Spiral Knights - Help My Loadout!

Help My Loadout!

10 replies [Last post]

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 10:03

Winter-Rising

Heyo,
I'm relatively new to the game (currently at 4-2), and have been researching all the different paths to go down in this game. I've narrowed my scope down to a gunner or gunner-swordsman gameplay style. From there, however, I'm at a loss, and the internet doesn't appear to hold the help I need. Please drop any suggestions about weapons, combos, loadouts, etc I should be using. Basically, any opinions on what to chose/where to go equipment wise in this game would be appreciated.

Current projected loadouts (These are just pauper loadouts, suggestions on better endgame ones would help. :D)

- Brandish (Acheron/Combuster) or BTB + Pulsar
- Same Pulsar + Blaster (Valiance/Riftlocker)
- Same Blaster + Magnus (Winter Grave)

As for the armor and shields, I’m more unsure. One friend was suggesting the Nameless/Justifier set, another the Shadowsun, yet another the Padded Armor branches, specifically Sacred Grizzly for the freeze. They all look pretty awesome to me, but I don’t really have an idea of which should be the first I invest in. Shield-wise, BTS, Ironmight, and Heater all looked interesting, but I don’t know which to choose, or if Swiftstrike Buckler is best choice .

Again, any and all suggestions would help! Thanks! :D

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 11:05

Traevelliath

I'm personally a fan of Shadowsun for gunslingers, mainly for the style points. You can get a Swiftstrike Buckler for the attack speed if need be. If you're going to use the new gunner armors, I'd suggest either Firefly or Falcon. Fire is the most common status in Firestorm Citadel, which will be your main source of crowns late-game. However, the most dangerous status of the game is probably Shock. Yes, Falcon will leave you vulnerable to freeze, but if you have an ally who is vaguely awake, he can fling a pea in your general direction to break you out of freeze. Now the best hybrid armors are the Chaos Set and the Black Kat set(s). However, both are a bit difficult to use, and should only be attempted with confidence.

As for shields, most people will suggest the Swiftstrike Buckler for pure gunners. Gunners tend to play safer than normal swordsmen, so they can get away with fewer defenses. If you're going sword-gun hybrid, then Barbarous Thorn Shield will be one of your best friends. If you're looking for shields for the sake of defense alone, Grey Owlite, and Crest of Almire will take you far. Dread Skelly and any of the Plate Shields will also serve you well.

Now for weapon choices!

If you're going to be a dedicated gunner, you MUST at least try Alchemers. They're one of the best damage guns of the entire game. They take some getting used to, but if mastered, very few weapons will be able to compete. Most Alchemers will be rather underwhelming until 4* though, so you'll have to stick with them for a while. If you're not going to go with Alchemers, then Autoguns are the other big ones you should look into. The Blitz Needle and Grim Repeater are two of the best DPS weapons of the game. The new Magnus charge shot also puts them on the map. If you want a straightforward gun to use, then I'd recommend the Iron Slug, Callahan, and/or Winter Grave.

Blasters aren't necessarily useless, but they're not the best for raw damage. You don't want to rely on them as your sole source of DPS. They're fine for Swordsmen or Sword/gun hybrid builds who can rely on swords for their primary source of damage. Same goes for Antiguas.

Pulsars are more utility weapons than DPS weapons. Please PLEASE PLEASE do not use it as your DPS weapon because it will piss off everyone in your party, and give kittens cancer. Use it for crowd control, and/or for stun-locking Gun Puppy Equivalents to death.

Final note, if you're going to go hybrid sword/gun build, then I'd HIGHLY recommend a third weapon slot. It will help you a LOT.

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 11:12

Bopp

obligatory

For guns, have you read the Gunslinger Guide on the wiki? It's not great, but it covers the basics so that you can ask more specific questions. And for a hybrid sworder-gunner play style, consider reading my detailed sword guide. It covers swords, sidearm guns and bombs, armor, shields, etc.

A key concept is damage type. You almost never want to be carrying just elemental weapons, for example. That's what's wrong with a Combuster + Polaris loadout (except in a place like Firestorm Citadel, where all-elemental is okay). Now about your proposed weapons:

* All brandishes are powerful and easy to use. Good weapons for novices and experts alike (although experts like to try other things).

* Final Flourish/Barbarous Thorn Blade are also great, especially since fiends are the nastiest monster family. The first stroke is wide and very useful.

* Pulsars are really crowd-control weapons, not damage weapons. They are helpful when used well, but they can annoy your teammates when used poorly.

* Blasters are reliable but unexciting weapons. If they were ice cream, they would be a good-but-not-amazing vanilla.

* Magnuses are pretty powerful since the gunner update, especially in their charge attacks. Winter Grave is my least favorite, because the freeze seems to stop a lot of the charge damage. (Skepticraven disagrees with me on this.) Consider Iron Slug instead.

Other weapons that you should seriously consider are autoguns (particularly Blitz Needle) and alchemers (particularly Nova/Storm and Umbra).

For armor, you should seriously consider Chaos, although its status penalties are brutal. For gunner armor, the key pieces are Perfect Mask of Seerus, Shadowsun, and Pathfinder/Sentinel/Shade lines. If you want to play hybrid gunner-sworder, then throw a piece of sworder armor in there. See my guide.

Swiftstrike Buckler is great for offense. (So is BTS, if you use swords.) If you need a more defensive shield, then popular choices include Grey Owlite, Dread Skelly, Crest of Almire, Volcanic Plate, etc. Focus on status rather than damage.

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 12:16

Winter-Rising

@Traevelliath

Thanks for the prompt reply!
I'm personally a fan of Shadowsun...Swiftstrike Buckler for the attack speed...to break you out of freeze...both are a bit difficult to use, and should only be attempted with confidence
So from what you've suggested here, I'm guessing that gunners/hybrids benefit most from raw dmg boosts rather than ASI? Which means that until the Kataclysmic event comes around again, my best bets for solo are Shadowsun and Chaos, correct? And by the sounds of it, Falcon seems to trump Firefly due to it's shock resist, but sounds as if I'll need to find a team/kite around more to dodge the frost. (I take it I can go heater or volcanic shield to counteract the lack of flame defense Firefly would provide)

As for shields...
I see your points here. I'm not taking much damage yet in levels, (however, I'm at 4-2 and still solo on normal difficulty; should I up my difficulty?) but I guess that might change, which would suggest an Owlite is in order?

MUST at least try Alchemers...two of the best DPS weapons of the game...straightforward gun to use...Blasters aren't necessarily useless...give kittens cancer
I was under the impression that the Alchemers were used for their charge shots against gun puppies... looks like I was misinformed. The trick shots require auto-aim off though, correct? As for the Autoguns, are they viable outside of FCS? I was told that I should buy Blitz just for Vanaduke farming. Blaster wise, I was just going Valiance for a cheap pauper weapon to pair with my sword until I acquired something better. And for the 'kitten cancer weapon', it sounds as if they're more solo weapons? I'll reconsider my usage of them. Also, is the additional weapon slot viable for an F2P person?

Thanks again for the in-depth analyzation! :D

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 12:40

Bopp

responding to those questions too

So from what you've suggested here, I'm guessing that gunners/hybrids benefit most from raw dmg boosts rather than ASI?

ASI can be achieved through Swiftstrike Buckler and weapon UVs. Blanket damage bonus against all enemies (including Vanaduke and opponents in PvP) cannot be achieved through UVs. This is what makes armors such as Shadowsun and Skolver so strong.

Which means that until the Kataclysmic event comes around again...

You should certainly get the 3-star Black Kat helmet. It's about as good as any Black Kat piece, but dramatically easier to get than any of the others.

I was under the impression that the Alchemers were used for their charge shots against gun puppies... looks like I was misinformed.

You were misinformed. Alchemer charge shots are used to kill just about everything. They're hard to use against fast enemies that are distracted by your teammates, however. Alchemer regular shots are also strong. All of this hinges on landing the ricochets, however.

The trick shots require auto-aim off though, correct?

Yes, definitely turn off auto-target with alchemers. (Actually this helps with many weapons.)

As for the Autoguns, are they viable outside of FCS? I was told that I should buy Blitz just for Vanaduke farming.

Yes, you can use autoguns in many places. Also, you don't need one for Vanaduke. They're just especially popular for Vanaduke, because of the Shivermist Buster tactic. (If you're freezing Vanaduke, then you don't want teammates breaking the freeze with many small attacks. You want them to break freeze occasionally, with massive charge attacks. That's Blitz' specialty.)

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 13:29

Winter-Rising

@Bopp's critique

I’m honored by your presence, oh mighty Bopp. :P

Gunslinger Guide…my detailed sword guide
I’ve read both; your guide convinced me to go hybrid in addition to pure gunner. The gunner guide was how I came up with the general loadout ideas; the specifics I wanted gun wise weren’t there though.

never want to be carrying just elemental weapons
I see what you mean. Going BTB with Polaris or Combuster with Glacius would be better from what you’re saying?

*Brandishes/fluorishes: Points taken.

*Pulsar: From what Traevelliath said, these are more solo weapons? I was told to use it for control, then to go in and smack them with a sword, which mirrors what you were saying.

*Blaster/Magnus/Others: I’m just using blaster as a place holder since Valiance’s recipes are free. Magnus wise, I like the look of the gameplay a lot; fun times in store. However, I thought that the Iron Slug was underpowered until the Gunner Update, but can’t find anything about it’s current state of affairs. I like the look of blitz, but my friend told me that it was used mostly for FCS? Alchemers wise, Auto-aim needs to be off, right? I don’t know how I would manage without that crutch.

*Armor/Shield: The enthusiasm I see for Chaos has really peaked my interests! Shadowsun also looks viable, but which Padded Armor line would you suggest? Also, thanks for the status tip on the shields; hadn’t been aware that that was more important than the damage defense.

Again, thanks for all the great advice.

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 13:52

Winter-Rising

Bopp's reply

Oh, gosh, didn’t expect such a rapid fire response! Joyful times. :)

Blanket damage bonus against all enemies cannot be achieved through UVs.
I see what you’re getting at. ASI is more common, therefore the DMG armors are more useful. Great to know.

You should certainly get the 3-star Black Kat helmet.
I was intending on doing so once the event returns, but I’ve got a few questions. The wiki says that the 4-star Black Kat Mask has no abilities, while the 4-star Black Kat Mail does. Is this poor wiki management, or does the helm actually do nothing? Secondly, is there a point going for the weapon-specific cat suits in light of the Padded Armor line? (Kat offers medium ASI and damage, Padded offers medium ASI, damage, and CTR)

Yes, definitely turn off auto-target with alchemers. (Actually this helps with many weapons.)
So Alchemers do heaps of damage either way, but only if ricochets are mastered. To clarify, ricochet shots consist of bouncing the shots off enemies into other enemies, or around-the-corner sniping? Either way, I take it that practice is the only way to get away from auto aim?

Yes, you can use autoguns in many places.
So the raw damage and DPS of it outweighs the immobilization you face when using it? I guess that it’s a must-have on the gunner list then.
Thanks!

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 13:52

Bopp

response

Going BTB with Polaris or Combuster with Glacius would be better from what you’re saying?

BTB with Polaris would be fine. Combuster with Glacius would be terrible. Maybe you have a typo in there? Combuster with Acheron is overpoweringly strong.

Pulsar: From what Traevelliath said, these are more solo weapons? I was told to use it for control, then to go in and smack them with a sword, which mirrors what you were saying.

That plan is fine. You just have to use pulsars sparingly, and only for good purposes, such as suppressing distant enemies with ranged attacks, or shaping a crowd. You should not just spam the shots everywhere. Of course, if you're solo, then there's no one to get annoyed. So they're easily recommended to solo players.

I thought that the Iron Slug was underpowered until the Gunner Update, but can’t find anything about it’s current state of affairs. I like the look of blitz, but my friend told me that it was used mostly for FCS? Alchemers wise, Auto-aim needs to be off, right? I don’t know how I would manage without that crutch.

Iron Slug and Callahan charges are now extremely strong. Winter Grave charges are hard/impossible to get as much damage out of, due to freeze. There were a lot of threads about this immediately after the gunner update (which was 2014-12-03). So you could search Google for threads in that time period, if you wanted to read more. Your questions about Blitz and alchemers are addressed in my post #4 above.

which Padded Armor line would you suggest?

This depends on your other armor. I recommended Pathfinder, Sentinel, or Shade above. Shade is nice, because shadow monsters are pretty nasty. You're going to want some fire protection for Firestorm Citadel, because that is a popular farming locale. So Firefly is the obvious status variant. But if you already have fire protection from other armors, then consider getting the shock or freeze Padded instead.

You're welcome for advice. Have fun.

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 14:01

Bopp

The wiki says that the 4-star Black Kat Mask has no abilities, while the 4-star Black Kat Mail does. Is this poor wiki management, or does the helm actually do nothing?

I don't have it, but that must be an error in the wiki. There are none on the Auction House right now. Um, check carefully before spending your Ancient Pages on it...:)

Secondly, is there a point going for the weapon-specific cat suits in light of the Padded Armor line?

Not really. They're not terrible, but they're not better than Padded. You could consider the helmets, but definitely don't get the suits, which cost dramatically more.

To clarify, ricochet shots consist of bouncing the shots off enemies into other enemies, or around-the-corner sniping?

Actually, no. They consist of bouncing shots off an enemy into that same enemy. Here is one of many mini-tutorials that I've posted over the years.

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 14:50

Winter-Rising

Thanks!

I had meant to say Permafroster, but it's immaterial.

Just wanted to say thank you so much for the advice you given me! I was very happy to have such fast and intelligent responses (and to talk to someone who actually capitalizes things). You've given me a lot to think about, and a definite head-start on my endgame loadouts.

Thanks again! :D

Sun, 03/08/2015 - 17:38

#10

Bopp

you're quite welcome

You're quite welcome. What a nice fellow or lady.

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