Innovative Ordnance Mercenary
Last Updated: 5/31/21
Table of Contents
Overview
About the Class
Innovative Ordnance is a DoT-based DPS class that provides excellent ranged sustained DPS. The specialization is very challenging from a resource management perspective, and as such target swapping can be very difficult due to the need to reapply DoTs. The specialization has some mobility as several abilities are instant-cast or can be made so through procs, abilities or utilities, but again due to resource management difficulties maintaining high DPS in a high movement fight is more challenging than many specs. As a Mercenary, the class has superior defensive cooldowns and survivability. When played well, the skilled Innovative Ordnance Mercenary player can take pride in being among the very best ranged DPS and running arguably the most difficult spec in the game currently.
Additionally, I would strongly recommend that Innovative Ordnance players become proficient with the Arsenal specialization as well. It is far easier to learn and run effectively so in my view is a nominal investment of time. Due to the difficulty with target swapping and energy management, there are a handful of fights in HM/NiM Operations where Innovative Ordnance is terrible (e.g., TFB Operator IX, S&V Styrak, DF Draxus) because there is so much target swapping that DPS is much lower due to crashing your energy or having to substitute so many basic attacks when reapplying DoTs. Innovative Ordnance is optimal on most fights and by a considerable degree so it is viable and preferred in a HM/NiM progression environment, but an optimal player should know both specs.
Utility and Mobility
With proper utilities, most Innovative Ordnance abilities are instant or can be used on the move except for Serrated Shot and optional filler abilities. Use of Thermal Sensor Override (w/ Utility) can aid mobility by enabling instant casts of all abilities for a rotation bloc.
Survivability
Mercenaries have great survivability. Except for classes that include a tank discipline, they are the only DPS class that wears heavy armor. As a class with a healing discipline, they possess good off healing capability for emergencies. They also possess a wide range of useful defensive abilities that include a straight buff to DR, an emergency sustained self heal and a powerful reflect.
Role in Operations
As a DoT-based class with challenging energy management, Innovative Ordnance does poorly when target swapping. As such, an Innovative Ordnance player should ideally be left to focus on the main Boss in an operation. Combining heavy armor, good defensive CD’s, off-heals, and skills-utilities buffing mitigation and healing received, every Mercenary DPS should also provide a very durable DPS player.
6.1.2 Impact on Discipline
Innovative Ordnance was affected by patch 6.1.2, which nerfed the Concentrated Fire set bonus to remove the +10% critical chance four piece set bonus. This was offset by a buff to the Speed to Burn passive ability that provides essentially the same bonus. As such, Innovative Ordnance players that run Concentrated Fire have the same net buffs and benefits as before only the biggest one is a passive ability. The question then becomes whether it is preferable to continue running Concentrated Fire or switch to Apex Predator.
For players running the traditional rotation using Unload, I expect that there will not be a huge difference between the sets due to the minimal use of Power Shot in the rotation. For players willing to pursue a rotation that prioritizes extra Power Shot instead of Unload, Apex Predator may well be best.
Utilities
I usually take some combination of the following Utilities, though the optimal combination can change from fight to fight. As of 6.0, the tiers have been reorganized.
Skillfull Tier
You must take 3 to advanced to Masterful.
Improved Vents - Vent Heat now immediately vents 15 additional heat and grants 10% alacrity for 6 seconds.
Must take, more energy = more DPS.
Gyroscopic Alignment Jets - You vent 20 heat when stunned, immobilized, knocked down or otherwise incapacitated. Also, when incapacitated, your next Tech ability deals 10% damage or healing. This effect lasts for 15 seconds.
Situational, used for fights with lots of stuns or knockbacks as it will significantly increase DPS by using more high-energy high damage fillers. Given the lack of good choices in Skillful, I would nearly always take this utility.
Boresights - Increases the damage dealt by Sweeping Blasters by 25%.
Situational, great for boosting AoE DPS but skillful DoT spread should handle AoE damage to a sufficient degree.
Threat Sensors - Increases stealth detection, melee and ranged defense by 3% and reduces the cooldown of Stealth Scan by 5 seconds. Also, when you activate Cure on yourself, all periodic damage taken is reduced by 30% for 12 seconds.
A DPS player should generally not be cleansing themselves (leave that to the healers and spend the GCD on more DPS), but in some limited instances this could be useful.
Jet Escape - Reduces the cooldown of Jet Boost by 5 Seconds, Rocket Out by 3 seconds and Determination by 30 seconds.
Can be situationally useful to provide more uptime of Jet Boost as a free rotation filler.
Heat Damping - Eliminates the heat generated by Jet Boost, Concussion Missile, Cure, and Electro Dart.
If using Jet Boost as a filler, this helps energy management by making the filler free.
Masterful Tier
You must take 6 between Heroic and Masterful.
Power Overrides - Reduces the cooldowns of Concussive Missile and Power Surge by 15 seconds each. Also, Power Surge grants a second charge, making your next two abilities with an activation time activate instantly.
A very useful utility for Mercenary DPS players. Both DPS disciplines feature an instant proc of their filler attack used in the rotation. When/if that proc does not line up, this utility can help prop up the rotation. It can also be very helpful when DPSing on the move.
Torque Boosters - Increase the duration of Hydraulic Overrides by 4 seconds.
I usually take it as a longer duration for Hydraulic Overrides grants significant extra movement speed in fights and can be very helpful on many fights.
Energy Rebounder - When you take damage, the active cooldown of Energy Shield is reduced by 3 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1. Seconds. Also, when taking damage, you have a 20% chance to emit an Energy Redoubt which absorbs a low amount of damage and lasts 6 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds.
Frequently take, this can drastically reduce the cooldown on a key defensive.
Power Barrier - Power Shot , Tracer Missile, and Rapid Scan build a Charged Barrier that reduces damage taken by 1% for 15 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
I usually take, a good utility that will grant you 5% extra DR for the majority of most boss fights, helping survivability. I always take for any fights where Torque Boosters is not needed.
Pyro Shield - When activated, your Energy Shield charges with electricity, zapping attackers for elemental damage when they deal direct damage to you. This effect cannot occur more than once each second.
Situational, there are some fights where this utility would be useful and preferred over Power Barrier.
Jet Rebounder - Activating Jet Boost generates 2 stacks of Supercharge and heals you and up to 7 other allies within 8 meters. In addition, Jet Boost deals 30% more damage and reduces its active cooldown by 1 second when you take damage. This effect cannot occur more than once per second.
Jet Rebounder is useful to provide a free filler. See the rotation discussion below for more details.
Heroic Tier
A maximum of 3 utilities
Thrill of the Hunt - Allows Unload, Blazing Bolts, and Progressive Scan to be activated while moving.
Always take, being able to channel on the move is a massive boost to your mobility and is the most essential utility for this class.
Stabilized Armor - Reduces damage taken from area effects by 30%. Also, while stunned, you take 30% less damage from all sources.
Must take, 30% AOE and stun damage reduction is massive.
Kolto Surge - Kolto Overload triggers at, and can heal you up to, 60% of your maximum health. Also, Kolto Overload lasts 2 seconds longer and heals for twice as much each time it restores health.
I usually take, I love this utility for any operation with lots of raid-wide damage. If you get low on health but the healers are swamped and trying to burst-heal a tank to keep them alive, then as long as you don’t eat any big damage spikes you don’t need any heals for 12 seconds (and generally will still be in decent 50-60% health after 12s). When used with skill, this makes Kolto Overload a HUGE survivability boost over its existing capabilities. Absent an enrage or other high damage AoE or mechanic, I never die when I hit Kolto Overload with this utility.
Trauma Regulators - While Energy Shield is active, you generate a stack of Trauma Regulators each time you receive direct damage. Stacks up to 10 times. When Energy Shield expires, each stack of Trauma Regulators instantly heals you for 4% of your maximum health.
Don’t usually take as while a 40% potential heal sounds nice, you need Energy Rebounder for this to be meaningful and Stabilized Armor will usually reduce your damage taken by more than this utility will heal you.
Tag and Bag - Hindering a target with Electro Net grants Tag and Bag, increasing your alacrity by 15% for 9 seconds. Additionally, Supercharged Gas reduces the cooldown of Kolto Overload by 5 seconds.
A situational utility that provides extra offensive benefits by extra alacrity and extra defensive benefits by higher uptime on a key defensive ability.
Example Utility Build
Here is what I run for most encounters, though I frequently take other situational utilities for specific fights.
Key Passives
Collateral Damage - Increases the damage dealt by Fusion Missile and Explosive Dart by 25%. Also, Fusion Missile and Explosive Dart spread your Incendiary Missile burn and Serrated Shot bleed effects to targets they hit, if they hit a target already affected by your Incendiary Missile and Serrated Shot.
This passive enables DoT spreading. Due to the tight energy demands of the specialization (i.e., even the base rotation is slightly energy negative), it is important to be very careful when DoT spreading to not wreck your energy.
Superheated Shot - Rail Shot and Mag Shot ignores 30% of the target’s armor, and dealing damage with either ability will always trigger your Combustible Gas Cylinder. Also, if a Rail Shot or Mag Shot is used against a burning target, you vent 5 heat.
Buffs Mag Shot but more importantly Mag Shot will refund 5 heat if used on a target with a DoT. When combined with Innovative Particle Accelerator to make Mag Shot free every 5 GCDs, and the natural energy regeneration of 5 per second, these combine to make Mag Shot the very center of energy management for Innovative Ordnance.
Sweltering Heat- Incendiary Missile reduces the movement speed of the target by 30% while it burns them. Also, Incendiary Missile makes the target Assailable (take 7% more internal/elemental damage) for 45 seconds.
Key passive to apply an important debuff, as most of the damage of this specialization is internal/elemental.
Innovative Particle Accelerator - Power Shot, Unload, and Sweeping Blasters finish the cooldown on Rail Shot and Mag Shot and make the next Rail Shot or Mag Shot generates no heat. This effect cannot occur more than once every 7.5 seconds.
Most important passive ability to Innovative Ordnance, when combined with Superheated Shot (using Mag Shot on a target with a burn DoT will refund 5 energy) and natural energy regeneration will make Mag Shot very energy positive.
Volatile Warhead - Dealing periodic damage to a target with less than 30% max health grants Volatile Warhead, which reduces the cost of your next Missile Blast by 10 and increases the damage it deals by 75%. This effect cannot occur more than once every 15 seconds.
This passive makes Missile Blast the preferred filler in the execute range, as it costs 10 energy (down from 20) and is very strong damage with the buff. The base rotation should take up 15 seconds (10 GCDs) so once within the Execute Range then Missile Blast can be utilized in the same filler spot within the rotation.
Ordnance Expert - Increases the critical damage bonus for Unload, Power Shot, Thermal Detonator, and Mag Shot by 15%. Also, Serrated Shot marks its target (take 5% more damage from ranged attacks) for 45 seconds.
Increases crit damage for most non-DoT rotation abilities by 15% and applies Marked debuff to targets, increasing ranged weapon damage taken by 5%.
Speed to Burn - Damage dealt by Mag Shot makes your next Power Shot, Serrated Shot, or Rapid Scan activate instantly. This effect cannot occur more than once every 15 seconds. In addition, once every 10 seconds, gaining a stack of Supercharge grants Incisive Critical, increasing your critical chance by 10% for 10 seconds.
This passive is very helpful to Innovative Ordnance from a mobility perspective and for its high uptime on a +10% critical chance buff (added in patch 6.1.2). You should be using Unload and Power Shot to proc your first and second Mag Shot, respectively. With the Thrill of the Hunt Utility, Unload can be cast on the move, while Speed to Burn ensures Power Shot can be used while on the move as well. As a result, the only ability that cannot be cast on the move is Serrated Shot, making the Innovative Ordnance rotation highly mobile!
Early Ignition - Mag Shot and Power Shot cause targets with a primed Thermal Detonator to combust early, dealing additional damage as burn over 6 seconds.
This passive offers bonus damage to Thermal Detonator when you use Mag Shot or Power Shot within 4 GCDs of Thermal Detonator. As such, the ideal rotation will utilize Thermal Detonator on a regular basis.
Gearing in 6.0
Gearing Stat Allocation
Please see my Gearing Guide and Alacrity Guide for a detailed overview of gearing in 6.x in SWTOR.
For Innovative Ordnance Mercenary, I gear as follows:
Set Bonus: Concentrated Fire (Apex Predator is okay if you primarily run Arsenal)
Tactical: Energized Charges (Continuous Fire for AoE)
Amplifiers: Periodic Intensity
Mods: Unlettered Lethal Mods
Relics: Devastating Vengeance & Primeval Fatesealer (Serendipitous Assault & Focused Retribution for Dxun/PVP)
Stim: Proficient
Adrenal: Critical (Attack for Dxun only)
For Innovative Ordnance Mercenary, I allocate my tertiary stats as follows:
Accuracy: 1,585 - 1,630 (anything outside this approximate range and I usually try to re-optimize by swapping around enhancements and augments)
Alacrity: around 1,800, a secondary option is around 2,150 for better energy regeneration (at least 2,000 if the Zeal guild perk applies)
Critical: all remaining tertiary points go into Critical
Shield: None
Absorb: None
Set Bonus
Concentrated Fire
Increased drop rate from PVP.
(2) +2% Mastery
(4) Damaging an enemy or healing an ally has a 10% chance to generate a stack of Supercharge. This effect cannot occur more than once every 5 seconds.
(6) Activating Supercharged Gas makes your next Rail Shot, Mag Shot, or Healing Scan critically hit or heal.
Analysis:
Concentrated Fire was nerfed in patch 6.1.2 to remove the four piece bonus that provided very high uptime on a +10% critical chance buff. The old six piece bonus was split into the new four and six piece bonuses. The set is far weaker as a result and unlikely to be best in slot for Mercenary DPS.
For Innovative Ordnance, the new Concentrated Fire set is definitely weaker but has some strengths working for it. The increased uptime on Supercharged Gas is important since the ability applies a DoT for the Innovative Ordnance discipline that is further buffed by the Energized Charges tactical. As such, a few extra Supercharged Gas per fight is a bigger DPS increase for IO than it is for Arsenal. At current gear levels, each extra Supercharged Gas is an extra 100k damage or so in addition to the extra damage made possible via the energy regeneration.
On the flip side, the six piece is less powerful for IO than Arsenal. IO uses Mag Shot twice per rotation so getting an extra guaranteed critical hit on one use out of 8-10 total uses in between Supercharge windows is not as powerful. Arsenal benefits from the Tracer Lock passive that makes each Rail Shot more powerful, so the auto-crit is comparably stronger as well in terms of its incremental DPS added.
Apex Predator is interesting in that it provides a variety of buffs to Power Shot. Most rotations currently use Power Shot less often in favor of higher damage fillers like Fusion Missile. It is used once every rotation to proc Innovative Particle Accelerator but often that is its only use. Is the increased critical chance for each use and its occasional buffed and free use enough to offset the several extra Supercharged Gases and the auto-crit from Concentrated Fire? If you are only using Power Shot once per rotation cycle, almost certainly not.
But...what happens if you prioritize Power Shot in the rotation and replace Unload with extra Power Shot uses? The base rotation can use Power Shot three times during the heat ramping cycle, which means during a burst window you will dramatically increase its frequency in the rotation. At that level of use, the extra damage provided by the critical chance bonus and the 6th stack buff (free +50% damage) delivers a lot of extra damage. So it might be better in that case though doing so dramatically changes your rotation and sacrifices a ton of mobility.
Impact on Rotation:
No change to rotation.
When to Take:
More testing is needed but I think Concentrated Fire is a better DPS set choice for Assault Specialist Commandos. The DoT applied from Supercharged Gas is so powerful for Innovative Ordnance with the Energized Charges tactical. Apex Predator is still a decent choice especially if you run Arsenal more often, though.
Apex Predator
Increased drop rate from Dxun operation Nature of Progress. Not available to purchase at Tech Frag vendor.
(2) +2% Mastery
(4) Activating Power Shot, Tracer Missile or Rapid Scan increases the critical chance of your next Power Shot, Tracer Missile or Rapid Scan by 10%. Stacks up to 5 times but is removed on 6th stack.
(6) Dealing damage with Power Shot or Tracer Missile or healing with Rapid Scan grants a stack of Power Step, stacking up to 5 times. At 5 stacks, your next Power Shot, Tracer Missile or Rapid Scan is more effective and generates no Heat.
Analysis:
See the discussion above regarding Concentrated Fire for the discussion of that set bonus versus Apex Predator. In general I feel Concentrated Fire will be better for Innovative Ordnance than Apex Predator unless the player is revising their rotation to push a lot more Power Shot use. That provides better damage but since Power Shot does less damage than other fillers like Fusion Missile the incremental damage gain is relatively low.
Impact on Rotation:
Apex Predator will deliver a better damage boost if you prioritize Power Shot as a filler as often as possible given energy levels. I also suggest considering a revised rotation to replace Unload with Power Shot, which can provide more frequent use/benefit from Apex Predator as well as more Supercharge.
This alternative rotation would replace the [Filler] // Unload // [Filler] block that comes after applying DoTs with Power Shot // [Filler] // [Filler] // [Filler], with Power Shot making up as many of the filler spots as possible and Mag Shot being an option for a filler spot if it helps from an energy management perspective (though that will open a filler spot later on). This rotation will provide much greater utility and significantly more uptime on Supercharged Gas though at the cost of significantly less mobility. Fortunately, the "no Unload" rotation can be swapped out for the "traditional" rotation each block as needed for mobility.
When to Take:
Apex Predator is much closer to Concentrated Fire after 6.1.2 but I do not initially believe it will be the best option for "traditional" Innovative Ordnance rotation, primarily because of the very high damage dealt by the Supercharged Gas DoT.
Tactical Items
Energized Charges
Increased drop rate from flashpoints.
The duration of Innovative Ordnance's Supercharged Gas and Supercharged Burn are doubled, and their effectiveness is improved.
Analysis:
By far the best in slot tactical for sustained single target damage, Energized Charges significantly boosts the damage of the “third DoT” for the discipline via Supercharged Gas.
Impact on Rotation:
No change.
When to Take:
Take in all situations except very heavy sustained AoE encounters.
Continuous Fire
Increased drop rate from operations.
Sweeping Blasters and Death from Above refresh and tick your Incendiary Missile burn and Serrated Shot bleed. This effect can only occur once every 2.5 seconds.
Analysis:
Continuous Fire provides a powerful boost to AoE DPS. Innovative Ordnance has very powerful DoTs but its overall AoE potential is a bit lower than most DoT classes due to less effective DoT spreading. This tactical powers that up a bit by letting the channelled AoE attacks refresh and tick DoTs, making powerful AoE DPS far easier. Just apply and spread both DoTs and use Sweeping Blasters once per rotation block and your DoTs will never fall off.
Impact on Rotation:
In AoE DPs situations, make sure to spread your DoTs then add substitute one use of Death from Above or Sweeping Blasters (if the former is on cooldown) for Unload. If energy allows, you can also use another AoE channel during the one fixed use of Power Shot at the end of the rotation. You can also use another channel during the two GCDs at the beginning of each rotation block when you would normally reapply DoTs.
When to Take:
Encounters with sustained and very heavy AoE damage capability.
Magnetized Shrapnel
Increased drop rate from flashpoints.
Explosive Dart now remains dormant on the target for 12 seconds. Mag Shot detonates it, dealing double its standard damage to the primary target.
Analysis:
Magnetized Shrapnel is intended to be a burst DPS tactical. The challenge with its use is that it can not usually be utilized on cooldown due to energy management issues outside of heat ramping phases. Also, Energized Charges provides significantly more DPS so it isn’t recommended.
Impact on Rotation:
Explosive Dart should be used whenever energy allows, including pre-applying it for fights with shield phases (e.g., Soa burn phase, Operator IX while shield is up, etc.)
When to Take:
Not recommended.
Amplifiers
Periodic Intensity (or Armor Penetration as secondary options)
Nearly half the damage inflicted is periodic-based damage, so Periodic Intensity and its higher base buff should provide by far the best increase to DPS for the discipline.
If you are looking to synergize the best amplifier build to run both Arsenal and Innovative Ordnance, I recommend Armor Penetration or Periodic Intensity. Armor Penetration is the best for Arsenal by a large margin, while Periodic Intensity is the best for Innovative Ordnance. If you run one discipline significantly more often than the other then balance your amplifier towards that discipline. If you run them equally, you should receive the best DPS boost from Armor Penetration by a small amount.
Key Abilities
Incendiary Missile - DoT #1, instant
The first DoT of the discipline, it should have complete uptime on the main boss and be refreshed on cooldown via the rotation.
Serrated Shot - DoT #2, cast (only mandatory rotation ability that can’t be activated on the move)
The second DoT of the discipline, it should have complete uptime on the main boss and be refreshed on cooldown via the rotation.
Mag Shot - Instant (should be instant, free, and refund energy on each use)
The key ability to the discipline via its high damage and its proc making it free and energy positive. The ability can be procced twice per rotation cycle and doing it consistently is a key goal to maximize damage.
Unload - Channelled filler, can be used on the move with Thrill of the Hunt utility
A core ability that deals heavy damage and can proc Mag Shot. It should be used on cooldown once per rotation cycle.
Power Shot - Filler cast ability (should be used at least once per rotation and be an instant cast, also is high priority filler above 30% boss health)
Your spammable filler ability. It should be used once per rotation cycle to proc Mag Shot and can be used additionally when energy permits to deal increased damage.
Thermal Detonator - Filler instant (used in base rotation)
A high damage ability that should be used on cooldown, which works out to be once per rotation cycle.
Electro Net - Filler instant (long cooldown, top priority filler in rotation)
A high damage DoT ability that has a long cooldown but should be used on cooldown due to its high damage and low energy cost.
Missile Blast - Sub-30% filler instant (has boosted damage and decreased cost sub-30% boss health due to Volatile Warhead passive ability every 15s)
A low damage filler that gets a sizable buff to its damage and energy cost in the execute range and should be used once per rotation cycle at that point.
Fusion Missile - Hard cast single target / AoE filler, spreads DoTs via Collateral Damage passive ability
A high damage filler ability that deals AoE damage and spreads your primary DoTs.
Explosive Dart - Instant cast single target / AoE filler, spreads DoTs via Collateral Damage passive ability
A filler ability that deals decent damage and spreads DoTs. It deals strictly less damage than Fusion Missile and should only be used when on the move and unable to stop and cast.
Jet Boost - Blasts 8 nearby enemies back and away. Targets hit by this take low elemental damage and have their movement slowed by 50% for 4 seconds.
Jet Boost normally has no use in the rotation as it costs 5 energy, does very low damage and does not generate any Supercharge. With several utilities, Jet Boost becomes a free filler that deals slightly less damage than Rapid Shots but generating twice the Supercharge. Given the power of the Supercharged Gas DoT when buffed by Energized Charges, this can be a helpful DPS increase when utilized properly.
Supercharged Gas - Converts 10 stacks of Supercharge to regenerate 10 units of energy and provides a buff unique to each discipline. For Innovative Ordnance, Supercharged Gas increases periodic damage by 10% for 8 seconds and causes the next successful ranged attack on a target affected by Incendiary Missile to leave Supercharged Burn and deal damage over 4 seconds.
Your class-specific unique ability that for this discipline grants an extra DoT and buffs all DoT damage.
Rapid Shots - Free instant filler
Your basic attack should be used regularly in the discipline due to its very tight energy management.
Cooldowns & Other Abilities
Cure - Cleansing ability, use when necessary
Emergency Scan - Cheap and powerful instant cast heal
Rapid Scan - Spammable moderate heal. Builds 2 Supercharge.
Chaff Flare - Reduces threat towards all current enemies. 45s cooldown.
Vent Heat - Rapidly restores 50 energy over 3 seconds. Most powerful energy cooldown. 1:30 cooldown.
Thermal Sensor Override - Your next ability costs no energy. Lasts 15 seconds. 1:30 cooldown.
Power Surge - Your next ability used within 15 seconds with an activation time will activate instantly and then grant immunity to pushback and interrupts for 6 seconds. 1:00 cooldown.
Hydraulic Overrides - Grants 6 seconds of immunity from movement-impairing effects, knockdowns and physics and increases movement speed by 30%. 45s cooldown.
Energy Shield - Increases damage reduction by 25% for 12 seconds. 2:00 cooldown.
Responsive Safeguards - Absorbs all incoming single target direct damage for the next 6 seconds and reflects 50% of the absorbed damage back at the attacker and healing you for 5% of your maximum health each time an attack is absorbed. Can be used while stunned. 2:00 cooldown.
Kolto Overload - Applies a Health Monitor that lasts 60 seconds, which triggers Kolto Overload when your health is reduced to 35% or less. If your health is already 35% or less, it triggers immediately. Once triggered, it goes on cooldown for 3 minutes and rapidly heals you up to 35% of your max health for 10 seconds but will not exceed 35% of your max health.
Rotation
Opener
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Serrated Shot - Hard cast to open the rotation, this also ensures the next several GCDs are instant to give you freedom to position as the group engages the boss. If unable to hard cast, cast in the normal order with Incendiary Missile > Serrated Shot.
Incendiary Missile - As noted above, use Missile Blast first if unable to hard cast Serrated Shot.
Supercharged Gas OFF GCD
Adrenal OFF GCD - We start dealing very heavy burst damage immediately so hitting all cooldowns up front.
Mag Shot - Should be the only use of Mag Shot when it is not free. It will still refund 5 energy.
Unload - Used midway through the rotation to proc Mag Shot.
Electro Net - Top priority filler user here, should be used on cooldown in a [Filler] spot.
Thermal Detonator - Top damage filler buffed through passives, used in base rotation here
Mag Shot - free, procs instant Power Shot
Power Shot - instant cast, procs free Mag Shot
Mag Shot - free
(continue rotation)
Low Energy Rotation
The Low Energy Rotation is your base rotation whenever any energy cooldowns are not available and will not be off cooldown for at least 10 GCDs (15s without alacrity). The rotation should be slightly net energy positive and can be repeated infinitely. You can occasionally substitute a non-free filler ability when energy permits or when either Supercharged Gas or Thermal Sensor Override come off cooldown. When Vent Heat will be coming off cooldown soon, you can swap to the High Energy Rotation.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Incendiary Missile - Refreshing DoT on cooldown
Serrated Shot - Refreshing DoT on cooldown
[FILLER] Rapid Shots - The first filler spot in the rotation, we use a basic attack to stay net neutral for energy purposes. Use Jet Boost if taking appropriate utilities, as a free preferred filler to generate additional Supercharge.
Unload - Used on cooldown to proc Mag Shot
[FILLER] Rapid Shots - The second filler spot in the rotation, we use a basic attack to stay net neutral for energy purposes. If I am at 10-15 heat or below, I may use a higher cost filler here like Power Shot or Fusion Missile. You can use Jet Boost if if taking appropriate utilities, as a free preferred filler to generate additional Supercharge.
Thermal Detonator - Used on cooldown
Mag Shot - free, instant, procs instant Power Shot
Power Shot - instant cast, procs free Mag Shot
Mag Shot - free, instant
(resume rotation at #1)
High Energy Rotation
The High Energy Rotation is very net negative for energy purposes but deals very high damage. Only use this rotation when Vent Heat is off cooldown or coming off cooldown within 15s. I usually find I can go through this rotation twice, using Thermal Sensor Override in the middle of the first rotation and then hitting Vent Heat in approximately the same spot the second rotation. After that, return to the Low Energy Rotation.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Incendiary Missile - Refreshing DoT on cooldown
Serrated Shot - Refreshing DoT on cooldown
FILLER - See below
Thermal Sensor Override OFF GCD - (If available) Always use this energy cooldown before Unload to maximize the net energy gain
Unload - Used on cooldown to proc Mag Shot
FILLER - See below
Thermal Detonator
Mag Shot - free, instant, procs instant Power Shot
Power Shot - instant cast, procs free Mag Shot
Mag Shot - free, instant
(continue priority rotation)
Single Target Priority Rotation
1. Don’t go above 40% heat for ANY reason unless you have energy regeneration abilities available.
These include Supercharged Gas (vents 10 heat), Vent Heat (vents 50 heat over 3s), and Thermal Sensor Override (next ability generates no heat). Supercharged Gas usually means you can substitute ONE higher energy filler (usually Power Shot or Fusion Missile) for a basic attack. Thermal Sensor Override should always be used on Unload and can enable substitution of 1-2 high energy fillers for basic attacks.
Vent Heat should enable max energy DPS rotations until reaching around 30-35% energy, at which point Vent Heat should be triggered. Usually the cooldown will get you fairly close to max energy, such that 1-2 high energy fillers may be still be usable (with caution).
2. Maintain 100% uptime on both DoTs (Incendiary Missile and Serrated Shot) and refresh on cooldown.
Both abilities apply a DoT that lasts 15s prior to alacrity, thus the core rotation becomes 10 GCDs (9 abilities given that Unload lasts 2 GCDs and has a similar 15s cooldown prior to alacrity).
3. Proc Mag Shot via the Innovative Particle Accelerator passive ability as often as possible.
Mag Shot is the key to energy management for this specialization. With the Superheated Shot and Innovative Particle Accelerator passive abilities, when Mag Shot is procced it vents 5 heat in addition to the heat you vent during the GCD. Given that it is the only free ability other than Rapid Shots, this is huge to your rotation. Innovative Particle Accelerator can be procced every 7.5s prior to alacrity, thus we should proc Mag Shot twice each rotation (defined per #1 as the period beginning with refreshing DoTs).
4. When in any doubt regarding your energy state, substitute Rapid Shots in both filler slots in the rotation.
You can do the energy-neutral “low energy” rotation indefinitely, and new players should stick to this rotation exclusively in Ops until they get the hang of how to push energy using cooldowns.
5. Use energy cooldowns aggressively and intelligently.
Skilled players will be aware of when energy cooldowns are (or are about to be) available and use high energy fillers proactively such that Thermal Sensor Override (only should be used with Unload) and Vent Heat are used very nearly on cooldown.
6. Be aware of when you can use Power Shot safely.
Power Shot only has to be used ONCE in the rotation to proc Mag Shot via Innovative Particle Accelerator. Any extra uses should only take place when you have extra energy, primarily as a result of energy cooldowns.
7. Substitute Missile Blast for any other fillers once below 30% boss health.
Missile Blast receives a huge buff to both its damage and energy cost making it a highly effective filler in the execute range.
8. If taking related utilities, use Jet Boost as a filler in low heat rotation.
Jet Boost can be a preferred filler if taking utilities Heat Damping (makes Jet Boost free) and Jet Rebounder (Jet Boost generates 2 Supercharge, deals +30% damage and gets its cooldown reduced on taking damage). This is true primarily if equipping the Energized Charges tactical, which makes your Supercharged Gas DoT extremely powerful. Jet Boost dealing slightly less damage than Rapid Shots but generating 2 Supercharge instead of 1 Supercharge is a DPS increase by providing higher uptime on Supercharged Gas. With all that said, be careful not to use it when knockbacks are not appropriate.
9. Use Fusion Missile to DoT spread
Both Fusion Missile and Explosive Dart can be used to DoT spread. However, Fusion Missile has the same energy cost and always deals more damage. Explosive Dart is only preferred if you need to DoT spread while on the move since Fusion Missile is a cast ability.
Filler Priority
1. Mag Shot (unprocced) - Mag Shot should not generally be available during the rotation except via its proc of Innovative Particle Accelerator. If you have downtime and begin the opener again, you can add an unprocced Mag Shot before proccing Innovative Particle Accelerator to deal extra damage.
2. Electro Net - Electro Net deals high periodic damage and is cheap to use. If possible try to align its use with Supercharged Gas.
3. Missile Blast (sub-30%) - Missile Blast benefits from a passive skill that increases its damage and reduces its energy cost below 30% enemy health, which makes it a better ability than Power Shot and can be used once per rotation block.
4. Power Shot (w/ energy cooldown or <15 heat) - Power Shot is your spammable filler and should be used in the high energy rotation per above so long as an energy cooldown is available. During the low energy rotation it should be used once per rotation to proc Mag Shot. Supercharged Gas should allow one extra use of Power Shot as a filler ability.
5. Jet Boost (w/ utilities) - See priority rotation #8 above for details. If you take the proper utilities, Jet Boost is better than Rapid Shots as it deals comparable damage (if you are in range of the enemy) and generates twice the Supercharge.
6. Rapid Shots - Free filler ability that generates 1 Supercharge and should be used when no other fillers are available or appropriate to use.
Energy Management
Always use Thermal Sensor Override on Unload. Thermal Sensor Override makes your next ability consume no energy and Unload is the only ability that takes more than one GCD, so this maximizes the net energy gain. It should never be used on any ability other than Unload.
Supercharged Gas should allow one high energy filler - Supercharged Gas vents 10 heat when used. Most high energy abilities have a net cost after natural energy regeneration of around 10 heat, so each time you use Supercharged Gas you can typically use one high energy filler. This filler will most commonly be Power Shot.
Use Jet Boost as a filler as often as possible - If you take all the applicable utilities then Jet Boost can be used at least twice per minute to generate extra Supercharge. The ability is a DPS increase solely based on enabling more frequent use of Supercharged Gas and its DoT but also helps energy regeneration to use more high energy fillers.
Use Vent Heat aggressively for high energy fillers - With the Improved Vents skillful utility, Vent Heat will vent 65 heat over 3 seconds and grants 10% alacrity for 6 seconds. Over those 3 seconds the class should naturally vent between 8 and 11 heat as well, for a combined heat venting over 3 seconds of 73 - 76 heat.
You will continue activating abilities during this time so timing Vent Heat is important to take full advantage of its energy recovery without capping/wasting energy, but also being careful not to go so low that you have compromised energy even after Vent Heat.
I find the sweet spot to use Vent Heat is typically 70-80 heat. 80 heat is a good target during the back half of the rotation where you get free uses of Mag Shot in close proximity and 70 heat is a good target anywhere else. If you hit Vent Heat and realize you may be a bit too high on energy, you may be able to safely use one more high energy filler after Vent Heat.
For newer players, I would encourage you to be cautious with Vent Heat and err on the side of slightly capping energy until you get the hang of being really aggressive. Tanking your energy without a cooldown can ruin your DPS for this discipline moreso than any other discipline in the game.
AOE DPS
Use Fusion Missile to DoT spread - Honestly that is about it for AoE DPS in most circumstances. Fusion Missile deals decent damage on your main target, applies a DoT to nearby targets and spreads your Serrated Shot and Incendiary Missile DoTs. Fusion Missile can be used once per rotation cycle to keep nearly full uptime on those DoTs on nearby targets, which collectively does a LOT of AoE damage.
There are no real AoE DPS checks in the game outside maybe the Dxun Control Center encounter in master mode. Every other encounter with lots of adds, such as the Ossus Hive Queen, is ultimately a single target DPS check that has a lot of adds. Innovative Ordnance can deal plenty of AoE DPS by using Fusion Missile as a filler without sacrificing any noticeable single target DPS. In fact, once you get below 30% and DoTs are buffed Fusion Missile can deal more single target damage than Power Shot anyway!
Use Death from Above for burst AoE DPS - Death from Above does high AoE DPS over its channel but it is quite expensive and likely will require using an energy cooldown. Thermal Sensor Override is great for Death from Above due its long channel. I find DoT spread via Fusion Missile and a channel of Death from Above is enough to kill most adds.
I do not recommend Sweeping Blasters - Sweeping Blasters is your spammable AoE ability. Even with the Boresights utility to buff its damage, it deals less damage and costs more than Death from Above. Its cost also makes using Sweeping Blasters after Death from Above impossible without Vent Heat.
Given that AoE DPS is not really a check in SWTOR, I never use Sweeping Blasters unless I am fluffing and do not recommend anyone else use it outside of trash pulls. The only exception to this rule is if I am running the Continuous Fire tactical, and please see below for how to do that effectively.
Only use Explosive Dart when you need to be mobile - Explosive Dart is strictly worse than Fusion Missile. I only suggest using it when you need to deal AoE damage or DoT spread on the move and Thermal Sensor Override is not available to make Fusion Missile an instant cast.
Continuous Fire is really fun for AoE but unnecessary - The Continuous Fire tactical is really cool for dealing crazy high AoE DPS. However, the rotation's energy management does not allow you to use Mortar Volley on cooldown and spam Sweeping Blasters. As mentioned elsewhere, using Fusion Missile for AoE DPS and DoT spreading is sufficient to meet every AoE DPS check so Continuous Fire is not required.
However, if you want to take Continuous Fire then the rotation changes significantly. You apply your DoTs normally then afterwards you should not need to refresh your DoTs and can settle into the following cycle:
Sweeping Blasters (ticks/refreshes DoTs, procs Mag Shot)
Mag Shot (procced/free)
Filler
Filler
Unload (procs Mag Bolt)
Mag Shot (procced/free)
Filler (can substitute Death from Above for both Filler slots if available)
Filler (can substitute Death from Above for both Filler slots if available)
(repeat at top with Sweeping Blasters)
We also add Fusion Missile as our top filler and Thermal Detonator as our secondary filler. For pure AoE DPS, you can add a second Sweeping Blasters to replace 2 Filler spots though that is very expensive on energy. For practical purposes, I would tend to try and prioritize Fusion Missile and then use mostly basic attacks to save up energy to use Death from Above on cooldown.
The biggest saving grace to Continuous Fire is that it does increase your single target DPS as compared to no tactical at all due to the extra DoT ticks and making your DoTs "fire and forget" due to their continued refresh via Sweeping Blasters. As such, it is perfectly viable if you want to shift towards AoE DPS but I feel that it is unnecessary in nearly all content given the normal rotation plus Fusion Missile will be preferable to clear the fight as easily and quickly as possible.