Bonus power evo of cloak doesnt work

I find this effect has been exaggerated in a couple of ways. It depends a lot on the weapon and situation that you're talking about.

For example, I run my Shadow with a Paladin. In Gold, there aren't that many enemies that I actually use the Paladin against who require an extra shot to kill, and that's without any bonuses except the one from Tactical Cloak. Mind you, I don't use it in most situations, which is where the damage difference gets exaggerated the other way - it's losing weapon damage in favour of power damage, not "losing weapon damage with no payoff." I'm not saying the way I play her is better, but if I am going to play her as a high risk melee-power build, I'm gimped a lot more by taking 40% TC damage than I am by taking the duration.



I'll grant you this, because even though I know how, I can't be bothered because of the risk.

But, for anyone interested, here is how to safely SS a Ravager:

- You must attack from the front arc to the rear arc. Side to side will almost certainly cause damage (unless all sacks have been burst already and the swarmers are somehow gone) and back-to-front is suicide.

-The Ravager must have no burst sacks/not be in a sea of swarmers. Swarmers are technically a separate issue (they can come from other ravagers, after all) but in general, any burst sacks mean damage on arrival. If no sacks have burst, however, the Shadow can easily dodge away before any swarmers can suicide themselves on her (assuming she is in the rear arc.)

- Everything is a crap shoot if your teammates shoot it. It can burst sacks, causing damage on arrival, or inspire the Ravager to turn to face the target, causing the angle to change and bursting sacks from the side arc.



I would struggle to remember even 5 times a Phantom has negated an SS with the bubble, and I've used the power Shadow build for over five years. So that would be... less than once a year. It just doesn't really happen. Maybe I have so much experience doing it that I instinctively avoid the problem without being aware of it, but I think it's more likely that you lack the experience SSing Phantoms, and are guessing about what would happen. You're a lot more likely to be gank'd on arrival (which is still pretty rare) than you are to be negated.

Shadow Strike is probably the most reliable Phantom attack method I have (though I admit that's because my aim kind of sucks, so the Acolyte ends up in seconds place, and I'm still a newb with the Venom/Scorpion, which I expect both work well in experienced hands.)




She can shoot them like anyone sniping with cloak can, Electric Slash has quite the area of effect and there's always my favourite - SS someone above the ladder, then break cloak by heavy meleeing them while they're still in the ladder climbing animation. If the sword bonus is up, only pyros, bombers and Phantoms could survive the head chopping, but the pyros will stagger and be killed by any follow-up. Anything that can climb ladders is vulnerable to the head-chop (except bombers and swarms, who have to use ladders for some reason, despite being able to fly *shrug*.)




This sounds like another example of guessing how the build plays without having the experience of actually playing it.

Of course if you directly compare sniping at max range to Shadow Striking at max range with no other variables you can paint an extreme comparison, but anyone who has actually played the game knows it doesn't work like that. There are many burst-DPS situations that favour the duration/bonus Shadows, but extreme ranges are obviously not among them.

No one is bothering to tell me that my Krogan Warlord can't kill quickly, but he sucks at extreme range, as well. Whereas my Krogan has to run to the enemy, my Shadow can teleport there. I play and love both - Shadow Strike crosses the map faster than running.



I solve this problem by using the Paladin. But related to my point above, my Warlord does just fine and Shadow Strike crosses Rio faster than a Warlord does.

Just a final reminder that I'm not claiming the power-melee build is a better way to play, just that I find it more fun. It is challenging, and I burn a lot of OPS packs, but it is very satisfying and effective. While there is an "upper limit" to what can be achieved as far as killing speed, my experience bears that it is only relevant in two specific ways - in groups with friends/BSNers, certain weapon/kit combinations in skilled hands will consistently be able to score higher (and this does not concern me) and in PuGs, the same phenomenon will apply to a lesser extent (which again does not concern me.)

There is definitely no lack of "versatility" in my power/melee Shadow. In my experience, the only kit that has as much diversity when I play it is the Paladin.