Is sword/shield holosmith viable in PVP?

[YAOYE.4380]

Is sword/shield holosmith viable in PVP?

[Vagrant.7206]

Theoretically, yes.

Realistically, it's suboptimal against skilled players. Photon forge is already melee (<600 range), so you're foregoing most ranged damage if you decide to go sword/shield. This leaves you much more vulnerable to classes that punish melee (AKA: Scourge). It also lacks the spike damage that a rifle can output and relies more on its AA chain. It is also objectively worse for chasing players who are running away from you, as it provides no means of slowing them down or catching up to them.

There are three main benefits to Sword/Shield:

• Quickness from sword 3
• Projectile reflects and blast finisher from shield 4
• PBAoE stun from shield 5 (this one really surprises players with stability).

There are better benefits to rifle:

• 1200 range AA, allowing you to safely heckle scourges.
• Much more spike-able damage with rifle 3 and 5.
• Knockback CC from Rifle 4 is excellent for clearing opponents from points or making some distance between you and an opponent.
• Net shot immobilizes fleeing opponents, making chases easier. Rifle 5 gives you a leap to catch up.

[whoknocks.4935]

If you play the new conversion holo, take the first time which reduces shield cd plus gives protection on both skill 4 and 5 for little bit of extra cleanse.

Sword shield without inventions it's suboptimal to rifle which gives you range and nice ccs like vagrant said.

If the enemy has no scourge and see rangers, sword shield could be nice. But against scourge melee annihilation, rifle is just better overall.

[Lunateric.3708]

You give up rifle's range and burst for high CD block and reflect and all the range, sword 3 isn't an evade and it locks you on animation pretty hard and the shotgun effect on sword 2 has two major flaws versus players: you need to be close and you also want to be above 50 heat.

[Ten.2617]

Sword is balanced to be used with +100% heat.Condi converter is the best choise for PvP.

[David.5974]

Hi,it is viable but harder to play. You should take enhanced capacity storage to benefit +20%.dmg from your sword and longer quickness. In invention take sheild trait (another 2 sources of protect) It has almost same build like conversion rifle holo, but different playstyle. If they nerf vent exhaust dmg, some dmg in PF and increase scourge cds, there can be option to run Sword/sheild.

[Funkystuff.1563]

@David.5974 said:Hi,it is viable but harder to play. You should take enhanced capacity storage to benefit +20%.dmg from your sword and longer quickness. In invention take sheild trait (another 2 sources of protect) It has almost same build like conversion rifle holo, but different playstyle. If they nerf vent exhaust dmg, some dmg in PF and increase scourge cds, there can be option to run Sword/sheild.

i agree sword shield conversion holo is really good espeacially with enhanced stoerage capacity sword 2 does a lot of dmg . good cc with shield 4 and 5 but melle range. and you can get up to 7 sec of quickness from 3