SWTOR Advanced Prototype PvE DPS Guide

SWTOR Advanced Prototype PvE DPS Guide by AshPrime

I thought it might be beneficial to have a post out here to discuss the most efficient way to AdvProto dps. I’ll add what I know, you add what you know, you correct me when I am wrong, and I’ll try and update when I can. So without further ado:

Abbreviations

Abilities
IM-Immolate
RB-Retractable Blade
RP-Rocket Punch
RS-Rail Shot
RSac-Rail Shot AutoCrit
FB-Flame Burst
FS-Flame Sweep
FTh-Flame Thrower
Hgas- High Energy Gas Cylinder
Qu-Quell
DfA-Death From Above
RpS-Rapid Shots
VH-Vent Heat
HO-Hydraulic Override

Skills
FlBar-Flame Barrage
PWS-Prototype Weapon Systems
PFT-Prototype Flame Thrower
CG-Charged Gauntlets
PCV-Prototype Cylinder Ventilation
PB-Pneumatic Boots

Skill build:

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#301hMhZMsrbRrfkzsZb.1

This is a pretty standard build, I don’t see too much variation, but some does exist. This build has the most efficient output of damage with some useful utility.

Stats:

Prime:

Aim-Most Important stat, increases ranged damage as well as crit chance. Highest priority from what I’ve seen.

Endurance– Not a dps priority as it only increases health, but still a good stat to have. Never stack endurance.

Cunning– Increases tech damage as well as crit chance. Much less important than Aim but still a dps increase.

Secondary:

Accuracy-Increases hit chance, I assume you will stack this to a cap asap.

Crit– Increases crit chance. I forsee this being pretty important to AP based on the skill PWS which increases the crit damage of immolate, flame burst, and rocket punch, where are your primary attacks.

Surge– Increases the bonus damage of from critical hits. A good stat to have whenever you have crits, and the skill CG gives auto Rail Shot crits.

Power– Increases melee, force, ranged, and tech damage. Good to have if you can get it.

Tech Power– simply increases tech damage. Found on weapons. We will be using weapons with this stat.

These stats are in no particular order considering I don’t know their precise stat weights. However, based on skills it is clear to me that these skills are weighed over the others.

Rotation/Priority Queue

High Energy Gas Cylinder should be used at all times when dpsing as AdvProto. It increases all the damage of all fire based abilities as well as the internal damage from RB bleed. It also vents 8 heat every 6 sec from PCV and increases your movement speed by 15% from PB, which is really freaking awesome.

Single Target

>Retractable Blade- if no bleed present
>Flame Thrower- only with 5 stacks of PFT
>Rail Shot- only if you have the autocrit buff
>Rocket Punch- only if you have the no cost buff from FlBar
>Immolate
>Flame Burst
>Rapid Shots
>Retractable Blade

Basically the “true” rotation is IM>RP>FB, they all benefit from PWS and have the highest damage output, and for the most part should be used on cooldown. However, based on ability procs, and heat efficiency you don’t want to simply spam these abilities.

RB is the most important ability to use if your main target does not have the bleed. The dot is a lot of internal damage (which ignores armor), and allows the use of sexy RBac. RB on its own, however, has very poor heat efficiency(damage/heat), not to mention the dot does not stack with itself. RB should only be used for its dot.

FTh is the next highest in the queue, but only if you have 5 stacks of PFT. I haven’t been able to crunch the numbers, so this might actually be lower on the list, but I don’t foresee anything out-damaging a 50% dmg buff on FTh.

RSac is next for a few reasons. It does a buttload of damage on its own, and with the auto crit it has by far the highest heat to damage ratio. The other reason it appear before RP in the queue is RP has a chance to proc the autocrit effect, so if you have the buff already you want to put RS on cooldown and give yourself 15 secs to build another buff. RS should NEVER be used without the autocrit buff.

Free RP comes next. RP is huge damage on its own, benefits from PWS, Procs RS cits and looks really freakin cool. I’m am not exactly sure, but I believe based on the proc rate from IM and FB, the free RP from FlBar should be frequent enough that RP should only be used with the free buff.

IM is a really cool ability, and with a bunch of damage, and a long cooldown. It should be used on cooldown unless one of the afore mentioned procs is up. IM also benefits from PWS crit bonus, as well as has a 50% chance to proc FlBar and fee RPs.

FB is going to primarily be your filler. It has no cooldown, does good damage, benefits from PWS, procs Free RPs, but on its own it is not particularly heat efficient. It should not be spammed, unless you are in a burn phase and are prepared to pop VH.

Rapid Shots has no heat cost and is going to be used whenever out of range of your other abilities, or if you are trying to be heat efficient.

Finally RB cause be used in certain situations even if the bleed is active, but it is a dps/heat loss for the most part.

Multiple Targets

I don’t actually know what the most heat efficient way to burn down multiple targets is, so If anyone has any ideas they would be appreciated.

However, it seems that a combination of Flame Sweep, Flame Burst, and a 5 stacked Flame Thrower would be best.

Major Cooldowns

Explosive Fuel, Thermal Sensor Override, Kolto Overload, and Energy Shield are your major cooldowns. Explosive Fuel should be uses on cooldown during important fights, however, make sure to reserve it for burn phases when applicable. Thermal Sensor Override is a bit more situational, but can be uses to squeak out a high damage ability even when at max heat. Kolto Overload and Energy shield are obviously defensive abilities and should be used to get out of an “oh sh*t” situation or whenever they would lessen the strain on the healer.