Hi all, can someone give me an idea of your rotations (I realise it depends on what you're doing/fighting etc!) but I am feeling a bit limited and was wondering what other people are using.

Many thanks

Mine varies, but at lvl 44 Arsenal spec mine generally follows this:

Solo v Reg Mob

MB - Railshot - Unload. If not dead a Rapid Shot or 2 will finish it off

Solo v Silver and Up

MB or Fusion - Tracer x3 - RS - Unload - PS - Alternate tracer & Powershot 'til Unload comes back or CD chance procs

Group (heat generation is more of a concern for long fights)

Same as above minus Missile Blast opener - too much heat and not at all CC friendly

No clue if I'm maxing DPS with this, but it keeps my heat levels at or below 60%ish - every once in a while if my timing is too fast I have a tendency to pull aggro.\

Just to keep my animations interesting I'll toss in a Rocket Punch or some other filler every now and again. I dunno, just something satisfying about making RP my "killshot" attack;)

Runnin' a 5/31/5 here.

Opening up with Fusion Missile on a single target is awesome (use thermal over-rides). Using Tracers more than once is silly. Spread out the damage a bit. Use Unloads whenever they proc with barrage. HSM with 4 stack is just fine. Don't need to wait for 5.

Trigger burst by timing the 2-second primer on Explosive Dart to coincide with HSM/RailShot (or all three simultaneously!). What I mean is: Explosive Dart --> Tracer Round --> HSM --> Railshot. Use this as a finisher.

Save missile blasts for either kiting or possibly a long-distance killshot on someone with around 1k health. It's not worth the heat in any other situation.

If you need to take someone down fast, use your instant cooldown after firing one tracer to instant a second.

Using Tracers more than once is silly.

Why is that silly? On a single, weaker target - maybe. But for a gold or Boss, is a 5 stack of armor reduction not more effective than just 2?

Why is that silly? On a single, weaker target - maybe. But for a gold or Boss, is a 5 stack of armor reduction not more effective than just 2?

Tracer --> Tracer is silly.

Use something as a filler. If your first tracer proc's barrage, don't fire another tracer. Use Unload.

Tracer --> Tracer is silly.

 

Use something as a filler. If your first tracer proc's barrage, don't fire another tracer. Use Unload.

Always prioritize an Unload proc, but when that, Rail Shot, and HSM are on cooldown, you should generally be spamming Tracer. If one doesn't proc Unload, cast the next one and hope that one does. Don't forget what, when geared right you should approximately a 50% crit chance on Tracer Missile. Over a sustained fight it should be almost as much of your DPS as Unload is.

EDIT: Also, using Thermal Sensor Override when you're at 0 heat is silly. Don't use that on an opener.

From a Pyrotech perspective:

Railshot every time it procs.

So something like an elite or champion:

Incendiary Missile, Railshot, Unload, Explosive Dart, Thermal Detonator, Powershot. Mix in Rapid shots to manage heat if the fight is going to be long. Open with and work in Death from Above as appropriate.

I tend not to use Thermal Sensor Override until/unless I need to pop a Rapid Scan.

For trash mobs:

Open with Death from Above, then basically the same as above but you don't have to channel Unload because the fights won't generally be that long. Keep in mind flamethrower is a decent frontal cone AoE for multiple opponents.

Tracer --> Tracer is silly.

 

Use something as a filler. If your first tracer proc's barrage, don't fire another tracer. Use Unload.

Only quoted this part - but you do make a good point.

Was at lvl 43 when posted yesterday with only 1 point in barrage - so Unload really didn't proc that often. Hit 45 last night and put the 2 skill points into Barrage - your recommendation worked pretty darn well. Between Tracers and PS, Unload was procing all the time.

Also, never even came close to 50% heat while running Collicoid & Reaper - so, nice!

Still no heatseekers yet though - but with the vast reduction in heat generation, I may sacrifice improved vents for the time being

Only quoted this part - but you do make a good point.

 

Was at lvl 43 when posted yesterday with only 1 point in barrage - so Unload really didn't proc that often. Hit 45 last night and put the 2 skill points into Barrage - your recommendation worked pretty darn well. Between Tracers and PS, Unload was procing all the time.

 

Also, never even came close to 50% heat while running Collicoid & Reaper - so, nice!

 

Still no heatseekers yet though - but with the vast reduction in heat generation, I may sacrifice improved vents for the time being

Why are you using PS when you have TM?

Why are you using PS when you have TM?

Power Shot does more damage and can proc barrage as well. It's perfectly fine as a filler in PvE, but you need to be discretionary for PvP situations. For heat conservation, follow power-shot with rapidshots. You'll vent 6-8 from the process, halving powershot's cost.

Power Shot does more damage and can proc barrage as well. It's perfectly fine as a filler in PvE, but you need to be discretionary for PvP situations. For heat conservation, follow power-shot with rapidshots. You'll vent 6-8 from the process, halving powershot's cost.

You're gimping your rail shots by not getting your Tracer Lock stacks up via casting Tracer Missile.

Back when it took 5 TMs to get a full set of Tracer Lock stacks I did what you're doing, but now that it only takes 3 it's really not worth it. You'll get a little bit more damage, sure, but if you get lucky with Barrage procs you won't have enough time to get those 5 Tracer Lock stacks up before your next Rail Shot.

For that matter, in PVP you'll probably want those Tracer Lock stacks for quick healing on yourself via Healing Scan.

Why are you using PS when you have TM?

Other than "because it's there," like Koyaanisqat said, it's an additional chance to proc Barrage. As an aside, with absolutely no hard data to back it up other than observational - PS actually seems to proc Barrage more often than Tracer. But also, if I already have a full stack of tracer locks, never hurts to mix in a little white damage (which for me is an all but guaranteed crit) if the target's armor is especially well debuffed.

Seems to work for me - and didn't need to completely rewrite my playstyle. But like I said, with the full 3 points put into Barrage, it procs often enough that I'm essentially running with Unload being my main attack with Tracer, PS, and RS sewn in when available or as needed to proc barrage

Other than "because it's there," like Koyaanisqat said, it's an additional chance to proc Barrage. As an aside, with absolutely no hard data to back it up other than observational - PS actually seems to proc Barrage more often than Tracer. But also, if I already have a full stack of tracer locks, never hurts to mix in a little white damage (which for me is an all but guaranteed crit) if the target's armor is especially well debuffed.

 

Seems to work for me - and didn't need to completely rewrite my playstyle. But like I said, with the full 3 points put into Barrage, it procs often enough that I'm essentially running with Unload being my main attack with Tracer, PS, and RS sewn in when available or as needed to proc barrage

I still don't understand it. In your 2-piece set bonus you've got a higher crit chance on TM than on PS; they'll both go through armor the same amount. Power Shot has a higher top end, but a lower bottom end; the only way it'll do more damage for you than TM over time is with lucky RNG on crits and damage rolls. Plus, Power Shot includes your offhand, so you'll get miss chances on some of that additional top-end damage.

Only quoted this part - but you do make a good point.

 

Was at lvl 43 when posted yesterday with only 1 point in barrage - so Unload really didn't proc that often. Hit 45 last night and put the 2 skill points into Barrage - your recommendation worked pretty darn well. Between Tracers and PS, Unload was procing all the time.

 

Also, never even came close to 50% heat while running Collicoid & Reaper - so, nice!

 

Still no heatseekers yet though - but with the vast reduction in heat generation, I may sacrifice improved vents for the time being

Because a guildie had to point this out - I completely missed it...

Why do you not have HSM yet at level 45? You should have all 31 points that you need in Arsenal by level 41. Generally you should go whatever your intended tree is *first* and fill out the side trees only when you're done there - the strongest talents are usually at the top.

If fighting a single target I always start with Unload, then TM and then you have 45% chance for another Unload. If the target is still alive, fire RS/Heatseekers/another TM

If you're going on a lone mob somewhere (playing solo instead of in a group), you're better off opening with TM than with Unload because by the time the mob reacts to you you've already gotten a full cast off.

Try at least one TM first, then Unload. You'll most likely kill him quicker.

(use the abilities that eliminate your cast time and heat generation, I can't remember their names)

Then use Fusion missile, Tracer missile x3, Heatseeker missiles, Rail shot, Unload, Rapid shots.

Reapeat this rotation using Unload every time barrage activates until Heatseekers and Rail shot refresh. This will maintain your heat sig and tracer lock.

Note: You may need to use your Chaff flares in order to reduce threat after your 1st heatseeker especially if you clicked a power relic on the opener as you will probably take agro.

Because a guildie had to point this out - I completely missed it...

 

Why do you not have HSM yet at level 45? You should have all 31 points that you need in Arsenal by level 41. Generally you should go whatever your intended tree is *first* and fill out the side trees only when you're done there - the strongest talents are usually at the top.

Some people would put the points in +crit and -Heat in Vent in bodyguard and the +30% AP in Railshot in Pyro already. That would put him 8 behind.

Some people would put the points in +crit and -Heat in Vent in bodyguard and the +30% AP in Railshot in Pyro already. That would put him 8 behind.

That's actually exactly what I did;)

I did pick up HSM in the meantime though and hit 50, yay!