Balance Shadow PvE Guide by MKnightRider

[invertioN]

Hey guys, I'm an assassin

Your apm can be higher, should be 41.5+ so spam buttons more, maybe it's force management problem, maybe you are not decisive enough, only you know. Use force shroud with your adrenal in the opener and again later for the increased force regen so you can get more double strikes/spinning strikes in. Also perhaps you can fit in more Spinning strikes under 30%. In a good run I can get a total of 27-28 spinning strikes with a parse that's 03:55 minutes long. Sometimes I spam my Spinning button even though it's on cooldown because I expect it to proc before the GCD finishes.

Other than that seems fine just practice

Edited August 15, 2014 by invertioN

[Aelanis]

Hey guys, I'm an assassin who is recently trying to progress into hard modes and wanted to know how I could improve my dps if anyone could take a look. I know MK is quitting soon but if anyone else out there could offer some advice I would be very appreciative.

 

Also good luck with your future endevours MK and thanks for the guide

 

AMR Link: http://swtor.askmrrobot.com/character/45f4ee0e-b707-47ff-a6d5-d688718962e3

 

Current best Tor Parse Link: http://www.torparse.com/a/741893/5/0/Damage+Dealt

 

Check this site out any time you want to analyze a parse, it really helps break things down for you.

 

In your opener, you leave 2 global cooldowns between Discharge and Creeping Terror. Choose an odd number (1 or 3, anything else is too long) so that you avoid having to use Death Field when you also have to refresh a dot. You fixed it later in the parse, but you don't want to ever have to fix it, as that costs precious dps. Here's an explanation of why that works:

 

Death Field has a 15 second cooldown and Raze has a 7.5 second internal cooldown (a half mutiple of 15 seconds), while Discharge and Creeping Terror both have 18 second durations. That means that if you look at the Madness "rotataion" in a 15 second block, DI and CT fall back 2 spaces each rotation. Example:

 

DF > DI > CrD > MA > MA > CT > MA > CrD > MA > MA

DF > MA > CrD > DI > MA > MA > MA > CrD > CT > MA

DF > MA > CrD > MA > MA > DI > MA > CrD > MA > CT

 

If you look at it as an 18 second rotation, however, it's Death Field and Crushing Darkness that shift positions. Example:

 

DF > DI > MA > CrD > MA > CT > MA > MA > CrD > MA > DF > MA

MA > DI > CrD > MA > MA > CT > CrD > MA > DF > MA > CrD > MA

MA > DI > MA > CrD > MA > CT > DF > MA > CrD > MA > MA > MA

 

Note: this is with CrD at a lower priority than the other dots and Death Field, so its position doesn't shift as smoothly as Death Field's does. Also, in the first example, if there had been a MA before the first CrD, we would have seen it interfere with the other dots and DF and have to shift there, too.

 

 

Up until your very last one, you used Death Field as it came off cooldown. Good job You delayed your last one for Crushing Darkness, however, which did cost you a little damage, as you could have consumed at least 2 more Death Marks before your target died.

 

Towards the beginning and end, your Discharge application was a little delayed. Towards the end, it's okay if you delay Discharge for an Assassinate, but try not to delay it much. In the beginning, you need to be applying it every 18 seconds with no exceptions. The same advice goes for Creeping Terror.

 

Adixia already covered the other major things you can do, that Assassinate tip for the end is really helpful in the beginning, too. With Discharge and Creeping Terror ticking once per 3 seconds and Crushing Darkness once per second, you get roughly 2.5 dot ticks per global cooldown, which means that you have a ~59% chance to trigger Bloodletting after the first global it's off its internal cooldown for, and a ~83% to have triggered it by the second global. This, however, doesn't account for your Lightning Charge and the subsequent Lightning Burn, that can also trigger Bloodletting, meaning you have a very, very good chance of getting it even on the first global it's off cooldown.

[Cjhove]

Thank you for the replies guys.

 

I will work on my apm and assassinate usage along with cleaning up my opener.

One last question if I may, how much more dps would you estimate that I could put out in my current gear level and if I am playing like this in raids ( i.e keeping the same priority but dps dropping on certain bosses for obvious reasons) is it good enough to clear nightmare content?

[invertioN]

Thank you for the replies guys.

 

I will work on my apm and assassinate usage along with cleaning up my opener.

One last question if I may, how much more dps would you estimate that I could put out in my current gear level and if I am playing like this in raids ( i.e keeping the same priority but dps dropping on certain bosses for obvious reasons) is it good enough to clear nightmare content?

 

Didn't get if you are asking for raid dps or dummy, I think in optimized DF gear 4.2k is a good goal for the dummy. As far as raiding, I think you are okay now as long as you dont make many mistakes on bosses. Right now the only tough dps check is second phase on council nim.

[bdatt]

Just a note to say thanks for this guide. I main tank but had to do damage recently and the new (to me) balance changes were quite fun. And this guide was quite easy to follow.

[aphouser]

First, thanks for the guide. I've been reading and rereading, and I think I'm understanding, but my numbers aren't matching the level of understanding I think I have.

 

I feel like I'm missing something obvious because I'm stuck in the 3500-3700 dps range, and I'm under the impression I should be pushing more.

 

I main as a tank, but have been picking up gear in pieces as we go through to try and put together a dps set. Here's my AMR for that. I'm not sure how to show the set pieces, but I'm running 4 piece stalkers set.

 

Since TorParse is down for maintenance, I can't link a parse at the moment. But I'm trying to operate on a couple principles. Follow priority as outlined, keep 3 GCDs between FB and SF in the > 30% section, reapply FB as it falls off.

 

Without being able to look at a parse (yet), am I missing something terribly obvious? Thanks in advance.

[gastovski]

Delete Edited October 1, 2014 by gastovski
delete

[flipspirit]

Hi

 

First of all thank you very much for this guide, it's clear and well written.

 

There is one thing, though, that I'd like to understand. why do you say we want to keep 3GCD between FB and SF ? I must be missing something obvious here. Until reading this I have always applied both one oafter the other in order to keep track of them more easily.

Edited October 2, 2014 by flipspirit

[Aelanis]

Hi

 

First of all thank you very much for this guide, it's clear and well written.

 

There is one thing, though, that I'd like to understand. why do you say we want to keep 3GCD between FB and SF ? I must be missing something obvious here. Until reading this I have always applied both one oafter the other in order to keep track of them more easily.

 

While tracking them is a little harder if you give some space between them, you'll do more damage separating them a little bit. Separating them by an odd number of GCDs allows for you to use Force in Balance without delaying either of your long duration abilities. It also gives you ample room to use Spinning Strike during the execute phase, which will optimally have a 5 second effective cooldown. As long as you don't delay using Spinning Strike by more than 2 globals, you won't lose out on another Spinning Strike down the road, which is a big dps loss. The 3 globals lets you use, say, Force Breach > Force In Balance > Spinning Strike, with no loss of Spinning Strikes if it came off cooldown in the FB slot. It also typically results in the hilarious combo, down the road, of Spinning Strike > Spinning Strike for some really sweet damage.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Aelanis

[MKnightRider]

Like Aelanis said, separating the DoTs by an odd number of GCDs, it allows you to always reapply DoTs when they expire and use FiB on cooldown.

 

It used to be that only one GCD of separation was used, but now that you can always get the proc for MC, I started using 3 GCD separation so that the most you would have to delay MC was 2 GCDs, whereas with one GCD separation, you could potentially have to delay MC by 3 GCDs. You could do one GCD if you wanted, or 5, or 7 too. But with 3 its still pretty easy to track DoTs; just count each GCD after applying the first DoT and after 3 you know you need to apply the second.

Edited October 2, 2014 by MKnightRider

[MKnightRider]

First, thanks for the guide. I've been reading and rereading, and I think I'm understanding, but my numbers aren't matching the level of understanding I think I have.

 

I feel like I'm missing something obvious because I'm stuck in the 3500-3700 dps range, and I'm under the impression I should be pushing more.

 

I main as a tank, but have been picking up gear in pieces as we go through to try and put together a dps set. Here's my AMR for that. I'm not sure how to show the set pieces, but I'm running 4 piece stalkers set.

 

Since TorParse is down for maintenance, I can't link a parse at the moment. But I'm trying to operate on a couple principles. Follow priority as outlined, keep 3 GCDs between FB and SF in the > 30% section, reapply FB as it falls off.

 

Without being able to look at a parse (yet), am I missing something terribly obvious? Thanks in advance.

 

I can't really say much without seeing a parse aside from you could definitely be breaking 4k at least with the gear you have. Hopefully Torparse will be up within the next few days. If you link one once it's back up I'm sure I can let you know what is wrong.

Edited October 2, 2014 by MKnightRider

[ZiggyTank]

Anyone have an idea of what an ideal APM is to keep up when parsing and what numbers one can roughly expect in full 34's?

[MKnightRider]

Anyone have an idea of what an ideal APM is to keep up when parsing and what numbers one can roughly expect in full 34's?

 

Full 34's can definitely hit 4.2k (though you will need some luck) and easily do above 4k. A good APM would be somewhere between 41-42.

[SnickerJew]

hi m8 will you teach me how to sin in 3.0 and write me a whole new bible to read? many thnx from motha russia

[GreatDean]

First off, let me just say thank you for this guide. Will help me a lot

I only have one question. How do you spend your points? Do you go all in Balance tree first or do you mix it?

[Aelanis]

First off, let me just say thank you for this guide. Will help me a lot

I only have one question. How do you spend your points? Do you go all in Balance tree first or do you mix it?

 

The Madness talents will get you more damage at a faster rate than taking the other talents outside the tree. However, if you have field re-spec, you can easily just go up the other trees until you would gain an important ability (Raze, Death Field, Deathmark, etc.)

[MKnightRider]

First off, let me just say thank you for this guide. Will help me a lot

I only have one question. How do you spend your points? Do you go all in Balance tree first or do you mix it?

 

Go for Force in Balance, then Force Strike, then Crush Spirit, and of course finally Sever Force.

[GreatDean]

I have a bit of noob question. I hit lvl 55 a few days ago and now I'm doing dailes. I got enough comms to buy a piece or two of basic gear. But vendor sells two version; Force Lord's and Force Healer's. Which one should I get? Or do I mix it?

[Aelanis]

I have a bit of noob question. I hit lvl 55 a few days ago and now I'm doing dailes. I got enough comms to buy a piece or two of basic gear. But vendor sells two version; Force Lord's and Force Healer's. Which one should I get? Or do I mix it?

 

Get the gear that helps you better stat-wise. Neither has a set bonus if you're spending coms on them.

[laughingbuddha]

Nice! Thanks for posting this.

[GreatDean]

Anyone can tell me what utility points to pick now? Makes me a bit confused!

[Vanilleawre]

Anyone can tell me what utility points to pick now? Makes me a bit confused!

 

Bro you're not the only one. I'm sitting here like.. what the hell is this.. LOL. It's my first time playing a Jedi Shadow and I was following a build so I knew what points to but in but now it's just ***.

[GreatDean]

Yea, it's suppose to be more easy but it's just more confusing

[Aelanis]

Yea, it's suppose to be more easy but it's just more confusing

 

It's actually not as confusing once you get used to it, and it becomes really easy.

 

For PvE, as a dps (both specs, really), I pick (pub terms):

I take Misdirection (move speed + stealth level increase), Celerity (CD redux on interrupt, CC break, and Force Speed), Lambaste (+25% Whirling Blow/Lacerate damage), Egress (root/slow break + immunity on Force Speed), Fade (CD redux on Blackout and Force Cloak), Force Harmonics (+1 charge of Potency/Recklessness) and Mind Over Matter (+Resilience/Shroud and Force Speed duration). I end up trading the last one and Lambaste out if I need more survivability for something, but that's generally how I handle my utilities.

 

And I'll let Evo chime in on PvP stuff, as he so loves to do.

[IInox]

why to pick +1 charge of force potency in balance? (well also force infiltration..) Edited December 8, 2014 by IInox