Sneering Assault and Staggering Blow

Harowen · 06-09-2009, 03:17 PM

These two rescue-like abilities seem to be inconsistent with the rest of the abilities in that they seem less likely to hit than just about anything else that Bruisers have available.

Sneering Assault doesn't get the typical 40% hit bonus, it's only something like 25%.

Staggering Blow appears to actually be a spell, rather than a combat art, and is 15% harder to resist.

I would think that being cap abilities these would be more worthwhile. But I'll be in a group scenario and have aggro torn off by some dps class and have this happen:

Staggering Blow gets resisted.
Sneering Assault gets parried.
Rescue gets mobs attention back.

I've switched to using divide and conquer first because it doesn't get resisted. Which just seems stupid that the AA gained abilities don't feel like they add as much for bruisers as they do for other classes.

Crabbok · 06-09-2009, 03:25 PM

I'll agree with you on that point... BOTH of these abilities seem to miss just about all the time. I've been trying to get Staggering blow changed to a Blue AoE, so hopefully if that happens they can adjust it's hit rate. Sneering Assault though, I doubt will get fixxed anytime soon as melee hit rates in general just fucking suck.

Harowen · 06-09-2009, 04:08 PM

Pulling up a solid day of zoning only, as my bruiser gets very little raid time compared to my coercer, gave some pretty sorry numbers.

Combat arts in general had a hit rate ranging between 75% to 94%.
8886 total swings with combat arts
7620 total hits with combat arts
-----
85.75% overall hit rate

Compare this to:
80.00% Sneering Assault
50.79% Staggering Blow

I'm feeling like my 2 aa's I put into Staggering Blow, rather than being a boost to my tanking ability, are actually a liability as it gives about another full second for someone to die in before I can recapture the mob.

Crabbok · 06-09-2009, 05:13 PM

I hear you. For now, I'd suggest relying on rescue, control hate, and D & C before bothering with sneering or blow.

Save assualt and blow for when everything else is down.

Roldor · 06-09-2009, 07:40 PM

Staggering Blow is a fucking joke. I completely skipped that ability in my build because as already mentioned when you push a special you expect a consistent result. Drop those extra points in Deadly Assault or Blazing Cobra.

- Roldy