Swiftstrike Buckler--worth it?
So, I'm trying to break into T3, and my success depends in large part on what kinds of monsters I'm fighting. I managed to solo all the way to the core in a demon/undead set, but I can't even get past the first level in a construct area.
One thing that's going on here: I play with Faust/Avenger, and while I love the weapons, they are soooo slooooow. Often if I've committed to using the second swing, something's going to counter since the recovery time is so long. I'm considering replacing my Tortoise Shell with a Swiftstrike Buckler to reduce this problem. (I don't have access to Vog gear yet; the moment I do I'm probably switching back to the shell.)
Before I spend energy crafting, I'd like some advice from those who've tried it. Is the attack speed boost noticeable on Faust/Avenger? Does the reduced defense/health of the shield mean it's going to snap in one hit? Would you recommend the shield, or is it a trap?
Attack Speed Boost High is great.
And yes, it's going to snap in one hit in mostly everywhere.
It's like a Proto Shield with 3 extra stars and attack speed boost slapped onto it.
Swifstrike is pretty useful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DJP3hepM-4
Just look at this guy. He simply demonstrates you don't need to block massive amounts of damage to be the best in the game.
I'd kill for that guy to teach me to play. :C
You mean the guy with the purple shield in that video, yeah? I'm sure that could be arranged :p
Talking about Swifstrike, dumdum. :u
It's not like you've got a copyright on snappy sarcastic forum responses. :I
Hm. I rely on my shield a lot. The problem is that the main thing I was hoping to get out of Swiftstrike was enough reduced recovery time to put my shield up after attacks. If said shield is too weak to actually defend me, well, I'm not getting much benefit out of it.
I'll probably make one at some point to experiment with it, but right now I think it'd be more productive to save up for some Vog Cub recipes. Still, thanks for the input.
So many things are easier to avoid than block...
Warrior Gremlins, Mech Knight charge attacks, Trojans...
Plus, I have juuust enough lag to make my reaction times too slow to actually catch fast things.
Of course, Fiends will roast my ass either way.
It isn't a thread necro if I just found the thread, right?

^still a necro, but it's only a week old. Not a big deal.
If you rely on your shield, Swiftstrike won't cut it in T3. If you think you can get away with having a paper bubble (gunners, bombers, Cutter users, etc.) then Swiftstrike might be something to think about.
>Does the reduced defense/health of the shield mean it's going to snap in one hit?
Pretty much, only use it if you're really good at dodging, really bad at shielding, or playing Tier 2.
Can't tell much else.