I was thinking it would be a good idea to have a thread that gives a short summary of the main theme of each of the trees for each advanced class. The sheer number of skills can sometimes make it difficult to get the overall idea of what a particular tree is about, and I think it would be a good idea to have a thread with a short blurb to help people trying to figure out what each tree is about. For example, take the Sentinel class. I would summarize each tree as follows:

Watchman - The Watchman Sentinel is about steady damage, primarily through Burn DoTs. Their damage numbers don't spike as high, but they can keep a steady stream of damage going.

Combat - The Combat Sentinel is all about Burst damage, primarily through buffing Blade Storm and Blade Rush. When everything lines up, these abilities can cause a lot of damage, but then you have to wait before you can do it again.

Focus - The Focus Sentinel is great at PvP, because the Focus tree has several CC abilities. While these abilities can be used in PvE, they're all single-target, so they can only really keep one target controlled. Since a Sentinel tends to be somewhat less sturdy, they can have issues with having a strong enemy focused on them.

(note that these descriptions are based on my interpretation of the skills, and may be wrong. Feel free to correct me).

Now, I've got the Sentinel's trees down, I think, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the main themes of the other classes (currently have a Commando and a Shadow as well), and to be quite honest, it took me quite a while before I even figured out the Sentinel. Would anyone be willing to help, or is this just a bad idea?

As a newbie to both mmorpgs and SWTOR, I think this is a great idea. Even though I now have a fairly good idea of the intended use of skill trees, I still don't know what to specialize in because I only know the one word skill tree description.

Using Jedi Guardian's skill trees as an example: - "Defense" and "Focus" -- straightforward; "Vigilance" -- not so straightforward. I wondered how having the ability to set a target on fire made my Jedi Knight more vigilant.

Not a criticism of the names of the various skill trees. Just an example of how much I still need to, want to, learn.

I don't know enough to add knowledge, however, I have this thread bookmarked for future reference.

Thank you for suggesting this, and taking time to present the information.

Having my main as a sage, I can give descriptions of each sage tree. Here goes.

Seer-This tree is all about healing. At the beginning it doesn't provide many benefits to healing, but as you go farther up the tree your heals become better and better. As some added bonuses, you get a minor heal every second when you use force armor, you get 3 abilities instead of 2, and your self heal is much more powerful as a seer, providing survivability for both yourself and others.

Telekinetics (my current spec)-This tree is almost entirely burst damage. Telekinetics sages can do great damage in less time, and are good for PvE since you remain stationary almost the entire battle unless you are forced to move. Their rotations are much more complicated but aren't hard to get accustomed to. There is also a talent that makes your next two hits cost 75% less force for every critical you get, which results in almost no force consumption, which is useful especially for bosses. Almost the entire rotation relies on procs. Great for flashpoints and ops, but can steal threat if you aren't careful. My favorite thing about this tree is that the last ability you learn, Turbulence, criticals on every target you use weaken mind on.

Balance- This tree is almost entirely DoT. Only one attack that is single hit. However almost every attack is instant cast so you have constant mobility. You also get minor healing from critical hits when specced right. One downside about this spec is you can run out force if you don't manage it. One obvious advantage is that you can apply everything in the start and just watch all the damage stack on.

I've played each tree so I have pretty extensive knowledge of each. If you see anything I missed or something stupid I said in the descriptions etc. feel free to mention it. That's my knowledge of each tree.

I like this idea! Here's my contribution

Operative/Scoundrel

Medicine/Sawbones

This tree is focused on healing your team. You will heal mainly through the use of Heals over Time (HoT's) but you also have access to a healing combination of 1 casted big heal and 1 instant small heal for burst phases.

Your stealth gives you a good headstart before each encounter as exiting it will grant you 2 stacks of Tactical Advantage/Upper Hand.

Main abilities: Kolto Probe/Slow-Release Medpac, Surgical Probe/Emergency Medpac, Kolto Injection/Underworld Medicine.

Concealment/Scrapper

This tree is all about burst. Sneak around in stealth and strike your opponents from the back. With just a couple of high-hitting abilities, you are able to pursue and lock down threats to your team.

Your stealth level will be a lot higher in this spec.

Main abilities: Acid Blade/Flechette Round, Hidden Strike/Shoot First, Laceration/Sucker Punch, Shiv/Blaster Whip and off course Backstab/Back blast.

Lethality/Dirty Fighting

Damage over time with some burst abilities. This spec has a decent amount of sustained damage and every 10 seconds you will have an opportunity to burst your opponent.

Main abilities: Corrosive Dart/Vital Shot, Corrosive Grenade/Shrap Bomb, Weakening Blast/Hemorrhaging Blast, Shiv/Blaster Whip and Cull/Wounding Shots.

Powertech/Vanguard

Shield Tech/Shield Specialist

You will control the battle field by soaking up damage for your group members. Guard a friendly and make sure that enemies who decide to attack him/her, are feeling like they're hitting with a wet noodle.

As a human shield, you'll have many abilities that reduce your targets accuracy, slow them down, reduce their damage output.

Main abilities: Jet Charge/Storm, Rocket Punch/Stockstrike, Flame Burst/Ion Pulse, Oil Slick/Riot Gas, TAUNTS!!

Advanced Prototype/Tactics

Stab your blade in your opponents abdomen and then watch as he becomes defenseless against your attacks! This spec has very good sustained damage with the occassional burst in it. Keep the bleed effect on your target at all times to increase your damage output and occassionaly burst them down with a 100% crit Rail Shot/High Impact Bolt.

You also get a lot of tools to keep the target in your range.

Main abilities: Retractable Blade/Gut, Immolate/Fire Pulse, Flame Burst/Ion Pulse, Rail Shot/High Impact Bolt, Flamethrower/Pulse Cannon.

Pyrotech/Assault Specialist

Burst down your opponent with high-ticking dots and high-hitting abilities. Flames engolve them as you aim your Rail Shot/High Impact Bolt.

Main abilities: Flame Burst/Ion Pulse, Incendiary Missile/Incendiary Round, Thermal Detonator/Assault Plastique, Rail Shot/High Impact Bolt.

This is perfect, I have quite some experience in every class except Sentinel, since Sage is already provided:

Guardian:

Defense: Defense is all about keeping yourself and your team alive. Providing a lot of threat with a lot of survivability for yourself you'll be the unbreakable wall between the enemy and your team. For PvP you'l be given more utility such a movement increase and 2 instant stuns to keep your teammates going at the cost of damage.

Vigilance: The DoT spec for Guardian, you'll deal a steady amount of damage through your burns and a few high-hitting attacks from procs.

Focus: The well-known AoE Beast. Focus is your bursting tree and is about dealing an extremely big hit (AoE) with Force Sweep to take groups of enemies appart. Comes with a bit of utility in the form of 2 Leaps, a slow and a reduced GCD on your AoE slow.

Shadow:

Kinetic Combat: This is the spec for tanking, debuffing your enemies and healing yourself whilst keeping enemies of your teammates. Fair amount of AoE for easy threat and some utility in the forms of buffing Force Speed and a Pull.

Infiltration: The bursting tree for Shadows. Though your biggest damage won't start until the enemies are below 30% health, you very quickly spike them to this point to simply finish them off. Utility in the form of buffing your stealth and more stuns.

Balance: The DoT tree for shadows. Your spiking abilities are gone, but in return you get a steady stream of damage in the form of DoTs and higher hitting Double Strikes. You get an AoE ability and an extra immobalize.

Vanguard:

Shield Specialist: This spec is all about keeping the enemies on you and away from your team. Debuffing enemies with your AoE whilst passively and actively reducing the amount of damage you take. For PvP you get a lot of mobility in the form of a Leap (Storm) and the ability to spec into a lot of snares to make any enemy hate you.

Tactics: This spec is all about using skills to proc certain effects, which often proc a few more effects to tear your enemy appart. A small DoT to increase your damage output and trigger High Impact bolt and loads of highhitting skills, mainly Pulse Cannon.

Assault Specialist: - Haven't played since the update, lost it's burst so is now likely just a DoT heavy spec -

Commando:

Combat Medic is the support tree for Commando's. You buff your allies with all kinds of effects, such as an armour increase, a 5% damage reduction and 3% more healing recieved. An absolute beast when it comes down to tank healing and will heal your team through any situation.

Gunnery: The burst'y' spec for Commando's. The essense of this spec is Grav round. You'll use it to make your own abilities stronger and your enemy more vurnurable to them.

Assault Specialist: - No experience with this since leveling -

Scoundrel:

Sawbones: The spec to keep your teammates alive. In the form of a lot of HoTs and smaller but instant heals you'll be a great addition to any team to heal up damage whilst it's happening. You might not have the ability to buff your allies in terms of negating damage, but you'll more than compensate with the permanently high amount of healing you're capable of doing.

Scrapper: The sneak-up and kill things in seconds spec. This spec is extremely bursty and loses a lot of potentional if the enemy managed to survive through their initial burst. Utility is offered in terms of buffing your stealth.

Dirty Fighting: The DoT spec for scoundrels. You'll make your DoTs deal more damage, get energy from criticals on DoTs and absolutely tear enemies to pieces with Wounding Shots when the time is right. Steady amount of damage at the cost of high spike damage.

Gunslinger:

SharpShooter: Sharp shooter is a sustainable DPS spec with a steady stream of damage, but utilizes no DoTs, meaning you can easily go from target to target. With a few great utilities such as: Diversion and Percussive Shot this makes an amazing PvP Spec.

Saboteur: This spec is a bit of everything. You'll focus on maintaining a few DoTs for a steady stream of damage, you're allowed a bit of a spiky damage due to Contingency Charges with Quick Shot and most importantly you're an absolute AoE beast. With Scatter Bombs, Incendiary Grenade and XS-Freighter Flyby at your disposal groups of enemies (or big enemies) will be having nightmares about you.

Dirty fighting: Just like the scoundrel this spec is all about a steady stream of damage in the form of DoTs and abilities that either make your DoTs stronger or get stronger due to the DoTs. Builds up slowly but is amazing for longer fights.

Damn, I feel like a salesman now... Apologies if I accidently used some mirror-terms, most classes I play on both side or just Imperial side.

I really wish the game provides a little bit of information on the specs. I'm sure it would motivate a lot of people to make their own spec based on what they'd like to do rather than just to google 'the best spec' If people read all possibilities of a skilltree they generally get a way better understanding of it due to all the skills being mentioned and how they're getting buffed or what they proc etc.

Basic Republic-Imperial Translation:

Guardian - Juggernaut

Defense - Immortal

Villigence - Vengeance

Focus - Rage

Sentinel - Maurauder

Watchmen - Annihilation

Combat - Carnage

Focus - Rage

Sage - Sorcerer

Seer - Corruption

Telekinises - Lightning

Balance - Madness

Shadow - Assassin

Kinetic Combat - Darkness

Infiltration - Deception

Balance - Madness

Vanguard - Powertech

Shield Specialist - Shield Tech

Tatics - Advanced Prototype

Assault Specialist - Pyrotech

Commando - Mercanary

Combat Medic - Bodyguard

Gunnery - Arsenel

Assault Specialist - Pyrotech

Scoundrel - Operative

Sawbones - Medic

Scrapper - Concealment

Dirty Fighting - Lethality

Gunslinger - Sniper

Sharpshooter - Marksman

Saboteur - Engineering

Dirty Fighting - Lethality

All classes are close to exact mirrors of eachother (easier faction balance) with minor exception of the weapons on tech-classes. Each and every skill has a Republic and Empire version and damage should be roughly the same even with the use of different weapons.

This is great. It's nice to see so much support for this. I'd spend today getting the OP edited and whatnot, but I have plans to play with a friend for most of the weekend; however, I'm not abandoning this. I will get everything sorted hopefully in about 3 days, but it may be longer, depending on how things go.

It's also nice to know that the mirror between the Republic and the Imperial classes works down even to the skills level. It means I can make this impartial, instead of only showing one faction or the other. I wanted to do that, but wasn't sure how far down the mirroring went.

Having my main as a sage, I can give descriptions of each sage tree. Here goes.

 

Seer-

Telekinetics-

Balance-

Just the point out the classes between factions mirror each other. So everything he said works for Sith Sorcerers too.

Respectively:

Corruption - healing

Lightning - Direct attack

Madness - DoTs damage.

Needs a sticky tbqh.

While I'm probably reviving a dead thread, a question;

In general for PvE only which is better? Sustained / DoT (damage over time) or burst?

If I'm right Burst/spike damage is the way for PvP no?

Anyway this sort of topic is very useful, I (still) have no real idea about the trees etc despite pushing level 30 >.< I was hoping the game would explain it a bit more but eh.

Needs a sticky tbqh.

 

While I'm probably reviving a dead thread, a question;

 

In general for PvE only which is better? Sustained / DoT (damage over time) or burst?

 

If I'm right Burst/spike damage is the way for PvP no?

 

Anyway this sort of topic is very useful, I (still) have no real idea about the trees etc despite pushing level 30 >.< I was hoping the game would explain it a bit more but eh.

I generally go a burst-tree for leveling due to the relatively low time to kill and DoTs generally require their full duration to be (very) useful. It all depends on how long the DoT can last though and what AoE the game and tree have to offer.

For PvP I find burst-trees very useful aswell due to the fact you want to take key targets out as fast as possible rather than just dealing a lot of damage. But it's very class-dependant which is the best.

End-game PvE it depends a lot on class which trees are the best, but due to teamcompositions and most of the time you're poking at high health raid-bosses there's no reason a DoT-tree would be weaker than any other and often that turn out to be the stronger option. AoE also becomes less important since you usually have 4 DPS adding a little in the cases it's needed.

feel free to PM me if you have any class specific questions.