Commando - Assault Spec Hybrid 2.0 PVE Guide

[LordKantner]

Just curious Gyro, are these Assault parses w/ or w/out Assault Plastique?

 

Without of course, the spec is Hybrid.

[cashogy_reborn]

Without of course, the spec is Hybrid.

 

Thats what i thought. Would one of you guys be willing to do a parse with a full Assault build? Just to show what numbers its actually putting out so we can better compare full Assault to full Gunnery.

Edited July 30, 2013 by cashogy_reborn

[Gyronamics]

Why do you call my spec a hybrid?

 

The one I parsed with there isn't using the FA boost from Gunnery.

[LordKantner]

I'd probably take out Full auto completely out of the rotation to compensate for an Assault Plastique to somehow fit it into the rotation. The spec would then be 0/10/ 36.

 

I'll do some testing.

Edited July 30, 2013 by LordKantner

[Gyronamics]

2707 with AP http://www.torparse.com/a/360293/time/1375062864/1375063242/0/Damage+Dealt

[cashogy_reborn]

2707 with AP http://www.torparse.com/a/360293/time/1375062864/1375063242/0/Damage+Dealt

 

Wow that was quick, thanks

 

Nevermind, I found some of Odawgg's stuff for Arsenal spec. His best 5m dummy parse is 3147.

 

So a full Assault spec does 14% less than full Gunnery spec, and 8% less than a no-Assault Plastique Assault spec.

Edited July 30, 2013 by cashogy_reborn

[Gyronamics]

3100+

[oaceen]

Wow that was quick, thanks

 

Anyone know offhand what the top DPS for Gunnery is?

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=664980

 

our mirror is at the top for mando/merc, but there you go.

 

 

 

i'll work on some comparison parses tomorrow.

i'll do a full gunnery / full assault / semi-hybrid assault

Edited July 30, 2013 by oaceen

[LordKantner]

Gunnery is always going to beat Assault Spec on the dummy, in raids however the dots along with better mobility are sure to boost us when it counts.

[cashogy_reborn]

Gunnery is always going to beat Assault Spec on the dummy, in raids however the dots along with better mobility are sure to boost us when it counts.

 

Enough to bring them within 5% of each other though?

 

I think this is at least some decent evidence that the current iteration of Assault Plastique is very bad, and needs to be changed. You do more damage without it than with it.

[Gyronamics]

My conn is crap atm but here's a non AP parse for right now: 2748 http://www.torparse.com/a/360346/time/1375064716/1375065026/0/Damage+Dealt Edited July 30, 2013 by Gyronamics

[odawgg]

Wow that was quick, thanks

 

Nevermind, I found some of Odawgg's stuff for Arsenal spec. His best 5m dummy parse is 3147.

 

So a full Assault spec does 14% less than full Gunnery spec, and 8% less than a no-Assault Plastique Assault spec.

 

I got more gear though...not quite a fair comparison...in that gear it was more like high mid to high 3ks and you also have to compare avg dps, not peak high RNG dps...rng is less for pyro/assault

 

Edit: Although I think it's still too weak, especially the full tree

Edited July 30, 2013 by odawgg

[odawgg]

I think I'm getting the hang of it, but still not anywhere near perfect...I went with 5/8/33 instead after several attempts with the one in this guide and subpar results...I'll keep experimenting with both. Here's the last one I did, tell me if ya guys spot anything i'm doing wrong!

 

http://www.torparse.com/a/360604/1/0/Damage+Dealt

 

Thanks!

 

Edit: Kantner, How are your charged bolts critting for so much? the longer parse you have there is like over 50% is that just RNG?

Edited July 30, 2013 by odawgg

[Gyronamics]

No.

 

The numbers for odawgg alone would be:

 

Assault:

 

2850 dps solo

2988 dps with sub30 til death of target

3025 dps with armour debuff and sub30 til death of target

 

Gunnery:

 

3147 dps, no conditions required

 

10.4% better on a dummy

5.3% better on a target that dies (sub30 in effect)

4% better with armour debuff and sub30 in effect

Edited July 30, 2013 by Gyronamics

[LordKantner]

Edit: Kantner, How are your charged bolts critting for so much? the longer parse you have there is like over 50% is that just RNG?

 

Well the 26% crit + 15% from the set bonus is 40ish. Maybe the order of abilities makes critting more apparent. My ranged crit is also higher than my tech crit, which isn't usually the case.

[LordKantner]

Added a parse from Dreadful entity last night. The DPS looks low but you're moving the entire time. The boss has 10 million health, and I did over 1 million damage, just to give you an idea.

 

http://www.torparse.com/a/361187/15/0/Damage+Dealt

 

Going this spec allowed me to be the only non-gunslinger on my raid team to break a mill.

[SW_display_name]

I am currently learning to play Pyro Merc after burning out on Arsenal's (imo) painfully dull rotation. As I get more practice, I am finding this to be a very fun and rewarding spec. Some of the most fun I've had DPSing in this game, tbh. I speak Merc but understand Mando so hopefully you don't mind me joining in.

 

At first, I did the same thing as Gyronamics advises, dropping Unload completely. Because Unload felt really bad for proc'ing PPA and messed up my rhythm. But I decided to try the recommendation here, and to follow PPA > Rail Shot > Unload.

 

Using Unload like this feels a lot more natural, and I don't mind adding it in to my cycle now. I also agree that using stutter-step Unload to fish up a PPA proc while forced to keep moving is a sometimes-useful trick.

 

I'm still on the fence about using Missile Blast to keep the burn proc active during 30%-zero. The reasoning makes sense, it's just so hard to overcome my aversion to touching Missile Blast, especially while holding still.

 

Another interesting point was the argument that even while heavily overheated, your general output is still reasonable, as long as you keep PPA fired off like clockwork. Before I read that, I was panicking when at high heat levels and losing track of the PPA rhythm. Now, I remain calm and just Rapid Shot until I can trigger PPA again — and it's true, this is surprisingly effective.

 

I would not do this on purpose, since it's still unnecessarily reducing output, but getting stuck at high heat without Vent available isn't as disastrous as I assumed, as long as PPA is respected.

[LordKantner]

I would not do this on purpose, since it's still unnecessarily reducing output, but getting stuck at high heat without Vent available isn't as disastrous as I assumed, as long as PPA is respected.

 

No worries man, I welcome any feedback and questions. I am glad you are liking the spec. As far as the venting I sometime will mess up and have to use it normally, rather than on a plasma grenade/fusion missile. Especially on burn phases.

 

I find practicing the rotation fillers on the dummy, getting it integrated into muscle memory and in your head, will eventually allow you to apply it in raid situations without thinking much.

 

In fact I'm still practicing and finding new ways to improve this spec.

[Gyronamics]

Are you still saying your dummy parses are solo?

 

No commando, gunslinger, guardian applying an armour debuff as you parse?

Edited July 31, 2013 by Gyronamics

[LordKantner]

Are you still saying your dummy parses are solo?

 

No commando, gunslinger, guardian applying an armour debuff as you parse?

 

I posted a new parse for the 5 minute with armor penetration. It didn't go up by much maybe just bad RNG.

 

2926 with armor pen. I don't expect to do high numbers on a dummy, the raids are what I'm concerned with.

[cashogy_reborn]

So in general, you guys would say its proven that 36pt Assault/Pyro is much worse than 33pt Assault/Pyro or Gunnery?

[LordKantner]

Ask your damn AP question

[cashogy_reborn]

Ask your damn AP question

 

Lol

 

Hopefully that can be something Odawgg ask's about; I dont get to ask any questions until November

[Gyronamics]

I'd say it's marginally worse for pure damage.

 

It's not a core part of Assault but a choice:

 

3 points for a miserable grenade for supposed benefits to mobile damage

3 points to put in Gunnery or Medic to boost core abilities

 

Assault is a caster with some trivial attempts at pretending its capable of mobile damage.

 

It's a spec which is trapped on the fence between mobile damage and casting, all 2.0 did was cause it to slip and land groin first on the fence to be considered inferior for PVP and PVE.

 

Not good enough at mobile damage to be taken seriously, not good enough at casting to take the spec over Gunnery.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Gyronamics

[LordKantner]

I'd say it's marginally worse for pure damage.

 

It's not a core part of Assault but a choice:

 

3 points for a miserable grenade for supposed benefits to mobile damage

3 points to put in Gunnery or Medic to boost core abilities

 

Assault is a caster with some trivial attempts at pretending its capable of mobile damage.

 

It's a spec which is trapped on the fence between mobile damage and casting, all 2.0 did was cause it to slip and land groin first on the fence to be considered inferior for PVP and PVE.

 

Not good enough at mobile damage to be taken seriously, not good enough at casting to take the spec over Gunnery.

 

I love assault's versatility in raids, and as long as there aren't more than 5 adds I can hold my own with the best of them.

 

I'm also adding to the guide about using V-6 Pyro grenades, since every 5 target AoE ability we have is channeled. That Grenade is instant cast, so put that on top of a channeled ability and you've got some nice damage.