Combat--Playing with Precision Strike

[Kyromoo]

So I got Precision strike recently, and I've been fiddling with it and trying to figure out what abilities are best to use with it.

 

For those unaware of the details, Precision Strike (PS) costs 3 focus, and gives 100% armor penetration for 6 seconds. Due to the GCD, this is effectively 4.5 seconds of uptime, not counting a Riposte in those first 1.5 seconds.

 

 

So, of these, which is best?

 

Zen - Precision Strike - Blade Rush - BR - BR - BR for a total of 4 ability uses, 7 focus used (4 more focus to use after this from BR - Blade Storm - BR but that's outside of Precision Strike)

 

Zen - Precision Strike - Blade Rush - Master Strike - Blade Rush (you can sneak in that last Blade Rush in the .5 second window between Master Strike ending and PS's effect wearing off), for a total of 5 hits, 3 ability uses, 5 focus used, but 6 more focus to use later from BR-BS-BR-BR.

 

 

Both sequences use a total of 11 focus in the end by the time Zen finishes, when accounting for Blade Storm autocrit procs after PS's effect ends.

 

 

Without Zen, they look like this:

 

Precision Strike - BR - BR - BR, 9 focus used

 

Precision Strike - BR - MS - BR, 7 focus used, but the last Blade Rush might not make it in inside of PS's effect.

 

 

Blade Rush is used before Master Strike for the 30% improved Ataru Form proc rate to take effect on MS's 3 hits.

 

Due to the nature of MS's channeling allowing that final ability use inside Precison Strike's effect, I suspect this combination with Precision Strike is what gives MS reason to be used in a combat spec at high levels.

 

Without a combat log, it's been very difficult to determine which combo deals more damage, so I thought i'd bring some discussion on it to the forums. Thoughts?

[Ghingis]

Precision Slash + Master Strike.

[tk-fourtwentyone]

The dps on master strike is generally better than 'just' 2 BRs. Just on that info alone with or with out percision you can make a decision.

 

You mention Blade Storm but I dont see it in either combo. BR+BS combo is the cats eye. You may even want to adjust your combo depending on the 'eye' icon, there are times when you will BR and the buff is falling off as you BS and it won't crit. This can happen in pvp with 'broken' combos due to cc or people dodging - faster movement speeds etc.

 

but on general principal,

 

percision slash, BR, BS, MS (the percision buff falls off on the 3rd ms hit)

 

 

 

You can't riposte during MS without interupting yourself so if you are running defensive cooldowns and have the focus.. then mabye BR spam with riposte is the way to go.

 

Using focus the most effieciently isn't always the best way to go. Sometimes you just positively gotta put damage up fast.

Edited December 29, 2011 by tk-fourtwentyone

[tk-fourtwentyone]

Generally the rule of thumb is, you should be BR'ing enough to keep the 6 sec buff running nearly constantly. I could be wrong but the buff from BR doesn't refresh itself, so BRing right before MS won't neccesarily guarantee the 30% chance for ataru procs on all hits (Ie if you had BR'ed 4 secs prior).

 

I hate to make a wow comparision, but its like having priorities for feral dps.

[ProfessorWalsh]

I like:

 

Zealous Strike (+6 focus), Precision Strike (-3 Focus), Blade Rush, Blade Storm (Auto-crit! -3 Focus), Master Strike

 

I have straight up seen that combo kill Sorcerers and Agents if you happen to have resolve.

[Kyromoo]

After some additional testing, i've found that Blade Storm does, in fact, seem to benefit from Precision Strike.

 

I'm a little surprised by this, as it's a 'Force' attack, but i won't complain.

 

 

This would make our desired combo:

 

 

Zen --> Blade Rush (for gaurenteed 6 seconds of ataru form boost, plus combat trance if not up)---> Precision Strike --> Blade Storm if Combat Trance is active, Blade Rush if not --> Master Strike ---> Blade Storm if it hasn't been used yet, Blade Rush if it has.

 

 

Good lord.

 

 

 

Edit: Seems i was ninja'd. Thanks for the input Walsh--- I assume that's during Zen due to the 1 focus Blade Rush? What do you think of the altered combo i have on mine that accounts for the Ataru Form proc chance bonus during MS?

Edited December 29, 2011 by Kyromoo

[CompleteBlackout]

The tooltip states that it does kinetic damage, which can be mitigated by armor.

[EasymodeX]

Blade Rush - Precision Strike - Master Strike - Force Scream - execute

[AeetesSixFive]

Blade rush shouldnt be spammed, it should be kept up throughout your whole rotation. Force Leap > Zealous > Precision > BR > Blade Storm > Master strike. Was something how my rotation went. Lvled to 50 as combat and got through most everything. Keeping BR buff up is a must for combat to be efficient, also keeping all your abilites on CD, but thats an obvious. Edited December 29, 2011 by AeetesSixFive

[MBirkhofer]

yeah, blade rush is not intended to be hit over and over. This is one of my main complaints with the gcd reduc on zen for it. its weird and doesn't fit.

 

the lingering proc rate buff on ataru is key to blade rush dps.

MS, strike/zstrike

leg sweep, kick, dispatch, crippling throw.

[MBirkhofer]

Blade Rush - Precision Strike - Master Strike - Force Scream - execute

you just wasted your +10% on your weakest hitting move.

shouldn't prec strike be first?

[AeetesSixFive]

you just wasted your +10% on your weakest hitting move.

shouldn't prec strike be first?

 

You're right, I forgot about that proc as well. I edited my post, all that needs to be switched is BR and Precision.

[ProfessorWalsh]

After some additional testing, i've found that Blade Storm does, in fact, seem to benefit from Precision Strike.

 

I'm a little surprised by this, as it's a 'Force' attack, but i won't complain.

 

 

This would make our desired combo:

 

 

Zen --> Blade Rush (for gaurenteed 6 seconds of ataru form boost, plus combat trance if not up)---> Precision Strike --> Blade Storm if Combat Trance is active, Blade Rush if not --> Master Strike ---> Blade Storm if it hasn't been used yet, Blade Rush if it has.

 

 

Good lord.

 

 

 

Edit: Seems i was ninja'd. Thanks for the input Walsh--- I assume that's during Zen due to the 1 focus Blade Rush? What do you think of the altered combo i have on mine that accounts for the Ataru Form proc chance bonus during MS?

 

I'll try your version out, I usually prefer Transcendence over Zen though.

[EasymodeX]

I don't concern myself overmuch with the 10% bonus damage.

 

IIRC the tooltip was bugged but I don't recall whether the Sentinel version (100% chance to proc the damage buff) or the Marauder version (30% chance to proc the damage buff) was correct. If it was the 30% chance, then it makes the buff pretty sketchy to try and optimize for.

 

Regardless, even if you optimize it, you increase total damage by (10% of Blade Storm) - (10% of Precision) = maybe 200.

 

Starting with Blade Rush, you gain the BR buff for Precision. This means you increase damage by 30% of Ataru = 100.

 

Net loss of 100 damage compared to optimizing the buff for Blade Storm very small loss.

 

 

Generally speaking, I want to ensure I get the use out of Precision that I intended: burst. I generally pretend that the Precision buff will only last for 2-3 hits because I will get CC'd within the next 4 seconds, or the opponent will use a defensive cooldown of some flavor.

 

So, my real focus is simply Precision -> Blade Storm, case closed. The placement of Blade Rush is more a habit thing where I ensure that the BR buff is always up. In practice, sometimes this occurs after my decision to burst (Precision - BR - Storm), and sometimes before (BR - Precision - Storm).

 

However, if I had to choose I would choose the latter so I can follow up with a 100% AR pen 2tick Master Strike or the execute finisher before getting randomly CC'd, or before my target remembers that they have undying rage, etc.