Hybrid vs. Tactics

[HellbringerRuins]

I play a full tactics DPS, with a 5/32/5 breakdown. However, on the forums I:sy_blaster: see mostly a strong push for the hybrid builds. Is tactics no longer a viable option for HM and NM ops?

 

Just as a side note I love the Vanguard DPS because it gives a group versatility and can serve as a back up or emergency tank

[KeyboardNinja]

I play a full tactics DPS, with a 5/32/5 breakdown. However, on the forums I:sy_blaster: see mostly a strong push for the hybrid builds. Is tactics no longer a viable option for HM and NM ops?

 

Just as a side note I love the Vanguard DPS because it gives a group versatility and can serve as a back up or emergency tank

 

Tactics works surprisingly well. It doesn't put up the numbers that hybrid *can*, but hybrid has a much more variable DPS output and is highly dependent on random procs. Tactics is very consistent and has better AoE damage. Our group's sentinel reported that they can actually achieve better results on TfB Kephess on their Tactics Vanguard than on their Sentinel, simply due to the way the energy mechanic works. This isn't true across all bosses (far from it), but Tactics certainly has its moments.

[HellbringerRuins]

Tactics works surprisingly well. It doesn't put up the numbers that hybrid *can*, but hybrid has a much more variable DPS output and is highly dependent on random procs. Tactics is very consistent and has better AoE damage. Our group's sentinel reported that they can actually achieve better results on TfB Kephess on their Tactics Vanguard than on their Sentinel, simply due to the way the energy mechanic works. This isn't true across all bosses (far from it), but Tactics certainly has its moments.

 

thank you for the reassurance and good to know, i was beginning to worry that i was going to have to relearn a build

this is the commando section

[OlosBC]

Tactics works surprisingly well. It doesn't put up the numbers that hybrid *can*, but hybrid has a much more variable DPS output and is highly dependent on random procs. Tactics is very consistent and has better AoE damage. Our group's sentinel reported that they can actually achieve better results on TfB Kephess on their Tactics Vanguard than on their Sentinel, simply due to the way the energy mechanic works. This isn't true across all bosses (far from it), but Tactics certainly has its moments.

 

Hybrid has a bit better aoe (in my experience at least) due to cell dot and cheaper cost on explosive surge.

 

I've been switching back and forth a bit lately, and putting up similar numbers in both specs. I still like hybrid a bit better though, but I enjoy the 6 second "rotation" play style rather than the more fixed priority in tactics. I also get decent luck on HiB price, to where I end up having trouble getting 3 stacks for each pulse cannon sometimes.

 

(I play powertech, sorry if any terms are incorrect.

[DuntaCoral]

Sweet this is exactly what I am looking for I run full tactics as well and love my damage output (especially the consistency) however I have been hearing the rumors that hybrid is a better alternative. Found a bunch of recommended breakdowns of the skill trees (I like the 22/22 one) but I havn't really seen a "How to" guide on how most people run that spec other then Keep gut up. Any suggestions/priority on it?

[OlosBC]

Hybrid is all about using pulse cannon on cool down (with 3 stacks), using HiB every 6 seconds (or as close as proc allow, all while keeping up dots (IR not as important as gut but still good to use) and maintaining ammo.

 

2/22/22 is nice for aoe, 8/22/16 is marginally better on single target, and has less importance on IR I think.

[xXsgtstinkerXx]

I definitely prefer the hybrid 2/22/22 spec over everything for vanguard. It's different because with full tactics/ 8/22/16

you'd probably do best with 0 crit rating but with 2/22/22 you need crit because of the assault trooper perk that gives 30% extra crit damage to your main abilities. I run 250 crit rating with it. On the dummy in full gear with a really good parse I can get over 2800 with tactics, 2900 with 8-22/16 and 3k with 2/22/22. Tactics does put up decent numbers in pve but I switched and have seen a huge difference. It is tough trying to master a new spec, but I highly recommend doing so. Dummy dps can be different than boss fights though. I really hope they do something to buff the class because as it stands, any class should beat a vanguard in pve depending on the fight. Sure vans can put up good numbers on many fights but you won't see them competing for top damage against other classes most of the time.

Edited July 26, 2013 by xXsgtstinkerXx

[Ezredes]

would one of you mind posting the 2/22/22 build im tryna get my numbers up on my vanguard and its horrible right now so any advice would be immensely appreciated i'll take the 8/22/16 as well

[ChaoticDynamite]

would one of you mind posting the 2/22/22 build im tryna get my numbers up on my vanguard and its horrible right now so any advice would be immensely appreciated i'll take the 8/22/16 as well

 

2/22/22

[Keypek]

Tactics does slightly less than hybrid but it is much easier to play and a lot more forgiving if you screw something up because of it's better ammo regen. Hybrid requires a little more micro management of abilities and ammo but it's not very hard if you use your procs right and get used to it.

 

You want to have gut up at all times for obvious reasons, use IR when possible (close to full ammo or your free ability CD is up), use pulse cannon on CD but do not worry about getting 3 stacks at the cost of ammo regen dipping below full (To keep regen at full and maintain all your other abilities it is hard to get 3 stacks for every PC on cooldown... better dps to use immediately then to try and work in 3 stacks eventually. Especially boss fights that require a lot of moving and short windows for channeling), pay attention to your free stockstrikes and HiBs to use as needed as these are your main ways to keep ammo regen and damage flowing, and normal filler of ion pulse as needed.

 

Just never go below full ammo regen bar if you can help it with a few exceptions such as slightly dropping under full regen to get a channeled pulse cannon off or if you have a free sotckstrike or HiB up to use right after. Don't be afraid to use hammer shot before you get in trouble.

 

One thing I ahte about vanguard dps is gut has the same debuff graphic as smuggler's vital shot so when you're fighting a boss you sometime have 4 or 5 of the same graphic on the boss. Can some times get lost which one is yours to know when to refresh for perfect rotation. But in general you should know when to reapply on timing. But wish bioware would fix that.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Keypek

[xxforcardassia]

One thing I ahte about vanguard dps is gut has the same debuff graphic as smuggler's vital shot so when you're fighting a boss you sometime have 4 or 5 of the same graphic on the boss. Can some times get lost which one is yours to know when to refresh for perfect rotation. But in general you should know when to reapply on timing. But wish bioware would fix that.

 

A lot if DoTs for classes have the same debuff icon, it's not really a huge deal if you ask me. Gut is on my normal rotation, it hits pretty flippin hard on its own and I like to be sure I keep it up without hassle. Making it part of my rotation guarantees this (unless I dip too low on energy, but that's a separate issue).

 

I use a hybrid build myself, but it's not the 2/22/22. I tried that build for a bit, but my dps/damage honestly wasn't translating like I wanted or needed, so I've tweaked it since and it seems to be working well thusfar. I plan to swap builds again here soon and see what else I can sort out and figure what works.

 

I don't remember off the top of my head exactly what I'm running with right now, but I'll see if later on when I get in game I can throw up a link to the build I've been using (if anyone is interested). I think it's something like 6/19/21, but I'll check later to toss up something more definite.

[Keypek]

A lot if DoTs for classes have the same debuff icon, it's not really a huge deal if you ask me.

 

Huge deal it is not. But still annoying in some of the more hectic fights where rotations aren't really doable in a streamlined sense such as nightmare dreadguard. After dodging greens and reds and killing adds it'd be nice if I could look down and know exactly which DoT is mine to time it as efficiently as possible.

 

So no not a huge deal but would be nice being it would only involve them changing that tiny little debuff picture to say... oh I don't know, the same picture as the actual gut icon.