Tell me, what could go best with a Drake Scale Helm, that I plan on turning into a Dragon Scale Helm?
Just so you know, I prefer using swords, but keep a gun handy for when long-range battles are necessary. That might help your decision.
What can go with this?
Jue, 11/01/2012 - 06:09
Jue, 11/01/2012 - 13:06
#2
Uh..
Well, I haven't crafted the helmet yet. But I learned the recipe. I also don't plan on getting drake scale armor, just the helmet.
But what should I really go for? I already have chosen the Calibur path, and MIIIIIGHT stick with the plate shield path.
But anyway, I'd like to get some advice on just something to stick with to the end that'l help in any situation. That's all.
Jue, 11/01/2012 - 13:19
#3
yep
Yes, that's what I'm trying to give you: advice for the long term. I'm trying to tell you that in six months you may regret some of your current choices. It's not that they're terrible; it's just that you're missing out on better equipment.
If you really want a suit to pair with your Dragon Scale Helm, I guess I'll say Vog Cub Coat. But really those two don't make a great combination, because Dragon Scale is weak.
Which Plate Shield upgrade are you planning? Volcanic Plate Shield is good in FSC due to the large amounts of normal damage in the Vanaduke fight, but other shields are better for defense in general (e.g. Grey Owlite). Ironmight Plate Shield is outclassed by Barbarous Thorn Shield, if you use swords.
Although you've already "lectured" me on sword damage in another thread, I really think that you could benefit from reading my sword guide. I hope it helps.
Jue, 11/01/2012 - 20:03
#4
Huh.
If the Barbarous Thorn Shield outclasses the Ironmight, which I aimed to..
.. Yeah, I might wanna change a choice here. Anyway, the volcanic plate shield is horrible to me.
I might just stop aiming torwards the scale line before I go to it. Thanks.
I'l have to see what I really want to do. It's just so confusing. Lacking defence in one position, but trying to make balance creates a new flaw.
EDIT: I think I realized something. I might as well just go pure swords. Get a shadow and an elemental sword, and I can deal super effective damage against 4 types of enemies with two different blades, being able to switch between the two when needed. Beasts and fiends aren't much a threat. Most these facts will direct me torwards the Wolver line.
Now I'm in confusion again. Skolver or Vog? Snarb's off the list for a reason.
Jue, 11/01/2012 - 23:04
#5
The reason why Bopp said
The reason why Bopp said Barbarous Thorn Shield (BTS) outclasses the Ironmight is that the sword damage bonus on it is far more valuable than a few more defenses, and Ironmight stun resistance is not very useful in the first place. Note that it's only the case if you are a swordsman.
No one else commented on that, but I can confirm what Bopp said about dropping the Dragon Scale line altogether.
As for the choice of swords, I would definitely take a piercing sword to, either instead of the shadow sword if you reached FSC or instead of the elemental one if you are still at RJP. The fiends are a threat to me, and a piercing sword is simply the best against them. They also work wonder against undeads and gremlins.
As for Skolver vs Vog, the simple answer is : Vog for FSC, Skolver for LD. Skolver piercing is the least useful for PvE and its freeze resistances is not great for PvE either. On the other hand, there is ton of elemental everywhere, and fire is one of the most dangerous status. That's especially true for the end-game mission : FSC.
Vie, 11/02/2012 - 00:29
#6
fiends aren't much a
fiends aren't much a threat
Vie, 11/02/2012 - 05:49
#7
Well, I might just learn to
Well, I might just learn to regret my words, like I did with thinking Monkey Watch looked easy.
It might be because I barely ever encounter those things.
@bopp
"either instead of the shadow sword if you reached FSC or instead of the elemental one if you are still at RJP."
I'm confused what you're trying to tell me. I'm past RJP already, and trying to get further than this. I'm in a situation of Gremlins and Constructs. If I were still at RJP, why use a piercing sword instead of an elemental sword? A piercing sword also wouldn't help much in where I am. Just an elemental sword. I already have a snarble barb at the moment, so which brandish do I choose?
Skolver VS Vog, I can't easily make one decision. I'm not gonna stick to PVE all the time, but.. Okay, let's see. I can get Vog first, make a bunch of crowns off Vanaduke runs, somehow manage to get Skolver for LD, and done. Or, I can just use solely Vog. I like the sound of that.
Vie, 11/02/2012 - 06:01
#8
agree
Many people (including me) would say that fiends are the hardest monster family. The question of Vog vs. Skolver is treated in the armor section of my sword guide that I linked above.
@bopp
"either instead of the shadow sword if you reached FSC or instead of the elemental one if you are still at RJP."
I'm confused what you're trying to tell me.
I didn't say that; Fradow did. But what he's saying is that a piercing sword is more useful than a shadow sword in FSC. He also seems to be saying that a piercing sword is more useful than an elemental sword in RJP, but I think that he might has misspoken there.
Vie, 11/02/2012 - 09:31
#9
No, that's not exactly what I
No, that's not exactly what I was trying to say, I didn't explain my opinion well, sorry.
My point is, no matter what, you should have a piercing sword, because they are ultra useful and cover the most dangerous family, fiends, while also being very good against neutral targets. When I was less experienced, I used to take a piercing sword instead of a shadow sword for gremlins, because I found it so much easier.
That means that you are going to have a piercing sword no matter what. After that, you'll want another non-normal sword to cover the blind spots of the piercing sword, so you might as well take one which is going to be strong against the money-farming strata you are currently at : shadow for RJP and elemental for FSC.
But if you can afford a third sword, it's obviously better to have one of each and switch according the strata so you always have bonus damage no matter what you are against (elemental+shadow for RJP, elemental+piercing for FSC). Well, to be fair, the more option you have to choose from, the more confortable you are going to be. Even if at the end of the day you only have 2 weapon slots.
Sáb, 11/03/2012 - 07:02
#10
I see. BTB, and I will try to
I see. BTB, and I will try to get Voltedge. While I can play RJP, but not FSC, I still want to get an elemental sword. I'm on the way there, anyways. I sold my weapon slot, as I didn't need it. The guy I sold it to needed it far more than I did, anyways. Although, I just don't like how I fly forward when I try to use a piercing sword, but I'l try to deal with it. I wanted to go Elemental/Shadow, because I'd have two swords with the same feel to them. But I suppose you're right.
Sáb, 11/03/2012 - 07:33
#11
For you to forge your own
For you to forge your own opinion, try to remember which mob type you have the most trouble with. Then take a sword against that family. I argue, and I'm not alone with that opinion, that devilites are the single most troublesome mobs. While they don't appear in any boss strata, they are enough of an annoyance for me to take gear choice specifically to counter them. Your experience may vary, if you have most troubles with gremlins, you may want to get a shadow sword instead.
Anyway, if you plan to do FSC soon, indeed piercing + elemental is the best you can have. Shadow is almost totally useless there.
As for the piercing sword attack pattern, I'm surprised. A lot of players LOVE that lunge on 2nd and 3rd swings : this means that everything that was trying to hit you at your original position WILL miss you. It's great to dance in the middle of attacking mobs. Though you may want to check if you have auto-target activated, and use it specifically for this sword : without it it's very hard to aim, since the hitbox is small. If you want to use it for this weapon and not others, use the toggle.
Sáb, 11/03/2012 - 08:14
#12
sword feel
Zerokken, the various swords in this game really do have different feels to the player, which I think is great. As I mention in my sword guide (linked above), there is no reason to restrict yourself to one feel. I'm not especially good at video games, and I switch feels every few seconds in battle, without any problem.
Also, I have encountered many players like you who dislike the piercing sword feel. But stick with it. The piercing swords are very powerful weapons, worth learning. As Fradow says, they're much easier with auto-targeting.
In shallow parts of the Clockworks (e.g. Stratum 1), monsters deal primarily normal damage. As you go deeper into the Clockworks, they increasingly deal their preferred damage type. However, even on Stratum 6 there is a lot of normal damage being dealt. So you always want normal protection. Dragon Scale is one of three armors/helmets (the others being Divine and Radiant Silvermail) that offer no normal protection. Pair it with a decent normal armor.
In the deepest parts of the Clockworks, even the toughest armors let through tons of damage. You can't count on armor to keep you alive. You have to dodge, shield, and kill quickly. At that point, most players go for armor that offers offensive bonuses, even at the expense of a little defense. The offensive bonus on Dragon Scale is not great, because it's monster-specific, and the monster family in question (beasts) is the easiest monster family anyway.
My actual advice is to switch alchemy paths, and go for better armor. You may think that you've invested too much in that alchemy path to switch now. But you haven't. Much more than half of the cost in making a 5-star item comes in the final upgrade from 4-star to 5-star. It's that expensive. So don't do it unless you really want the 5-star item.