I introduce myself, Liamena, an officer of the Reset Guild on the Darth Nihilus server. We are in a PvE / PvE HL perspective (at least we try between 2 wipes ^^). We have currently cleaned up the content of Operation Mode 8, apart from that dear Trandoshan (Kephess for those who don't know him) in NiM. After a long period of hesitation, I am embarking on writing this modest article to share the experience gained on a Marauder specialization that we rarely hear about: Carnage. Being also a fan of the articles of Swtor-Guide, I wanted to add my stone to this beautiful company. Not doing PvP, I can only offer a PvE perspective, and I apologize to the Republican gankers for the lack of knowledge in this area. Same with the Republicans, I only played on the Empire side, I don't know any of the spells used by the Jedi.
To begin this article, I invite my readers to understand the meaning of this sentence: "the best defense is the attack". Let me explain. The Carnage Special Marauder should be considered a true swordsman. It only offers very low resistance compared to Annihilation, but has a pretty impressive burst capacity (big damage over a short period of time), as well as near-unmatched mobility (and not just for him). He uses the Ataru style, based on movement speed and a shower of saber blows. The marauder uses 2 resources, the first is rage and the second is fury points, allowing the use of offensive spells.
Distribution of talent points
After several tests on the pole and in operation, I decided to opt for a specialization in 7/31/3, which in my opinion allows to obtain the maximum of the Carnage specialization and to maximize its bursts.
Annihilation
- Camouflage d’annihilation (2) - the use of retaliation reduces CD time of the camouflage of suffering. I find these points useful because, I realized that retaliation is used relatively often and that allows to have a very useful defensive and situational cd.
- Impatience (2) - Reduces Frenzy DC, generates 2 points for each attack using rage (almost any attack). This talent is mandatory.
- Enraged Lunge (3) - Restores a point of rage after using Slay and Vicious Throw. More than useful.
Rage
- Pest (2) - Increases the damage of the rampage and slightly reduces its cd. Indispensable too.
- Decimation (1) - Increases damage from shock and swing volley. This is the point that you can put wherever you want, it is a default choice (at most useful in an operation in my opinion), but it can be placed elsewhere.
Carnage
1st level:
- Carnage Camouflage (2) - Suffering camouflage returns one point of rage for each damage it reflects. It is a situational talent, and considering the number of DoT collected during an operation, it is a very useful talent, even essential.
- Double mastery of handling (3) - Increases secondary weapon damage, a must.
- Defensive forms (2) - Increases movement speed in Ataru Form by 15%, increases the amount of Fury generated when attacking. Indispensable too.
2nd level:
- Hate refocused (3) - 3% more precision. This optimizes other stats, such as potency.
- Defensive advantage (2) - Reduces AoE damage taken. Very useful as a melee dps.
3nd level:
- Forme Ataru (1) – The combat form of the Carnage Marauder. Your attacks have a chance to deal an extra hit depending on your weapon damage.
- Mastery of the Ataru (2) - Increases the damage of the Ataru form. Essential.
- Execution (2) - Increases the damage of the next Force Shout or Vicious Feint. More than useful.
4nd level:
- Blood Frenzy (1) - A buff that restores a point of rage when it disappears. Very useful too.
- Dark Rage (2) - Grants 100% critical bonus to Force Cry while Blood Frenzy is active. More than essential, it is one of the damage bases of the Marauder Carnage.
- Enraged Assault (2) - Reduces Martyr Assault cd by 3 seconds. Not necessarily essential, but I find it very useful to regenerate your rage faster.
5nd level:
- Settlement (2) - Allows Force camouflage to free itself from movement-affecting effects. Increases the movement speed of Predation by 30%. A major asset of the Marauder Carnage, when your raid (including you ^^) is slow in its movements.
- Ecorchure (1) - An attack granting an armor piercing buff. Essential.
- Deafening voice (2) - Reduces the cost of rage and the CD of Force Cry. Indispensable too.
6nd level:
- Cut (3) - 30% bonus damage to Slaughter and Force Cry critical hits. Also essential
7nd level:
- Massacre (1) - The main attack of the Marauder Carnage. Systematically procs an Ataru Form strike, granting a 6 sec bonus increasing chance to launch Ataru Form strikes by 30%.
Statistics
In terms of statistics, the priority is similar to other classes to adjust according to taste and color.
Stamina is the main statistic of the Sith Warrior, it gives a bonus damage and a bonus critical. This is a statistic to be favored above any other. Apart from vigor, potency grants a bonus to damage, to be privileged first. Otherwise, your other stats should look something like this:
- 100% accuracy (possibly 101%)
- 30% criticism
- 75-80% influx
I had the opportunity to increase to 780 in bonus damage and reduce my critical to 25%, and the difference on 5 min of post was not felt (on the contrary ...) So it really depends on the type of figure that you want to see displayed, as long as it stays consistent.
Cycle
I can't really speak of a cycle in the way I play my Marauder. I will therefore talk about attack combos that allow you to inflict the most damage in the least possible time. I'm assuming you need to be on the Massacre buff all the time and use Force Cry when and only when Frenzy is active. I find the use of Vicious Feint unprofitable for this specialization compared to Massacre (which has the same rage cost, generates more damage via an additional attack).
The 1st combo revolves around sacking, the channeled spell of the warrior, and incidentally the most brutal in terms of damage. You need 6 points of rage to cast it. You have to play well with the timing of the rampage to maximize its potential.
In order, this gives:
Massacre
Out of stock
Scratching
Rampage (concurrent with the Scorch)
Force Shout (right after the last hit of the rampage, to take advantage of the Flay buff)
OU
Vicious Throw in place of Force Cry when target is below 30% health
The second combo uses 30 fury points and is based on the Ravage's abilities. It's a raw burst combo (rather spam touches ^^). Ravage in Ataru Form reduces the overall cooldown of Slaughter, Vicious Feint, and Hit Volley by 0.5 sec (hence 1 sec of CD) and reduces their rage cost by one point (so with the Rabid Slash talent, the massacre costs only one point of rage). This combo requires 9 rage points.
Ravage
Out of stock
Scratching
Massacre, the 1st simultaneously with the Scorch and chain 6 times
OU
Ravage
Out of stock
Scratching
Massacre, the 1st simultaneously with the Scorch and chain 2 times
Force Shout (to take advantage of the Scorch buff)
OU
Vicious Throw in place of Force Cry when target is below 30% health
If the second option is chosen, there are 4 attacks left to launch with the reduced GCD. I rarely use it (it depends on my target and the moves I have to make using the 10m range of the last 2 spells, but rarely on a boss) because the fact of not using the 6 hits in a row blocks the generation of Fury.
The last combo I use is a zone version of the second. This is a combo that must be anticipated because it requires Ravage (and therefore 30 points of fury), and 12 points of rage (see a little more, if the conditions allow a regeneration of rage via the camouflage of suffering).
Ravage
Massacre
Scratching
Blow volley (until its rage bar is empty)
Apart from these combos, and incidentally to regenerate fury more quickly, I use 4 spells sprinkled with a few assaults to maintain a good level of rage and be able to burst more often.
Massacre
Out of stock
Abrasion (having 15 seconds of CD, you can use it from time to time in a cycle of regen fury)
Force Shout (must be on Frenzy buff for critical effect)
Vicious Throw (if the target is below 30%)
Defensive CDs
Return of Saber: the best defensive cooldown in the Marauder. It absorbs a certain amount of damage and greatly increases defense. It is preferable to use it on phases of significant damage.
Eternal Rage: Immune the Walker to 99% damage for 5 sec. A spell that saved my life several times. Use when you are about to die or about to take a big slap (which can kill you).
Camouflage of suffering: this cd has two advantages. The first, common to all specializations, reduces damage taken by 20% for 6 seconds. Receiving damage returns damage and resets that duration. This is the cooldown to use when taking DoT (Damage over Time = damage over time). In the specialization I am offering with its upgrade, reflecting damage generates one point of rage every 3 seconds. Getting to match the Ravage bursts to the times when this cooldown is used reduces the rage used for the burst and allows a much faster regen phase to begin. In addition, using retaliation reduces the cooldown time by 6 seconds.
Force Camouflage: the cd which resets the aggro you generated to zero. Used properly, this spell can become a defensive CD (50% less damage) in addition to reducing your aggro. Improved in the Carnage spec, it removes all effects affecting your movement speed, more useful in PvP, but being free to move is not necessarily a bad thing.
Predation: In the Carnage special, increases your party's movement speed by 80% and grants a 10% defense bonus. Requires 30 fury.
Offensive CD
Frenzy : Instantly generates 30 Fury points
Thirst for Blood: increases the damage and healing done by your party by 15% (only affects your party members, you and the 3 players in it). Requires 30 fury.
Whenever bloodlust, predation, or havoc is cast, whether by you or another marauder in your party, you cannot stack your Fury points. For maximum effect, it is best to have 30 fury points before a thirst is cast, by you or that other marauder.
This allows you to use Frenzy with a devastating effect: when you are led to cast a thirst for blood, you must have the 30 fury points, cast the Ravage, cast the Frenzy, cast the Thirst for Blood in that order to have maximum efficiency.
If another marauder announces impending thirst, you must have their 30 fury points. When thirst is launched, you must cast Ravage, use it, quickly regenerate your rage (Martyring Assault, and possibly an Assault) then use Frenzy to launch a second Ravage. This allows you to launch a double burst under thirst for blood, hence the name of the specialization.
I have to finish this article because the pages are linked and I feel that I could write a good ten more on all the situations that I could meet across the Galaxy. I hope this will allow a lot of players to discover a specialization that I love. Do not hesitate to leave a (constructive) comment or ask questions on things that I will not have detailed or even omitted. A good game everyone, and a big thank you to the SWTOR-Guide team!
