5.0 Class Guides/ SWTOR

SWTOR 5.0 Advanced Prototype Powertech PvE Guide by Jaymis

Jaymis 47 Comments Dec 22, 2016

SWTOR 5.0 Advanced Prototype Powertech PvE guide written by Jaymis.

Intro to 5.0 Advanced Prototype

Advanced Prototype is a high burst melee DPS discipline that offers some of the best burst in game.

Ratings

Single Target Damage: 5/10

Though nothing has changed to our discipline in 5.0, our damage isn’t quite what it was in the previous tiers compared to other disciplines. But if you throw in the fact that we have 10 meter range on 4/6 of our core rotational abilities, as well as Reflective Armor and Pyro Shield, we are still more than capable of keeping up with higher parsing specs in a raid.

AoE Damage: 5/10

Our AoE damage was never the best, but with 5.0 it got a little bit worse with new gimped replacements for Death from Above (Deadly Onslaught) and Flamethrower (Searing Wave). We do however get a new replacement to Explosive Dart (Shatter Slug) which is our new highest damaging AoE ability, and can be used on 2 or more targets without having to sacrifice our single target rotation.

Burst Damage: 10/10

Advanced Prototype still has some of the best burst currently in game due to off the global cooldown Shoulder Cannons, combined with Explosive Fuel and an auto crit on Energy Burst every minute (with the 6 piece set bonus), as far as damage goes, this is the #1 thing you are bringing into a raiding environment.

Raid Utility: 9/10

With Energy Rebounders and 30% AoE/Stun damage reduction, Advanced Prototype is more than qualified for off tanking if the situation calls for it. Combine that with Sonic Rebounders, and the Sundered and Susceptible debuffs and we’re neck and neck with Marauders as far as utility goes. Also as of 5.0 we are now able to Guard, it’s not much but it’s a little something extra.

Survivability: 9/10

With Heavy Armor, Energy Rebounders absorbing damage and reducing the cooldown on Energy Shield, Sonic Defense proc from Sonic Missile AND 30% AoE/Stun damage reduction, Advanced Prototype is capable of taking a beating.

Gearing

The following numbers are taken from Bant’s Optimal Stats For All 24 Disciplines, KoTET Edition forum post on the SWToR website. For reference E = Enhancement (this includes Implants and Earpieces); A = Augment; C = Crystal.

Eternal Commander MK-3 Tier 1: Artifact (230 ilvl): 7660+-359 DPS @ 50.2 APM

• 7167 Endurance
• 5901 Mastery (Stim)
• 3183 Power
• 1447 Critical (7xE, 2xC)
• 1152 Alacrity (12xA)
• 735 Accuracy (3xE, 2xA)

Eternal Commander MK-13, Tier 2: Artifact (234 ilvl): 7955+-380 DPS @ 50.2 APM

• 7440 Endurance
• 6128 Mastery (Stim)
• 3337 Power
• 1518 Critical (6xE, 2xA, 2xC)
• 1152 Alacrity (12xA)
• 760 Accuracy (4xE)

Eternal Commander MK-15, Tier 2: Legendary (236 ilvl): 8383+-409 DPS @ 51 APM

• 7741 Endurance
• 6259 Mastery (1xA, 1xC)
• 3424 Power
• 1626 Critical (4xE, 6xA, 1xC)
• 1376 Alacrity (4xE, 6xA)
• 736 Accuracy (2xE, 1xA, Stim)

Iokath MK-3, Tier 3: Artifact (240 ilvl): 8654+-429 DPS @ 51.1 APM

• 7881 Endurance
• 6342 Mastery (1xA)
• 3506 Power
• 1678 Critical (3xE, 8xA, 2xC)
• 1422 Alacrity (6xE, 2xA)
• 733 Accuracy (1xE, 3xA, Stim)

Iokath MK-5, Tier 3: Legendary (242 ilvl): 9013+-455 DPS @ 51.3 APM

• 8205 Endurance
• 6579 Mastery (2xC)
• 3694 Power
• 1724 Critical (7xE)
• 1486 Alacrity (2xE, 11xA)
• 743 Accuracy (1xE, 3xA, Stim)

The most important part about gearing is getting as close to the 736 accuracy cap as you can, the rest of the stats can be played around with a bit, as long as you don’t go over the top with it. As far as relics go you will still want to use the Focused Retribution and Serendipitous Assault ones. For Set bonus you will want the 6 piece Combat Tech set bonus to maximize DPS potential.

Utilities

Recommended utilities are in bold

Skillful

	Iron Will	Reduced the cooldown of determination by 30 seconds and the cooldown of Hydraulic Overrides by 10 seconds.	Reduced cooldown on Hydraulics is good for both mobility and completely ignoring mechanics. Reduced cooldown on Determination is more of a PvP thing.
	Gyroscopic Alignment Jets	You vent 20 heat when stunned, immobilized, knocked down or otherwise incapacitated. Additionally your next Tech ability deals 10% extra damage or healing.	Situational, but good on fights where you get stunned a lot like Brontes, or the Drouks in Explosive Conflict.  Take this over Pneumatic Boots if that is the case.
	Reflective Armor	When Close and Personal is triggered, it will also deal X elemental damage to the attacker if the attacker is within 10 meters.	100% mandatory to have, as there is usually some sort of AoE damage going out on almost all fights, and it’s free elemental damage each time you get hit.
	Suppressive Tools	Magnetic Blast, Flame Burst and Flame Sweep reduce the movement speed of affected targets by 25% for 3 seconds. Additionally, Neural Dart slows the target by 50% for 6 seconds.	PvP utility
	Bracer Propellant	Increases the range of Flame Burst and Magnetic Blast by 2 meters and the radius of Flame Sweep by 1 meter	Worthless, 2 meter increase? LUL
	Engulfing Flames	Increases Flame Sweep damage by 25%	Take this if you are in a fight with a lot of adds.

Masterful

	Pneumatic Boots	Increases movement speed by 15%. (only works while in combat)	Only taken as there’s not much else for PvE, but 15% extra movement speed is always good.
	Pyro Shield	When activated, your Energy Shield ignites in a blaze scorching attackers for elemental damage when they deal direct damage to you. This effect cannot occur more than once each second.	100% mandatory, free elemental damage when getting hit while Energy Shield is active.
	Accelerated Reel	Reduces the cooldown of Grapple by 10 seconds.	PvP utility
	Sonic Rebounder	Sonic Missile protects all friendly targets in its area of impact, excluding you, granting Sonic Rebounder, which reflects the next direct, single-target attack back at the attacker.	100% mandatory, helps out the healers and DPS checks. This is one of the best utilities we bring so use it!
	Prototype Electro Surge	Reduces the cooldown of Electro Dart by 15 seconds.	PvP utility
	Hitman	Reduces the cooldown of Quell by 2 seconds.	PvP Utility

Heroic

	Adaptable Assailant	Grapple immobilizes the target for 3 seconds. In addition the cooldown of Stealth Scan is reduced by 5 seconds, and any target it reveals is immobilized for 3 seconds and increases the movement speed of all allies within the scan area, excluding yourself, by 50% for as long as they remain within it and for 6 seconds after it expires or they leave the area.	PvP utility
	Torque Boosters	Increases the duration of Hydraulic Overrides by 4 seconds.	Good for increased mobility and being able to ignore some mechanics.
	Mutilating Shards	Shatter Slug reduces the movement speed of all affected targets by 75%. This effect can only occur once every 30 seconds.	PvP utility
	Enhanced Paralytics	Increases the durations of Electro Dart by 1 second and Carbonize by .5 seconds.	PvP utility
	Liquid Cooling	When Thermal Sensor Override is activated, it vents 10 heat over the next 5 seconds and immediately increases threat towards all current enemies by a small amount if Ion Gas Cylinder is active, or reduces threat towards all current enemies if Ion Gas Cylinder is not active.	Gives an extra 10 heat to play around with, take it.
	Efficient Suit	Allows Kolto Overload to be activated while stunned and causes Kolto Overload to purge stun effects when activated. This will not work against other types of incapacitating effects or scripted stuns, which are often used by Flashpoint and Operation bosses or other special non-player characters. In addition, increases the range of Grapple and Shoulder Cannon by 10 meters and eliminates the heat generated by Electro Dart and Carbonize.	PvP utility

Legendary

	Pressure Overrides	Explosive Fuel grants Pressure Overrides, allowing Flame Burst, Magnetic Blast, Searing Wave, Firestorm, Shatter Slug, Deadly Onslaught, Heat Blast, Energy Burst, Immolate, and Scorch to be used at 30 meters for 15 seconds.	Useless, looks cool, but that’s about it.
	Shield Cannon	Damaging a target with your Shoulder Cannon Missiles heals you for 3% of your total health.	Might be good for solo content, but worthless in endgame PvE.
	Reel and Rattle	Grapple deals tech damage to pulled targets and grants Reel and Rattle, causing your next Rocket Punch or Flaming Fist against the pulled target to deal 20% additional kinetic damage and stun the target for 1.5 seconds. This effect lasts for 6 seconds.	Useful when dummy parsing to replace a Rapid Shots but that’s about it.
	Fuel Additives	Explosive Fuel increases damage done by 5% while Ion Gas Cylinder is being utilized and increases damage reduction by 5% while Ion Gas Cylinder is not being utilized.	Worthless
	Overdrive	Hydraulic Overrides increases movement speed by an additional 45% while active.	Good for on demand speed boost.
	Battering Ram	Using Jet Charge grants Battering Ram, resetting the cooldown of Jet Charge and increasing movement speed by 30% for 6 seconds. While Battering Ram is active, Jet Charge may be used once within 10 meters of the target and deals 50% additional damage but does not cause an additional interrupt, immobilize or charge. This effect cannot occur more than once every 15 seconds.	Might be useful for leveling, but other than that, worthless.

Passives and Abilities

Advanced Prototype Passives

	High Energy Gas Cylinder	Loads your blaster with a high-energy gas cylinder. While active, all energy and kinetic damage is increased by 3%. Replaces Combustible Gas Cylinder.
	Prototype Missile Silos	Reduces the cooldown of Deadly Onslaught by 15 seconds and increases the damage it deals by 10%. In addition Shater Slug deals 50% more damage, its cooldown is reduced by 6 second, and damage dealt by it will refresh the duration of your Retractable Blade’s bleed on the affected target, if present.
	Serrated Blades	Increases the damage dealt by Retractable Blade’s bleed effect by 15% and causes targets damaged by your Rocket Punch to become Sundered, reducing their armor by 20% for 45 seconds.
	Prototype Rail	Rail Shot may be fired at targets that are not incapacitated or suffering from periodic damage. In addition, Rail Shot ignores 30% of the target’s armor, vents 5 heat if it hits a bleeding target, and refreshes the duration of your Retractable Blade’s bleed effect, if present.
	Stabilized Armor	Reduces damage taken from ara effects by 30%. Additionally, while stunned, you take 30% less damage from all sources.
	Power Bracer	Increases the damage dealt by Rocket Punch, Rail Shot, Magnetic Blast, Flame Sweep, Retractable Blade, Thermal Detonator, and Energy Burst by 5%.
	Prototype Particle Accelerator	While High Energy Gas Cylinder is active, Rocket Punch, Magnetic Blast, Shatter Slug, and Flame Sweep finish the cooldown of Rail Shot and make the next Rail Shot generate no heat. This effect cannot occur more than once every 6 seconds.
	Blood Tracker	Increases the damage you dal to bleeding targets by 3% and further increases all energy and kinetic damage dealt by 2%.
	Sonic Defense	Activating Sonic Missile increases your defense chance by 30% for 6 seconds.
	Infrared Sensors	Increases your melee and ranged defense chance by 3% and your stealth detection level by 3.
	Prototype Weapon Systems	Increases the critical strike damage bonus of Rocket Punch, Rail Shot, Magnetic Blast, Retractable Blade, Thermal Detonator, and Energy Burst by 10%. Additionally when Thermal Detonator damages a target, the target will become susceptible, increasing the damage it takes from tech attacks by 5% for 45 seconds.
	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 1.5 seconds. In addition, when taking damage, you have a 20% chance to emit an Energy Redoubt, which absorbs a low amount of damage and lasts for 6 seconds. This effect cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds.
	Power Loaders	Increases the damage dealt by Shoulder Cannon by 15%, and immediately loads 3 additional missiles. Additionally this increases the critical hit chance of Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator by 5%.
	Critical Ventilation	Increases ranged and tech critical chance by 2% and reduces the cooldowns of Vent Heat and Thermal Sensor Override by 30 seconds. In addition, Recharge and Reload builds Energy Lodes.
	Energy Burn	Energy Burst causes the target to burn for X elemental damage over 3 seconds. This effect can stack up to 4 times on the target, and each Energy Lode unleashed generates one stack.

Powertech Passives

	Close and Personal	Increases the duration of Energy Shield by 3 seconds. In addition, suffering direct damage from area attacks heals you for 2.5% of your total health. This effect cannot occur more than once every 3 seconds.
	Puncture	Rail Shot ignores 60% of the targets armor and Rocket Punch or Flaming Fist deals 10% more damage.

Abilities

Rotational Abilities

	Rocket Punch	Engages the jetpack, allowing you to strike the target with a heavy punch that deals X kinetic damage. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: 9s, Range: 4m
	Rail Shot	Fires a very powerful shot at the target that deals X weapon damage. Usable on any target in Advanced Prototype. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: 15s, Range: 10m
	Retractable Blade	Plunges a Retractable Blade into the target that deals X kinetic damage and causes the target to bleed for X internal damage over 18 seconds. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: None, Range: 4m
	Magnetic Blast	Fires a blast of electromagnetized energy at the target, dealing X energy damage. Replaces Flame Burst. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: None, Range: 10m
	Thermal Detonator	Hurls a Thermal Detonator that adheres to the target, and detonates after several seconds, exploding for X kinetic damage. Standard and weak enemies enter a state of panic when the explosive attaches and are knocked down when it detonates. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: 15s, Range: 30m
	Energy Burst	Unleashes your High Energy Gas Cylinder’s stored energy to decimate the target, dealing X energy damage. This damage increases based on your current number of Energy Lodes. Energy Lodes build when Rail Shot is used, and up to 4 charges may be stored at once. Cost: 20 Heat, Cooldown: None, Range: 10m
	Rapid Shots	Fires a quick stream of bolts, causing X weapon damage. Cost: None, Cooldown: None, Range: 30m

AoE Abilities

	Shatter Slug	Fires a high impact slug that instantly explodes on contact with the target, spraying the area with shrapnel shards that deal X kinetic damage to up to 8 enemies within 8 meters of the initial target. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: 15s, Range: 10m
	Deadly Onslaught	Unloads all of your ordinances in rapid succession dealing X kinetic damage and X elemental damage over the duration to up to 8 enemie. Standard and weak targets are knocked down by the blast. Can be used while moving. Channel Duration: 3s, Cost: 30 heat over the duration , Cooldown: 45s, Range: 10m
	Flame Sweep	Torches up to 8 targets within 5 meters for X elemental damage. Cost: 15 Heat, Cooldown: None, Range: 5m

Offensive Cooldowns

	Explosive Fuel	Increases ranged and tech critical chance by 25% for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 120s
	Shoulder Cannon	Deploys a Shoulder Cannon that gradually loads 4 missiles over time. Once loaded, the Shoulder Cannon can be triggered again to fire against an enemy target within 10 meters, launching 1 missile that deals X kinetic damage. A missile can be launched up to once per 1.5 seconds. Loading and launching the Shoulder Cannon does not respect the global cooldown and can be done while controlled. Once all missiles have been loaded, depleting all missiles puts the Shoulder Cannon on cooldown for 1.5 minutes. Cooldown: 90s
	Vent Heat	Rapidly vents 50 heat over 3 seconds. Cooldown: 120s
	Thermal Sensor Override	Your next ability generates no heat. This effect lasts 15 seconds. Cooldown: 120s
	Advanced Polybiotic Attack Adrenal	Increases Power by 870 and reduces all healing done by 20%. Lasts 15 seconds. Cooldown: 180s

Defensive Cooldowns

	Energy Shield	Increases damage reduction by 25% for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 120s
	Kolto Overload	Activating this ability applies a Health Monitor that lasts up to 60 seconds, which triggers a Kolto Overload when your health is reduced to 35% or less. If your health is already 35% or less, Kolto Overload triggers immediately. Once Triggered Kolto Overload goes on cooldown for 3 minutes and rapidly heals you up to 35% of your max health for 8 seconds but will not exceed 35% of you max health. Cooldown: 180s
	Advanced Polybiotic Medpac	Restores 37,225 – 44,545 health and an additional 11,136 health over 15 seconds. Only usable once per fight. Cooldown: 90s

Other Abilities

	Determination	Purges all incapacitating and movement-impairing effects. Cooldown: 120s
	Electro Dart	Fires an Electro Dart, dealing X energy damage and stunning the target for 4 seconds. Cost: 5 Heat, Cooldown: 60s, Range: 10m
	Carbonize	Encases up to 8 enemies within 8 meters in carbonite, dealing X internal damage and stunning them for 2.5 seconds. Cost: 5 Heat, Cooldown: 45s, Range: 8m
	Hydraulic Overrides	Grants 6 seconds of immunity from movement-impairing effects, knockdowns and physics and increases movement speed by 30%. Cooldown: 45s
	Stealth Scan	Fires off probes that scan the area for stealthed opponents. Probes last for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 20s, Range: 30m
	Neural Dart	Fires a neural dart that taunts the target, forcing it to attack you. Player targets deal 30% less damage when attacking anyone other than you. Effect lasts 6 seconds. Cooldown: 15, Range: 30m
	Sonic Missile	Drops threat towards all current enemies. Enemy players have their damage reduced by 30% for 6 seconds unless they attack you. Cooldown: 20s, Range: 30m
	Guard	While active the guarded player takes 5% less damage and generates 25% less threat. In addition so long as you remain within 15 meters of the guarded player, 50% of all incoming damage from enemy players is transferred back to you. Note: as of 5.0 this can be used as a DPS.Range: 30m
	Quell	Interrupts the targets current action and prevents that ability from being used for the next 4 seconds. Cooldown: 12s, Range: 4m
	Grapple	Fires a Grapple line that pulls the target to the Bounty Hunter and generates a high amount of threat. Cannot be used on targets in cover. Cooldown: 45s, Range: 30m
	Jet Charge	Jet to a distant target, dealing X kinetic damage, interrupting the target’s current action and immobilizing the target for 2 seconds. Cannot be used against targets in cover. Cooldown: 15s, Range: 30m

Rotation

Opener

As said before nothing has really changed with the rotation in 5.0, so I found this to still be the best opener. Make sure to have all 7 Shoulder Cannons loaded and all 4 Energy Lodes before pulling. Flame Sweep should also be used before engaging combat as it gives you free 15 heat to play around with.

 

You will lose out on 1 Energy Lode by using this opener, but in the end makes things flow a lot smoother as Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator won’t interfere with one another by doing this.

Priority System

1.  Proccing Prototype Particle Accelerator every 6 seconds.
2.  Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator on cooldown
3.  4 stack Energy Burst
4.  Rail Shot
5.  Magnetic Blast / Rapid Shots

Prototype Particle Accelerator must be procced on cooldown as it helps with heat management and ensures that Retractable Blade is kept on the target.  An easy way to keep track of this is to go into StarParse Timers -> Settings, then setup a timer exactly like this.  

Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator are used on cooldown to keep the Sundered and Susceptible debuffs on the target and to keep things flowing smoothly, which one you use first honestly just depends on how close you are to proccing Prototype Particle Accelerator.  I only use Thermal Detonator 1st over Rocket Punch if delaying Rocket Punch procs Prototype Particle Accelerator.  I see a lot of players not use these 2 abilities on cooldown.  If you do not use these on cooldown you end up using more Magnetic Blasts which is a very poor GCD compared to Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator.

4 stack Energy Burst is your hardest hitting ability, but is only limited by Prototype Particle Accelerator procs and does not have an actual cooldown, so that is why it is not prioritized over Rocket Punch and Thermal Detonator.  

Rail Shot is procced every 6 seconds through Prototype Particle Accelerator, it is one of your hardest hitting abilities and needs to be used to refresh the Retractable Blade DoT.   

Shatter Slug takes priority over Magnetic Blast if 1.  The target has Retractable Blade ticking on them and 2.  You already have your set bonuses procced.  The reason this does slightly more dps than Magnetic Blast is due to the forced DoT tick from Shatter Slug.  A helpful tip in knowing when your set bonuses will proc is going into StarParse and setting up a timer for your 2 piece set bonus, and your 6 piece set bonus.

Last is Magnetic Blast and Rapid Shots.  Rapid Shots should only be used to replace a Magnetic Blast or Shatter Slug that won’t proc your Prototype Particle Accelerator and only if you don’t have either Vent Heat or Thermal Sensor available.

AoE Rotation

In terms of raw damage the priority for AoE is:

1. Searing Wave
2. Shatter Slug
3. Flame Sweep with 25% bonus
4. Deadly Onslaught
5. Flame Sweep without 25% bonus

Unless you’re clearing trash in an operation I just recommend following the single target rotation and swapping out Magnetic Blasts for Shatter Slugs and Flame Sweeps if on 2+ targets. You can also swap out an Energy Burst for a Searing Wave if on 4+ targets.

Double Dotting

If you have 2 targets that are relatively close to each other, you can swap out a Magnetic Blast that doesn’t proc Prototype Particle Accelerator, with a Retractable Blade on another target. To make this worthwhile you need to swap your Rail Shots between the 2 targets, or if they are close enough you can use Shatter Slug to keep the DoT from Retractable Blade rolling on both targets. Examples of fights that I do this on is Sword Squadron in Temple of Sacrifice, 1st Phase Brontes in Dread Fortress, and 2nd Phase of Dread Council in Dread Palace.

Sample Parse and Video

Here is a link to my current highest parse. The parse is done in mostly 240+ gear minus armorings.

Sample Parse Video

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Kevin/Them for giving me a chance to tryout for <Failure> and to Nalia for putting me on a raid team.  Shoutout to my current team members: Auro, Aretha, Beast, Blas, Dongo, Mac, Mon, Narwhal, Nestle, and Phreaky.  Shoutout to my good friends Veldix and Rhegas.  Lastly, thanks to Dulfy for hosting this guide.

About Me

Most people know me as Jay/Jaymis, or by my Marauder’s name Septumis.  I have been playing SWTOR since 2.0 but never got into hardcore raiding until late 3.0.  I joined <Failure> on the Harbinger in 4.0 and have since then cleared all content this game has to offer in 4.0 including Timed Runs and everything in 5.0 excluding Dragonslayer, Dread Master and Gate Crasher.  You can watch me live on Twitch here.