Arsenal, or Pyrotech?

[Shadysketchy]

Which is better?

[ZingFreelancer]

Which is better?

 

I am playing level 31 pyro, did not bother even touching arsenal. What I can say about Pyro is that you become dependant on many abilities and heat management to do damage, no mindless spam of single ability.

 

Pyro have non existent burst damage and DOT is not enough to break dedicated healer without overheating in ten seconds. Half of your abilities can be used on the move, the other half that helps to reduce heat are channelling abilities.

 

Mobility of pyro equals to zero compared to other classes and you will have some trouble chasing or escaping fights if RNG hates you.

 

But I am having fun playing pyro, so it is not all that bad.

Edited January 1, 2012 by ZingFreelancer

[AndrosX]

I've recently switched to Pyro because Arsenal feels like being a turret: you pretty much can't move, if the enemy doesn't see you and stays in range you can deal some pretty good damage, but as soon as they move or jump you it's game over.

And you find yourself pretty much spamming tracer missile most of the time.

 

Pyro is a lot more fun.

Less burst damage, you really have to watch the UI to keep an eye on the cooldowns and especially keep an eye on your enemy bar to see keep dots on him etc.

But you get to move around a lot more than an Arsenal Merc.

 

I still think the whole Merc class needs to be addressed though, because we have plenty of issues.

We're supposed to stay away from the fight, but we have little CC and 0 escape abilities to stay away from the enemy.

At the same time, we lack grapples or leap abilities, so in the event our enemy decided to run, we're pretty much screwed..

Our DoT is not strong enough to make runners stop to heal.

Pyro can chase a bit, Arsenal simply shouldn't bother, it's not like you can kill a runner with rapid shots and power missile anyway.

 

Like I said, I find Pyro to be a lot more fun, I don't know if it's actually more effective, but it's more fun.

[Kegheld]

Only 27 now, but I like the pyro tree a whole lot better. The heat management is a little bit of an issue but when the DoTs are burning it is a lot of fun to watch the enemy health bars dropping. PvP is good if you are on a good team. You are not a lone wolf as a pyro merc. I like to watch the battle and throw those DoTs around on battles that are going our way....puts more pressure on the other side's healers. If you catch a group standing, drop a AOE on them.

[Kodokai]

I laugh at these merc noobs spamming tracer missile, go pyro.

[Skapek-Skocap]

I am a level 45 Arsenal and I like it a lot tbh. It's not a very mobile class to say the least, but 1v1 can take almost any other profession out there. It sucks we're constantly bent over "spamming" tracer missiles, but so far I love the class.

[Jnaathra]

I would suggest you try them both. Each one is viable and has its own strengths and weaknesses.

[Zethcas]

Only level 29 but I've tried them both, currently running pyro.

 

Arsenal is better for AoE, mainly because you run with the velocity cylinder that makes all AoE ignore more armor plus it adds some damage to your missiles and stuff like that.

 

Pyro is better in single target dps, mainly in boss fights. Manageable heat and a steady stream of damage that will wear them down, often before you take too much damage.

 

In PvP I don't know, haven't tried it enough.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Zethcas

[AilsaH]

I laugh at these merc noobs spamming tracer missile, go pyro.

 

No need to be insulting.

 

I think it really depends on whether you mainly PvE or PvP. For PvE, I think "spamming tracer missle" is a good tactic since the debuff it applies can stack up to 5 times (with the Light 'Em Up trait trained in the skill tree, 3 missles is all you need).

 

I can see where being arsenal spec in PvP would be problematic unless you are playing against really unobservant players.

[saperzaper]

High velocity Cylndr doesn't stack with tracer missiles debuff I'm not sure if it's a bug or saposed to be like that but yeah... Edited January 2, 2012 by saperzaper

[ahwinters]

High velocity Cylndr doesn't stack with tracer missiles debuff I'm not sure if it's a bug or saposed to be like that but yeah...

 

How did you figure that out? If that is true it must be a bug...

[AilsaH]

High velocity Cylndr doesn't stack with tracer missiles debuff I'm not sure if it's a bug or saposed to be like that but yeah...

 

That might be a bug. Even though I am Arsenal spec, I use the Combat Support Cylinder because I like the functionality of it (being able to use it to heal allies and also the charging effect - helps keep heat to a minimum most of the time).

Edited January 2, 2012 by AilsaH

[DarthBaptist]

i levelled as arsenal and i found it good, lots of dmg, which is what the spec is suppose to do.

 

then at 50 went bodyguard, also a good spec for healing.

 

 

And then i went pyro for pvp and my god what a complete joke. It might just be me, but you had practicly no burst there, you overheat alot. The one thing the spec has is mobility but that aint gonna do you much if your hits are lackluster compared to arsenal. Even for my dailies, i killed very slow and was down alot of health.

 

I quickly specced back to arsenal for my dailies...

[Wallaid]

I'm Arsenal and really enjoy it. Although a slight feeling of perhaps I should have gone PowerTech way is rising in the back of my head.

 

Always played a healer in all other MMOs I have played, so I might go Bodyguard when the time is right.

[BeviinBoS]

lvl 31 merc - over 250k damage in a pvp match vs lvl 50s (warzones of course not open world lol)

 

To everyone saying that as an Arsenal you only Tracer Missile spam. You don't. If you do, obviously you'll be standing around a lot feeling like a turret or a rocket launcher. Also using Unload makes you immobile.

 

The key to being mobile and doing massive damage, plus easily killing any Jedi:

 

Keep moving, use your crit chance on normal attacks, use your mobile rocket launching abillities, combine stun with death from above... to me a merc has so many possibilities it's just awesome.

 

Killing a Jedi is impossible if you stand still. That's why: Run sideways and shoot! that way the Jedi has to chase you and will never catch you. Combine this with a stun, Jet boost and rocket punch and you can kill any melee oponent in your sleep.

 

I chose Arsenal because Arsenal just seemed to have most rocket supporting skills and abilities. The BH is made up of rockets so i though Arsenal would make most sense.

Edited January 2, 2012 by BeviinBoS