Hi there, I have been searching for a decent leveling build for my scoundrel, at the moment i am stuck between scrapper and sawbones, with some people suggesting take sawbones until SRM then switch to scrapper?

 

Please can you help by posting your builds + basic combat rotations. Thank you

 

TLDR: What is your preferred build + rotation for leveling.

My favourite way to level? Well, I'd have said PVP until this afternoon, damn idiots on my team always!

 

But I find, Blaster Volley + Thermal Grenade + aoe groups, lots of fun and quick too, dirty fighting spec would probably work best but any works with aoe to be fair. Healing FP's/levelling with a tank buddy as a healer also works, lots of social points and a hell of an easy ride

Level 30 something Scoundrel here and I'll throw in my 2 cents. I used Scrapper up until Balmorra, and then switched to SawBones. From my experience, Scrapper is a bit harder to stay alive, but you mow down mobs quicker while the Sawbones is easy to stay alive but it takes awhile to progress through mobs due to your companion's damage not being too high (at least with Corso and Bowdaar with green gear).

 

PhazAeth

 

Edit: Rotation for Scrapper (General PvE Situations)

 

Stealth

Apply CC (after level 20 for non-robotic) to Strong/Elite.

Set my companion on a mob (usually the "stronger" or healer of the normal mobs)

Use backblast on the weakest mob to hopefully 1HKO them.

Then pistol whipped the next strongest.

Applied Pugnacity

Quick Shoot until dead.

Move on to next mob opening with Backblast.

Pistol Whip

Etc...

 

 

I use Upper Hand Abilities, Grenades and interrupts liberally when they are available and as needed. You'll get the feel for it as you level up. Pistol whip and back blast are the bread and butter. Grenades will break CC, but it can also serve as a quick knockdown on a non-strong NPC. It's free to respec once a week, so give it a shot and if you don't like the play style, head back to the Republic Fleet and change specs.

 

Hopefully this helps some.

Edited January 28, 2012 by PhazAeth

Just keep Risha updated and go Sawbones. Scrapper is fine except for the couple missions on each planet where you have to activate an item that calls forth a gold and a couple extras. Not being able to start from stealth just cripples you. Sawbones is just as good, absurdly easy. Risha also seems to perform way better with scrub greens versus Corso or Bowdaar.

 

It's not that Scrapper is bad, I leveled from 10-30 and like 35-45 or so as Scrapper and never had a really tough time. But Sawbones has, no kidding, 0 down time, Risha does great damage, and you have more Upper Hand procs than you know what to do with. Also much easier to get into Heroics.

Personally, I would put points whever you want (crit is nice at low levels) until lvl 20, then respec to get sucker punch in Scrapper. From there, use Theran Cedrax from the time you get him and keep going scrapper. Bowdaar or corso are also nice if you want to kill a little faster, but don't mind stopping to rest a few seconds between fights.

Scrapper works fine for leveling when you get Suckerpunch. A lot of times you can get Suckerpunch chains by killing normal mobs. But basically it's pretty fast and painless, and you get the talent that improves stealth.

 

On my operative, leveling became almost pure relaxation once I got my healing companion. I don't have it yet with my scoundrel, but I'm of course expecting the same thing here.

 

So yeah, I recommend scrapper for leveling.

Thanks for your input guys, the general jist im getting is that scrapper is more glass cannon ie. higher dps but with downtime after more challenging mobs, and sawbones is the 'slow and steady' build.

 

I think ima stick to scrapper now and if i encounter issues ill give sawbones a shot.

Personally, I would put points whever you want (crit is nice at low levels) until lvl 20, then respec to get sucker punch in Scrapper. From there, use Theran Cedrax from the time you get him and keep going scrapper. Bowdaar or corso are also nice if you want to kill a little faster, but don't mind stopping to rest a few seconds between fights.

 

Smugglers get a consular companion now? Sweet.

 

 

 

As sawbones i've managed to do all heroic +2 quests solo. I am usually 2-3 levels above content due to a massive pvp boast when i went mad on pvp in my 20's, but i know i wouldn't be able to do it as dps though.

 

As sawbones you should also be able to solo any world champion mobs you find, but you may need emergency med pack first to be able easily, ~L20. healing was crap for pve though until about level 20 where you start unlocking more healing skills. So i Pvped through these levels