Help me solve a merit dilemma.

[Therin]

I just have one question: Why did you say WAR is more survivable? Are you saying defender compares to Drain, Drain II, Stun, Dread Spikes, and Sleeps+Bind? That really confused me.

I meant that in order to have my DRK parse equally with my WAR or beat my WAR, I've gotta leave Souleater up, and while that's really fun and awesome and I love 400 damage crits just as much as the next guy, it's very dangerous.

I would agree that not including Souleater, DRK is more survivable due to the things that you mentioned, but you gotta remember that you don't cast any of that stuff in merits anyway if you're trying to parse well.

Basically, DRK's most effective damage dealing JA takes away our HP, while WAR only takes away defense/evasion, which isn't nearly as much of a problem as most of the time you'll be anticipating hits or shadowing them anyway.

Defender blows, I think I've used it like twice since my WAR has been 75.

[RKenshin]

The way this is panning out it looks like it's more of what you want to do than anything... If you would rather play DRK more than WAR, than go for the 8 Scythe. If you have more fun/prefer WAR, then go for 8 GA.

Honestly both DRK and WAR are great DD jobs in end-game and not really directly comparable as far as their overall utility goes... Both can do great damage, both can tank reasonably well, both have reasonable survivability, and both can do more than just damage. Obvious variations in which can do what "better" but the fine print doesn't really matter outside of what situation applies more to you, and what you want to get out of it.

But yeah, I agree with DRG getting tossed out of the options. Nothing against the job or anything, it's just not the best source to dedicate your merits into unless you really love the job.

Personally though your DRK seems to be the best equiped of the two, and with that in mind I'd probably go for taking the extra step and bringing it up a level. Especially if you already have it basically done in other areas (WS gear, dark magic, etc).

[Starr]

Buy a Thallaocrat k!

[ringthree]

Buy a Thallaocrat k!

LOL The damage difference is so small as to be indeterminate.

[Xrave]

Scythe (Moliones's)

If you're using scythe, you're wasting 2 slots by using Moliones.

[Therin]

Scythe (Moliones's)

If you're using scythe, you're wasting 2 slots by using Moliones.

That's a really silly comment and you should feel bad for saying that. Whether Perdu or Moliones's is better is a debatable argument, but just like Thalassocrat vs. Mezraq, if one is better than the other for normal TPing the difference is minuscule. As soon as you pop Souleater, Moliones's walks all over Perdu though because you either get +2% HP damage or Haste +4%, Accuracy +7 depending on whether or not you macro off your Ace's Helm for Chaos Burgeonet +1 normally.

The base stats are arguable though:

2 base damage and 7 STR vs. 15 attack. Considering how much that base damage and STR adds to weaponskills and the ability to keep on Hecatomb Cap over Chaos Burgeonet +1 (which is a difference of another 7 STR plus DEX), the answer seems fairly obvious.

And if you're arguing Tredecim, well, get with the times. You can 6-hit with both sickles. You don't use a Retributor over Maneater, do you?

[Khrno]

Scythe (Moliones's)

If you're using scythe, you're wasting 2 slots by using Moliones.

That's a really silly comment and you should feel bad for saying that. Whether Perdu or Moliones's is better is a debatable argument, but just like Thalassocrat vs. Mezraq, if one is better than the other for normal TPing the difference is minuscule. As soon as you pop Souleater, Moliones's walks all over Perdu though because you either get +2% HP damage or Haste +4%, Accuracy +7 depending on whether or not you macro off your Ace's Helm for Chaos Burgeonet +1 normally.

The base stats are arguable though:

2 base damage and 7 STR vs. 15 attack. Considering how much that base damage and STR adds to weaponskills and the ability to keep on Hecatomb Cap over Chaos Burgeonet +1 (which is a difference of another 7 STR plus DEX), the answer seems fairly obvious.

And if you're arguing Tredecim, well, get with the times. You can 6-hit with both sickles. You don't use a Retributor over Maneater, do you?

Sorry Van, Tred > Perdu > Molione, Perdu > Tred if you need the acc so much, but yea, you TP on Ares, and you use a str+4 ring, do you even manage a 6 hit build? I mean It would eb more like an 8 hit build, including 2 misses there.

I'm still hoping we get a new Scythe that rivals both Tred and Perdu, which are lame compared to what Algol is for Great Swords.

I meant that in order to have my DRK parse equally with my WAR or beat my WAR, I've gotta leave Souleater up, and while that's really fun and awesome and I love 400 damage crits just as much as the next guy, it's very dangerous.

Your DRK doesn't outparse your WAR? The hell you are talking about, for the setup you posted on the OP, your WAR is gimp as shit, you lack Haste all over, and you still say that your DRK lacks behind?

Ugh..

[Kkel]

If i didn't have SAM and BLU as parts of my equation, i'd probably toss some merits into GAX just because WAR/SAM is such a goddamn animal at every merit camp it gets its hands on. Sort of becomes merits for the sake of merits though, which will eventually just all be capped.

As someone who started this game for DRG though, and loves the job dearly, i still can't really bring myself to merit Polearm. Nothing i fight as DRG really warrants needing 290+ skill. I suppose it would be great for Colibri, but again, that's merits for merits sake.

[Therin]

Sorry Van, Tred > Perdu > Molione, Perdu > Tred if you need the acc so much, but yea, you TP on Ares, and you use a str+4 ring, do you even manage a 6 hit build? I mean It would eb more like an 8 hit build, including 2 misses there.

It's still a 6-hit if Guillotine lands fully. Also, I cap accuracy with scythe, what do you mean? And it's not a "STR+4 ring", it has 5 accuracy too when paired with a Moliones's Sickle.

I meant that in order to have my DRK parse equally with my WAR or beat my WAR, I've gotta leave Souleater up, and while that's really fun and awesome and I love 400 damage crits just as much as the next guy, it's very dangerous.

Your DRK doesn't outparse your WAR? The hell you are talking about, for the setup you posted on the OP, your WAR is gimp as shit, you lack Haste all over, and you still say that your DRK lacks behind?

Ugh..

On high level mobs, I'm sure it will outperform WAR right now. But in merits my WAR gains TP much faster and the average weaponskill is about 300 higher than my average on DRK, so yeah, it'll definitely outdo it. I can't exactly parse my WAR versus my DRK but I'm pretty sure it walks circles around it even without merits and Dusk Gloves.

[Khrno]

Sorry Van, Tred > Perdu > Molione, Perdu > Tred if you need the acc so much, but yea, you TP on Ares, and you use a str+4 ring, do you even manage a 6 hit build? I mean It would eb more like an 8 hit build, including 2 misses there.

It's still a 6-hit if Guillotine lands fully. Also, I cap accuracy with scythe, what do you mean? And it's not a "STR+4 ring", it has 5 accuracy too when paired with a Moliones's Sickle.

I meant that in order to have my DRK parse equally with my WAR or beat my WAR, I've gotta leave Souleater up, and while that's really fun and awesome and I love 400 damage crits just as much as the next guy, it's very dangerous.

Your DRK doesn't outparse your WAR? The hell you are talking about, for the setup you posted on the OP, your WAR is gimp as shit, you lack Haste all over, and you still say that your DRK lacks behind?

Ugh..

On high level mobs, I'm sure it will outperform WAR right now. But in merits my WAR gains TP much faster and the average weaponskill is about 300 higher than my average on DRK, so yeah, it'll definitely outdo it. I can't exactly parse my WAR versus my DRK but I'm pretty sure it walks circles around it even without merits and Dusk Gloves.

I highly doubt so dude, just for the gear posted it is impossible for your DRK to be outparsed by your WAR, and who are you kidding that you cap Acc on merit mobs? Not even Colibris, Ares will put you just over 90%. Either so or you are doing it all wrong.

I don't have Haidate yet, but have better gear all over for my WAR on the other stats than what you posted, and in no way I outdamage my DRK, and main difference would be 8 Scythe vs 4 GA.

I don't think you have parsed yourself really, you are just eyeballing the randoms 2k Raging Rush that come way more often than 2k Guillos unless you SE them, which in any case you don't need SE to have a higher ws damage/average and a higher melee damage than a WAR.

I'll parse you just say when, I'll show you how you are wrong.

[Dantrag]

Ryko: WAR/SAM > WAR/NIN sorry to tells ya

Therin: Merit what you think you'll use the most. When my DRK hits 75 i'm going to rework my merits and do 8 Gktana 8 Gaxe and 4 scythe. And please stop using Ares unless it's on things that are EM or less. Use a frigin hauby over it, yes even with a great axe! other than that you already know what else needs to change and you're working on it so /cheers. But again, do what you feel you will get the most benefit out of.

Khrno: why so much hate towards war?

[SamanosukeShiva]

are you going to stop meritting after capping those combat skills?

I'd personally keep GS @8 if you do.

and if you're going to be meritting some more, I'd pick polearm lv8 just because they're badass for merit on DRG, (and yes WAR can use polearm too on merit PTs -.-)

[Ryko]

Ryko: WAR/SAM > WAR/NIN sorry to tells ya

Dant: DRK/SAM > WAR/SAM plus I live longer, hence me saying my DRK long since replaced my warrior sorry to tells ya

[Dantrag]

Ryko: WAR/SAM > WAR/NIN sorry to tells ya

Dant: DRK/SAM > WAR/SAM plus I live longer, hence me saying my DRK long since replaced my warrior sorry to tells ya

Bring it! I was talking about your "ridillberk4life" comment. Let's go to mamool and see how much of a diff there is. Would be interesting to see.

[Starr]

Buy a Thallaocrat k!

LOL The damage difference is so small as to be indeterminate.

So is the price

[Ryko]

Ryko: WAR/SAM > WAR/NIN sorry to tells ya

Dant: DRK/SAM > WAR/SAM plus I live longer, hence me saying my DRK long since replaced my warrior sorry to tells ya

Bring it! I was talking about your "ridillberk4life" comment. Let's go to mamool and see how much of a diff there is. Would be interesting to see.

I quit, remember? Don't let the character AFKing in whitegate fool you.

[ringthree]

Buy a Thallaocrat k!

LOL The damage difference is so small as to be indeterminate.

So is the price

Then why sell the Mezraq for a Thalassocrat?

[Ryko]

Because better is better and if it's the same cost why not?

[FailureMidgard]

It's maybe barely better for Penta, it's worse for Wheeling (which has it's uses).

[Ryko]

If you have to point out that a 225 weapon skill has a use, it's probably still worthless.