it's instant and does massive damage. isnt that enough? oO

That's a good point, but i just figured it was no better than grav round, full auto, etc, but then again i wasn't paying too much attention to anything other than damage

I guess I have no real choice other than to fully spec into one tree. Shame.

Kolto bomb isn't a bad skill, but you still don't want to hybridize when you're playing a commando. You can do your one role (heal or dps) very well, or you can do both poorly.

Also, before someone comes screaming and yelling at me that kolto bomb doesn't heal for a lot and only hits 3 targets, it gives a 10% damage shield on the 3 people it hits and you can use it twice in one overcharge duration. The shield lasts 15 seconds and if you're doing it properly, you will almost always have that shield up on your tank and the nearest melee dps. It's simply an amazing ability for the duration of a fight. It by no means heals as much as the sages AoE heal, but I can throw it while moving and people hit by it take less damage and 5% increased healing from everybody.

If I was to do a Assault spec it would be:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#8000zZMckZfhMrzGGrs.1

My Gunnery is:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#800bfMZMIkdRrdRkcz.1

If I was to do a Assault spec it would be:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#8000zZMckZfhMrzGGrs.1

 

My Gunnery is:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#800bfMZMIkdRrdRkcz.1

I have almost the same Assault spec. But I've put two points in Nightvision Scope rather than Rapid Recharge. The increased stealth detection is just pure gold in PvP. It always amuses me how surprised all stealthers are when I break 'em out of it from several meters away

I'm going with this one, posted by someone on the last page.

What are you doing with this spec again? If this is a pure min max spec parallitic combat stims is not useful, get one of the alacarity talents. Also cover fire is a useless talent. Because of the delay in full auto in almost any situation pve or pvp it will never actually hits in time.

I am a Commando going up the Gunnery tree and I am almost level 40. I like Commando a lot, but I feel like for my level I am still getting knocked around quite a bit and I am unable to finish mobs as fast as I would like.

I have thought about possibly going Assault instead, can anyone give me any tips or point me in the right direct?

Just hit 50 and honestly I feel assault is the best dps spec.

The problem with gunnery is you can't put out damage quickly since need at least 2 grav rounds to do a big spike whereas assault can constantly spam damage.

Also if you can get the plasma cell dot, inc round dot, and plasma nade dot on someone then Assault plastiqe -- HiB -- full auto -- HiB its a massive amount of damage, especially when they go below 30% and all those dots are constantly critting.

The other advantage of assault is that hammer shot becomes extremely powerful by adding the dot and doing bonus damage to targets on fire as well as slow.

Gunnery has its place and will do slightly higher damage under ideal conditions, but assault does pretty much the same or higher with none of the glaring weaknesses.

I was amazed with how much damage assault was the first time I used it in pvp. Double the damage I was doing with gunnery because my mobility and survivability shot way up.

Just hit 50 and honestly I feel assault is the best dps spec.

 

The problem with gunnery is you can't put out damage quickly since need at least 2 grav rounds to do a big spike whereas assault can constantly spam damage.

you confused gunnery for assault, right? Oh no... you write something about grav round... ok, seems you are a bit confused. Gunnery is the Nuke Tree... Assault is Dot, kiting and a bit AoE. it doesnt really kill, it just prepares the opponents to get killed by someone who actually can spike.

srsly, if something only counts as fast, if you kill everything with one shot, go play space invaders. Grav, Grav/demo, Grav/Hib is a rotation thats finished in 4.5 seconds and kills everything but tanks, granted that someone else is doin a bit damage and they arent guarded or get healed (ye, i didnt add the global cooldown, because you can avoid it by pressing the skill you want to use next about 0.4 seconds before the currently casting skill ends).

Grav+hib/demo pretty much do they're damage at the same time if you time it. that means you'll land 4000 to 6000 dmg instantly. you dont even need to have gravs or charges stacked. if you plan on spiking with a grp, just charge your hib buff on other enemys.

You missed a lot of what I said and clearly don't have much experience with assault.

It can nuke pretty much just as hard as gunnery can.

If a meele jumps on you, or a sorc starts ccing / dammage good luck getting 2 grav rounds off.

I said under ideal condition gunnery will do slightly more damage, but if those situations do not come you can't do anything.

See now you guys are making me consider assault. Well, atleast I'm only lvl 14.

Keep debating. I want to know which is better.

Keep debating. I want to know which is better.

One isn't inherently better than the other. I'm constantly topping the damage with both specs in warzones (and PvE). Assault requires less charging up than Gunnery but at the same time won't get full effect out of it's attacks unless the fight lasts longer than your standard hardmode flashpoint mobs (which dies in a few seconds). Gunnery will do massive damage if you can stand still and nuke. Assault will allow you to keep doing good damage even while moving. Assault is also great for dealing with melee as you can kite 'em. Gunnery is more ammo efficient but once you go low your damage will plumet (assuming you've already used your CDs). Assault has higher upfront ammo costs but with the skill Adrenaline Fueled you've got good ammo recovery mechanics.

Do you see what I'm getting at? They've both got their strengths and weaknesses. It mostly comes down to individual playstyles.

For leveling I'd probably pick Gunnery though. PvP? Dunno, they both have merit. But at the end of the day I think I prefer the mobility of Assault. Unless I'm playing late at night and just wanna shoot Grav Rounds while half asleep ^^ But that's just me.

I played gunnery till level 20, then switched to assault. In many PvE situations as gunnery, I found myself getting roflpwned by anything that could hit hard and close distance, while as assault I'm able to kite with more efficiency.

Assault does however do less burst, so you might be taking a little longer to kill stuff. Assault also has worse ammo management, but I'm perfectly fine with that.

Overall: (from a level 28 trooper)

gunnery = more burst, less mobility.

assault = less burst, more mobility.

Gunnery is the pve spec, there are a good many threads as to why.

For heavy, sustained damage the hard casts of gunnery will demolish AS very quickly. Most of the time I hit a button a crit of 3400-5200 pops up, with my FA triple critting in the 8-10k range with all cd's/pots. AS will not keep up with that kind of damage output.

BUT

As will dominate in battle grounds due to multi dotting and on the move dps.

TL:dR

Gunnery: pve

PVP: AS

For those who dps as Assault....what are the stat priorities? How are they different than the rest of the trees?

No real difference tbh. Your main attacks are charged burst and high impact bolt, so you want to stack crit so they hit like a truck. Anything else is gravy. Plus as always, critting on a mortar volley is a thing of beauty.

<snip>

 

Me personally i like to run http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#800bfRoRdcdzZMIorR0z.1 because i like to heal and do damage based on the situation. with this build i run combat support cell and grav round the crap out of people and keep down kolto grenade and trauma probe i dont do as much damage but I survive alot longer and can beat almost all 1v1 situations.

Loklamone, did you go all-in on the CM tree and then build up the Gunnery tree or vice versa? Or did you build them at the same time? I'm only level 18 and I'm trying to figure out how to spread my points at these lower levels (PvE). Thanks

Gunnery is the pve spec, there are a good many threads as to why.

 

For heavy, sustained damage the hard casts of gunnery will demolish AS very quickly. Most of the time I hit a button a crit of 3400-5200 pops up, with my FA triple critting in the 8-10k range with all cd's/pots. AS will not keep up with that kind of damage output.

 

BUT

 

As will dominate in battle grounds due to multi dotting and on the move dps.

 

 

 

TL:dR

Gunnery: pve

PVP: AS

I would disagree with Gunnery being the "PvE" spec, when I can be in the top 3 for dmg and kills in warfronts. Gunnery isn't as mobile, true, but as a trooper, you don't need to be as mobile as a smuggler or JC. I have more HP than many of the "tanks" that I've played with in warfronts. The sickening amounts of dmg a Gunnery spec commando can put out will turn the tide of fights by taking people out, period.

I would disagree with Gunnery being the "PvE" spec, when I can be in the top 3 for dmg and kills in warfronts. Gunnery isn't as mobile, true, but as a trooper, you don't need to be as mobile as a smuggler or JC. I have more HP than many of the "tanks" that I've played with in warfronts. The sickening amounts of dmg a Gunnery spec commando can put out will turn the tide of fights by taking people out, period.

True True

I play AS more as a multitarget spec. I run in give everyone an IR DoT and then decide who I pressure with hammershot and plastiques.

Gunnery is excellent at picking off the weak links. And putting pressure on healers. With all that burst they have to decide who to heal.

Both had their ups and downs. But AS can do just as much damage in the scoreboards as gunnery. You just need to keep putting pressure.

So your argument, that AS is better PVE then Gunnery, because of how it preforms in PVP?

I hope you understand how silly that sounds.

See now you guys are making me consider assault. Well, atleast I'm only lvl 14.

 

Keep debating. I want to know which is better.

You are gonna be doing mostly pve they are talking about pvp. Gunnery does more dps and bennifits the group more with you grav round armor debuff. so if you are looking for pve definatly go Gunnery.

You are gonna be doing mostly pve they are talking about pvp. Gunnery does more dps and bennifits the group more with you grav round armor debuff. so if you are looking for pve definatly go Gunnery.

Gunnery is good for both PvE and PvP, I don't know why people keep calling it the "PvE spec". Yeah, AS is more mobile, but Gunnery does the massive amounts of burst damage that will let you kill targets, whether mobs or players.

One argument that some in this thread have brought up against Gunnery is that it leaves you vulnerable to attacks from 2 players or more in warfronts. That's something that every class has to worry about; it's all about positioning and support. If you're alone, you're going down if you're ganged up on no matter what class you play.

Gunnery is good for both PvE and PvP, I don't know why people keep calling it the "PvE spec". Yeah, AS is more mobile, but Gunnery does the massive amounts of burst damage that will let you kill targets, whether mobs or players.

 

One argument that some in this thread have brought up against Gunnery is that it leaves you vulnerable to attacks from 2 players or more in warfronts. That's something that every class has to worry about; it's all about positioning and support. If you're alone, you're going down if you're ganged up on no matter what class you play.

I totally agree with you I run gunnery in pvp as well. I played League of Legends for over a year so im totally accustomed to good positioning. and there is nothing more exciting for me in warfronts then to burst someone down in few seconds using gunnery. my only point to the OP was she said she was gonna be doing mostly pve. i was saying gunnery has more group friendly debuffs then AS so i would go gunnery if i were in her shoes.