Spiral Knights - versatile tier 3 setup

versatile tier 3 setup

13 replies [Last post]

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 17:32

Artagas

Hey,

I am about to start buying my first 3* pieces and need some advice. I would like it to be reasonably flexible at this point since i am not sure where i want to end up later in the game. For the moment i only have 2 weapon slots though and not planning on getting third until i have at least full 3* gear going.
Think i would rather stick with having both a gun and a sword as well. It comes in very handy to be able to switch especially when i am forced to solo (like some ranked missions where there is basically never team mates around)

How would be something like this:
Sword: Sealed sword or Ice Brandish (the brandish is much much cheaper of course and this is smt to consider)
gun: a bit clueless here. shadowtech alchemer with the ice brandish i guess. if i buy the sealed sword not sure...master blaster (cool name yo)?
voltech alchemer?

armor/helm: dusker i guess both. still using swords more often than guns

shield: 3* jelly shield dropped for me but not soulbound yet. thought i might just put it on the AH and pick up the owlite instead. that a good idea?

(if any of this is horrible just let me know frankly please)

things to consider:
1) my 2* gear is basically what i could get fastest/cheapest so shouldnt be a very important consideration in buying the next tier (running on a calibur a blaster wolver armor cobalt helm and a defender)
2) not experienced at all with the game, neither have large resources ingame
3) cleaned the ranked missions up to 4-2 and tier2 arcade a few. that is about tops i can do now
4) prefer adaptive gameplay strategies, so in the long run versatile setups will likely be more enjoyable for me to play than very specialized ones

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 18:05

Thewach

Sword: With a sealed sword

Sword: With a sealed sword and iceburst brandish, you would either end up with two elemental swords (Glacius and DA) or one elemental(Glacius) and one shadow(Gran Faust). However, I recommend you get a piercing sword such as the Snarble Barb or Flourish. Also, if you want more dps with brandish lines, take the fire path. Plus, its easy to get sealed sword since you only have to do RJP a few times(don't buy on the AH unless there's a specific UV you want because the people on there tend to overprice boss items).

Guns: From reading the rest of your post, I take it that you're planning on becoming a sword user. Because of this, I would recommend you do Ironclaw Munitions Factory a few times to get a pulsar and take the Polaris line to use as a sidearm against turrets. Also, t3 lockdown guys hate the trollaris.

Armor/Helm: If you plan on getting more damage with a little defense loss then take the Wolver path, however, you will have the choice of taking either the Vog Cub path or the Skolver path. I can't tell you what to do here as I only have Skolver. However, both sets will only defend against Normal/Elemental(Vog) or Normal/Piercing(Skolver), this is not recommended as a first set unless you are confident that you can successfully avoid most other damage choices. For a balanced first set, I would recommend you take a Magic Hood and upgrade that to Divine Veil and upgrade your Wolver Coat to Skolver.

Shield: Acquiring an Owlite shield would be a good idea. However, as a swordsman you are also able to get yourself a bristling buckler then upgrade that into a Barabrous Thorn Shield for some nice piercing defense and medium bonus sword damage.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 18:27

Crimson-Cataphract

Weapons-wise I'd probably

Weapons-wise I'd probably start with Tempered Calibur and Super Blaster for 3*. They're near-perfect fallback weapons when you feel a sense of foreboding on a given strata. It may just be me, but my old Calibur/Blaster gave me a much easier time with Devilites and Greavers than a piercing sword, even with auto-aim on the latter.

I also feel that the specific mechanics on those lines are perfect for helping you learn to dodge and aim more effectively.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 19:16

Batabii

Divine Hood Skolver

Divine Hood
Skolver Coat
Barbarous Thorn Shield
Nova Driver
Faust (or Gran Faust)
Dark Briar Barrage

Is that balanced enough? You got every type of offense and every type of defense, as well as some stat resistance to boot.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 04:39

Bopp

agree with Thewach and Batabii

I mostly agree with Thewach and Batabii. Crimson's suggestion that you get two normal weapons is not crazy, but you can do better.

You may be interested in my sword guide. Actually, it's written for people like you.

If you don't want to learn the ideas, but just want a single concrete setup, I'll give one:
* Divine Veil
* Skolver Coat
* Final Flourish or Barbarous Thorn Blade
* any elemental gun except perhaps Hail Driver
* later, Acheron or Gran Faust (from your Sealed Sword)
* some Wolver helmet and suit
* Barbarous Thorn Shield or Grey Owlite Shield
Then you are ready to be just like everyone else. It's sad that so many people have the same stuff, but it's popular because it's good.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 20:43

Batabii

I believe having two normal

I believe having two normal weapons IS crazy. There's simply no reason you shouldn't be super effective against at least 2 of the 6 monster types. And that's assuming NO weapon slot upgrades.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 22:24

Fradow

As already said, 2 normal

As already said, 2 normal weapon is not a very good way to go.

Generally, an elemental gun is the most useful for a side-arm, because annoying things for swordsman (turrets and lumbers) are either weak or neutral to elemental. As Bopp said, any elemental gun save Hail Driver is good (an alchemer, Polaris, Argent Peacemaker are all good options).

For the weapon, you can either go for a piercing or shadow sword and be forced to use your gun against some mobs, or go for a normal sword and be able to use it against everything. Calibur is a great normal sword.

Your armor is fine, but not the shield. Indeed, both Defender and Jelly shields are not very good : there is a better option for piercing defense, namely Bristing Buckler, and Owlite is a great elemental shield. Most people use Owlite as their only shield a long time. It's popular for a reason.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 05:59

Artagas

thanks for the suggestions.I

thanks for the suggestions.
I ended up reading Bopp's guide which is indeed very helpful.
Considering all this think i am going with final flourish and polaris for now (and wolver set + owlite). I understand the possible "uncoolness" to be like everybody else but:
1) hard to be so darn different with 2 weapon slots and not too much crowns. When i unlock the other 2 and grind up a bit of resources i guess i will have more options

2) to be honest most rpg-like games end up this way. it is just the fact that such a large crowd playing and discussing these games online eventually ends up optimizing everything finding one, or in lucky cases a few, paths that are superior to others. This is especially true to the levelling up part of these games. In decently good games (i wont say other examples to avoid advertising, but this game might just be one) the endgame often features a variety of scenarios where one has to adapt his build to be able to properly beat up the baddies, but for the midgame grinding part there are almost always good cookie-cutter strats.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 02:42

Fradow

Yes, indeed, end-game you see

Yes, indeed, end-game you see a lot of different weapons (not that much different armors under the costum tho) according the situation and the playstyle.

As for your choice, it's good. Just beware : you'll not be able to take out constructs and jellies with your sword, you'll have to use your Polaris (or deal very crappy damage with flourish). If you want to retain the ability to use your sword everywhere, you can take a Calibur, but that way beasts and fiends (especially fiends) will be a little more difficult.

Or aim for the best in your case : also build a shadow sword and take it instead of flourish if you are going to encounter constructs or jellies.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 03:25

Derpules

One thing that hasn't bee covered

"Sword: Sealed sword or Ice Brandish (the brandish is much much cheaper of course and this is smt to consider)"

No, the Sealed Sword is cheaper, because it's free. You get it by trading in boss tokens.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 04:03

#10

Fradow

Expending on what Derpules

Expending on what Derpules said, a no-UV Sealed Sword is cheaper because you get the 3* version from tokens (and you are probably going to farm RJP a lot). You shouldn't buy it directly from AH. On the other hand, you have to buy or craft the 2* Brandish, THEN upgrade it to 3*, which cost some CE. Count something between 15K and 25K to have a 3* brandish with no-UV.

On the other hand, having an UV on a Brandish is going to be easier (or cheaper), because you can just ragecraft it with alt mist (or let other people do it and buy that from AH, no idea about the price tho). For a Sealed Sword, you must use Punch, which means 20K for a random UV. That also means Sealed Swords with good UV are going to be expensive (between 100K and 200K for an ASI or CTR med).

As a beginner, you shouldn't worry about UV yet.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 05:58

#11

Artagas

""Sword: Sealed sword or Ice

""Sword: Sealed sword or Ice Brandish (the brandish is much much cheaper of course and this is smt to consider)"

No, the Sealed Sword is cheaper, because it's free. You get it by trading in boss tokens.
"

re Derpules: this is incorrect. the sword you get for the tokens is boe so you have the option to convert it into crowns via ah or to use it. So basically you could just sell it and get 3-4 3* items for the price. Might be worth it still, but even if in this indirect way it does end up costing you a lot.
(Well a lot by the standards of a player who does not have 3* gear yet)

as for the UV-s i bought my flourish with some ctr since it was only 4k or so more expensive than the base item at ah, so figured it can not be a very bad deal.

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 06:22

#12

Fradow

"So basically you could just

"So basically you could just sell it and get 3-4 3* items for the price"
No you can't.

With the unbind cost, you can barely make a profit since so much players are selling those items and few are buying. Even if you do, it's going to be at most one 3* item. And you have to be rich enough already to pay the unbind cost upfront.
If you take an item with tokens to vendor it, the best option is 15 tokens for 3500Cr. Not even close to one 3* item.

It may have an opportunity cost, but it's still cheaper than most other 3* items.

As for your flourish, yes, it seems to be a good deal. Although CTR is a lot less useful than ASI on a Flourish, since you are going to mostly use normal attacks (hint : the pattern is awesome, reason for its popularity in LD).

Tue, 04/17/2012 - 09:58

#13

Artagas

hmm i thought it comes

hmm i thought it comes unbound when i buy it. i was totally wrong then it seems.

Yeah ASI on the flourish would be nice, but it looks damn expensive at the ah and for the moment i dont think that is the right place to put my crowns. When my gear gets a bit more rounded up i will consider it ofc.

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versatile tier 3 setup