Mach 5 Massacre - In-Depth Marauder Guide

[Masterdeathh]

WTA:

what skill must i take?Annihiliation, Carnage, rage

 

Depends on what you want to be successful in. Rage is subpar compared to the other 2 in pve but it's not bad in pvp if you can line up procs, best survivability of the 3 except it has no self healing like anni does which could easily break wanting to play the spec for you.

 

Anni is the best overall atm with highest sustained dmg in pve, only spec with any healing ability which is a godsend in pvp and makes it so healers don't yell at you in pve,.

 

Carnage is kind of the middle of the road for both since BW still has yet to do anything about Ataru form not proccing unless you are at minimum range of the boss/player anything over and it never procs.

[Mortiferon]

The skeleton of your Carnage build looks solid. I guess my only problem would be with the 2 points you put into reducing Rage/CD of smash and sweeping strikes. I would much rather prefer to have those 2 points in the 10% health regeneration from Payback in the Rage tree. Thats the equivalent of at least 3 medpacs maybe even 4 in some boss fights. And since they do not share a CD you are essentially doubling up with medpacs.

 

Your healers will love you for this.

 

I also take issue with the fact that you do not recommend Force Charge + Battering Assualt as an opener. Especially since you are going to Blood Thirst in the first 10-15 secs of most boss encounters (just in case you can slip another in at the very end).

 

***By opening with Force Charge and Battering assault, followed by a few Massacres you will likely have enough Fury to Bloodthirst (within the first 10-15 secs of a fight). Allowing you to Frenzy+Berserk+Relic with your Bloodthirst. With all this going on your FS's will hit extremely hard. These types of scenerios are ideal for fights like Soa (final phase), Gharj (after ground stomp), Jarg and Sorno (bursting driod), etc. ***

[Kibaken]

The skeleton of your Carnage build looks solid. I guess my only problem would be with the 2 points you put into reducing Rage/CD of smash and sweeping strikes. I would much rather prefer to have those 2 points in the 10% health regeneration from Payback in the Rage tree. Thats the equivalent of at least 3 medpacs maybe even 4 in some boss fights. And since they do not share a CD you are essentially doubling up with medpacs.

 

Your healers will love you for this.

 

I also take issue with the fact that you do not recommend Force Charge + Battering Assualt as an opener. Especially since you are going to Blood Thirst in the first 10-15 secs of most boss encounters (just in case you can slip another in at the very end).

 

***By opening with Force Charge and Battering assault, followed by a few Massacres you will likely have enough Fury to Bloodthirst (within the first 10-15 secs of a fight). Allowing you to Frenzy+Berserk+Relic with your Bloodthirst. With all this going on your FS's will hit extremely hard. These types of scenerios are ideal for fights like Soa (final phase), Gharj (after ground stomp), Jarg and Sorno (bursting driod), etc. ***

 

 

There is absolutely no Rage-generation difference between Charge -> Battering Assault and Charge -> Massacre -> Battering Assault (which is what I have written). Putting a Massacre before the Battering Assault let's BA get the benefit of said Massacre Buff.

 

Also, afaik Payback is only usable when you have a CC effect on you. Times when this is the case are few and far between.

 

 

For the record, I am not actively playing anymore and I'm not going to be re-subbing and as such I will not be updating this guide. The game, for me, has gotten very stale and 1.2 being pushed back even farther isn't helping its case. From what I've seen so far in 1.2 they're not doing anything to address player retention: adding Legacy abilities only usable with a companion and only adding one new Operation that will be cleared in a day and a half is not something that looks promising in the least to me. PvP for me is boring and generally one-sided and BioWare's apparent lack of testing ability makes me extremely disappointed. There's a reason we don't have a combat log guys: they don't want us to know half of our abilities are broken.

 

I just want to thank everyone for their insight and overall appreciation for my guide. I couldn't begin to tell you about all the PMs - both in and out of game - expressing satisfaction and gratitude and people asking permission to share this guide with their guild/friends and even translate it.

 

If anyone thinks they're up to the task of continuing this project with a new thread please let me know. All I ask is there be an "originally posted by" line somewhere in it.

 

Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your travels in a galaxy far, far away.

Edited March 5, 2012 by Kibaken

[JGames]

I see a lot of people saying that bleeding is what makes the Marauder, the Marauder. Does this make Annihilation the best? Edited March 5, 2012 by JGames

[Pancaketime]

Hey dude, I don't have the numbers yet but sithwarrior.com recommends using ravage above vicious slash if and only if rupture deadly saber annihilate charge and battering assault have 3+ seconds on cool down. Just trying to pass along information, not saying it's 100% official. Sweet guide!

[BoJimbles]

Hey kiba thanks for the guide. i wanna ask you though, what buld do you recommend for a lvl 17 marauder? I was thinking annihalation. I wanna do damage while being able to take a few hits.

[Shonuff]

There is absolutely no Rage-generation difference between Charge -> Battering Assault and Charge -> Massacre -> Battering Assault (which is what I have written). Putting a Massacre before the Battering Assault let's BA get the benefit of said Massacre Buff.

 

Also, afaik Payback is only usable when you have a CC effect on you. Times when this is the case are few and far between.

 

 

For the record, I am not actively playing anymore and I'm not going to be re-subbing and as such I will not be updating this guide. The game, for me, has gotten very stale and 1.2 being pushed back even farther isn't helping its case. From what I've seen so far in 1.2 they're not doing anything to address player retention: adding Legacy abilities only usable with a companion and only adding one new Operation that will be cleared in a day and a half is not something that looks promising in the least to me. PvP for me is boring and generally one-sided and BioWare's apparent lack of testing ability makes me extremely disappointed. There's a reason we don't have a combat log guys: they don't want us to know half of our abilities are broken.

 

I just want to thank everyone for their insight and overall appreciation for my guide. I couldn't begin to tell you about all the PMs - both in and out of game - expressing satisfaction and gratitude and people asking permission to share this guide with their guild/friends and even translate it.

 

If anyone thinks they're up to the task of continuing this project with a new thread please let me know. All I ask is there be an "originally posted by" line somewhere in it.

 

Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your travels in a galaxy far, far away.

 

Im glad to hear somone felt the same way about the legacy powers only limited by the companion. Everyone said it would be broken if it was done freely. I say if you balance it right it would be awsome. I too feel the game is getting stale and no combat log is fustrating.

 

Still thanks for the guide, I hope someone will continue with it or expand from it as the game evolves. I too hate that they pushed the 1.2 update to april. I don't feel they deserve my sub 1 more month. Don't know who Bioware takes us for. I would suggest everyone else take a month off as well.

[Kiavari]

Most in-depth guide I've seen, and very amusing! And helpful, of course.

 

What are the best in slot items for a raiding marauder? I've only found one list so far, and it preeetty much said just get tier plus the Columi weapons. I'd like to see some other opinions, but I've only found that one, and it's the only source with an actual list.

 

[edit] I know Kiba already posted responding to essentially this question... The question is directed towards anyone ^^;

Edited March 15, 2012 by Kiavari

[MassiveD]

Most in-depth guide I've seen, and very amusing! And helpful, of course.

 

What are the best in slot items for a raiding marauder? I've only found one list so far, and it preeetty much said just get tier plus the Columi weapons. I'd like to see some other opinions, but I've only found that one, and it's the only source with an actual list.

 

[edit] I know Kiba already posted responding to essentially this question... The question is directed towards anyone ^^;

 

 

How can Columi weapons be the BiS?

 

I'd say rakata tier+weapons coupled with augmented belt/bracer/implants/ear.

 

It's more of a "pick the correct mods" then BiS gear

[Saferai]

How can Columi weapons be the BiS?

 

I'd say rakata tier+weapons coupled with augmented belt/bracer/implants/ear.

 

It's more of a "pick the correct mods" then BiS gear

 

This is from an older guide where rakata weapons were broken and worse than tionese weapons. They addressed this issue several patches ago.

[Kiavari]

Thanks for the info, guys. So it's literally just get your tier gear and the best mods right now, correct? Or are the augmented belt/bracer/implants/ear off-set pieces? I do understand that there are rakata ear/implants available from daily commendations.

[Saferai]

Thanks for the info, guys. So it's literally just get your tier gear and the best mods right now, correct? Or are the augmented belt/bracer/implants/ear off-set pieces? I do understand that there are rakata ear/implants available from daily commendations.

 

There isn't an up to date BiS list anywhere really, not one with enough solid numbers to back it up atm anyway.

 

General consensus 108% hit on specials > str to 1550 unbuffed > surge till 75%

 

The differing opinions come out in the crit% vs power portion of gearing. People value Crit up to different %s and some people almost ignore it entirely in favor of power stacking for high bonus damage. I'll cover the more agreed upon portions of gearing first.

 

Rakata Tier gear for helm, gloves, pants. Replace either boots or chest with a custom piece once you get a Advanced Might Armoring 25 because those 2 slots use Guardian Armoring for some awful reason =/ Which ever slot you dont use the custom piece in grab the tier piece for your 4piece bonus. Custom Belt from fleet comms with a 58 might armoring because the rakata belt is itemized poorly. Rakata bracers with augment slot, Columi Earpiece with augment slot, and Rakata Weapons.

 

This is the real point at which you need to look at just how much you value crit% vs bonus damage. Since we have all our other slots agreed upon implants is a good place to start. Endowment might package with augments vs expert might package with augments trade here is 40 crit rating for 40 power per implant. Once you pick your implants optimization moves onto mods and enhancements.

 

Mods and enhancements can be a big costly pain so I suggest you go into it with a plan and save yourself some headache/creds. Enhancements is crit surge after hit cap vs power surge after hitcap. Mods tie directly into crit% vs bonus damage again and mods / enhancements are dynamic based on what you are trying to attain and what you are using of one or the other to get there.

 

25 mods enhancements are a very minor upgrade from 24s that are easily farmed so its best to optimized starting with them I'd recommend grabbing repeated pairs of rakata boots and chests for the Advanced Potent mod 25 (low str high crit) and slotting those in as many slots needed to hit your desired crit% (assuming you are not entirely ignoring crit) and then switching to advanced defts mod 24/25 in the rest. The 25s deft mods are drop only so GL on bosses and the GTN!

 

For enhancements with this setup its hit pwr up to hit cap and then pwr surge in the rest. Power surge is farmed from Columi and Champion enforcer agent gloves for 24, the 25s are again drop only on empire but repubs can farm rakata trooper mainhands and rip both the 25 pwr surge and 25 crit surge enhancements from them (F you 2 bioware! ^_^ )

 

Relics are the last thing I'll mention, general ppl favor 2 of 3 relics: Matrix Cube, Rakata power relic with augment and a non kinetic damage version of the Fabricator dps relic. I have all 3 and swap them around based on fights. Fab/Cube are the standard, Gherj and Fabricator i swap Fab out for the Rakata one and lastly on Soa Nightmare I use Fabricator and Rakata based on person preference.

 

Askmrrobot.com now has a character builder with only a few minor flaws (no way to turn on all datacrons collected or to turn on a stim that i can see) so you can go there and play around to see which combo of what will get you closest to your desired stats. My personal feeling is that ignoring crit entirely is probably a dps loss although I can't really say what exact % is optimal.

Edited March 16, 2012 by Saferai

[statistx]

I tested around with the different specs and Rage is quite fun to play with. I totally couldn't deal with how Annihilation is played, so i quickly left that one again.

 

The only question i have for Rage is: What is your role in heroics? In every heroic i was, people told not to use AoE attacks, cause of the CCd enemies in almost all the groups.

That leads me to the following thought:

What can i do, if i have a spec that is focussed on a buffed up AoE attack?

Or: Did the groups i play with just suck and rely too much on CC, or is that the standard?

[DarthOvertone]

Awesome guide. Using the info for my nub Annihilation Marauder.

[PhoenixUnity]

Where does Vicious Throw fit into our rotation when we hit execute phase? (inb4 someone says you use it when the boss is at 20%).

 

The guide creator lists a starting rotation, mid fight rotation, but not an execute phase rotation.

[Vinadin]

Where does Vicious Throw fit into our rotation when we hit execute phase? (inb4 someone says you use it when the boss is at 20%).

 

The guide creator lists a starting rotation, mid fight rotation, but not an execute phase rotation.

 

I would suggest when it is up imo

[PhoenixUnity]

So the same rotation but with Vicious Throw in first priority?

[masamuneSMB]

So after the latest patch, is this guide (specifically the Carnage skill tree), still relevant?

 

This is maybe the best guide I have seen on the subject and it would be a shame if it does not translate over.

[statistx]

So after the latest patch, is this guide (specifically the Carnage skill tree), still relevant?

 

This is maybe the best guide I have seen on the subject and it would be a shame if it does not translate over.

 

would want to know that too, especially with rage.

Just befriended myself with rage some days ago and now it got different skills in the tree and i don't know what to do

Edited April 12, 2012 by statistx

[coldserpent]

Where does Vicious Throw fit into our rotation when we hit execute phase? (inb4 someone says you use it when the boss is at 20%).

 

The guide creator lists a starting rotation, mid fight rotation, but not an execute phase rotation.

 

All depends on whether you want to swap out one of the abilities to insert a Vicious Throw during the Gore phase when the boss gets dropped down to 30%(the new and improved Vicious Throw). Perhaps when Ravage is on cooldown?

[Daystarr]

So after the latest patch, is this guide (specifically the Carnage skill tree), still relevant?

 

This is maybe the best guide I have seen on the subject and it would be a shame if it does not translate over.

 

Kiba stopped playing, so there won't be any more updates on the guide.

[masamuneSMB]

Ah ok. My main question is, where should the skill point that used to be put into Quick Recovery be put now? I think they took QR away, unless they changed the name to something else and I'm blind

[andysdead]

Kiba stopped playing, so there won't be any more updates on the guide.

 

That's sad. I was just wondering if this was going to be updated.

[Caltone]

Why is this not a sticky?

 

I was looking for it today and couldn't locate it, had to do a search. The German version of this is stickied but not the English one? Mods, please take care of this.

[Bohagen]

It's not stickied because the creator no longer plays and has not been updated to reflect the 1.2 changes.