Need build help .. or I'm gonna lose it!

[Fashooba]

I'm only lv20 but I'm already starting to freak out a little about my build choices. I'm in advanced prototype at the moment, just got retractile blade.. and I'm not thrilled by it.

 

I *LOVE* both rocket punch and rail shot. I've noticed each tree has nice bonuses to rocket punch and rail, perhaps pyro giving the most. A lot of pyro bugs me though. Keeping the combustible gas cylinder effect up all the time seems like a pain and .. the flame burst skill, while good, REALLY annoys me. The animation is ok.. but the sound sucks. Foosh. Yeah, that sounds powerful. Plus since it's spamming it kinda loses its place in my rotation.

 

I don't need to have the highest DPS and I like a lot of abilities in the shieldtech tree, but I feel like going ION and using a shield generator would cut my DPS in half.

 

I really like the look of the jet charge, but will it be worth the DPS decrease to go that deep into shield? You pretty much cant go that far in and NOT use ion/shield generator.. would be a waste. It seems like with all the skills you can put into Ion, it might have decent damage but I have no way to tell.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hRGr0oroMZbsZb.1

 

That's a small idea of what I'm looking at .. any skills to boost rocket punch and rail while getting jet charge. I feel like my theory is flawed though.

 

Please please PLEASE feel absolutely free to contradict me about this stuff.. I'm here because I need help.

 

TLDR: Looking for mid-close range damage build with focus on rocket punch/rail, charge if possible.

 

Thanks,

Jer

 

 

Edit: I should add, this is primarily for PvE although I'd enjoy not needing to respec for the occasional PvP. I don't plan on tanking for instances.. off tank at best. A mix of damage and survivability.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Fashooba

[MigSebes]

I'm a ST so I can't help you that much, but I will tell you this. You are going for DPS, you should not be going deep into the ST tree, it will gimp you for sure unless you are a tank using IGC/Shields. From what I have seen in PvP Pyro specced PTs seem to be the better choice and they have a VERY hard hitting RS. Just forget about Jet Charge, it's too deep into ST to be worth it for you.

[chainsawsamurai]

First and foremost: If you don't plan on tanking, Ion Cylinder is absolutely a bad idea. Great idea in PvP, it does mediocre damage and allows you to use Guard which can be a game changer if used right. If you are trying to DPS in PvE however the extra threat would lead to you tanking if you did anywhere near a respectable amount of damage.

 

If you are not planning on tanking then it is absolutely a DPS loss to not go all the way down a tree. Thermal Detonator hits significantly harder than TORhead says and while I don't have any personal experience with Immolate, I hear it is also very solid.

 

More important than Thermal Detonator and Immolate however, is the talent synergy, critical damage bonus, and situational heat venting. All of which aren't even available till higher in the trees than is accessible while maintaining Jet Charge.

 

Look on the bright side. You get Grapple, which is buggy and comes with a massive amount of threat so you can't use it while DPSing an instance.

 

I don't like Retractable Blade so I've been experimenting something close to this:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301GoMrdoroZ0MZbIbbdh.1

 

No matter what, you'll have at least 3 points wasted.

 

While in PvP you use Ion, apply guard, and generally be a jetpacking bad ***. I don't miss the deep shieldtech points at all and I do better damage than the Ret Blade hybrid spec and full Shieldtech specs I've tried before.

 

For PvE DPS, I don't know. I still tank. It would give you the option of going Combustible Gas so you don't pull threat, give you more Rail Shots, 50% crit on Rocket Punch, Rail Shot Vents Heat, etc. Still wasting a lot of points in Shieldtech however, so welcome to mediocrity.

 

As far as tanking goes, this spec is perfectly acceptable in instances. I don't miss deep Shieldtech talents, Incin missile is decent ranged threat, and heat venting feels just as -- if not more -- consistent than Heat Blast.

 

Bottom line: You're not going to get good damage and Jet Charge at the same time until I sleep with enough Bioware executives to get them to swap Jet Charge and Grapple.

Edited December 29, 2011 by chainsawsamurai

[Trungalung]

I fully support Chainsawsammurai build. Currently using it at level 49.

 

I focus on solo, PvP, and to a lesser extent of tanking and group DPS. In theory and my experience, this is a "jack of all trade, master of none" spec. You deal good DPS, can take some damage, and great mobility with Jet Charge but in no where close comparing to others which specialize into that particular aspect.

 

It's really good for soloing. Ion Gas Cylinder is the choice here due to the 15% shield chance for Shield Vent and Flame Shield. Deals good amount of damage with Rail Shot spam (given good RNG). With Mako out, you should be able to solo just about anything including 2 men heroic quests. For FP and group dps, you'll have to switch to Combustible Gas since Ion gives massive threat boost. You won't be doing as much damage like you were soloing (loss of Shield Vent and Flame Shield).

 

Good all around spec for PvP, I choose this spec because I love the PvP tanking of SWTOR. However, I want to be able to use Guard/Taunt while put out decent amount of damage. Keeping Jet Charge is just a bonus.

 

This is for higher level since you need a lot of points to reach the high talents of both tree. But at level 50 and my last respec cost around 60k credits, I need a spec that can do both solo and PvP. For your level, you'll probably be better off with deep Shield Tech or until you have enough points to max Prototype Particle Accelerator for a pyro build.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Trungalung

[Fashooba]

Bottom line: You're not going to get good damage and Jet Charge at the same time until I sleep with enough Bioware executives to get them to swap Jet Charge and Grapple.

 

Best get on that then

 

But seriously, thanks guys. Looks like I'm gonna go for something more like this..

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hMZMcZfIdbzGhMs.1

 

Although I'd love to have prototype cylinders (seems like a good use of 1 point) and to a lesser extent steady resolve..

[chainsawsamurai]

Best get on that then

 

But seriously, thanks guys. Looks like I'm gonna go for something more like this..

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hMZMcZfIdbzGhMs.1

 

Although I'd love to have prototype cylinders (seems like a good use of 1 point) and to a lesser extent steady resolve..

 

So drop a point from Rail Loaders and pick up Prototype Cylinders. You lose out on 3% Rail Shot damage but gain 3% tech crit. Should balance out I'd think.

 

Can't help you on Steely Resolve.