Delving ever deeper into the dark side of the Force can lead to madness, but it can also lead to immense power. Attacking multiple enemies simultaneously and instilling terror in their hearts, all while sapping their very life essence from afar, the Madness Sorcerer is a dark threat unlike any other.

Madness Sorcerer PvE Guide 5.8

A class guide for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Updated .

Madness Sorcerer: Overview
Basics
  • Lighted robed, lightsaber wielding, seeks wisdom and allies over action.
  • Story highlights: Learn rituals, gather Sith ghosts, war a Darth and take his Dark Council seat.
  • Spec: Ranged DoT, Sith (Force-user), off-heal.
  • Pros: Mobility, AoE, self heal, team support.
  • Cons: Few defences, lack of burst.
Quick Tips
  • Stay in middle or back of group. Stay back and close to cover once combat starts.
  • Trash fights: start with Creeping Terror and/or Affliction, then spread them with Death Field.
  • Use Death Field and Force Leach on cooldown. Spam Force Lightning so that we can use Demolish on cooldown too.
  • "Off-heal" with Bubble, but keep it minimal in combat. Use Expunge to self-cleanse. Use Reanimation in-combat if necessary.
  • Maintain self bubble, and use Unnatural Preservation to self heal. Force Speed and flee when hp drops fast. Binds Force Barrier to a easy key for desperate time.
  • Suggested utilities: Empty Body, Tempest Mastery, Lightning Barrier, Dark Resilience, Emersion, Shapeless Spirit, Force Mobility, and your choice.
Known bugs
  • Dark Echo of Death Field hits only the triggering target, won't spraed out.
  • Force Storm does not benefit from 10% Force cost reduction of level 15 passive.
  • Phase Walk will disengage if we use it while hindered.
  • In-game display of Demolish periodic damage is based on 6 seconds, not 9.
  • In-game display of Crushing Darkness does not show number of periodic damage.
Notes
  • Excels at kiting and long fights, arguably the hardest Sorcerer discipline.
  • Stable rotation, zero proc dependency, very reliable relic proc.
  • Self-heals grant great stamina in long fights, often the last one standing in a full wipe.
  • Few defensives, either low mitigation and/or on long cooldown. Difficult to survive burst damage.
  • Lightning is Sorcerer's burst DPS spec, very mobile, crazy burst window. Perfect for leveling.
  • Corruption is Sorcerer's heal spec, very versatile and efficient, the most mobile heal spec.
  • Finishing chapter 3 of the Sith Inquistor story unlocks Lightening Storm as a legacy ability.
  • Republic counterpart: Balance Sage.
Rotations
The Very Simple Rotation

Basics
  1. Demolish (Pre-cast/instant)
  2. Creeping Terror
  3. Affliction
  4. Death Field (Spread DoT)
  5. Force Leach
  6. Force Lightning (Full cast)
  7. Lightning Strike
  8. Force Lightning (Full cast)
  9. Force Lightning (Clipped, throw vanquish asap)
  10. Repeat
Notes
  • We can move around during steps 1 to 4 and maybe 5; find a safe place to throw lightnings.
  • If rotation can't keep up with Demolish's cooldown, skip the last Force Lightning.
Expanded Rotation

Basics
  1. (Open) (If mid-fight & Demolish not primed) Force Lightning
  2. (Off) Polarity Shift
  3. Demolish / Crushing Darkness (Pre-cast/instant)
  4. Creeping Terror
  5. Affliction
  6. (Off) Recklessness
  7. Death Field (Spread DoTs at lv. 28+)
  8. (Off) Unnatural Preservation
  9. Force Leach (Shock before lv. 40)
  10. Force Lightning (Full cast)
  11. Lightning Strike (Instant) or filler
  12. (Off) Cloud Mind
  13. Force Lightning (Full cast)
  14. Force Lightning (Clipped; skip before lv 56.) or filler
  15. Next rotation.
Notes
  • Multiple Force Lightning is required to maintain its buffs, but is not a high priority.
  • Off-GCD buffs are best used during GCD, after instant abilities, to maximise APM.
  • Using Polarity Shift before Demolish allow us to maintain the same rotation.
AoE Rotation

Basics
  1. Creeping Terror or Affliction
  2. Affliction or Creeping Terror
  3. Death Field (DoT spread)
  4. (Off) Recklessness
  5. Force Storm
  6. Force Storm
  7. Force Lightning
  8. Demolish
  9. Next rotation
Notes
  • See each DoT for tips to judge which one to put first.
  • Against weak trashes, skipping the second DoT may finish them off faster.
  • Death Field with any DoT deals higher damage than a full Force Storm.
  • Except when Force Storm is used after Recklessness, which turns all hits into autocrit.
  • The rotation is 1 second shorter than cooldown because I have difficulty chaining Force Storm head to tail. Add a clipped Force Lightning if your ping is better than mine.
  • Rotation is Force negative. Replace Demolish with Force Lightning to lessen it.
  • Consider opening with Force Push to push opponents together, then run into them for AoE.
Abilities

Main Attacks
Basics
  • Dealing damage is our main job.
  • Basic Attack: Force Lightning (regen Force).
  • Use on cooldown: Demolish, Death Field, Force Leach.
  • Never hardcast Demolish except to start a fight.
Force Lightning
Description
  • Level 2: Deals 9180 kinetic damage and regain 12 Force over 2.1 sec. channel. During channel it immobilizes weak and standard target, otherwise slows target's movement by 50%.
  • 2.1 sec. channel (four ticks), no cooldown, range 30m, regen 28 Force.
  • Force-Master 4-pieces: Reduces Force cost of Force Lightning ticks by 2.
  • Level 24 passive: When Force Lightning deals damage 4 times, your next Lightning Strike, Crushing Darkness, or Demolish activates instantly, costs 50% less Force, and deals 25% more damage, for up to 15 sec.
  • Level 40 passive: Each Force Lightning damage has a 20% chance to triggers Lightning Burns, dealing 1200 kinetic damage to the target and restore 2 Force.
  • Level 64 passive: Force Lightning hits increase your periodic damages by 2%, stack up to 4 times and last 10 sec.
  • (Merged) Level 12 passive: Force Lightning now has no cooldown.
  • (Merged) Level 16 passive: Eliminate Force Lightning pushback, and recover 2% Force (12) when it deals damage.
  • (Merged) Level 56 passive: Force Lightning ticks 33% faster (from 3s to 2.1s) but deals 25% less damage.
Basics
  • A no-cooldown, Force positive basic attack that we should use a lot.
  • 4 hits (a full channel) make next Demolish and Lightning Strike instant cast and do higher damage, and primed Demolish is our main attack.
  • Does require us to stand still and is the biggest hinderance to our mobility.
Usages
  1. When we can stay still and big powers are on CD; keep Demolish primed!
  2. Slows a moving foe, whether it is chasing the tank or us.
  3. Finish off near death trash mobs and adds.
Notes
  • Ticks immediately and then twice per second, 4 ticks total.
  • Hits does not need to be continuous for the buffs; can run, hit twice, run, hit twice.
  • We don't get buffs if we fail to deal damage, such as because of accuracy or immunity.
  • One Recklessness applies to all four ticks. A decent use of Recklessness on single target.
  • Force Lightning has high damage on paper, but Death Field and Force Leach deals internal damage and are normally better Recklessness candidates.
  • Originally cost 36 Force per channel, or 9 per tick. We recover 12 per hit, a net balance of 3 Force per tick. Natural Force regen also adds 16 over the channel, while set bonus adds 8.
  • Lightning Burns adds around 10% damage.
Demolish (Crushing Darkness)
Description
  • Level 58: Casts and deals 5410 ±150 kinetic damage, plus 16700 kinetic damage over 9 sec. and redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you. The target is Vulnerable for 45 seconds, taking 5% more damage from Force attacks. Replaces Crushing Darkness.
  • Level 14 Crushing Darkness: Casts and deals 5090 ±150 kinetic damage, plus 12800 kinetic damage over 9 sec. and redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you.
  • 2s casted, 15s cooldown, range 30m, 27 Force.
  • Level 36 passive: Increase periodic damage by 10%.
  • Level 48 passive: Increase periodic damage by 15% on targets below 30% max health.
  • (Merged) Level 44 passive: Crushing Darkness and Demolish lasts 3 sec longer (from 6 to 9).
Basics
  • Our biggest attack, fair upfront (burst) damage, heaviest and quickest tick.
  • Always use after primed by Throw. 25% damage on our biggest attack.
  • Make target vulnerable 5% to Force damage, which is virtually all our attacks.
Usages
  1. Hardcast to start a combat. This is an exception to no hardcast rule.
  2. Use on cooldown. Force Lightning often and reserve the buff for Demolish.
Notes
  • Ticks once per seconds for 9 seconds, 9 ticks total after upfront damage.
  • Upfront damage is not DoT tick and does not enjoy DoT buffs.
Creeping Terror
Description
  • Level 26: Immobilizes the target for 2 sec. (once per 9 sec.), plus deals 11300 internal damage over 18 sec. and redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you.
  • Instant, no cooldown, range 30m, 18 Force.
  • Level 36 passive: Increase periodic damage by 10%.
  • Level 48 passive: Increase periodic damage by 15% on targets below 30% max health.
  • (Merged) Level 52 passive: Creeping Terror redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you.
Basics
  • Long lasting DoT, spreadable by Death Field.
  • Pin victim on a hidden cooldown of 9 seconds.
Usages
  1. Whenever the target is not going to fall in a few seconds or so.
  2. DoT spreading by Death Field or manually.
  3. To start a fight on a melee foes when its friends are ranged, so that they stay together for easy DoT spread.
  4. To prevent kiting opponent from closing or jumping on us.
Notes
  • Ticks immediately and once per 3 seconds for 18 seconds, 7 ticks total.
  • Deals internal (yellow) damage, which bypass many defences.
  • Cost only half the Force of Affliction, and should be preferred over it.
  • Heals us 10% of the damage dealt (lv. 52+), very little even when spread.
Affliction
Description
  • Level 16: Deals 10600 internal damage over 18 sec., and redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you.
  • Instant, no cooldown, range 30m, 32 Force.
  • Utility: Conspiring Force
  • Level 36 passive: Increase periodic damage by 10%.
  • Level 48 passive: Increase periodic damage by 15% on targets below 30% max health.
  • (Merged) Level 52 passive: Affliction redistributes 10% of the damage to heal you.
Basics
  • Long lasting DoT, spreadable by Death Field.
  • Does not pin target, sometimes good for DoT spread.
  • Victim takes great bonus damage from Force Leach.
Usages
  1. Whenever the target is not going to fall in a few seconds or so.
  2. DoT spreading by Death Field or manually.
  3. To start a fight when all foes are melee, so that they zerg us as a group for easy DoT spread.
Notes
  • Ticks immediately and once per 3 seconds for 18 seconds, 7 ticks total.
  • Deals internal (yellow) damage, which bypass many defences.
  • Double Force cost of Creeping Terror but slightly less damage.
  • Heals us 10% of the damage dealt (lv. 52+), very little even when spread.
Death Field
Description
  • Level 10: Deals 7490 ±150 internal damage to up to 8 targets in a 5m radius AoE, and redistribute 20% of the total damage to heal you.
  • Instant (0.2 sec delay), 15 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 45 Force.
  • Level 20 passive: Death Field increase the damage the target takes from your next 15 periodic damage for up to 30 sec.
  • Level 28 passive: Death Field spread your Affliction and Creeping Terror to damanged targets, if any damaged target is already affected by your Affliction and Creeping Terror.
  • Level 28 passive: Death Field cause targets to take 10% more damage from area attacks for 45 sec.
  • Level 60 passive: Each time Death Field increases your periodic damage, you regain 2 Force.
  • Level 68 passive: Targets hit by Death Field has 50% chance to emits a Dark Echo, dealing 749 internal damage to itself and up to 7 targets within 5m.
  • (Merged) Level 52 passive: Increase Death Field's health redistribution from 10% to 20%.
Basics
  • Biggest and instant AoE. Spread Creeping Terror and Affliction.
  • Put counted debuff on victims that boost DoT damage and refund Force.
  • Also put a debuff that increases AoE damage taken.
Usages
  1. Spread Creeping Terror and/or Affliction to every target if any target have them.
  2. Spread both DoTs if possible, but if the target is flimsy and will die before that, DoT(s) a different target or just fire Death Field as burst AoE (without any DoT).
  3. Use on cooldown. Group, Single, Bursting, Kiting, just cast it on CD.
  4. Except when a close group of adds are expected soon, in which case reserve this for them.
Notes
  • Newly spread DoTs will have full duration, but existing DoTs won't be refreshed.
  • Newly spread DoTs will immediately tick, adding to burst damage.
  • Has a 0.2 sec delay between activation and effect, must manually aim and adjust for enemies' movements.
  • Consumes multiple Recklessness when used on multiple targets. Not optimal but acceptable.
  • Deals internal (yellow) damage, which bypass many defences.
  • Currently Dark Echo only hits the triggering target, instead of bounding to other enemies, in effect a flat 5% damage bonus.
  • Dark Echo also redistribute 10% of its damage to heal us, and I don't know whether it's part of Death Field's original 10% life drain or it is regarded as a DoT.
Force Leach
Description
  • Level 42: Casts and deals 7400 ±150 internal damage, and redistribute 100% of the damage to heal you.
  • 1.5 sec. cast, 12 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 45 Force.
  • Force-Master 2-pieces: Force Leach increase damage dealt by 2% for 15 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds.
  • Utility: Force Mobility
  • Level 16 passive: Reduce Force Leach pushback by 75%.
  • Level 32 passive: Force Leach critical chance +5%.
  • Level 40 passive: Force Leach has a 60% chance to triggers Lightning Burns, dealing 1200 kinetic damage to the target and restores 2 Force.
  • Level 48 passive: Force Leach restores 15 Force when used on target affected by Death Field's periodic damage bonus.
  • Level 60 passive: Force Leach deals 30% more damage on target affected by your Affliction.
  • (Merged) Level 52 passive: Increase Force Leach's health redistribution from 50% to 100%.
Basics
  • Biggest burst attack, also our main self-heal.
  • 30% more damage (and heal) against weakened target.
  • Force cost -15 when used after Death Field.
Usages
  1. Use on cooldown, after weaken mind and Death Field.
  2. Skip Death Field if it is on cooldown or on reserve.
  3. Force Lightning instead if target is too weak to waste Weaken + Serenity.
  4. Best used of Recklessness because of high damage and heal.
Notes
  • Heal us 100% of damage dealt. (50% before lv. 52) Which generates normal heal threat.
  • Deals internal (yellow) damage, which bypass many defences.
  • Damage is back-loaded; follow with front-loaded damage (Death Field/Shock) to create a damage burst.
  • Don't need to be used immediately after Death Field; the force cost discount depends on its counted DoT debuff, which takes at least 4 GCD to spent.
Force Storm
Description
  • Level 4: Deals 6920 kinetic damage over 3 sec. channel to up to 8 targets in a 8m radius AoE. 33% chance to stuns each standard and weak target every sec. for 3 sec.
  • 3 sec. channel, no cooldown, range 30m, 60 Force.
  • Utility: Tempest Mastery
Basics
  • Primary weapon of mass destruction against flimsy enemies.
  • 33% chance to stun each standard and weak target per tick.
  • Zero cooldown and very big radius. But slow start, unmovable, and high Force cost.
Usages
  1. Stun and dispatch a big groups of flimsy or near-death opponents.
  2. Always use Death Field first: bursty, cheaper, and applies AoE debuff.
  3. Do not use on non-trivial foes; DoTs and focus fire them.
Notes
  • 3 seconds channel, ticks once per second.
  • Force cost is not reduced by the level 15 passive which reduce Force cost by 10%. This should be a bug, since Force Lightning cost is reduced.
  • Roughly equals to saber striking every target, at a high Force cost.
  • A Recklessness is spent on cast, and apply to all damages over the whole channel (even if it hits no one). Huge damage potential here.
Lightning Strike
Description
  • Level 1: Casts and deals 6290 ±150 kinetic damage.
  • 1.5 sec. cast, no cooldown, range 30m, 36 Force.
  • Level 32 passive: Lightning Strike critical chance +5%.
Basics
  • Situational rotation filler. Primed by Force Lightning like Demolish.
  • Low damage and take time to cast when unprimed, worse than Shock.
Usages
  1. When Lightning Strike is primed, and Demolish is on cooldown longer than 3 seconds, and we can Force Lightning in time to prime and Demolish, and we have nothing else to do like self Bubble or self Resurgense.
  2. In all other cases, just Force Lightning.
Shock
Description
  • Level 1: Deals 6290 ±150 kinetic damage, and stuns standard and weak target for 3 sec.
  • Instant, 6 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 36 Force.
Basics
  • The initial ranged attack of Sith Inquisitor, still useful at high level.
  • Moderate instant damage, quick cooldown, stuns standard and weak enemy 0.5s.
Usages
  1. When we are running and want to attack, and other attacks are on cooldown.
  2. Quickly stun a standard or weak enemy to interrupt its channel/cast or just give it a pause.
Notes
  • Force Lightning is often a better choice, even when kiting, because of Throw's buffs and zero CD. One primed Demolish is worth 4 Projects.
Saber Strike
Description
  • Level 1: Deals 4010 ±300 weapon damage, spread across 3 melee attacks.
  • Instant, no cooldown, range 4m, no force cost.
  • Utility: Enfeebling Strike
Basics
  • Our first and only melee attack, we have outgrown it as a DPS.
  • For combat purpose, just forget Saber Strike ever exists.
  • Saber Strike has greatest damage variation, but balanced by even crit chance caused by spliting the damage.
Usages
  • When you a low damage attack to wear down some props, like the iso-5 cans in Toborro’s Courtyard.
  • Don't use when run out of Force. Use Force Lightning to recover Force.
  • Since saber strike is not a Force attack, it does not spend Recklessness.
Controls
Basics
  • Lift furthest foe(s), stun strongest, interrupt all interruptible boss.
  • Control (mez, stun, and interrupts) is our responsibility as a DPS.
  • Tanks are busy, healers lack accuracy. Control is our duty.
  • We lack in interrupts, but have some of the best controls.
Whirlwind
Description
  • Level 7: Prevents target from acting for 60 sec. or until damaged. Non-player, non-standard and non-weak targets heal rapidly while lifted.
  • 2 sec. cast, 60 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 9 Force.
  • Utilities: Dizzying Force, Haunted Dreams
Basics
  • The best soft crown control (mez) in game.
  • Works on any controllable targets, including droids and turrets.
  • Breaks on any damage, including DoT.
  • Very powerful when augmented by utilities.
Usages
  1. Take tough target(s) out of action while dealing with its more fragile friends.
  2. Take fresh target(s) (before DoT) out of action for a break (self heal, cooldown etc.)
  3. Disturb (inc. interrupts) kiting target(s) without pushing it away or Overload is on cooldown.
Notes
  • Last 8 seconds in PvP.
  • Starred NPCs (strong or above) recovers hp when lifted, but totally worth it.
  • After we lift the furthest foe a few times, smart teammates will learn to expect it and leave them alone.
  • All op bosses, most fp bosses, and many ch bosses are immune.
Overload
Description
  • Level 3: Deals 2440 ±150 kinetic damage and knocks back up to 8 enemies in a 15m frontal cone. Also knocks down (stun) standard and weak enemies for 3 seconds.
  • Instant, 20 sec. cooldown, range 15m, 9 Force.
  • Utilities: Force Suffusion, Electric Bindings.
Basics
  • On of the three pushes in game and arguably the best (when used correctly).
  • Push all enemies in the 135° cone away from us, usually ahead, but adjacent ones may go backward or sideways.
  • Thus, when positioned correctly, Overload can push both ways on bridges.
Usages
  1. Push enemies down high cliffs and bridges.
  2. Push widespread enemies close together for easier AoE and DoT spread.
  3. Disturb multiple enemies, stopping their casts, channels, and movements.
  4. Do not do the last while in a team; it'd nullify teammates' attacks if the targets are pushed out of range.
Notes
  • Overload's push distance is the lowest of all three.
  • Cone goes towards character facing, not camera facing.
  • Pushing enemies to a wall is a easy way to line them up, but will result in a wide line if standing too close when push.
  • On some PvE maps the NPCs won't die from the fall; wait for them to respawn and dispatch normally (don't push again).
  • All op bosses, most fp bosses, and many ch bosses are immune.
Electrocute
Description
  • Level 5: Deals 3060 ±150 kinetic damage and stuns the target for 4 sec.
  • Instant, 60 sec. cooldown, range 10m, 9 Force.
  • Utility: Torturous Tactics
Basics
  • A hard stun that is not interrupted by damages.
  • Use on the toughest enemy in a group, esp. when it casts or channels.
  • Generally speaking, stun often and stun early in PvE.
Usages
  1. I usually stun after DoT spread on trash mobs, when I switch to single target focus fire.
  2. Also serves as an alternative interrupt, just with a long cooldown.
Notes
  • Watch teammate's stun. Overlapped stuns is a waste.
  • In a quick fight we usually don't need to stun.
  • Companion in damage role has a ranged stun with lower cooldown. (At least they don't have mez.)
Jolt
Description
  • Level 18: Interrupts the target's current action and prevents that ability from being used for 4 sec.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 18 sec. fixed cooldown, range 30m, no Force cost.
Basics
  • Our basic interrupt ability, stops the target's current cast or channel.
  • Jolt is off-GCD: use it when we see a slow cast or channel and immediately resume next attack.
Usages
  1. Use on big attacks of any interruptible champions and bosses. The slower the deadlier.
  2. Also work great on trash mob healers (medics/repair bots).
Notes
  • Non-controllable enemies may still be interruptible.
  • Whirlwind, Electrocute, Overload, and Backlash also work as interrupts on controllable enemies.
Force Slow
Description
  • Level 22: Deals 4480 ±150 kinetic damage and slows the target's movement speed by 50% for 6 sec.
  • Instant, 12 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 9 Force.
  • Utility: Surging Speed
Basics
  • There are few times when we want to slow a slowable enemy instead of using more efficient attacks.
  • Such as Force Lightning, which also slow (or pin) the target while doing higher damage and buffs us.
  • Can be used on the move, unlike Force Lightning.
Usages
  1. When we kite a slowable enemy, usually champions. And pvp.
  2. When we are running and other mobile attacks are on cooldown.
Notes
  • Damage is on par with Saber Strike, which is among our lowest.
  • Overlaps with Conspiring Force to virtually pins the victim.
Heals and Defences
Basics
  • Not our main job. Most heals we do cost us action, which reduce our dps.
  • Run behind cover and hide (LoS) is a damage control skill that we must get into habit of.
  • Unnatural Preservation is our main self heal and is free. Force Leach is our 2nd biggest attack and self heal.
  • Corrupted Barrier has the potential to do lots of self heals in boss fights.
  • Bubble is our most efficient "heal". Throw it out when a friend needs help.
  • After combat, revive fallen mates and heal them. We can revive in combat, but let healer do that.
Notes
  • Since we are ranged, we can stand near kolto stations and use them.
  • Since we are not healer, our heals generate full threat.
  • Healing generate threat on every enemy, drawing their fire if no one else has threat, in which case Cloud Mind won't save us.
  • Absorption is no longer bugged; multiple absorbs are spent on a first come first absorb rule.
  • Don't forget we also have Heroic Moment, Unity/Sacrifice, Medpaks, and Shielding Adrenal.
  • We can bubble and heal friendly NPCs, potentially trolling Imperial players in PvE instance.
Force Barrier
Description
  • Level 51: Channel a Force Barrier for 8 sec. and be immune to all control, damage, and negative effects. Does not respect global cooldown, can be used while stunned. Force Barrier charges will build up and grant Enduring Bastion when Force Barrier ends, a shield that absorbs 12k to 15k damage per charge and grants immunity to interrupts for up to 5 sec.
  • 8s channel (Off-GCD), self only, 3 min. fixed cooldown, no Force cost.
  • Utilities: Surging Speed, Corrupted Barrier
Basics
  • The most powerful panic button in swtor.
  • Purge and immune to all removable negative effects.
  • Any movement or action will break the channelling.
  • Our DoTs keeps ticking while we are safe from harm.
Usages
  1. Use before we die, if there is hope left to win or flee.
  2. Can also be used as stun breaker, e.g. to save a friend.
  3. Break early when the danger has passed.
Notes
  • Can't stop instant death attacks and mechanics. Some forced movement mechanics ignore and would disrupt Force Barrier.
  • Start with 1 stack and ticks at 2.1 sec., for a max of 4 stacks at 6.3 sec into channel. Tick speed is unaffected by Alacrity.
  • Enduring Bastion seems to absorb 12k at 1 stack, 26k at 2 stacks, 39k at 3 stacks, and 60k at 4 stacks.
  • Unlike Bubble which would absorb partial attack before collapsing, Enduring Bastion seems to always fully absorb the last attack (making it difficult to get accurate numbers).
Static Barrier (Bubble)
Description
  • Level 14: Wrap the target in a Force shield that absorbs 12800 ±250 damage for up to 30 sec. The target cannot benefit from Static Barrier again for 20 sec.
  • Instant, no cast cooldown, 20 sec. individual cooldown, range 30m, 41 Force.
  • Utilities: Lightning Barrier, Backlash, Corrupted Barrier
Basics
  • Our best damage control, absorbs about 10% hp.
  • More than all our heals except Unnatural Preservation.
  • Can be placed on self and all friend(s).
Usages
  1. Keep it on ourselves always, except:
  2. If a Corruption Sorcerer is on the team and likes to bubble us, consider let him/her do it. Theirs are stronger, have shorter lockout, and heal us on pop.
  3. If there is no Sorcerer healer or if (s)he isn't bubbling, we can bubble teammate(s) before combat.
  4. Throw a bubble over when a teammate is taking a beating.
Notes
  • Bubble is not heal, and will not crit or be affected by healing bonus/penalties.
  • When placed on teammate, absorbed damage is their threat, not our threat.
  • Bubble utilities only apply to own bubble, and will be visually different.
  • When we see these special bubble on an ally, do not bubble him/her.
  • Alacrity does not affect bubble duration or lockout duration.
Unnatural Preservation
Description
  • Level 18: Immediately restores 13700 ±810 health to you.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 30 sec. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Utilities: Empty Body, Dark Resilience, Unnatural Vigor
Basics
  • Our biggest heal, free and off GCD, heals only ourselves.
  • Heals slightly more than bubble right out of box.
  • With utilities, heals up to one-third hp on crit.
Usages
  1. Whenever hp is lower than three quarters.
  2. Unnatural Preservation is off GCD, we can use it between other actions without slowing down.
  3. Often used with Recklessness to make sure it crit.
Notes
  • Generate a big, instant threat.
Resurgense
Description
  • Level 12: Immediately heals a target for 4410 ±400 health, plus 3370 health over 9 sec. Increase armor rating by 30% for the duration.
  • Instant, 6 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 45 Force.
  • Utility: Empty Body
  • (Merged) Level 12 passive: Resurgense increase your armor rating by 30% while it heals you.
Basics
  • Our basic heal, low cooldown and cost efficient.
  • Heals about 5% over 9s, slightly above half a bubble.
  • Our only instant heal that can be used on friends.
  • We enjoy 30% armor bonus when rejuvenating, around 5% damage reduction at ir248.
Usages
  1. When attack can't be made and bubble is not an option, such as kiting.
  2. Pre-combat defence buff. Note that this will aggro all NPCs when we are hurt, because when we get healed we create threats.
  3. Keep it (and bubble, and Unnatural Preservation) up in a long fight to mitigate damage.
  4. Post-combat recovery of teammates. Use before our own Seethe.
  5. To "ping" or "touch" a friend out of combat.
Notes
  • Tick once per 3 seconds, three ticks total after upfront heal.
  • May be used on CD. Do ~30% more heals on cooldown than end-to-end.
  • Upfront heal will consume Recklessness which is very wasteful. The HoT ticks do not.
  • Resurgense heals very little but gives a lasting off-heal impression because of HoT.
Dark Heal
Description
  • Level 6: Casts and heals a target for 8250 ±810 health.
  • 1.5 sec. cast, no cooldown, range 30m, 63 Force.
  • Utilities: Empty Body, Dark Speed
Basics
  • Our "burst" heal, can be spammed but can't move and pretty expensive.
  • Roughly double the initial heal of Resurgense, and higher overall heal, but still less than bubble.
  • No pushback mitigation, don't use when under fire.
Usages
  1. When there is a very urgent need of us to heal, like when we just need to buy two seconds for a tank.
  2. When there is absolutely nothing else to do, such as waiting for enemy when vertical kiting.
  3. Post-combat patch up of friends after revive and Resurgense.
Notes
  • Our biggest repeatable Force burner.
  • Use before Resurgense for the illusion of a "big" heal. As big as a DPS can do.
  • Do pitiful heal even when we spam it, far less than our own dps for example.
Cloud Mind
Description
  • Level 30: Instantly lower your threat by one quarter.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 45 sec. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Utility: Supression
Basics
  • Threat dump. Lower our threat and hopefully divert NPC's attention to our teammates.
  • Useful even when solo. Let our companion share the burden!
  • Threat does not exist in PvP, no need to dump threat, but we definitely need Supression for DCD!
Usages
  1. Use as part of rotation, before we draw many fires. Make it a habit.
  2. When a tank is working, give him a chance to take back control before dumping threat.
  3. Use after big hitters and heals for best result.
  4. Only useful when there is a teammate or companion to take the heat.
Notes
  • Learn how threat works.
  • Despite Sorcerer's low dps rank, we still need to dump threat. Once I didn't, got chased by Dreadtooth, run too far and cause it to reset, wiping the whole 12m team to the Dread debuff.
  • Of course we should not dump habit when we are intentionally kiting, e.g. Dread Master Raptus of the Dread Council.
Expunge
Description
  • Level 24: Removes up to 2 mental or Force debuffs from target.
  • Instant, 12 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 14 Force.
  • Utility: Galvanizing Cleanse
Basics
  • Our main cleanse, removes up to two debuffs from self or friend.
  • Can cleanse all force-based debuffs and some non-force debuffs.
  • Which non-force debuffs are cleansable is more or less unpredictable. Ask EAware to fix.
Usages
  1. When the healer is not cleansing or need a hand (too many to cleanse or too busy healing).
  2. When we are on our own and need a cleanse, obviously.
  3. When a cleanse is very deadly and worth throwing cleanses to removed faster, e.g. Athiss final boss.
Notes
  • Don't bother to cleanse if the debuff is minor, like small burns or common armor reduce.
  • Try if you are unsure anyway. The pin in Rakata mm fp is debuffable, for example.
  • Force Speed can purge all movement debuffs by picking the Emersion utility.
  • Force Barrier can purge all debuffs.
Unbreakable Will
Description
  • Level 9: Removes all incapacitating and movement-impairing effects from you.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 2 min. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
Basics
  • Our basic stun breaker. Way too long cooldown.
  • Removes all slows, pins, and stunning debuffs from ourself.
Usages
  1. When we need to break out of stun.
  2. I normally reserve it for "break or die" situations, because the cooldown is so long.
Notes
  • Don't bother to break if the stun is minor, like slows, push, or short stuns.
  • Many PvE pins and stuns are avoidable or interruptible.
  • Force Barrier, on an even longer cooldown, also serves as a stun breaker.
  • Stun breakers are off-GCD: act immediately on break.
Reanimation
Description
  • Level 50: Cast and revives an incapacitated ally while in combat. All group members can neither use nor be the target of an in-combat revival for 5 min.
  • 1.5 sec. cast, 5 min. cooldown (essentially fixed), range 30m, 27 Force.
Basics
  • In-combat revive, limited to Sorcerer, Operative, and Mercenary.
  • Can revive fallen teammate or companion (own or teammate's).
  • Prevent the whole team from in-combat revival for 5 mins.
  • Has 30m range allowing revive from a distance.
Usages
  1. When the healer falls, we should pull him/her up as soon as feasible.
  2. When someone else falls, and the healer is (very) busy, we may consider doing it.
  3. When in doubt, leave it to the healer(s), who may reserve it for more important teammates. Which may be us. Don't rob ourselves of our revive chance!
Notes
  • In a long combat it is possible to do multiple revival, since the cooldown and debuff are both 5 minutes.
  • Dump threat, self bubble, and stay back before use, to minimise pushbacks and interrupts.
  • Alacrity lowers ability cooldown but not debuff time, so the cooldown is effectively fixed, except after a group wipe.
  • Our out of combat revive has no cooldown, and we should revive fallen comrades after combat.
  • If the teammate died from falling off a platform, usually (s)he can't be revived by teammates.
  • Once I fall off in Lost Island, and used Phase Walk to return to the platform. But server think I died, because of high ping. We proceed to win the fight after I was revived.
Seethe
Description
  • Level 1: Restore your health and Force. Cannot be used during combat.
  • 15 sec. channel, self only. It takes only half the duration to fully recover.
Basics
  • Out of combat Health/Force recovery.
  • Resurgense before rest to speed up hp recovery.
  • Heal wounded friends when we don't need to rest.
Notes
  • Tick once per second for 15 ticks. Each ticks restore 13.3% of our hp and Force.
  • Some DoT or time delayed attacks may kill us after combat, if our hp is low enough. Immediate Seethe may restore our hp in time to save us.
  • Try to rest as few and as short as possible when in a group.
  • Buy Bantha Steak from cantina vendors to boost out of combat hp regen.
Mobility, Buffs, and Others
Basics
  • We have high mobility, a unique friend pull, and a powerful raid buff.
  • Combined with heals, bubble, push, lift etc., we are really good at supporting our team.
Force Speed
Description
  • Level 16: Increases movement speed by 150% for 2 sec.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 20 sec. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Utilities: Emersion, Surging Speed
Basics
  • Our mobile ability to chase enemy, kite, or flee.
  • Arguably our most important survival power.
Usages
  1. Whenever we need a boost of speed to be in the right place at the right time.
  2. Offensive example: Dash up to enemies and push them off the bridge or platform, before they run up to us.
  3. Defensive example: Dash behind cover after applying DoTs. Run outside of the range/area of a casted/channeled power.
  4. Non-combat example: Make it easier to jump past some gaps. (e.g. The False Emperor)
Notes
  • Emersion can removes all slow & immobilizing effects, must take in some fights and PvP.
  • Force Speed is off-GCD, so don't pause the action. Do something while we run. It's cool!
Phase Walk
Description
  • Level 59: Marks your current location for 600 sec. Activate this ability again to instantly return to the marked location, if it is within 60m.
  • Mark: 0.5 sec. cast, 1.5 sec. cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Teleport: Instant (Off-GCD), 60 sec. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Utility: Shifting Silhouette
Basics
  • First use: Set mark at current position (0.5 casted). Second use: Teleport back to mark.
  • Right click phase walk buff to remove placed mark.
  • Ignores line of sight and all obstacles; only limit is range. (60 meters)
Usages
  1. Teleport to behind cover, make the enemies chase us with DoTs burning.
  2. Mark and teleport to an important location in a boss fight (kolto station, console etc.).
  3. Mark a solid ground before/when fighting a pushy boss, as a safety net.
  4. When collecting datacron, place a mark before jump and teleport back if the jump failed.
Notes
  • Placing mark has no cooldown. Teleport cooldown not shortened by alacrity, but a utility does.
  • Not usable when hindered; trying to used it while hindered (ability greyed out) will cancel placed mark.
  • Mark is fixed in space and won't move with the terrain it is placed on, e.g. elevators or Tatooine Jawa balloon.
  • Except where the whole map is moving, e.g. Dark Design Heroic or Umbara flashpoint.
Extrication
Description
  • Level 30: Lowers the target's threat by one quarter and, if the target is a group member, pulls the target to you.
  • Instant, 60 sec. cooldown, range 30m, 27 Force.
  • Utility: Dark Resilience
Basics
  • The no.1 trolling ability in swtor.
  • Pulls a teammate to our location and lower his/her threat instantly.
  • Requires line of sight, but not consent. Subject can be immobilised.
Usages
  1. Pull companion or teammate from a dangerous or stuck position, e.g. rocket launch of Cademimu.
  2. Pull a teammate to an advantageous spot, such as shortcut, safe attack spot, or the cover where everyone else is doing LoS with.
  3. Pull a teammate who's pushed/pulled far away or to a tough spot, e.g. from a ledge or a different floor.
  4. Pull a focus fired teammate away from the heat of battle, hopefully causing target swap due to threat dump.
  5. Have fun with a teammate by pulling him/her into pit, cliff, fire, or other Exciting™ terrains.
Notes
  • Can be used on friendly non-teammate but only reduce threat, not pull.
  • Can pull a falling friend in theory. Never see it happens in real combat though. Always too slow.
  • Don't pull the tank unless (s)he is really stuck. Pulling will lower his/her threat resulting in lost control.
  • Don't pull if it is not obviously advantageous. It disrupts the subject's action, esp. melee classes.
  • When above a ledge or cliff, leave some space before us for our friend to lands, assuming we really want to help.
  • Like all abilities, does not work on fallen comrades. A pity.
  • The only other ability that modifiy friend location is Power Tech's Translocate.
Recklessness
Description
  • Level 8: Grants 2 charges of Recklessness, which increases the Force critical chance of your direct attacks and heals by 60%. Each time a direct Force ability critically hits or each time a channeled Force ability is activated, 1 charge is consumed. Lasts 20 secs.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 90 sec. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Force-Master 6-pieces: Increases Recklessness charges by 1.
Basics
  • First of our two basic buffs, grant next two direct hits or heals +60% crit chance.
  • Yields big number when used with 1) Unnatural Preservation, 2) Force Leach on weakened victim, 3) Force Storm on multiple foes.
Usages
  1. When we need that critical Unnatural Preservation, immediately.
  2. Before we put Death Field and Force Leach on a tough single target.
  3. Best used during Polarity Shift because of reduced cooldown.
Notes
  • This power is why we should get 40% crit right after 110% accuracy. It turns Recklessness into 100% crit, or super crit, where overflowed crit chance turns into bonus heal/damage.
  • Don't waste it on Force Storm, Overload, Resurgense, Stun, and other small but direct heals/attacks.
  • All other DPS disciplines has auto crit (guaranteed crit). We don't; this is our only "auto-crit".
  • The 6-set bonus adds 1 more charge for a total of 3. If we don't use Recklessness on CD, the set bonus is wasted!
Polarity Shift
Description
  • Level 28: Grants 20% alacrity and immunity to interrupts for 10 sec.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 2 min. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
  • Force-Master 4-pieces: Reduces the cooldown of Polarity Shift or Polarity Shift by 15 seconds.
  • Utility: Surging Speed
Basics
  • Second of our two basic buffs, boost action speed and hasten DoTs applied in buff duration.
  • Faster cast/channel and quicker ability cooldowns when used in the buff duration.
  • Also increase Force regen, but too little to make a difference.
Usages
  1. Use on cooldown, unless we consistently steal aggro from tank in which case we can tone down and save it for burst.
  2. The cooldown is short enough to be used every combat or two, and multiple times in longer boss fights.
Notes
  • Hastened DoTs won't slow down after buff expires.
  • Best used on a fresh rotation so that the cooldowns aligns.
  • Best used with Unlimited Power.
Unlimited Power
Description
  • Level 56: Increases Mastery, Endurance, and Presence by 10% for you and your group members within 40m. Lasts 10 sec.
  • Instant (Off-GCD), 5 min. fixed cooldown, self only, no Force cost.
Basics
  • Raid buff. One of the best in game.
  • Apply to the whole team in 40m, and prevent further Unlimited Power for 5 mins.
Usages
  1. For bosses that have burn phase, use at burn phase.
  2. Otherwise, use early in a boss fight.
  3. When in doubt, use when boss is near death (10% hp or so), or when someone use their raid buff.
  4. Not used in non-boss fights, except when the party may be overwhelmed. Like when fighting multiple pods.
  5. When a teammate use his/her raid buff (and we don't think it's a mistake), we should use ours too to multiply their effects.
Notes
  • Cooldown not shortened by alacrity.
  • Only healie classes and sentinels has raid buffs, 4 total.
  • Unlimited Power is the only one that is free and can be used anytime.
  • May be used multiple times in a long fight.
Mark of Power
Description
  • Level 1: Increases the target's Mastery by 5% and internal and elemental damage reduction by 10% for 60 min. If used on a group member, apply to the whole group.
  • Instant, 6 sec. fixed cooldown, range 30m, no Force cost.
Basics
  • Our class buff. Have it on ourselves and all teammates always.
  • Mandatory: Finish chapter 2 of all 4 base class sets to unlock and combine all class buffs.
Usages
  1. When we, our companion, or any teammate do not have the class buffs.
  2. Typically right after self or teammate revive, whether in combat or out of combat.
  3. Casted on same-faction players who don't have this class buff to give them a boost, for example on starter planets and fleet.
Notes
  • One of the few abilities that grant internal/elemental resistance.
  • With Bounty Hunter/Bounty Hunter class buff, reapplying class buffs would cause a small drop in hp cap, so don't do it unnecessary.
  • Applying the buffs to a newly revived teammate is still worth the team hp drop.
  • The mastery/endurance bonus have no effect on most planets because of level sync, but will be effective in flashpoints, uprisings, and operations.
  • In a cross faction pvp we may get the Imperial buff set instead. Leave them be.
Consuming Darkness
Description
  • Level 20: Immediately restors 40 Force, but reduces Force regeneration rate by 2 for 10 seconds, stack up to 4 times.
  • Instant, no cooldown, self only.
Basics
  • Spend a GCD to sacrifice force regen for instant force.
  • Force Lightning is almost always a better choice.
  • 1st use net gain 20 Force, 2nd 17, 3nd 14, 4th 11, 5th and up net gain 28 Force.
Usages
  1. When and only when we are hiding or running and have no one to attack and nothing else to do.
  2. One of the worse to spend time, but still better than not doing anything.
  3. If often run out of force, revise rotation habit; Madness Sorcerer depends on synergies to save Force.
Notes
  • First use has a net gain of 20 Force, but we are wasting that GCD.
  • A full Force Lightning grants us 28 Force (36 with 4-set bonus), while dealing damage and priming Demolish/Lightning Strike.
  • The debuff reduces our base Force regen rate before Alacrity multiplication; at 4 stacks it reduce our regen to zero and so Alacrity bonus also drops to zero.
  • Consuming Darkness's efficiency drops with each use because it refresh the regen debuff time, until 5th and up where the stack has hit its cap.
  • Consuming Darkness is the main Force regen ability of Seers. When we respec we need it on the bar and easy to click.
Utilities
Basics
  • We get first utilities at level 14, then every 8 levels for 8 total. New rank open with every two picks.
  • Can reset and repick anytime out of combat.
  • Don't be afraid to ask the team for time to change utils before boss fights.
Notes
  • It is ok to trade high rank picks for low rank utilities.
  • All bubble effects apply only to our own bubble on ourselves. Reconsider if a Corruption aggressively bubble us (cought).
  • Like combat style, utilities is personal. Experiment and build your own preference.
Skillful
Basics
  • First at level 14, second at level 22.
  • Recommended: Empty Body (+5% heal taken)
  • Good: Sith Defiance (3% damage reduction)
  • Situational: Tempest Mastery (+25% Force Storm damage), Dizzying Force (Lift +2 unstarred victims)
Force Suffusion
Description
  • Skillful: Overload heals you and up to 7 affected allies for 2670 ±410.
Bad
  • Avoid. Overload is not a power that we should use frequently.
  • Too little heal to worth even a Skillful slot.
Sith Defiance
Description
  • Skillful: Increases damage reduction by 3%.
Good
  • Good. Not big, but better than most alternatives.
  • Can and did save lives. Though failed to save far more.
Tempest Mastery
Description
  • Skillful: Force Storm deals 25% more damage.
Situational
  • Situational. Perfect for dispatching a big group of enemies.
  • A must for uprisings. Not useful in most operation boss fights.
  • Upgraded Force Storm is still far inferior to Death Field.
  • Honestly, switch to Lightning if we are really Force Quaking again and again.
Empty Body
Description
  • Skillful: Increases received healing by 5%, except redistributed life.
Recommended
  • Recommended. Almost as good as 5% damage reduction.
  • Does not apply to drained life (e.g. Force Leach).
  • Apply to Resurgense, Unnatural Preservation, Corrupted Barrier, and all other received heals. Pick it always. Period.
Dizzying Force
Description
  • Skillful: Whirlwind affects up to 2 more standard or weak enemies within 8 meters of the target. When Whirlwind ends, reduces target's accuracy by 20% for 8 seconds.
Situational
  • Situational. Taking 3 enemies out in one go is amazing, but obviously not applicable when all NPCs are starred.
  • The main target can and should still be starred.
  • The lift is not shared; take them one by one at our leisure.
  • Enemies who are immune to lift are also immune to the accuracy debuff.
  • Best picked with Haunted Dreams which make Whirlwind instant.
Dark Speed
Description
  • Skillful: Dark Heal boosts target's movement speed by 50% for 6 seconds, once every 12 seconds.
Bad
  • Avoid. May be nice if Dark Heal is useful in combat.
  • The frequency limit is timed on us, so we can't Dark Heal multiple targets to grant multiple boosts.
Masterful
Basics
  • First at level 30, second at level 38.
  • Recommended: Dark Resilience (+30% Unnatural Preservation)
  • Good: Lightning Barrier (Bubble counterattack), Torturous Tactics (Electrocute upgrade)
  • Situational: Corrupted Flest (15% DoT reduction)
Supression
Description
  • Masterful: Cloud Mind increases damage reduction by 25% for 6 sec.
Bad
  • Very Situational. Long CD, moderate mitigation, short duration.
  • Useful when soloing hard content, when there is only companion to dump threat to (if allowed/useful). Make it a DCD instead is a good trade.
  • In a team we usually need to use Cloud Mind on cooldown (if we are good), which means we can't afford to reserve it for DCD.
Corrupted Flest
Description
  • Masterful: Reduces the damage taken by all periodic effects by 15%.
Situational
  • Situational. Some boss fights has heavy periodic damages. This helps mitigate them.
  • Minor to moderate DoTs we can easily heal over with our abundant life drains.
  • Obviously not useful on light or zero DoTs.
Dark Resilience
Description
  • Masterful: Unnatural Preservation heals 30% more. Extrication increase target's damage reduction by 25% for 6 sec.
Recommended
  • Recommended. Multiply with Empty Body, Unnatural Vigor, and a high crit!
  • The Extrication damage reduction is nice but no one pick this or use Extrication for it.
Conspiring Force
Description
  • Masterful: Targets affected by your Affliction are slowed by 30% for its duration.
Bad
  • Very Situational. Not that many foes that can be slowed need to be kite.
  • Affliction does last a while and is spreadable.
  • Best used solo to slow and/or LoS a group of melee trash.
Lightning Barrier
Description
  • Masterful: When Static Barrier absorbs direct damage, it blasts attackers for 6650 kinetic damage. Does not apply to Static Barrier placed on allies and limited to once per sec.
Good
  • Good. Decent choice for when we don't know what to pick, since it guarantees some passive dps.
  • Think an extra Lightning Strike every time it counter attacks, which is pretty good and almost guarenteed.
  • Don't intentionally run into melee range or ignoring threat dump to attract fire just to get this to fire; DoT on a far enemy or AoE should catch enough attentions, don't give tank/healer headaches.
  • Excellent for soloing low-power conflict where we are always under attack and bubble can take a few hits.
  • The counter attacks can crit like normal attacks.
Torturous Tactics
Description
  • Masterful: Reduces Electrocute cooldown by 10 sec. When Electrocute wears off, the target deals 25% less damage for 10 sec.
Situational
  • Situational/By Preference. Lower stun CD and damage debuff is nice when fighting champions.
  • Enemies who are immune to stuns are also immune to the damage debuff.
  • I like it because I can stun more often.
Heroic
Basics
  • First at level 46, second at level 54.
  • Recommended: Shapeless Spirit (+30% stunned & AoE damage reduction)
  • Good: Backlash (Bubble blinds on pop)
  • Situational: Haunted Dreams (instant Whirlwind), Emersion (Force Speed purge movement debuffs)
Emersion
Description
  • Heroic: Force Speed purges all movement-impairing effects and granting immunity to them for the duration.
Situational
  • Situational. Very useful in boss fights that slows or pins us.
  • Does not limit debuff type or number, unlike Expunge.
  • Can be used with Surging Speed for shorter Force Speed CD.
Shapeless Spirit
Description
  • Heroic: Reduces damage taken while stunned and damage taken from area effects by 30%.
Recommended
  • Recommended. Most classes has either reduction as passive. We have neither.
  • Boss stuns and AoEs are often deadly. When in doubt, take it.
Surging Speed
Description
  • Heroic: Reduces cooldowns of Force Speed by 5 sec, Force Slow by 3 sec, and Force Barrier by 30 sec. Force Speed lasts 0.5 sec. longer. Polarity Shift increases movement speed by 100% (up from 50%) while active. Force Speed finish cooldown when Force Barrier ends.
Situational
  • Situational/By Preference. If you like to Force Speed a lot, you should pick this.
  • Directly reduce Emersion cooldown, useful in some boss fights.
  • Feels good in solo and PvP where we can run freely.
  • Make Force Barrier CD slightly more reasonable as a bonus.
Backlash
Description
  • Heroic: When the Static Barrier you place on yourself ends, it blinds up to 8 enemies in 5 meters for 3 sec. or until they take direct damage.
Good
  • Good/By Preference. Give us a free and frequent passive crowd control, up to once every 20s.
  • Blind is like stun. Blinded characters stops what they are doing and can't act while blinded.
  • Not triggered when refreshing bubble before it pops, but triggered by manual removal of bubble buff (right click it).
  • We must stay close to enemies to blind them, which runs counter to our usual stay back style.
  • In PvP it can unintentionally fills up opponent's resolve.
Haunted Dreams
Description
  • Heroic: Whirlwind activates instantly. If your Whirlwind breaks early from damage, the target is stunned for 2 sec.
Situational
  • By Preference. Essentially gives us two interrupts and/or stuns.
  • Also make our Whirlwind usable on the go and immune from pushback, which is when we need Whirlwind most.
  • The stun not only put hard control on a soft control skill, but also gives a grace period to end-to-end Whirlwind use, such as when disabling an add for a long time to delay next stage or wave.
  • Useful on adds in boss fights when they are spread wide and far.
Electric Bindings
Description
  • Heroic: Overload immobilizes its targets for 5 sec. Direct damage dealt after 2 sec. breaks the effect.
Bad
  • Avoid. Overload is not something we use often even when solo.
  • Given the options we have at this point, there are few reasons to pick this.
  • Maybe useful when we want to push and flee, such as just running pass, or group kiting.
  • Another situation is if we want to push back and scatter the adds in order to pinpoint the bosses, such as in master mode Trial and Error.
Legendary
Basics
  • First at level 62, second at level 70.
  • Recommended: Unnatural Vigor (Unnatural Preservation upgrade)
  • Good: Force Mobility (Force Leach on move), Corrupted Barrier (Bubble regen)
  • Situational: Shifting Silhouette (Phase Walk upgrade)
Force Mobility
Description
  • Legendary: Force Leach can be casted while moving.
Good
  • Good/By Preference. Useful when there are lots of running but not much else happening.
  • Some players consider this mandatory. I say the opportunity cost is high for making 10% of our rotation mobile.
  • Main problem: does not make Force Leach immune to pushbacks, interrupts, or support peek and fire.
  • Worse case without it is wasting and delaying it by a GCD by aborting the cast.
Galvanizing Cleanse
Description
  • Legendary: Expunge activate instantly your next casted ability. Last up to 15 sec. and limited to once per 30 seconds.
Bad
  • Very situational. Pick this to "prime" Force Leach, Whirlwind, or (if necessary) Demolish before combat or behind cover.
  • Wasteful because of extra GCD, even when it can somewhat replace Force Mobility and Haunted Dreams.
  • More useful as part of a team, where we let other go first and do our control and rotations later.
  • Once upon a time all casted abilities light up when this triggers, making it easier to use.
  • Do not pick just because we may cleanse. Most lower rank utilities are better options.
Corrupted Barrier
Description
  • Legendary: Static Barrier, Force Barrier, and Enduring Bastion heal 1% hp every sec. This healing scales up to 4% with the charges for Enduring Bastion.
Good
  • Good default. Up to 1.2k "free" hps, or a Resurgense tick every second.
  • Enduring Bastion is the 5 second shield left after Force Barrier ends.
  • Most useful when there is no healer but plenty of meatbags to distract the enemy and preserve our bubble, such as veteran flashpoints.
  • Bubble heals are usually wasted since healers can't resist their urges to top us up.
  • Force Barrier heals us 28% hp, which is amazing. Bubble right before or right after it for more heal.
  • A wonderful post-combat heal.
  • Remember, actual heals generate a tiny threat to every NPC!
Unnatural Vigor
Description
  • Legendary: Reduces Unnatural Preservation cooldown by 5 sec. Unnatural Preservation increases damage reduction by 15% for 6 sec.
Recommended
  • Recommended. More Unnatural Preservation and free damage reduction when we need it? Yes please.
  • I prefer Corrupted Barrier since it keeps us topped up, but this is a better panic button.
Shifting Silhouette
Description
  • Legendary: Reduce Phase Walk cooldown by 15 sec. Phase Walk teleportation grants Shifting Silhouette, increase defence by 30% and grant immunity to leaps, pulls, interrupts, and pushbacks for 10 sec.
Situational
  • Situational. Turns Phase Walk into a DCD that we can use on par with Supression Cloud Mind.
  • Helps when kiting melee bosses who jump over as soon as (s)he gets LoS.
  • Also useful when using Phase Walk a lot, like retrying jumps, so that we can spend less time on reddits.
Enfeebling Strike
Description
  • Legendary: Replace Saber Strike. Cooldown 15s. Lash the target with your lightsaber, dealing 5160 ±240 weapon damage and immobilize it for 3 sec, then slow it by 50% for 6 sec.
Bad
  • Avoid. The cooldown is longer than the pin and slow, and we must let the foe get close to use it.
  • There are better utilities in both PvE and PvP.
  • Even Electric Bindings is more useful and powerful when kiting.
Leveling and Gearing
Leveling
Basics
  • Low levels: Use Force Storm and Death Field to dispatch minions, then Force Lightning/Shock remaining foe(s). Use Lift/Stun to pause tough NPCs.
  • Mid levels: With instant Crushing Darkness at lv 24 and DoT spread at lv 28, we can meaningfully contribute in veteran flashpoints, a good way to learn and level up.
  • Level 42+: With Force Leach, we may use the Very Simple Rotation, but take away the final Force Lightning.
  • Level 56+: Force Lightning now ticks fast so we can use the full rotation.
Notes
  • Free to play is limited to level 50. Subscribe once to have access to current level cap forever. Amazon and Origin sell cheaper packs than official site.
  • When a new expansion lands, again just subscribe once to raise to new level cap.
  • Many veterans stop playing much class story after getting starship (or even before that); Heroics and Flashpoints levels up quicker.
  • Most world bosses do not require high level to hunt. If a group is forming on the planet you are on, join the fun!
Gearing
Basics
  • Typhon (Prologue): Don't buy any gear. Just do class quest and equip the best loots.
  • Fleet: Go to left hand side of Supplies section and buy a set of moddable (orangw) gear.
  • PvE stats: 110% accuracy, then Crit > Mastery > Power > Endurance. Leave Alacrity until endgame.
  • Modifications: Versatile hilt/armoring, Lethal Mod (unlettered), Initiative Enhancements. No augments until endgame.
  • Upgrade main hand hilt, off hand armoring, chest armoring, and legs armoring at level X. They have biggest impact on attack and defence.
  • Upgrade the rest whenever you like. I upgrade every two steps (8 to 10 levels).
  • Optionally, run veteran flashpoints to get purple gears at current level, requires subscription or artifact authorisation.
Notes
  • Same relic effects don't stack; don't use two relic that proc the same stat. I prefer proc relic over clicky relic; we have enough to click already.
  • 110% accuracy is required to always hit NPCs, to ensures instant Demolish from a complete Force Lightning. 105% in pvp for the same.
  • Not missing is also very important when you need that stun, mez, interrupt, or push to lands.
  • Dump the rest into crit. We don't have enough stat budget to get enough crit and make alacrity useful.
  • Alacrity has a stepped impact on GCD: 0% = 1.5s, 7.15% = 1.4s, 15.4% = 1.3s. Aim for these magic numbers, don't go below or between.
  • Skip defensive stats (defence, shielding, absorption). We don't have the abilities to make good use of them.
  • High endurance is not worth the mastery and power we lost. Always pick power and mastery over endurance, but after critical and alacrity.
Endgame Gearing
Galactic Command
  • Endgame armours has set bonus, which further boost our dps in addition to stat increase.
  • At level 70, we earn cxp, instead of xp, to rank up Galactic Command, split into 4 tiers.
  • Each rank up awards a command crate. Open them and they will "drop" endgame gears plus other stuffs.
  • Each crate grants Command Tokens (CT), legacy wide and can be used to purchase Tier 1 (ir230) equipments on the fleet's Tier 1 equipment vendor.
  • Disintegrate unwanted gear to get unassembled components (UC). PvP and GSF are the main UC sources.
  • We can turn ir230, ir236, and ir242 gears into unassembled pieces by paying UC. i.e. Turns an ir230 helm to get Tier 2 unassembled helm.
  • Keep these gears as an upgrade option, as drop rate of useful ir248 is very low.
  • We also get unassembled pieces from operations. Take the pieces to Tier 2-4 vendor to turn them into gear. i.e. Tier 2 unassembled helm can be turned into any ir236 helm.
  • When getting a gold armour/saber/focus that we already have, check whether its mod and enhancement can be used upgrade other gears.
  • Focus's armouring can be placed on other armours, but that armour will lost its set bonus.
Optimal Stats
  • Power & mastery proc relics (Serendipitous Assault & Focused Retribution) are considered the best relics.
  • Gold gears start dropping at Tier 2, and are good candidates to be augmented.
  • 228 purple augments are the baseline augments. The material drops in Flashpoints and are in abundant supply.
  • 230 purple augments drops in few places but is a pretty good step up from 228 because of additional Power.
  • 236 gold augments is a little step up from 230 but requires rare materials that mainly drops from group ranked pvp.
  • Aim for 110% accuracy, 40% crit, and 7.15% alacrity first. Optimal arrangement takes some effort to meet.
  • 737 Accuracy gets us 110% (after companion bonus). 2x ir248 Initiative Enhancement/Implant/Earpiece and 3x ir228+ Accuracy Augments lands us at 750+.
  • Alacrity should be just above 703 or 1860. 1x Quick Savant E/I/E + 5x Alacrity Augments gives us 711+, next best is same with Accuracy.
  • 1860 Alacrity yields higher dps on dummy than 703, but not necessary in live combat. Use 6x E/I/E + 5x Augments to get 1866+.
Notes
  • It is strongly advised to unlock all four class buffs and all five companion bonus first.
  • If we learn Biochem and train it to 600, we can craft (or buy) and use reusable consumables.
  • Opening command crates at top of tier 1 to 3 (close to but before rank 80, 190, and 299) will give better drop rate.
  • At full 14x ir248 gear with 228 to 236 augments, we have 3654 to 3682 stat budget for Accuracy, Critical, and Alacrity, plus 214 Critical from Relics and Crystals, plus 339 with accuracy/critical stim.
  • Accuracy/crit stim is a easy way to fill the stat budget, but I prefer mastery/power stim since I won't be dependent on it.
  • Creeping Terror and Affliction last a little bit longer than the rotation at all alacrity cutoff points, but the difference of clipping it, waiting it, or get higher alacrity for it is around 1%. I prefer to keep it simple.
  • I haven't had time to test it, but some says Critical's diminishing return is around 2250 for us. Exact point depends on mastery/power.
  • Set bonus does not meaningfully affect practical rotation. They are more like passives that boost our dps when we keep our rotation going.
  • PvP needs only 105% accuracy. Some players leave it at 101%. I don't play pvp well enough to comment either and I now don't gear for pvp.
Combat
Companion
Basics
  • Companion can be set to any role, which decides their abilities. When soloing, DPS role (same as us) make most combats fast and safe.
  • Companion abilities can be excluded from auto-cast by right clicking the ability. The green box will go dark.
  • When we disable non-attack abilities, they do more basic attacks and thus higher dps.
  • DPS can stun, heal can cleanse, tank can pull; may disable these to increase dps and let us control when to use them and on whom.
  • Use passive mode and Extrication to move companion out of AoE in boss fights.
  • Use Heroic Effort to heal in hard fights, and Unity/Sacrifice if we have it.
  • Fallen companions, self or of a teammate, can be revived in-combat like a PC.
Notes
  • A companion with high influence rank fights pretty well. In heroics, flashpoints, and uprisings it is common to fill the team with high rank companions.
  • Gift influence decrease as companion rank goes up. Dialogue and crew mission influence do not. It's preferable to fill first 15 to 20 levels with gifts first.
  • Buy the companion gift bonus perks and lots of cheap $200 gifts ($250 for non-subs) from the fleet's trade section. Shift+Click to buy in batch.
  • See giftguides for which type to buy and how many.
  • Get in and out of vehicle or rocket boost to fully recover companion hp out of combat.
Tactics
Basics
  • Never go first; we are ranged not melee. Always let companion or teammate attack first. Exceptions: pure Sorcerer group or companion dies too fast.
  • Combat Priority: mechanics / survival > adds > teammate rescue / control > spending our main attacks > self-heal > rotation fillers
  • Bubble and Resurgense self before fight starts. Optionally place a Phase Walk. Keep bubble up during the fight.
  • When under fire, run behind cover to force the enemies to run around it for easy AoE. This is called LoS.
  • Stock up on med packs. Cheaper than dying. Use stim at (close to) max level. Use adrenal in tough fights.
solo
  • Start fight by lifting the furthest or strongest enemy. LoS the rest, spread DoT, Quake the weaks and normals, focus fire the rest one by one. Interrupt and stun champions.
  • Spread Damage over Time and Kite the enemies.
  • Overload can be used more or less liberally, but try to group the enemies for AoE.
  • Buy and eat Peppered Bantha Steak and Chilled Corellian Cocktail to increase hp regen and companion effectiveness. Check the fleet's Cantina Vendor.
  • When we finish a fight with Force Lightning, use the primed Demolish to start next fight before it expire!
team
  • Move last or second last (around/before healer). Find and stay near cover before and during combat.
  • Thanks to our self-heal, sometimes it's beneficial for us to stand away from the group, not getting AoE heal but also less need to dodge AoE. Please stay close when there is no AoE, though.
  • The more we lift, the more our teammates are aware that we'll lift. Lift as soon as combat start, so that tanks and other DoT DPS won't target them.
  • Restrain on use of Overload and Extrication. They both change positioning, which is disruptive.
  • DPS are generally not as important as tank or healer. Be understanding when we don't get resurrected. We help focus the heals on the survivors when we die!
  • Use Cloud Mind often, even when we are not under attack, to keep our threat low. See its notes for a story on that.
respec
  • Corruption Sorcerer is arguably the easiest heal spec to learn.
  • It is recommended to learn it for flexibility in a team.
  • Basics: Spam bubbles, cleanse debuffs, Resurgense to minor heal, Healing Trance to moderate heal, Resurgense + Roaming Mend to burst heal. Trance crits light up Consuming Darkness, use to regain Force.
  • Utilities: Always pick Force Mobility for mobile Healing Trance, our main heal. Prefer survival options such as Emersion and Shapeless Spirit.
  • For serious heal, healer's set bonus is pretty important. We can wear 6 DPS set pieces and 1 healer piece, then we only need 5 healer gears to switch.
  • Because of different ability names, respec on pub side and imp side will rearrange the abilities in a different way.
Damage over Time (DoT)
Basics
  • Our DoTs are heavy, often but not always our main damage output.
  • Spread Affliction and Creeping Terror to multiple foes to multiply our dps.
  • Usually spread by Death Field, but put them on one by one when can't.
  • After spreading DoT, use focus fire to take down enemy fast, i.e. Death Field and Force Leach.
  • When enemies are very weak or near death, just Quake, Throw, or Shock.
  • Enemies who hasn't been attacked by others will turn to us when we DoT them. Be ready to LoS or endure their fire.
Notes
  • Spreadable DoTs deals ¼ to ⅕ dps of focus fire dps on each target. The more the targets the higher the total dps.
  • Use LoS, push, or run into enemy pod to huddle up the enemies for easy spread.
  • If you don't spread, don't play Madness; play Lightning instead.
  • Our DoTs deals more damage on near death victims (hp <= 30%), but should be placed early when they're healthier.
  • Each damage is a "tick". Demolish ticks faster, the others slower.
  • High alacrity make DoTs ticks faster in a shorter duration, determined when placed.
  • DoT ticks are indirect damage - no Recklessness but trigger and enjoy proc relic individually.
  • Think our DoT feedback heals as relic proc chance instead of heals; they heal so little.
Kiting
Basics
  • Kiting is making opponent(s) run after us, always chasing but rarely or never catch us, like a kite.
  • While they are chasing us, our DoTs and/or friends are hurting them.
  • Very low dps; kiting is a slow war of attrition used when we would otherwise die too fast to see it through.
  • Sorcerer DPSs can't facetank and depends on kiting to survive hard fights.
  • Run sideways when kiting, don't run forward or backward. This let us throws DoTs and other attacks, but not run slow like backsteping.
  • Keep the action up even when moving. DoTs, Shock, Death Field, Slow, Stun, Bubble, Resurgense. Revise utility to get even more.
Notes
  • Kiting is about damage control, about lowering dtps to a winnable level.
  • If the foe is not immune, Electrocute, Whirlwind, and Backlash should be used with and preferred over kiting as damage control.
  • Mainly for solo and PvP. In team PvE, let tankies go tank.
  • Also applies when a boss is chasing us, because everyone else is down or mechanic reason.
  • Kiting is not about not taking any damage. We may take more damage than we deal. As long as we can overcome the damage we take and our enemy can't, it is working.
General Kitings
Melee Kiting
  • Run in circle around a cover, throw AoE before our kite clears the corners, deal DoTs and instant attacks when it poke out, then flee behind cover and self heal. Rinse and repeat.
  • Melee enemies often move faster than us and can jump to us, called a gap close.
  • After being jumped, Force Speed to another cover to put some distance, and use the chance to Force Leach or Force Lightning.
  • Use Force Slow, Conspiring Force, and other crowd controls if the foe is not immune.
  • Shifting Silhouette is our only way to be immune from gap close, and can buy us valuable time to pepper the enemy with casted and channeled attacks.
  • Either set companion to heal so that (s)he doesn't draw the enemy away, or let him/her die and kite alone.
Ranged Kiting
  • Common form is same as kiting melee, except ranged foes don't have gap closer but often have AoE.
  • Some ranged NPCs have casted attack; immediately run behind cover so that it fails, then poke out and attack.
  • Some encounters do not give us any place to hide. In this case kite at 30m range - get in range, deal DoTs, then flee and let the foe chase us.
  • The 30m kiting also works on melees without gap closers.
  • Preferably we run in a big circle on the map. When we can't, Force Speed from one end of the map to another like a pendulum.
Special Kitings
LoS Kiting
  • A special form of kiting when there is a big steam of trashes or adds that keep coming and coming.
  • They always land at a fixed location. Trigger the encounter, then run back far and behind a cover.
  • The NPCs will come chase us. This takes time, time for us to take the wave down, heal up, and cooldown for next wave.
  • Use passive mode to stop companion from chasing them. Ranged companions preferred.
Vertical Kiting
  • A special form of kiting when the battleground has multi-levels, typically connected by stairs.
  • Plant a Phase Walk at the level above or below from the enemies. If there are multiples, put it closer to one stair than the other(s) to funnel the foes.
  • Instead of a running fight like normal kiting, we can fight for as long as it is safe to do.
  • When it's no longer safe, Phase Walk and patch up. The enemies will use the stair, giving us some quiet time. NPCs always move on solid ground; they never jump.
  • If one trip is not enough, kite around the stairs until it cooldowns; most of these maps has multiple stairs that make it easy for us to kite in a vertical circle.
  • If there is no stair and the enemies are below us, we can return to upper level but they can't follow us. Heal to full before dropping down again to finish them off.
  • On some maps we can jump down to lower level instead of Phase Walk. The falling damage may make it less feasible, but falling has no cooldown.
Facetank Kiting
  • Sometimes nothing else works. For me this is KotFE Chapter VIII's platform fight with the Zakuul captain, on master mode, who jumps and empties my hp in two to three hits.
  • We can stack our DCDs: Unity (50% 15s), Advanced Polybiotic Shielding Adrenal (30% 15s), Supression (30% 6s), Shifting Silhouette (30% ?s), Unnatural Vigor (15% 6s), Resurgense (5% 9s).
  • We must still kite. Apply DoTs, run, DCDs right before she catches us, facetank a few seconds, Phase Walk and self heal, refresh DoT when she comes again, finally Force Barrier.
  • Note that Supression may direct the enemy's attention to our companion, instead of serving as a DCD!
  • Also useful: Heroic Moment, Corrupted Barrier, Galvanizing Cleanse. Medkits and stims assumed.
Interface and keybinds

Some tips for setting up swtor interface for best Madness Sorcerer experience.

Interface
  • Go preferred or subscribe. Preferred get four ability bars (sub six), enough for all class abilities plus a few more. You don't need to hotkey all abilities, but no class abilities are useless.
  • Use team interface for non-op teams. They show companion which may need our supports too.
  • Enable "Highlight own effects" in target debuff bar, and scale it up. It let us see whether our DoTs and debuffs are on the target.
  • Enable Focus Target and do the same. Use it to monitor our DoT on the boss and its casts/channels.
  • Also enlarge own and friends' debuff icons, so that we can identify bubble/revive/raid-buff timer and cleansable debuffs.
  • I sort all buffs and debuffs - own, friends, foes - by total duration, so that combat effects always go first and class buff always go last.
  • Scale up target and focus target cast bars until you can easily see the action text. Target yourself and Medidate to see the bar in interface editor.
  • Global scaling is independent from component scales, and should be set before fine tuning individual blocks.
Keybindings
Basics
  • Move forward and strafe with keyboard, turn with mouse drag, attack with hotkeys, select target with mouse or hotkey.
  • Life savers like Jolt, Force Barrier, Phase Walk, med packs should be placed on quick and accurate keys.
  • Kiting abilities (DoTs, Death Field, Force Speed, Stun, Slow etc.) should be bound to a key we can press on the move.
  • Force Lightning, Bubble, Unnatural Preservation, Resurgense are used a lot, and should have secondary priority (e.g. Shift modified).
  • Dark Heal, Unlimited Power, Meditate, Extrication, Reanimation, Consuming Darkness these are rarely used and may be put on hard keys or no keys.
  • The rest such as Polarity Shift, Recklessness goes in between (e.g. Ctrl modified or far away but not too difficult).
  • Don't need to hotkey every ability, but class abilities and combat abilities (Heroic Effort, medkits etc.) should be on the bars.
Notes
  • Controls and keybindings are very personal. Experiment to find the scheme that suits you.
  • I bind ESDF to move, (Shift/Ctrl)+AZXCVBGTR12345 to abilities, F1-F6 to DCDs, 6-0 to companion, `TabQW to targeting.
  • I also assign easy keys to bubble and heals so that I don't need to shuffle them when I respec to Corruption.
  • You may or may not go to this extreme; only you can decide what works best for you.
About Me and this Guide
Glossary
Adds
Additional NPCs that arrive as reinforcement in the middle of a boss fight. Usually should be taken down asap.
AoE
Area of Effect, abilities that act on the desginated area instead of specific target(s). Usually the more the target the merrier. Some AoEs are continuous and need the target to stay inside (e.g. Force Storm), but most are not. AoE are always circle or cone.
APM
Action Per Minute, a key indicator of action efficiency. High APM means more actions were done, implying higher numbers. The "perfect" APM is 40 at 1.5s GCD, ~43 at 1.4s GCD, ~46 at 1.4 GCD, but lag typically reduces these numbers by 2. In real combat, time spent on movement, targeting, thinking, or simply waiting will reduce APM, while Off-GCD actions increase APM.
Autocrits
Most classes has abilities that automatically deal critical damage or heal on some conditions. These are called autocrits. Autocrits are almost always supercrits.
Cast
Casted abilities require us to stand still for a while to finish casting and take effect. They can be interrupted by crowd controls, and pressing Esc, moving, or using another ability also abort the casting. Damage we take during cast will pushback the cast bar, thus increasing total cast time. Force Leach and Dark Heal are casted. Alacrity shorten most cast times, and passive/utilities may allow a casted ability to be used while on the move.
Channel
Channelled abilities require us to stand still to use and deliver its effect in stages. They can be interrupted by crowd controls, and pressing Esc, moving, or using another ability also ends them early. Force Lightning and Force Storm are channelled. Alacrity shorten most channel times, quickening their effects.
Chapters
Although the class stories and early expansions are split into chapters, endgame chapter specifically means KotFE/KotET chapters which can be replayed again and again in various difficulties.
Cleanse
Healie's ability to remove up to two debuffs. Sorcerer can clear Mental/Force debuffs and Operative/Mercenary can clear Physical/Tech. Healers can additionlly clear both Physical and Mental.
Cooldown (CD)
Most abilities has a coodown period of a few seconds to a few minutes during which it cannot be used again. Most cooldowns are non-fixed and can be reduced by Alacrity.
DCD
Defensive Cooldown. Powerful defensive abilities with a fixed cooldown. Sages' are Force Barrier, and Unnatural Preservation/Cloud Mind/Phase Walk with utilities. Resurgense and bubble can be always on, and are not normally considered DCD.
Debuff
Harmful effects applied to self, including as DoT, slow, damage vulnerability, and other bad status. Some debuffs can be removed by cleanse abilities, and almost all can be removed by purge.
DoT
Damage over Time. DoTs attacks "stick" on the target for their durations and deals damage at regular interval without requiring further actions. Each damage is called a "tick".
DPS
Has two meanings; in this guide, all caps "DPS" means characters in the damage role (rDPS = ranged, mDPS = melee), and lowercase "dps" mean Damage Per Second, a key performance metric for these DPSs. High dps means high damage output. All classes can be DPS; StarParse collects operation dps stats.
DTPS
Damage taken over Time. NPC attacks do fixed damage, but when we use kiting to delay and scatter these damages, DTPS falls, giving us time to heal and our DoTs time to work.
Endgame
The part of the game that happens at close to max level, where gearing and skill improvement replaces rapid level and ability growth. Mainly PvP, master mode flashpoints/uprisings/chapters, a few high level planets, and operation in all modes.
(E)HPS
(Effective) Heal Per Second, a key performance metric for healers. High (e)hps means high healing. Overheal is counted into hps but not ehps. StarParse collects operation ehps stats.
Flashpoints (fp)
Sometime called Dungeons, flashpoints are side-story team PvE activities for up to four players that take roughly half an hour to complete. A quick way to level up, meet new friends, and get social points. Story mode is for solo, Veteran mode is for learning, and master mode is a challenge.
Crowd Control (CC)
Abilities that disable enemies such as stun, mez, sap, and push (over cliffs). The literal definition, uncommon in the game, includes general pull, push, interrupts, LoS, and perhaps AoEs.
GCD
Global Cooldown. Most abilities put us on a short 1.5s cooldown during which we cannot use next ability. Alacrity can shorten GCD and thus increase action speed.
Heal
The act or role of healing, cleansing, and reviving fallen teammates. Responsible for saving team from mistakes, critical in sustained fights. Effective heals generate threat on all NPCs, so DPSs and tanks must keep them off the healers.
Healie
Advanced classes that can spec into heal and have some healings even as DPS. The republic has Sorcerer, Imperial Agent, and Mercenary. Of these, smuggler is melee but can heal at range.
HoT
Heal over Time. HoTs "stick" on the target for their durations and heals at regular interval without requiring further actions.
Item Rating
Every wearable gear has an "item rating", a numerical measurement of the item's power level. For example ir230 and beyond are classified as endgame gears.
LoS
Line of Sight. The technique of hiding behind covers (tall boxes, pillars, doorways, wall corners) to block their attacks through line of sight, and lure them to group up at the corner.
Mez
Short of mesmerize. Commonly known as soft CC, a kind of Crowd Control that disables the target for a long duration or until they take any damage. Some AoEs ignore mez and can be safely used, but ours are passive so we must take care when we AoE.
Off-Heal
Healie classes in DPS specs who can heal a bit. That means us. Off-heals lack lacks proper healing abilities and can only help a bit.
Off-Tank
Often used in an operation to refer to the non-main tank. Tanky classes are usually called off-tank too, but non-tank specs lack proper tanking abilities and can only help a bit.
Operations (op)
Also called Raid, operations are ultimate endgame PvE contents normally done in 8 or 16 person group, and require decent to very high skill and gear to complete.
Passives
Passive abilities constantly enhances or upgrades our stats or abilities, and cannot be "activated" alone like active abilities.
Pin
Immobilise effects - effects that prevents the victim from moving. Unless it is a hindering effect, pins won't prevent escape by pull, jump, or teleportation.
Proc
Randomly triggered events, or the triggering of these events. Commonly seen on relics, but every class has some proc passives. Sometimes loosely used to describe all activated effects (random or not), such as saying Force Lightning procs Demolish.
Purge
An ability that removes all debuffs from self. For Sages it is Force Barrier.
PvE
Player verse Environment. The part of the game where we compete with NPC enemies instead of real players. Class missions, planet missions, heroics, flashpoints, uprisings, operations, and expasion chapters are all PvE.
PvP
Player verse Player. The part of the game where we compete with real players instead of NPC enemies. Duels, warzones, and open world PvP are all PvP.
Pushback
Ok, I'm part of a cross-gulid Chinese raid team, and we're looking for one more teammate in any role, preferably on both sides.
Re-Spec
Switching to another spec, usually changing character role such as from DPS to heal or vice versa. Respec often implies rearranging abilities and switching gear, esp. when switching role.
Rotation
Rotations are ability sequences that lead to optimal synergies and outputs, such as dps or hps. Proc based discipline such as Lightning use a priority rotation. Others such as Madness use a repetitive or segmented rotation.
Sap
A special form of mez that can only be used in stealth and on an organic target. Usually used to bypass enemies without alerting them. We have none since we can't stealth.
Spec
Called "Discipline" in swtor, spec is a fixed skill tree in one of the three roles. Each advanced class has three specs, and a character perk allows in-field respec which make it possible to switch role anytime.
Stun
Also known as Hard CC, a kind of Crowd Control that stops all actions of the target for a short duration. e.g. Shock can stun weak and standard enemies.
Supercrits
When an attack's critical chance is above 100%, crit will 100% happen, and the remaining critical chance becomes bonus damage. For example if we have 40% crit rate and 70% crit damage, an autocrit at 140% crit rate will do 110% crit damage, i.e. doubling the normal damage.
Tank
The act or role of taking point and taunting enemies to draw their fire away from teammates. Tanks has many DCDs and usually stack defensive stats to endure the damage. The most heroic role in any team.
Tanky
Advanced classes that can spec into tank and have some taunts even as DPS. The republic has Juggernaut, Assassin, and Power Tech. All tankies are melee.
Threat
In PvE combat, every time we attack or heal we are threatening the NPCs, represented by creating a numeric threat. Each NPC keep a list of who is threatening it, a threat table, and will attack (aggro) the one who made the most threat.
There is no threat in PvP; players decide who to attack.
Tick
Each stage of channelled abilities, DoTs, and HoTs is a tick. Force Quakes has 4 ticks, 3 of which deals damage.
Trash Mobs
Non-boss fight NPC enemies. Usually a small group of low difficulty NPCs standing on the way waiting to be defeated. In map design terms they make moving between boss fights less boring, and make the boss fight more dramatic in comparison. Note that some (very rare) encounters have so much trashes that they are essentially boss fights, e.g. Landing Party uprising's Zakuulan Ambush.
Uprisings
No-dialogue team PvE activities for up to four players, like a short flashpoint. No less deadly but drop a lot less rewards so few players run them.