JaySanti
New member
Here is a quick reference spreadsheet of all abilities that can be learned on Commando. The data below assumes you are using max rank. There is no reason not to use max rank, except in instances where the highest rank shown is exclusive to expertise (which will be noted.) All the data collected was either discovered in the open source code or playtested. Damage values may not be 100% accurate, but I can confidently say that anything that wasn't pulled directly from open source is 99% accurate. Nothing you see here should be incredibly off what is live on Beyond today.
Please note that "WC" stands for Weapon Contribution. Weapon Contribution is the damage values you'll see in your inventory or examine window on your weapon. (See below photo)
Also note that the below data are BASE values. As in before any buffs, gear, or any other factors. This data serves as a beginning point to help you figure out your own calculations.
II. Tips to Enhance Your Performance
1. Manage Your Kill Meter
You will build Kill Meter as you deal damage or kill things. So the more abilities you're casting, the more targets you're landing damage on, the faster you will build Kill Meter. You'll get a flow for this with some time, but you'll notice you can consume 20 Kill Meter and get it back in 2 seconds if you're doing what you're supposed to do. Really, "managing" your Kill Meter just means USING your Kill Meter. What does this entail?
First, USE KILLING SPREE. And I mean use it off cooldown, 100% up time. This ability can hit multiple targets, one target, doesn't matter. It's bonus, free damage for doing nothing but casting autos. Since each hit of Killing Spree is a single target hit, these hits can strikethrough, even on a Heavy Weapon. This can be pretty nasty in PvP especially. Invest in this ability in your expertise fully, no exceptions.
If you're on Juggernaut set, you should also be using this ability off cooldown. It gives you extra Devastation chance. More devastation means more damage, and as already stated above, more damage means more kill meter, which means more damage.
With a 5s cooldown, high AoE damage, and no action cost, you should be throwing these off cooldown. If you're using Heavy Weapons, you'll need to swap to a non-heavy weapon to cast it. But it's too good not to use. Even if you cast no other grenades ever, learn to cast this one. Invest in this ability in your expertise fully, no exceptions.
The moral of this lesson is that Commando is basically a snowball dps profession. You spend Kill Meter to do more damage, which in turn gives you more Kill Meter, which in turns gives you more damage, and so on and so forth. If you're doing things near-flawlessly, you should be at or near max Kill Meter almost all the time from all the damage you're putting out. Kill Meter is not just a resource, it's a gauge to see how well you're doing your job.
2. Learn to Rifle Swap to Cast Grenades
It was mentioned above that you cast Cluster Bomb even if you cast nothing else. That's a great way to start and learn to rifle swap, but those are the training wheels. You want to aim to be able to throw all the grenades before your beam abilities (on heavy weapons) come back off cooldown. At least as close as possible. If you're playing a non-heavy weapon commando, this will be a non-issue. However you're trading out the massive damage done by heavies.
Another worthy note is that given the range of the grenades, you shouldn't always go for them, especially in PvP. Cluster Bomb is 35m range, and the rest are 30m. If it's too risky to get in that range, just focus on throwing beams, DoTs, and Killing Spree. You should save your full grenade volley for when you have targets nice and bunched up to guarantee the damage.
Here is a quick clip of how I do the rifle swap. (The video is just me throwing a cluster bomb, start with this until you get the muscle memory)
3. Position Secured: Not Even Once
I can only justify this ability in the slighest if you're doing solo PvE content on a Frontman build, maybe even a BM/Frontman build. However, even in that case, Beyond seems to promote much more group oriented content, so I can't see this being efficient or enjoyable. But to each their own.
Outside being a tanky loner, absolutely do not build this, ever, especially in PvP. You will make your entire group lose their shit if they see you pop Position Secured in the middle of ongoing PvP. To make this ability give anything useful or interesting, it's going to cost you 8 expertise points, which is almost 1/5 of all your expertise points. It's just not worth rooting yourself in place for some extra Crit, Devastation, and some defenses. You can grab the Standfast line if you need something to help you defend yourself, and invest in other boxes to help you do more damage if you're worried about damage. I simply cannot justify the use of this ability, even with all the changes Beyond has made to this ability from other servers.
Please note that "WC" stands for Weapon Contribution. Weapon Contribution is the damage values you'll see in your inventory or examine window on your weapon. (See below photo)
Also note that the below data are BASE values. As in before any buffs, gear, or any other factors. This data serves as a beginning point to help you figure out your own calculations.
I. Commando Abilities
II. Tips to Enhance Your Performance
1. Manage Your Kill Meter
You will build Kill Meter as you deal damage or kill things. So the more abilities you're casting, the more targets you're landing damage on, the faster you will build Kill Meter. You'll get a flow for this with some time, but you'll notice you can consume 20 Kill Meter and get it back in 2 seconds if you're doing what you're supposed to do. Really, "managing" your Kill Meter just means USING your Kill Meter. What does this entail?
First, USE KILLING SPREE. And I mean use it off cooldown, 100% up time. This ability can hit multiple targets, one target, doesn't matter. It's bonus, free damage for doing nothing but casting autos. Since each hit of Killing Spree is a single target hit, these hits can strikethrough, even on a Heavy Weapon. This can be pretty nasty in PvP especially. Invest in this ability in your expertise fully, no exceptions.
If you're on Juggernaut set, you should also be using this ability off cooldown. It gives you extra Devastation chance. More devastation means more damage, and as already stated above, more damage means more kill meter, which means more damage.
With a 5s cooldown, high AoE damage, and no action cost, you should be throwing these off cooldown. If you're using Heavy Weapons, you'll need to swap to a non-heavy weapon to cast it. But it's too good not to use. Even if you cast no other grenades ever, learn to cast this one. Invest in this ability in your expertise fully, no exceptions.
The moral of this lesson is that Commando is basically a snowball dps profession. You spend Kill Meter to do more damage, which in turn gives you more Kill Meter, which in turns gives you more damage, and so on and so forth. If you're doing things near-flawlessly, you should be at or near max Kill Meter almost all the time from all the damage you're putting out. Kill Meter is not just a resource, it's a gauge to see how well you're doing your job.
2. Learn to Rifle Swap to Cast Grenades
It was mentioned above that you cast Cluster Bomb even if you cast nothing else. That's a great way to start and learn to rifle swap, but those are the training wheels. You want to aim to be able to throw all the grenades before your beam abilities (on heavy weapons) come back off cooldown. At least as close as possible. If you're playing a non-heavy weapon commando, this will be a non-issue. However you're trading out the massive damage done by heavies.
Another worthy note is that given the range of the grenades, you shouldn't always go for them, especially in PvP. Cluster Bomb is 35m range, and the rest are 30m. If it's too risky to get in that range, just focus on throwing beams, DoTs, and Killing Spree. You should save your full grenade volley for when you have targets nice and bunched up to guarantee the damage.
Here is a quick clip of how I do the rifle swap. (The video is just me throwing a cluster bomb, start with this until you get the muscle memory)
3. Position Secured: Not Even Once
I can only justify this ability in the slighest if you're doing solo PvE content on a Frontman build, maybe even a BM/Frontman build. However, even in that case, Beyond seems to promote much more group oriented content, so I can't see this being efficient or enjoyable. But to each their own.
Outside being a tanky loner, absolutely do not build this, ever, especially in PvP. You will make your entire group lose their shit if they see you pop Position Secured in the middle of ongoing PvP. To make this ability give anything useful or interesting, it's going to cost you 8 expertise points, which is almost 1/5 of all your expertise points. It's just not worth rooting yourself in place for some extra Crit, Devastation, and some defenses. You can grab the Standfast line if you need something to help you defend yourself, and invest in other boxes to help you do more damage if you're worried about damage. I simply cannot justify the use of this ability, even with all the changes Beyond has made to this ability from other servers.
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