dps for SK in small groups

Theritt · 03-07-2008, 05:50 PM

I'm currently a lvl 50 SK I usually run in a 3 man group with an illy and a healer. 90% of the time i'm getting out DPS'd by the illy by 2-300 points granted i'm tanking but unless i use my high end spells or buffed to the hilt i seldom get close to his ponits. I can hold agro pretty well with my group unless a mob has been mez'd forever then I have use rescue to pull the mobs of my illy. I'm looking for a the best fit casting order to hold agro and do DPS when i'm in group or solo

Sildroni · 03-10-2008, 12:57 PM

Ive got a love/hate thing going with mez - since mez'd mobs mean we gotta stop AoEing.

When you tank all that matters is keeping aggro - DPS is secondary based on parse lists. Besides, in a group of 3 with you, a healer and an illy, shoot for the 2nd spot.

Debuff with Group taunt to max your disease damage - use fast casting CAs/spells to get the most out of them. No sence in casting Wrath and having the mob die on you before it hits.

If its a dick measuring contest, you are pretty much gonna lose, tho you could FD the illy (or let them die) to improve your numbers on the parse

Theritt · 03-10-2008, 03:46 PM

cool makes sense thanks for the info. on more question it seems like everytime I find or help a group out (6 ppl) it always seems that atleast one person is wanting to blow through the mobs and rooms as opposed to me perfering to pulling enough but not the whole room. I know with the right 6 but we can still get pwnd. am I just not moving fast enough or are the non tank tankers just trying to show off

Dogmae · 03-10-2008, 04:14 PM

Pull what your group can handle. Personally I find it much more fun to pull whole rooms, but depending on the group I wouldn't do it.

Sildroni · 03-12-2008, 12:12 PM

I like to be careful too, but everyone is used to their 'guild groups'. Knowing everyone's capabilities is kinda tough in a PUG. You know the healer can heal - the mezzer can mez - the DPS can DPS, but you don't know spell quality, their experience with the character (or the zone you are fighting in) and how they deal with new and interesting situations.

Lots of the places Im dealing with now have a ton of social aggro - rushing in can be a mistake. Yeah - as long as one of you makes it you can rez the healer and put things back together, but Id rather pull just a touch more slowly and get things done than rez people after each encounter.

Pulling is your job - waiting to unload should be everyone elses. Mobs can frontload enough damage to paste a squishy quick. If they can't hold off the itch long enough for you to establish aggro then they're gonna do lousy DPS.

Experience is measured by more than just a character's level.

Latpow681 · 03-14-2008, 05:13 PM

My SK is 57 and I usually own everyone on the parse by at least few 100. Do you tank in Offensive stance (Defensive = emergencies only, you give up way too much DPS / aggro by using it all the time), are your spells AdIII+, do you use 2h'ers (with Macros with 1h / shields on named fights or emergenices)? Seems like you parse... do you check ACT and see what spells do the most damage and keep them upgraded and make sure they're your priority in your casting order? Do you make sure to Debuff Disease and WIS Asap? Do you time your longer casting CA / Spells with your Knock backs? I've also found that when no body pulling is needed the combo of Snare, shoot an Arrow, cast Pet makes a great opener.

Also, what's with this mez BS? You're a tank that specializes in AoE encounters. What kind of content are you tackling with your 3 man group?

Latpow681 · 03-14-2008, 05:13 PM

Delete - double post

Xavion · 03-17-2008, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theritt

I'm currently a lvl 50 SK I usually run in a 3 man group with an illy and a healer. 90% of the time i'm getting out DPS'd by the illy by 2-300 points granted i'm tanking but unless i use my high end spells or buffed to the hilt i seldom get close to his ponits. I can hold agro pretty well with my group unless a mob has been mez'd forever then I have use rescue to pull the mobs of my illy. I'm looking for a the best fit casting order to hold agro and do DPS when i'm in group or solo

A few thoughts. If you meant your question to impy that you want to know the best balance for holding aggro AND parsing high dps, well... you can do both, but not everyone is always geared for it. Aside from obviously making sure your spells are either adept III or higher, you can review your AA specs and gear to make sure you are making the most of them.

If you have like 700 STR and 200 INT you need to smack yourself. Everytime I see that on an SK I want to cringe. Contrary to what some would have you believe on these forums, your dmg as an SK comes mainly from your casted spells, not CA's. Yes, STR comes in handy and should still be high, but it should not be your highest stat if you are going for big dmg. Get that INT up... staying in offensive will help this greatly as Latpow said already...if you can afford to risk the loss in defense (not sure how good the one healer is that you group with).

Do you use Deathmarch on a normal basis? I have my DM AA maxed so that it's only a 2 1/2 minute recast instead of 5 minutes. That gives me the ability to recast it almost every other fight depending on the amount of dps in my group and how many encounters I am pulling at once. An illusionist will not steal aggro from you after DM, but they will benefit greatly from the increase in casting speed/damage that it provides, so make sure your best dmg spells are up when you throw down DM and be ready to spam them right after to keep up with the Illy (seeing as chanters usually have the chronomancer line, this is your only way to try to keep up with his damage rate - you don't want to waste DM on your weak spells or waiting for recast timers from your good ones).

To be honest, the part about one-handers and shields versus a big two-hander is pretty much a pointless debate as far as SK's go. Two-handers are great for.... oh, say shamans, because they don't need a shield as the main healer... if you get my meaning. I always carry a shield for the extra protection, and it's actually better that way for offensive ability since you now have a possible three items (one-hander, shield, ranged-slot item) to pad those stats with (not to mention effects...and adornments, if you are really serious about this toon), instead of just two (two-hander and ranged-slot). I never understood the fascination of two-handers for a fighter class, especially when they are the MT.

What are your current AA specs?

Jikko · 03-18-2008, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sildroni

Ive got a love/hate thing going with mez

When I've got a chanter in my group and they try to mez things, I dot the hell out of everything just to piss them off.

Lopann · 03-19-2008, 03:47 AM

I just yell at them until they stop, not being able to AE everything i pull makes me want to put a gun to my head.