Spiral Knights - How do you use a Flourish??

How do you use a Flourish??

20 replies [Last post]

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 21:31

Schwalala

A month ago, Fiends were giving me the most painful experience in my life in this game, and I tried to do something about it by getting a Flourish. What happened, you might be asking? Well, not only did Fiends still kill me every time even on Tier 1, EVERYTHING ELSE started killing me too because it was IMPOSSIBLE TO HIT ANYTHING.

Seriously, that Flourish is insane, you can't even call it a sword! The first hit practically doesn't even have a hitbox to connect to enemies with, and the second hit not only has a WEIRD hitbox-- it's not a slash like I'm used to so and it comes out forward from the Knight instead of sideways, so I have to guess whether or not it'll hit the enemy at my range-- but when you slash with it, you can't even change direction mid combo! And then the third one launches the Knight across the screen like a cannonball when he strikes, which is pretty cool, except I constantly overshoot the target and whizz right by it, so that it's behind me now, and of course I take a hard one from behind and die morbidly.

I swear to God, guys, fighting with the Flourish is like trying to open a can of Clam Chowder with your fingers, while wearing winter gloves, instead of a can opener. That's why I'm so impossibly biased against Fiends and against all the elitist asshats who go on and on with "LERN 2 FIGHT FIENDS GET A FLOURISH U N00B". I've tried it, and it was nothing but a waste of precious Crystals.

Of course, since then, I've learned to fight Fiends with my Wild Hunting Blade. The elitist asshats were right about one thing: all's it takes is practice. :)

But because I believe in playing video games exclusively with full effort, I want to kill this demon in my past and master the Flourish once and for all, just for the sake of doing it, so that I don't have to close my eyes and see the Fiends and Flourish-users all laughing and mocking and making fun of me in my dreams every night anymore. I'm stronger than them, and I'll prove it to myself!

And... I want someone here to tell me how to do that, because I hate the Flourish and it sucks and oh god someone please help me. =w=

As a Flourish master yourself, you who is reading this tale of woe, how did you strive to successfully break in the Flourish to obey your arm and your will? I beseach thee, speak unto me thy forbidden secrets of the blade! Tell me what ominous roads I must face in order to defeat this thing! FOR GOD SAKES, MAKE ME LOVE YOU!!

...I'll give you some of this coffee if you do! :D
--Schwa

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 21:36

Somenubcake

do you have auto-target

do you have auto-target enabled or disabled?

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 21:44

Arctic-Fern

If it has the same attack as

If it has the same attack as Snarble Barb series... I can't see what your problem is, I never overshoot something as small as a butterfly*... but devilites, let's see... they move sideways real fast and hardly get "hit-stun" (not the status) by the first hit...

But our results might vary. Did you turn off auto-aim by any chance? I usually turn it off when I play my main (guns), but back on when my swordie alt (the one using snarble barb) is being used.

Also, I almost never use the third strike... or the last hit of any sword for that matter, unless the enemy is cornered. Considered shielding after the second hit then launching a new 2-hit string?

EDIT:
* - with the first two hits

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 21:57

Jigokunoinu

Legacy Username

Shield, get close to fiend,

Shield, get close to fiend, single swipe, shield. Rinse and repeat ...

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 22:06

Jigokunoinu

Legacy Username

Auto target is an option you

Auto target is an option you can toggle on and off in game. By default it is on. It is displayed as the shaft of light on a creature when you are aiming in its general direction.

Why so defensive? ;)

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 22:10

Arctic-Fern

Hey, I did say I use the

Hey, I did say I use the in-game auto-target. :D

Seriously, if you have it off as you say, then swordplay especially with a lunging weapon like Flourish or Snarble Barb becomes really hard.

When I switch characters and forget to change the options it can become quite aggravating especially if I don't have the time to change it (like in an arena).

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 22:24

Schwalala

Oh, THAT'S what that light shaft thing is

Hm! Weird, I was NEVER TOLD there was an Auto-Target. Sorry I exploded on you, I, um... do that a lot. x_x Lost many friends that way. Probably will lose many more to come.

I checked the Wiki, and there it is, sure enough. Auto-Target. Good lord, I'm Tier 3 for a month and this is the first I've heard about this? Why isn't there an in-game tip about this? @_@ Uggghhhh...

And the Wiki doesn't even tell me what Auto-Target does. The name ought to be self-explanatory, but it's not, for me, who needs everything spelled out black and white. If someone knows, I'd be grateful if they explained it, and please tell me too just how/why it will improve the Flourish's performance, but for now I'll log on (after cooking my pizza) and make sure I have it on. Like I said, you're the expert(s).

As for "why so defensive"... I'm told by people of the forums I need to stop being over dramatic and that I need to switch to decaf. :'( Please don't hate me...

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 22:49

Fradow

So well, some more

So well, some more informations :
- first, you shouldn't take a flourish but a snarble barb line : the basic attack pattern is exactly the same, but the charge attack is much more useful. But if you like flourish charge attack, of course stick with it.
- for devilities, really, what Jigokunoinu said, you should'nt even think about comboing them, except if it is the last one.
- you shouldn't be destroyed by "everything else". Of course, don't use any piercing sword on constructs and slimes, that's pointless. But piercing swords works wonder against beast, and can do the trick against most gremlin and undead too.
- the auto-target, as far as I understand it, will automatically target a monster near your pointer (you see you target a monster when there is this little yellow circle under him), and you will swing toward this direction. Even with that, 2nd and 3rd hit of the piercing sword are hard to aim.

Hopes this help

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 07:03

Wfawwer

Whenever I use the snarble

Whenever I use the snarble barb on devilites i end up flying around the level like a madman. The devilited can't hit me, I hit a devilite every 3-4 swings, but overall I survive. I'm also experimenting with a glacius barb combo, after I noticed that when I switched from glacius to barb that the tup of barb glows faint blue. A sign from the heavens indeed....
Either way, I walk into a pack of constructs and swing my glacius frantically, when I see the attack indicators I switch to the barb and just fly out of there.

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 08:57

TigerPoet

Legacy Username

hahaha

Hm! Weird, I was NEVER TOLD there was an Auto-Target. Sorry I exploded on you, I, um... do that a lot. x_x Lost many friends that way. Probably will lose many more to come.

Hmmm... I got it. You exploded on your flourish, you lost it as a friend and that's why you have this problem.

Now unbind it and sell it so you never have to see its sorry face again!!

Oh lol, I like this thread :))

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 11:06

#10

Jontlemen

Legacy Username

The first swing has a very

The first swing has a very large swipe.
You can quickly shield cancel for the first two swipes, abuse that.
Never use the third strike unless you are sure it will hit/not screw you over, it leaves you wide open.

Don't be such a spaz

Fri, 08/19/2011 - 11:31

#11

Somenubcake

the piercing sword lines are

the piercing sword lines are pretty quick and i don't find the third strike leave you open for too long. u have to practice with the sword to know when your combo will hit the target that you are aiming for. for example, when you are already facing ur target and slash him with the first slash, you probably can follow up and hit the remaining combo on the same target (though the 2nd hit has strange hitbox mechanics and may not hit the target)

Sat, 08/20/2011 - 03:00

#12

Weedle

Legacy Username

The first swipe has GREAT

The first swipe has GREAT range. Learn to shield cancel and spam the first swing.

It's also great for opening boxes. ;)

Tue, 08/23/2011 - 19:00

#13

Schwalala

OKAY

Oh hey guys! Guess what? I tried everyone's advice, and now I am a proud, capable wielder of a Daring Rigadoon, who can actually hit stuff with it! ♥

Most of the problems I was having before was because I never knew about "shield cancel" or that there was such a thing as NOT using all three strikes of any sword. In the past I was more used to just clicking the mouse buttons as fast as I could while steering towards enemies. Since then I have improved enough to be tactical with attacking and defending; it had just been so long since I used the Flourish line that I didn't realize there was a connection.

And OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING. The sword cleaves through Devilites like searing-hot Nutella. OwO Greavers too, though not as good as my "Damage vs Fiends High UV" Wild Hunting Blade. Still amazing though.

I do some things different though; I don't keep my attacks limited to 1 or 2 all the time, in fact I quite frequently use all 3 and am still able to avoid damage as long as other enemies aren't on my twelve or my six. Devilites for example, if you target one (oh also I finally see what the Auto-Target does and why it is so amazing) and rapidly strike three times, the first one will hit, the second will fall short and the third one will hit it and send it careening across the screen. Also, the Charge attack; it's usually VERY hard to use and you WILL get hurt if you use it and hurdle yourself into a fray, but on the other hand, the first blow delivers INSANE knockback AND guarantees the 2nd and 3rd hits will connect too, all for double damage (and the Rigadoon's effect is almost a guaranteed Stun). Spookats are hard to fight with this sword-- but the Charge attack is capable of one-shotting up to four Spookats at the same time if they're all bunched together and you connect with the Charge's first-hit lunge. :D

So, why the Rigadoon? Why not the Final Flourish or the Barabous Thorn? Well, simply that I love the "underdog" weapons, for the sake of being underdog weapons. And I have an Agni bomb to cause Fire status, so picked the Rigadoon over the Flamberge. That and the gold color is kinda like the Wild Hunting Blade, and I think gold goes really good with my dark-purple and neon-green Deadly Virulisk set. ^^

And lastly, @TigerPoet: I've pushed too many friends away in my life as a result of being afraid of people (and of myself). I work now to never do that again as long as I am able. I think it was the right decision to work through the arguments my sword and I were having with each-other, and become closer friends because of it. I apologized to my Rigadoon by putting forth effort into using her correctly, and she forgave me by tearing through the enemies I directed her towards instead of deciding to do her own thing and getting me killed. In that way, my sword and I have bonded tighter and become closer friends. :'3

I've named her Bailey. It suits her personality, as well as her endrunkening effect on our enemies. :D

Wed, 08/24/2011 - 00:30

#14

vagueabond

Legacy Username

Glad to hear you enjoy the

Glad to hear you enjoy the Flourish line. My Final Flourish is my most prized ingame possession - she's a beauty and has never let me down yet.

As to the third strike - if you've had the time to get used to the Flourish(or Rigadoon/Flamberge/Snarble Barb), you can generally tell when it's going to work out and when it's going to blow up in your face. Wolver groups are a great example. I'm going to strongly urge you to get it to 5* when you can, because the charge attack becomes incredibly worth it.

Wed, 08/24/2011 - 08:34

#15

Gamesrock22

Legacy Username

i roflstomp wovlers and

i roflstomp wovlers and gremlins with my dark thorn blade(4* snarby sword) and barely ever miss or stupidly leave myself open to get hit

lrn 2 shield

Wed, 08/24/2011 - 10:01

#16

Xels

Hello there,Personally i

Hello there,
Personally i also consider my Final Flourish my best weapon
I'll go ahead and probably make a breakdown of how the charge attack works here in a moment
Edit: ok here it is Charged Flourish Breakdown

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 04:28

#17

Schwalala

Update time.

Okay, update time.

A couple of days ago I upgraded to Daring Rigadoon, and guess what happened?

I randomly rolled a DOUBLE UV. "Attack Speed - Medium" and "Damage vs Fiends - Low".

This was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I tear through Tier 3 Devilites now. Spiral Knights officially proves there is a God.

Oh, and Bailey is now a Fearless Rigadoon. I love her. So much. ♥ ♥ ♥

One thing I did notice, though. Flourishes can't do a thing against most turrets, aside from tickling them. o_o When I go to Arenas now, I'm usually forced to bring either my Deadly Venom Striker or my Voltedge to cover some of Bailey's weaknesses. Can get tricky.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 14:04

#18

vagueabond

Legacy Username

Yeah, you should probably

Yeah, you should probably pair the flourish with an elemental weapon for constructs and slimes (or shadow if you mostly run JK), since you're probably only doing slightly more damage than you would with a thrown vase.

Sat, 08/27/2011 - 14:52

#19

OverDingle

Legacy Username

My favorite weapon

My favorite weapon combination is piercing sword(Snarb line), elemental gun (Polaris line). Undead and constructs (and all turrets) are really easy targets for guns(Just learn how to abuse mechaknights' shield, that's the only issue here), and you've now experienced how useful a piercing sword is for fiends and beasts. The setup doesn't leave any un-represented resistances - you can still use your sword for gremlins and still use your gun for slimes. Once you have extra weapon slots, you can gear up more specifically against anything you like - a shadow weapon to cover every weakness, an elemental sword for better DPS against mechaknights or lone constructs/undead, Levi for allround usefulness - whatever.

Sun, 08/28/2011 - 03:01

#20

Tipiak

What OverDingle said (add a

What OverDingle said (add a Shivermist as 3rd slot and you can do about any depth...).

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How do you use a Flourish??