Sentinel and Focus tree: Why not just play guardian?

[MethodSZ]

Is my observation wrong that if I am a sentinel using the focus tree for pvp, I would be better off as a guardian using the same tree?

 

Both ACs appear to do similar damage, but guardians have an extremely high amount of survivability that sentinels just don't get.

 

What is the draw of the sentinel class, specifically when using the focus tree, besides the 'cool' factor of running around with two glowsticks?

[Avean]

Well not only survivability but guardians can spec 3 points into Swelling Winds from the start of the Vigilance tree that adds 30% to Force Sweep which combined with Singularity from the focus tree gives them incredible aoe damage. Thats what monkeygenious did which gave him a crit that added up to 30k damage in one single aoe hit.

 

Never tested it for a sentinel but i can imagine its good for PvE for them.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Avean

[Ryuji_Sukata]

Different utility(in combat stealth, movement speed from Transcendence, Zen, etc.) mostly and damage is probably better if only slightly for Sentinels. Edited December 30, 2011 by Ryuji_Sukata

[photoheathen]

Well, I personally would never roll a Focus spec'd Guardian for one reason: people expect Guardians to tank. Focus is not a viable tanking tree, or at least it's not equal to Defense. I'd rather not have to deal with the "I'm not spec'd to tank" conversations that would invariably occur.

 

Now, I'm of course not trying to say someone shouldn't roll a Focus Guardian, only that I wouldn't personally do it.

Edited December 30, 2011 by photoheathen

[EasymodeX]

Rage Sentinels have better defense than Rage Guardians.

 

Also stealth.

 

30% extra damage on Force Sweep is like 350 damage. Not bad, but that's like the 10th thing on the list when you're comparing the two.

[MBirkhofer]

Rage Sentinels have better defense than Rage Guardians.

 

Also stealth.

 

30% extra damage on Force Sweep is like 350 damage. Not bad, but that's like the 10th thing on the list when you're comparing the two.

 

My sweeps hit for 2.5k. HIT. 30% on that is 750. A guardian can sweep for 3250. they also have +6% damage, so actually 3445 hit vs my 2.5k.

Now, add in surge.

100% damage crits even without trinkets. 200%+ with.

I have 5k sweeps normally. 7.5k with trinket/relic.

Guardian has 6890 sweeps, 10k with trinket/relic.

that 30% is HUGE.

 

that said, yeah, sentinels do actually have more defensive tools.

And zen. Force camo, awe, crippling. vs sabretoss, leaps.

[Fascion]

Well not only survivability but guardians can spec 3 points into Swelling Winds from the start of the Vigilance tree that adds 30% to Force Sweep which combined with Singularity from the focus tree gives them incredible aoe damage. Thats what monkeygenious did which gave him a crit that added up to 30k damage in one single aoe hit.

 

Never tested it for a sentinel but i can imagine its good for PvE for them.

We too can get Singularity, so there is no difference there. Their Force Sweep may deal 30% more damage... but they expend three focus to do it. As a Sentinel, for a mere two points invested into the Watchman tree, we reduce that cost to 1 focus, not only for Sweep, but Cyclone Kick as well. That, in my mind, makes us the more proficient AOE class, as once Sweep is on Cooldown, they are waiting while we keep spamming. With Zealous Strike, we can AOE constantly for just this side of forever.

 

Additionally, Slash is going to be used much more with a Focus build than any other Sentinel build. Our ability to, for three points in Watchman, reduce the Focus cost by 1 is HUGE. Not to mention in Shii-Cho form it can become two-target AOE with Zen.

 

Lastly, Sentinels aren't exactly lacking in defense. Default mitigation, sure, we are a bit lackluster comparatively, but our cooldowns are well more than sufficient for any fight I've encountered in the game thus far.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Fascion