Two guns, no swords
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 11:53
I'm definetly gunner runner player. I rarely draw a sword for purpose other then harvesting bushes. At the moment I'm able to solo up to terminal in T2 wearing Gunslinger Sash and equipped with Super Blaster and a Cutter. I'm sort of cautious player who usually move forward slowly but safely like a sniper rather then stormtrooper. When enemy gets too close I'd rather retreat then let myself engage in melee. I'm always going back to bring all unused health capsules with me when I'm about to stand on party button. I'm trying lure enemies into spaces that can be locked and shoot them over the wall whenever possible. I know my way is time consuming but that's the way I like it :-D
That's why some time ago I've started thinking about going into clockworks equipped with guns only. I was going to try play this way during preview but I hadn't make it before game have been closed. I have done some experiments with Master Blaster and Fiery Pepperbox but I've found the latter is a bit difficult to handle. It was great in "gunner" part but failed in "runner" part.
Anyone here has any expirience with "two guns, no swords" play? or maybe a gun and a bomb combo?
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 12:09
#2
I really hate the guns to be
I really hate the guns to be honest. In the preview I went in with 4 swords equipped: Leviathan Blade, Wild Hunting Blade, Gran Faust, Avenger
I guess it's really what you prefer. I like to get up close and personal with my enemy's! >:D
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 12:15
#3
Decent gun users have
Decent gun users have surprisingly good synergy in a team.
There are a few mobs which can be dealt with a lot faster with a gunner and a swordsman rather than two of the latter.
For instance, those T3 homing missiles in the deeper levels are quite challenging to approach and dispatch with melee alone when it's impossible to get to its blind spot, but they are made trivial when there is a gun-totting teammate able to keep its attention at a safe dodging distance while I can advance on it. In turn, with the enemies which are able to dodge bullets, a sword user can usually deal with them easily, providing the proverbial ying to the gunners' yang.
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 13:06
#4
I ran with 4 guns durring the
I ran with 4 guns durring the preview event: Shadow Driver, Magma Driver, Sentenza, and Argent peacemaker. currently I am only running with two guns: Shadow Driver and Firotech alchemer mk II.
I have no trouble with those two guns on any mobs. Devilites can give a little trouble, but if you wait for them to attack, or just shoot till u trap them in a corner, they go down rather fast. I know alot of ppl also have touble dealing with wolvers, but I have found an easy method to take them out. I only shoot at them once they start their attack (gain red aura around them) as I back away. Also when they goto howl or bark or whatever they do, u can get a couple free shots in on them without them dodgeing.
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 15:43
#5
Devilites - I hate those
@ Game0ver: I've learned how to take out wolvers some time ago and I'm doing it the same way you said (also you can shoot them when one falls and is trying to get up). Wolvers are easy to herd and keep at safe distance... but Devilites... these are different story. Sure you can keep them at the distance too but it won't help since they're still throwing stuff at you. I'm avoiding Fiendish Levels as much as possible.
@ TrapCardFool: Actually in most cases melee fighters tend to sweep enemies around a floor and make aiming a way more difficult and range combat much less efficient... but of course I like playing with team - even when my friends turn precise hit-and-run operation into total mayhem and havoc :-D
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 18:54
#6
I'm an OG. Original Gunslinger, ya'll.
There's not really a downside to this style of play, you can actually have an extremely well rounded loadout with just all guns.
For close range attacks, fights in tight spaces or against monsters who randomly dodge, an Autogun type weapon can replace your sword. It doesn't stop monsters from dodging, but at close range, theres no way they can get out of the way of your bullets. I'm not sure how the Volcanic Pepperbox is in it's current incarnation, but it should still be an excellent weapon for straight up ranged DPS. Since it deals Normal Damage it's equally effective on all monsters as well. You could use the Valiance for Normal Damage, but it's very plain. Using Normal Damage isn't recommended most of the time anyway, only as a last resort. The Volcanic Pepperbox makes a much better last resort weapon than the Valiance in all situations that would require it, anyway.
For elemental attacks, you have a lot of choice. The Firotech Alchemer, Voltech Alchemer, Cryotech Alchemer and Prismatech Alchemer all deal Elemental Damage amazingly well. While the Alchemers that deal a status effect can be less desirable during certain situations, like Oilers and Quicksilvers, the Prismatech Alchemer is neutral, in that it doesn't deal a status effect. This can also be a downside, as you're using one slot purely just to deal with two kinds of enemies (Constructs and Undead). I would recommend any of them, as Shadow damage is strong against Slimes and won't set any of their special effects off by accident.
The Shadowtech Alchemer is currently the only gun in the game that deals pure Shadow Damage. The Sentenza deals Shadow and Piercing damage, which makes it less effective against Slimes (but still effective on Gremlins), however because it is so fast and spammable, some people prefer it to having two Alchemers. Although I don't recommend it.
The last gun you'll need is the Callahan, which deals pure piercing damage and has an extraordinary range. Using it from long range means monsters won't dodge your charge attack bullet, this makes it very easy to take out Wolvers and Devilites. This gun's big brother, the Iron Slug, is also an excellent gun, however it deals normal damage instead of piercing. It explodes in an area of effect on hit, making it good for controlling monsters, but it also hits stationary monsters like Gun Puppies twice on a charge attack. They both stun, which slows monsters down considerably. The only real downside is that occasionally, the charge attack can stun you as well.
There is another possible set, though.
Mainly, swapping the Volcanic Pepperbox for a Blitz Needle and having the Iron Slug for normal damage instead.
Since the Blitz Needle counters Wolver and Devilite dodging quite expertly, you can use it purely to wipe them out on sight.
Keeping the Iron Slug to execute monsters from outside of their range of attack.
Either way, it's still relatively balanced.
So the best loadout for all Guns currently is:
- Volcanic Pepperbox: Normal Damage, High DPS weapon. Chance to inflict Fire.
- Hail Driver: Elemental Damage. Crowd Control, monster abilities can't accidentally triggered by the Freeze Status.
- Umbra Driver: Only gun in the game that deals pure Shadow Damage.
- Callahan: Deals the highest Piercing Damage out of all Handguns. Extreme long range attack. Chance to stun monsters.
It gives a good balance. All monster types are covered. You get three status effects, Fire, Freeze and Stun. Every range of attack is covered, from Short to Extreme Long range. There aren't any compromises, bar the chance for stun from the Callahan. But Stun is by far the least troublesome status, since you can still block while stunned and you can cure it with a Remedy pill.
Personally, I would use:
- Iron Slug
- Blitz Needle
- Sentenza
- Storm Driver
If I were to play using all guns.
Just because those weapons all look awesome and still do an excellent job of annihilating everything in your way.
It's by no means an ideal set, but if I'm going to be playing for weeks to get weapons, I want them to at least be as cool as I am.
If I had to use only two guns...
I'd use the Sentenza and Hail Driver.
Sentenza for spamming down health and the Hail Driver for crowd control.
Your armour doesn't really matter. Guns are fairly slow, so just using a Swiftstrike Buckler with some Gun Charge Time Reduction armour or Increased Gun Damage armour will do wonders. Trinkets are even better. If you want a shield that offers better defense, you won't suffer for not having high attack speed, though.
That's my enormous post on the matter.
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 18:38
#7
shoebox you are a fantastic
shoebox you are a fantastic poster
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 14:52
#8
Thanks for thorough guide
Thanks Shoebox for thorough guide. Lots of useful tips.
As irregular player I don't think I will be buying extra weapon slots - unless they will be changed into login days instead of calendar days.
Sentenza and Hail Driver combo sounds interesting but I'm not sure how efficient it would be against Undead or Devilites (?). I'm used to Master Blaster and its normal damage but maybe it's time to change one's way.
EDIT:
Two more question regarding guns.
1. I have expirience only with Blasters and Autoguns so I know you can't shoot on the run with the latter. But what about other guns? For example is it possible to shoot with Magnus while running?
2. Does Magnus and Mega Magnus also has extraordinary range? Or I will have to wait until I upgrade them to Callahan to get an extra range?
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 17:52
#9
The extra slots aren't necessary, they're just handy.
Well for the Sentenza/Hail Driver combo, you get all three types of damage in two slots.
You get Shadow/Piercing with the Sentenza and Elemental with the Hail Driver.
So since Shadow is strong against Slimes and Gremlins, Weak against Undead and Fiends and Neutral to Beasts and Constructs, but Piercing is Strong against Beasts and Fiends, Weak against Slimes and Constructs and Neutral to Undead and Gremlins, you can assume that the Sentenza will be:
Neutral against: Slimes and Fiends
Strong against: Gremlins and Beasts
Weak against: Constructs and Undead
So with Elemental, being Strong against Constructs and Undead, all of your bases are covered, with Neutral Damage given to all six types of monsters with both weapons. You're also effective to four types of monsters, dealing neutral damage to only two types.
If you want to educate yourself on damage types, there is a nice chart for you here that illustrates monster types Weaknesses and Resistances.
It's also found in game, via the '?' in the upper left corner of the User Interface.
As for your other questions:
- The Magnus will hold you still while firing like the Autogun, however it is only for a fraction of a second. It's charge attack will stop you for about as long as a normal Autogun attack, but because of it's fairly long range it won't be a problem, since that's where you will be using it the most. Alchemers are just a little slower than Blasters when you fire while moving and their charge-up time is longer. But people mainly use them for spamming normal attacks rather than their charge attacks. The Antigua Series of guns is very fast and has lots of bullets, there's not really a downside to using them. Specifically the Sentenza.
- The Magnus and Mega Magnus range is only slightly less than the Callahan/Iron Slug's range. Not enough to really stress about, maybe 1~1.5 tiles difference from Magnus to Callahan. It's still worth having just for the piercing damage
Thu, 04/07/2011 - 10:25
#10
Thanks again
Thanks for additional info Shoebox - it seems I will have to spend more on guns than I was going to. There are at least three guns I really would like to test and decide if they suit me (Hail Driver/Sentenza/Callahan).
Thu, 04/07/2011 - 18:18
#11
Two Gunners & Solo
Two gunners can effectively lock a target in place Ghostbusters style by cornering smarter prey like wovers and goblins against a wall or object. Yes, crossing the firing stream is ok. Additionally, duo or party gunners can stun lock while the another uses more higher damage artillery to take down the prey faster. When doing solo gunning, I draw the prey to a part of the floor where I can use terrain and objects, including dropped objects to lock the prey into position.
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 01:00
#12
I'm getting a Callahan
I'm getting a Callahan aswell, I have an Iron Slug and Swiftstriker Buckler already aswell as Justifier Hat.
Justifier Coat + Swiftstrike Buckler. Callahan, Iron Slug, Argen Peacemaker or Hail Driver and Umbra Driver... This is what I'm aiming at.
Although right now I'm doing melee since it's the most efficient way to farm, timewise.
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 01:08
#13
pvp?
Being a gunner player myself, I have a question. Will guns be effective in pvp?
The problem with guns I've found is that a lot of monsters will dodge pretty much every shot. Also, they seem to do much less damage than swords.