SWTOR: Tank Balance Changes in Game Update 5.9

Soeren Kamper SWTOR, tanking

Game update 5.9 will see quite a lot of changes to tanks in the next game update.  Here are more info:

Let’s talk about the changes coming to Tanks in Game Update 5.9. There are two things that informed the changes you will find below. First, “skank tanks” are greatly overperforming in PvP. This is a player who is using a Tank Discipline but equipping DPS gear. Second, when comparing all tanks (regardless of gear) against the DPS targets we outlined last year, tanks are doing more damage than intended.

The summary of what we are changing in 5.9 is that tanks across the board will be doing less damage. To ensure that this doesn’t have a negative impact on their ability to tank/hold threat, we are greatly increasing their overall threat generation. This will mean that although they will commit less damage to an encounter, holding threat will not be any more difficult than it is today.

We are going to continue to monitor things beyond 5.9 and see if additional changes are needed.

-eric

Below is the detailed breakdown of changes.

Assassin
Darkness

  • Dark Charge’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • Dark Charge’s internal damage has been reduced by 50%
  • The damage bonus given to Shock from Electrify has been reduced from 25% to 20%
  • The damage bonus given to Depredating Volts from Harnessed Darkness per stack has been reduced from 25% to 15%
  • The Wither and Discharge damage bonus given from Mounting Darkness has been reduced from 30% to 20%

Powertech
Shield Tech

  • Ion Gas Cylinder’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • Fixed a bug in Power Armor that wasn’t calculating damage correctly
  • Power Armor now gives a 5% damage bonus to Ion Gas Cylinder (down from 10%)
  • Reduced the base damage of Heat Blast by 18.75%
  • The damage bonus given to Firestorm and Searing Wave by Flame Engine has been reduced from 100% to 40%
  • Reduced Ion Overload’s damage by 50%
  • Reduced Ion Gas Cylinder’s damage by 20%

Juggernaut
Immortal

  • Soresu Form’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • The damage bonus given by Pillar of Strength to Crushing Blow, Ravage, and Backhand has been reduced from 30% to 15%

Shadow
Kinetic Combat

  • Combat Technique’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • Combat Technique’s internal damage has been reduced by 50%
  • The damage bonus given to Project from Bombardment has been reduced from 25% to 20%
  • The damage bonus given to Cascading Debris from Harnessed Shadows per stack has been reduced from 25% to 15%
  • The Slow Time and Force Breach damage bonus given from Pulsating Force has been reduced from 30% to 20%

Vanguard
Shield Specialist

  • Ion Cell’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • Fixed a bug in Power Armor that wasn’t calculating damage correctly
  • Power Armor now gives a 5% damage bonus to Ion Gas Cell (down from 10%)
  • Reduced the base damage of Energy Blast by 18.75%
  • The damage bonus given to Ion Storm and Ion Squall from Pulse Engine has been reduced from 100% to 40%
  • Reduced Ion Overload’s damage by 50%
  • Reduced Ion Cell’s damage by 20%

Guardian
Defense

  • Soresu Form’s threat generation bonus has been increased from 100% to 150%
  • The damage bonus given by Beacon of Might to Guardian Slash, Blade Barrage, and Hilt Bash has been reduced from 30% to 15%