This is my first gameplay / guide video for the Shadow advanced class in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Shadow is the mirror class to the Sith Inquisitor Assassin, so the material covered in this video is relevant to players of either class.
The video provides detailed educational commentary on the Stealth mechanic, use of abilities in the context of PVP, and analysis of match play in Huttball.
Comments / Errata:
- Force Breach when in Force Technique stance provides a good DoT and you should use it more often than shown in the video
To see me PVP’ing live, check out the streaming schedule on TwitchTV. My stream features real-time narration and commentary – and to the extent possible interaction with the Chat Room..
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Taugrim's MMO Blog 
Another great video! Keep up the good work.
Too many classes to choose! I generally hate stealth classes but I have a crush on shadow – considering a KC / Infiltration hybrid!
have you figured out your 2nd starting class yet?
Either Sentinel or Shadow (or their Empire equivalents).
We will probably roll Empire, which I am not personally excited about. We’re merging into a kickass guild – which I am excited about – and they almost unanimously want to go Empire.
I don’t care about either faction per se, I just don’t want to get stuck with long warzone queue times and being on the zerg side in PVP.
We shall see.
K, thanks Taugrim. Im too new to pvp to think on my own yet, so until i get good, its easier if i follow your class videos as my pvp bible.
Im not sure what the intentions of your site were, but one of the things your site has done was attract a bunch of pvp newbs, or people who hate pvp because they couldnt understand all the mechanics,(me, a large handful of my guild, and anyone i get to tell about your website, even some hardcore RP’ers on our RP server are r4 now) and given us enough tools to give us a framework, and really enjoy pvp. Your site has made me and my guilies pvp converts. Thanks alot for helping bring more of us into the game.
Well you pretty much summed up a big reason why I blog. It’s to help people enjoy PVP by learning how to do it properly.
That’s awesome to hear, glad you and your guildees are having fun in PVP :)
I disclose all of my tactics / specs etc because I find it silly to hoard that kind of information.
I’ll have more streams / videos after launch, and eventually written guides.
So please follow my content and spread the word.
Cheers :)
I, on the other hand, tend to hoard all of my knowledge. /evil
Taugrim has some PvP vets who follow him too, Mittens. :) It’s always interesting to hear someone else’s philosophy on PvP.
Thanks for this video Taugrim. I had no idea about the jumping and adding time wasted by that. I will have to get rid of my bad habit on jumping as well. :P
I’m surprised your guild is going Empire after you were so wanting to be on the less populated faction. I can understand where you are coming from of being in a zerg. It definitely can get pretty boring especially in terms of world pvp standpoint.
I, myself don’t mind the queue times in this game because there are lots of other things to do in queue while waiting for WZ queues.
Then again if you guys still plan on the RP-PVP server I still think you will have an enjoyable time at least being on either side because of the community. Just gotta hope that BW will balance out both sides on each server within the guild placements to be relatively balanced and not overbearingly unbalanced across all servers.
It’s not my decision. We’re merging into another guild, not the other way around.
I tried convincing one of that guild’s co-leaders, but they have a different outlook on SWTOR than I do, so rolling Empire and risking being on the overpop’d side is not as big a deal for them as it is for me.
Namely, they view SWTOR as filler until GW2 comes out.
I plan on playing both SWTOR and GW2, and I have a high opinion of SWTOR, so my concerns about SWTOR are much longer term.
Really great job Taugrim! One of the biggest complaints I hear about your commentary is your monotone voice. You can really tell with this video that you are working hard on that aspect and it really shines through with this video. I just recently found you but i really look forward to seeing what other kind of videos you put out!
thanks for doing what you do!
Thanks!
I’m trying to put more energy into the narrations to keep them upbeat, without being a blowhard. LOL.
Thanks that great information. I have a question though. I realize you only played till 15, but do other abilities you get later on, namely Clairvoyant strike, replace Shadow Strike or relegate it to just an opener? I’m curious about how differently you’ll play it as a higher level. I believe there’s a sap you get around level 20 as well.
That’s unfortunate. Yeah I misunderstood. I thought that it was other guilds merging with your guild. Well on the plus side besides Huttball at least I won’t get killed by you if we end up on the same server. =P
I also have quite an interest in GW2 especially for the pvp. Looking forward to playing both.
Also, really appreciate your work into these videos. I learn quite a bit with such a short video and can’t wait to see more videos and streams in the future.
Cheers,
dryiggles
oh, also i forgot to ask, i don’t understand the difference between strafing and “melee strafing” If you could do a quick blurb on that, i’d be greatful.
mittens@faeblight
He might be making a distinction between straight-line strafe kiting and circle-strafing. Straight-line strafe kiting allows you to keep range while using strafe to shoot over your shoulder. Melee strafing requires you to move in a more circular fashion while strafing in order to keep your target in front of you and keep your target off of your back.
oh, ok. . so like the rogues do then.
Yeah, constantly circle-strafing to get to your target’s back. It’s a good idea even if you don’t rely on positionals.
Exactly. Thanks :)
It’s good to see that falling damage doesn’t break stealth. :)
True.
IIRC, Guard does though, which is a bit of a bummer. But then again being able to stealth while playing a tank is a powerful mechanic.
Awesome vid, Taugrim.
I played a Sith Assasin, the mirror to Shadow, during beta to 23. It was a really fun class. I was wrecking players in every Warzone. By 22/23 the class really starts to shine. You get your Force Cloak (incombat restealth) and if you are talented for Blackout(SA) or in your case Masked Assault.That ability lets you burst really hard.
I went from wanting to play a Sorc to rolling a Assassin as my main.
One thing though, I play from Stealth alot. Like always in it., etc. Guard is actually a bad thing, as it will break you out of stealth if your guard target takes any damage. So you have to be careful when you apply it. I wish you had gotten high enough to experience Surging Charge. Discharge became a heavy hitter with that weapon buff on. 2k+ crits were great. .
Thanks for the video. It made me want to play my Assassin more. =p
Understood.
It would be OP IMO if a tank could stay in Stealth while redirecting damage via Guard.
I wouldn’t worry too much about that, i think your commantary is great. I’m so tired of the e-sport shouting.
commentary*
This is a sad sad day for the Republic that you’re rolling Empire.
Countless Republic players will be slaughter in Ilum lol.
Good breakdown.
But you say that “shadow strike is the main attack” for this class, when its actually only the main attack for one of three specs >.> I felt like being contrary sorry :(
Also: The tanking technique almost seems better than the starting DPS one, except for the breach being a weak AOE instead of a good 1 target DOT. At level 30 I only saw difference of like 60 damage on proc, with the same proc %.
Overall, good guide, can’t wait for more and higher levels.
Good breakdown.
But you say that “shadow strike is the main attack” for this class, when its actually only the main attack for one of three specs >.> I felt like being contrary sorry
This video was specific for the Infiltration spec, as I discussed in the video and wrote in the title.
Hi Taugrim! Great vid once again. I want to repost a comment I made a few days back but it was on a 2 week old article so not sure if you got to see it.
“Hey where’s the donate button? Love your streams although I didn’t know about it until after beta ended but I’ve been watching your past pvp streams. Love your insight during the matches.
I applaud you for taking a chance and doing what you love for a living. You should look to set up a donate because from all the comments I see I am sure many people would like to help you out.”
Keep up the great work!
Thanks Twizz :)
As I have mentioned on my streams when asked about this, my preference is to hold off on implementing a Donate button. I would much rather offer monetization where the viewer gets a clear benefit. E.g. a Taugrim t-shirt they can wear, a Subscription on TwitchTV (when my account is eligible), etc.
This is not to say that I won’t try a Donate button, I just don’t want to pull the trigger on it.
I, for one, am happy to see your guild coming to the dark side :)
I must have missed this along the way, but if shadow is taugrims second class/alt, what did he decide for his main? BH/merc?
It was Trooper/Vanguard a week or two ago…which has since become, BH/PowerTech (probably advanced prototypes).
Almost!
As I said over last weekend when playing Vanguard in my stream, VG (mirror to PowerTech) will be my main.
The 2nd class I decided late last night would be Sentinel (mirror to Marauder).
Keep in mind per my tweets that we’ve merged into a guild that wanted to roll Empire, so I’m rolling Empire characters even though it’s not my preference to do so.
As always awesome guide! thank you Taugrim & keep them coming please!
Great vid!
It’s interesting to see how you break down the tactics based on a specific spec. I am planning on rolling a consular sage for my main, but it’s good to see what the other AC for the consular can do, and it seems quite potent. I’m going to have to really work on practicing strafe fighting.
Love the stream. I’ve only started following in the last couple of weeks, but your commentary sets you apart from other videos out there. What is the name of your new Guild, so I can add you guys as an adversary and if the server placement adds up ill see your new Empire guild with my Republic guild.
Would be interresting to see a guide on that AC :)
Working on my first video for Vanguard (mirror to Powertech) today. Should be up by end of day.
Excellent! Looking forward to it :)
Bah, enough of the mirror nonsense. Just narrate as if you were power tech and use all BH nomenclature. Why bother with republic lingo at this point ;)
Will you let your followers know what server you are on incase any of us want to play on the same server?
I will eventually post which server(s) I’m on, but not before we start playing in Head Start.
One of the servers I roll on will be so that I can group up with people from my audience who are OK being streamed and want to run together.
Taugrim or anyone else.
I am starting tomorrow and I am not happy with the information out there in terms of class roles. I am not looking to start balance issue controversy before the game is released but I need some help in terms of what each class does. The beta was very fun and I like a few of the classes but I am hearing conflicting things. I couldn’t get it all straight at the low levels. I am PVE and PVP.
Specifically, The class I like is the Shadow/Assassin. But…. How does the that class compare to the Marauder/Sentinel.
Which is the better tank, which is the better DPS?
I looked at the utility stiff and love both their other abilities. I am worried that the Marauder is a better tank and better DPS than the Assassin because of the Assassins stealth abilities. If that is the case I would probably go with the Sentinal.
OR is one more of a tank and one more of a DPS class?
Thanks
PS Videos are amazing
I just don’t want to play a class thinking its DPS and find out its a tank.
PS I haven’t played a MMO since EQU so I see a lot has changed with advanced class and specialties.
hey taugrim how is it going man? gz for ur work so far in swtor^^ could u do me a favor though mate? i have decided to play sith inquisitor assassin deception-mirror to jedi consular shadow infiltration. Could u suggest me how to build my deception tree? iam kind lost… Also can u tell me whether its good to go hybrid like deception and madness or just deceptionxD Thanks in advance mate! ^
I don’t have enough information to recommend a build. You probably want to fill out Deception to 31 (or more), then invest your points in the other trees.
I noticed that you have key bindings set to A,S,D. This is more than likely a noob question but what buttons are you using for movement so that you can strafe?
W and R
https://taugrim.com/2011/04/07/guide-to-strafing-movement-and-keybindings/