Random Question Thread XVIII: Just an Ordinary Sword of Legend

[rog]

Yeah, i know it's not 100%, just sayin' 1/1 with blue doesn't mean shit (not that 1/1 ever means anything).

[Nameless]

Has anyone figured out what those Empyrean WS descriptions mean when they talk about double, triple, or quadruple damage? Is it just implying ftp, or is there some sort of ratio bonus going on? If you look at scythe, and GS, both are triple damage but one has significantly higher ftp than the other. So if it is not implying ftp, what can it possibly mean? Sorry if this has already been answered.

[Julian]

I kind of thought saying 1/1 on blue would imply that I didn't get a drop without blue, especially with the "out of 2 or 3 kills" part, but I guess not, my bad!

[rog]

Either way, 0/2 without it, and 1/1 with it still doesn't mean anything

[Kirschy]

Has anyone figured out what those Empyrean WS descriptions mean when they talk about double, triple, or quadruple damage? Is it just implying ftp, or is there some sort of ratio bonus going on? If you look at scythe, and GS, both are triple damage but one has significantly higher ftp than the other. So if it is not implying ftp, what can it possibly mean? Sorry if this has already been answered.

It just means fTP. Sidewinder's description reads: "Delivers an inaccurate attack that deals quadruple damage. Accuracy varies with TP." which is a 5.0 ftp WS for sure. I know this will sound harsh but I'd take any damage calculations on wiki with a grain of salt atm. I know for example Quietus' mods were uploaded by someone who read an Alla post which involves someone who assumed WSC alpha dropped since lv 75 and involves like a sample size of less than 10... Damage varies a lot as it is, and requires a lot of data samples to get an accurate count on the ftp/mods.

[Nightfyre]

I wasn't positive what you meant, so I re-ran the test a few ways. Let me know if there's anything else I can do. DNC90/WHM45, 210/201 on forts in campaign, 10 swings:

No gear - 46%
Suppa only - 46%
Casaque only - 45%
Casaque + Suppa - 44%

Also, I just want to be clear in case someone finds our posts out of context -- this is a Charis Casaque +2, and it's possible that the +1 has a different amount of DW. It'll have to be tested separately.

Thanks for your help, Nightfyre.

It's 10% DW. Thanks again for taking the time to test this.

[Francisco]

Really noobish question... it's my first visit to Zvahl [S], and I've noticed a lot of non-targetable blue imps. I've been avoiding them by hugging walls. Can they actually aggro, or are they just there for show?

[Not Kuno]

Really noobish question... it's my first visit to Zvahl [S], and I've noticed a lot of non-targetable blue imps. I've been avoiding them by hugging walls. Can they actually aggro, or are they just there for show?

They are there for decoration

[Raen Ryong]

I went 1/6 on Tactical Mantle so as far as I'm concerned you lot are lucky >

[pugnax179]

ammo options on DRK aside from bomblet and white tathlum

inb4 DRK isnt a job

[Massimo]

Bomb Core..?

[Nameless]

It just means fTP. Sidewinder's description reads: "Delivers an inaccurate attack that deals quadruple damage. Accuracy varies with TP." which is a 5.0 ftp WS for sure. I know this will sound harsh but I'd take any damage calculations on wiki with a grain of salt atm. I know for example Quietus' mods were uploaded by someone who read an Alla post which involves someone who assumed WSC alpha dropped since lv 75 and involves like a sample size of less than 10... Damage varies a lot as it is, and requires a lot of data samples to get an accurate count on the ftp/mods.

Hmm... interesting. I got the Quietus ftp number from Studio Gobli, I believe they think the mode is 3.0 ftp and 40% STR and 40% MND. (クワイタス x3.00 1hit STR40% MND40%). But yea, I know what you are talking about, the test on alla seem inconclusive with only 5 samples on each scenarios.

[Francisco]

Out of curiousity, a question for other MNKs...

How do you personally use Perfect Counter? At first I only used it for Utsusemi: Ichi recasts, and macro'd in Ultion + Tantra Crown+1 for the damage boost (while keeping Haste @ 25%)...

Lately, I've been using GH/DD atma, and throwing Perfect Counter up a lot more frequently... and just skipping shadows on a lot of mobs. Only thing that keeps me going /NIN most of the time is grellow procs and monomi/tonko if I'm running around doing quests.

There are a few alternatives... like only resorting to shadows when PC goes down, using PC to get Utsu:Ichi up (is this even an issue with atma for anyone?), just throwing /NIN & Utsusemi away all together, and straight counter tanking...

Which do you all prefer?

[Nevex]

Is there a video of Impact's animation somewhere? I'd like to see how the spell looks.
Also, is it any good or just a waste of MP?

[Rehn]

Do people still do vrtra anymore? If so, any low man strats for him?

[tahs]

what does not give ruby lights & is also a good fell cleave target in abyssea-attohwa? what about abyssea-kons?

[Kidnoftle]

Attowha = Chigoes, Kon = idkbro (sapplings?)

[Kirschy]

Hmm... interesting. I got the Quietus ftp number from Studio Gobli, I believe they think the mode is 3.0 ftp and 40% STR and 40% MND. (クワイタス x3.00 1hit STR40% MND40%). But yea, I know what you are talking about, the test on alla seem inconclusive with only 5 samples on each scenarios.

Yea that and the inability to keep up or test the increase in Alpha WSC (Which is .85 ) If Studio Gobli has 3.0 ftp @ 40str/40mnd, then it's probably right. They're pretti accurate about that stuff. Explains why the damage is so low with that WS... =x

EDIT: can you link to the SG page with Empyrean WS mods, I can't seem to find it!

[Deader2818]

I know trees in Attowha dont give ruby, but not sure if there is enough of them.

[Greatguardian]

Out of curiousity, a question for other MNKs...

How do you personally use Perfect Counter? At first I only used it for Utsusemi: Ichi recasts, and macro'd in Ultion + Tantra Crown+1 for the damage boost (while keeping Haste @ 25%)...

Lately, I've been using GH/DD atma, and throwing Perfect Counter up a lot more frequently... and just skipping shadows on a lot of mobs. Only thing that keeps me going /NIN most of the time is grellow procs and monomi/tonko if I'm running around doing quests.

There are a few alternatives... like only resorting to shadows when PC goes down, using PC to get Utsu:Ichi up (is this even an issue with atma for anyone?), just throwing /NIN & Utsusemi away all together, and straight counter tanking...

Which do you all prefer?

Personally I don't bother using Utsusemi at all, even if I'm /Nin. Most of the time I'll just go Mnk/War unless I plan on being somewhere for ages and don't want to fill up my inventory with powders/oils. If I'm fighting something with a nasty throat stab type move, I'll usually save Perfect Counter for right as/after that move goes off so I'm not killed by the following attack. Otherwise I just use it whenever it's up. AF3+2 head increases the damage *all* counters do while perfect counter is still active, by a very large margin. I may crit for 300/punch and then counter for 400+ (Perfect Counter itself forcing counters to crit helps too) 5 times in a row.

It's especially useful considering I have a tendency to just fight multiple monsters at the same time. If an NM links to things around it (sup Whiro), I'll just pull the whole damn thing and let the normal monsters kill themselves on my Counters. If I'm farming for time or something else, I'll grab a whole bunch of mobs, let's say Efts since they're a good example and link plentifully, and drag them somewhere where the terrain forces them to bunch up. Attohwa's little rock nook dealies are great for this, since you can grab 10+ mobs and still force them all into your Counter radius.

It's a bit of a cavalier approach to the whole thing but with a good WHM (this is the caveat) there's practically no danger of dying. Heck, if anything I find it a lot safer than the 2008 approach of spamming Utsusemis whenever they're up. Utsu means less countering, which means a *ton* less damage overall. Monsters stay alive longer, have more chances to TP you, and you get a lot less mileage out of Penance. You also have that annoying little period where you don't do anything at all if you get Ichi interrupted, and that's just bad for business.

All in all, Mnk/Nin is still a decent combo if you're dealing with pickups or otherwise questionable Whms (even well geared ones, or cool ones who just plain are not fast or attentive with spells). Utsusemi: Ni is a nice buffer for those Whms, because it lets you pop up a little defense whenever your HP drops while the Whm figures out that they need to start curing you. If I'm using /Nin, it can also be fairly nice for avoiding T5 nukes and other random little things. T5 nukes aren't anything dangerous, of course, but it's probably the most effective use of Utsusemi you have on most things.

Admittedly, Mnk/War is just asking for trouble on a specific few NMs. Hedjedjet comes to mind. Death Scissors can hit me for nearly 4,000 damage, and I've had him use it on me 3 times in 10 seconds. Other than that though, I think you'd find countertanking a lot more fun than blink tanking. I certainly do.