I finally got the third kind of sprite – a Seraphynx, which I named Nyan-Chan (a Japanese name, ofc). I look forward to its invulnerability phase.
But I was wondering, are there certain Adventures where one Sprite is better than the other two? Which Sprite do you use on which Adventures and why?
Seraphynx: I like using it for Dreams and Nightmares; its 2nd and 3rd abilities really help, particularly the 2nd one, in surviving the mission. Popping a Heart Attack at the beginning of every wave in D/N makes deathless runs a very common occurrence. The debuff ray is also nice for Vanaduke's mask, although I like the Maskeraith's quills more.
Drakon: While I don't use this guy too much, there's quite a bit of utility to this offensively-based sprite that I think a lot of people enjoy. I use the backfire barrier to speed-run through Sewer Stash, and the stunning fireball is a much safer source of stunning than the shield bash (though it's not 100% reliable). The team buff for the final ability is also really powerful, and it shines best when a party can use the few seconds of damage increase to the fullest, like having a vortex bomb to set up.
Maskeraith: This sprite is my favorite of the bunch. The quills, even at an early level, do an absurd amount of damage, and the damage buff from cloaking makes the Maskeraith even better with flash-charging. I use either of these two skills for Vanaduke's mask, instead of the Seraphynx, just because of the higher damage numbers they call give. I use a flash-charge in solo, since it's a reliable way to take down the mask in one go, but in parties I can use the quills since I typically water, and the quills I throw out can be used to their fullest due to others releasing their own charges at the same time.
I think the Seraphynx is better for teamplay, due to the nature of its skills, but in solo I find that the cloak is a much better defensive skill that the Angelic Aura. Positioning, shield-bumping, shield-bashing, and barriers can all be used while invisible, and the 15 second time in hiding lets you potentially do all of that to overkill an enemy. I can particularly remember stealthing after completing an arena in Heart of Ice where 6 Howlitzer skulls coming flying at you, and the cloak can help in losing aggro on turrets (if you look up Rynth's Grinchlin Assault video, he does this in the final room to not deal with the respawning rocket puppies).
Maskeraith -> You want to disappear and leave your party to fend for themselves and then emerge to kill everything with an OP damage boost.
Seraphinx -> You want to be run over spikes and leave your party behind.
Drakon -> You want to run very fast and leave your party behind.
It all really depends on which skills you prioritize. My playstyle centers around the sprite primary skills, meaning drakon suits me best. Seraphynx is a close second with maskeraith trailing in in last.
In my experience, here's how each playstyle works for me:
DRAKON
Useful for either engaging an enemy, or while retreating from an enemy. Skills should be popped while repositioning... Unless it's backfire barrier. That's for moving faster through a level.
SERAPHYNX
Useful for keeping you and your team alive. The heart attack is the most useful when your team is of a lower skill level, and the emergency shield bubble is always nice, granted I mostly use it for walking over spikes. The laser is helpful for turrets or doing a run-by of slower enemies since they "flinch" while being hit by it.
MASKERAITH
Useful for AoE and sudden burst damage. The poison is nice but my playstyle revolves around using my weapons and sprites in vastly different ways, meaning using my poison skill usually lowers my damage output. Masky is mostly about powerful flash charges or moments when I realize chaotic haze would be nice.
... While maskeraith does deal the most damage overall, typically when I use a sprite ability I'm not sticking around where my sprite is attacking long enough to take advantage of the quills. I find my focus is often shifted from what I naturally do, and often I'll go chasing after targets with quills in them when in the same amount of time I could have downed several other enemies without quills in them.
Seraphynx- Become a tank regardless of the fact that I'm using "glass cannon armor"
Maskeraith- Amplify my damage, get incredible positioning, or stall
Drakon- Look cool with charizard
@Sir-Pandabear
very funny ill use that on my sprite ty so much
I grabbed the drakon when sprites first came out, i mean come on, fire breathing dragon, im an aggressive sword player, figured it would be perfect. And while it wasn't bad, the Seraphynx I got later is way better, It compliments my aggressive play-style well. The de-buff is nice for the big guys, the hearts for when im running low, and the invulnerability is great in a pinch.
Drakon - Started with this one because I like Dragos. I don't use him much anymore except when doing Dreams and Nightmares for the short bursts of speed.
Maskeraith - I think Mask is better for damage with the 3rd ability. I find the Drakon 3rd ability to be too unreliable with it not firing all three circles of flames (sometimes they don't spawn at all if enemies are too grouped up at the point of cast). At this point I just use Mask during Apocrea to avoid the Harvester
Seraphynx - The last sprite I got, but it's certainly my most used. That's because I like using it just to walk over traps and save some time.
Sometimes with Drakon's speed boost you can run over spikes and other dangers without being damaged, not entirely sure what technical stuff is behind this though. I've done it a large number of times, and died another number of times from doing it for fun.
...I never use my Drakon's first ability, maybe I shouldn't have upgraded to the stun one but I don't know if I'd use it at all regardless. Speed and Damage seems more useful anyways.
"Sometimes with Drakon's speed boost you can run over spikes and other dangers without being damaged, not entirely sure what technical stuff is behind this though."
Traps/hazards work on a "tick" system. If you are on top of the hazard when it has an active tick, you will take damage. However if for some reason you are to move over the hazard so fast that you do it between ticks, it won't hurt you.
Typically it's best to assume you will take damage, but if you have enough health to risk it you can go for it. I've managed to simply walk over active traps with MSI: VH + a speed orb alone and been a very confused knight afterwards.
Each battle sprite suits a different kind of playstile, I find.
The Drakon suits an offensive playstile, with its skills boosting attack speed and doing loads of damage. I personally dont have a drakon, but from party experience, it can be helpful in smashing enemies to flaming bits.
The Maskeraith is a offensive and defensive sprite. Its quills encourage attacking due to the poison, its cloak can be used defensively and its uncloak damage boosts player damage quite a bit. Its final skill is offensive in terms of crowd control.
The Seraphynx is my personal favorite, as I am usually providing heals for my party with its second ability. Its first ability, in its final form is useful for debuffing enemies, and especially vana's mask. The Sera's second skill is a super supportive ability that makes monsters drop hearts on death. This can be helpful on both solo and group runs. The Sera's third skill is super fun to mess around with. The brief invincibility you gain, along with either charge time or whatever is super fun. I love to run over spikes, through flames and generally taunt enemies while im invincible.
Of the three, I have a maxed Sera, a level 45 maskeraith and no drakon. (I find it hard for a player who'se only been playing for 9 months to gain enough minerals to level so many sprites up)
Anyway, those are my two cents!
-Witelite