What's Better?

[mai ikari]

Regarding SAM 5-hit builds.

Would it be better to get 20TP on WS even if you have to use slightly worse WS gear because then you wouldn't ever hit 99 TP because of Meditate?

Just personal experience here, but getting 20 TP on WS was the difference between being able to self-SC with nothing but meditate and not, and definitely gets you an extra 20% TP out of mediate than you would have gotten (from hitting 119% TP). I found it to be overall more playable than getting that extra damage out of Gekko with maximized WS gear.



Unrelated question:

I haven't touched MNK since last update because SAM completely ate any role it had in my shell, and I'm looking to get it at least playable again. Would the magian fire path (DMG:26 STR+6 ATT+18 ) or the WS path (DMG:+23 WSDMG+10% / DMG:+23 STP+13) be better? The OAT path for footwork abuse is well outside of my capabilities.

[azagarth]

footwork, its not hard.

if your really that lazy (why even lv a job if plan to just gimp it?) then go for tapian fire path.

[Ezhno]

Soooooooo... I've been out dicking around on DNC since the update. Presto on a 30 second separate timer is awesome, and I use it much more than I thought I would. In high Haste situations, it's probably still not worth using. However, my question is about merits.

So, right now I'm at 5 Saber Dance, 3 No Foot Rise, 1 Fan Dance, and sitting on 10 merits. Saber Dance is cool, but not as cool as I thought it'd be. Still, I'd like to keep at least level 1 Saber Dance to use as an awesome WS buff once every 5 minutes.

Whatever though, that's not the issue. My problem is that No Foot Rise is seeming less and less useful every day. I primarily used it when I was running between places/waiting for mobs/whatever (Reverse Flourish -> NFR -> 1 Step on the monster -> Reverse Flourish). However, now when I'm running between monsters I use Presto too, so I'd only need level 2 NFR to get 5 Finishing... Level 2? I might as well just do another Step. So I'm looking to drop these merits.

Fan Dance or Closed Position, tell me what to think!

I've always had 5 Closed Position, 3 No Foot Rise, 1 Fan Dance, 1 Saber Dance. I don't know if I want to change them just because of the Presto buff though. In situations when I am constantly meleeing, I can now generate 5 finishing moves for a full Reverse exactly within the recast, so it's only use is to fuel Group I or III flourishes. In situations when I am completely idle, Meditate and No Foot Rise are my only sources of TP, so more finishing moves per 3 minutes would be better, almost enough that I'd rather keep it and just sacrifice the 1 finishing move overflow for when I start meleeing and want a 5 move Reverse Flourish at the start of the fight.

[Darkmagi]

footwork, its not hard.

if your really that lazy (why even lv a job if plan to just gimp it?) then go for tapian fire path.

Ignore this because FW is likely to be situational/outdated. (No idea if it is yet but I would imagine so)

[zagen]

For DNC typical WSs (Dancing Edge, Pyrrhic Kleos, Evisceration) (not sure if I should group them under same gear...)

Kila +1 DMG 41 delay 190 STR +8 attack 18
or
Fusetto +1: DMG 38 delay 186 Weapon skill damage +10%
?

[Scritch]

WS DMG+10% Polearm , or the STP+ Magian polearm assuming it lets you use sword strap?

[Dakana]

What's better for pup? The STR Tappian Fangs, The OAT Magian, or the WS +10% Magian?

Thanks

[Bootykilla]

Great Axe
DMG:104 Delay:488 WS Dmg 10%
or
DMG:108 Delay 482 STR+8 Attk+22

Also is the Store TP+11 a viable option?

[Diddy Kong]

What is the DNC WS of choice? I'm getting about similar damage on PK and DE.

[Scritch]

In my experience, Dancing Edge usually wins out. Pyrrhic is mostly good for its ability to chain Darkness with Evisceration.

[Diddy Kong]

In my experience, Dancing Edge usually wins out. Pyrrhic is mostly good for its ability to chain Darkness with Evisceration.

Well sometimes I'll use PK for the evasion down, like in Abyssea when my party members suck. But I just have the same crappy DE build for PK and Evisceration, what's a good baseline DE, PK, and Evisceration set/sets, and how do I skillchain PK and Evisceration to make darkness?

[Scritch]

Building Flourish > Presto > Step > Evis > Reverse (75 TP) > one attack round > PK > Darkness (PK usually does more than Evis). Simpler to do with Sabre Dance since it helps make sure your attack round gives you enough TP. Conserve TP procs make it really easy.

Can't comment on the WS sets right now, heading out the door.

[Yugl]

WS DMG+10% Polearm , or the STP+ Magian polearm assuming it lets you use sword strap?

WS Polearm. Too bad they fucked us over by only allowing one polearm (Either that or I had full inventory; didn't bother to check though due to lag). The sTP lance is actually better than the WS lance at this point if you have Aurum//Rose/Rajas/Brutal/Goading to enable a five hit. You could also use Tactical mantle if it ever decides to appear and replace the Goading belt with Bullwhip. Otherwise, you have to wait until the next update for this to work out.

Edit: Let me clarify this. This is assuming you land 3/4 hits on Drakesbane. If you're comfortable assuming 4/4 hits, you can do Aurum/Rose/Rajas/Brutal/Tathlum/Chival chain.

[ronin sparthos]

What's better for pup? The STR Tappian Fangs, The OAT Magian, or the WS +10% Magian?

Thanks

STR Tapians imo.

[Nightfyre]

WS Polearm. Too bad they fucked us over by only allowing one polearm (Either that or I had full inventory; didn't bother to check though due to lag). The sTP lance is actually better than the WS lance at this point if you have Aurum//Rose/Rajas/Brutal/Goading to enable a five hit. You could also use Tactical mantle if it ever decides to appear and replace the Goading belt with Bullwhip. Otherwise, you have to wait until the next update for this to work out.

Edit: Let me clarify this. This is assuming you land 3/4 hits on Drakesbane. If you're comfortable assuming 4/4 hits, you can do Aurum/Rose/Rajas/Brutal/Tathlum/Chival chain.

Ace's Sabatons will be helpful as well once we figure out where they come from.

EDIT: Also Eccentric Eve's atma would ease the requirements slightly given the regain effect.

[Yugl]

Ace's Sabatons will be helpful as well once we figure out where they come from.

EDIT: Also Eccentric Eve's atma would ease the requirements slightly given the regain effect.

Using those feet would require you to give up DRG AF3 Feet. I rather have the 5% Haste and 12ATT/ACC.

[Nightfyre]

Completely missed the haste+5 on the DRG feet Nevermind!

[Yugl]

That said, if you don't have access to Goading belt (Like me!), Ace's feet + Bullwhip work out to be the same haste/stp as AF3 + Goading belt. However, the former combination has more ATT/ACC.

[Pharaun]

Great Axe
DMG:104 Delay:488 WS Dmg 10%
or
DMG:108 Delay 482 STR+8 Attk+22

Also is the Store TP+11 a viable option?

I'm also interested in this. I'm thinking that the WS Damage+10% should win, but I don't know if the Higher base D and all the +str on the fire path one could beat it out.

[Mirage]

I'm also interested in this. I'm thinking that the WS Damage+10% should win, but I don't know if the Higher base D and all the +str on the fire path one could beat it out.

While on the topic, would the 104 dmg, 488 delay, +10% WS damage greataxe be better than Vermeil Bhuj?