Trying out melee...

• Kiyobi wrote on 2010-09-09 20:38
  What's a good sword to start off with for low DEX, while I struggle to get AP?
• Chillax wrote on 2010-09-09 20:42

  Quote from Kiyobi;150713:

  What's a good sword to start off with for low DEX, while I struggle to get AP?

  
  
  Gladius.
• Shirayuki wrote on 2010-09-09 20:45

  Quote from Kiyobi;150713:

  What's a good sword to start off with for low DEX, while I struggle to get AP?

  
  
  Best bet would be a gladius. Good because of the decent damage and balance, but low crit. 255 upgrade path is probably the best if you have low dex, but if you don't mind having 60~70 balance, you can use 240-2 path.
• Kiyobi wrote on 2010-09-09 20:49
  I was thinking of the 135 for the high crits, what do you guys think?
• Shirayuki wrote on 2010-09-09 21:02

  Quote from Kiyobi;150728:

  I was thinking of the 135 for the high crits, what do you guys think?

  
  
  Damage is pretty low, so if you can sacrifice damage for crit, go for it. If you're going to be mainly wming though, crit on a weapon above 10 or so is pretty useless, since you can easily make up 20% crit with stats or 1~2 enchants.
• Kiyobi wrote on 2010-09-09 21:08
  I'm not exactly a WMy person, but I'm forcing myself to try out the style, for better or worse...
• Shirayuki wrote on 2010-09-09 21:10

  Quote from Kiyobi;150759:

  I'm not exactly a WMy person, but I'm forcing myself to try out the style, for better or worse...

  
  
  It's a good way to grind levels, but in higher level runs, it becomes less useful compared to Smash/Magnum/Adv Magics.
• Kiyobi wrote on 2010-09-09 21:12
  That's really strange, all my melee friends swear on their deathmills.
• Shirayuki wrote on 2010-09-09 21:23

  Quote from Kiyobi;150764:

  That's really strange, all my melee friends swear on their deathmills.

  
  
  Low/Mid level runs, it's god status, but higher level, it doesn't do enough to make a difference, and would probably just get you rhaped :c
• Arus wrote on 2010-09-10 01:00

  Quote from Kiyobi;150728:

  I was thinking of the 135 for the high crits, what do you guys think?

  
  Going for crit on a gladius is a waste for a number of reasons. For one thing, your primary source of damage is going to be WM. As it ignores protection when calculating critical rate and it's easy enough to maintain around 30% crit or higher, you don't need upgrades for anything other than damage, which is the gladius' primary strength. Critical only really becomes a concern when you're smashing, in which case you'd be better off getting dex and going for 222 broads, since you wouldn't have to sacrifice 20+ max to get the same boost to crit.
  
  

  Quote from Shirayuki;150762:

  It's a good way to grind levels, but in higher level runs, it becomes less useful compared to Smash/Magnum/Adv Magics.

  
  

  Quote from Shirayuki;150777:

  Low/Mid level runs, it's god status, but higher level, it doesn't do enough to make a difference, and would probably just get you rhaped :c

  
  No, not really. Windmill never loses its advantages in sheer spammability, utility, efficiency, and power, regardless of your level. Having other skills can help, of course, but the majority of useful combat tactics in both solo and party play revolve around WM. If you're using WM and getting "rhaped," you're doing something wrong.
• Kiyobi wrote on 2010-09-10 03:08
  I actually find Windmill to be relatively unreliable. I'd rather seek other methods...
• Shirayuki wrote on 2010-09-10 03:30

  Quote from Arus;150987:

  No, not really. Windmill never loses its advantages in sheer spammability, utility, efficiency, and power, regardless of your level. Having other skills can help, of course, but the majority of useful combat tactics in both solo and party play revolve around WM. If you're using WM and getting "rhaped," you're doing something wrong.

  
  
  Have fun doing the Uroboros mission spamming your windmill ;D The damage is half of smash, and really is only useful if you're in small parties or soloing. Otherwise, the damage is terrible, and it justs pulls all aggro on you. Getting rhaped while using WM isn't that hard either. Unless you're doing low level stuffs, its not the 'ZOMGBESTTHINGSINCEPR0nZ.'
• Arus wrote on 2010-09-10 04:32

  Quote from Shirayuki;151109:

  Have fun doing the Uroboros mission spamming your windmill ;D The damage is half of smash, and really is only useful if you're in small parties or soloing. Otherwise, the damage is terrible, and it justs pulls all aggro on you. Getting rhaped while using WM isn't that hard either. Unless you're doing low level stuffs, its not the 'ZOMGBESTTHINGSINCEPR0nZ.'

  
  Lol? Uroboros is what, one boss fight out of how many other everyday situations in combat? If we're only considering single targets, then yes, the damage pales by comparison. However, there is almost no substitute for the kind of defensive ability and crowd control that WM offers. It provides an even 250% damage for ALL targets in a wide circular area, as opposed to 500% damage for one target and 20% for whatever else happens to be in the way. Its AI-resetting attribute and invincibility frames can also be a huge lifesaver in multi-aggro situations, which you WILL find yourself in at some point or another if you're using melee seriously. Oh, and pulling all aggro on you? The game considers windmill to be a defensive skill (hence why it doesn't put you in a combat stance), so it does not automatically draw aggro upon use. If you're getting multi-aggroed after using it, chances are, the enemies were going to aggro you without any action on your part anyway. And, like I said before, if you're getting "rhaped" when using WM, there's something wrong with how you're handling the situation.
  
  By the way, you seem to be assuming that combat is only about using one skill and that I am only speaking about it from such a perspective. If this were the case, I would have said smash is utterly useless or windmill is all you need. Notice that I didn't. Combat is an assimilation of every skill that you have at your disposal. I came here to advocate WM because you seem to think that it becomes irrelevant as you progress, when the reality is that it is as much a core component of melee combat as smash is, if not more so. Both skills have their uses in different situations, and some situations call for both at the same time (see: smashmill). It just so happens that WM has more of a universal use.
• Aubog007 wrote on 2010-09-10 18:03

  Quote from Shirayuki;151109:

  Have fun doing the Uroboros mission spamming your windmill ;D The damage is half of smash, and really is only useful if you're in small parties or soloing. Otherwise, the damage is terrible, and it justs pulls all aggro on you. Getting rhaped while using WM isn't that hard either. Unless you're doing low level stuffs, its not the 'ZOMGBESTTHINGSINCEPR0nZ.'

  
  
  I did uro Secret mission with WM.
  Noway in hell i was gonna crit with smash.
  
  Did my G11 Final with WM spam.
  
  There's a difference between spamming WM. and there is a difference between using WM as the skill it was meant to be. (Handling multi aggro mobs)