Hello peeps, I'm returning to the game for the new expansion and have decided to level my Jedi Shadow (the only character non-boosted I have pass 65). What I am wondering is the status of this class as a whole? I use to PvP specifically, but I'm thinking of transitioning to PvE, but I'd still like to know their PvP status right now with 5.0. I also have never really tanked PvE, my only exposure to Kinetic Combat was during its overpowered days back in early vanilla SWTOR, but I am interested in exploring it. I just can't decide if I wanna do DPS shadow or tank shadow.

I've heard a lot of things about the Lethality / Enginner hybrid spec, but I still know nothing about it? What makes this spec good? Can anyone post the spec for me?

Hello all, I've played SWTOR off and on since Beta, with Shadow being my main all way up to a couple months before F2P, where I had quit for a while. Since my return, roughly a month ago, I've been leveling a Sorc, Assassin, and Sniper gradually. I usually do my leveling via PvP, so it takes me a long time to get up there. My Sorc had recently 55 and I am finding that arenas is really difficult for the class, especially as a healer. All my research suggests that Snipers are in a similar situation, often being targeted first to counter their intense damage. How do you guys manage to keep yourselves alive? I've read several threads that suggest Snipers are the most balance class out there right now, where all their specs are viable for both PvP and PvE. If that's the case, why are they one of the lowest ranked class in Arenas?

I am level 54 and am continuing my grind for WZ comms as I PvP my way to 55. I've been primarily PvPing as Corruption and I have really fallen in love with healing and the spec. However, everyone and their mom are telling me that Corruption Heals are not viable in Rated Arenas unless you are "really good." Is this really the case? I have confidence in my ability to play Madness if needed, but I'd really like to play Corruption in End Game PvP. Also, regardless of spec. What pointers do you guys have to prepare me for Arena. I know Sorcs are generally focused first and therefore, it's expected that I will have a lot of fun LoSing, DoTing on the run, and just trying my hardest to survive.

Hello all. I have spent a great deal of time playing a Sorcerer Healer and where they lack in survivability, they make up in burst heals. I usually fair well in WZ's and the occasional pug Arena, but I know that Sorc Heals are by far the squishiest and probably hardest healing class to fit into a 4 man team. I have been deeply considering rerolling a Scoundrel / Operative, but I do not know where to begin. It was easy for me to transition into a Sorc Healer when SWTOR first came out, since the play style was very similar to a Discipline Priest in WoW, not to mention the mechanics are smooth. But to be honest, I have never really branched outside of playing a Jedi/ Sith class. I have my Sorcerer, an Assassin, a Shadow, and a Juggernaut/ Marauder. I understand that the resource system is different and I know it'll take time for me to get use to. So basically what I am asking is this; what tips can you all offer me in my pursuit of leveling an Operative/ Scoundrel healer? Is there a priority list as to which healing spells to cast when? What's the best way to manage my energy resource so that I can successfully heal while depleting my energy dry in seconds? Keep in mind that these questions are mostly geared towards PvP since I have no interest in anything PvE. Also feel free to post builds or offer any other tips you guys have. The more information I can gather, the easier the transition will be.

First I want to refer you to a couple guides that can help get you into the mindset of an Assassin; Xinika's Warzone Guide - http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=494098 Xinika's Shadow Breaker Guide - http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=427933 Rancor SSGS Shadow PvP Guide - http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=648323 The Last one is more of a general guide for Shadow PvP than anything. Now to summarize what all these guides have to say. Assassins are like snakes. They slither through the battlefield, most often unnoticed by the enemy, and wait for the right opportunity to strike. They are not, and should never be, played as a Juggernaut or Marauder such as jumping into battle and throwing yourself in the middle of the fray. Assassins are Master Opportunists and lone wolves, and you can aid your team by staying as far away from them as possible: Huttball: Defensively, you should be slithering around on the rafters, breaking apart the enemy's setup and key areas. You can knock them off the rafters with overload, try to burst them down if they are not or tanks, or simply stun them as they try to run over the fire pit. Offensively, you can assist your ball carrier by peeling heavy damage dealers off of them, stealth along the end zone and be ready to unstealth for a pass, or sprinting your way to the end zone with the ball while the enemy forces are recovering from capping on your team. Keep in mind that the latter is rarer than the options previously suggested. Civil War: One of the best way you can help your team is by heading over to the east beacon and capping it before your opponent has the ability to. I am referring to the one that is to the right of the middle beacon, the one that is furthest away and you cannot get to straight from your platform. You have the ability to force sprint over there and can easily burst the enemy down if there is only one. If there are more than one, then wait until their defense thins and attempt a ninja cap, or simply burst down the defenders. After you snatch the opening cap, it's best that you slither your way through the battlefield, ninja capping your opponent's open beacons. Voidstar: Similar to Civil War, it's best if you go off on your own in the beginning. Whenever entering Voidstar, I always encourage my team to focus on one door in order to give the stealth classes a better opportunity to ninja cap the door. Of course, more often than not, the team doesn't listen. If this happens, the best thing you can do is assist your team's offense, ninja cap doors if the enemies aren't paying attention, or kill the enemy's healers to weaken the defense's ability to stay alive and block the door. If you are on defense, it's best that you keep close to a door and focus on stopping enemies from capping. The second priority on your list should be killing healers. Novare Coast: Also like Civil War, you should be sneaking your way to the beacon closest to your opponent's graveyard. The common strategy in this warzone is that both teams tend to zerg mid and often send only one or two people off to another beacon to cap it. This is fair game for a skilled Assassin like you and if you are able to pick them off quickly, you can cap the beacon before your enemies can do anything about it. Once this is done, you should sneak to other bases and attempt to ninja cap them to stay on the offensive while the rest of your team focuses on fighting their masses. Keep in mind that if you have a strong defense and your team is securing two bases, you should defend as well until there are signs that the enemy forces are overwhelming your defenses. The common theme here is... Stay out of sight, ninja cap nodes if able, and be comfortable with being a one man operation. If you can get another assassin or operative to accompany you, then it betters your chances of succeeding in your mission. It's also helpful to have one person sap the defender while the other caps. If the defender breaks the sap, that person should resap him immediately and thus, secure the capturing of the node. If you are unable to focus on your objectives, are on the losing side with a bad team, or find yourself in the middle of the battlefield where you shouldn't be, either vanish and slip away, or help your team by killing the enemy's healers. You have fantastic skills capable of locking out a healer's cast. If you are unable to kill them, then at least you're keeping enough pressure on them to prevent them from healing their allies. Also remember to utilize your taunts in order to help keep your own allies alive. Keep in mind that I offer you basic advice and what i've suggested is not concrete or written in stone. These strategies in which I have utilized that some may or may not agree with. I think of myself as an above average PvPer and I am confident in my ability with playing the class that I am comfortable giving you this advice. If I had any doubt in my ability, I wouldn't have spent time typing this out. Hope this helps.

I agree with Evolixe here. Typically the way I open is: Recklessnes -> Discharge -> Shock -> Maul (If Duplicity is up) -> Voltaic Slash -> Low Slash -> Maul I try not to Low Slash/ Maul without my first duplicity proc so that i get the best out of the separate rate limits between Duplicity and Expose Weakness. I do not use Spike, but rather wait to use it either for another duplicity proc, interrupt a cast, or added damage bonus when I have three Static Charges. If I do implement Spike into the rotation, I do so before activating Recklessness since for some reason, Spike actually eats up a Recklessness charge.

I am sorry, my friend, but I disagree with the fact that we do not have good sustain damage. The biggest thing people fail to acknowledge is the fact that Assassins are entirely proc dependent and entirely situational. Compare the amount of utility skills we possess compared to other classes; spike, force stun, low slash, jolt, whirlwind, overload. Combine that with our defensive skills such as force shroud, cloak, blackout, saber shield, sprint, and there are only a few, if any, classes that share the same amount of utility as we do. We have one of the strongest bursts in the game, but even our sustained damage is relatively good. Voltaic Slash can crit for 1.5k - 3k, maul gets duplicity every fifteen seconds and another chance at duplicity on a separate 10 second rate limit through impose weakness. If you time your low slash or spike, you can get two duplicity procs back to back which can lead to devastating results. Combine that with the fact that you can follow it with a reduced 50% shock and you're keeping some much needed pressure on your opponents. However, this is just assuming your target is standing still like a dummy, which we know he is not. Combine these procs with your offensive and defensive utility skills and you can pretty much lockdown your opponent unless you do not get procs when you need them, someone else comes and interferes, or you're fighting enemies wearing heavy armor. Since my return, I hardly experienced any issues with my sustain damage or my ability to 1v1 or even 1v2 people at times. I can add the pressure when i need to, get away when I need to and burst when I need to. It's all situational. I just need to think like an Assassin and play like an Assassin.

Hello all. I am guessing you have had your fair share of these threads, but since I am unable to find them, I figured I will make a new thread. I come from a long history of playing Consular/ Inquisitor Classes (55 Shadow and Assassin and a 55 Sorcerer), and I am considering rerolling another class for the sake of playing something other than Jedi or Sith. I had my eye on the Bounty Hunter class and as I approach level 10, I am having a hard time trying to figure out which Advanced Class to roll. At this point, I have no real preference for either one but I like the utility offered by both AC. However, if I were to roll Mercenary, I am deeply considering heals. Meanwhile, if I were to go Powertech, I want to play DPS but I am actually leaning towards tanking. I've played three classes as DPS and now I want to excel as a different role.

Hello and welcome back. I, too, just returned after a long time away from the game. Thus, I find it fitting that I reply to your thread and update you with the information I've collected since I've been back! First and foremost, Madness is more or less gone for Assassins at the moment, though is alive and kicking for Sorcerers. Darkness no longer has the ability to be played in DPS gear for PvP, but is still a viable tank and I've seen Darkness Assassins reach 600k-700k protection (WoW). Lastly, Deception has changed dramatically and is heavily dependent on procs, more so than before. At the moment, Deception is the most viable for competitive PvP, particularly in DPS. It has incredible burst and spike damage, but is lacking in sustained damage. If you are wanting to roll Deception, there are a few things you need to know first: 1. Remove all gear that has expertise. The Bolster system has changed and scales poorly with those who have pre-55 expertise. Any expertise you have on will hinder your stats once you enter a WZ. 2. Surge and Crit are the primary stats you want to be focusing on. The common theme is 70% Critical Multiplier (Surge Rating) and 25% Critical Chance (Critical Rating). 3. Look on the forums for rotations. Granted, PvP doesn't really rely on rotations as much as PvE, but it is still good to know when is the ideal time to pop a skill. For instance, the two common openers are opening with Spike -> Recklessness -> Discharge - > Shock -> Maul, etc. Or that rotation without spike, so you can save it for a vanish / interrupt or stun. 4. Pay attention to your procs. Do not use Maul without its rightful proc since it wastes Force.

I agree with you and I do see that I actually did contradict my point. I also wasn't aware of the references to mainstream characters either, so that's some interesting information. I'll address your question but first I want to respond to something Hansglow said: You compare our utility and abilities to escape, root, snare, and the like to other classes that seem to have more, and the conclusion you draw is to give it to us too? I agree with you that certain mechanics for other classes, primarily the Warrior/ Knight classes, are a bit over the top, but the means to fixing this issue isn't by giving us the same ability. You fix it by limiting these feats or removing them. This is something BioWare is doing wrong. By adding more utility to the classes, BioWare is dumbing down the play in PvP. They are creating too many possibilities and instead of creating skills that are meant to counter other skills, they are overlapping and thus contradicting the reason why these skills are made in the first place. BioWare then resolves this issue by buffing the skills rather than really seeing the issue. Sadly, the Sorc has received the blunt end of the shaft on this one. Now to address your question Bowersda. I agree with you in the fact the animation would be awesome, but it contradicts our playstyle. The Assassin already has sprint, in which is on a very nice cooldown might I add, to help close the distance. In addition, they have skills like Low Slash, Electrocute, Slow, Spinning Kick to lock their opponents in place and keep them at a close range. Giving us another ability to do so provides us with an unnecessary skill that we, quite frankly, don't need. When Rogues received Shadow Step in WoW, it was because they lacked mobility and the ability to catch up to range targets that gained a ton of abilities to snare, root, or kite them. In Vanilla, all they had was sprint on a 2 min CD and crippling poison that was at a rather average proc rate. In Burning Crusade, Rogues received Shadow Step in the Subtley talent tree, but since Subtley's damage was lacking, it was rarely exploited. Then in Wrath of the Lich King, Blizzard gave Shadow Step to all Rogues and thus, gave rogues real power over range classes. BioWare has done the opposite. Rather than create a strong dynamic for range classes by giving them incredible ability to kite, they've actually given melee the advantage early on. Sure Juggernauts faced issues when their Force Push didn't refresh Leap, but with each patch, melee has been getting stronger and stronger with closing the gaps. With the exception of Snipers getting roll, Range classes hardly received any buffs in balancing that strength. So in short, the reason why leap for Assassins will be overpowered is because we just don't need it. Giving us another ability to close the gap against a type of class that is already suffering (Except Snipers) is going to create an illusion that we are stronger than we are. BioWare will focus on this illusion and ultimately ignoring our flaws and issues that have really been hindering us.

I think you have a good idea with attacking breach and discharge to whirling blow. I've been promoting an idea for Sorcerers that would allow them to spread a dot to multiple targets, whether it is just one dot or several dots. I think your suggestion with whirling blow will have that same affect. I am a strong advocate in believing that DoT orientated specs should be focused around the idea of applying dots to multiple targets in order to apply pressure to healers. After all, all their damage is sustained and therefore, doesn't match another class with burst damage. The best way to counter or balance this is give them better AoE ability. This will add extra pressure to the healer by giving them more to heal.

Firstly, I want to thank the guy for quoting the idea I mentioned in another thread. Didn't expect that. Now in response to this: Never played Guild Wars, so didn't think about that. The term epidemic comes from the definition of an illness or disease spreading drastically. Obviously the name can change. I made a couple ideas in another thread that defines this potential spell as well as other possible spells to consider. Epidemic Cast Time: 2.0 Seconds Duration: 18 Seconds Cooldown: 30 Seconds Description: The Sith Sorcerer launches a sphere of dark energy towards a target that deals X damage over 18 seconds. Once afflicted, the dark energy spreads like an epidemic to all enemy targets within a 15 meter radius and exists for 18 seconds. Epidemic cannot spread more than once per cast. Consume Mind: Cast Time: 1.0 Seconds Duration: 8 seconds Cooldown: None Description: Consume Mind afflicts a target, increasing their cast time by 20% for its total duration. Tainted Darkness: Cast Time: 1.0 Second Duration: 12 Seconds Cooldown: 8 Seconds Description: Tainted Darkness deals X damage over 12 seconds. While afflicted by this spell, the target speed is reduced by 50% Drain Life: Channel Time: 3.0 Seconds Cooldown: 8 Seconds Description: The Sorcerer channels the dark side of the force into target player, absorbing X life and restoring X life of their own. Obviously these spells are geared towards Madness specced Sorcerers and can be modified, if needed, for Assassins so that it can be used in melee too. The theme here is to enhance the spec's DoT theme by adding more DoTs, only these ones do more than deal damage. Giving Madness a spell equivilant to Curse of Tongues by reducing a caster's cast time could make them more appealing in competitive Arenas, since I do not believe another class exists in SWTOR with that ability. Also, giving them more self heals could counter the dependency on Consumption in order to get Force back.. These spells do not address Madness spec's main concerns, which is force management, mobility, and control, but it does compliment the spec's design. Let me know what you guys think.

The common misconception about Assassins and Shadows is that they're supposed to be based off of "Darth Maul". This is actually not true. Granted Darth Maul was the first to be introduced on the big screen to wield a double-bladed lightsaber, he was not the first to actually use this in the Star Wars universe. If I am not mistaken, I believe Exar Kun was the first mention of the lightsaber. Secondly, the role Assassins and Shadows play in the Jedi and Sith society, based on lore, also don't reflect Darth Maul. They lurk in the shadows, they use the force to conceal themselves. They are a class that is more surprise and attack then anything. Granted Jedi Shadows reflect martial prowess in their animations, they are not considered masters in lightsaber combat, unlike the Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior. When you put it into in game content and play style, the leap also does not suit the Assasin's style, where I think Sprint suits them well. They're fast, nimble and agile. A leap would throw them into battle when they need to lurk around it and wait for the right opportunity. Now something similar to the Rogue's Shadowstep in WoW could be something worth looking into for Assassins, since it offers a similar mechanic to leap but will bring the Assassin behind the target. However, I do not think this is entirely necessary. Assassins and Shadows have plenty of skills to close the distance between themselves and their targets. If they cannot catch up to them, they have the ability to vanish away from battle and reset the fight. Including a Shadow Step now would make us overpowered in all the wrong ways, and may hinder BioWare's ability to look at the real issues we have.

Sith Sorcerer 56 Skill: Epidemic Cast Time: 2.0 Seconds Duration: 18 Seconds Cooldown: 30 Seconds Description: The Sith Sorcerer launches a sphere of dark energy towards a target that deals X damage over 18 seconds. Once afflicted, the dark energy spreads like an epidemic to all enemy targets within a 15 meter radius and exists for 18 seconds. Epidemic cannot spread more than once per cast. Consume Mind: Cast Time: 1.0 Seconds Duration: 8 seconds Cooldown: None Description: Consume Mind afflicts a target, increasing their cast time by 20% for its total duration. Tainted Darkness: Cast Time: 1.0 Second Duration: 12 Seconds Cooldown: 8 Seconds Description: Tainted Darkness deals X damage over 12 seconds. While afflicted by this spell, the target speed is reduced by 50% Drain Life: Channel Time: 3.0 Seconds Cooldown: 8 Seconds Description: The Sorcerer channels the dark side of the force into target player, absorbing X life and restoring X life of their own. These spells are geared more towards Madness spec than Lightning, but some of them can compliment Lightning. Epidemic will help Madness Sorcs spread their dots around while also adding another dot to stack. Consume Mind gives them an advantage against healers, increasing their value in Arenas by having utility no other class has (I think). Tainted Darkness gives them another spell to kite with, perhaps replace slow by adding damage. Drain Life could be something that replaces Force Lightning in a Madness Sorc's rotation and can compliment their force management and making consumption less risky by giving them an offensive way of gaining life.