[Guide] Powertech Tanking Endgame PvE

[Iwipe]

Hey everyone, recently a couple of guildies have started a series of class guides for my site that aim to cover all specs and roles for endgame PvE at 55 that should be viable from the basic hardmode flashpoint all the way to Nightmare operations. We just released our first tanking guide on Powertech and I thought I would share it here.

 

Guide (last updated for patch 2.5): http://dulfy.net/2014/01/05/swtor-shield-tech-powertech-tanking-class-guide/

 

What you will find here are

 

• Gearing & stats priority
  
• Tanking Strategy
  
• Defensive CDs explanation
  
• Group Buffs
  
• Ability/Defensive CD Priority
  
• Opening Threat Rotation
  
• How taunt functions
  
• Tips & Tricks
  
• Videos of some operation bosses
  

 

Hopefully you will find it useful and we welcome any suggestions, feedback, and criticisms here on the forums and in the comments section. Enjoy!

[Kirimim]

Thanks for your guide I have found it very useful.

You suggest two different stat priorities, both viable, but there are any situational differences? Some kind of activities where is more useful defence focus and other where is more valuable shield rating?

[KeyboardNinja]

I like this guide a lot. Very nice work! I really only have three quibbles.

 

First, power techs aren't the only tank with ranged abilities. Assassins have almost as many as power techs, and more importantly, assassins can actually do their whole substantial rotation from range (power techs really need rocket punch to be effective). Thus, assassins are superior mid-range tanks (for things like kiting) while power techs are superior long range tanks.

 

Second, I think I would actually say that power techs are the most RNG dependent tanks by far. Assassins have a mostly static rotation with variation in only (at most) three GCDs out of nine, Juggernauts have a fully static rotation except for long CD fillers, but power techs have RNG based procs for energy, rocket punch, heat blast and flamethrower. They are the only tank for which an optimal *static* opener cannot be written.

 

Third, there is only one optimal way to itemize a power tech tank in full dread forged for all content, and neither of your gear recommendations are it. :-) Optimal defense rating in full dread forged is 522, shield is 1277, and absorb is 901. I recommend using my ideal tank stats post, since the math involved has been very extensively vetted, tested and refined. Other itemization are viable, but even the small (actually, several hundred point) differences to the ones you have listed will make a noticeable difference in damage taken, at least noticeable in a combat log.

 

Anyway, really good guide! I particularly liked the cool down explanations. The energy shield notes are very important to keep in mind, and too many people forget that it works differently than most other cool downs.

Edited January 6, 2014 by KeyboardNinja

[Carlenux]

I like this guide a lot. Very nice work! I really only have three quibbles.

 

First, power techs aren't the only tank with ranged abilities. Assassins have almost as many as power techs, and more importantly, assassins can actually do their whole substantial rotation from range (power techs really need rocket punch to be effective). Thus, assassins are superior mid-range tanks (for things like kiting) while power techs are superior long range tanks.

 

Second, I think I would actually say that power techs are the most RNG dependent tanks by far. Assassins have a mostly static rotation with variation in only (at most) three GCDs out of nine, Juggernauts have a fully static rotation except for long CD fillers, but power techs have RNG based procs for energy, rocket punch, heat blast and flamethrower. They are the only tank for which an optimal *static* opener cannot be written.

 

Third, there is only one optimal way to itemize a power tech tank in full dread forged for all content, and neither of your gear recommendations are it. :-) Optimal defense rating in full dread forged is 522, shield is 1277, and absorb is 901. I recommend using my ideal tank stats post, since the math involved has been very extensively vetted, tested and refined. Other itemization are viable, but even the small (actually, several hundred point) differences to the ones you have listed will make a noticeable difference in damage taken, at least noticeable in a combat log.

 

Anyway, really good guide! I particularly liked the cool down explanations. The energy shield notes are very important to keep in mind, and too many people forget that it works differently than most other cool downs.

 

yeah you could say that for RNG, but i consider the RNG for tank something more gamebreaking, in other words, PT tank RNG affect 0 on their tanking capabilities, its purely dmg, and 1 proc of ion clinder from rocket punch, but it is not as much dependant on the RNG from electrocute being so important to keep the D.P up, but i understand where your point comes from.

 

as far as ranged, i consider ranged 10M more, 10m is still melee range (somehow), only ability that uses that is recklessness + FL... while unload dart death from above as PT, so thats why, i agree with ssin being probably the best Mid Range class, considering their 10 M on most ability in the single target rotation is useful on multiple fights.

 

as far as stat, i will not say i agree or disagree with you, i personally believe a tank should not gear themselves towards an specific operation, because we dont know nightmare changes, just imagine all the nightamre mechanics become heavy melee /ranged abilities, all your numbers are screwed and you would need to build more defense, therefor wasting all the weeks of gearing tanks had gearing towards "specific needs in an operation". also i dont like stealing other people information as far as i am concerned of your forum thread posts with maths, netiher i like to follow that kind of math or take information i dont own / test myself, so i would rather not take yours or any information copying because that would lose the purpose of the guide :S, i might anyways discuss to add an alternative gearing option that fits more the needs of the actual gear lvl for those who wants that.

 

if just judging by tank styles and stats, without taking in consideration the "operation" dmg types i would say:

 

jug: def / shield --> absorb

ssin: Abosrb --> shield --> defense

PT: Defense --> Shield --> Absorb

 

just from experience, i dont like going in depth with the whole math thing, never been a fan and this has worked perfect for my guild, i dont know if you agree with me on that part as that is the way i use for the guides stats guidelines... anyways we might considering adding the extra Alternative Gearing option for PT, considering the Ssin and Jug is prob the same and is rly straightforward, also i tried to keep it rly simple giving it a wide range of optimal stat to be "good enough" from 16-24% for example, no forcing anyone to go into theorycrafting but giving people options to gear up and dont commit mistake, theorycrafting is not the purpose of the guide, is just guiding the people on how to gear / play to become top raiders... thats why we went with the basica 1100 900 500, since myself, i dont go with those exact numbers, but again theorycrafting is not exactly the purpose of the guide is just giving the "right direction" .

[KeyboardNinja]

yeah you could say that for RNG, but i consider the RNG for tank something more gamebreaking, in other words, PT tank RNG affect 0 on their tanking capabilities, its purely dmg, and 1 proc of ion clinder from rocket punch, but it is not as much dependant on the RNG from electrocute being so important to keep the D.P up, but i understand where your point comes from.

 

I don't disagree with most of the above, just on the energize comment. Take your assassin tank, stand at 8 meters, and keep Dark Protection up. You won't get a single Energize proc, because you can't use Thrash, Maul, Lacerate or Assassinate, but you will be able to refresh your stacks every time with three seconds to spare! Energize is fluff damage, nothing more. It isn't by any metric required, or even particularly important, for keeping DP up.

 

as far as ranged, i consider ranged 10M more, 10m is still melee range (somehow), only ability that uses that is recklessness + FL... while unload dart death from above as PT, so thats why, i agree with ssin being probably the best Mid Range class, considering their 10 M on most ability in the single target rotation is useful on multiple fights.

 

Totally fair. As I said, PTs are by far the best long range tank. I don't, in general, find this to be a broadly useful property, but it does have its applications.

 

as far as stat, i will not say i agree or disagree with you, i personally believe a tank should not gear themselves towards an specific operation, because we dont know nightmare changes, just imagine all the nightamre mechanics become heavy melee /ranged abilities, all your numbers are screwed and you would need to build more defense, therefor wasting all the weeks of gearing tanks had gearing towards "specific needs in an operation". also i dont like stealing other people information as far as i am concerned of your forum thread posts with maths, netiher i like to follow that kind of math or take information i dont own / test myself, so i would rather not take yours or any information copying because that would lose the purpose of the guide :S, i might anyways discuss to add an alternative gearing option that fits more the needs of the actual gear lvl for those who wants that.

 

As I said, the numbers I gave are across *all* current content. It isn't biased towards either operation. (Note: the NiMs had a nearly identical stat distribution to DF and DP taken together).

 

Tanking mitigation is a very tricky thing. It is difficult to experiment with different itemizations in a practical sense because tank damage is so dependent on strategy, group, execution, and even just RNG. Fortunately, tanking math is very simple and easy to verify. They are by far the easiest role to theorycraft, which is why (unlike with a healer) I can give you numbers that are optimized into the single digits and claim very confidently that those values will minimize your damage taken. You don't really have to follow the math if you don't want to, but you should trust that those of us who do follow the math really do know what we're doing, and we care very deeply about accuracy.

 

I'm sure that your itemization works for your group. Ultimately, a tank can be absolutely horribly itemized and still clear content if they play correctly and have a good group. Player skill is the ultimate determinant, and unlike with a DPS, a tank can't really screw themselves so completely while gearing unless they stack accuracy or alacrity or something. Just look at hmd Magenta's tanks! They are probably as far from ideally itemized as is even possible in the game, but they still clear content. It all comes down to your skill and the skill of your group. More optimal itemization certainly helps, because in NiM at gear level, every tiny sliver of advantage helps, but it isn't going to destroy a tank to be off the optimal itemization.

 

You shouldn't feel like taking my numbers is copying. I want my tanking stats post to simply be a resource that everyone can refer to. Using those numbers is no more copying than using a standard spec is "copying". It's just a set of facts (numbers) which come out of the way that the game is designed. You could derive the same numbers (to within rounding error) if you wanted to and if you took the time to set up the calculation with the appropriate bounds, but why would you? Just use my math. It's there. It loves you. Love it back. :-)

 

jug: def / shield --> absorb

ssin: Abosrb --> shield --> defense

PT: Defense --> Shield --> Absorb

 

This is mostly right, though PTs have slightly better shield and absorb bonuses than they have defense bonuses, so defense takes a slight back seat. Assassins have the best defense bonuses in the game (better than Juggernauts!), but they also have the best shield and absorb bonuses in the game (due to weak armor), so they still stat in the way you describe. Only Juggs stack defense so strongly, because only Juggs lack substantial shield/absorb bonuses.

 

just from experience, i dont like going in depth with the whole math thing, never been a fan and this has worked perfect for my guild, i dont know if you agree with me on that part as that is the way i use for the guides stats guidelines... anyways we might considering adding the extra Alternative Gearing option for PT, considering the Ssin and Jug is prob the same and is rly straightforward, also i tried to keep it rly simple giving it a wide range of optimal stat to be "good enough" from 16-24% for example, no forcing anyone to go into theorycrafting but giving people options to gear up and dont commit mistake, theorycrafting is not the purpose of the guide, is just guiding the people on how to gear / play to become top raiders... thats why we went with the basica 1100 900 500, since myself, i dont go with those exact numbers, but again theorycrafting is not exactly the purpose of the guide is just giving the "right direction" .

 

Agreed with the non-focus on theorycrafting. Just copy/paste the dread forged numbers (2700 stat budget) and call it a day. Boarder does this with his tank guides, and I think it keeps things very clear and easy to follow.

[Marb]

I really like this initiative.

 

Hopefully this will help stop noxxic.com from popping up in the first 2 hits when people google for class guides.

[Iwipe]

Due to request, we have added a section on AoE ability priority/explanation and aoe rotation for aoe intensive fights.