Episode 9.5 is here

• Hazeri wrote on 2012-03-26 04:43

  Quote from Invertex;820927:

  There was actually 10 minutes left. Which is pretty good by my standards (I'm 5/8).
  Still, that damage makes me think that.
  
  1. Shooting Elchulus out of the sky does NOT actually cause any damage directly.
  
  2. Shooting Elchulus does pretty pathetic damage.
  
  3. Perhaps the large damage numbers are from getting the breakoffs? Perhaps breaking off a part of his body causes him to sustain a large amount of damage.
  
  Also some Spear Lann got 32% that run (my excuse was that I was using a Lv. 40 Evie). Makes me wonder if Elchulus has some funny damage things like Lionotus.

  
  We did full breaks once on the first day, and the bastard didn't die until the <1min mark
• Oizen wrote on 2012-03-26 06:20

  Quote from Sora;820888:

  So I just came back to try vindictus because they actually have PvP stuff and the dragon, except I can't seem to connect to the Dragon Server, and no one does the PvP stuff.
  
  I am disappoint.

  
  PVP is a broken unbalanced system.
  
  Its not even fun.
  
  
  Dragon takes paitences getting in alone, you're better off planning to go with guildies before hand. Being in a party makes it work better for reasons I dont understand.
• foreignreign wrote on 2012-03-26 07:47

  Quote from Invertex;820927:

  1. Shooting Elchulus out of the sky does NOT actually cause any damage directly.

  
  
  Did either of you ever get the 3rd/final shot to put him to the ground? If it's Lionotus-like, then the last shot would get all the credit.
  
  
  

  Quote from OizenX;821007:

  Dragon takes paitences getting in alone, you're better off planning to go with guildies before hand. Being in a party makes it work better for reasons I dont understand.

  
  
  From observing and thinking about it for a bit, I think the main problem is the fact that there's one server that's just straight up broken, and handling all the single-person requests. It can't seem to get people to properly connect, but still tries it anyway. You can get into the other servers with a party of 8 (less works too but seems harder to pull off) because at certain points the broken server hits 9+ people. At that point, your party gets queued to join the free servers, at which point it actually works.
  
  If you get a "preparing for departure" message, that means you're a shoe-in to get into the battle, and is why if you get that message, your party is the first one in there (your party is essentially starting the mission). If you don't get that message but still get in with your party of 8, it's because of a similar reason.
• Invertex wrote on 2012-03-26 08:09

  Quote from foreignreign;821062:

  Did either of you ever get the 3rd/final shot to put him to the ground? If it's Lionotus-like, then the last shot would get all the credit.

  
  
  Pretty sure I got the last hit once or twice. Which is partially why I doubt the fall does any damage, unless it's a portion of 0.75% which is barely any damage at all.
• Oizen wrote on 2012-03-26 08:33
  This guy has a lot of defence, I have a 14k 42crit Lann, and after slashing him for ages I only was able to rack up 8.5%
  
  I guess that IS a lot considering each person only has to do 6.25% but still. I used 16 people instead of 24, since I've never seen a party get over 16. Seriously, I bet this would be easier with 8 more people.
• Invertex wrote on 2012-03-26 09:09

  Quote from OizenX;821079:

  This guy has a lot of defence, I have a 14k 42crit Lann, and after slashing him for ages I only was able to rack up 8.5%
  
  I guess that IS a lot considering each person only has to do 6.25% but still. I used 16 people instead of 24, since I've never seen a party get over 16. Seriously, I bet this would be easier with 8 more people.

  
  
  Well, I saw a Spear Lann hit 32%. I've hit 19.9% myself, and I 'only' have 14.5k attack.
  
  Just try to keep a Shelter Buff up constantly, it'll help a ton. You should be around 60 attack speed and 16k attack with that buff. It's actually amazing how close I can get to reaching 100 attack speed with just Shelter + Slashing High. Even if you're not a class with a spammy DPS move, the extra speed and attack is significant enough if you can keep it up for ~80% of your run.
• Oizen wrote on 2012-03-26 09:20

  Quote from Invertex;821088:

  Well, I saw a Spear Lann hit 32%. I've hit 19.9% myself, and I 'only' have 14.5k attack.
  
  Just try to keep a Shelter Buff up constantly, it'll help a ton. You should be around 60 attack speed and 16k attack with that buff. It's actually amazing how close I can get to reaching 100 attack speed with just Shelter + Slashing High. Even if you're not a class with a spammy DPS move, the extra speed and attack is significant enough if you can keep it up for ~80% of your run.

  
  I guess, but Swords lann isn't DPS. I mean it, Sword skills damage % suck. The only thing I think that really does damage is Gliding Fury.
  
  I never understood why Fiona holding one sword, does more damage then Lann holding two swords. Its not like Fiona holds one sword with two hands, she dual weilds a sword and shield, so her damage output should be half of lanns :|
  
  But vind =/= logic
• Invertex wrote on 2012-03-26 09:58

  Quote from OizenX;821089:

  I guess, but Swords lann isn't DPS. I mean it, Sword skills damage % suck. The only thing I think that really does damage is Gliding Fury.
  
  I never understood why Fiona holding one sword, does more damage then Lann holding two swords. Its not like Fiona holds one sword with two hands, she dual weilds a sword and shield, so her damage output should be half of lanns :|
  
  But vind =/= logic

  
  
  Well, actually...
  1. Sword Fiona's damage is actually less than Sword Lann's.
  2. She's kicking/using her shield in half her attacks. Notably Blossom Blow, Amaranth Kick, and Counter.
  3. Her only useful smash that involves her Sword is Petal Toss, in which she actually holds the sword with both of her hands.
  
  But on the topic of the Dragon. You could try using Pummel Storm, as it has a pretty good percentile and is fast enough to fit in most gaps. The main chance you ever get to attack him is when he either breathes fire to his side or when he flings his tail around. As long as you get to the correct placement (other side/under him or front legs respectively), you should get the full smash off safely. You can use Slip Dash + Double Crescent for most of his fire breathing moves as well.
  
  Additionally, if you know your party is good enough to get 3 shots as he's flying around to down him. You'll probably get to the shelter when you first see him take off. But if you want to make sure you get maximum damage while he's down, get the buff and go into the middle of the stage. His fireballs in this attack are fairly weak and very inaccurate. Just keep track of him and start moving in the direction he'll fall (if the 3rd ballista shot lands). If you do this, it should take you a few seconds at most to start attacking him. That's ~15 seconds of 0 risk DPS.
  [SIZE="1"]Side note - You can use Slashing High here if you want to optimize damage. Mainly for Hammer Fionas or Spear Lanns though![/SIZE]
  
  All in all, I find just circling to stay behind him while poking him with whatever attacks to be the most effective strategy. Just run to his front if he does his tail swipes or back off if he takes off or charges fowards. And make sure to keep that Shelter buff up! Just grab it whenever you need to remove DoT, whenever he takes off, whenever you use a potion, or whenever you happen to be near one.
• Oizen wrote on 2012-03-26 14:14
  I know how to play Sword lann.
  
  You either get to use DC, Pummel, or Gliding fury. Everything else sucks
  
  Pummel Storm is too risky to use most of the time, its only good to spam when you crash him.
• foreignreign wrote on 2012-03-26 20:00

  Quote from OizenX;821153:

  I know how to play Sword lann.
  
  You either get to use DC, Pummel, or Gliding fury. Everything else sucks
  
  Pummel Storm is too risky to use most of the time, its only good to spam when you crash him.

  
  
  Too risky? If he's doing his tail swipe and you're close to his back legs, you start a Pummel Storm and move to his front. Or do the same if he's doing his fire breath, since the hitbox on the breath is pretty deceiving because you can sidestep it if you're close to his mouth. Next time you fight him and he does his fire breath (not the fireball where he slams his two front arms) Slip Dash towards his mouth. If you're directly under it or even in front of it a bit, you won't get hit. Wouldn't recommend Pummel Storm until you see where the hitboxes are.
  
  Thousand Needles is also actually pretty good because of his sometimes random movements, and random 1k Needles swipes can hit him. The extra smash of it also has high vertical, so you can sometimes get lucky and hit his wings or tail if you're below them.
  
  I've also been using my non-skill Gust Sting on him. Hitbox on that is huge (like a full 360 kind of) and has good vertical, so with high crit I can sometimes just do R and Glide off whatever random part I hit.
• Yanm wrote on 2012-03-26 20:33

  Quote from OizenX;821089:

  I guess, but Swords lann isn't DPS. I mean it, Sword skills damage % suck. The only thing I think that really does damage is Gliding Fury.
  
  I never understood why Fiona holding one sword, does more damage then Lann holding two swords. Its not like Fiona holds one sword with two hands, she dual weilds a sword and shield, so her damage output should be half of lanns :|
  
  But vind =/= logic

  
  
  Sword Fiona has the worst damage in Vindi currently, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say. I use Pummel Storm all the time on the dragon. I've barely died from using it, my deaths are my own fault. I thought that Pummel Storm's two hits were close to GF damage?
• MareneCorp wrote on 2012-03-26 20:38

  Quote from Yanm;821523:

  Sword Fiona has the worst damage in Vindi currently, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say. I use Pummel Storm all the time on the dragon. I've barely died from using it, my deaths are my own fault. I thought that Pummel Storm's two hits were close to GF damage?

  
  
  Pummel Storm does a slight margin higher than a DC, so somewhere around there, yes. Experimented a bit with dragon, the hitboxes aren't too amazingly BS like a certain boss, but it definitely takes some timing to get across.
• Oizen wrote on 2012-03-26 22:21
  You know, I honestly feel the playing area for the Dragon is too damn big.
• Yanm wrote on 2012-03-26 22:34

  Quote from OizenX;821636:

  You know, I honestly feel the playing area for the Dragon is too damn big.

  
  
  It'd be much better if the shelter buff gave movement speed. . .
• sakraycore wrote on 2012-03-26 23:13
  how do u get shelter buff?