Random Question Thread VII: I Find Your Lack of Research Disturbing

[Thorny]

The meritted BPs are stronger than physical BPs on their own accord for most targets IT or tougher, provided you have capped skill and decent gear. A 5/5 one will be about 1100 damage unresisted, and they have a better stick rate than my BLM's skill set in my experience(and I have a pretty near perfect skill setup). Wind blade is a given because SMN's primary endgame 'use' is at lowman kirin, if you can call that a use. Thunderstorm is opposite on elemental wheel, and almost anything you can't stick wind on you will be able to stick thunder on. Worrying about MB is rather pointless in the long run though, BPing every 45 seconds will often produce better damage than holding it for a MB. If you hold 15 seconds, you just lost 1/3 of another BP.. which is more than a MB's 30%.

[nitsuj]

A cure potency kit, I guess? Or some elemental siphon pants. Everything else would be covered by what you already have.

Yeah that's kinda the dilemma. I was thinking about doing movement speed on the pants so I could have 8% when in my perp set, and then 12% otherwise... but then I'd need something to offset the accuracy bonus I'd lose from af+1 pants...

I was thinking to just do Cure Pot and Siphon on pants (have COR pants right now, until I finish skadi) and then cure on head so they'd double as WHM pieces, but meh.

Maybe Magic Accuracy on pants to go with 5/5 magical attack and 5/5 Ramuh pacts (+ eventually Nirvana MAB bonus)?

[Jeryhn]

You already have Marduk's Shalwar, you're not likely to need +2 MAcc unless you really like Slowga for some reason.

[GeneJackit]

Quick Q about Aspir. Does it break bind?

[Cairthenn]

Quick Q about Aspir. Does it break bind?

No (along with any other action that doesn't do damage).

[Dillu]

What piece of SAM AF+1 is most useful?

Head: No more STR than Wyvern Helm. Assuming it doesn't help Meditate any more.
Body: Doesn't immediately seem useful.
Hands: Less STR than Alky, but DEX+ is neat. Is this actually useful?
Legs: Seems to be my option for a WS piece, I guess.
Feet: Enhances Zanshin by how much? Can't be worth it over Hachiman or Fuma, right?

Also, am I right to assume that Gondo-shizunori is the best Polearm I'm going to get aside from Tomoe or Dabo? Or should I be going with a lower delay Polearm?

[Eldelphia]

Does Mystic Boon have a sea gorget associated with it? I'm working on some right now for COR and longer term, PLD and was curious.

[jimbobsonofgod]

Does Mystic Boon have a sea gorget associated with it? I'm working on some right now for COR and longer term, PLD and was curious.

Doesn't look like it actually.

[Mazmaz]

MNK/DNC fulltime counterstance solo or no? Assuming capped acc, etc.

[cdgreg]

RNG Merits so far...

G1-
Scavenge - 0
Camouflage - 0
Sharpshot - 0
Unlimited Shot - 0
Rapid Shot - 5

G2-
Stealth Shot - 1
Flashy Shot - 1
Snapshot - 5
Recycle - 0

I want to finish off these merits, T2 seems pretty easy as I'll just dump the last 3 into Stealth Shot but Group 1's I'm baffled. I really have not played RNG endgame wise since the camouflage "buff" was introduced. How effective is it as a hate reducing tool while WS'ing? I very soon plan on finding a new endgame shell and assume I'll use RNG quite a bit for DI/other crap. Unlimited shot obviously also seems like a decent choice with a lower "recast" time but damn I've shot off too many PPA's in my life lol.

[TheMysteriousX]

What piece of SAM AF+1 is most useful?

Head: No more STR than Wyvern Helm. Assuming it doesn't help Meditate any more.
Body: Doesn't immediately seem useful.
Hands: Less STR than Alky, but DEX+ is neat. Is this actually useful?
Legs: Seems to be my option for a WS piece, I guess.
Feet: Enhances Zanshin by how much? Can't be worth it over Hachiman or Fuma, right?

Also, am I right to assume that Gondo-shizunori is the best Polearm I'm going to get aside from Tomoe or Dabo? Or should I be going with a lower delay Polearm?

Head is useless to upgrade, Hands are good for Penta Thrust, Toss the Body, Legs are a good STR piece, Zanshin is worthless, Engetsuto/+1 is the best AH Polearm.

[FailureMidgard]

MNK/DNC fulltime counterstance solo or no? Assuming capped acc, etc.

Long story short, it depends on the target, you can't get a generalized correct answer. The higher the attack (and level) of the target, the more worthwhile counterstance becomes. I'm really unsure where the breakpoint is however, and it's entirely possible that it's at a point that is too low or high to make the target matter as much as I implied! Maybe someone else can say more, who's either used it a lot on varying targets, or knows the actual attack of said targets, but I'm not entirely sure myself.

[drwaffles]

Long story short, it depends on the target, you can't get a generalized correct answer. The higher the attack (and level) of the target, the more worthwhile counterstance becomes. I'm really unsure where the breakpoint is however, and it's entirely possible that it's at a point that is too low or high to make the target matter as much as I implied! Maybe someone else can say more, who's either used it a lot on varying targets, or knows the actual attack of said targets, but I'm not entirely sure myself.

I thought it was the other way around? You counter less on higher level targets, and they're more likely to smack you for large amounts of damage when their hits connect.

[Viq]

RNG Merits so far...

G1-
Scavenge - 0
Camouflage - 0
Sharpshot - 0
Unlimited Shot - 0
Rapid Shot - 5

G2-
Stealth Shot - 1
Flashy Shot - 1
Snapshot - 5
Recycle - 0

I want to finish off these merits, T2 seems pretty easy as I'll just dump the last 3 into Stealth Shot but Group 1's I'm baffled. I really have not played RNG endgame wise since the camouflage "buff" was introduced. How effective is it as a hate reducing tool while WS'ing? I very soon plan on finding a new endgame shell and assume I'll use RNG quite a bit for DI/other crap. Unlimited shot obviously also seems like a decent choice with a lower "recast" time but damn I've shot off too many PPA's in my life lol.

Cap Unlimited Shot and learn how to pay attention to your PPA... or just use Spellcast and not have to worry about it ever.

[Kyte]

I thought it was the other way around? You counter less on higher level targets, and they're more likely to smack you for large amounts of damage when their hits connect.

The counter activation % is the same for all targets (IE it doesn't work like parry/guard/shield). However, there is an accuracy check, which is why your activation against higher level targets can potentially be worse. With food and whatnot, this can be corrected.

As for the extra damage- higher levels things are more likely to have their attack more or less capped against you, meaning the difference in damage taken between ~250 defense and ~40 defense isn't necessarily all that large.

For example, chariots- they're going to hit you pretty fucking hard whether you have it up or not, and the tradeoff for having a chance to totally negate it and put in some extra damage is certainly worthwhile.

[cdgreg]

Cap Unlimited Shot and learn how to pay attention to your PPA... or just use Spellcast and not have to worry about it ever.

Fair enough, what's the spellcast code? I currently only use it for elemental torque/uggy

[Thorny]

If counterstance doesn't significantly increase your risk of getting one-shotted or otherwise killed faster than your support can cure you, use it. If it does, don't. It'll save damage taken over time on any mob above EM at the cost of survivability.

[FailureMidgard]

I thought it was the other way around? You counter less on higher level targets, and they're more likely to smack you for large amounts of damage when their hits connect.

He said assuming capped accuracy. Presumably if you get a higher level/higher evasion target, you're switch your gear, food choices, or buffs to compensate. Counterstance becomes less worth using when you're fighting lower level targets due to the fact you're going from a much lower pdif to the ceiling pdif.

Assume base damage of 100, and 100% accuracy.
mob pdif = 1.0 precounterstance, 4.0 post counterstance.
100dmg/hit, take 100% of hits, average 100/swing.
400dmg/hit, take 40% of hits, average 160/swing.

mob pdif= 2.0 precounterstance
200dmg/hit, 100% of hits, 200/swing average.
400dmg/hit, 40% of hits, 160/swing average.

Using this very basic model, you can hopefully see that a lower mob pdif can result in counterstance increasing damage taken.

If counterstance significantly increases your risk of getting one-shotted or otherwise killed faster than your support can cure you, use it. If not, don't. It'll save damage taken over time on any mob above EM at the cost of survivability.

This too, if you get to something with bad TP moves that's high enough level, you probably don't want to risk getting 1-shot, but outside of that, my statement holds true, though it seems Thorny is saying the break-point is lvl 76+ mobs, which makes sense really, especially with Signet bonuses.

[drwaffles]

If counterstance significantly increases your risk of getting one-shotted or otherwise killed faster than your support can cure you, use it. If not, don't. It'll save damage taken over time on any mob above EM at the cost of survivability.

Either I'm slow or you mistyped something here.

[Thorny]

Either I'm slow or you mistyped something here.

I think you're still half asleep, not seeing any problems on my end.

Edit: oh, duh.. disregard i suck cocks