2.2 UPDATED~ Arsenal Bounty Hunter: Are YOU Doing It Right?

[Leefty]

As regards the 4 extra APMs, I blame my high latency (80-100).

Yes, of course I have read odawgg's guide :P

One of the problems I have during my rotation is this: I have recently used HSM and RS (so they are on CD), due to bad luck none of my recent TMs has proc'd Barrage, but Unload is off CD. In such cases I do not put Unload in queue (during the cast of TM) because I do not want to use it un-Barrage'd and I do not put another TM in queue because if the current TM has proc'd Barrage I'd want to use Unload instead.

In order to see if a TM has proc'd Barrage I always wait for that whirling animation, but that appears AFTER the casting of TM has finished. As I understand Barrage procs at the START of the TM casting, right? If that means that the corresponding buff appears at the same time it would worth pumping up a bit the size of my buffs and focus on them in order to check if Barrage has proc'd. Maybe that would resolve my issue.

- - - Updated - - -

After a further analysis I see that I have 33 ability activations where I delayed more than 0.5'', 12 of which I delayed for more than 1'' (!!!) On the other hand I have 69 cases where my response is less than 0.1''

So I guess this is my main problem and there is room for improvement.

[odawgg]

As regards the 4 extra APMs, I blame my high latency (80-100).

Yes, of course I have read odawgg's guide :P

One of the problems I have during my rotation is this: I have recently used HSM and RS (so they are on CD), due to bad luck none of my recent TMs has proc'd Barrage, but Unload is off CD. In such cases I do not put Unload in queue (during the cast of TM) because I do not want to use it un-Barrage'd and I do not put another TM in queue because if the current TM has proc'd Barrage I'd want to use Unload instead.

In order to see if a TM has proc'd Barrage I always wait for that whirling animation, but that appears AFTER the casting of TM has finished. As I understand Barrage procs at the START of the TM casting, right? If that means that the corresponding buff appears at the same time it would worth pumping up a bit the size of my buffs and focus on them in order to check if Barrage has proc'd. Maybe that would resolve my issue.

- - - Updated - - -

After a further analysis I see that I have 33 ability activations where I delayed more than 0.5'', 12 of which I delayed for more than 1'' (!!!) On the other hand I have 69 cases where my response is less than 0.1''

So I guess this is my main problem and there is room for improvement.

In the case that unload is off cd before barrage proc'd just go ahead and use unload...it's heat efficiency makes it an excellent ability to use even if it's not proc'd and will not result in a dps loss, in fact it will probably be a gain since any increase in heat efficiency = gain in QoL = winning .....but...if you REALLY REALLY only want to use it with proc then just do the double TM cast method and step out of TM if barrage procs...this way you'll only lose APMs when it procs not every time.

[Keren]

You should really use unprocced Unloads, too. Also make us of the the ability queue. In the TM Cast you tap the Unload and the second your cast finish you tap TM. The game is somewhat nice to us players as the Unload dont get interrupted * because the gcd is applied anyways and locks TM if Unload porcced and activated from the queue. If Unload has not procced, the activation from the second Tracer will kick in and you loose nearly no APM.

always be casting is effective, even if you choosed the wrong ability (and stay in your heat limits)

[Maban]

Agreed with others here use unload un proc'd. Decent dmg and if you have had three TM with no proc then hit unload then chances are that you will get a proc very soon I.e one of the next two TM's will prob proc.

In short this will mean unload TM then unload agin with proc. This = win

[Cortic]

What is this I see on other websites/guides lately about 240 crit rating? I thought we avoided crit "like the plague"?

[Leefty]

I think this is a concern for the 75-level gear. For 72 it is still BiS to have 0 Crit.

[Keren]

What is this I see on other websites/guides lately about 240 crit rating? I thought we avoided crit "like the plague"?

its about 2 crit mods with 72er, 75 is about 3 crit, 1-2 alacrity in a perfect world.

Overall with ~1100 and higher other stats start to gain enough influence to be a higher dps gain. However, alacrity will only be beneficial when your are very good in your rotation and maintain high APM in nearly each fight. I trust only less than 10 people to have that skill. Thus overall we can say alacrity is still out of disccussion.

Nevertheless does crit provide the a better gain as power from the mentioned power treshhold. Try to get 1/1 crit/power after 1100 power. e.g. 100 crit / 1200 power || 150 crit / 1250 power

[odawgg]

Nevertheless does crit provide the a better gain as power from the mentioned power treshhold. Try to get 1/1 crit/power after 1100 power. e.g. 100 crit / 1200 power || 150 crit / 1250 power

Oh is this how it works mathematically? Good to known cuz it's hard to pinpoint an exact crit value using your sim. The numbers fluctuate a few dps even with max iterations. So by this statement, with 1550 crit/power pool in full 75s, we're looking at 225 crit. That sounds about right to me. Thanks!

[Keren]

More or less...

crit has ofcourse influence to our damage done - with more power our damage done rises and thus the value of crit does get improved. Our overall power and aim has reached a value where some point in crit does weight more than power. From this point on crit and power will have ratio. every few point of crit, power is again better till crit strikes back again. I didn't do any math of how that ratio is, but after some little toying with my sim its between 1:1 and 1:1.3.

However, we don not only have crit and power - there is aim and sruge, too. Both of them influnce that ratio with providing more power and crit [aim] or strengthen the value of crit [surge]. Thus it will always be better to actually sim those BIS values respectating stat budget and possible steps of adjusting prescribed through mods [e.g.: 75 aim / 63 Power]..

[Requiem4aDr3am]

been a while since I posted. Anyways I tried ramping up my crit a while back and went up to the 230ish range and ended up with bad results. I ended up losing quite a bit of dps with my test parses and in combat situations during raid. I found though that went I scaled down to 114 crit rating from 2 enhancements my dps went way up. I dont know if I was just having wierd rng or what but right now Im sticking with my 114 crit rating setup. Seems to give me just the right amount of crit while allowing me to keep my powah super high.

[Forsedar]

Hmm, well I finally got a belt and bracers that are KD, but they are terribly optimized (still provide a DPS increase) but they also provide crit on one of them. I'm just sticking with 1 crit mod and 1 crit enhancement (can't replace mod for a while). Its been a DPS increase for sure but definitely not the stat allocation I want.

[instapeace]

I'm not understanding when to use rapid shots... Also when I proc barrage and have a half-casted TM, I step out to cancel the cast and hit unload. Should I not be doing that?

[Keren]

I'm not understanding when to use rapid shots... Also when I proc barrage and have a half-casted TM, I step out to cancel the cast and hit unload. Should I not be doing that?

nope, you should not do that..

you should use rapid shots when you are over 23 heat and do not have Rail Shot available

[Maban]

Personally that is exactly what I do instapeace. But I would suggest do what works for you.

I'm taking on board what the community is saying here about rapid shots and I use it more frequently now.

merc is all about situational dps. Making quick decisions about abilities to use based on our heat and dmg priority system.

23 heat sounds really low keren

[Cortic]

How does 23 heat convert to commandos?

[MattiasV]

Don't commandos use the same scale now just the other way around? so over 23 heat should be under 77 ammo I think.

[Keren]

23 heat sounds really low keren

You can actually be better, but if someone dont understand how he has do handle heat, 23 is the perfect number...
Odawgg would have posted something like that:

1. Rail Shot (heat>17)
2. HSM (heat<24)
3. TSO+FM (heat>17)
4. UL (heat <24)
5. TM (heat <24)
6. *Rapid Shots

*Should also be used when HSM/UL cd<1.5s

its easy to udnerstand if you start to calculate at which points you would normaly break the barrior of 40 heat / 60 ammunition. If you have 23 heat and use HSM you will end up at 39 heat - because HSM actually net you 16 heat. Below 40 heat / 60 ammuniton you are in the state of highest passiv regeneration - thus vent the most heat / regain the most ammo. Thats the sweet point every one should be as long as he dont plan to use "vent heat"...

Those sweetpoint calculations can be done with every attack. In our arsenal we have the follwing attacks and costs:

• 33 heat -> Sweeping Blasters, Fusion Missile
• 25 heat -> Flame Thrower, Death from Above
• 16 heat -> HSM, Unload, Explosive Dart,
• XX heat -> Tracer*
• 10/2 heat -> Railshot
• 0 heat -> Rapid Shots

You just math them out against the 40 heat barrier and know when you can use which attack, without leaving the best passiv regenration phase. Tracer is a bit special, because the heat is added after the cast is finished. Thus one passiv regenration tick is guaranteed before the 16 heat of the tracer will be added again. So to say, Tracer could be still used with 28 heat without actualy breaking the 40 heat barrier...

But overall, its just following priority and ABC without overheating :P

[Maban]

Ok I see where your going with your comment now.

was thinking to myself you still have maximum vent scale thing at 40 heat and below.

Over 40% is where I have added some rapid shots into my rotation.

[Blackmoore]

So Post 2.3, better relic : Dread guard BA or Arkanian CN?

[Cortic]

So Post 2.3, better relic : Dread guard BA or Arkanian CN?

I swapped a Dread Guard BA for an Underworld CN and noticed a dps loss on 5+ minute dummy tests >.<