The ST (SS) and PT (AS) trees don’t synergize well given that they have talents that buff different stances.

The Carolina Parakeet is a hybrid ST/Pyro build and is a very known spec in this board. They synergize with each other pretty well given if you can get passed the point that you "waste" three talent points into CGC talent.

Yep, you get it now.

 

This is what I meant by saying in the Guide that Shield mechanic is weak.

 

Part of the reason I published my Guide today is I've been seeing a lot of players on the PT and VG forums advocating taking the Shield talents in PVP without realizing you get very little return for those talent points.

 

But I'm not 50 yet, what do I know

Just found what Shielding does work against.

Marauders and Juggernauts are ****ed. Royally. 90% of their attacks are mitigated by shields.

I think we found the entire basis for the common "Nerf OPs!" and "Buff Sith Warriors!" posts.

Here we have a mechanic which only really applies to a quarter of the population in PvP.

Absolutely disgusting. There isn't even a small semblance of balance here. I can't believe no one thought about this during all of Beta and QA sessions.

So, due to the large amount of Jedi/Warriors on my server, it is probably still worthwhile to have shields, but not to stack shields.

It also explains why our PvP set has virtually no shielding stats and a crap ton of Defense. It isn't poorly itemized, we're just poorly designed. GG BW.

not care to comment on anything other than that part of my post?

and to your reply? No you cant understand a class, sure the mechanics can be similar. But the way the specs develop as you level and the abilities you gain make it change.

My Pyrotech ahs the highest burst damage of anybody on my server. Try combining a 595 power adrenal with a 355 power trinket, add 25% crit chance on top of a 32% crit chance with an 80% modifier. Having a 72% crit chance on my rail shot, combining with a thermal detonator. I burst for over 10k in a global. bearing in mind those are with buffs and can only be pulled at a specific time. Without buffs, my rail shot crits from 3.5k to 4k, and the same with the thermal det.

Pyrotech as a spec doesnt even come into its own until ur around level 44.

Would you accept a guide from a level 20 wow player? No you would be shunned into oblivion.

And yes, the information you have posted is pretty much what any intelligent individual can acquire from reading their abilities/specs etc.

Also, if your continually getting comments from players who are vastly more experienced in playing the class that you're trying to write a guide about. Telling you things you have done wrong or said wrong. Go figure.

Just found what Shielding does work against.

 

Marauders and Juggernauts are ****ed. Royally. 90% of their attacks are mitigated by shields.

 

I think we found the entire basis for the common "Nerf OPs!" and "Buff Sith Warriors!" posts.

 

Here we have a mechanic which only really applies to a quarter of the population in PvP.

 

Absolutely disgusting. There isn't even a small semblance of balance here. I can't believe no one thought about this during all of Beta and QA sessions.

 

So, due to the large amount of Jedi/Warriors on my server, it is probably still worthwhile to have shields, but not to stack shields.

 

It also explains why our PvP set has virtually no shielding stats and a crap ton of Defense. It isn't poorly itemized, we're just poorly designed. GG BW.

So Empowered Tech is even worse now, at least in PvP.

Well, if you're referring to the Specialist build I made(I'm sorry, I can't call it a parakeet!), I only have it for the CD reset on RP and Heat dissipation.

 

Good to see your posts here though, don't let the haters get to you, which I doubt they will.

You'll get over it. I'm not Republic scum!

not care to comment on anything other than that part of my post?

Not really, because I pretty much anticipated you'd post something like this:

My Pyrotech ahs the highest burst damage of anybody on my server.

And yes, the information you have posted is pretty much what any intelligent individual can acquire from reading their abilities/specs etc.

You know everything already, you aren't my intended audience.

Other folks will find what I wrote helpful, even if to you it's obvious.

Would you accept a guide from a level 20 wow player? No you would be shunned into oblivion.

Actually, I have experience writing Guides for classes before level cap and for classes that other people have been playing for 6+ years ahead of me.

Go check the US Prot Pally forum. See the stickied Prot Pally Guide there?

I wrote it before Cataclysm launched and shortly after I hit level cap in WotLK.

There were people like you who questioned my posting that Guide (I hadn't Arena'd yet either, that came later) just as you are now.

Anyway, there isn't much value dialoguing with you, but I did want to rebutt a few points you made.

Adios.

So Empowered Tech is even worse now, at least in PvP.

I'd kill for a combat log or parser so I can see how much damage is being let through in PvE as well.

Well, if you're referring to the Specialist build I made(I'm sorry, I can't call it a parakeet!), I only have it for the CD reset on RP and Heat dissipation.

 

Good to see your posts here though, don't let the haters get to you, which I doubt they will.

I've seen the build, and I get why you want to invest the points in ST to get the resetter for the RP cooldown, because that can be used to proc a RS cooldown, and RP can hit hard with the ST talents.

That being said, given that Shield doesn't work on many attacks types, are you going to stick with with 21 in ST?

I ask because there are some awesome talents in the middle tree related to increasing CC and damage, and FB is a spammable ranged resetter for the RS cooldown, so you don't have to "rely" on RP per se to reset RS.

Are you still planning on running a 21/2/18 build, knowing what you know now?

Jet Charge is still an awesome skill. The armor boost from Ion is around 15% dr to kinetic and energy which is huge (plus another 5% dr). I guess the shield chance is there to proc our core abilities. The survivability is still noticeable between using Ion Gas and other cylinder.

Are you still planning on running a 21/2/18 build, knowing what you know now?

Definitely. Armor still works. Flat damage reduction still works. Jet Charge still works. No Escape still works. I still have a **** ton of Jedi on my server for what little shielding I will get. I still love Guard and the people I PvP with still depend on it. It still does more than enough damage to wipe out whoever I'm up against 1v1. Still significantly less squishy than a full Pyro (which is my other <3 spec).

I just know not to rely on shielding or bother trying to stack it at all. Defense or Damage stats. Might tweak my current build, but I avoided shield talents that didn't do something additional anyway (Kolto Overload 2m is nice and Venting heat on shielding still seems to happen frequently enough in a scrum).

I just think that it is even more reason to go Carolina Parakeet instead of full ST for PvP. Full ST gains almost literally nothing while losing significant damage.

Jet Charge is still an awesome skill.

JC rocks, no doubt about that.

I do think that many players undervalue the improved CC capability and especially Hydraulic Overrides in Advanced Proto.

HO rocks, it's usable every 30 sec and provides immunity to all roots / snares / knockbacks for 8 seconds, on top of the 30% movement speed buff.

Definitely. Armor still works. Flat damage reduction still works. Jet Charge still works. No Escape still works.

Have you noticed that the root effect added to Grapple builds Resolve on the target? It really bums me out.

My guildees did some testing and one thing they found was that the talents that add root or stun effects to charges also increase the Resolve the target builds:

http://taugrim.com/2012/01/04/understanding-swtors-resolve-mechanic/

I still love Guard and the people I PvP with still depend on it.

Yea I am going to try specs that support Guard capability as well.

The main thing is that as ST doesn't really provide the boost in survivability that you might expect from the Shield Chance / Absorption talents, I'm thinking of running an 8/31/2 spec, which will provide excellent CC, on-demand mobility via HO, and burst damage on top of being able to still Guard friendlies.

JC rocks, no doubt about that.

 

I do think that many players undervalue the improved CC capability and especially Hydraulic Overrides in Advanced Proto.

 

HO rocks, it's usable every 30 sec and provides immunity to all roots / snares / knockbacks for 8 seconds, on top of the 30% movement speed buff.

Enemies can be some a-hole and save their knockback/snare/root or use other cd (force speed to run away, energy shield to tank the dmg) when you prepop it. If you use it for the sprint after a knock back, you can eat a stun and force to trinket or waste the cd. It's not a bad skill. It's just pale in comparison to the awesome jet charge.

Enemies can be some a-hole and save their knockback/snare/root or use other cd (force speed to run away, energy shield to tank the dmg) when you prepop it. If you use it for the sprint after a knock back, you can eat a stun and force to trinket or waste the cd.

Understood.

Usually I'll pop HO when I need to escape or close the gap, esp after I've been rooted and am building some Resolve, so if they try to counter post-HO buff with CC they'll grant me CC immunity.

Resolve is such a great mechanic, since you can leverage it to your advantage.

If Jet Charge were just a gap closer, maybe.

Jet Charge is also an Interrupt and a Root, In a spec which has decent damage output at range. Playing smart as a Parakeet makes Hitman look like a lame talent.

Understood.

 

Usually I'll pop HO when I need to escape or close the gap, esp after I've been rooted and am building some Resolve, so if they try to counter post-HO buff with CC they'll grant me CC immunity.

 

Resolve is such a great mechanic, since you can leverage it to your advantage.

Ya, I've thought of this. HO made a great huttball carrier if you can utilize the resolve.

I've seen the build, and I get why you want to invest the points in ST to get the resetter for the RP cooldown, because that can be used to proc a RS cooldown, and RP can hit hard with the ST talents.

 

That being said, given that Shield doesn't work on many attacks types, are you going to stick with with 21 in ST?

 

I ask because there are some awesome talents in the middle tree related to increasing CC and damage, and FB is a spammable ranged resetter for the RS cooldown, so you don't have to "rely" on RP per se to reset RS.

Yep, still sticking to 21 in ST for now. I've been saying for a while that SR is junk in PvP, hence not taking the 10% SR talents. Others said I was crazy... but meh... Glad someone else noticed at least. I still use a Shield Generator though.

I enjoy team play a lot, so wanted a build that could control the field, yet do decent burst if needed and protect. I still enjoy me some nice Pyro fun going 31 up as well, though my respec costs are getting silly... Waiting on next weeks reset to cost to play Pyro again.

Oh, and if anyone wants to test this before I say it's a fact. Jet Charge working on fully Resolved players? I've had poor results in my tests thus far, sometimes it still roots, other times it doesn't so looking for a controlled tester.

Well written starter guide...the specs with your pyro spec specifically seem to be less then optimal.

I am not trying to be a butt in any way, but if you could give insight on a couple things

why pick up degauss?

Why no 3/3 on intimidation or rail loaders? and why no thermal detenator?

why pick up degauss?

As I wrote in the talent section:

Degauss should be skipped for PVE. For PVP, Degauss adds a root/snare-breaking effect to Energy Shield (Reactive Shield), e.g. as a counter when rooted by a Sniper (Gunslinger) at range. Keep in mind that it is 2 points so YMMV.

Why no 3/3 on intimidation or rail loaders? and why no thermal detenator?

I didn't post a 31+ PT spec yet, because I figured people already knew about those.

TD is an excellent replacement for ED and should be taken for 31+ PT build.

The main question to sort out for a 31+ PT spec is how many points to spend in each of the other trees.

There are some good reasons to go 6 points into Adv Proto to get the passive 3% Tech Crit as well as the 6% Crit for Elem attacks and of course the 60% Armor Pene for RS.

RL in the tanking tree is a great choice, and remaining points can be put into Intimidation if desired.

Hey Taugrim, keep up the good work. I use backpeddle and there is nothing you can do to make me unbind my S key

Well at least switch from WSAD to EDSF, your left hand has better reach there to more keyboard real estate.

Well at least switch from WSAD to EDSF, your left hand has better reach there to more keyboard real estate.

I understand the reasons but I'm too comfortable with how my setup is currently(been this way for years). So what server did you end up rolling on, I kinda stopped keeping tabs once the game came out lol

Excellent, all this shield/ST info just makes me feel awesome for purchasing the tank set pieces haha. Oops? I'd likely have been better off buying eliminator pieces and just using a shield generator?

Sigh

Excellent, all this shield/ST info just makes me feel awesome for purchasing the tank set pieces haha. Oops? I'd likely have been better off buying eliminator pieces and just using a shield generator?

 

Sigh

Starting to look that way.

I really think that there is no way this is "working as intended," and I hope there is a fix soon. The current system excessively penalizes both tanks and Saber Weilders/Snipers.

So your pieces might not be a total waste, just not the best investment right now.

Starting to look that way.

 

I really think that there is no way this is "working as intended," and I hope there is a fix soon. The current system excessively penalizes both tanks and Saber Weilders/Snipers.

 

So your pieces might not be a total waste, just not the best investment right now.

I just switched my set over to heavy crit instead of 4pc eliminator + supercommando off pieces/weapon. My set up currently is 4 pc eliminator with combat tech chest, medic bracer/belt/weapon.