Theorycrafting anti-stealth PT/Merc build

[SlimPikinz]

I am returning to the game for 6.0 and looking to get back into Ranked Solos. I've been reading a lot about the current class meta which places stealth classes as top-tier. As a mercenary main, I do not want to play another class and just want to dedicate my time to improving my class' mechanics and understanding of new tacticals/sets.

 

My theorycraft build is an anti-stealth build for Powertech and Mercenary designed to use Stealth Scan efficiently and frequently.

 

This build relies on the Hunter Killer set:

(2) +2% Endurance

(4) Stealth Scan also applies Stealth Protection to you, scanning a small area around you.

 

Each discipline has their own utility point which improves some functionality of Stealth Scan

Mercenary: Reduces Stealth Scan cooldown by 5 seconds and improves stealth detection level by 3

Powertech: Reduces Stealth Scan cooldown by 5 seconds and roots revealed enemies for 3 seconds while granting movement speed for allies

 

How viable would something like this be?

Stealthers: How does being revealed from stealth affect your gameplay or opener?

Edited December 18, 2019 by SlimPikinz

[UltraFlashStar]

First of all, I how you’re actually using options in front of you make an interesting build instead of following the meta. So there’s that.

 

It depends, since Ranked Maps are really small there’s always going to be someone to help the destealthed teammate(s). It may be interesting trying to pull stealthers back into combat when the stealth out though.

 

You’ll quickly find your build useless when facing teams without stealthers. But in this current meta, I kinda doubt it.

[Fellow-Canadian]

I am returning to the game for 6.0 and looking to get back into Ranked Solos. I've been reading a lot about the current class meta which places stealth classes as top-tier. As a mercenary main, I do not want to play another class and just want to dedicate my time to improving my class' mechanics and understanding of new tacticals/sets.

 

My theorycraft build is an anti-stealth build for Powertech and Mercenary designed to use Stealth Scan efficiently and frequently.

 

This build relies on the Hunter Killer set:

(2) +2% Endurance

(4) Stealth Scan also applies Stealth Protection to you, scanning a small area around you.

 

Each discipline has their own utility point which improves some functionality of Stealth Scan

Mercenary: Reduces Stealth Scan cooldown by 5 seconds and improves stealth detection level by 3

Powertech: Reduces Stealth Scan cooldown by 5 seconds and roots revealed enemies for 3 seconds while granting movement speed for allies

 

How viable would something like this be?

Stealthers: How does being revealed from stealth affect your gameplay or opener?

 

Not viable at all IMO. The cost of using the stealth scan set is way too high. If you're a PT you would NEVER give up meteor brawler and Mercs would not want to give up the concentrated fire set. Your damage will fall off a cliff.

 

Stealth scan is most effective if used immediately after the vanish. How often you catch people is entirely dependent on how fast you react to a vanish. The set is incredibly gimmicky and for the most part only useful in some situations. The vast majority of PVP you get more mileage from straight-up damage sets because those bonuses work all the time for any situation.

[Gyronamics]

It's still blindfolded whackamole and If every stealth scan perk was made baseline it wouldn't do much to change how stealth interact with PT/Merc

 

So 20% plus another 20% for every stealth you reveal with stealth scan on next non channelled ability <- heroic merc util

Root on stealth scan reveal <- PT Masterful util

-5s on stealth scan CD <- Masterful/Skillful PT/Merc util

Personal stealth scan for the 10s the main scan is up <- 4pc set bonus

 

You are visible, the scan is visible. You're not tagging someone with a scan without a good helping of luck. You're still getting sapped like a mug and opened on from stealth.

 

The best anti-stealth is another stealth because that's how lacking in counterplay being invisible is. Even the base class with an active ability specifically to be anti-stealth isn't a serious threat to stealth doing stealth stuff.

 

People are only taking stealth scan perks because they come free with a more useful perk that you actually spent the util point for. After all, there's a major flaw in compromising your characters loadout to buff stealth scan.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Gyronamics

[SlimPikinz]

If you're a PT you would NEVER give up meteor brawler and Mercs would not want to give up the concentrated fire set. Your damage will fall off a cliff.

 

What good would these sets do if you get opened on and globaled?

 

I think these best use of this set would be constantly spamming it on stealth and keeping near them.

 

Can we hear from some stealth mains about how being revealed prematurely affects their gameplay or opener?

 

I'm still going to try this because I'm curious.

[Fellow-Canadian]

What good would these sets do if you get opened on and globaled?

 

I think these best use of this set would be constantly spamming it on stealth and keeping near them.

 

Can we hear from some stealth mains about how being revealed prematurely affects their gameplay or opener?

 

I'm still going to try this because I'm curious.

 

If you get globalled fast, especially playing a merc, then it's not your set choice that you need to worry about.

 

I have a lot of experience with playing a stealth class in PVP and I can tell you I don't fear stealth scans. They are easy to avoid and I will always get the opener I want. You have to get lucky every time with your scans and that simply isn't going to always happen for you.

 

I get stealth classes are really strong on their burst opener but the price you are paying is way too high for the very narrow chance it works. You give up amazing DPS set bonuses and also a utility point that could be better spent on something else.

[JediMasterAlex]

Several have already alluded to it, but I'd like to highlight the fundamental flaw in building around stealth scan: it's too situational. It might actually work well once every 5 games or something (and that's being generous), whereas a dps set and other utilities will benefit you in every single game you play.

 

Now, there is a compromise of sorts. You can always make two sets for yourself. Only equip the stealth scan one when you're up against four stealthers, thereby greatly increasing its chance of being useful.

[Zottelkrischan]

have or have not stealths in enemyteam is only one point

 

the more important point one has already made is, stealthscan is visible so the stealther simply wait for it to disappear, as he said he always get the opener he wants

[MackPol]

Mercs have one useful anti stealth tool and that’s e net. Use it well

Stealth scan is mostly luck tbh and sins can just stealth out again if need to.

[Lhancelot]

Not viable at all IMO. The cost of using the stealth scan set is way too high. If you're a PT you would NEVER give up meteor brawler and Mercs would not want to give up the concentrated fire set. Your damage will fall off a cliff.

 

This is the biggest issue with BW and their gear sets, tacticals, etc. Just like in the past with old skill trees, then later the revamped skill trees the problem every time is you lose far too much when not choosing specific much stronger choices/options.

 

That's one of my pet peeves about this game, they almost always have this convoluted skill/abilities system that has tons of options in theory but in application reality is quite opposite. They always have 1-2 options that are "must haves" from skill trees, tacticals, gear sets, utilities, and/or whatever else. Purposefully choosing weaker choices only serves to gimp your character.

 

I just wish they could offer more VIABLE options which would really open up the variables in game play if they could add a bit more evenness to the strength of all combat ability options whether that is making gear sets across the board better, utilities better, tacticals more useful across the board, and even class specs ought to be more even in their performance in comparison.

 

If a choice in the game is always ignored because others completely void them in effectiveness making them useless, then that choice serves no purpose but to clutter the game and ought to be improved upon or removed from the game.

 

It's like having two brooms to choose to clean with. Who is going to grab the broom that's missing the handle? No one! Everyone is going to grab the broom that has a handle. Basically we have a bunch of crappy broken brooms and only 1-2 decent ones out of the whole lot of tacticals, gear sets, utilities, and yes even class specs. There are actual class specs that are so inferior they are never played when performance is important.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Lhancelot

[JediMasterAlex]

I just wish they could offer more VIABLE options which would really open up the variables in game play if they could add a bit more evenness to the strength of all combat ability options whether that is making gear sets across the board better, utilities better, tacticals more useful across the board, and even class specs ought to be more even in their performance in comparison.

 

You make some fair points. Dps sorcs have only one viable set bonus, for example, and that's true for many classes. One exception is pvp sniper. All three of the sniper set bonuses can be viable in pvp depending on the situation and your playstyle.

 

Also, most specs have at least two viable tacticals, again depending on the situation and your playstyle.

 

So it's far from perfect, but we definitely have more choice now in terms of customization than we ever did before.

[DroidDreamer]

Does the personal scan area from Stealth Protection provided by the Hunter Killer set bonus proc the speed bonus for allied players from the Adaptable Assailant Utility?

[Jinre_the_Jedi]

Stealth scan is most effective if used immediately after the vanish.

 

False my dude. This is only applicable to maybe marauders. When a Sin vanishes, they gain Force Shroud (if they have the right utilities) which resists stealth scan. Try it out if you don't believe me. You will never catch a sin immediately after they cloak with stealth scan and this is a common mistake many mercs make. The only thing that you can do to pull them out is use Sweeping Blasters (aoe white damage ability), as only white damage can pull them out.

 

Same goes for operatives, any operative who knows better will roll after they vanish and roll will resist stealth scan as well. The only thing that doesn't resist stealth scan on vanish is Marauder.

 

So OP, if you are specifically trying to catch marauders out of stealth, then go for it. Otherwise, it's useless vs Sins and Operatives, the main stealth classes.