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Golden Guide - Voidstar


Polymerize

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Voidstar

 

 

 

 

Let us lay out some ground rules, and well known definitions just to be clear we are on the same page.

 

Attackers are the team on offense. Defenders are the team on defense. The objective of the game is to progress up the map as far and as fast as possible. The OBJECTIVE of the game should be behind the intent of every button you push on your keyboard; and more importantly you should stress your positioning on the map at every moment.

 

For convenience throughout this thread we will describe some parts of the map and lay a reference name for each zone.

Zone #1 - this area lays claim from the initial starting spawn of the Attackers to the first set of bomb doors located on the map.

 

Zone #2 - this area lays claim from the first set of bomb doors to the bridge before it has been released.

(Emphasis on the fact that when this zone is referenced, it is understood that the bridge has not been released yet.)

 

Zone #3 - this area lays claim from the second spawn of the Attackers to the second set of bomb doors.

 

Zone #4 - this area lays claim from the second set of bomb doors all the way to the last barrier.

(Barriers are considered to be the three purple walls that you have the option to open. To be clear, similar to Zone #2, when this zone is referenced it is understood that none of the barriers have been released yet.)

 

Zone #5 - this area lays claim from the last spawn of the Attackers to the third and final set of bomb doors.

 

Please study these zones in order to have a clear visual/understanding of what is being referenced so you can follow along. I would suggest going online SWTOR and playing a match of Voidstar if you cannot easily depict these zones.

 

 

Respawns & Ticks

 

As an Attacker you respawn each time with an 'insta-respawn'.

You can join the battle automatically with no hinderance.

 

As a Defender you respawn each time with a respawn door that opens approximately every ~30 seconds. This door has 4 'ticks' on it when the door has just closed itself. Lets say each tick takes up ~7 seconds.

 

So let us say approximately:

 

1 tick = 7 seconds left till the door opens.

2 ticks = 15 seconds left till the door opens.

3 ticks = 22 seconds left till the door opens.

4 ticks = 30 seconds left till the door opens.

 

Anybody in the match, whether you are an Attacker or Defender, can see these ticks on the respawn door as long as you can see the door.

 

Let us slay a popular belief that hinders us as a community.

 

"When I die as a Defender, the amount of 'ticks' that are left on my respawn door when I respawn are a matter of pure good luck or pure bad luck."

 

Example of a Defender who thinks they are lucky: Defender who respawns with less than 2 ticks left on the door.

Example of a Defender who thinks they are unlucky: Defender who respawns with 3 or 4 ticks left on the door.

 

From this popular belief stems a not-so-popular belief. A belief that as a Defender and an Attacker you can control and dictate, to the best of your ability, the respawn door.

 

 

 

 

 

Golden Rule for Voidstar

 

There is a Golden Rule for Attackers and Defenders. Let it be known that there is a time and place for everything, and rules are meant to be broken at times. Let your situational awareness guide you when situations are not so clear cut.

 

 

 

 

Attacker

 

An Attacker should not kill a Defender when the Defender's respawn door is soon to open. A standard for 'soon to open' could be anytime there are less than 2 ticks left on the door.

 

 

 

When this rule applies:

 

> Any 1v1, ever.

> Most times in a 2v2.

Any battle bigger than a 2v2 becomes more situational.

> When two teams are not wiping each other, it is essential to apply the Attacker's Golden Rule.

 

Example: Imagine you are an Attacker and your entire team rushed to one side of the map and the Defenders have

7 people on the side that you sent your entire team to. Both teams battle it out with a couple members on each side dying and coming back after they die. You, as an Attacker, apply the Golden Rule and focus down that incredibly powerful Powertech that is killing your healer because you are aware that the Defender's door has just reset. That incredibly powerful Powertech is now stuck behind his door for ~25+ seconds.

 

Example: Ok, similar situation as presented previously, but now to prove a different point that all PVP'ers are guilty of. You are an Attacker and all 8 of the members of your team are fighting those 7 Defenders since they left 1 Defender to guard the other door. Both teams battle it out and kill a few people on each other's team but your team is not strong enough to wipe out all of the Defenders so they just keep respawning, so you cannot arm the door. Instead of following the Golden Rule this time, you decide to focus down targets without being aware of how many ticks are on the Defender's door. You, being the good teammate you are, are focusing down that pesky Sage Healer that is marked with a star. BUT, since you're not following the Golden Rule this time, you're about to cause more harm than good. You kill that Sage Healer, and you think YES I FINALLY KILLED HIM, five seconds later that same Sage Healer that is marked as the star is back into battle and you are back to blindly DPS'ing him so he'll die. Repeat cycle. As you can see, nothing gets accomplished. You are padding your stats, but you are not helping your team arm the bomb. You are not helping your team win the game.

 

> You are in Zone #3 of Voidstar and you are either a Powertech or an Assassin, and your 'Pull' ability is available to use.

 

Example: You are an Assassin and your team is in Zone #3 and your team is struggling to arm the second set of bombs. You look up at the Defender's door and notice that there is only 1 tick left on their door. You take about 5 seconds and you pick out that Guardian that is doing some major protection for that pesky Sage Healer that you killed earlier in game. You set yourself up beside the ledge or on the bridge, and activate your 'Pull' ability and use your knock back to blow that Guardian off of the edge. You just sent that Guardian to his respawn with 3 or maybe even 4 ticks left on the door. Your team now has a much easier time wiping the Defender's team. Excellent use of the Golden Rule.

 

Example: If you are a Powertech you can do the same thing, all you have to do is jump off of the edge ( since you do not have a knock back ) and pull whoever you like down with you. As an attacker, you have an insta-respawn and can get across the bridge back into the battle in a matter of seconds. Versus the Defender you just brought off the edge and now has to sit behind a long respawn door since you just applied the Golden Rule.

 

When this rule does not apply:

 

> If your team is wiping the other team out, go ahead and try to kill whoever you can. Because if you can wipe all of the Defenders out, they will all leave the respawn door at the same time and can easily be CC'ed, slowed, immobilized, or all of the above :roll eyes: while someone on your team tries to arm the bomb.

 

> If your team is trying to arm the bomb and you see the Defenders try to rotate and stop the cap, kill whoever you can, completely forget about the Golden Rule. More often than not you'll just have to CC/slow them but if they are close to death obviously you can kill them as well.

 

You should not ever be concerned with dying as an Attacker. You get an insta-respawn. You die with no repercussions.

 

 

Let us discuss another situation with all possibilities laid out. Please visualize and really try put yourself into this situation.

 

> You look up at the Defender's door and you see their door will be opening in about 6 seconds.

 

Situation: You are in a battle with Marauder and you both have 3k health left. The Marauder is CC'd by a hard stun for 4 seconds, thereby you have the opportunity to kill him before he kills you. What should be done?

 

Option A: You kill the Marauder. He respawns and walks right back out of spawn. You just accomplished nothing.

 

Option B: You apply the Attacker's Golden Rule and wait until their door resets and you kill him. Perfect execution of the Golden Rule.

 

Option C: You wait to kill the Defender until their door resets but instead the Defender ends up killing you. You get an insta-respawn and a teammate runs up and finishes the kill. Once again, perfect execution of the Golden Rule.

 

> Option A is worthless.

 

You do not do your team a favor, in fact you are doing just the opposite. You just gave the Defender an insta-respawn. This gives the Defender another bar of full health and allows him to rotate to either side of the map. This will always stop and delay your team from capping the door. Let your pride go and allow the Defender to kill you if that is what it takes.

 

> Option B and C are perfect executions of the Attacker's Golden Rule.

 

Preferably you want to be able to apply Option B. Option C is something that requires a higher skill cap to deploy; because sometimes you know that if you don't go for the kill as soon as possible you know you're going to be the one to die. But if you realize that if you were to kill the Defender before the door resets you'll be using Option A, which really does more harm than good. You are a better player for that and quite honestly you're playing at a higher level than 99% of the players in this game. The Defender who killed you may think he is victorious and taken some of your pride; but in reality you are the one who has performed at a high level and has contributed to your team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defender

 

 

Let it be known that the only objective of a Defender is to not allow the Attackers to progress up the map. Killing an Attacker does little to no good, because Attackers get insta-respawn. Killing an Attacker often time does more bad than good. You want the Attackers to overload on one side because it is easy for a stealthing Defender to stop a cap if your team gets wiped. (this is similar to a Civil war where you own both side nodes and the opposite team overloads to one side and wipes everyone on your team except a lurking stealthing Defender who can effectively stop caps over and over while teammates continue to take the speeder back to the node to also stop the cap.) It is also more than often a bad thing for a Defender to kill an Attacker because it gives the Attacker an easy time to rotate to the other side of the map, which is what you do not want. You want the other team to overload one side at all times because it is incredibly easy to stop. (If you play rated matches and your team overloads one side as an Attacker because your DPS is so l33t that you can use brute force to arm the bomb, I bet you could tell me 90% of the time it does not work because there is always a stealther stopping the cap. Overloading one side will ONLY work against a competent team if the Attacking team is utilizing the Attacker's Golden Rule & and also getting rid of that pesky stealther:cool: .)

 

As a Defender, you must fight against Attacker's who try to use the Attacker's Golden Rule. How do you do this? Well you apply the Defender's Golden Rule of course!

 

 

 

A Defender should utilize his defensive CD's in order to stay alive when his door has just reset. A Defender should refrain from using defensive CD's when his door is about to open. A Defender should not get tunnel-visioned on killing an Attacker because Attackers get insta-respawns.

 

Now let us elaborate on what the Defender's Golden Rule encompasses.

 

"A Defender should utilize his defensive CD's in order to stay alive when his door has just reset."

 

> If you know your door just reset and you are about to die, you want to pop all defensive CD's so you don't get stuck behind the respawn door for ~20+ seconds. The less Defenders there are alive; the greater the odds the Attackers will arm the a door. So once again, if you see your door has just reset; do everything it takes to stay alive until your respawn door is soon to open.

 

"A Defender should refrain from using defensive CD's when his door is about to open."

 

> A Defender should allow himself to die if his door is about to reset. I cannot tell you how many times I've popped defensive CD's in order to stay alive just 2 or 3 seconds longer :eek: just to spawn behind that blasted door with 4 ticks on it. Be aware of how many ticks are on the door so you can refrain from wasting defensive CD's so you can die quickly and be back in the battle within ~10 seconds. It could be the difference between getting an insta-respawn and a 30 second respawn.

 

"A Defender should not get tunnel-visioned on killing an Attacker because Attackers get insta-respawns."

 

> A Defender should always be focused on staying alive and helping his teammates stay alive by use of CC and peels. Oftentimes killing an Attacker is a bad thing. As long as they are not arming the door, it is almost useless to even attack anyone, seriously. :D

 

 

 

Let us visualize particular situations in order to more understand Defender's Golden Rules.

 

Initial Conditions:

 

You are a Healer in your guild's Rated team. In particular, you are an Operative Healer. Your team just queued for a Rated match and got a VoidStar. Your team is Defending for the first round. The match begins and the Attackers have overloaded to West. Your team has 7 people at west and 1 person defending East; therefore it is a 7v8 at West in the Attacking team's favor. It has just been called out in Mumble that there is one tick on the door. What will you do as a healer in order to apply the Defender's Golden Rules?

 

Keep in mind that there is one tick on the door for the following situations.

 

 

Situation X: The Tank on your team is low on health. Really low. He has less than 5k health.

 

Option A - You decide to blow on your heals on him in an attempt to save his life. You keep him alive for an extra 5 seconds. Your tank now dies and must sit behind the respawn door for ~25 seconds.

 

> This is what most, if not all healers will do. If you are aware of the ticks on the door you can eliminate this from happening. Highly skilled players avoid deploying Option A at all costs.

 

Option B - You refrain from healing the tank. The tank dies soon. Your tank get an insta-respawn.

 

> This requires a high skill level to enact. Popular belief will teach you to keep people alive as long as possible but there are situations where you should let someone die; and this is one of them.

 

 

 

Situation Y: You are being focused by the Attackers.

 

Option A - You heal yourself in attempt to stay alive and prolong your death.

 

> Bad news. You just prolonged your death for an extra 5 seconds instead of stomaching like 20 seconds; this just cost you a full respawn door. Now you must sit out of the battle for ~25 seconds.

 

Option B - You heal your other teammates and allow the Attackers to kill you. You get an insta-respawn with full health and energy.

 

> Once again, this option is requires high skill to enact. It is too easy to get caught up in the idea that you must try to stay alive at all times. Sometimes healers should allow their teammates to die, and also allow themselves to die.

 

 

 

Situation Z: Your team is wiping out. Four of your teammates have just died and are sitting behind the respawn door with ~20 seconds left till it opens. So you and 2 other teammates are alive.

 

Option A - Continue to heal your remaining 2 teammates and yourself even though it is a 3v8 at this point.

 

> This is what 99% of all players will do. This is an awful and futile option. It is utterly futile. You need to be able to realize as a player when your team is wiping out and make decisions from there; continuing to heal until you die is the wrong decision.

 

Option B - Toss a few heals on your 2 teammates and stealth out of combat.

 

> This move requires higher skill to initiate. This will allow you to stall the Attackers from arming the door until your teammates respawn. As a stealther you can stall a door for essentially an unlimited amount of time. If you deploy Option A and you die trying to heal yourself and your teammates you are doing exactly what the Attacker's want you to do. Be aware of the numbers on your team and the other team; this is essential for making the right decisions.

 

Option B is perfect execution of the Defender's Golden Rule. You utilize your awareness and abilities to stall the cap long enough for your teammates to respawn; this move can save your team the game more times than you can imagine.

 

 

 

When to not apply the Defender's Golden Rule:

 

> If the Attackers are wiping out the Defenders and you are one of the last few people alive, go ahead and use your defensive CD's, regardless of how many ticks are on the door, in order to keep the Attackers off of the door until your teammates come out of the spawn.

 

> If you are defending the side of the map by yourself because you are left to guard the node, you'll want to use all of your CD's and kill whoever is attacking you. I hope this is obvious :)

 

> THIS IS IMPORTANT. This point is not obvious to most players, and it could make the difference in a game. This is a very underrated, important and intuitive tactic. Understand this example and apply the same logic to the other situations that apply:

 

You are defending Zone #1 and the Attackers just armed the first door. (We are assuming that there is no chance for anyone on your team to disarm the bomb because the Attackers are good, we presume.) There are THREE things that can happen at this point.

 

1) You can stay alive as a Defender until the bomb goes off.

2) You can can die prior to the bomb going off.

3) You can go to the side of the map that most of the attackers are not on. (Usually the side that was not armed ;).)

 

Fact of the matter is, that if you get caught on the side of the map that is armed, and you stay alive until the bomb goes off and you die right after that, you effectively become USELESS for a long period of time. You will respawn further up in the map and will not be able to help stall the Attackers from progressing through Zone #2. So make a note to yourself as a Defender. If you are able to die before the bomb goes off, JUST DO IT! You'll get an insta-respawn after you die and you'll have a full bar of health and can continue to help stall the Attackers through Zone #2. It is not ever worth it to stay alive after the bomb goes off when you know you'll die soon afterwords. Most people know to run to the safe side. BUT most people who are stuck in the situation of being on the side of the map that got armed, they do not make the right move and just blindly continue to DPS the Attackers and die shortly after the door has been opened. Do not be someone who does this.

 

> You do not want to be concerned with the Defender's Golden Rule when Attackers are trying to arm the door. Regardless of how many ticks are on the respawn door you should always risk your life to stop a cap if Attackers are arming the bomb.

 

Optimize your longevity as a Defender through field re-specing.

 

> You should always change your spec to allow yourself to stay alive the longest. Doing damage as a Defender is not important! Any amount of damage will stop someone from arming a door, and this is all that matters.

 

 

 

 

Transition Mode

 

 

 

Transition Mode starts the moment after the first set of bomb doors have blown up. Transition Mode will stay in effect until either your team's transition is halted, or your team reaches the end of the map and arms the last set of bomb doors.

 

Examples of a team's transition getting halted.

 

> Your team arms the first bomb. It blows up. Your team transitions poorly and does not open the bridge before Defenders get to the bridge. You must now wipe out all of the Defenders in order to open the bridge.

 

> Your team arms the second bomb. It blows up. Your team transitions poorly and does not open the barriers before Defenders get to the barriers. You must now wipe out all of the Defenders in order to open the barriers.

 

> Your team arms the first bomb. It blows up. Your team transitions well to the bridge and opens it before Defenders can get to the bridge. One of your teammates does not know the rules of Transition Mode and he kills a Defender after the first set of bomb doors have blown up. Your teammates that have made it across the bridge already do not successfully arm the second set of bomb doors because the Defender that was killed has already spawned and stalls your team until the rest of the Defenders make it across the bridge. You must now apply your Attacker's Golden Rules in order to arm the second set of bomb doors because your transition has been halted.

 

When Attackers have entered Transition Mode, they will begin to follow a new set of rules. The Attacker's Golden Rules completely goes out the window, they will only be reactivated if your team's Transition gets halted.

 

Attacker's Rules for Transition Mode.

 

Rule #1

 

Attackers should not kill Defenders when Transition Mode is in effect.

 

There is one exception. If your team arms the first bomb and transitions across the bridge and arms the second set of doors, you have a 20-second window in which Attackers can kill Defenders because they will respawn at the second set of doors (not at the Defender's third and final spawn on the level) if they die before the bomb doors blow up. You will only want to kill the Defenders that have made it across the bridge during these 20 seconds. If the Defenders are not across the bridge then do not kill them because they are farther back in the level than they would be if they spawned at the Defender's second spawn area.

 

So other than this 20-second window after the second set of bomb doors have been armed that is considered a gray area, (use your judgement), Attackers should never kill Defenders during Transition Mode.

 

Rule #2

 

Attackers should utilize every bit of utility they have in order to stall Defenders during Transition Mode; while one or a couple of Attackers get ahead of the pack in order to arm the objectives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll pick it back up here. 3/23/13 ~Poly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guide is not complete by any means, I will be editing it off and on over the next few days. I will be discussing "Transition Mode", and what moves to make/what things to be aware of; depending on what Zone you are in.

 

Let it be known this guide points are many things that may seem obvious to you, you may think it is easy-mode, or maybe even second nature. It takes extremely high levels of awareness to implement these strategies/tactics into your gameplay. I truly hope that all players are aware of everything this thread points out, and more importantly have the capacity to implement it in games. But to truly assess how much of this you think you know, and how much of this you think you do already in games, go play SWTOR and play a game of Voidstar. See if you can catch yourself thinking about anything that I have mentioned; and be honest with yourself. If you find yourself not deploying these strategies and tactics, come back and read the guide.

 

Let us raise this ceiling that is hanging over this PVP Community's head; that goes for PUGGED matches and RATED matches as well. Attempt to improve yourself and your team on a daily basis. :cool::D

 

Feel free to ask any questions. Feel free to debate. Feel free to display constructive criticism. Feel free to suggest any topics for debate or to be implemented into the guide.

Edited by Polymerize
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much better!!! less condescension. Dislike Voidstar, prefer Huttball but I appear to be a minority these days.

 

 

Btw I love the way you broke the warzone up into zones. I do much the same in warzones. Love that touch, it's something people don't do or can't do to awareness.

Edited by AngelofCain
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much better!!! less condescension. Dislike Voidstar, prefer Huttball but I appear to be a minority these days.

 

 

Btw I love the way you broke the warzone up into zones. I do much the same in warzones. Love that touch, it's something people don't do or can't do to awareness.

 

THANKS :D Zones are essential!

 

Huttball is easily my favorite map as well. Lets say that will be the next one on the list, lol. :eek:

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I like this one much better too. I especially like the examples of when not to apply the golden rule, but that's probably because i have a knee-jerk negative reaction to 'absolute' rules. And thanks for adding the bit about the flip-side golden rule for defenders.

 

Now I just have to "go play a voidstar", like you suggested. Can you tell me where that "play a voidstar now" button is? :D

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I like this one much better too. I especially like the examples of when not to apply the golden rule, but that's probably because i have a knee-jerk negative reaction to 'absolute' rules. And thanks for adding the bit about the flip-side golden rule for defenders.

 

Now I just have to "go play a voidstar", like you suggested. Can you tell me where that "play a voidstar now" button is? :D

 

Feedback, yeay!! Lol.

 

I played about 15 games yesterday and didn't get a single huttball. Got about 6 Voidstars.:eek:

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Now this is what I'm talking about! A detailed guide. Can't wait to see breakdowns like these on all the maps... I, for example, feel like a complete idiot in the Hypergate warzone, where I only kill people and bring orbs to our pylon.

 

A job well done, I'm glad to see you've improved your means of communications in just a couple of days!

 

EDIT: would love to see class- and tree specific tips on this warzone.

 

For example: there's a difference between the use of Markmanship Sniper and the Saboteur Sniper in this warzone.

Edited by SpoeMeister
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Now this is what I'm talking about! A detailed guide. Can't wait to see breakdowns like these on all the maps... I, for example, feel like a complete idiot in the Hypergate warzone, where I only kill people and bring orbs to our pylon.

 

A job well done, I'm glad to see you've improved your means of communications in just a couple of days!

 

EDIT: would love to see class- and tree specific tips on this warzone.

 

For example: there's a difference between the use of Markmanship Sniper and the Saboteur Sniper in this warzone.

 

Thanks! I appreciate it, really.

 

& yes I'll be working my way towards class specific tips, except for snipers! Because I have never rolled a sniper; perhaps you could post some info with regards to that?

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I must say, this is a good read. I thought I knew everything there was to know about this map, but still picked up a few nice tips here. Two thumbs up.

 

Can we have some remedial lessons as well? Not just rated tactics, but pug level stuff... for example, getting used to watching the minimap at all times on D. Marking solo defenders while on d, so I can see quickly who's HP is dropping from the objective frame without waiting for an inc call (which may never come).

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There is one (more than one but it's crucial) huge problem with most of the SWTOR WZs. They are defense based, Now the Reps and other Care Bears cried long enough to convense BW, damage is bad, heal, stun, interrupt is good. So the team with more heal, stun, interrupt ALWAYS win. Edited by sauerkraut
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Thanks! I appreciate it, really.

 

& yes I'll be working my way towards class specific tips, except for snipers! Because I have never rolled a sniper; perhaps you could post some info with regards to that?

 

I'm not calling myself an expert, but I'll try to summarize the things I usually do in a voidstar. Note: my gunslinger is only L40 atm, but I can try to set some basic tips for the AC.

 

Defending

Rule 1: Because the Sniper is a ranged class, I tend to put myself way in the back.

 

Avoiding the zerg and keeping your distance from the objective will put the attackers in a tight spot. Attackers go near the node, where melees will stop them while I support their DPS. Or they come for me, but they'll be too far from the node, stalling for time.

 

Rule 2: Sniper have many CC tools, don't abuse them

1. Baseline CC tools:

- Debilitate/Dirty Kick: A 4 second hard stun at melee range.

- Flashbang/Flash Grenade: An 8 second AOE mezz, 30m range.

- Pulse Detonator/Cover Pulse: AoE knockback and a 5 second root on all affected targets. First 2 seconds it doesn't break.

- Leg Shot: 5 second root. First 2 seconds it doesn't break on damage.

 

2. Spec specific CC tools:

- Marksmanship/Sharpshooter: Knockback on Aimed Shot/Ambush.

- Saboteur/Engineering: Slow on single target ability + slow on AoE area ability + 2 second stun when these two are combined

- Lethality/Dirty Fighting: Slow on AoE ability

 

3. When to use CC:

- Flashbang/Flash Grenade: I usually use this during transition phases, where everyone is trying to get to the screens. I make this decision because not everyone has their CC breaker available and usually they focus on moving forward instead of fighting. This can make some people really fall behind.

- Debilitate/Dirty Kick: I only use this for self defence

- Pulse Detonator/Cover pulse: I use this to peel multiple enemies of myself or a teammate (usually healers). It's also fun to sit in cover on the bridge and knock them off.

- Slows and roots: Leg Shot I use to keep a target in my LOS, just before a Trickshot/Followthrough or Quickdraw/Takedown. It gives me a chance to load up an explosive probe/Sabotage Charge and a Aimed Shot/Ambush. The slows are usually inherent to DPS abilities, so there's no real strategic use.

 

4. When NOT to use CC:

- When there's a zerg going on at a node, do NOT throw a Flashbang/Flash Grenade because there's too much AoE and it would just fill resolve.

 

Rule 3: Pick multiple sweetspots and alternate between them

 

Rule 1 states that you find a place in the back, away from the zerg, in hopes of staying unnoticed for as long as possible. Off course, remaining stationary will work for only so long, so switch place from time to time. I will try and give some sweet spots of my own, based upon the zones that were given by Polymerize.

 

Zone 1

- Behind the furthest pillar when you exit the spawn area, close to the health pot.

Advantages: You also protect the health pot. If you see an enemy desperately running for the pot, root and destroy and/or take the health pot. Second advantage is that with the big pillar, you can go fairly unnoticed.

Disadvantages: Your line of sight is obstructed by the pillar. Furthermore, if and when you are noticed, enemies can use that pillar to close in on you. Finally, although a minor issue, you will be the last to arrive on the other side of the fence when reacting to an inc. You have no own speed buffs and you are probably furthest away.

 

- Against the fence in the middle of the zone, close to the gap in the fence (where you go to switch sides).

Advantages: The most obvious advantage is the ability to quickly switch sides. Another advantage is that you're close to an expertise buff. Everytime it reappears you can just take it. This is a good spot to put pressure on the healers/casters that want to stand in the back.

Disadvantage: You are very susceptible for respawns that want to attack you in the back. Luckily, they can't charge/pull you as long as you stay in cover. You therefore always need to check your surroundings. Also, if you are sitting too far, you can't reliably stop a cap.

 

- Close to the boxes just on the side of the node next to the respawn area.

Advantage: You are probably just outside of the zergfest for the door, but you are still close enough to provide extra defenses with your scrambling field/Ballistic Shield for your teammates.

Disadvantage: You are just as easily not outside of the zergfest. Move if that's the case.

 

Sweet spot No No:

Don't sit right in front of the door. You are now in melee zerg zone.

Don't go and climb that fancy plane, thinking you're high and dry. You will only be able to hit respawns at a certain point. It's utterly useless.

Don't sit on the ramp just outside of the spawn area. Seriously, you have no view whatsoever on the nodes.

 

Zone 2

- Just when you enter the room with the bridge, go to the opposide side of where the consoles are and stay as close to the door walls as possible, while keeping a 25-30m distance of the console.

Advantages: People tend to tunnel vision the console when they enter. You can stall caps from there. When melee want to attack you, they are further from the console.

Disadvantages: The moment people notice you, you are a sitting duck. Healers tend to stay in the center stage between the two consoles to easily heal both sides. That possibly means you will get no healing.

 

- Center stage near the expertise buff.

Advantages: You can easily control both sides of the consoles, delaying opening the bridge. Furthermore, you can use the expertise buff every time it reappears. You are also a good lure so friendly PT's/Assassins on the other side can pull them off, if they are clever enough to see it. Engineering/Saboteur specs can very easily delay console caps with Orbital Strike/XS Freighter Flyby on one side and Plasma Probe/Incendiary Grenade on the other.

Disadvantage: Obvious disadvantage is that enemy respawns land on top of you. You'll also have to move out of cover a lot of times to avoid LOS-capping on both sides.

 

Sweet Spot No No:

Again, I will never sit right next to a console.

 

Zone 3

- The pillars closest to your spawn area (next to the ramp with the expertise buff).

Advantage: If you place yourself properly, enemies coming from the bridge won't easily see you. This is especially true if there are some melee teammates waiting in front of the node. You also have an easy transition between the two sides AND you can halt enemies coming from the other side.

Disadvantage: When entrench is not up, there are some fairly easy combos to eliminate you easily, most notably a juggernauts/Guardians Force Push.

 

- Next to the health pot.

Advantages: Again, I am now in control of who will take the health pot. The pillars are now closer to the bridge, so LOS'ing you will be more difficult.

Disadvantage: People will see you this time. You are slow to reach the other side. Smart enemies coming from the bridge will be able to LOS you for as long as possible using the pillars that are now close to the bridge.

 

Sweet Spot No No:

- Never right in front of a door.

- Next to the ramp is OK, on the ramp not OK.

 

I need to test whether or not it's possible to sit on the edge of the ramp just below the spawn area and check the LOS issues from here.

 

Zone 4

A lot of people tend to stop running and go for the first console, but some of them go for the last. I base my location on what is needed, but I'll almost be close to the second console. The distance to the first console is still enough for my range and I can rapidly switch to the last console in case of cap. it also gives me a first free shot on people respawning, rooting them there for example when they fall to little ledger below.

 

Zone 5

Here, I like to sit just on the corner right when we leave the spawn area. It gives the possibility to quickly switch between sides without even moving that much.

 

I actually don't have that much information regarding this zone because we usually don't get there.

 

Attacking

 

I will have to write this some other time, but there's one thing I'm thinking of, based on your rule:

 

As a ranged DPS, you can have good view on the door. Keep your burst for the right time.

 

 

 

AGAIN, I'm no expert. I don't even have the class on 50 yet. Just my thoughts from playing in low level pvp. Maps don't change when you reach 50 :-)

Edited by SpoeMeister
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That will be a nice addition to the thread Spoemeister. Thanks for taking the time to do that, because I would not bring anything to the table when it comes to intuitive information regarding snipers!

 

(Struggling to find time to finish this guide until I take my tests over the next week. Sapping all of my brain power and time up. :o)

 

Should have some more information within the week though.

 

That being said... BUMP.

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That will be a nice addition to the thread Spoemeister. Thanks for taking the time to do that, because I would not bring anything to the table when it comes to intuitive information regarding snipers!

 

(Struggling to find time to finish this guide until I take my tests over the next week. Sapping all of my brain power and time up. :o)

 

Should have some more information within the week though.

 

That being said... BUMP.

 

I'm sure many Snipers/Gunslingers are more experienced and way better than me (NoTomorrow and Madtycoon are 2 on this forum that I really respect because of their contribution) but it's a start :-)

 

Good luck on your tests!

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I like your guide, and follow many of the rules. I will frequently type "slow, don't kill" after the doors go down. One problem with your door timing advice. If you are the defending team, and position every member away from the spawn door, you theoretically could have no way of watching the door as the attacker.
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I like your guide, and follow many of the rules. I will frequently type "slow, don't kill" after the doors go down. One problem with your door timing advice. If you are the defending team, and position every member away from the spawn door, you theoretically could have no way of watching the door as the attacker.

 

Not necessarily. Attackers will dictate how Defenders have to position themselves, not vice versa. You'll also have some ranged Attackers that can keep a visual on the door. So you probably will not to depend on a melee Attacker being able to keep your team updated on the door ticks.

 

Regardless of the scenario, if you understand the logic behind the Golden Rules you'll be able to implement them in your gameplay when it is applicable.

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My problem now is I'M NOT GETTING ANY VS!!! I swear, I've gotten like 1 since you put this guide out. How the heck am I supposed to practice this? I think it's a conspiracy by Bioware. Now that you've dissected their map, they are going to stop popping it. :)

 

You should do a guide for AHG. I get those all the time now (which is fine, because I like that map).

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I'm not calling myself an expert, but I'll try to summarize the things I usually do in a voidstar. Note: my gunslinger is only L40 atm, but I can try to set some basic tips for the AC.

 

Defending

Rule 1: Because the Sniper is a ranged class, I tend to put myself way in the back.

 

Avoiding the zerg and keeping your distance from the objective will put the attackers in a tight spot. Attackers go near the node, where melees will stop them while I support their DPS. Or they come for me, but they'll be too far from the node, stalling for time.

 

Rule 2: Sniper have many CC tools, don't abuse them

1. Baseline CC tools:

- Debilitate/Dirty Kick: A 4 second hard stun at melee range.

- Flashbang/Flash Grenade: An 8 second AOE mezz, 30m range.

- Pulse Detonator/Cover Pulse: AoE knockback and a 5 second root on all affected targets. First 2 seconds it doesn't break.

- Leg Shot: 5 second root. First 2 seconds it doesn't break on damage.

 

2. Spec specific CC tools:

- Marksmanship/Sharpshooter: Knockback on Aimed Shot/Ambush.

- Saboteur/Engineering: Slow on single target ability + slow on AoE area ability + 2 second stun when these two are combined

- Lethality/Dirty Fighting: Slow on AoE ability

 

3. When to use CC:

- Flashbang/Flash Grenade: I usually use this during transition phases, where everyone is trying to get to the screens. I make this decision because not everyone has their CC breaker available and usually they focus on moving forward instead of fighting. This can make some people really fall behind.

- Debilitate/Dirty Kick: I only use this for self defence

- Pulse Detonator/Cover pulse: I use this to peel multiple enemies of myself or a teammate (usually healers). It's also fun to sit in cover on the bridge and knock them off.

- Slows and roots: Leg Shot I use to keep a target in my LOS, just before a Trickshot/Followthrough or Quickdraw/Takedown. It gives me a chance to load up an explosive probe/Sabotage Charge and a Aimed Shot/Ambush. The slows are usually inherent to DPS abilities, so there's no real strategic use.

 

4. When NOT to use CC:

- When there's a zerg going on at a node, do NOT throw a Flashbang/Flash Grenade because there's too much AoE and it would just fill resolve.

 

Rule 3: Pick multiple sweetspots and alternate between them

 

Rule 1 states that you find a place in the back, away from the zerg, in hopes of staying unnoticed for as long as possible. Off course, remaining stationary will work for only so long, so switch place from time to time. I will try and give some sweet spots of my own, based upon the zones that were given by Polymerize.

 

Zone 1

- Behind the furthest pillar when you exit the spawn area, close to the health pot.

Advantages: You also protect the health pot. If you see an enemy desperately running for the pot, root and destroy and/or take the health pot. Second advantage is that with the big pillar, you can go fairly unnoticed.

Disadvantages: Your line of sight is obstructed by the pillar. Furthermore, if and when you are noticed, enemies can use that pillar to close in on you. Finally, although a minor issue, you will be the last to arrive on the other side of the fence when reacting to an inc. You have no own speed buffs and you are probably furthest away.

 

- Against the fence in the middle of the zone, close to the gap in the fence (where you go to switch sides).

Advantages: The most obvious advantage is the ability to quickly switch sides. Another advantage is that you're close to an expertise buff. Everytime it reappears you can just take it. This is a good spot to put pressure on the healers/casters that want to stand in the back.

Disadvantage: You are very susceptible for respawns that want to attack you in the back. Luckily, they can't charge/pull you as long as you stay in cover. You therefore always need to check your surroundings. Also, if you are sitting too far, you can't reliably stop a cap.

 

- Close to the boxes just on the side of the node next to the respawn area.

Advantage: You are probably just outside of the zergfest for the door, but you are still close enough to provide extra defenses with your scrambling field/Ballistic Shield for your teammates.

Disadvantage: You are just as easily not outside of the zergfest. Move if that's the case.

 

Sweet spot No No:

Don't sit right in front of the door. You are now in melee zerg zone.

Don't go and climb that fancy plane, thinking you're high and dry. You will only be able to hit respawns at a certain point. It's utterly useless.

Don't sit on the ramp just outside of the spawn area. Seriously, you have no view whatsoever on the nodes.

 

Zone 2

- Just when you enter the room with the bridge, go to the opposide side of where the consoles are and stay as close to the door walls as possible, while keeping a 25-30m distance of the console.

Advantages: People tend to tunnel vision the console when they enter. You can stall caps from there. When melee want to attack you, they are further from the console.

Disadvantages: The moment people notice you, you are a sitting duck. Healers tend to stay in the center stage between the two consoles to easily heal both sides. That possibly means you will get no healing.

 

- Center stage near the expertise buff.

Advantages: You can easily control both sides of the consoles, delaying opening the bridge. Furthermore, you can use the expertise buff every time it reappears. You are also a good lure so friendly PT's/Assassins on the other side can pull them off, if they are clever enough to see it. Engineering/Saboteur specs can very easily delay console caps with Orbital Strike/XS Freighter Flyby on one side and Plasma Probe/Incendiary Grenade on the other.

Disadvantage: Obvious disadvantage is that enemy respawns land on top of you. You'll also have to move out of cover a lot of times to avoid LOS-capping on both sides.

 

Sweet Spot No No:

Again, I will never sit right next to a console.

 

Zone 3

- The pillars closest to your spawn area (next to the ramp with the expertise buff).

Advantage: If you place yourself properly, enemies coming from the bridge won't easily see you. This is especially true if there are some melee teammates waiting in front of the node. You also have an easy transition between the two sides AND you can halt enemies coming from the other side.

Disadvantage: When entrench is not up, there are some fairly easy combos to eliminate you easily, most notably a juggernauts/Guardians Force Push.

 

- Next to the health pot.

Advantages: Again, I am now in control of who will take the health pot. The pillars are now closer to the bridge, so LOS'ing you will be more difficult.

Disadvantage: People will see you this time. You are slow to reach the other side. Smart enemies coming from the bridge will be able to LOS you for as long as possible using the pillars that are now close to the bridge.

 

Sweet Spot No No:

- Never right in front of a door.

- Next to the ramp is OK, on the ramp not OK.

 

I need to test whether or not it's possible to sit on the edge of the ramp just below the spawn area and check the LOS issues from here.

 

Zone 4

A lot of people tend to stop running and go for the first console, but some of them go for the last. I base my location on what is needed, but I'll almost be close to the second console. The distance to the first console is still enough for my range and I can rapidly switch to the last console in case of cap. it also gives me a first free shot on people respawning, rooting them there for example when they fall to little ledger below.

 

Zone 5

Here, I like to sit just on the corner right when we leave the spawn area. It gives the possibility to quickly switch between sides without even moving that much.

 

I actually don't have that much information regarding this zone because we usually don't get there.

 

Attacking

 

I will have to write this some other time, but there's one thing I'm thinking of, based on your rule:

 

As a ranged DPS, you can have good view on the door. Keep your burst for the right time.

 

 

 

AGAIN, I'm no expert. I don't even have the class on 50 yet. Just my thoughts from playing in low level pvp. Maps don't change when you reach 50 :-)

 

NIcely done.

 

For attacking, my new strat (after learning about the "ticks" on the door, thx to Polymerize) is to sit in view of both the door and the defending respawn door. There you can count ticks, burst down at the right time, CC someone that's going for a friend capping the door etc. In the first zone, you can even be next to a pilar while watching both, meaning you'll be able to abuse the LoS.

 

Nice guid Poly!

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NIcely done.

 

For attacking, my new strat (after learning about the "ticks" on the door, thx to Polymerize) is to sit in view of both the door and the defending respawn door. There you can count ticks, burst down at the right time, CC someone that's going for a friend capping the door etc. In the first zone, you can even be next to a pilar while watching both, meaning you'll be able to abuse the LoS.

 

Nice guide Poly!

 

Thanks! I'm excited and motivated to know that some people understand the message I'm trying to convey; and are more importantly trying to implement it into their gameplay. :rolleyes:

Edited by Polymerize
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My problem now is I'M NOT GETTING ANY VS!!! I swear, I've gotten like 1 since you put this guide out. How the heck am I supposed to practice this? I think it's a conspiracy by Bioware. Now that you've dissected their map, they are going to stop popping it. :)

 

You should do a guide for AHG. I get those all the time now (which is fine, because I like that map).

 

AHG will probably be the last map I make a guide for; I have not played a ton since that map came out so I have not really broken it down to an intricate level.

 

I hope you get some Voidstars soon and let me know how these strategies work for you.

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Rule #1

 

Attackers should not kill Defenders when Transition Mode is in effect.

In my WZ experience, it turns out that this strategy only works against a) bad players and/or b) players who aren't using classes. I strongly discourage it.

 

Decent players, if allowed to live, will hold a transition mode force field for up to 2 minutes; I do it all the time on my Scrapper because people just try to CC without actually killing me. That lets me restealth, drop a bombardment on one console, and then harass the other console. And that's even after every other ally on my side is dead on the transition side of the force field, let alone all the time wasted killing those allies.

 

Here is a list of classes that really need to be killed because a decent player will be able to stop a force field opening. Heck, even an average or subpar player can use these classes to really mess up your transition mode offense.

 

1) Scoundrels: Evasion --> Disappearing Act is a nightmare for attackers. So is Flashbang. So is Freighter Flyby. So is Thermal Grenade. So is Sleep Dart.

2) Shadows: Shroud (Especially 5second Shroud) + Speed + Force Cloak is also a nightmare. Mind Maze is also just as problematic as Sleep Dart (although it is less spammable)

3) Sages: Fadeout Speed removes all slows/snares and grants slow/snare immunity. Good Bubbling can keep a team locked down for 6 seconds on its own. Force Wave has a big range, doesn't have to be aimed, and takes everyone off the door.

4) Marauders (don't know the Pub ability names): Intimidating Roar + Force Camouflage + Charge can really keep the attackers tangled up.

 

Just trying to CC lock these guys is a great way to get your offense stuck for 2+ minutes on a bridge. Just focusing offensive resources into murdering them outright gets you the bridge in 30-45 seconds.

 

Ultimately, it's a gamble. If you kill them, you have a much better chance of taking the bridge in a much shorter time. But then you won't get your awesome transition push against understaffed defenders on a door; everyone will have just respawned. On the other hand, if you don't kill the defenders in transition mode, you might be able to make a nice transition attack past the bridge...or you might get tangled up and waste a ton of time. The gamble is still balanced on the side of the first option, just because if you took the first door you probably have the resources to take the second door given enough time. Gambling on the second option can really cut into that badly needed time.

Edited by ktkenshinx
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