Rage Juggernaut
Last Updated: 5/29/21
Table of Contents
Overview
About the Class
Rage is the Juggernaut burst DPS spec. It has several high damaging single target abilities, a few DoTs, and is very effective in encounters with target swapping. As such, it is the preferred spec to utilize in PVP (though that role is not discussed specifically in this guide) and is preferred in any Ops encounter with lots of adds and target swapping (e.g., Draxus in Dread Fortress operation). In comparison to Vengeance, Rage typically has lower sustained DPS though is still viable for all encounters in story mode and veteran mode operations.
Role in Operations
As a burst DPS spec, Rage players should ideally be looked to for any roles that require target swapping or require short burst DPS windows. For example, Rage would be ideally suited to DPS’ing Dismantlers in Draxus HM or dealing with adds in Tyth.
Utility and Mobility
Rage players enjoy instant cast on all abilities so their rotation is 100% mobile. As a Juggernaut specialization, players also have a leap attacking ability (with reduced cool down and a second leap available via utilities), Intercede to a friendly player (which provides a damage reduction and threat reduction effect as well), Mad Dash gap closer that can also be used to cheese mechanics, a cleanse (via utility), limited but situationally powerful self heal capability when below 70% health, and a single target taunt.
Rage also has an additional shorter range leap in Obliterate versus other Juggernaut classes, giving them even better mobility. Rage Juggernaut applies an armor debuff but does not otherwise buff other players. Rage Juggernaut does not have a CC or raid buff.
6.0 Impact on Discipline
In 6.0, Rage got some interesting buffs and playstyle tweaks via the new set bonus and tactical options. The discipline does not benefit from them as much as Vengeance, so comparatively the early impressions are that it will continue to be the less-preferred playstyle in PVE with respect to DPS. That said, the discipline will continue to deliver strong burst DPS and with the proper gear should have steadier DPS via the addition of a DoT tactical.
Survivability
Rage Juggernaut gains benefits to direct and AoE damage reduction through skills and Utilities, wear heavy armor, and have several strong defensive cool-downs as a result of their off-tank nature. They can also potentially cheese mechanics with Mad Dash. As such, they have above-average survivability generally, though Assassins provide better survivability in a short-term off-tank role due to their superior cooldowns.
Utilities
I usually take some combination of the following Utilities, though the optimal combination can change from fight to fight. As of 6.0, the tiers have been reorganized.
Skillfull Tier
You must take 3 to advanced to Masterful.
Deadly Reprisal - Taking non-periodic area of effect damage generates 2 Focus. This effect cannot occur more than once every second.
This is the only mandatory utility in the Skillful tree, with the second choice being situational amongst Unyielding, Warmonger, or Path Carver. Every operations encounter in SWTOR has some AoE damage component, so this utility offers basically free Focus and should always be taken.
Unyielding - You generate 4 Rage when stunned, immobilized, put to sleep, or knocked around.
This utility is situational for fights with lots of physics effects. On a fight like Underlurker, this utility generates effectively unlimited Focus which is a strict DPS boost by enabling more use of fillers. Know which fights benefit this utility and only take in those situations, as otherwise either Warmonger (mobility) or Path Carver (AoE DPS) will typically be better choices.
Warmonger - Getting attacked reduces the active cooldown of Force Charge by 1 second. This effect cannot occur more than once every 1.5 seconds.
I find this utility very useful on any fights with adds where I am likely to hold aggro periodically and where movement is required (e.g., Draxus, Hive Queen, Bestia, etc.). Better mobility = more uptime on targets = more DPS.
Path Carver - Sweeping Slash deals 25% more damage.
I will sometimes take this utility if neither Unyielding or Warmonger provide any benefit. That said, all three Juggernaut disciplines have comparatively strong AoE DPS so I feel that this is frequently not needed outside a few very specific fights (e.g., Hive Queen Veteran Mode).
Sonic Wall - Threatening Scream protects all other allies within range, excluding yourself, granting Sonic Wall, which absorbs a moderate amount of damage. Lasts 10 seconds.
This utility makes the Juggernaut tank’s AoE taunt or DPS’ threat drop an AoE mitigation buff. It should only be taken on fights with predictable AoE damage where the majority of the team can be closer together (e.g., burn phase in Dread Council).
Pooled Hatred - Whenever your movement is impaired, you gain a 10% damage bonus to your next ability that consumes Rage. This effect can stack up to 5 times and lasts 15 seconds.
I find this utility useful on similar fights to Unyielding, such as Underlurker in Veteran Mode, where it provides a strict DPS increase. It should always be taken in such situations, though overall it is situational due to that status effect being uncommon.
Masterful Tier
You must take 6 between Heroic and Masterful.
Crushing Fist - For the Immortal discipline, Smash slows the targets it damages by 60% for 10 seconds. For the Vengeance and Rage disciplines, Smash and Vengeful Slam sunder the targets they damage for 45 seconds. Sundered targets have their armor rating decreased by 20%.
A mandatory utility for DPS Juggernaut disciplines due to the armor debuff but should never be taken outside of PVP for Juggernaut tanks.
Unstoppable - Force Charge grants Unstoppable, granting immunity to movement impairing effects and effects that push or pull you around for 4 seconds.
A highly situational utility that is more useful in PVP, there are a very few select circumstances where it is useful in PVE. The most notable example is Master & Blaster Veteran Mode in the Ravagers operation, where taking Unremitting and Battlefield Command can enable solo tanking Blaster and ignoring its knockback attack via this utility.
Hardened Defense - For Vengeance and Rage, all area effect damage is reduced by 60% for 15 seconds after Threatening Scream is activated. For Immortal, all damage is reduced by 30% when stunned.
This utility is mandatory for Vengeance or Rage players as it makes your threat drop an incredibly powerful AoE defensive cooldown. For Immortal tanks, it is highly situational for only fights with significant stun potential (e.g., Pirate Captains in Ravagers operation).
Consuming Rage - Endure Pain removes all cleansable effects when activated.
A situational but frequently useful utility, take whenever having a self-cleanse is a key mechanic. Note that this is usually only the case with very hard hitting DoTs or status effects, or one-shot mechanics (e.g., Death Mark in Veteran Mode Dread Council). Otherwise, I would usually not take this utility in lieu of Through Passion (Enraged Defense can be used to heal to full via a DoT).
Heroic Tier
A maximum of 3 utilities
Through Passion - Reduces the cooldown of Enraged Defense by 30 seconds.
Enraged Defense is a very powerful self heal and having a 25% shorter cooldown will frequently mean you can get 3 uses per fight instead of 2. I nearly always take this utility.
War Bringer - Force Charge enables your next Vicious Throw or Hew to be used against a target with any percentage of health. Lasts up to 15 seconds.
I find this utility helpful to add more DPS via more frequent use of your execute ability. That said, it only really adds significant value in fights where you will be able to periodically leap from boss to adds, where there are multiple bosses, or where bosses have transition or movement phases. This encompasses the majority of fights and so I find it useful. In fights where there is essentially no movement and no use of Force Charge outside of the initial pull, I may not take this utility and take Extending Roar to get a periodic use of Force Push as a more powerful filler.
Intimidating Presence - Force Charge finishes the cooldown on Force Kick. Also, Saber Reflect lasts 2 seconds longer and for tanks generates high AoE threat.
I nearly always take to improve the utility of Saber Reflect. The cooldown reset on interrupt is also highly useful for a few specific fights like Izax. On Izax Phase 3 (interrupt phase), two Juggernauts alone can essentially handle all the interrupts due to being to take 3 straight interrupts (Disruption interrupt -> (dance out of melee range) -> Force Charge interrupt -> Disruption interrupt).
Extending Roar - Increases the range of Force Scream to 30 meters, but Force Scream deals reduced damage beyond 10 meters. Additionally, Force Push deals 20% more damage and grants Extending Roar, allowing your next Force Scream to deal full damage regardless of the distance from the target.
This utility’s boost to Force Push makes it a higher priority filler and can increase overall DPS slightly. That said, I usually do not take this utility on any fight where I can use Saber Reflect to boost my DPS and/or mitigate sizable damage.
Example Utility Build
Here is what I run for most encounters, though I frequently take other situational utilities for specific fights.
Key Passives
Battle Cry - Using Force Charge or Obliterate makes your next Force Scream deal 5% more damage and generate 1 Focus rather than consuming 4 Rage.
Obliterate and Force Scream have the same cooldown, so it becomes important to ensure Obliterate is always utilized before Force Scream to deal more damage and save Rage.
Overpower - Assault, Sundering Assault, Vicious Slash, Sweeping Slash, Retaliation, Force Scream, Vicious Throw, and Furious Strike reduce cooldowns of Smash, Raging Burst and Obliterate by 1 second and Enrage by 2 seconds.
This passive primarily explains why Rage can become very confusing if you don’t follow a set rotation. Due to the varying cooldowns of abilities based on this utility, if you don’t follow a specific rotation then having a really good understanding of ability usage becomes critical to follow a priority system.
Dominate - Force Charge and Obliterate make your next Smash or Raging Burst used within 20 seconds an automatic critical hit.
This passive ensures you should use Obliterate on cooldown so that each Raging Burst or Smash is an automatic crit. These abilities (along with Force Scream) have an identical cooldown which facilitates this usage.
Cascading Power - Increases all damage dealt by 5% for 6 seconds after dealing damage with Smash or Raging Burst. This effect cannot occur more than once every 8 seconds.
Raging Burst is your second highest damage ability in base damage and should regularly (1) be an auto-crit from Dominate; and (2) consume no Rage due to Shockwave, and as such is arguably your most powerful ability when considering this passive. As such, it is the beginning of your burst and should be followed by your next 4 biggest hitting abilities.
Shockwave - Enrage and Force Crush grant Shockwave, increasing the damage dealt by your next Smash or Raging Burst by 15% and making your next Smash or Raging Burst consume no Rage. Additionally, the cooldown of Enrage is reduced by 15 seconds, and Enrage generates 6 additional Rage over 6 seconds when used.
This passive buffs Enrage and enables it to be a rotational off-GCD ability. Due to the buff to Smash or Raging Burst, it also requires spreading out usage of Enrage and Force Crush so that each buff is used. As such, Enrage is typically part of the beginning of each rotation and Force Crush used in the middle, each used the GCD before Raging Burst comes off CD.
Furious Power - Furious Strike enables Riposte and beats down its target for 45 seconds. Beat Down targets take 5% more damage from melee attacks.
This passive applies Rage debuff to targets and should generally be applied as soon as possible in the opener or when switching targets.
Fuming Rage - Force Crush grants Fuming Rage, making your next Obliterate or Furious Strike consume no Rage.
This passive establishes that you should be using Force Crush on cooldown and that following it Furious Strike (5 Rage) should take priority over Obliterate (2 Rage) due to the buff removing the Rage cost.
Gearing in 6.0
Gearing Stat Allocation
Please see my Gearing Guide for a detailed overview of gearing in 6.x in SWTOR. Please also see my Alacrity Guide for a much more in-depth look at alacrity.
For Rage Juggernaut, I gear as follows:
Set Bonus: Descent of the Fearless
Tactical: Cauterized Coronary
Amplifiers: Armor Penetration
Mods: Unlettered Lethal Mods
Relics: Devastating Vengeance & Primeval Fatesealer (Serendipitous Assault & Focused Retribution for Dxun/PVP)
Stim: Proficient
Adrenal: Critical (Attack for Dxun only)
For Rage Juggernaut, I allocate my tertiary stats as follows:
Accuracy: 1,585 - 1,630 (anything outside this approximate range and I usually try to re-optimize by swapping around enhancements and augments)
Alacrity: around 1,400 (at least 1,895 if the Zeal guild perk applies)
Critical: all remaining tertiary points go into Critical
Shield: None
Absorb: None
Set Bonus
Descent of the Fearless
Increased drop rate from Daily Missions.
(2) +2% Mastery
(4) Whenever you gain or use a Furious Power ability charge while in combat, your damage is increased by 10% for 10 seconds.
(6) Dealing damage has a 10% chance to build a Furious Power ability charge. Can only occur once every 5 seconds.
Analysis: The only set bonus that is BIS across multiple advanced classes, Descent of the Fearless is BIS for all Juggernaut and Marauder DPS disciplines. Rage benefits significantly less than Vengeance due to the discipline’s lack of DoTs ticking to proc the 6 piece set bonus. That said, the 4 piece bonus (along with infrequent proccing of the 6 piece set bonus) still make it the preferred option if less overwhelmingly than DoT specs. Having the Cauterized Coronary tactical to have an additional ticking DoT is very helpful to proccing the 6 piece more often to generate additional stacks of Furious Power.
Impact on Rotation: Make sure to use Furious Power every 10 seconds to keep the buff active. Monitor your charge generation and use extra charges to avoid capping, but always save 1 charge to refresh the buff. Try to time the use of Furious Power to buff Furious Strike as often as possible as it is your highest damaging ability. If additional stacks are available to burn off more frequently than every 10s (to keep up the 10% damage buff), the next priority should be Raging Burst.
When to Take: All situations. Descent of the Fearless is easily the BIS set bonus for all Sith Warrior disciplines.
Tactical Items
Cauterized Coronary
Increased drop rate from Operations.
(Please note that Cauterized Coronary is a Tactical item intended for the Fury Marauder discipline. That discipline is very nearly a mirror for Rage as they share many abilities, and as such this Tactical appears to work for both disciplines. That is potentially subject to change by the developers.)
Furious Strike causes its targets to burn.
Analysis: This tactical provides the discipline with a DoT. Per the tooltips, it has a duration of 6 GCD / 9 seconds, thus per the rotation it should have full uptime.
Impact on Rotation: No change. Furious Strike should be used on cooldown without exception as the highest damaging ability for Rage, so this tactical just makes the strongest ability stronger.
When to Take: All situations unless the Tactical ceases to work for Rage.
Joiner’s Pressure
Increased drop rate from Operations.
Activating Force Push on a target affected by Force Crush grants Joiner’s Pressure, increasing your damage dealt by 20% for 10 seconds.
Analysis: This tactical is less strong than Cauterized Coronary but still provides a useful damage buff. The duration of the buff is slightly more than 6 GCDs / 9 seconds, thus skillful timing of the buff can enable its use to buff 2 Raging Burst.
Impact on Rotation: Force Push should be used in the opener as the first ability to proc Joiner’s Pressure and then Furious Power should be triggered to apply a 20% damage buff during the first part of the opener. Afterwards, it should be used in the 6th GCD of the second rotation (i.e., in the rotation discussion below, it should replace Ravage). Depending on energy levels, either Retaliation or Ravage can be used in the previous GCD. Using Force Push in this fashion should maximize DPS by causing the Joiner’s Pressure DPS buff to apply to an entire 6 GCD rotation cycle and then buff a second Raging Burst.
When to Take: If the Cauterized Coronary Tactical ceases to work for Rage, or situationally on fights with heavy burn phases. For example, being able to control the 10% DPS buff might be useful on the Scum & Villainy Styrak HM/NiM encounter to help clear the Chained Manifestation mechanic.
Syn's Second Amulet
Increased drop rate from Flashpoints.
Retaliation refunds one focus and finishes the cooldown of Furious Strike.
Analysis: This tactical is not recommend. While an extra use of Furious Strike is potentially very powerful, optimal use of this tactical would be extremely disruptive to the rotation and likely lead to delays in the use of other key abilities. Also, the extra Furious Strike would not receive the same buffs so would be less powerful. However, this tactical could be very useful in PVP where a fixed rotation is impossible.
Impact on Rotation: This tactical would severely disrupt the rotation for Rage Juggernaut. Optimal use would make Furious Strike a floating ability in the rotation, which would at times cause it or another key ability to be delayed. Due to its high Rage cost, managing energy would become much more challenging than the fixed rotation. In PVP, these issues would be greatly decreased and a Raging Burst > Furious Strike > Obliterate > Retaliation> Furious Strike 5-move rotation would hit very hard.
When to Take: Not recommend in PVE content.
Unknowing Ancient Text
Increased drop rate from Operations.
Force Crush builds a Furious Power ability charge.
Analysis: Force Crush is used regularly in the rotation but has a longer cooldown than most abilities, thus the increase in damage per GCD is minimal. This tactical is not recommended.
Impact on Rotation: No change in rotation would be necessary as Force Crush should be used on cooldown anyway. The additional charge of Furious Power should generally be used on Obliterate.
When to Take: Not recommended in any content.
Amplifiers
Armor Penetration (or secondarily Weapon Expertise)
The Rage Juggernaut discipline consists of skills with either a Weapon or Force type attack dealing Energy/Kinetic damage. The discipline has one DoT effect in Crush. When considering the abilities based on the mix of damage, the majority of DPS is dealt by Weapon type attack abilities Furious Strike, Obliterate, Retaliation and Ravage, with Force type attacks including Raging Burst, Force Crush and Force Scream.
Given that all abilities deal Kinetic/Energy damage, Armor Penetration provides the highest DPS increase. Weapon Expertise is second but should provide around ⅘ the benefit. Force Sensitivity (buffs Force type attacks) then Periodic Intensity would provide much smaller buffs to DPS.
If attempting to synergize a Descent of the Fearless set of gear between Sith Warrior DPS disciplines, Weapon Expertise is likely the best option as it provides either the best or usually second best DPS boost for nearly all disciplines.
Key Abilities
Furious Power NEW IN 6.0 - Consumes all ability charges and applies Furious Power stacks to you. Each stack increases your next direct single target melee attack by 25% and is consumed whenever you deal damage with these attacks. Recharges 1 ability charge every 30 seconds.
A new offensive cooldown, it can be used in the opener to buff you heaviest hitting ability for +100% damage or used every ~30 seconds to buff an ability damage +25%
Raging Burst - Deals high kinetic damage. Costs 3 Rage and has a 12s cooldown before alacrity.
Raging Burst is buffed via the Shockwave passive by Enrage or Force Crush to deal 15% more damage and be free. It is also buffed via the Dominate passive by Obliterate to be an automatic critical hit. Lastly it also buffs all other ability damage by 5% via the Cascading Power passive ability. Due to the Cascading Power buff, it always begins each rotation block to ensure Furious Strike and Obliterate are buffed.
Smash - Hits the target and up to 8 enemies within 5m for moderate kinetic damage. Stuns weak and standard enemies for 2 seconds. Costs 3 Rage and has a 12s cooldown before alacrity.
An AoE ability that is buffed by all the same passives as Raging Burst, so can be substituted for it in any AoE situations.
Furious Strike - Deals high weapon damage. Costs 5 Rage and has a 9s cooldown before alacrity.
The highest damaging ability for Rage, is it used after Raging Burst to ensure it is always buffed via the Cascading Power passive.
Obliterate - Leaps to a target and deals high weapon damage and immobilizes the target. Can be used while immobilized. Costs 2 Rage and has a 12s cooldown before alacrity.
Obliterate procs Dominate which makes the next Raging Burst an automatic critical hit, thus it should be used rotationally.
Force Crush - Progressively slows the target from 50% to 5% movement over 3 seconds and deals low kinetic damage each second. At the end of the duration, the target takes additional moderate kinetic damage. Costs 3 Rage and has a 18s cooldown before alacrity.
This ability does not deal a huge amount of damage on its own but is critical to supporting the rotation via the Fuming Rage passive that makes the next Obliterate or Furious Strike free. It also procs Shockwave just as Enrage. Thus each rotation block should be preceded by EITHER Enrage or Force Crush, or else the energy management of the rotation will fall apart.
Enrage - Generates 6 Rage. Off-GCD ability. 45 second cooldown.
Enrage is hugely buffed for Rage due to the Shockwave passive, which causes it to increase the damage of the next Raging Burst by 15% and make it free, and also regenerates 6 additional energy over 6 seconds. This makes the ability key to the rotation. Due to its cooldown, it can be used to buff every other Raging Burst and precedes every other rotation block.
Force Scream - Deals moderate kinetic damage. 10m range. Costs 4 Rage and has a 12s cooldown before alacrity.
High damage ability that should be used on cooldown.
Retaliation - Deals moderate weapon damage. Cannot be parried, dodged or miss. Can only be used after successfully defending against a ranged or melee attack or after one of your melee attacks is parried dodged or misses. Costs 2 Rage and has a 6s cooldown before alacrity.
A useful filler damage ability.
Ravage - Deals high weapon damage.
High damage and free filler. It should be used every other rotation block in a filler slot.
Vicious Throw - Deals high weapon damage and slows movement speed of target by 50% for 3 seconds. Normally only usable on targets at or below 30% of max health. Costs 3 Rage and has a 10s cooldown before alacrity.
High damage filler when it procs, it should be used in a filler spot.
Sundering Assault - Deals moderate weapon damage, generates 5 Rage, and causes the target to become Sundered (-20% armor for 45 seconds).
Main energy building ability, care should be taken to use on cooldown as often as possible without (1) delaying a key rotational ability; or (2) capping energy.
Force Push - Deals moderate energy damage and knocks the target back several meters and stuns them. Force Push immediately finishes the cooldown on Force Leap. No energy cost. 10m range.
A low priority filler with a long cooldown. Force Push is only optimal as a filler to replace a use of Slash when taking the Extending Roar utility.
Saber Throw - Deals moderate damage and generates 3 Focus. 30m range. A ranged ability and energy generating ability.
Use when needed as a filler. If swapping targets and Sundering Assault is on cooldown, using Saber Throw while running in or before leaping is optimal to apply the Sundered debuff to reduce the target’s armor by 20%.
Force Charge - Leaps to target and deals low damage. Immobilizes target for 2 seconds and interrupts its current action. Builds 4 Rage. Cannot be used against enemies in cover. 10-30m range.
Used for movement and to add a second interrupt.
Sweeping Slash - Hits up to 8 enemies within 5 meters in front of you for low weapon damage.
Your spammable AoE conal ability, only use in AoE situations.
Assault - Deals low weapon damage and generates 2 Rage.
Your basic filler, only use when you are low on energy and need it for abilities. You generally should not use often in this discipline.
Vicious Slash - Deals moderate weapon damage.
Your spammable filler, you should use to spend excess energy but takes bottom priority otherwise.
Rotation
Opener
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Force Charge - Gap closer, builds Rage, and procs Dominate making your first Raging Burst an automatic critical hit
Furious Power + Adrenal OFF GCD
Enrage OFF GCD - Builds Rage for rotation, procs Shockwave to make Raging Burst free and deal 15% increased damage, will also regen 6 Rage over next 4 GCDs
Raging Burst - Raging Burst should now be free, an automatic crit, and deal +15% damage, also procs Cascading Power to increase damage by 5% over next 6s / 4 GCDs
Furious Strike - Top damage ability, now buffed by Raging Burst, applies Beat Down debuff
Vicious Throw - If a utility makes your Execute ability available, it can be used here in opener, otherwise Retaliation can be used here due to the extra Rage provided by Enrage.
Obliterate - Utilized here to proc Dominate so next Raging Burst is an auto-crit in next mini-cycle, procs Battle Cry to boost damage / reduce cost of Force Scream.
Force Scream - Filler, Force Scream is very cheap and deals increased damage due to Battle Cry proc from Obliterate.
Force Crush - Used here to proc Shockwave for next mini-cycle, by using it here we alternative Force Crush > Enrage so each Raging Burst is buffed, also procs Fuming Rage so next Furious Strike also consumes no Rage.
Raging Burst - Similar to mini-cycle #1, ability is free, auto-crit, +15% dmg and procs Cascading Power.
Furious Strike - Similar to mini-cycle #1, except Furious Strike is free here due to Force Crush proccing Fuming Rage.
Sundering Assault - Used here in place of Retaliation in mini-cycle #1 since you didn’t open with Enrage, so will need to generate Rage here.
Obliterate - Similar to mini-cycle #1
Retaliation - Useful filler, this ability is pushed down one slot due to the need to proc Rage.
Ravage - Free filler
Enrage OFF GCD
Raging Burst
... continue rotation discussed below.
Rotation
Rotation Theory
The first key to the Rage Juggernaut rotation is understanding the Shockwave passive ability. Per above, Enrage and Force Crush grant Shockwave, increasing the damage dealt by your next Smash or Raging Burst by 15% and making your next Smash or Raging Burst consume no Rage.
The optimal rotation depends on every use of Smash or Raging Burst free. When this is accomplished, no use of basic attacks is required to maintain energy. If this goal is not accomplished, energy management will become very difficult, key abilities will be delayed, and DPS will suffer significant reductions.
The second key to the Rage Juggernaut rotation is how to balance use of Force Crush and Enrage so every use of Smash or Raging Burst is buffed by the Shockwave passive and thus free to use. Force Crush has a 18s cooldown that breaks down to 12 GCDs. Given that the cooldown of Raging Burst should be 6 GCDs after the cooldown reduction applied by the Overpower passive, that means Force Crush can apply Shockwave to every other Raging Burst or Smash.
Enrage has a 45 second cooldown that would normally be available every 18s as we need for the rotation. Thankfully, Overpower has double the cooldown reduction as compared to Raging Burst, so proper rotation use should ensure Enrage can apply singularity to every other Raging Burst or Smash.
TLDR - Force Crush or Enrage should be used immediately prior to Raging Burst or Smash to ensure the ability is always free. Due to the cooldowns of each ability, they should be alternated such that the first Raging Burst or Smash is buffed by Enrage, then the next by Force Crush, and so on.
The third and final key to understanding the Rage Juggernaut rotation is the length of the rotation blocks. The Overpower passive ability should ensure that Raging Burst or Smash, Furious Strike and Obliterate all have a 6 GCD cooldown, as well as Force Crush having a 12 GCD cooldown. Thus, the core rotation becomes very fixed as 2 alternating blocks of 6 GCD rotations that alternate between each other for the entire duration of any encounter.
Rotation Cycle #1 - Enrage used off-GCD to apply Shockwave to Raging Burst
1
2
3
4
5
6
(Enrage) + Raging Burst - Raging Burst should be free, an automatic crit, and deal +15% damage, procs Dominate increases damage by 5% for 4 GCDs
Furious Strike - Top damage ability, now buffed by Raging Burst
Force Scream - Filler, Force Scream is very cheap and deals increased damage due to Battle Cry proc from Obliterate.
Obliterate - Procs Dominate so next Raging Burst is an auto-crit, procs Battle Cry to boost damage / reduce cost of Force Scream.
Retaliation - Useful filler, nothing else available in this GCD.
Force Crush - Used here to proc Shockwave for next cycle, also procs Fuming Rage so next Furious Strike also consumes no Rage.
Rotation Cycle #2 - Force Crush used in previous cycle to apply Shockwave to Raging Burst
1
2
3
4
5
6
Raging Burst - Due to Force Crush in cycle #1, Raging Burst should be free, an automatic crit, and deal +15% damage, procs Dominate increases damage by 5% for 4 GCDs
Furious Strike - Top damage ability, now buffed by Raging Burst
Sundering Assault - Used here since Enrage wasn't used in this block for Rage generation.
Obliterate - Procs Dominate so next Raging Burst is an auto-crit, procs Battle Cry to boost damage / reduce cost of Force Scream.
Vicious Throw or Retaliation - If a utility makes your Execute ability available, it can be used here in opener, otherwise Realiation can be used here due to the extra Rage provided by Enrage.
Ravage - Free filler, nothing better is usually available in this GCD
AOE Rotation
When looking to do single target damage but include more AoE, the primary change is to substitute Smash for Raging Burst. All procs affecting Raging Burst also affect Smash. This change adds sizable AoE burst DPS but only slightly reduces your DPS on your primary target.
If you need to more fully shift over to AoE DPS, the second change is to substitute Sweeping Slash for Retaliation or Vicious Throw. This change adds AoE DPS but significantly reduces your single target DPS on your primary target.
Defensive Cooldowns
1. Saber Reflect (large single target damage) - Reflects single target ranged/force/tech abilities for 5s with Utility. Also works great to build AoE threat. Is best used for really heavy damage mechanics (e.g., Terror’s Scream) that would otherwise one-shot you. Be really careful about knowing when it will work so you don’t waste it (e.g., the Huge Grenade in HM S&V Titan 6 can’t be reflected since it’s AOE damage). 1 minute cooldown, so you can use many times during a fight.
2. Saber Ward (Melee/Ranged damage) - Increases Defense by 50% and Force/Tech damage reduction by 25% for 12 seconds. It also provides a second buff, Blade Turning, that increases Melee/Ranged Defense by 100% for 2s. This cooldown is best used during damage phases that can be dodged, as it should cause you to dodge most attacks for its cooldown. The 25% damage reduction is icing on the cake, but optimal use focuses on the 50%/100% Defense boost. 2:30 cooldown.
3. Enraged Defense (continuous damage) - Usable when below 70% health, cooldown grants 12 charges that will be used one at a time to provide a small heal as damage is taken. Best used during damage phase with lots of small damage (e.g., the Tank challenge during HM Dread Palace Raptus). 10 second duration, 1:30 cooldown (2:00 without Utility).
4. Endure Pain (various) - Your “oh s**t” button, this provides a temporary self-heal for 20s. Use it during heavy damage phases or when you know healers are really stressed but can heal you up in a few GCD’s. 1 minute cooldown.
5. Mad Dash (any large individual mechanics) - Increases defense by 100% during ability. The timing of the buff is difficult to manage during a fight, but when timed appropriately can be used to ignore various mechanics. With Saber Reflect, this makes Juggernauts extraordinarily strong at avoiding large one-off damage mechanics. 45s cooldown.
6. Threatening Scream (AOE damage) - Your threat drop reduces AOE damage by 60% for 15 seconds. This cooldown is best used during heavy AOE damage phases. 45s cooldown.
Tips
Tips to using Saber Reflect
EC Zorn & Toth - all circles
EC Tanks - Double Destruction, Lightning Pylons, Adds
EC Vorgath - turrets
EC Kephess - Add damage inside reflect bubble (reflects to Warrior), Walker (stand under it while it is immune after popping reflect)
TFB Dread Guard - Doom
TFB Kephess - red laser
TFB Terror - slam, Scream
S&V Thrasher - firebug AOE
S&V Operations Chief - terminate
S&V Warlords - Sunder
S&V Styrak - add’s channeled lightning attack, orange debuff during lightning AOE
KP Jarg & Sorno - Unload
KP Karraga - fire puddles
DF Draxus - Subteroth explosion, Draxus non-cleave attacks, Guardian thundering blast, Guardian cleave
DF Grob’thok - raidwide Roar
DF Corruptor Zero - chest laser, missile Barrage, ranged add attack’s
DF Brontes - orbs (note you can taunt someone else’s orb then use reflect to pop without damage)
DP Tyrans - fire at the door (not inferno), though be very careful doing this
DP Raptus - force execution
DP Council - burn phase AOE
Ravagers Sparky - brutal punch, add jump
Ravagers Bull - scatter blaster, mass barrage, ore carts, add attacks
Ravagers Torque - turrets, fire device, shoots lasers, knockback from panel destruction
Ravagers Master/Blaster - rain of pain
Ravagers Cora/Ruugar - most boss attacks
ToS Malaphar - spear throw
ToS Commanders - Kurse smash
ToS Revan - heave, Saber overcharge, HK mines, Core’s AOE
Toborro - purple circle
Monolith - slam, first tick of Curse