SWTOR Sniper PvP Specs Guide

SWTOR Sniper PvP Specs Guide by SellecksMustache

Since hitting 50, I’ve gotten to mess around with the 3 different specs quite a bit in PvP, so I figured I’d share my thoughts with the Sniper community.

The 3 main things for Snipers in PvP, IMO, are: Damage, Mobility, and Energy. I’ll rate each of my specs with this in mind, along with a few other factors that I think are important not just for PvP, but for playing the game in general.

Keep in mind that the things I am rating are directly relevant to the 3 specs. I rate them based on their strengths and weaknesses in comparison to what the other specs offer. For example, I rate Mobility in the MM tree low, not because you need to sit in cover 24/7, but because, compared to Lethality for example, it is much less Mobile.

With that out of the way, I’ll get right to it.

Marksmanship:

Damage: 5/5
Mobility: 2/5
Engergy: 4/5
Defense/CC: 4/5
PvE Compatibility: 4/5

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bsrddRoRgzZbcbZh.1

The best overall spec for those who like to do an equal amount of PvP and PvE. The burst is outstanding, the damage per energy ratios are amongst the best. Your main objective in PvP is to find optimal positioning followed by optimal target selection for burst.
Healers > Ball Carriers (Hutt Ball) > Squishies > Tanks

It’s biggest weakness is it’s mobility. Many of your major damaging skills require you to be in cover, and being immobile is not always the ideal choice. When this the case, Rifle Shot, Frags, and more Rife Shots are your best friend.

Engineering:

Damage: 2.5/5
Mobility: 4/5
Energy: 5/5
Defense/CC: 5/5
PvE Compatability: 5/5

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bsMZrubboRrRrsZb.1

Sacrificing damage for defense is not a bad thing, but when your classes only role is damage, it is not good either. This is why I do not favor a heavy Engi build for PvP. But do not let that translate to “Engi is bad in PvP”, because it’s not.

Your mobility increases a lot compared to a heavy MM spec. You gain some really good instant abilities that do not require cover. I.probe is one of them. It’s essentially a DoT+Snare. Plasma Probe, which is more of a PvE ability, is still great for area objective denial. It is instant, it lasts a good while, and it has a good aoe range.

Explo. Probe & Frag Grenades become your biggest burst abilities next to Ambush.

EMP Discharge is not to be used as a damage ability, but as an instant CD reset for Adrenaline probe and Shield Probe. Make sure both are on CD before using EMP Discharge to get the most benefit. The amazing thing about it is that It’s on a 1 minute cooldown, essentially giving you 2 adrenaline probes at the start and then additional Adrenaline Probes throughout the fight. This also translates amazingly well for PvE.

Shield Probe absorbs a lot more damage, and, like Adren. Probe, can be reset with EMP Discharge. Your shield absorbs 260% more damage compared to MM and Lethal Snipers. This is nothing to scoff at, and actually makes you tanky if used correctly with CC’s.

Overall, it’s definitely a fun spec to play, and is, IMO, the premier PvE group spec, but in PvP, it just doesn’t have the burst and sustain power that the other specs offer.

Lethality/Engi Hybrid

Damage: 5/5
Mobility: 5/5
Energy: 2.5/5
Defense: 2/5 CC: 4/5
PvE Compatabiilty: 3/5

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#40…ozZGbbkrrhdM.1

Currently my favorite spec in PvP. This spec does not go all the way up to Weakening Blast, but there is good reason for it, and that reason is I. Probe. It has near-perfect symmetry with the Lethality abilities, except that it doesn’t add to Cull damage.

Mobility is key here, and if this spec is played correctly, you rarely have to go into cover compared to MM and Engi specs. Armor becomes much less of a factor because much of your damage is Internal.

Cull is your bread and butter for damage. Never use it without poison stacks, and never overkill people with it either. Both are very inefficient ways of misusing Cull.

You get 2 snares with this build. 1 from Corrosive Grenade, which is an AOE snare, and the other is from I. Probe. For this reason alone, you become the bane of enemy ball carriers in Hutt Ball, and an extremely annoying SOB at any objective point.

————————–

It’s very important to correctly adapt to the specs you choose. You cannot be in an MM mind-set if you are playing Lethality, and cannot be in a Lethality mindset if you are playing MM, etc.

The Sniper class is limited to a single role, but the specs really do drastically change the way we perform our role. I would suggest trying all 3 and then possibly experimenting with hybrid specs as well.

I hope this was somewhat informative.