Just wanted to start a numbers thread on the differences and thoughts about which is better, Rocket Punch or Rail Shot when being a Tank Specced BH. This could be a long post i'm sorry.

 

My thoughts about this were starting to get a bit conflicted and it wasn't until i started this thread and wrote down the figures that i came to conclusion which you will see at the end.

 

For one lets start with Rail Shot as this is where i had decided to go. An ability that can only be used against a target which is incapacitated or under the effects of a DOT. On a 15 second cooldown, and can be triggered via Rocket Punch, which will be 100% if specced in to ION Overload. Can be used from anywhere from close up to 30m away.

 

First tier Adv Prototype, you get Puncture. Then in the first tier Shield Tech, you have Rail Loaders.

 

Now thats 60% off targets armour value (Puncture)

And 6% bonus to damage (Rail Loaders)

Taking the numbers from TOR-Head as i cant check at the moment i'm not at home.

With Rail Loaders an average Rail Shot does 2765 - 2951 dmg + 6% = 2930 - 3128 dmg.

 

Compare this now to Rocket Punch, also on a 9 second cooldown. A close up and personal attack of 4m range. Iron Fist from the first tier of Pyrotech gives it 8% damage increase plus with Flame Shield in the 4th Tier you get a 30% Crit Chance and with Flame Surge 5th Tier, you get a 30% Crit Damage bonus.

 

Now thats 30% Crit Chance + 30% Crit Damage Bonus

And 8% bonus to damage (Iron Fist)

With the numbers from TOR-Head again:

Rocket Punch does 2247 - 2463 dmg + 8% = 2426 - 2660 dmg.

 

If it helps, every 15 seconds with specced in to Rail Shot bonuses, you will get a potential 5591 dmg, thats taking in to account you using Rocket Punch to Proc Rail Shot. Specced in to Rocket Punch bonuses you will get a potential 3128, plus your Rail Shot if you use it (which you will) which comes out to a potential 5590, every 9 seconds, with the chance of a crit to add 30% extra crit damage.

 

Conclusion, Rocket Punch does appear to be the better one. For some reason when i started this thread i could have swore that Rail Shot was on a 9 second cool down as well.

Edited December 20, 2011 by oOEggmanOo

You also left out the cooldown reset on rocket punch

Flame Shield - Increases the critical chance of Rocket Punch and Flame Sweep by [15 / 30]%. In addition, shielding an attack has a [25 / 50]% chance to finish the cooldown on Rocket Punch. This effect cannot occur more than once every 4.5 seconds.

 

with points in this, chances are you're cooldown on the punch goes down to ~4.5-5 seconds. So the DPS contribution from the ability nearly doubles depending on how you weave it into your priority rotation.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Methane

You also left out the cooldown reset on rocket punch

 

 

with points in this, chances are you're cooldown on the punch goes down to ~4.5-5 seconds. So the DPS contribution from the ability nearly doubles depending on how you weave it into your priority rotation.

 

glad u added this as i was just about to, dont forget also RP leaves a dot.

 

but like I keep saying we cant really speculate till we get a working combat log and then we can analyse the damage properly. sooner we get a recount addon the better imo.

Edited December 20, 2011 by snowmon

Yeah been doing some more checking and i don't know why, but i could have sworn that Rail Shot was on a 9 second cooldown, or got something added to it that brought it in to line with Rocket Punch, which was why i was wondering why the slant towards Rocket Punch and not Rail Shots.

 

But yeah, it is looking like Rocket Punch is far superior for not only agro but damage as well.

I believe rail shot is superior if you feat for it because you can get it to have 90% armor penetration and 100% crit chance and the CD resets on RP or FB. Oh an ofc it has 30m range.... Edited December 20, 2011 by ShockDevil

I believe rail shot is superior if you feat for it because you can get it to have 90% armor penetration and 100% crit chance and the CD resets on RP or FB. Oh an ofc it has 30m range....

 

Can you explain that please Shock, i'm looking on TOR-Head and i can't see how that could be possible.

Sorry found it, your on about speccing in to the Pyrotech branch, we are talking about speccing in to being a valid tank and the merits of Rocket Punch against Rail Shot.

 

Yes you are correct in Pyro, Rail Shot would be a better choice.

The correct answer for a Shield Tech is both. Rocket Punch triggers Ion Gas Cylinder placing a DoT on the target allowing you to use Rail Shot. I like to open with Explosive Shot into Jet Charge to Rocket Punch (Explosive Shot should explode here) and then Rail Shot.

Both are fairly high priorityabilities for single target of all 3 specs. For shield tech rockeddt punch is #1 priority for single targert and rail shot is #2

Edit:

Made a comment but it was mad logic..

 

What i will ask though is, do you think for some more mitigation you could take the point out of Oil Slick and pop it in to Power Armour like this. Or does the 20% debuff on a 60 second cooldown mean more to you?

Edited December 20, 2011 by oOEggmanOo

you need oil slick, nothing is worth the loss of 20% damage reduction.

 

best times for oil slick..

 

1) on the pull of multiple mobs

2) last few % of boss fights where they will more than likely have increased damage.

 

last thing you want is to die in the last few % of a boss fight and wipe because of it.

 

being said even thou its a very good tanking ability it could do with tweaking, I would prefer to see it as a frontal cone ability rather than just surrounding the player.

 

this is the only spec you should be using imo.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301G0GrdorogzZMsbZb.1

Edited December 20, 2011 by snowmon

Edit:

Made a comment but it was mad logic..

 

What i will ask though is, do you think for some more mitigation you could take the point out of Oil Slick and pop it in to Power Armour like this. Or does the 20% debuff on a 60 second cooldown mean more to you?

 

yup, oil slick is just another tanking cooldown for when things get rough.