After looking at dulfy.net, it says that Arsenal has much better AOE than IO. I assumed that IO had greater AOE dmg potential through dot spreading. Am I wrong?

 

 

P.S.

I've been Arsenal forever and was thinking of at least giving IO a solid chance.

IO has damage potential but you need to be spoon fed with boss and add gathering to to perform AOE within rotation and the adds have to survive long enough for the slow weak damage of the DoTs to become worth it.

 

My line is and always has been that IO sucks at multi target because of the extremely low flexibility and the fact that IO multi target is little more than fluffing around a sustained single target rotation.

 

IO can use sweeping blasters with worse results and diminished ability to sustain than Arsenal but it's very poor value.

 

If you need best ranged AOE you get a Slinger or Sorc and if you have to use a Merc then be in Arsenal.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Gyronamics

IO has damage potential but you need to be spoon fed with boss and add gathering to to perform AOE within rotation and the adds have to survive long enough for the slow weak damage of the DoTs to become worth it.

 

My line is and always has been that IO sucks at multi target because of the extremely low flexibility and the fact that IO multi target is little more than fluffing around a sustained single target rotation.

 

IO can use sweeping blasters with worse results and diminished ability to sustain than Arsenal but it's very poor value.

 

If you need best ranged AOE you get a Slinger or Sorc and if you have to use a Merc then be in Arsenal.

 

 

Oops sorry, my question was in regard to PvP. Same as above?

In PVP it's more to do with the dotspread being weak and clumsy to apply. Each dot spreading separately and delays all over it.

 

You can fluff about with it but it doesn't appear on the same scale of damage as the serious dotspread classes.

 

It will be a boost in damage done if you spread IO dots in a crowd since sustaining rotation is difficult in PVP anyway but its the fluffy kind of damage which pads your numbers and the enemy healers.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Gyronamics

In PVP it's more to do with the dotspread being weak and clumsy to apply. Each dot spreading separately and delays all over it.

 

You can fluff about with it but it doesn't appear on the same scale of damage as the serious dotspread classes.

 

It will be a boost in damage done if you spread IO dots in a crowd since sustaining rotation is difficult in PVP anyway but its the fluffy kind of damage which pads your numbers and the enemy healers.

 

 

I want to try IO so bad but everything points to it sucking. I probably will try it for the heck of it. On Arsenal, I feel pretty comfortable taking on most classes 1 vs 1 other than juggs. They have too many gap closers and their def CD's are too much for me to handle. How are IO Mercs in 1 vs 1 situations? Thanks all for the replies so far.

I want to try IO so bad but everything points to it sucking. I probably will try it for the heck of it. On Arsenal, I feel pretty comfortable taking on most classes 1 vs 1 other than juggs. They have too many gap closers and their def CD's are too much for me to handle. How are IO Mercs in 1 vs 1 situations? Thanks all for the replies so far.

 

For 1 vs 1: (preload supercharged) > Incendiary > Railshot > Unload > Railshot > Serrated > Fusion (instant)

4 dots on. E Net, repeat

 

Juggs: Wait for Guard to finish > Jet punch root, HO/ Rocket out.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Aetideus

For 1 vs 1: (preload supercharged) > Incendiary > Railshot > Unload > Railshot > Serrated > Fusion (instant)

4 dots on. E Net, repeat

 

Juggs: Wait for Guard to finish > Jet punch root, HO/ Rocket out.

 

Thanks

For 1 vs 1: (preload supercharged) > Incendiary (1)> Railshot (2)> Unload > Railshot > Serrated (1)> Fusion (1) (instant)

4 (5)dots on. E Net, repeat

 

Juggs: Wait for Guard to finish > Jet punch root, HO/ Rocket out.

 

5 dots, you forgot the auto proc combustible gaz cylinder's dot on mag shot i think.

Edited February 21, 2016 by Thaladan

For 1 vs 1: (preload supercharged) > Incendiary > Railshot > Unload > Railshot > Serrated > Fusion (instant)

4 dots on. E Net, repeat

 

Juggs: Wait for Guard to finish > Jet punch root, HO/ Rocket out.

 

Any reason you're leaving out Thermal Detonator?

Any reason you're leaving out Thermal Detonator?

 

Just did not write it ;P It is the first ability used ofc TM > IM etc.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Aetideus

5 dots, you forgot the auto proc combustible gaz cylinder's dot on mag shot i think.

 

The combustible gas is refreshed not added twice.

 

Combustible,

Incendiary,

Serrated,

Fusion, to my knowledge

 

Enet is dot ofc (5) but not rotational.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Aetideus

The combustible gas is refreshed not added twice.

 

Combustible,

Incendiary,

Serrated,

Fusion, to my knowledge

 

Enet is dot ofc (5) but not rotational.

 

plus the SCG dot

IO merc is far superior to Arsenal in PvP. What you want to do is get Serrated Shot up on a melee target that is in a group (or anyone standing in the middle of a group of enemies) followed by Incendiary Missile. From here pop Super Charged Gas and melt that poor sap you started on by quickly tagging him with Mag Shot. This engages Supercharged Burn. Use Thermal Sensor Override + Power Surge and launch a Fusion Missile (to spread Incendiary Missile) followed immediately by Explosive Dart (to spread Serrated Shot). Then either Death From Above or Sweeping Blasters to seal the deal on that high AOE dps. I've literally killed an entire team of 8 by doing this. Arsenal cannot even begin to scrape the surface on that kind of AOE damage. And dare I say? (yes.) most dps Sorcs can't either. 1v1 you'll struggle against a Sorc and maybe an OP, but anyone else is a joke, especially juggs and maras. What separates IO from Arsenal is the ability to pump out damage regardless of melee targets closing the gap on you. Virtually everything you do is instant. IO, does however, have one of the highest skill caps in the game and therefor takes a lot of practice to manage the heat (which is much harder to manage compared to Arsenal). If you can lock this down, especially under pressure, you will probably never go back to Arsenal in a PvP scenario. #Truth

 

Hope this helps! God bless,

Edited February 26, 2016 by DeejSinsley

*snip*

Hope this helps! God bless,

 

I use a variant of this if I'm not taking damage to avoid pushback issues:

 

Explosive Dart -> Serrated Shot -> Fusion Missile -> Incendiary Missile -> Death From Above

 

Your Explosive Dart will deal damage after Serrated Shot hits so lets you spread. Incendiary Missile will hit just before Fusion Missile (as long as you cast FM to allow the GCD to finish) to give that spread again. These allow you to constrain your spreading to the space of a little over one GCD so that you can spread a bit more reliably.

I use a variant of this if I'm not taking damage to avoid pushback issues:

 

Explosive Dart -> Serrated Shot -> Fusion Missile -> Incendiary Missile -> Death From Above

 

Your Explosive Dart will deal damage after Serrated Shot hits so lets you spread. Incendiary Missile will hit just before Fusion Missile (as long as you cast FM to allow the GCD to finish) to give that spread again. These allow you to constrain your spreading to the space of a little over one GCD so that you can spread a bit more reliably.

 

Great

I love IO spec for PvP. It's a lot easier to kite with since there are almost no cast times which you should be standing still. The 30% move speed debuff on Incendiary Missile helps with this. My only issue with it is the atrocious DOT spread mechanic so I usually never bother unless they are really clumped up and I can spare the heat. I mostly just use it for single target high dps with a bit of burst.

 

Incendiary Missile > Mag shot (vents heat) > Instant Serrated Bold > Thermal Detonator > Supercharged Gas > Full Auto > Mag shot > Power shot (if instant procs)

 

The Thermal Detonator with the SCG DOT followed by a Mag shot at the same time TD explodes is some nice burst. If you're lucky, this will usually net you a kill on unsuspecting sorcs or squishies. They don't expect it.

You guys are definitely making me want to attempt to master IO after running Arsenal for so long. I'm currently leveling a Commando AS (currently level 40) just to get a better feel for the class. Once I hit 65 and get a better handle on things, I'll switch my Merc over to IO. Thanks for all the tips and comments so far. If someone would like to break down their preferred single target rotation and AOE rotation (PvP) that would be awesome. I've already seen some of your rotations but would love to see more. Seems everyone so far has their own little variations that seems to work for them. I'll probably be posting here more soon with some more questions once I change the Merc to IO and hit my first few WZ's as IO. All I do in this game is PvP so you'll be hearing from me soon. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!

You guys are definitely making me want to attempt to master IO after running Arsenal for so long. I'm currently leveling a Commando AS (currently level 40) just to get a better feel for the class. Once I hit 65 and get a better handle on things, I'll switch my Merc over to IO. Thanks for all the tips and comments so far. If someone would like to break down their preferred single target rotation and AOE rotation (PvP) that would be awesome. I've already seen some of your rotations but would love to see more. Seems everyone so far has their own little variations that seems to work for them. I'll probably be posting here more soon with some more questions once I change the Merc to IO and hit my first few WZ's as IO. All I do in this game is PvP so you'll be hearing from me soon. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!

 

Most of the guys, assume, were playing old Pyro/Assault which had much simpler rotation so the transition was easier.

PvE guide http://dulfy.net/2015/12/02/swtor-4-0-mercenary-dps-pve-guide-by-marisi/

Edited February 29, 2016 by Aetideus

I’ve been swinging back and forth between Arsenal & IO for a little while now, and while I think they are pretty even in terms of effectiveness, I do find IO a little more dynamic and engaging in the gameplay. i.e. more fun.

 

The burst might not be quite as good as Arsenal, but it’s not far off - with Supercharged burn ready to go, you really can melt someone out of the gate and get a kill or force a big defensive CD immediately. Great for killing Sorcs who don’t realise their cc break will enable them to barrier out of electronet .

 

Some other benefits to IO:

- Your damage type isn’t easily mitigated – tanks don’t scare you as much as some other specs.

- You can put out some DPS while under pressure

- You are incredibly annoying for stealthers (I love this)

- You present a very reasonable AoE threat

 

IO also gives you some interesting discipline choices, with Unload on a 15 sec CD, Thrill of the Hunt is not as mandatory as it is in Arsenal – enabling me to take the Energy Rebounder/Stabilized Armor combo – great for Warzones, improves survivability loads with Energy Shield nearly always available, and Pyro Shield taken on the previous tier, I can be a very annoying target for people to attack!

 

In addition, I really like the Chaff Flare effect of IO.

 

All that said, I think I still have a lot to learn, I can’t seem to break around 1.9k DPS in 8v8 WZs, and I have difficulty managing heat, even with the Vent Heat discipline (which is great). I guess the latter will come with experience.