Can someone explain IO/Assault Target Switch Issue

[thekillerbean]

When comparing Gunnery and Assault, I often hear that one of the negatives for Assault is having to switch targets. From my newb perspective, I can't see what the issue is. I've only recently started playing a commando. It seems to me, for both specs, if you are forced to switch targets, you've already spent resources and CDs that won't be available for the next target. I don't see how Assault is drastically worse off than Gunnery in that respect.

 

My only concern is for PvP. The only PvE I do is for class story.

[Gyronamics]

Sure.

 

You DoT up one target as Assault who then vanishes while another target appears.

 

You cannot re-DoT the second target for free because that's resource negative.

 

So you overspend and live with the penalties of that.

 

Or you spend resource cooldowns to cover the cost of Dotting again.

 

Or you fluff with default attack to get an elemental burn going so you can get the regen from Mag Bolt and delay to get some base regen time in.

 

In all cases there is a downside, you lower your damage output, consume resource cooldowns or cripple your resource bar.

 

In short, Assault becomes increasingly inefficient and weak at doing damage the more you are forced to change target because that is tied in with how it regens energy.

 

 

Gunnery doesn't care what targets do because Gunnery has automatic regen and instant damage. You hit someone with direct damage and they vanish, so what, you can hit the next target with direct damage at no resource penalty.

Edited July 27, 2015 by Gyronamics

[jauvtus]

This isn't mando/merc specific, this is the difference between burst class and sustained class. Burst class needs nothing to deal high damage in short windows, while sustained needs setup time and also resources to setup another target, in return they have higher overall dps than burst specs, but they pay for it with long setups and tighter resource management.

[MiaowZedong]

This isn't mando/merc specific, this is the difference between burst class and sustained class. Burst class needs nothing to deal high damage in short windows, while sustained needs setup time and also resources to setup another target, in return they have higher overall dps than burst specs, but they pay for it with long setups and tighter resource management.

 

That's not really true. Vengeance or the Inquisitor DoTspecs don't have resource management issues swapping targets, mainly because they have linear resource generation, so they can afford to be resource-negative for a bit without dropping into reduced resource generation. Pyrotech—well resources are frankly the least of its issues in PvP, let's just leave it in its little corner. The agent DoT specs do have the same issues to an extent, but since they don't get resource management trouble as fast as IO does, it's less of a handicap (although note, while it's not just due to target swapping you don't see too many Virulence/Lethality players in PvP).

 

IO also suffers from having the worst DoTspread except for maybe Lethality, so you can't switch to a target you've already DoTed up.

Edited July 27, 2015 by MiaowZedong

[TACeMossie]

Pyrotech—well resources are frankly the least of its issues in PvP, let's just leave it in its little corner.

 

To be fair, the PT spec with target swap issues is actually Advanced Prototype - Pyro is an AoE monster who loves it when there are multiple targets cause it just means MOAR FIRE, whereas AP desperately needs a bleed on its target to control its resources reasonably.

 

Its resources are passively generated anyway, and as you kill targets one of your DoTs is spreading itself

Edited July 27, 2015 by TACeMossie

[jauvtus]

That's not really true. Vengeance or the Inquisitor DoTspecs don't have resource management issues swapping targets, mainly because they have linear resource generation, so they can afford to be resource-negative for a bit without dropping into reduced resource generation. Pyrotech—well resources are frankly the least of its issues in PvP, let's just leave it in its little corner. The agent DoT specs do have the same issues to an extent, but since they don't get resource management trouble as fast as IO does, it's less of a handicap (although note, while it's not just due to target swapping you don't see too many Virulence/Lethality players in PvP).

 

IO also suffers from having the worst DoTspread except for maybe Lethality, so you can't switch to a target you've already DoTed up.

 

Well, Vengeance really dont have that resource issues as Anni does for example, true. Madness sorc are also fine with their infinite force, but it isnt true for hatred. They actually will have problems if they need to reapply dots for 3-4 ppl because of target swapping and self purges, since their dotspread is nerfed.

About IO dotspread: I really believed they had the worst dotspread but after some practice its actually very nice. Regardless I believe IO has the worst energy management.

[namkcas]

I would argue that the problem is highly theoretical and not as big a deal in reality as posted. I play Assault and have since the game opened - living with patches in which Assault was "bad". There are several reasons that the result is not as bad as the theory:

 

- Try tossing grenades first for DoT spreading. Most targets in active PvP don't notice grenades and by the time they vanish the grenades are exploding and bringing them back anyway.

 

- Stuns/Attacks etc. mean that there is regen downtime.

 

- Death does the same.

 

People learn pretty quickly that an unmolested Assault PvP is way too dangerous to leave alone.