Spiral Knights - The Swordmaster Guide

The Swordmaster Guide

10 replies [Last post]

Wed, 04/11/2012 - 23:43

Darkzerefs-Alt

Note: This account that I am currently using does NOT belong to me, it is actually one of my friend's accounts that he let me use (as my computer is broken), so if you see me in proto equipment in the game, just remember that it isn't me. Anyways, I have been playing Spiral Knights for around a year now, and I consider myself an experienced player. Please comment below if you think there should be changes made to the guide.

Everybody, whether you're a swordmaster, gunslinger or bomber, should know the type of damage and weaknesses that every single monster family has. If you don't, then here it is:

Slime Family
Damage Type: Piercing
Weakness: Shadow

Beast Family
Damage Type: Piercing
Weakness: Piercing

Gremlin Family
Damage Type: Elemental
Weakness: Shadow

Construct Family
Damage Type: Elemental
Weakness: Elemental

Fiend Family
Damage Type: Shadow
Weakness: Piercing

Undead Family
Damage Type: Shadow
Weakness: Elemental

As you can see, it is better to prepare for all of these monster types, rather than just one or two. So it is best to have three swords of every damage type (piercing, elemental and shadow), and three sets of armor, helmet and shield protecting you against every damage type. (Note: As none of the monster families are weak to normal damage, I strongly suggest avoiding swords that deal normal damage, e.g Calibur. On the other hand, if you want a gun/bomb as a sidearm, I'd suggest getting ones that do deal normal damage, since they can be used in almost every situation - which is something you want if they are not your primary weapon.)

Weapons
Swords
For a sword that deals shadow damage (good against the slime and gremlin family) the best choice would either be the Gran Faust (if you like heavy, two-hit swords) or the Acheron (if you like 3-hit swords). Here are their alchemy paths:

Sealed Sword - Faust - Gran Faust
Brandish - Nightblade - Silent Nightblade - Acheron

For a sword that deals piercing damage ( good against the beast and fiend family) the best choice would either be the Final Flourish or the Barbarous Thorn Blade. At the start of their alchemy paths, which is the Flourish and the Snarble Barb, I believe the Flourish is cheaper and easier to get. But if you like the look/power of the Barbarous Thorn Blade more, then go for it! Alchemy paths:

Flourish - Swift Flourish - Grand Flourish - Final Flourish
Snarble Barb - Twisted Snarble Barb - Dark Thorn Blade - Barbarous Thorn Blade

For a sword that deals elemental damage, there are a couple of good choices. The Combuster, Glacius and Voltedge are a popular choice, and well-deserved of that popularity. The Divine Avenger is good if you like heavy, two-hit swords and last but not least, the Warmaster Rocket Hammer. Believe it or not, the Warmaster Rocket Hammer is actually the best choice in this lot but to be able to get it, you'll have to complete the tier 3 version of the expansion mission Operation Crimson Hammer, which costs real money. Alchemy paths:

Brandish - Fireburst/Iceburst/Shockburst Brandish - Blaze/Blizz/Bolt brand - Combuster/Glacius/Voltedge
Sealed Sword - Avenger - Divine Avenger
(Note: the Warmaster Rocket Hammer does have an alchemy path, but it's not craftable, as it can only be obtained by completing the expansion mission Operation Crimson Hammer)
Prototype Rocket Hammer - Stable Rocket Hammer - Warmaster Rocket Hammer

Guns/Bombs
As explained above, it is best to get a gun/bomb that deals normal damage, as they can be used in almost every situation. The best gun that deals normal damage would either be the Neutralizer (if you like slow-firing guns) or the Iron Slug. Here are their alchemy paths:

Catalyzer - Industrial Catalyzer - Volatile Catalyzer - Neutralizer
Magnus - Mega Magnus - Iron Slug

The best bomb that deals normal damage would either be the Nitronome (which has more speed) or the Big Angry Bomb (which has more power). In my opinion, I would choose the Nitronome because it isn't that much less powerful than the Big Angry Bomb but has significantly more speed. Alchemy paths:

Blast Bomb - Super Blast Bomb - Master Blast Bomb - Nitronome/Big Angry Bomb

As said above, please comment if you think that there should be changes made to this guide. And by the way, I've only posted half of this guide - I still haven't said anything about armors, helmets and shields yet - so would everyone like me to post the rest?

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 03:10

Metagenic

The Nitronome is an excellent weapon, but the guns you suggested really aren't great.

Neutralizer is for zombies (Biohazard outperforms it on nearly everything else) and Iron Slug is for slimes and constructs (which you really shouldn't even be using a Magnus on in the first place).

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 04:25

Darkzerefs-Alt

???

Neutralizer is NOT just for zombies, Biohazard is only good for the Slime and Gremlin families and Iron Slug is NOT just for the Slime and Construct families. Both the Neutralizer and Iron Slug are guns that deal normal damage.

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 04:47

Shue-Donnym

wuh

General consensus is that BAB is inferior by a ridiculous margin when compared to Nitro. It charges slower, you move slower, and the blast radius...it's like you have this four star bomb, the Master Blast bomb, and you take it and turn it into a bomb with the radius of a three star bomb. It's pitiful.

Also neutralizer is pretty much best usable on zombies; the other enemies Biohazard sucks at are either too fast to shoot(devilites, greavers, kats) or better attacked with more power(trojans, howlitzers) and Biohazard's poison outperforms the meager extra damage of the Neut on neutral enemies.

Iron slug...is a horrid gun ATM. It's confirmed to be due for a buff, but we don't know what that buff will be yet... And Slug really feels like it's just for slime and construct families, the Callahan can stun on normal hits while Slug can't, therefore outperforming it on neutral enemies, and that basically results in the second weapon slot being used for something that can deal better damage to Slimes and bots.
Slug's fun if you turn off damage numbers though.

Also, the community seems to agree that the two weapon slots are better used for special damage weapons to maximize damage output on four monster families and net a neutral on the other two.

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 04:57

Metagenic

rule of guns: special vs normal damage

With guns, the alternate normal version of a specialized gun is there to do what its specialized counterpart cannot do. Examples:

Polaris vs Supernova: Polaris for a mix of damage and knockback, Supernova for usability against everything and more predictable knockback

Blitz Needle vs Volcanic Pepperbox: Blitz Needle for fiends, beasts, gremlins, and undead, Volcanic Pepperbox for slimes and constructs (which Blitz sucks against)

Biohazard vs Neutralizer: Biohazard for slimes, constructs, gremlins, beasts, Neutralizer for undead and fiends (Zombies are the only things out of these 2 families that can be reliably tagged though)

Callahan vs Iron Slug: same reasoning as Blitz Needle and Volcanic Pepperbox

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 05:03

Shue-Donnym

Also

It's labeled swordmaster guide yet you talk about guns and boms...

maybe we should label it...iunno, Equipment guide?

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 05:05

Metagenic

guns and bombs

I'm pretty sure we're just discussing sidearms for swordsmen.

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 05:40

Bopp

Have you seen my sword guide? Goodness knows I mention it frequently enough here. It's basically a more detailed version of the sword part of your guide, organized around damage type, just like your guide.

Of course, there's also the semi-official Swordmaster Guide. There's nothing stopping you from making your own guide, but maybe you should try to differentiate it more from these two.

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 07:04

Trying

I am like 99% sure he has not used the Neutralizer, iron slug, or blast bombs

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 08:09

Fradow

While I compliment you for

While I compliment you for taking the time to try to help, your guide is not that great, and you should check out Bopp guide, which is everything a beginner (and even advanced) swordsman need to know about.

- first, a swordsman don't want a normal damage gun side-arm. A swordsman, save a few exception, is looking for an elemental damage gun. The goal of a side-arm is not to use it against every thing, but only against enemies who are hard to deal with swords. That means mainly turrets, lumbers and other things that spits bullets (kats, devilites, lichen colonies ...). ALL those things are either weak or neutral to elemental. You don't want to use a gun against beasts or gremlins. Those, you do with swords.

- even if you'd want to use a normal gun, neutralizer and iron slug are bad. Neutralizer bullets are too slow, making it hard to use. Iron Slug have a really crappy dps and poor mobility. On the other hand, Valliance have a small reliable knockback which can be handy, and Supernova have the huge knockback and explosion of Pulsar line, without the risk of it being cancelled by Shock.

- Nitronome as a side-arm ? Really ? Just no. (I won't even comment on BAB, see Xplad explanation) That's a main weapon for solo bomber. If you want a side-arm bomb, you want some support. Shivermist, Voltaic Tempest or a Vortex are all good side-arm bombs which offer very good support. The important part is that they let you use your sword, which is what you want because you are a swordsman and that's what you are geared for. Contrary to a Nitronome, which is not going to be great because you are not in bomber gear, and kinda prevents you to use your swords as you have to spam it.

- as for swords, your opinion and some explanation on how to handle them would be great. You don't say much more than what can be found on the wiki.

- last but not least, who are you ? You say it's not your account and claim having experience, yet don't mention your name.

Thu, 04/12/2012 - 10:38

#10

Pepperonius

I'd also like to point out

that account sharing is against the TOS, and can get your friend's account banned.

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The Swordmaster Guide