Spiral Knights - The Iron Slug vs Valiance and The Callahan vs Riftlocker

The Iron Slug vs Valiance and The Callahan vs Riftlocker

12 replies [Last post]

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 06:20

Snarby-Slasher

Hey guys here I am again not sure which gun to get ;)
I was planning to get the Super Blaster as I already got the recipe (mission reward) but saw that some guys had recommended the Magnus in the Forum.
I can easily get the Magnus for just 5000 CR but cannot waste a lot of crowns as I still need to upgrade my Dusker set and Owlite.
Please suggest the Blaster and Magnus routes to go with the Fireburst Brandish as I already have it.

PS- My Steam account is ScaryHarry4

Thanks in advance.

[Edit 1] Also, my friends are getting Acherons and I personally like the Freeze status. So which sword should I get next??? (I already have a spare Brandish). I also have to complete Rank 5-2 Sovereign Slime yet.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 07:22

Bopp

other thread

You already have a thread about planning your sword-gun loadout, focused on blasters. In the future, please just continue the same thread. For then your readers can see your whole train of thought in one place.

Because of how these guns are designed, you're actually making two completely independent choices: damage type and gun style.

In general I recommend non-normal damage types, because you can combine them to deal extra damage to monsters, without ever suffering the resistance penalties. However, for a one-sword-one-gun setup, you might consider normal instead of piercing, for two reasons. First, sworders like to use their sidearm guns against turrets, and 2/3 of turrets are resistant to piercing damage. Second, in general you might just like more flexibility in whether you use your sword or gun on a particular enemy, and normal damage gives you flexibility. (This is all covered in the sword guide that I linked for you in your other thread.)

As far as gun style is concerned, the blasters are oriented for regular attacks and the magnuses are oriented for charge attacks. Blaster regular attacks offer decent damage and constant knockback. Magnus charge attacks have to be set up carefully (shooting into the monster's face). But if you set them up well, they often one-shot-kill the monster. There's no doubt in my mind that magnuses are more fun.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 07:45

Fehzor

The blaster is going to be a lot better for you right now. You won't need to buff it or bring armor or think when using it, just aim at them and click while keeping your distance.

When you eventually get some combination of the perfect mask of Seerus, a level 105 battle sprite, trinkets, money for unique variants, the new gunner armor and chaos the argument will change very quickly in favor of magnus except for when you aren't using those perks.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 08:35

Bopp

quite so

Fehzor is right that blasters are easier, and that they require no thought. I consider that a drawback. Blasters are boring. Setting up magnus charges is fun. And magnuses are more powerful in the long run. But if you want survivability right now, then blasters are better for you.

As far as your other question is concerned: Combuster and Acheron are two of the most powerful swords in the game. So you should strongly consider getting Acheron. You seem to be considering Glacius as well? I advise against it, for two reasons. First, you are already working on Combuster, and the two are somewhat redundant. Second, freeze is not as useful as you think it is. For details, see my sword guide.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 09:06

Snarby-Slasher

@Bopp

Sorry bout the thread issue. I was being a bit careless. Now I'll go for the Blaster line.
Also, Bopp, can you recommend me a good shield? I usually use them against Gun Puppies, Howlitzers and Lumbers.I have an Owlite right now.I could probably use something with Freeze resist.
Thanks Again

Sspiralman

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 10:25

Fehzor

There isn't really a shield for those particular scenarios that you can craft immediately, but someday you might look at the elemental torto shield. Dread smelly shield is a good match in the meantime for ice and howlitzers however.

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 06:45

Bopp

agree

Heater Shield, Omegaward, Dread Skelly, Gorgomega are the four shields that protect against freeze. I'd go for Dread Skelly, because shadow and freeze happens to be a useful combination, and I don't like movement speed decrease.

But Barbarous Thorn Shield and Swiftstrike Buckler should be higher priorities in general.

Edit: Thanks, Setakat. Fixed now.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 20:46

Setakat

@Bopp

You have Omegaward twice. One of them is supposed to be Gorgomega

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 23:59

Snarby-Slasher

Thanks Everyone

Im not really sure about any of them, but speed reduction is BAD for me. So maybe I'll get the Bristling Buckler or the Skelly. Or I could just upgrade my Owlite :)

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 00:06

Halandin

I would suggest at least one

I would suggest at least one of each defense type (pierce, elemental, shadow) for shields. If you are going to use swords a lot, the Bristling Buckler line is really useful, and as you get more skilled you can use it on levels that it doesn't even match just for the sword bonus. It will also be useful for RJP (The Sovereign Slime) which is mostly pierce-dealing slimes. Then owlite will be useful for doing the Romulus Twins, which has LOADS of constructs and gun puppies and some gremlins all throwing elemental damage and shock status at you. When you get further into the missions, you will want to make a shadow shield for the fiend and undead levels. I would suggest making a shadow shield last of the 3.

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 01:23

#10

Snarby-Slasher

@Halandin

Ive already done Sovereign Slime solo with my Owlite. I agree it breaks too much. Besides, I can easily get the Bristling Buckler as I already have 7 Frumius Fangs.

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 08:50

#11

Smalltownguy

what defense?

Apparently there are lots of people who actually use a shield for defense, but I haven't been one of them. I find I seldom use it to block an attack, and then more for the bump effect than to absorb damage. Mostly I'm too busy running and dodging around to afford the loss of movement a shield would require. I tend to use mine (I only have a Swifty and a BTS) for shield-charging, bumping zombies out of my way, and of course its offensive bonuses.

I'm working on it, though. Shield-bumping is an awesome offensive tactic. I need to develop my skills at herding, crowd control, bumping enemies into vortexes, etc. Soccer, anyone?

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 23:21

#12

Halandin

Yes, shield bumping helps a

Yes, shield bumping helps a lot with keeping your health and shield health high. Of course, this is mostly for melee attacks. Bumping an enemy away with a quick tap on your shield doesn't cost your shield health like tanking it would, and doesn't slow you down as much. Taking the right type of shield for the level is still useful before you are able to dodge most strikes, and for "bullet hells", places in the clockworks or missions with lots of turrets. Also useful for tanking a hit while running up to something (like a fiend or turret) or for taking range or area of effect hits from Giant Lichen Colonies.

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The Iron Slug vs Valiance and The Callahan vs Riftlocker