Returning to VG PvP

[Kontraz]

prior to 2.0 I retired my vanguard and powertech in order to try out a few other classes. Now I'm wanting to return, but I am reading about a lot of nerfs to the class. What is currently the most viable PvP build for dps? Should we still be using the eliminator set?

[Revic]

prior to 2.0 I retired my vanguard and powertech in order to try out a few other classes. Now I'm wanting to return, but I am reading about a lot of nerfs to the class. What is currently the most viable PvP build for dps? Should we still be using the eliminator set?

 

Been playing VG since 2.0 hit. Here are my thoughts:

 

Tactics Spec - The spec I am going with right now and I like it. The survivability on this spec is pretty damn good. With the reduced cooldowns on Reactive shield and most especially shock absorbers (30% less damage while stunned and 30% less damage on AOE IE lower smash damage. Yes Please) you can be fairly tanky despite not having ion cell. This spec isn't going to top damage but this spec is probably one of the hardiest of all DPS specs. The Pulse Cannon is good and bad since it can net you some good damage but because of it being channeled most people tend to use their stuns/pushes/etc on you during this moment.

 

Assault Spec - Among the 2 specs this spec still has superior single target damage and burst despite plasma cell being nerfed. Survivability for this spec also took a nerf and IMO is very much behind Tactics spec in survivability. Assault does a little better from range being your main damage move HiB is a 30 yard ability and you only have 1 melee ability in stockstrike whereas Tactics has to use Gut as well. Having to only hit with 1 melee ability instead of 2 should not be overlooked. It means you have to stay in melee range that much longer and against some classes that assuredly means taking more hits.

 

As for armor if you are going tactics you are going to want Combat Tech. The extra .5 second stun on Neural Surge and +15% crit on stockstrike both work. The stun useful for getting in more hits on your pulse cannon and stockstrike for just more damage. If you are going assault eliminator is probably be your better set as you could potentially utilize the 4 set bonus of +15% crit on HiB every 6 secs.

 

I would say for solo WZ queuing tactics is your better bet. You are tough to kill and can do enough damage to potentially kill or tie up a healer. Assault is probably better for groups where your superior single target damage is good for training and focus firing people and you can disregard collateral damage with heal support to back you up.