Masters of Anihilation.

[Dethla-Hadyn]

I've been having a blast in yolos with Anihilation. It's not the strongest solo queue spec, but it has its charms. I was curious to see if I was the only one.

 

I'd like to use this thread as a means of communicating experiences and discoveries in ranked. I've been messing around with gear and I'm curious to see feedback from you other marauders/sentinels using Juyo form.

[xxtwofivexx]

Yeah I've been rocking Annihilation spec all pre-season and it's a blast. It puts out great damage with DoT spread and single target if you can stay on someone. I love it for the pressure it puts on healers. Right now the spec is easily my fav in all types of PvP play. Not the easiest spec to play, but when you get it it's pretty brutal. I'm rocking regular ranked set, but my buddy has a high endurance one he's been using for solo ranked and seems to be a lot more survivable. Glad you're having fun with it!

[Iserahn]

it's a good spec to kill healers/tanks with and the dotspread against teams full of other maras and pts shines, it also seems to have 1v1 potential

 

definately viable

Edited November 28, 2015 by Iserahn

[Emperor-Norton]

Played Anni a lot in 3.0 and 4.0, thought I would offer my opinion. Annihilation is structured similar to 3.0 and about as effective, yet easier to play. Your main source of damage is spreading Dots, so you pick a target and set up Smashes, after that you pressure a single target with Annihilate, Ravage, DST, VT, VS etc in descending order of importance. It is a strong counter-pressure and team mobility spec because of the self/group Heals, base Marauder DCDs, and Predation. 4.0 made it simpler since you aren't tracking a 15s dot anymore and resource management is really forgiving with everything having longer cooldowns but same costs and Force Rend now generating Rage. I find it more boring than the 3.0 versions though.

 

On another note, I really don't like Rend being a 9 second duration on a 12 second cooldown. Really ****s up with the mojo of lining up your dots and early deaths or purges can really **** the spec's output over. That is before Rend is both a necessary rotational damage attack, a resource generating attack, and ranged attack for the spec. Which encourages to use it in situation where you shouldn't (usually when full on Rage).

Edited November 30, 2015 by Emperor-Norton

[teclado]

I've been a big Fury guy since 3.0, but I think I finally figured out Anni for regs. I think I still prefer Fury for solo arenas, though. I could see Anni being really good in team ranked due to really high dps, group healing, DoT spread (and you'll probably have a tank and healer that will guarantee you won't get globaled). For solo, it takes too many GCDs to get the DoT motor running. If you are lucky enough to be ignored at the beginning and you can get your DoTs on people and group them up for a smash, yeah it works great. But that's relying too much on your opponent for your sucess. I'd rather charge in, get CC immunity, and bring the pain in short bursts - guaranteed every time. I may die, but I'm taking somebody with me.

 

TLDR: Yeah, I like Anni for 8v8. Solo Ranked = nope. Group Ranked = I'd love to try it.

Edited December 1, 2015 by teclado

[TitusOfTides]

TBH, I think people underestimate the burst of Annihilation and Watchman. Annihilate and Merciless Slash both do almost 10k base dmg by before they supercrit once a minute. That's comparable to Thundering Blast on a supercrit, just on our base dmg. With the right utilities, and a modified priority system (think "aoe mode" and "st mode") we can burst effectively.

[Dethla-Hadyn]

The dot spread is nice, but not reliable enough. You'll find yourself controlled too much, and most classes have tools to escape you. Vengeance is better for dot spread, but hatred/serenity is the best. It's laughable how you can simply prance your way into the thick of things and spread your dots unscathed. Pathetically easy, where annihilation is more often than not, quite a challenge.

 

Again, I've had a lot of fun with the spec, and I do think many players don't know what to expect from it lol. Tough decisions for me as I swap back and forth from annihilation and carnage.

[TitusOfTides]

The dot spread is nice, but not reliable enough. You'll find yourself controlled too much, and most classes have tools to escape you. Vengeance is better for dot spread, but hatred/serenity is the best. It's laughable how you can simply prance your way into the thick of things and spread your dots unscathed. Pathetically easy, where annihilation is more often than not, quite a challenge.

 

Again, I've had a lot of fun with the spec, and I do think many players don't know what to expect from it lol. Tough decisions for me as I swap back and forth from annihilation and carnage.

 

I switch between these a lot too. I haven't even tried Fury! I prefer Annihilation though, and tend to use it a lot more.

 

Believe it or not, but I hardly dotspread and just view it as an added bonus when I can (berserk dotspread saves lives!), because I tend to focus the healer and they are usually keen enough to fight on the fringes.

 

Annihilation hits so hard, I feel like a ST burst spec sometimes.

[Dethla-Hadyn]

I switch between these a lot too. I haven't even tried Fury! I prefer Annihilation though, and tend to use it a lot more.

 

Believe it or not, but I hardly dotspread and just view it as an added bonus when I can (berserk dotspread saves lives!), because I tend to focus the healer and they are usually keen enough to fight on the fringes.

 

Annihilation hits so hard, I feel like a ST burst spec sometimes.

 

 

I like your mentality on the subject. View annihilation as a single target priority spec, and dotspread is just icing on the cake. I'll focus less on dotspread for a few rounds, see how it goes.

[TitusOfTides]

I like your mentality on the subject. View annihilation as a single target priority spec, and dotspread is just icing on the cake. I'll focus less on dotspread for a few rounds, see how it goes.

 

Thank you, I hope it works well for you.

Edited December 3, 2015 by TitusOfTides

[khsolo]

I've been a big Fury guy since 3.0, but I think I finally figured out Anni for regs. I think I still prefer Fury for solo arenas, though. I could see Anni being really good in team ranked due to really high dps, group healing, DoT spread (and you'll probably have a tank and healer that will guarantee you won't get globaled). For solo, it takes too many GCDs to get the DoT motor running. If you are lucky enough to be ignored at the beginning and you can get your DoTs on people and group them up for a smash, yeah it works great. But that's relying too much on your opponent for your sucess. I'd rather charge in, get CC immunity, and bring the pain in short bursts - guaranteed every time. I may die, but I'm taking somebody with me.

 

TLDR: Yeah, I like Anni for 8v8. Solo Ranked = nope. Group Ranked = I'd love to try it.

 

Seems about right

 

They removed the 0 mt range jump and somehow made watchman less enjoyable for that, but thats just my opinion

Edited December 14, 2015 by khsolo

[verfallen]

Seems about right

 

They removed the 0 mt range jump and somehow made watchman less enjoyable for that, but thats just my opinion

 

Thats your opinion.

 

I however think this made the class a lot more viable, since you effectively get back your gap closer...to close gaps and not a part of your rotation to generate ressource.

 

Annihiliation never had so much mobility before, and another move in your rotation, as annoying as it can be considered, is now a ressource generator rather than take them.

 

I bet in PvP it shows, I can tell you in PvE I suddenly have plenty of tools to stick to target the spec was lacking before.

[rasputko]

Thats your opinion.

 

I however think this made the class a lot more viable, since you effectively get back your gap closer...to close gaps and not a part of your rotation to generate ressource.

 

Annihiliation never had so much mobility before, and another move in your rotation, as annoying as it can be considered, is now a ressource generator rather than take them.

 

I bet in PvP it shows, I can tell you in PvE I suddenly have plenty of tools to stick to target the spec was lacking before.

 

Close Quarters: "Reduces a minimum range of Force Charge by 10 meters and reduces it's CD for 3 seconds."

[Keldaur]

Thats your opinion.

 

I however think this made the class a lot more viable, since you effectively get back your gap closer...to close gaps and not a part of your rotation to generate ressource.

 

Annihiliation never had so much mobility before, and another move in your rotation, as annoying as it can be considered, is now a ressource generator rather than take them.

 

I bet in PvP it shows, I can tell you in PvE I suddenly have plenty of tools to stick to target the spec was lacking before.

Totally untrue. At reléase they were the spec with more mobility out of the three. Increase on force cloak, predation movement speed and very low leap cd. It also had the best interrupt lock in the game. It was a pleasure to play back then as a spec for pvp, not it feels bland (not weak or op, just outright bland).

[Dethla-Hadyn]

Played Anni a lot in 3.0 and 4.0, thought I would offer my opinion. Annihilation is structured similar to 3.0 and about as effective, yet easier to play. Your main source of damage is spreading Dots, so you pick a target and set up Smashes, after that you pressure a single target with Annihilate, Ravage, DST, VT, VS etc in descending order of importance. It is a strong counter-pressure and team mobility spec because of the self/group Heals, base Marauder DCDs, and Predation. 4.0 made it simpler since you aren't tracking a 15s dot anymore and resource management is really forgiving with everything having longer cooldowns but same costs and Force Rend now generating Rage. I find it more boring than the 3.0 versions though.

 

On another note, I really don't like Rend being a 9 second duration on a 12 second cooldown. Really ****s up with the mojo of lining up your dots and early deaths or purges can really **** the spec's output over. That is before Rend is both a necessary rotational damage attack, a resource generating attack, and ranged attack for the spec. Which encourages to use it in situation where you shouldn't (usually when full on Rage).

 

 

You play on Harb at all? I remember seeing this annihilation marauder just ripping it up a few nights ago when I was on an alt. If so send me a pm or reply, I'll be needing some lessons lol.

[jillun]

I'm quite enjoying watchman myself, just got one question : any accuracy needed? Cheers

[teclado]

I'm quite enjoying watchman myself, just got one question : any accuracy needed? Cheers

That depends on who you ask. I have always gone with 105% melee for Sent / Mara. Some people have told me that is a waste of tertiary stat points that would be better used elsewhere. At some point, I'm going to drop to 101% (100% + 1% companion bonus) and see how it feels - just as soon as my altoholism wears off a little bit and I stop legacy transferring all my comms away.

 

The theory behind going with 105% melee is to counter the 5% base defense chance that everybody has (10% for Inq / Cons). If you are willing to accept a slightly increased chance of missing in order to gain a little bit more damage, then go with no accuracy. The theory behind ditching accuracy is that there are plenty of DCDs in pvp that will make you miss anyway (dodge / pary / absorb), so any benefits of increased accuracy are watered down.

 

It's complicated. You can't even really run numbers on it, because pvp is so dynamic. You'd have to make assumptions on which classes you are fighting, when certain DCDs are used, what rotation are you using. I would guess that going with no accuracy would yield slightly higher burst damage most of the time (within a small time window), but occasionally you'll whiff. In terms of "how big will your damage number be at the end of the match": I would guess that going with 105% melee would give you more consistent numbers, 101% would give you slightly higher at times and slightly lower at times. Probably nothing noticeable.

 

TLDR: It probably doesn't really matter all that much. Slight differences that boil down to personal preference. Some people are passionately in favor of one over the other, but in the end they are just arguing over decimal points.

Edited December 21, 2015 by teclado

[khsolo]

Thats your opinion.

 

I however think this made the class a lot more viable, since you effectively get back your gap closer...to close gaps and not a part of your rotation to generate ressource.

 

Annihiliation never had so much mobility before, and another move in your rotation, as annoying as it can be considered, is now a ressource generator rather than take them.

 

I bet in PvP it shows, I can tell you in PvE I suddenly have plenty of tools to stick to target the spec was lacking before.

 

The 0 mts jump was also a source of building the 3 rag need it to start deadly saber as an opener, dont know how was your opener but as i know it it started with force charge + deadly saber and so on, if you remove the force jump then you have to start deady saber some other way which is not only unnatural in the rotation but also a consumption of 3 rage instead and i mean after the initial jump of course

 

Also is more difficult to stay on target since you have to run now to it instead of immediatelly jumping to it by means of the rotation which makes it more difficult and annoying

 

This single change made the spec not only unnatural to play but also more difficult to stay on target and thus less dps specially for pvp matches

[jillun]

That depends on who you ask. I have always gone with 105% melee for Sent / Mara. Some people have told me that is a waste of tertiary stat points that would be better used elsewhere. At some point, I'm going to drop to 101% (100% + 1% companion bonus) and see how it feels - just as soon as my altoholism wears off a little bit and I stop legacy transferring all my comms away.

 

The theory behind going with 105% melee is to counter the 5% base defense chance that everybody has (10% for Inq / Cons). If you are willing to accept a slightly increased chance of missing in order to gain a little bit more damage, then go with no accuracy. The theory behind ditching accuracy is that there are plenty of DCDs in pvp that will make you miss anyway (dodge / pary / absorb), so any benefits of increased accuracy are watered down.

 

It's complicated. You can't even really run numbers on it, because pvp is so dynamic. You'd have to make assumptions on which classes you are fighting, when certain DCDs are used, what rotation are you using. I would guess that going with no accuracy would yield slightly higher burst damage most of the time (within a small time window), but occasionally you'll whiff. In terms of "how big will your damage number be at the end of the match": I would guess that going with 105% melee would give you more consistent numbers, 101% would give you slightly higher at times and slightly lower at times. Probably nothing noticeable.

 

TLDR: It probably doesn't really matter all that much. Slight differences that boil down to personal preference. Some people are passionately in favor of one over the other, but in the end they are just arguing over decimal points.

 

I'm a little too high then at 109%. I'll drop to 105 and see how it goes.

Thx for the answer