing it in a group situation.

 

One way to solve it would be to make zen universal across all three and combine the alacrity with the force generation of the focus spec.

 

Yea it seems like alacrity either needs to increase the rage/focus on our gens(similar to how it helps other classes resource regen) or that they should give us a talent/adjust our talents that gives a way to increase resrouce generation. Anni/watchman is getting another passive resource generator why not give us one as well.....

 

my solutions would be to either make it so blood frenzy/combat trance gives 2 rage back(essentially making force screams/storms free when used) or to add to another talent a % chance on ataru form hit to generate rage/focus. As of right now the resource management is just too tight and I do not think with Hand of Justice/slaughter proccing every 20 seconds that we will have the resources to make efficient use of it.

 

I hope the devs look at this

[arkitip]

A friend is on DPS and he says it is still auto-crit. That swtor-spy talent calc is buggy and says rail shot gets 100% armor pen for pyro pt.

 

 

 

If you were using zen to gore>BR>Storm you should of had a full bar of points anyways, at least in pvp.

 

I'm on the PTS and your friend is wrong. It only auto-crits with Execute/Opportune Attack up and says as much within the game itself.

 

And Carnage/Combat was NEVER a resource management spec before this. You needed 3 rage/focus for 1 PS window and 6 for another. That's all the management you had to do. Now? Forget it. You'll have to play it Annihilation style at best and have a floating 6-7 focus/rage because BR is ALWAYS going to use 2 focus and need 3 to activate. Using the traditional 3x BR -> BS needs 8 focus now and is likely suboptimal since every instant attack will activate as quickly as BR does when influenced by Zen.

 

The big issue is the unpredictable nature of the PS reset. What's happening to most people now is that PS resets and they're focus starved and have to delay PS which mucks up the next PS in the process.

[Venjirai]

I am fine with all the changes but I want my old Zen back.

[slowantics]

I am fine with all the changes but I want my old Zen back.

 

this

the change to zen makes me not want to play combat. and focus is looking good esp in pvp. i hope this wont be what comes out live

[Phoeniixx]

The big issue is the unpredictable nature of the PS reset. What's happening to most people now is that PS resets and they're focus starved and have to delay PS which mucks up the next PS in the process.

 

Yeah, those procs are just messing any kind of rotation I tried, not really usefull like vanguards HiB procs. I must say, I like focus 2.0 more than combat.

[BleiFinger]

Im fine with the new tree.. BUT i want my old zen back.

 

the cobat tree consists of burst dmg. u do burst dmg (for my part) if u have Precision Slash ready and combine it with: a.) master strike+blade storm OR b.) zen+blade rush+blade storm.

during the burst phases u get a high/very high amount of dmg in short time BUT after this phases u have to wait for cooldowns are finished or collect zen stacks to burst again, means u do low/medium amount of dmg. if u put the dmg/time in a diagram u will see a line going up-hill during burst phases and going down on collect/colldown phases... if u take the average amount of both lines u see your absolut dmg u have done.

 

i tested my 3 most liked chars on the pts, a gunslinger(dirty fighter and hybrid), guardian (focus/middle dot tree dont know name in english) and my good old sentinel (watchman/combat).

-gunslinger plays mostly the same, some additive features added but all in all its more pleasant to play than before because of energy reduction of the main skills. result: pleasant gameplay/ hits harder especially the hybrid tree.

-guradian seems pretty the same in both dps trees, plays more pleasant and hits harder.

-sentinel in watchmen... same as slinger/guardian.. nice to play and after u have your stacks are maxed up its more "ouch" than the old one.

 

the only tree playes like a cramp is the combat tree!

 

1.) u have a 45% chance to end cd of dispatch and precision slash. in 90% of all cases when precision slash is ready again u have A.) not enoght focus and B.) still cooldown on important skills!

dispatch is nice to have, pays a global cooldown to deal dmg for free and gains 1 focus(if skilled on left tree) BUT

usage only every 20 sek... -.-

 

2.) zen gains 30% alacrity: if u have enough focus its useful but useless if u have to fill up the focus strip with the normal sword hits the purchase focus. mostly all skills cost 2 focus, also the main skill of the combat tree blade rush! and the bad thing is... u have to do normal blade hits to get focus before using zen or after or inbetween which makes the combat tree weaker than actually because there was nothing added to purchase focus in any way we know so far.

 

so please. only change the zen funktion to its old characteristics.

this is no qq its my subjektive opininion. and compared to the gunslinger and guarian its not basiclally fair!

i bet some other sentinel/marodeur dudes feel the same.

 

sry for my broken english.

[g_mK]

Two changes I'll like to see to combat

Return Zen to the old way

Make it so HoJ reduces the CD of PS (by 3-5 sec) instead of being an unpredictable proc.

[Anishor]

Two changes I'll like to see to combat

Return Zen to the old way

Make it so HoJ reduces the CD of PS (by 3-5 sec) instead of being an unpredictable proc.

 

The proc is fine, what isn't is the lack of resource gen. Berserk/Zen in Ataru should grant 3-5 Rage/Focus immediately.

[Csdabest]

This whole class is just disjointed. If they want to keep all the BS they put into it with 2.0. They need to lower our focus cost by -1 and decrease our cooldowns. Or make Zealous strike CD lower. Or heck. Make Ataru generate 2 focus when an Ataru attack is proc. But they need to fix this quick before releasing. It amazes me how badly they screw this class over. Carbonite chamber not regenerating our focus and now everyone gets focus at a much higher rate while we dont but we can burn through it faster with procs that we can barely used cuz we are resource starved

[atschai]

What I've been trying recently is spamming blade rush immediately after my precision slash window to force the hand of justice proc, then immidiately popping precision slash and then dispatch->crippling throw->twin saber throw WHILE BACKPADDLING to 10m range, followed by force leap->blade rush (for combat trance)->blade storm. This gives me a force neutral precision window and uses precision slash and dispatch immediately, resetting the hoj proc. The thing is, when precision slash is available again, blade storm is also and you get the hand of justice proc immediately after your ps window. Makes a really nice rota without force issues IMHO. IDK about damage yet, though as you miss one blade storm during ps. Edited March 14, 2013 by atschai

[Moreland]

You seen that blade rush has changed as well? Now the ataru form strike that this triggers "bypass the Ataru Form's rate". This is a good think.

[Andrew_Past]

I do NOT want old Zen back. I do however want the new Zen to refund 1 focus when a stack is used, and only consume a stack if it is a focus spending ability. That way you get the best of the old and new Zen.

[Anishor]

Or they could change alacrity for knights/warriors so that it increases a chance to refund 1 focus/rage. Maybe 3x times the percent chance to refund 1 rage. So with just Zen it would be 90% chance to refund 1 rage every time you use a skill.

[MOUSEKETEERS]

You seen that blade rush has changed as well? Now the ataru form strike that this triggers "bypass the Ataru Form's rate". This is a good think.

 

It has always done that, however they never made it clear which caused a lot of people to incorrectly believe it did not and they used Slash in Zen windows. If your parse and upload your log to torparse or askmrrobot you will see that when you use Blade Rush with Zen, it still proc's the Ataru stike even though it won't always show the animation.