SWTOR - Insane Force - Return On Investment

1/27/2024

Updated for SWTOR 7.4a


Do those "Rabbit" and "Acme" characters on Satele Shan and Star Forge irritate you?


If you are reading this, you have probably run in an Operation with "Rabbit" or "Acme" and have heard him say one or more times:

"How's that 344 gear and 300 gold augments working out for you?"

It's not an ego trip. He's not being an ass or a troll. It's actually an honest question...

Why?

He's in 341 Hyde & Zeek modded gear w/ 286 augments . . . and he's either out DPSing you or out EHPSing you . . .

. . . in your 344 Gear w/ 300 gold augments.

He's trying to tell you simply the following:


YOU are not getting even a minimal return on your character investment that you should be getting.


Okay MrRabbit, why aren't I getting the return on investment I should be getting?


There are basically two reasons why you are underperforming - one minor and one major.


Rotation has by far the single biggest impact as to whether our or not you are getting decent performance by character level AND by gear level.

It could be that you just don't have a subpar rotation . . .

. . . but that you might not even have a rotation at all!

That last part is not a joke . . . some people don't even have the simplest or basic of a rotation as I do. (I'm not a rotation God.)


I'm calling "bullshit!" MrRabbit, show me what I should easily be beating in my 344 gear with 300 gold augments!!!


Well . . . here you go:


341 Hyde & Zeek Mods | 344 Ear and Relics | 2 x 340 BiS Implants | 286 Purple Augments - DPS Parse Test - 2M HP Module - Armor Reduction Module

See ZiRabbit - 30355.26 DPS
See Acme'Riggers - 30168.65 DPS
See Acme'Haulers - 28057.87 DPS
See MsRabbit - 29783.63 DPS
See Acme'Virologists - 29492.00 DPS


. . . and just to make you feel really bad (sorry):


330 Rakata Gear | 330 Rakata Relics | 2 x 330 BiS Implants | 286 Purple Augments

See SuRabbit - 25275.36 DPS


The Operations Test Dummy Doesn't Fight Back MrRabbit!!!



Um hmmm . . .


The Above Listed DPS Characters Plus A Healer - Various HM and NiM Operations Boss Parses

EV HM 8m - Annihilation Droid - See MsRabbit - 26419.18 DPS
EV HM 8m - Gharj - See MsRabbit - 26036.50 DPS
EV HM 8m - Gharj - See ZiRabbit - 24888.71 DPS
KP HM 8m - Jarg and Sorno - See Acme'Riggers - 26094.57 DPS
KP HM 8m - Foreman Crusher - See Acme'Riggers - 28564.80 DPS
DF NiM 8m - Nefra - See Acme'Riggers - 25094.98 DPS (Guild Critical Perk Auto-Disabled)
DF NiM 8m - Nefra - See Acme'Virologists - 26307.83 DPS (Guild Critical Perk Auto-Disabled)
SNV NiM 8m - Dashroode - See Acme'Riggers - 25546.97 DPS (Guild Critical Perk Auto-Disabled)
SNV NiM 16m - Dashroode - See MsRabbit - 24991.26 DPS (Guild Alacrity Perk Auto-Disabled)
SNV HM 8m - Styrak - See Acme'Riggers - 24338.80 DPS
EV HM 16m - Gharj - See Acme'Sellers - 29168.69 EHPS (Same Gear and Augs)


If you have been in any of those fights listed at the HM or NiM level listed and your DPS or EHPS was lower than mine in your 344 gear and 300 augments . . .

. . . then you already know you have some work to do.


Okay MrRabbit, I get it . . . what can I do to boost my numbers?


We'll start with an outline:

A. Commit to and Fix your GCD

Using the Operations Test Dummy on your Personal Starship, do some GCD test sessions and adjust as necessary using this page:

SWTOR - Insane Force - The Global Cooldown


B. Fix your Gear, Stats and Relic Selection

Make certain you are correctly geared for your class and specification to begin with:

SWTOR - Insane Force - Gear Templates


C. Establish at Least a Basic Rotation that YOU are Comfortable With

Go to: parsely.io

For DPS, do the following:

Click > Leaderboards and then click > DPS Leaderboards
When you get the updated list - scroll down a little to the players that are doing 28k to 32k.

Open each of them up in separate web browser tabs by right-clicking the magnifying glass symbol next to each.

Each overview page for each person you are examining will have tabs.

Click on the "Rotation" tab for each player you are viewing.

Study the rotations of each person you examine. Then ask yourself the following question:


"What are they doing IN WHOLE or IN PART that might work for me?"


Arrange "THE WHOLE" or "THE PART" on your quickbars.

Test your "new" rotations out on the test dummy. See what you get . . .


For HPS, do the following:

Click > Leaderboards and then click Operations Leaderboard
When you get the updated list look for those players who are doing:
Click on the "magnifying glass" symbol for a few of them, open them up in separate tabs in your web browser.

In each of the players overview page, there will be tabs. Focus on two of them:

- Rotation
- Replay

Study their rotations, look for common "combos" or "sequences" in which 2-4 abilities are repeatedly chained together.

Watch their replays, watch how certain "combos" or "sequences" cause sudden or huge bursts in their heals output and effective heals output.

Also pay attention in their rotations and replays as to how they regenerate energy quickly or efficiently.


D. Break Some Very Bad Habits - By Doing PVP!!!

By doing PVP on a regular basis, you will become a better player in PVE as a result of THREE habits you will develop that will have a direct impact on your performance in PVE Flashpoints, Operations and even Story content:

Players that do PVE only tend to develop really bad habits that result in subpar DPS or subpar HPS.


Ignoring Rifle Shot, Rapid Shot, Diagnostic Scan among other "low output" abilities is a very bad habit commonly seen in PVE. Yes, they may not be much BUT:

DPS is DPS
HPS is HPS

Ignoring them = ZERO

Using them = SOMETHING

That "SOMETHING" will keep your DPS and/or HPS up AND play a key role in energy or heat management.

So do some PVP, learn and reinforce the habit to use EVERYTHING YOU GOT.


Another commonly seen bad habit in PVE are people who stop DPSING or HEALING while dodging or moving to a new position.

A player who dodges or moves to a new position and does nothing else is doing:

ZERO DPS
ZERO HPS

Abilities like Rifle Shot, Rapid Shots, Corrosive Dart, Affliction, Saber Throw, Dual Saber Throw, Kolto Probe, Resurgence, Roaming Mend, among many others CAN BE CAST ON THE MOVE.

Using them while on the move = SOMETHING

That "SOMETHIING" will keep your DPS and/or HPS up.

So do PVP periodically to learn and reinforce the habit of DPSING and HEALING ON THE MOVE!


Finally, another bad habit often seen in PVE are players who wait 1-2 seconds for CDs (cooldowns) to fnish on big hitting abilites WHILE DOING NOTHING ELSE.

It's simple math folks:


SNIPER WAITING 2s FOR AMBUSH = ZERO DPS

SNIPER WAITING 2s FOR AMBUSH + 1 RIFLE SHOT = @9000 DPS


When you do PVP on a regular basis, you learn very quickly and develop a habit of NOT WAITING FOR CDs.


This section can be wrapped up by summarizing it in one short simple sentence:


Doing PVP on a regular basis will create and reinforce several good habits that will make YOU a better player in PVE.



This concludes my guide on getting YOU a better return on YOUR investment in 344 Gear w/ 300 Gold Augments.

Minor gear changes, establishing a firm GCD, even the most basic energy/heat conservative rotation combined with several good habits learned and reinforced in PVP can turn into as much as a 10000 point improvement in YOUR DPS OR HPS output.


Good Luck!



SrRabbit - GM - Insane Force