Traumatic Swipe in EoF. What's it worth now?

[yettii]

I've been wondering this issue a LONG time now.  Is it just me, or does it seem rather ineffective in many, if not most, EoF raid encounters now?  I'm sure its purpose is served on heroic mobs, but the primary targets in question is against raid targets.  Many guilds ask their Brigands to spec at least through the STR AAs to obtain this endline to help the raids.  However, I just can't feel it working anymore like I used to.  This is partionally due to disillusionment with it (AGI/WIS spec has been calling me for some time), but I have to be sure of its worth before I can make a good case about it and why I chose to respec.  One thought as to why it doesn't feel like its working for me might be the same reason Torporous Strike is virtually pointless against most epics.  I'd wondered for some time before thinking about it.  Eventually, I came to the conclusion that Torporous Strike works just fine against heroics that I can solo against because the effectiveness is plain to see as they attempt to cast a spell.  It takes a good bit longer for them to get the spell off, making it much easier to interrupt them.  This is also apparent because they're casting familiar spells, some unique skills to themselves, but many mimic the playerbase CAs/Spells.  Most Epics, however, likely don't submit to such rules.  I'm quite certain my Interrupts have little, if any, effect on them.  If they did, everyone's would, and that would make healers that much less important.  But thats not usually the case, is it?  Torporous Strike is pointless for the same reason - Most epics aren't hindered by casting times.  Everything they throw out at us is instantly cast.  Usually, if its not instant, its scripted.  I find this to be different as well, as its not really them casting against us, its merely a warning of something coming that often can't be stopped.  You can't delay or interrupt something that's instant. The true question in mind is, can you delay <b>how often</b> that which is instant comes around?  Another thought recently came to my mind.  If an Epic mob's AoEs and whatnot do not abide by casting timers, who's to say that they abide by the notion of <i>recast timers?</i>  This is the factor that weighs heaviest in my mind.  If the epics ignore recast timer rules, that renders Traumatic Swipe just as useless against epics as "the other TS".  I truly hope this isn't the case, but I cannot determine this alone.  There are others well more skilled in parsing a mob's actions and paying attention to fine details as I.  There was no question as to Traumatic's usefulness in KoS, but EoF's seriously changed that.  It feels like the skill was ninja nerfed or is simply broken.  Another driving factor is that EoF's epics have many more scripted events than before, and I'm pretty sure scripted events (including "Memwipes" ) were <u>never</u> delayable by TS or anything else. Consider that TS is always up.  My guild has 4 Brigands, more than enough to have two in raid at all times.  This ensures that TS always stays up.  We have no problem staying in the mob's business to throw it on, on top of other things.  So, assuming that many other guilds do the same, how has it been for others?  Have they noticed a difference in how often some of the mob's special attacks or AoEs go off?  Has anything been delayed?  I seriously await the input of others, I think this is something that needs clarification for all raiding Brigands.

[Kegofbud]

<div align="left">Torp Strike I don't even have on my hotbar anymore, because using CD's shard it's useless. <div align="left">Traumatic Strike useful? Yes, very much so in my opinion. True that it doesn't affect all encounters in EoF, but many of the important ones it does. If you have any doubt to how useful Traumatic Swipe is, use ACT and display the Spell Timers window. It'll show you just how much difference it makes in the AEs. It makes many of the top end nameds a bit easier to get in and DPS on, rather then a few hits and joust. When you are spending a portion of your "in" time killing adds, that extra 50% time on the AE makes a big difference in how much time you have to DPS on the named. The only instance I can think of it being useless is Freethinkers Hideout.</div> Do 4 people in a raid need to have it? I don't think it's necessary, but where are you going to put those 2 points if they don't go there? 2 more points in any other skill or stat in that line aren't going to make a marked difference in your character anyway IMO.</div>

[Goonch]

<p>The only zone swipe is almost uselsess in EOF is Freethinkers, and thats mostly because of all the scripting.  </p><p>All other contesteds, avatars, and zones, swipe is a must have.  Without a doubt.   Its almost important as dispatch, devitalize, rake on several mobs.  And with the rate it gets resisted or misses, I would force all my rogues to have it if they were going to raid.  </p>

[yettii]

So. the bottom line is that Traumatic Swipe does indeed apply and work to most epics still.  Good.  Guess I'll have to switch back to it soon. At least, until I get a good computer overhaul.  Only reason I'm not so good on the parse these days is because my comp blows by today's standards.  (Ever try EH at 3-8 FPS?  NOT fun.)  Once I get decent framerates, I'll switch back to a more DPS-oriented Rogue setup.  And since we have 4 others with TS (I forgot to mention the Swashy), its not a big deal with them if I experiment with a different setup for them, as long as I give them some decent results to consider from it.  But thank you, thanks for confirming that TS still makes the difference beyond a doubt.  All I have to wonder about now is testing out my new Brigand AA setups.  Being the oddball of the bunch, I respecced from the Tenure line into the AoE Reduction/Honor Among Thieves lines.  Still testing out effectiveness.