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Any Updated 6.0 Watchman/Annihilator guides?


HobbitDew

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Afaik there is none. Here is some basic info for you:

 

Set Bonus: Descent of the Fearless

 

Tactical: Spiteful Saber.

You can use Hidden Power pre fight to generate focus and swap back to Spiteful Saber before pull.

 

Stats: Accuracy 1590, Alacrity 1213, Rest goes into Crit (including Crystals) except for 2 Mastery Augments

 

Relics: Focused Retribution and Serendipituous Assault for Level 75 content, for synced Content Primeval Fatesealer and Devastating Vengeance

 

Adrenal: Power for 75, Critical for synced content

 

Amplifiers: Periodic Intensity

 

 

Utilities (Standard Set): Jedi Enforcer, Stoic, Jedi Crusader, Force Fade, Ardor, Defensive Roll, Fleetfooted, Contemplation, Intercessor

 

 

Priorities:

0a. Overload Saber

0b. Refresh Cauterize via Double Saber Throw, Dispatch or Slash

1. Merciless Slash

2. Cauterize (used only once per target due to Spiteful Saber tactical)

3. Force Melt

4. Double Saber Throw (only on Proc)

5. Dispatch

6. Blade Barrage

7. Slash

 

Focus Generators to make sure you can use all priority damages skills with a cooldown on cooldown:

1. Zealous Strike

2. Force Stasis

3. Force Leap

4. Strike

 

Important Notes:

Slash/Dispatch have a higher priorioty than pre 6.0 because of the tactical Spiteful Saber. You will rather focus cap to make sure you have enough focus for a series of Slash fillers than use Blade Storm, which is not part of the rotation anymore (unless you need a 10m skill and nothing else is available)

 

You use Zen on Cooldown. Pre 6.0 you were supposed to time it on the strongest ticks of Overload Saber. but we'd lose to much Centering now with the frequent uses of Slash which mean more Centering is generated.

 

You use Valorous Call on cooldown for even more Zens, except mechanics require burst phases soon after it becomes available.

 

Activate Force Clarity before using Merciless Slash.

 

 

Standard Opener (without Tactical Swapping Shenanigans):

Meditate for full Centering

Force Leap + Overload Saber + Zen + Valorous Call

Zealous Strike + Inspiration + Force Clarity + Adrenal

Merciless Slash

Force Melt

Cauterize

Blade Barrage

Double Saber Throw (on proc)

-> Follow Priority

 

Sample parse: http://parsely.io/parser/view/469669

 

 

Defensive Cooldown Priority:

Guarded by the force is your "Oh ****"-button. Use it to mitigate almost everything in the game.

 

Saber Ward is your strongest standard Def CD.

 

Rebuke whenever you take moderat Damage. Use also as a source for building Focus via talent Jedi Crusader. This will help using lost of Slashes as fillers which is essential for optiomizing DPS in 6.x.

 

Trancendence if you don't need the speed boost soon.

 

A lot of mechanics can be cheesed by using Foce Camouflage (e.g. Lost Island Second boss knockup or Dread Guards Lightning field). Eperiment and find out.

 

You can cheese a lot of mechanics with Blade Dance, but that's always very risky and I advise against it most of the times. You can still experiment with it if you're in a group of people who don't mind if you f*** things up ;-)

 

 

Generally:

The key to good dps is maintaining uptime on your target, which also means you should use 10m abilities intelligently to keep dpsing even though you can't be in 4m melee range: Double Saber Throw (in this case also without proc), Force Melt, Blade Storm (not a rotational ability otherwise), Force Stasis, Blade Dance (not rotational otherwise).

 

The other thing is high APM: Always know beforehand what to do next and do it quickly.

 

Most important things for DPS:

Don't die.

So don't stand in stupid.

Don't die trying to cheese dps, because dead player = zero dps.

Don't make healers spend unnecessary resources on you that should instead go to tanks by trying to cheese dps.

Edited by Ardarell_Solo
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In case your interested in how tactical swapping with Hidden Power and Spiteful Saber works on Watchman, here's your standard opener for that:

 

Equip Hidden Power Tactical

Meditate for full Centering

Activate Force Camouflage

As soon as you have 3 focus activate Overload Saber

When Force Camouflage ends equip Spiteful Saber Tactical

Pull needs to occur at about 3.5 seconds left on Overload Saber cooldown

 

Force Leap + Zen + Valorous Call + Inspiration + Force Clarity + Adrenal

Merciless Slash

Force Melt + Overload Saber

Cauterize

Blade Barrage

Double Saber Throw (on proc)

-> Follow Priority

 

Sample parse for that: http://parsely.io/parser/view/469959/0

 

 

BUT:

As much as I like the feature of tacticals and the options it gives players for different occasions, I am all against tactical swapping for the same fight as is common practice right now. I therefore would like to see the following implemented:

1. Swapping a Tactical triggers a Global Cooldown of 10 secs

2. All resources and advantages gained by a Tactical item are removed when that Tactical item is unequipped - e.g. extra Focus from Hidden Power, extra Force Cloaks on Shadows etc.

Edited by Ardarell_Solo
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You wrote all that ardarell? That's a very good guide right there.

 

I worked things out myself but i was still in doubt about the opener and subsequent rotation. I keep trying with zealous strike being the main focus generator or force melt being the first.

Now that i see your guide, i will give zealous some practice. Starting with force melt and lining it up with overload saber eases it up on the execution department. I tested with both and had unconclusive results so went with the easiest. I will now give it serious consideration. I had been feeling like i should be doing 1k more damage when compared to my other dps toons. Hopefully this does the trick.

Edited by Nemmar
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Thanks for pointing at that. I think that's a pretty decent guide, I'd only add three things:

 

1. You don't use Zen for the last stack of Deadly/Overload Saber anymore, but on Cooldown.

-> I'm not happy about that, actually, since managing that has been a core element of good Watchman/Anni play for ages. But in 6.X. you lose dps doing that, since the frqeuent use of Slash generates so much Centering, you waste too much of it, if you wait for D/OS stacks. That goes for dummy parsing, but even more so for OPs/FPs fights in which you generate even more Centering. (one reason why you should always pick the Stoic utility)

 

 

2. About the rotation suggested there: It doesn't make sence to give (Vicious) Slash a set position in the 3rd GCD after Annihilate/Merciless Slash. If you play the priorities the right way, you will always refresh Rupture's/Cauterize's bleed with either Slash, Double/Twin Saber Throw or Dispatch/Execute anyway. I'm saying this, because focus/rage management is the key to max dps in 6.X so you have to place Zealous Strike in the right spot and that may very well be that 3rd GCD after Anni/MS every now and then.

 

I haven't listed a set rotation, since you actually end up with what's in that guide if you follow the priorities I listed after the opener automatically. So if you use the scripted rotation from that guide, I'd advise against that fixed spot for Slash. The positions of Overload/Deadly Saber, Force Rend/Melt and Blade Barrage/Ravage listed there are correct, but as I said, you will end up with that after the opener anyway, if you play priorities correctly.

 

Since you never know at which point you will pick up your rotation in real fights and which abilities will be off Cooldown or not, I'd generally advise to follow priorities instead of a scripted rotation.

 

 

3. The part about AoE rotation happens to be incorrect, too. Firstly I'd advise against Malmourral Mask even in AoE situations, since the AoE rotation in Watchman/Anni is actually the strongest in the game for sustained AoE DPS, if you do it right, anyway. Even more so with Double/Twin Saber Throw refreshing the Rupture/Cauterize bleed. You can find the AoE rotation in this old guide, which is still correct in that regard: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=857040

 

Since that guide is in German here's the

Rotation for sustained AOE dps in English:

 

FORCE MELT/REND

CAUTERIZE/RUPTURE

FORCE SWEEP/SMASH

Filler

Filler

Filler

Filler <- this 4th filler is important: it makes your dots reapply by themselves, "jumping" between different targets, if you keep repeating the following block afterwards:

 

FORCE SWEEP/SMASH

Filler

Filler

Filler

 

You won't ever have to reapply any of the dots, if Force Sweep/Smash keeps hitting the targets you have hit with it initially.

 

Priorities for the Filler spots:

 

MERCILESS SLASH/ANNIHILATE

<- makes your dots tick harder and you want to keep up your stacks

 

DOUBLE/TWIN SABER THROW

<- But don't use it in the last filler spot of the opening block, otherwise the dot reapplication trick won't work

 

CYCLONE/SWEEPING SLASH

<- to dump Focus/Rage

 

OVERLOAD/DEADLY SABER

<- if you need extra dps on a primary target and/or want to dump Focus/Rage

 

 

Even if you don't want to do this strictly, you should ALWAYS use Merciless Slash/Annihilate when spreading your dots, since it makes them tick harder.

 

Have fun :-)

Edited by Ardarell_Solo
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You have laid out very good guides for Watchman/Anni for PvE. Very much appreciated.

 

Do you have any suggestions for Watchman/Anni PvP? Set bonuses? Tacticals? Etc. I understand that Concentration/Fury is better, however I know Watchman/Anni can also be successful. I like Watchman for everything that Concentration is not.

 

I am a returning player after 2 xpacs off, so any information on the optimal way to use Watchman/Anni in PvP will be appreciated. Thanks.

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Tbh my PvP days are long gone and when I did I always played Focus/Concentration, mainly for the CC immunity aspect of it. I tried Watchman every now and then but sucked at it big time. So I'm afraid I can't tell you much.

 

Here's what I'd do with gear anyway: Obviously less Accuracy, more Critical.

 

Tactical: Defel Spliced Genes: I used Force Camouflage a lot in PvP, and with that and the Utility that has Transcendence cost no Centering, you can almost play like a stealth class. (I always used Fleetfooted's fast Transcendence as well because that way you're extremely mobile.)

 

Set Bonus: Still Descent of the Fearless. Because the other set bonus options that were designed with PvP in mind don't make much sense.

 

Utilities: Go for Blade Barrage Root and CC immunity on Saber Ward. I never used Leg Slash boost, though, because there are better things available. Try and use double Force Leap.

 

You can try the AoE rotation I've given in some war zones, but it's pretty tricky to pull off. Main problem with Watchman is that you're not really bursty enough to kill someone fast in a 1:1 situation, which is crucial as a dps in PvP imo. Basically I'd always go dots first and then Merciless Slash, because that's actually more bursty than the PvE opener which is designed for the best setup for sustained dps. Force Clarity still on Merciless Slash. If you try to burst on packs of players do Force Melt, Cauterize, Force Sweep, Merciless Slash, Double Saber Throw (no matter if procced). If you want to be even quicker Cauterize, Force Sweep, Double Saber Throw (more burst, faster, less dps.

 

Good luck and kudos if you can make it work :-)

Edited by Ardarell_Solo
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I have been pvp'ing as watchman. I liked it more than concentration (read, warzones, not arena).

If you take the utility on the third tier that heals you on each rage spender, plus the passive that heals you for 15% of dot damage plus the faster aquisition of concentration stacks through the utility on the first tier (getting attacked) and using zen more often, you actually self heal a lot and are very strong 1v1. You can show those concentration sentinels who's boss. ;)

 

Definitly not an upfront burst though. I actually use the pve tactical for the extra damage pressure cause well, its warzones, i don't need to constantly flee for my life cause i respawn. But i do need to kill others faster to get objectives.

Edited by Nemmar
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I have been pvp'ing as watchman. I liled it more than concentration (read, warzones, not arena).

If you take the utility on the third tier that heals you on each rage spender, plus the passive that heals you for 15% of dot damage plus the faster aquisition of concentration stacks through the utility on the first tier (getting attacked) and using zen more often, you actually self heal a lot and are very strong 1v1. You can show those concentration sentinels who's boss. ;)

 

Interesting, thanks for pointing that out

 

Definitly not an upfront burst though. I actually use the pve tactical for the extra damage pressure cause well, its warzones, i don't need to constantly flee for my life cause i respawn. But i do need to kill others faster to get objectives.

 

I primarily used that to stealth acquire objectives. Fast Transcendence plus Camou lets you take Denove middle objective before enemies reach the node a lot of times for example...

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Yes, i do have that option too. I use the utility that gives transcendence no cost and instead a 30 second cd. But i recognise that with the stealth reset tactical and the utility that gives it a speed boost you will be more mobile and sneaky. Just less deadly.

It's a choice. Cant have both sadly.

But its worth taking into account that the spiteful saber dot ticks will also add up to the self healing on top of the extra damage.

Edited by Nemmar
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But i recognise that with the stealth reset tactical and the utility that gives it a speed boost you will be more mobile and sneaky. Just less deadly.

It's a choice. Cant have both sadly.

 

Exactly. It actually depends on the WZ what's better. In my old days I had the impression sneaky and mobile helped me more all in all, but as I said, I haven't been PvPing enough to say what's best in current WZ rotation. In arena PvP sneaky and mobile is obviously not the way to go ...

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Exactly. It actually depends on the WZ what's better. In my old days I had the impression sneaky and mobile helped me more all in all, but as I said, I haven't been PvPing enough to say what's best in current WZ rotation. In arena PvP sneaky and mobile is obviously not the way to go ...

 

Actually in arena the stealth reset tactical is mandatory cause it lets you exit being focused, but i have no idea how viable watchman is in arena. Most people seem to go concentration for the cc immunity (though a bit unreliable if you ask me) and burst. Given the current high damage meta it gives watchman less of a chance to shine if the fights are over quicker. Funny, cause watchman was supposed to be the pvp spec once upon a time.

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Going back to PvE, a little note on gearing: The two Mastery Augments I listed do in fact only make sens in level 75 content, i.e. DXUN Operation and Meridian Flashpoint. Everywhere else Mastery is capped and you're actually better off using Critical Augments for the same reason you use a different set of relics theres.

 

So if you wanna be lazy and not switch equipment (and you're not doing DXUN Master Mode anytime soon), I suggest going for Critical Augements, Relics of Devastating Vengeance and Primeval Fatesealer and Critical Adrenal.

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Actually in arena the stealth reset tactical is mandatory cause it lets you exit being focused, but i have no idea how viable watchman is in arena. Most people seem to go concentration for the cc immunity (though a bit unreliable if you ask me) and burst. Given the current high damage meta it gives watchman less of a chance to shine if the fights are over quicker. Funny, cause watchman was supposed to be the pvp spec once upon a time.

 

What made watchman the PvP was the self heals. Back in the day, you could pop Zen+Medpac+GBtF and heal to full. Plus if you knew how to use your other defensives, you could 2v1 pretty easily depending on competency. I have been Watchman spec from 1.0-2.5, 2.5-4.0 Combat, then in 4.0 I went back to Watchman. I only changed to combat because of my guilds needs (Improved Trans). I only played until 4.1 and didnt pick it back up until now.

 

I respec'd into that self heals and dropped the Blade Blitz immobilize immunity to pick it up. I feel like the Imp Trans and Zealous Judgement? (Pacify Utility) are pretty much must haves for PvP.

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Where is this obtained from? Thanks!

 

You can buy it from the Knight Vendor on the Fleet (only on Knight characters) for 3000 Tech Fragments plus 1 Mio. Creds. It also has an increased drop chance from Daily/Weekly Mission crates. But since tacticals are so important and you should get used to their changed playstyle early I'd advise you to pick it up as your very first item from the vendor once you have enough tech fragments.

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