7.8 Serenity / Hatred SWTOR Guide
7.8 Serenity / Hatred SWTOR Guide
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Serenity is the Shadow's DoT spec. Serenity will feel less "contact" vs Infiltration. Almost half of the class's rotation can be performed at 10 meters from its target. This can give Serenity an edge over other melee specs in fights that require melee classes to routinely move away from a boss for a mechanic, such as a large damaging AoE attack centered on the boss. Serenity can also quickly DoT spread its 2 main long burn DoTs to mobs/adds pretty much on demand, making it extremely responsive to add waves, whereas specs such as vigilance or balance can only DoT spread once rotationally. Serenity hits its stride when a target is sub 30% HP. Its DoTs and core abilities deal increased damage, and it gains more uses of its strong execute ability. The class's main drawbacks are its limited raid utility and low defensive tool kit, though the passive healing helps, the serenity shadow will more easily succumb to large damage attacks making avoidance and raid awareness all the more urgent for the player.
Gearing up for Serenity
Gearing up for Serenity
Below are the gear selections, legendary implants, tactical and skill point choices I recommend for this class.
For more on gearing, visit the pages under gearing your character in the basic training tab. Gearing to 340.
Note that stat builds are built around 340 gear as it is the current max available from the hyde and zeek vendor. 77 Augments are also much more accessible to players and used for the recommendation. There is no advantage to building your gear exactly as I have it. Swapping and having a critical boots instead accuracy for example doesn't effect the build. Keep track of the number of enhancements/augments used and total the same amount to match.
Some colors of the implants may have changed since the launch of 7.0. Match the name of what you are needing. If the color is off, ignore that fact, the stats have been updated in the stat builder.
Opening Abilities
Opening Abilities
I open with squelch to get its DoT ticking for the first block. It will reset and proc when we hit serenity strike in the first block.
Block 1 - Apply DoTs
Block 1 - Apply DoTs
The main DoT ability that makes our entire rotation work is Force Breach. If force breach falls off, or fails to hit the target (the target is invulnerable or our accuracy is not at 100%, and it misses) we are not going to get the resets to squelch we need to make this flow right. It is very important to this rotation that you start over with DoT reapplication if switching targets, or re-engaging from boss downtime. Trying to pick back up the rotation from where you left off will muck things up. You must track your force breach debuff on the boss. If it falls off before your final squelch in block 3 procs, it will never light up, skip back to your DoT block and start over.
Block 1
Block 1
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Block 2
Block 2
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4
Block 3
Block 3
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Whirling blow is our DoT spread and can largely be used on demand, in place of any melee ability in the rotation, as add waves enter boss fights. It can be easy to spam and burn force. Remember that it only takes one activation to DoT spread, so meter its use.
Saber Strike may need to be added into the rotation in place of one of the melee attacks if force becomes low.
Spinning Strike is our execute ability and can be subbed in for any of the 3 melee abilities in block 3 once a target is below 30% HP.
We can use Shadow stride to enable spinning strike at any level HP. Spinning strike will proc during the rotation. Its cooldown will reset during block 3 and can be used again if shadow stride is up to activate it.
Quick Reference Cards
Quick Reference Cards
Serenity's Defensive Abilities
Serenity's Defensive Abilities
We use this against force/tech damage types. There are tacticals that extend the time beyond its 3" duration. This ability completely resists force/tech damage, but will do nothing for kinetic/energy damage. Also, a self-cleanse.
Deflection increases your Defense chance against Melee/Ranged attack types. Keep in mind it's only a 50% increase which probably lands us around 75-80% with our tank stats meaning damage will still come through. Does nothing for Internal/Elemental attack types.
Through the "Intangible Spirit" passive we can choose at level 51, this ability (our AoE Threat drop) provides a 60% increase to your AoE Damage reduction (most OPs damage is AoE) for 15". This is an exceptional defensive and should not be overlooked. If this skill point is not chosen, we still get a base 30% AoE DR from the mind and body level 1 passive class skill. This last for 6".
Trade stalker's swiftness @ 73 to take Cloak of resilience instead. This gives us 2 seconds of resilience, a second cleanse for those cleanse heavy fights.
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