As mentioned in the title. Planning to create an Operative, and want to go a DPS route, but a bit torn on which tree to use. I'm mostly interested in PvE, and from a leveling perspective (I have yet to do anything more than get my toes wet in the endgame, despite several 50s at this point). I'm also not necessarily interested in which is better per se, as long as it's fun. Though with several alts, if I feel notably weaker than those, it can change the way I feel about play, so I don't necessarily want to underperform, per se.

 

The big divide for me seems to be style vs. resource management. Lethality has, gasp!, actual attacks with the Rifle, which seems a little less awkward than carrying the thing around but then making nothing but knife attacks. It also gets an extra AoE, and AoE makes me tingly (although it's a slow tick, by the looks of things). Concealment, on the other hand, looks like it has a smoother time handling Energy and Tactical Advantage. It also has, at least, on paper, a movement speed advantage, though I don't know how much it'll be noticeable in practice.

 

Anyone by any chance have input they'd like to share?

Hi,

(all i'm gonna say is IMHO):

Lethality PVE

- better at solo play

- better dmg (but not by big margin)

- TA management is worse (but not by big margin)

 

Concealment PVE

- slightly worse (slower) than Lethality - in respect of DMG output and generally killing mobs

- TA management better

 

In PVP Concealment is simply better than Lethality. TA management, reliable Stealth technique (the 'basic' Lethality stealth is jk) => all things relying on Stealth Concealment does better - node guarding, ninja caps etc.

Lethality in PVP can draw bigger DMG numbers, but at the cost of DoTting everyone => breaking CC, so the team play suffer.

 

Over all I'd say atm, Concealment is better choice. If you'd do *only* PVE than Lethality might be better choice, but as said, not by much.

Since the respec cost reduction, I choose on a per-task basis. PvP? I don't want area dots screwing up everyones mezzes. So concealment here. Flashpoints? Concealment for trash, lethality on some bosses. Raids? Depends on the encounter.

 

I like both, and am switching back and forth about 2 or 3 times a day.

You will probably enjoy both but one thing I will say about concealment, if playing solo, while doing missions it is hard as hell to get off a backstab while fighting said mob if said mob is not held or stunned...they will nearly always face you no matter what you do...if you pop cloaking screen you lose agrro and said mob goes back to full health. I tried both and stuck with concealment but to me (opinion) it takes a bit for both to shine...meaning lower levels suck but higher make up for it. My 2 cents

You will probably enjoy both but one thing I will say about concealment, if playing solo, while doing missions it is hard as hell to get off a backstab while fighting said mob if said mob is not held or stunned...they will nearly always face you no matter what you do...if you pop cloaking screen you lose agrro and said mob goes back to full health. I tried both and stuck with concealment but to me (opinion) it takes a bit for both to shine...meaning lower levels suck but higher make up for it. My 2 cents

That's why you have your tank companion Kalyio (in tank mode on). She draw / hold aggro, so you just stand behind and stab ...

Speaking only about PvP, Concealment is probably both easier and better, but I have been having fun as a Lethality/Medicine hybrid for months, and it hasn't gotten old yet.

Lethality for sure. I was concealment when I first started playing, but after that got nerfed and yada yada, I decided to try lethality. I'm never going back. Lethality in is good in PvE for sure, gets the job done and is fun. But I pvp a lot, and I'm at the top of the charts in kills every game. I get most kills 95% of the time. The range poisoning, plus grenades and rifles, all mixed with some concealment are deadly together when you know how to play. Surprisingly not a glass cannon roll either, I can square off one and one easily. In, short, Lethality is my favorite.

PvE Ops perspective here-- Definitely Lethality. Just general quality of life differences like having stuff to do if you get knocked back (remember-- no gap closer and concealment is like all melee) and energy management is a bit smoother. The only thing that really sucks is we're notoriously bad at target switching due to our reliance on our dots and the energy cost being restrictive to constant re-application. For this alone concealment is better for leveling and dailies, but I digress.

 

The only major QoL change I'd ask for with lethality, and concealment too would benefit from this, is much longer TA durations. Nothing annoys me more than getting knocked back right as I'm about to shiv because my TA is about to fall off and I'm suddenly out of range before I get it off. Really screws with the rotation. But other than that Lethality is pretty fun to raid with.

Either. Personally, having played both, I get better results with Lethality, 'specially on my sniper. Really, more FUN, is Concealment. If you get over the fact of the lack-luster damage, and long CDs, you really feel like a ******, especially in PvP. Personally, my fav class + spec, even with all the nerfs.

 

Try both, see which you prefer.