Below is a guide for all of those SPYS and SMUGGLERS out there that want to know how their resource management works.
ENERGY REGENERATION Energy Regeneration works at a variable rate based on your current level of energy.
Current energy 60 - 100; 5 energy regen per second
Current energy 20 - 60; 3 energy regen per second
Current energy 0 - 20; 2 energy regen per second
This means that a player who keeps their energy between 60 - 100 during combat, will have more overall energy to spend on abilities than someone who zeros out their energy and maintains energy less than 20. This directly results in more damage output and more healing throughput over a set amount of time.
Let's look at two basic examples to illustrate the actual differences.
Qrugg is a resource management guru that maintains energy at or above 60 at all times during combat for 5 mins
Energy regen > 60; 5eps (energy per second)
5 minutes consists of 300 seconds
5eps x 300 seconds = 1500 energy to spend on damage abilities
Qurse loves front loading as much damage as possible and then maintains less than 20 energy during combat for 5 mins
Energy regen < 20; 2eps (energy per second)
5 minutes consists of 300 seconds
2eps x 300 seconds = 600 energy to spend on damage abilities
Over the course of 5 minutes, Qrugg has 900 MORE energy to spend on damage abilities than Qurse. The exact same formulas can be applied when referencing healing as well. Read below for more in-depth guide depending on Advanced Class choice, and spec choice.
Operative & Scoundrel HEALING Healers have 5 sources of resource management they need to balance. Being an Operative or Scoundrel healer is different than any other game.
Current Energy level (ALWAYS number one)
Stim Boost / Pugnacity
Diagnostic Scan talent chain
Adrenaline Probe / Cool Head
Tactical Advantage / Upper Hand
First and foremost the ability to maintain > 60 energy will immediately yield higher healing throughput. As a healer, it is difficult to throttle your heals to maintain higher energy during all aspects of combat. A healer that can manage this will end up with more energy to spend and more healing throughput in the long run.
Stim Boost and Pugnacity are short duration buffs that increase energy regen. Be sure to keep yours active at all times. With our tier one talent in our healing tree, our standard heal will grant us TA/UP which can then be used to cast Stim Boost or Pugnacity. Simply cast a heal prior to combat to gain TA/UH to spend on Stim Boost or Pugnacity so this is active before the fight starts. Refresh it as needed.
Diagnostic talent chain, completed at level 26, will be another form of energy regen. Every crit of this 3s channeled cast returns energy. With the 24% crit from the talent chain, 5% crit from our class buff, 6% crit from our tier 1 talent, and crit rating gear, we can achieve a steady stream of energy regen by using Diagnostic Scan between heals. At level 26 and higher, healers gain the ability to dip below the 60 energy threshold and use Diagnostic Scan as an energy regen to return to our higher energy regen rating.
Adrenaline Probe and Cool Head are buffs on a 2m cooldown that grant us high yield energy return. During damage spikes to our tank or party, willingly choose to zero out your energy by spamming heals and activate this ability to return to > 60 energy threshold in 3 seconds. This allows us to compensate for higher damage encounters by giving us a means of providing more healing at the cost of dropping to the lower energy regen threshold, and granting additional energy to get back into the higher energy regen rates.
At level 30, through our healing talents, Tactical Advantage and Upper Hand can be spent to activate a moderate heal at no energy cost. Combine that with our Heal Over Time heals granting TA/UH, our base heal granting TA/UH, we now have healing capabilities that are not dependant on energy.
Operative & Scoundrel healers have a steep learning curve, especially in the 10-26 level range. Once you reach your first milestone of Diagnostic Scan returning energy at level 26, and your second milestone of being able to cast heals using your TA/UH buff at level 30, the healing potential drastically increases.
Operative & Scoundrel DPS This section will focus on Concealment and Scapper spec specifically. The Lethality and Dirty Fighting talent trees cater to cover based play style. With the recent range reduction to many Operative and Scoundrel abilities, Lethality and Dirty Fighting are now found lacking in both energy management and praticality.
Current Energy level (ALWAYS number one)
Stim Boost / Pugnacity
Adrenaline Probe / Cool Head
Tactical Advantage / Upper Hand
As stated above, the ability to maintain > 60 energy will immediately yield higher damage output. Cycling in our basic attacks while waiting on ability cooldowns will assist in keeping us within the 5eps threshold by staying above 60 energy. It is better to rotate in our basic attack early on, then be stuck with 0 energy, 2eps, and only our basic attack as a source of damage.
Stim Boost and Pugnacity changes have made it difficult to keep this refreshed at the end a fight so we have it active at the beginning of a new fight. We often find ourselves with the TA/UH available to cast it, but the 35s cooldown is still in effect, wasting our TA/UH at the end of combat. Regardless, it is very important to activate this early on. My personal end game PvP spec does include the tier 1 healing talent that grants TA/UH on cast. By moving out of LOS, casting a heal followed by Stimm Boost or Pugnacity, and then 2 more follow up heals, I can begin an encounter with 2 charges of TA/UH if I engage the enemy within a 10s window.
Adrenaline Probe and Cool Head are buffs on a 2m cooldown that grant us high yield energy return. Choosing to blatently DPS burst, zeroing out our energy and then activating Adrenaline Probe or Cool Head is an incredible source of damage and energy regen in one. Be sure to used it when needed. Don't be afraid to enter the lower regen threshhold rates when you have this avialable to climb back to the higher erngery regen rate.
Tactical Advantage and Upper Hand will activate our highest DPS ability. Under the right cercumstances we can fire off 3 Lacerates or Sucker Punches back to back. There are times where spending TA/UH immideately vs holding onto one will catch your opponent off guard and you can kill them before they respond with defensive or survival cooldowns of their own.
It is also important to point out that the talents which reduce energy costs are key to maintaining high damage output. Waylay and Sawed Off make our back positional attack free, and our main melee attack cost 10 energy. Precision Instruments and Anatomy LEssons reduce our Damage Over Time ability energy cost as well.
Thanks for the write up. That helps. One question though: In the second tier, Surgical Steadiness definitely is a must, but what about the next 2 points? Is Endorphin Rush a better use/value than 2 points in Medical Consult? The only reason I wasn't sure is because there is that 2 minute cooldown and if you are managing your energy well with the diagnostic scan crit upgrades, is it really vital? What do you think?
IMO Endorphine Rush is definately worth it for at least 1 point, because if you are healing in groups, there will be times that you have to dip below 60 energy. In those situations, that immediate energy wins the encounter.
Last edited by kernschatten on 1/5/2012 3:27:17 PM
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Posted 11/20/2011 12:23:53 PMBelow is a guide for all of those SPYS and SMUGGLERS out there that want to know how their resource management works.
ENERGY REGENERATION
Energy Regeneration works at a variable rate based on your current level of energy.
This means that a player who keeps their energy between 60 - 100 during combat, will have more overall energy to spend on abilities than someone who zeros out their energy and maintains energy less than 20. This directly results in more damage output and more healing throughput over a set amount of time.
Let's look at two basic examples to illustrate the actual differences.
Qrugg is a resource management guru that maintains energy at or above 60 at all times during combat for 5 mins
Qurse loves front loading as much damage as possible and then maintains less than 20 energy during combat for 5 mins
Over the course of 5 minutes, Qrugg has 900 MORE energy to spend on damage abilities than Qurse. The exact same formulas can be applied when referencing healing as well. Read below for more in-depth guide depending on Advanced Class choice, and spec choice.
Operative & Scoundrel HEALING
Healers have 5 sources of resource management they need to balance. Being an Operative or Scoundrel healer is different than any other game.
First and foremost the ability to maintain > 60 energy will immediately yield higher healing throughput. As a healer, it is difficult to throttle your heals to maintain higher energy during all aspects of combat. A healer that can manage this will end up with more energy to spend and more healing throughput in the long run.
Stim Boost and Pugnacity are short duration buffs that increase energy regen. Be sure to keep yours active at all times. With our tier one talent in our healing tree, our standard heal will grant us TA/UP which can then be used to cast Stim Boost or Pugnacity. Simply cast a heal prior to combat to gain TA/UH to spend on Stim Boost or Pugnacity so this is active before the fight starts. Refresh it as needed.
Diagnostic talent chain, completed at level 26, will be another form of energy regen. Every crit of this 3s channeled cast returns energy. With the 24% crit from the talent chain, 5% crit from our class buff, 6% crit from our tier 1 talent, and crit rating gear, we can achieve a steady stream of energy regen by using Diagnostic Scan between heals. At level 26 and higher, healers gain the ability to dip below the 60 energy threshold and use Diagnostic Scan as an energy regen to return to our higher energy regen rating.
Adrenaline Probe and Cool Head are buffs on a 2m cooldown that grant us high yield energy return. During damage spikes to our tank or party, willingly choose to zero out your energy by spamming heals and activate this ability to return to > 60 energy threshold in 3 seconds. This allows us to compensate for higher damage encounters by giving us a means of providing more healing at the cost of dropping to the lower energy regen threshold, and granting additional energy to get back into the higher energy regen rates.
At level 30, through our healing talents, Tactical Advantage and Upper Hand can be spent to activate a moderate heal at no energy cost. Combine that with our Heal Over Time heals granting TA/UH, our base heal granting TA/UH, we now have healing capabilities that are not dependant on energy.
Operative & Scoundrel healers have a steep learning curve, especially in the 10-26 level range. Once you reach your first milestone of Diagnostic Scan returning energy at level 26, and your second milestone of being able to cast heals using your TA/UH buff at level 30, the healing potential drastically increases.
Operative & Scoundrel DPS
This section will focus on Concealment and Scapper spec specifically. The Lethality and Dirty Fighting talent trees cater to cover based play style. With the recent range reduction to many Operative and Scoundrel abilities, Lethality and Dirty Fighting are now found lacking in both energy management and praticality.
As stated above, the ability to maintain > 60 energy will immediately yield higher damage output. Cycling in our basic attacks while waiting on ability cooldowns will assist in keeping us within the 5eps threshold by staying above 60 energy. It is better to rotate in our basic attack early on, then be stuck with 0 energy, 2eps, and only our basic attack as a source of damage.
Stim Boost and Pugnacity changes have made it difficult to keep this refreshed at the end a fight so we have it active at the beginning of a new fight. We often find ourselves with the TA/UH available to cast it, but the 35s cooldown is still in effect, wasting our TA/UH at the end of combat. Regardless, it is very important to activate this early on. My personal end game PvP spec does include the tier 1 healing talent that grants TA/UH on cast. By moving out of LOS, casting a heal followed by Stimm Boost or Pugnacity, and then 2 more follow up heals, I can begin an encounter with 2 charges of TA/UH if I engage the enemy within a 10s window.
Adrenaline Probe and Cool Head are buffs on a 2m cooldown that grant us high yield energy return. Choosing to blatently DPS burst, zeroing out our energy and then activating Adrenaline Probe or Cool Head is an incredible source of damage and energy regen in one. Be sure to used it when needed. Don't be afraid to enter the lower regen threshhold rates when you have this avialable to climb back to the higher erngery regen rate.
Tactical Advantage and Upper Hand will activate our highest DPS ability. Under the right cercumstances we can fire off 3 Lacerates or Sucker Punches back to back. There are times where spending TA/UH immideately vs holding onto one will catch your opponent off guard and you can kill them before they respond with defensive or survival cooldowns of their own.
It is also important to point out that the talents which reduce energy costs are key to maintaining high damage output. Waylay and Sawed Off make our back positional attack free, and our main melee attack cost 10 energy. Precision Instruments and Anatomy LEssons reduce our Damage Over Time ability energy cost as well.
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Posted 12/21/2011 6:50:09 PMThat was great and very helpful, thanks! I was just wondering today about my energy regen and you got it all covered.
Remember remember the fifth of November
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Posted 12/27/2011 12:42:42 AMSticky please, very well written +1
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Posted 12/27/2011 7:12:42 AMThanks for the write up. That helps. One question though: In the second tier, Surgical Steadiness definitely is a must, but what about the next 2 points? Is Endorphin Rush a better use/value than 2 points in Medical Consult? The only reason I wasn't sure is because there is that 2 minute cooldown and if you are managing your energy well with the diagnostic scan crit upgrades, is it really vital? What do you think?
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Posted 1/5/2012 3:25:36 PMI went like so:
10, 11: Incisive Action
12,13,14: Imperial Education
15,16: Surgical Steadiness
17,18: Medical Consult
19: Endorphin rush
20: Kolto Probe
21, 22: Prognosis: Critical
23: Endorphin Rush
24: Medical Consult
25: Medical Engineering
26,27: Patient Studies
28,29: Medical Engineering
30: Surgical Probe
31: Surgical Precision
32: Tox Screen
33,34: Medical Therapy
35,36,37: Accomplished Doctor
38,39: Chem resistant Inlays (or 2 in med shield)
40: Recuperative Nanotech
41+:
I'm heading towards this as a mostly PvE with a little PvP utility
http://db.darthhater.com/skill_calc/imperial_agent/operative/#::f5ef13e3fe5fe4fefe3f6ef5e2f6
IMO Endorphine Rush is definately worth it for at least 1 point, because if you are healing in groups, there will be times that you have to dip below 60 energy. In those situations, that immediate energy wins the encounter.