Smuggler Scoundrel/Imperial Agent Operative PVE

Smuggler Scoundrel/Imperial Agent Operative PVE Guide
Smuggler Scoundrel 31/3/7 http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#701MffbzGoRdsZ0cZGb.1

Imperial Operative 31/3/7 http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#401MffbzGoRdsZ0cZGb.1

Smuggler Scoundrel and Imperial Operative are the healing Advanced Class, with a dash of stealth ability, for the Smuggler and Imperial Agent, respectively.

Before we start on this, there is some important information, regarding the Smuggler/Imperial Agent, I would like to impart.

The Smuggler, as well as their counter class the Imperial Agent, have several class distinct abiilities. The most prominent of these is the cover mechanic, the ability to roll/crouch in cover and gain a moderate amount of defense and extra abilities, while sacrificing mobility. When, and where, to enter cover will be a large part of the learning curve for Smugglers/Imperial Agents at each encounter in the game.

This system works according to your current hostile target. Should you have no target selected you will use portable cover instead. Note that you cannot roll into cover when you have a friendly target. When you have a hostile target, green silhouettes will appear that show you the positions you are able to roll into relative to your targets position.

The Smuggler/Imperial Agent also has portable cover, though only the Gunslinger/Sniper receives the portable laser screen. Operatives instead just crouch in place, the same as during levels 1-10.

The second major part of playing the Smuggler/Imperial Agent is resource management, namely energy starvation and regeneration. This resource depletes as abilities are used, but regenerates at different rates according to how much energy you currently have.

Energy Regeneration works at a variable rate dependant on your current total energy.

Current Energy = 80 – 100 = 5 RPS Current Energy = 60-80 = 4 RPS Current Energy = 40 – 60 = 3 RPS Current Energy = 20-40 = 2.5 RPS Current Energy = 0 – 20 = 2 RPS

To play at the maximum potential throughput of the class, you need to try and keep above 60 energy when you can, using both Pugnacity/Stim Boost and Cool Head/Adrenaline Probe (if you’re a Scoundrel/Operative) or just Cool Head/Adrenaline Probe (if you’re a Gunslinger/Sniper) to keep your energy up.

Cool Head/Adrenaline Probe is a cooldown ability that returns 50 energy over 3 seconds. It is a clutch ability that should ideally be saved for when you have to use excessive energy during either a burn phase (dps) or when you need to put out an extreme amount of healing throughput. It has a 120 second cooldown, allowing it to be used multiple times in longer fights.

If you’re a Scoundrel/Operative, Pugnacity/Stim Boost consumes an Upper Hand/Tactical Advantage proc to return 3 energy every 3 seconds for 45 seconds, this buff should be kept up in any fight lasting 45 seconds or longer. In small trash pack pulls, this buff can be safely left off, unless you do not need to use UA/TA to heal. If you don’t need to heal, use your UA/TA to keep this buff up between trash packs. While Pugnacity/Stim Boost is active, your energy regen becomes;

Current Energy = 80 – 100 = 6 RPS Current Energy = 60-80 = 5 RPS Current Energy = 40 – 60 = 4 RPS Current Energy = 20-40 = 3.5 RPS Current Energy = 0 – 20 = 3 RPS

The differences between keeping your energy at a good RPS level and keeping it the lowest RPS level are massive. Let’s have a quick look at the math behind this.

Smuggler/Agent A keeps his energy above 60 for the entire duration of a ten minute fight, while maintaining Pug/SB. This gives him the following;

Current Energy = > 60 = 5RPS 5RPS x 600 seconds = 3000 energy to spend on costed abilities.

Smuggler/Agent B likes to do as much as possible when fighting, he spams his abilities to try and burst as much as possible. He keeps his energy below 20 for the entire duration of a ten minute fight and doesn’t keep on top of his Pug/SB buff. This gives him the following;

Current Energy = < 20 = 2RPS 2RPS x 600 seconds = 1200 energy to spend on damage abilities In real terms, Smuggler/Agent A has 2.5 times more energy to spend than Smuggler/Agent B.

Resource managment will be an incredibly important part of playing a Smuggler/Imperial Agent, easily differentiating the really good Smuggler/Imperial Agent players from the average.

This may seems confusing at first, but it will get much easier once you start using it.

Smuggler Scoundrel

The first priority, when healing, is to generate a couple stacks of Upper Hand. I suggest stacking two Slow-release Medpac, and then cast Pugnacity for the energy regen buff. Maintaning Pugnacity should be a priority; don’t be afraid to use Underworld Medicine if UH is not proccing quick enough from Sow-release Medpac.

Second priority is to keep 1-2 stacks of Slow-release Medpac on your target. Focus on maintaining energy near 80 during normal, non-burst healing situations. Use Diagnostic Scan as a filler heal and to regen energy. The Psych Meds talent will make Triage provide a small heal as well, which is useful considering the skill consumes no energy and has no cooldown.

If your target is taking heavy damage, use Upper Hand to cast Emergency Medpac. Once your energy drops near 40%, use Cool Head and either keep plugging away to outlast the burst, or go back to your normal routine if the danger has passed. Remember, if you invested in the Emergent Emergencies talent, you can spam Emergency Medpac when your target’s health drops below 30%.

If you need to heal more than one target, try to keep one stack of Slow-release Medpac on each healing target and selectively use Emergency Medpac and Underworld Medicine when one of your targets is under pressure. Attempting to heal 2 or more targets in a heavy-damage situation will not last long, though. Kolto Cloud, the 31-point AoE healing talent in the Sawbones tree, is useful when you need to heal several targets, but the 12-second cooldown will make it difficult to sustain your targets for long.  Imperial Operative

The first priority, when healing, is to generate a couple stacks of Tactical Advantage. I suggest stacking two Kolto Probes, and then cast Stim Boost for the energy regen buff. Maintaning Stim Boost should be a priority; don’t be afraid to use Kolto Injection if TA is not proccing quick enough from Kolto Probe.

Second priority is to keep 1-2 stacks of Kolto Probe on your target. Focus on maintaining energy near 80 during normal, non-burst healing situations. Use Diagnostic Scan as a filler heal and to regen energy. The Tox Screen talent will make Toxin Scan provide a small heal as well, which is useful considering the skill consumes no energy and has no cooldown.

If your target is taking heavy damage, use Tactical Advantage to cast Surgical Probe. Once your energy drops near 40%, use Adrenaline Probe and either keep plugging away to outlast the burst, or go back to your normal routine if the danger has passed. Remember, if you invested in the Surgical Precision talent, you can spam Surgical Probe when your target’s health drops below 30%.

If you need to heal more than one target, try to keep one stack of Kolto Probe on each healing target and selectively use Surgical Probe and Kolto Injection when one of your targets is under pressure. Attempting to heal 2 or more targets in a heavy-damage situation will not last long, though. Recuperative Nanotech, the 31-point AoE healing talent in the Medic tree, is useful when you need to heal several targets, but the 12-second cooldown will make it difficult to sustain your targets for long.