SWTOR - Shadow DPS: PvE Optimization

Yours truly (yes, I like talking about myself in the third person :)) is back for a new article on Shadow Jedi DPS. I spoke in my previous subject of a template on which I used to do my calculations and write my articles. This template is here: 7/31/3.

It is for the moment the most optimal template in my opinion, and what I could glean as information here and there. Remember though, at the risk of mistaking me for a rambling grandpa, that since there is no combat diary (yet), nothing I write is for sure. I rely on the theoretical information given to me by the game to do all my calculations and I have no way of checking if they apply in practice. So remember that in theory, it works ?

Editor's note: This time I decided not to insert my calculations which did not add anything to the article. If you want clarification, please leave a comment to that effect!

 

Main Shadow Skills

With that, let's jump straight into the attack with some information to always keep in mind.

The goal as Shadow Jedi DPS is, as much as possible (and when the boss's strategy permits), to get behind the boss's back. This allows you to send the Shadow Strike whenever you want. Indeed, all direct damage attacks have a 30% chance to activate the Infiltration Strategy which grants exploitable Weakness. This talent allows you to cast a Shadow Strike for half of its normal Strength cost (25 instead of 50) and ignores 50% of the target's armor. It is important to note that due to its extremely high cost, Shadow Strike can only be used when exploitable Weakness proc (except in rare cases of excess Force due to a failed cycle, movement, etc. .)

At the same time, the Withdrawal Strategy talent has a 100% chance for each proc of shadow technique to increase the damage of the next Force Breach by 6%. The Withdrawal Strategy stacks 5 times, so you have a chance that between two Force Breaches you will achieve a 30% increase. This skill is to be used as soon as its waiting time before reuse (CoolDown = CD) is over because:

• the increase in damage caused by the withdrawal strategy is linear,
• you would not gain by waiting for an additional proc in the face of loss of DPS due to non-use.

 

Finally, Clairvoyant Strike increases the damage of the next Blast by 15% (stackable 2 times, or 30%) and has a 50% chance to proc Spinning Shadows which reduces the hit of the next Blast by 25% (stackable 2 times , i.e. 50%). The Projection is only to be used after two Clairvoyant Strikes in order to always benefit from the bonus of 30% damage and a reduced Force cost.

 

"Don't give me priority"

With all of this valuable information, and more to come, we can prioritize the use of skills in our cycle:

1. Rotary Strike when the target is below 30% health. It's a devastating attack for a really good Force cost. She only has one flaw, a 6 second CD?
2. Shadow Strike: Use when exploitable Weakness procs or in the rare case of excess Strength.
3. Force Breach: use as soon as the CD is ready.
4. Projection: This skill has a 100% chance, thanks to the Force Synergy talent, to increase melee critical strike chance by 9% if itself critical. It should therefore be used without moderation as soon as the CD is ready and the two Clairvoyant Strikes have been affixed.
5. Clairvoyant Strike, twice in a row, except in the case where one of the skills above is available between two (except Projection) in which case the second Strike will be launched after the skill in question.
6. Saber strike that allows you to delay while your CDs are reloading or reloading the Force.

 

"I was able to Force"

Basically, we regenerate 8 Force points per second. Add to that the Depth talent, which allows you to recover 10 Strength points when the shadow technique procs (10 seconds CD), and the Blackout which allows you to recover 10 Strength points as well (1 minute CD). So we have about a total regeneration of 9 points per second. This is laughable, especially when you know that the less demanding skill costs 25 Strength points! But don't despair! Thanks to the Force Occult and Blackout talents which grant you 6 seconds of Shadow Respite, you will have the opportunity to increase this regeneration by 50% fairly regularly (or 9 * 1.5 = 13.5).

 

 

Set up your cycle

Here we are falling into a TOTALLY subjective and very personal part of my approach to DPS in PvE HL. I am giving you this information as an indication and it is very likely that you will not agree with me (especially for the more experienced among you). I invite you anyway to experiment and to make your own style of play. Never forget that a good player is a player with his own automatisms and that, therefore, two very good players can have two very distinct styles of play and understand a DPS cycle in two very different ways. What is interesting is knowing in what configuration we feel comfortable and if we will be able to face all the scenarios and challenges that each fight can represent.

Combat engagement seen by Oopsee

1. Always start a boss in Stealth mode in order to benefit from the 6 seconds of Shadow Respite and thus be able to set up the cycle more easily.
2. Simultaneously use Strength Content, Readiness to Fight, a Relic, (a dope), and the Projection skill. This is to maximize your chances of making an entry critical hit on Projection and therefore directly obtain the bonus of + 9% melee critical strike chance for the next 10 seconds (Force Synergy).
3. Chain with Force Breach (again, if your Projection isn't critical, you have a chance to proc Force Synergy)
4. Then two Clairvoyant Strike
5. At this point, if exploitable Weakness and Depth proc, you have the option to send Shadow Strike. Otherwise, do a Saber Strike (or another Clairvoyant Strike depending on your Strength) then send Shadow Strike (in excess of Strength to be expected)
6. Use Force Blackout (Force regeneration and aggro reset. If you don't use Force Blackout at this point, you have a very high chance to regain aggro from the tank within seconds. follow), then the Black-out 6 seconds later.
7. Finally, you can relaunch Projection.
8. and continue your cycle without forgetting to use your CDs (Strength Content and Readiness to fight before the projection or the force breach) ...

With this engagement in combat, you benefit from 18 seconds of Shadow Respite in a row, allowing "to send the sauce" and to correct any errors ("I was looking with anguish at the large dark puddle under my feet which m 'was removing 5000 hp per second, so I kept spamming 4 like an idiot and sent 3/4 Clairvoyant Strike while Exploitable Weakness had proc ": D). In addition, if all goes well, all your procs are in place & ready to refresh and the cycle will set up on its own.

And there you have it, that will be all for today. The debate is open, ask all your questions, I will try to answer them as best I can. Let me know if you don't agree with me, whether it's for my template choices, my vision of the DPS cycle or just for .. everything! ?

See you soon !

Coming up

- What profession to choose when you are Shadow?
- What to do when you are Shadow and level 50?
- Equip quickly and correctly to go on a raid