PVP aresenal merc rotation and tracer lock stacks

[Ahavery]

I know that I could post this in the Merc forum, but I might get better responses over here. Strictly speaking pvp. Here's my opener for arsenal merc:

Priming shot>blazing bolts>tracer missile>heatseeker missles>rail shot>BB

 

Here's my logic:

-Priming shot first b/c it has the longest CD (18s I think) and I want to get that clock ticking to be able to use it again

-BB then TM because TM resets cooldown on BB and lets me get another BB off immediately after rail shot

-BB procs set bonus auto crit HSM

-rail shot with only 2 stacks of tracer lock because it's my second most powerful attack and is important to my burst window. Tracer lock bonus dmg is only 6% per stack for 30% max and I feel like waiting until 5 stacks is unnecessary and perhaps a dps loss because I wouldn't be able to use RS on CD and would instead be using TM too much.

 

Do you guys have any tips for my rotation? Some guides say I should only use RS with 5 stacks of tracer lock. Is this more of a PVE rule? I've tried it out in WZ's and I do like having 5 stacks of tracer lock available to use an instant rapid scan, but then again, using a cd and my tracer lock stacks on a heal is an even bigger dps loss.

[yellow_]

If hoppin is still alive he would be a great person to ask. He often has one of the highest arsenal parses on parsely and, even more importantly, he's a top notch pvper so he's well positioned to weigh in on stuff like how best to adapt pve rotations to pvp.

 

I'm not super confident in this math (it's more like an observation than actual math) but I think it's worth noting that if you're at 0 or 2 stacks delaying RS by 1 GCD to add 2 more delays the ability by 10% (RS cooldown is equal to 10 GCDs) but adds 12% base damage and 6% crit chance. As long as you're not delaying something else on top of RS, this seems at least potentially worth it. The 5th stack is more debatable though, as it only adds half that value and by definition is more likely to result in delaying something in addition to just the railshot.

 

The 5 stacks only has always struck me as a PVE thing.

Edited March 26, 2018 by yellow_

[RACATW]

Yes hoppin still plays but I dont know if he visits the forum. I mainly see him messing around on an op or pt nowdays on star forge.

[TrixxieTriss]

If hoppin is still alive he would be a great person to ask. He often has one of the highest arsenal parses on parsely and, even more importantly, he's a top notch pvper so he's well positioned to weigh in on stuff like how best to adapt pve rotations to pvp.

 

I'm not super confident in this math (it's more like an observation than actual math) but I think it's worth noting that if you're at 0 or 2 stacks delaying RS by 1 GCD to add 2 more delays the ability by 10% (RS cooldown is equal to 10 GCDs) but adds 12% base damage and 6% crit chance. As long as you're not delaying something else on top of RS, this seems at least potentially worth it. The 5th stack is more debatable though, as it only adds half that value and by definition is more likely to result in delaying something in addition to just the railshot.

 

The 5 stacks only has always struck me as a PVE thing.

 

One of the hardest things is you need to kite a lot and if you are focused, it’s hard to stand still long enough to get the TM off enough to get 5 stacks. Just getting 2 stacks can be a challenge in a melee focused environment.

[Hoppinswtor]

The 5th stack isn't worth delaying rail shot - or anything else - to be honest. In both pve and pvp, I generally use rail shot at 4 stacks - unless I'm at a part of the rotation that uses 3-4 tracers, in which case I'll have 5 stacks by the time RS is off cooldown. Holding out for a 5-stack rail shot will result in a DPS loss because you are forced to cast more tracers, which deal less damage than rail shot; tracers also cost more heat, forcing you to use more rapid shots. My pve parses use 2-3 more rail shots than all the other top performers.

 

In PvP, I pretty much always use it at 4 stacks unless I'm going super tryhard to set up burst. Your opener is fine, and it's the same exact opener that Chasso and I use. You use priming shot first not to get it on cooldown, but to apply the ranged damage debuff.

 

I agree with using blazing bolts before your first tracer:

(1) Blazing bolts hits someone 4 times, so you'll get a better chance of proccing your relics early for your first burst phase.

(2) Blazing bolts pairs nicely with supercharge - you can build all 6 stacks in the span of 2 GCDs instead of 3.

(3) The armor debuff for tracer missile would make the first blazing bolts hit a couple percent harder, sure, but it's also nice to have that second blazing bolts right away - especially if you are kiting melee.

 

My "ideal" pvp opener is:

 

PS > Supercharge/BB > Insta Tracer > Hardcast Tracer > Heatseekers > 4-stack railshot

 

Tracer and heatseeker both have travel time; the former is hardcasted at the end of the gcd while the latter is instant cast at the beginning of the next gcd. Rail shot has virtually no travel time. This means that the tracer and heatseeker are launched nearly simultaneously, and thanks to their travel time, the 4-stack railshot will hit the target at the same time for insane combined burst. This is why it's important to hardcast the tracer before heatseekers. You want to make them panic. If your relics proc early, you can skip one of the tracer missiles and go with a 2-stack railshot so that the entire burst phase lands within your relic window.

 

If you really want to go tryhard with burst (as I just talked about) then you'll want to open with: Supercharge/BB > Hardcast Tracer x1 or 2 depending on relic procs > Heatseeker > 2 or 4-stack railshot > PS > TM > BB. This will allow you to get the entire burst window inside your relics while maintaining your triple hit of hardcast TM/HS/RS.

 

The opportunity cost of rail shot is pretty much the only interesting wrinkle in the arsenal rotation these days. They gutted blazing bolts, which completely ruined the incentive of maximizing barrage procs. GG bioware.

 

Oh yeah, don't use rapid scan at 5 stacks unless you reaaaly need the extra 20 percent on the heal. Use it at 4; you get an insanely fast cast time (.3 seconds!) and can move into your next ability right away. Sure, the instant rapid scan at 5 stacks will heal you for a tiny bit more, but then you have to wait the FULL GCD (!!!) for the next move.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Hoppinswtor

[Ahavery]

...Tracer and heatseeker both have travel time; the former is hardcasted at the end of the gcd while the latter is instant cast at the beginning of the next gcd. Rail shot has virtually no travel time. This means that the tracer and heatseeker are launched nearly simultaneously, and thanks to their travel time, the 4-stack railshot will hit the target at the same time for insane combined burst. This is why it's important to hardcast the tracer before heatseekers. You want to make them panic. If your relics proc early, you can skip one of the tracer missiles and go with a 2-stack railshot so that the entire burst phase lands within your relic window.

 

If you really want to go tryhard with burst (as I just talked about) then you'll want to open with: Supercharge/BB > Hardcast Tracer x1 or 2 depending on relic procs > Heatseeker > 2 or 4-stack railshot > PS > TM > BB. This will allow you to get the entire burst window inside your relics while maintaining your triple hit of hardcast TM/HS/RS...

 

All makes sense to me, just gotta add that hardcast TM to my rotation between the insta cast TM and heatseekers. Thank you so much for the help, Hoppin!!! You are my hero!!! I was worried this thread would fizzle out and I wouldn't get my questions answered.

[Hoppinswtor]

no prob. have fun learning the class