Hello everyone, I was just wondering if this ability is worth choosing. I'm confused on exactly how it works. Specifically when the attacking from behind... According to the abilities' description: *Applies Swift Puncture on termination. Last for 45.0 seconds * Decreases Max Health of target by 4.0% * Must be flanking or behind * Applies Distracting Disarm. Lasts for 45.0 seconds * Decreases STR, WIS, INT, and AGI of target by 288.8 * Must be in front of * Inflicts 14214 - 21813 melee damage on target Now, as I understand it, if a target has 100/100 health and I hit it *at the beginning of the fight* with Change of Engagement, the target would then start the fight with 96/96 health. What I don't understand is what happens after the 45 seconds is up? Does the mob GAIN that health back? What exactly happens mid-fight when I hit a mob with Change of Engagement from behind (the lower 4% health part)? I've tested it out and I don't see any significant loss of health on my target when I use Change of Engagement from behind other than the direct damage it applies. I just want to understand if this ability is worth the extra 20 points to obtain it - I already have Sunder). Thanks!
From my understanding, its supposed to reduce Max Health by 4%, if/when it expires only Max Health (not current health) returns to normal. Example, 100/100, hit from behind for 4% debuff, now 96/96. You hit him during that 45 seconds and bring him down another 10%, so now he's at 86/96. Debuff expires, so now he is at 86/100. At least that's what I've gathered from other posts. I use it on my Swash, but only recently spec'd in to it, so haven't had much time to test it out. I would guess that if the mob was not full health when you hit that debuff, it would reduce its current health equal to the reduction in max health, but don't know for sure.
Yeah, that's how Im interpreting it too. The max health reduction thing is kind of worthless. The only benefit I could see is if a mob heals up 100% and you keep this maintained *the entire fight*. As swashbucklers are rogues I thought it would be cool if this ability stole the max health of the mob and gave it to the swashbucklers group temporarily.
Whoever said the max health reduction is worthless, I have a youtube video you should watch..... I've got jokes! Yackyackyackyackyack!
Max Health debuffs are very strong. COE would be worth speccing even if it took all 350 of your aa points. All of your other points combined don't even come close to COE in a raid setting. In heroic zones, maybe not worth *that* much, since mobs die much quicker and with less contributors, but you should still definitely spec it.
I have always been under the impression that when both a Brigand and a Swashbuckler are in the same raid, the debuff from CoE does not stack so still only gives 4% even if both rogues are using it. Both using it gives a better chance of the debuff being on the mob 100% of the time though. I use it on progression pulls but not in farm mode, Using it in heroics is just not currently necessary as stuff dies so quickly anyway.
