Koozie's AP Guide

[Aetrus]

Sins do have a straight up advantage vs Powertechs of any spec. A sin of equal skill and gear should pretty much always beat a powertech. There is a reason they almost always win server dueling tournaments.

 

Not really. It's just that most people suck at AP and AP has always been an underwhelming spec so there was no reason for anyone to actually learn it well.

 

I don't get the 'I'm on the floor and then 60% of my health is gone' line though. You take way less damage for 1.5 seconds (the knockdown duration.) And then you pop up and Carbonize+Retractable Blade.

[Kooziejr]

Oh no doubt, I've certainly beaten quite a few sins. This one in particular though was very, very good at running in and out of my range while still hitting me. Was actually quite impressive if it wasn't so humiliating lol.

 

Not trying to be a ****** but there is something fundamentally wrong if you are being kited by an Assassin/Shadow. That really just cannot happen if you are playing properly.

 

Sins do have a straight up advantage vs Powertechs of any spec. A sin of equal skill and gear should pretty much always beat a powertech. There is a reason they almost always win server dueling tournaments.

 

I agree that stealth classes do have an advantage against every non stealthing opponent in 1 v 1s. But the harder class to kill for a pt in those touraments are good operative healers not the assassins. I think I can beat every sin on my server except 1 (maybe 2) and it because they are better player of 1 v 1s than me- not because the class has a advantage. Powertech is EXTREMELY strong 1 v 1 guys. Don't try and kid yourselves into thinking you are better players than you are and that the only reason people beat you is because of class. It doesn't help. Try to master the class and do less complaining.

[Kooziejr]

That depends... I have a 54 assassin (waiting on 2.4 for 55) and a really good PT can give u fits if they play themselves right. Kite...and Kite some more. If I get the jump on them thats a different story but I am having fun on my AP PT countering assassins since I know them fairly well. So I think in this case it depends on who is on the keyboard.

 

^ Just this. If you know the class well....you can counter it.

 

Not really. It's just that most people suck at AP and AP has always been an underwhelming spec so there was no reason for anyone to actually learn it well.

 

I don't get the 'I'm on the floor and then 60% of my health is gone' line though. You take way less damage for 1.5 seconds (the knockdown duration.) And then you pop up and Carbonize+Retractable Blade.

 

^ And this - although if a sin crits everything in a row including 2 mauls you will definitely lose. Its extremely rare and its the same the other way if you crit all your stuff. Sometimes a game of luck!

[KainrycKarr]

Not trying to be a ****** but there is something fundamentally wrong if you are being kited by an Assassin/Shadow. That really just cannot happen if you are playing properly.

 

 

 

I agree that stealth classes do have an advantage against every non stealthing opponent in 1 v 1s. But the harder class to kill for a pt in those touraments are good operative healers not the assassins. I think I can beat every sin on my server except 1 (maybe 2) and it because they are better player of 1 v 1s than me- not because the class has a advantage. Powertech is EXTREMELY strong 1 v 1 guys. Don't try and kid yourselves into thinking you are better players than you are and that the only reason people beat you is because of class. It doesn't help. Try to master the class and do less complaining.

 

It's the only instance I can recall that it happened, but happened it did. Maybe I had lag, maybe I just dun goofed...coulda been anything. Point is that sins are quite beatable as an AP, but they aren't cakewalks, not the good ones.

[lordnathanial]

It's the only instance I can recall that it happened, but happened it did. Maybe I had lag, maybe I just dun goofed...coulda been anything. Point is that sins are quite beatable as an AP, but they aren't cakewalks, not the good ones.

 

I have noticed lately both while I am on my assassin and my PT that a few assassins and shadows I have went up against have been moving oddly quick almost disappearing and reapperaring as they move in and out on me. Not force cloak mind you going in and out as they run. I know it is not a lag thing on my system strange when it happens and it has been on 3 different Sins/Shadows. Maybe a hack? I can tell you I cannot replicate the anomaly on my Sin.

[Kooziejr]

I made a tutorial on how to defeat healers and stealth while playing AP. Hope it helps.

[Aetideus]

i made a tutorial on how to defeat healers and stealth while playing ap. Hope it helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yjx0vawt2a

 

+ +

[Aetideus]

AP is good 1v1 against everyone except for assassins. By the time you get up off the floor, your average sin has already taken 60% of your health. I could use some advice on fighting them.

 

Mercs can be killed but the really good ones are tricky. The good ones will push you away, hit overrides and e-net you. Then you have to stand there and take heat seekers, rail shots, and tracer missiles until the e-net wears off or the merc's overrides do so you can pull. Not a fun proposition either way, but you have to be really aware of what's happening. If you run around with e-net on it's over, and likewise you can't waste your pull.

 

Only chance against a good merc w 10k heat seak, is after EN to cc or grab and cc during the duration.

[Aetrus]

Only chance against a good merc w 10k heat seak, is after EN to cc or grab and cc during the duration.

 

Mercs flat out lose to Powertechs, whether you're AP or Pyro. LoS, Pull, Interrupts and Overrides are your friends. If you're losing to Mercs its a player skill issue, not a class one.

[Zunayson]

I made a tutorial on how to defeat healers and stealth while playing AP. Hope it helps.

 

In the case of the operative, would it be a viable tactic to immediately begin the burst right after you're whitebarred? This is assuming they've burned vanished.

 

If they haven't, you could use sticky dart for an extra three seconds (three missiles + another free GCD) to negate a vanish? I don't recall you mentioning that sticky dart can't be cleansed, though you may've assumed we all knew that

[Kooziejr]

In the case of the operative, would it be a viable tactic to immediately begin the burst right after you're whitebarred? This is assuming they've burned vanished.

 

If they haven't, you could use sticky dart for an extra three seconds (three missiles + another free GCD) to negate a vanish? I don't recall you mentioning that sticky dart can't be cleansed, though you may've assumed we all knew that

 

Sorry, I thought that it was common sense that it couldn't be cleansed because of the attack type. However, you don't need to use that attack. Continuously applying your dot and being very quick with stealth scan should be sufficient to stop them re-entering stealth. If you feel comfortable using that then you can it just reduces your max DPS by a small amount.

[Taankjr]

One question, Koozie, why do you pick Flame Barrage instead of Hitman? 2 seconds off the interrupt is a valuable asset in dealing with healers and other casting classes. The only problem with heat arises when I run Ion cylinder to guard someone.

 

From my little experience (I've been playing PT for a ~month only) you can choose between Pneumatic Boots and Flame Barrage, whereas hitman is a must.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Taankjr

[Zunayson]

One question, Koozie, why do you pick Flame Barrage instead of Hitman? 2 seconds off the interrupt is a valuable asset in dealing with healers and other casting classes. The only problem with heat arises when I run Ion cylinder to guard someone.

 

From my little experience (I've been playing PT for a ~month only) you can choose between Pneumatic Boots and Flame Barrage, whereas hitman is a must.

 

in high-level arenas (and rateds now that I think about it) I'll be CC'd or kited and will be out of range to do interrupt. In pugs or other low-coordination teams, yes it is a must. I usually drop blood tracker (?), the 3% DPS bonus from bleeding targets.

[Kooziejr]

One question, Koozie, why do you pick Flame Barrage instead of Hitman? 2 seconds off the interrupt is a valuable asset in dealing with healers and other casting classes. The only problem with heat arises when I run Ion cylinder to guard someone.

 

From my little experience (I've been playing PT for a ~month only) you can choose between Pneumatic Boots and Flame Barrage, whereas hitman is a must.

 

Yeah what the last guy said. I don't even use my interrupt every 8 seconds when I am playing in a proper group. It is probably okay to take against low and medium skill healers. More important to chain CC the healer in high end stuff then to interrupt their heals because you are mainly dpsing other DPS while the healer is CCd etc. In regards to MUSTS. Pneumatic boots in a 100% must.....you need to kite everything and while hydraulic override isn't up this is EXTREMELY important. I notice when I don't take this skill I perform considerably worse. In a long fight which is inevitable against any reasonable opposition you will need flame barrage. I stand by my spec. If you wish you can put 1 point in hitman and remove 1 from prototype cylinders. That is the only thing I would potentially change.

 

EDIT - and lol...operative healers....nothing to interrupt...they cast like once every 2 minutes haha

Edited October 8, 2013 by Kooziejr

[Aetrus]

Everything Koozie just said. Including about the op healers. F*ck them.

[Kooziejr]

Everything Koozie just said. Including about the op healers. F*ck them.

 

Everything Aetrus just said

[ZarthMan]

Koozie.

 

You better be making good creampie over on Bastion

[Aetideus]

Mercs flat out lose to Powertechs, whether you're AP or Pyro. LoS, Pull, Interrupts and Overrides are your friends. If you're losing to Mercs its a player skill issue, not a class one.

 

Well, PT/Vangs lose from my Merc. It is not a class problem oc.

[Kooziejr]

Well, PT/Vangs lose from my Merc. It is not a class problem oc.

 

Meh. Depends on the player. Not saying I can beat you or anything but a merc can definitely lose to a good PT. And I can probably beat you hehe

[Aetideus]

Meh. Depends on the player. Not saying I can beat you or anything but a merc can definitely lose to a good PT. And I can probably beat you hehe

 

Unless I hit first w E N + TM + TM + RS + 10k HM. You wouldn't have the chance

Edited October 13, 2013 by Aetideus

[TheronFett]

Been a Powertech since beta, and have played all 3 specs extensively in PvE and especially PvP.

 

AP still feels wonky to me. The rotation is clunky (and I play multiple classes), and this spec is still reliant on PFT for any meaningful DPS. I won't argue against the spec for PvE, because I feel it is superior to Pyro in almost every way for PvE. I'm seeing a lot more AP specs these days, and when up against them in warzones, I come out on top almost every time in 1v1 against them and usually out perform them in every way on the scorecard as Pyro...and I'm undergeared. I've been gone for 4 months and have been doing this with L63 Partisan gear.

 

AP continues to get buffed, and is more viable than it's ever been. But I'm sorry, I still can't buy the hype. At least not for PvP.

[Ottoattack]

Unless I hit first w E N + TM + TM + RS + 10k HM. You wouldn't have the chance

 

If this is a fight with both offensive and defensive CDs are off CD, equally geared and equally skilled, arsenal merc has very little chance. The only thing that gives merc an advantage is EN. If CC breaker is available, you are out of luck. Not saying that it is not possible for merc to win, but considering the damage output and control that AP has it not likely that merc will win. If the fight starts at 4-5 meters, as they typically do in WZs, there is no chance.

[Aetrus]

AP continues to get buffed, and is more viable than it's ever been. But I'm sorry, I still can't buy the hype. At least not for PvP.

 

From my personal experience, you're not wrong. Pyro feels like it still has more burst and more overall damage in a PvP setting. As far as 1v1, I'm not sure. I know when I run AP I can and have 1v1'd almost anything. That includes some of the best Assault/Pyro players on my server. But if I think about the matchup were I running Pyro, the redesigned Kolto Overload might be enough to give me the win vs. an AP player.

 

For reference, I used to run Pyro pre2.0, post2.0 I ran both AP and Pyro enough to have min-maxed sets of both Combat Tech and Eliminator, because I was stupid and didn't just swap out the armorings. And once 2.4 hit I ran AP enough to hit 1500 in solo queue (took 3 days) before working on my other 55s. I gave Pyro a try 3 days ago and have been running that ever since, after the best Vanguard on my server said he liked it better than Tactics and preferred it more.

 

All that said, I think Pyro is currently a better regstar spec and AP is a better group arena spec. The AoE slow of Flamethrower brings huge utility in a team setting that really can't and shouldn't be traded for the slight bit of extra single target pressure which Pyro can bring. The extra half second on Carbonize is also really big. Moreover, Pyro's burst requires setup and is delayed, and if you're against good teams that guard can be swapped to the target you're focusing before it all goes off for full damage.

 

Aaaand then again, I have never done 1600 DPS in any spec that isn't Smash before, and that was AP and on October 2nd, when all I had was my Obroan MH and SA Relic.

 

 

I also feel compelled to issue a disclaimer that when I say things like 'best on my server,' that server is Jung Ma. We're no Bastion or TOFN. But we're also not as awful as some of the full RP or PvE servers.

[Kooziejr]

There is no way Pyro is better than AP in a ranked environment. Pyros just get melted and do not pull the same DPS. I consistently pull 1300-1400 in ranked arenas and always above 1100. In 8 v 8 I maxxed out at 1920 now (granted I have got 2100 on smash but this is my second best DPS class) I consider myself pretty good at pyro as well and I never get numbers like this. I do agree that Pyro has "better burst" but that burst only works against like 2 classes in the game and is SOOOO EASILY negated against anyone half decent. E.g., try to blow up an operative with IM, TD, GCG and all of a sudden they hit evasion and mitigate 6k+ damage without crits. Throw TD on a sin and they just hit shroud. Sorcs can bubble your burst, and mercs can cleanse your dots too. Juggs can reflect all your massive burst damage and maras can just hit UR or their plethora of defensive cooldowns to negate the vast majority of the damage.

 

Pyro has no rotation...it is a "what if, when, then rotation" that has an order priority and is based of chance to control your heat....that is very clunky. If other classes didn't have defensive cooldowns then yes pyro would be awesome..but since they do it is not as good as AP and is still indeed in need of some love (e.g., dot protection so you can railshot through shroud etc). There are some good players on my server who pull it off and I feel I do alright when I try with it in ranked too....but when it is a tight game and we lose I often think would have won if played AP. particularly against 2 smash (pyro just melts).

[Aetrus]

There is no way Pyro is better than AP in a ranked environment.

All that said, I think Pyro is currently a better regstar spec and AP is a better group arena spec.

Yes, yesssss.