Assassins seem oddly segregated on what abilities they actually use based on spec. It seems unless you're Darkness you won't be making much use of force lightning except in certain situations. Likewise, maul seems only utilized by Deception sins and hybrids, and crushing darkness only looks useful if you're Madness.

 

I honestly can't think of any situation you'd use crushing darkness in if you weren't Madness specced.

 

Same goes for maul if you're a tank.

 

Is this a pretty accurate assessment? I'm going tank spec but I'm still low level (still on Dromund Kaas) and I haven't been using maul because it's so inefficient without the talents for it, plus Khem is still doing a good bit of tanking. I almost feel like I should have dropped at least 1 point in duplicity to at least give myself some option to use it when soloing and the mob is facing Khem.

You say "oddly segregated", but isn't this kind of logical actually?

 

I mean abilities are situational and so are specs. So it makes sense that certain abilities compliment certain specs and certain abilities add nothing to certain specs and roles/situations.

That didnt answer my question at all..

He's basically agreeing with you, and yes you're right. I'm Deception, and maul is really one of my prime damage dealers, because of that first trait in the tree as you say.. Occasionally without, as another ability in the tree allows me for some massive force regen for a little while, so I can afford it.

Without being specced in that tree I doubt I'd be using it much really, as it's very costly to use.

 

Personally though, I'd drop a few points into deception for the cheap maul proc, even as a tank. It's great for regaining aggro when a mob turns his back on you really.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Pheebe

Personally though, I'd drop a few points into deception for the cheap maul proc, even as a tank. It's great for regaining aggro when a mob turns his back on you really.

 

As a tank you shouldn't count on losing aggro in the first place, and if you do you should look at your ability priorities instead of placing points in a sub-optimal talent that's only going to see situational use.

You're welcome!

Maul is used very often with Madness as well so that might have been a bad example.

Duplicity is IMO too good to not put 3 points into in any spec.

I guess for raid bosses that never take their eyes off you it could be a wasted three points but really what will you get instead in any build? Nothing as useful i think.

Duplicity is not a skill a tank should take under any circumstances. Skills that increase DPS are not necessarily bad to pick up with your extra skill points, but one that requires you not to have aggro is a bad talent. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#200MIrokrskbsZZf0cM.2 is generally considered standard, you could move the points in chain shock around, but not to duplicity. Maul shouldn't even be on your quickbar as a tankassin.

Idk, I have tanked with 31/3/7 without too many problems using the maul. Anything smaller than a raid boss can be stunned before maul. Then there are bosses that will incapacitate you like soa with the prison and etc... i find lots of chances to maul in raids. Shock quite honestly is a bad skill without energize because thrash is more cost effective.

But let's not debate dark ward and lightning reflexes with the shroud and regen bonus because that **** makes no logical sense anyways, so I guess do what works for you.

Duplicity is not a skill a tank should take under any circumstances. Skills that increase DPS are not necessarily bad to pick up with your extra skill points, but one that requires you not to have aggro is a bad talent. http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#200MIrokrskbsZZf0cM.2 is generally considered standard, you could move the points in chain shock around, but not to duplicity. Maul shouldn't even be on your quickbar as a tankassin.

 

Not true at all, i can name a few times where maul is a very nice thing to have, Kephess EC fight during the fight from 100-60%, kephess fight in TFB as extra dps and when off tanking, in KP on Karaga as off tank, on the rancor fight in KP, in tfb on writhing horror aswell. So saying that its a useless talent is not true its actually very good in many cases and i consider it alot better contribution than chain shock.

 

Highest crit on kephess in TFB 14k damage on maul proc.