The Defiler

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Build summary	Use Penetrating Sword like a Boss!!
Recommended starting class(es)	Knight (Royal & Temple Knight would also be acceptable)
Recommended Soul Level	119 | 125 | 130
	Recommended stats (Leave at default (**) if not raised)
Vitality	50 | 50 | 50
Will/Intelligence	18 | 15 | 15
Endurance	40 | 35 | 40
Strength	22 | 22 | 22
Dexterity	16 | 30 | 30
Magic	30 | 30 | 30
Faith	16 | 16 | 16
Luck	**
Recommended equipment	Soul Level/Build Variations: + Expand Variations Young Offender: SL 119, Use as Phantom. Starting build, for learning how to effectively use Penetrating Sword & its range in your favour. Extra spell slot & good hp/stam pool provide excellent survivability & variety in tactics. If you're unfamiliar with fighting as a fiercely underpowered build & unacquainted with the range & moveset of the Penetrating Sword I would suggest using this build to develop those skills. The Defiler SL 125, Use as Phantom. This version of the build offers increased unbuffed/buffed damage with an additional 48 base AR. Thus the developed skills from the Young Offender can be put into action with greater resolve. Slight reduced survivability with less Vit/End, which means you'll be at greater risk of OHKOs. You should however be versed in the arts of the Penetrating Sword at this point, allowing you to prevent OHKOs and counter-attack. Body Penetrator SL 130, Use as Host/Body form. Body Penetrator is the revived version of The Defiler, with 50,40 vitality & endurance which ensure good survivability & decent stamina pool for executing full combos. This build suffers from low damage due to remaining in body form and can be difficult to use. Especially prior to developing skills to determine max range of the Pen.S. I am at heart an invader but if you're set on being in body form this is the best solution for slightly increased SL. If you were to increase SL still you should know that both LW & the Penetrating Sword provide terrible gains beyond 30 magic & dexterity, respectively. Equipment Right Hand Penetrating Sword +5 Talisman of God/Beasts Once SC is cast you may choose to replace ToG/B with your choice of: Crescent Estoc +5 Moon / Crescent Uchigatana +5 Northern Regalia Left Hand Insanity Catalyst (Provides best Light Weapon buff) & your choice of: Moon / Crescent Uchigatana +5 Dark Silver Shield +5 Knight’s Shield +10 Steel Shield / Purple Flame Shield +10 (PFS is not highly recommended) + Expand Configurations Table 1: Suggested Configurations (ToB swapping is implied but is not necessary). Configuration Left Hand Right Hand Sword & Board Dark Silver Shield +5 / Insanity Catalyst Penetrating Sword +5 / Crescent Estoc +5 P.L. Capable Moon Uchigatana +5 / Insanity Catalyst Penetrating Sword +5 / Moon Uchigatana +5 Jumper Ready Dark Silver Shield +5 / Talisman of Beasts Northern Regalia / Stormruler Rings Soul Form: - Cling & Foe's / Friend's Body Form: - Eternal Warrior’s & Clever Rat's / Ring of Magical Nature Armor I usually stick with brush helm because it's the closest to the penetrator's spike I could imagine (gloom would be 2nd choice /w two spikes) & AK/Venerable sage's gear. Some good choices are: Light Sets: Ancient Kings's, Venerable Sage’s, Black leather Heavy Sets: Fluted, Gloom, Mirdan, Brush (especially helm), Dark silver (except helm, it is ugly) For Devastating Style: Brush helm, Fluted Torso, Black Leather Gloves, Ven. Sage Legs (be wary of equipment burden because you'll still want to roll quickly.)
Recommended spells/miracles	Spells / Miracles: Spells Light Weapon (cast using iCat for best damage) As Young Offender extra spells is best used as: Soul Ray (Interrupts Grassing) Firespray (Creates urgency for opponent; forces aggressiveness) Poison/Acid Cloud (Cover for buffing LW; Acid provides additional offense vs jumpers) Demon's Prank (for Humiliation; HaHAhA [cackle]) Miracles Second Chance
Gameplay tips and progression	Stat Justification + Expand Justification The high requirements of the Penetrating Sword tend to cripple any Penetrating Sword build's ability to maximize damage/survivability at SL 120. Therefore I've listed three of the best solutions to this predicament I discovered while playing with various version of the build. Intelligence: 15 is just enough for SC & iCat LW without silver circlet/catalyst. It is possible to reduce by 1 point, but this would require the constant use of Silver Circlet. Getting used to low damage weapons can be difficult & therefore I have suggested 18int for the Young Defiler build which provides an additional spell slot which is used as a strategic crutch. Selecting Clouds, Soul Ray or Fire Spray are the most valuable for their ability to create safe zones for rebuffing, interrupt grassing or by forcing passive players to become more aggressive. Strength: Set to meet requirement for 1-Handing Penetrating Sword. Increasing past 22 would be pointless (gains <1AR per stat). Although it is easy to ensure victory or SC crack with a 2H stunlock combo, due to the increased swing set size & 1H damage I find the ability to use 1H-grip Penetrating Sword invaluable asset. Reducing strength to 15 (or 18 for off kat wield) is considerable for the minimum requirement of two hand grip. This still will generate push damage but in order to use Moon Kat in the push combo 18 str is still required. Due to the limited swing set of the 2H grip it can become tediously & difficult to finish off evasive &/or opponents whom grass heavily. 2H stunlock combos & pushlock combos (if 18 str) are still as potent with the reduced str, but the unlit damage of the Pen.S is neglectible & one handed lit damage strikes are still laughable. Dexterity/Magic: Below in Table 1 it is shown that both the iCat's Light Weapon & the Penetrating Sword both gain very poor AR bonuses beyond mag & dex stats of 30. If you'd like to compare the Penetrating Sword to alternative weapons you may engage with the Table C.1 in the comments section, which will provide a lot more information on different weapons. Table 2: The AR of Penetrating Sword & Light Weapons Buff at different Magic/Dexterity stats (16 is minimum req. for iCat & Penetrating Sword). Stat (dex/mag) 16 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Penetrating Sword 134 144 163 182 187 193 199 203 Insanity Catalyst's LW 179 192 217 243 250 257 265 273 The build using minimum dex (Young Offender) offers lower base damage of the Pen.Sword which can seem crippling but has increased variability & survivability which stem from the additional spell slot & great hp pool. This build may at times seem ineffective in comparison due to the reduced damage, but this handicap can be minimized /w the use of Push-lock combos & a good selection of backup weapon (that needs no buff) & effective use of spells (namely firespray for those {wimps} waiting out your LW, soulray vs heavy grassers or acid vs jumpers/trolls). Faith: 16 = Second Chance Luck: Minimal (7) Move Set: + Expand Move Set Move set is identical to any Straight Swords (not including daggers, large swords & extra-large swords) 1H (1-handed grip): R1: excellent reach, arching swing, good for bs punishing WD R1: excellent arc, great move especially when distant foe is charging WR R1: great move towards opponent while dodging an attack f+R1: fast push, excellent for setting up combo & generating large damage on next swing R2: Penetrating Strike subject to 1.5x bonus compared to similar classed weapons, excellent long range attack, great to follow up landed strikes with 2nd R2 which is an uppercut (does not gain bonus). This move has a large wind up, slower recovery time, does not provide the wide arc of devastation that the R1 attacks do which causes greater susceptibility to backstabs especially roll+BSs. The move has good tracking so can be an excellent wake-up attack (post back-stab or riposte), but must be timed properly (use visual cues). Due to the stamina exchange rate of approximately 3x that of a regular R1 this move should be used sparingly to avoid running low on stamina and getting backstabbed often. 2H (2-handed grip): R1: mostly vertical swipes, generates stun, follow with more strikes for stunlock WD R1: Slow, dangerous move swinging down from overhead causing more damage than R1 but leaves large gap for opponent to strike and gain bonus (counter-hit) damage or punish you with a backstab. Avoid use WR R1: Much better choice than WD R1, can roll towards/beside foe to dodge a hit , similar to 1handed grip slice and can easily be used as a combo starter. Good maneuver. R2: Sideswipe from right to left, a second R2 is a strong follow-up maneuver that should be used if the first strike hits. This move has a decent range and can catch a lot of opponent off guard because no one is used to fighting against this sword. If you're fighting someone versed in art of parrying then this is a good combo to use to drastically reduce the chance of being parried / partially blocked by a parry attempt: 2H: WR R1 / R1 > R2 > R2 > R1 > R1 … Move-set Summary / Endgame: The 1H R2 gains bonuses to physical damage and can be a suprisingly effective maneuver when utilized sparingly, but when you cannot establish Backstabs or Parries your best bet is either: A buffed 2H R1 stunlock combo can still deal upwards of 1200 damage with a maximum of 7 swings. A left kat & right push-lock combo can be surprise & be effective especially if you've been shield & boarding the majority of the bout. DISCUSSION The Burden of the Defiler: + Expand Introduction The onus to transcribe this build has been on me since I first thrusted the long, rigid shaft of the Penetrating Sword into an opponent's chest directly after swatting their abused polearm from my face. I knew at that point the penetration offered the great humiliation and loss of appetite that no other could offer. My foe torn asunder, spread on the ground, gurgling and clutch at nothingness as they parted ways from their world. I would be forever powerless against the addicting urge to thrust my shaft into every foe's backside. So it begins, the quest of The Defiler. PvP Gameplay/Match-ups: You're much less likely to have a mirror match however LW and BBS builds are very similar in nature. In almost every match you can consider yourself at a disadvantage, and are going to be in an uphill battle. Due to the low damage output of Penetrating Sword as a main hand it would be optimal to use Moon Uchigatana in the left hand for Push-lock combos whenever a shield is not preferable. In every duel you're going to want to use your range advantage constantly. Avoiding enemy strikes (especially cursed weapons) and counter-attacking from outside of their range is a necessary part of any battle you want to win. Use of the large arced swings prior to entering enemy's range are just as important and require good/practiced timing to fend off backstabs or charge strikes. + Expand Match-ups vs. Katanas can be particularly tricky due to effective charge strikes, lightning swingspeed and deadly pushlock combos. Utilizing an Estoc will provide you with a temporary advantage if you need room to rebuff. More often than not the lefthand moon kat push combo will be your greatest asset against dual kat users. Avoid eating charge strikes and if you've been backstabbed, roll-backstab on wakeup or block if a shield is equipped to avoid taking large damage from a piercing R2 strike. vs. Poles have relatively the same range as you, generate much more damage and require much less skill. If the player spams mindless it should be relatively easy to perform a Set-up Parry & follow it with a Riposte, but this unfortunately will not crack their SC. Both Sword & board or Push-Lock Capable are good equipment set-ups for defeating poles & these match-ups come down to skill (how much less they have; them winning proves they know not to spam r1 constantly). To defeat a competent player using a polearm you'll have to severely outplay them. What I find works well is continuously change between evasive and defensive reactions to their advances forcing them become over-zealous and run low on stamina. The best options are to make sure you generate a good 2H stun combo after a dodging roll or lock them in a pushlock with a left handed Uchigatana, eitherway you want them locked up and have enough stamina to escape any return fire. Roll backstabs are always a good move vs poles if you can get close enough, however there's always a chance you'll eat a combo instead. vs. Estocs will can be an extremely challenging match-up depending on the foe you face. The challenge comes from the in your face phantom range, ability to dodge or parry everything in your arsenal and when they approach they can turtle and avoid taking any damage. Your best bet is to parry a turtle poke spam or spam run/roll bs. Try to evade until they've become restless, which will open them to easier bs & sometimes you'll hit for bonus counter-hit damage. vs. BBS builds have similar swing sets and versatility each strike they do will be dealing considerably greater damage, so exchanging hits is not a good idea (rarely would it ever /w this build). Keep particularly vigilant while opponent 2H's BBS or has offhand kat because a combo can deal upwards of 1500dmg and kill any phantom. So in order to win you must outplay them, and thus is all the more humiliating when you reign victorious. Why not congratulate them? ..or something along those lines: "!!!PENETRATED!!!" vs. Uber Weapons When facing someone with a DBS, GS or GA always maintain enough stamina to dodge an attack (often twice vs GAs). Remaining evasive and counter attacking will lead to stunlock, pushlock combos or backstabs (your goal should be a combos but backstabs are good way to remove 1/3 a bar of hp), but you must keep constant pressure on faith builds to mitigate their regeneration. These match-ups should be relatively simple and come down to proper dodging techniques. Over confidence in these battles is your natural enemy because the majority of these foes can 3 hit you through your SC to death. vs. Faith builds You may expect to be the most difficult due to their resilience to your already low damage, however they're not necessarily stronger hitting builds. In general you should beware of DSS wielders due to their intensified magic defence and a host faith build wielding one may have extremely high damage resistance. Time is your biggest enemy with your buff quickly fading & their hp constantly regenerating (almost as quickly as you deal damage) it is important to keep pressure on them always & early. Aim to land backstabs or combos to eliminate their hp bar before they can regenerate. Of all the blessed/faith based weapons Great Axe/Sword & Mirdan Hammers present the greatest issues due to their ability to keep you at bay or incapacitated while they wait out your buff & quickly regenerate vast quantities of hp. Opponents with Blessed Great Axes will easily be the most dangerous due to their ability to 3HKO you thru SC while DSS is not equipped, massive regeneration (most wear adj. on back) & every approach must be done correctly or you'll take a 1-3 strikes (3 & you're out). DSS should not be equipped because blocking a GA blow is likely to break your guard, GAs cannot be parried (while 2H'ing) & reduce your ability for burst damage by removing the push-lock option. You'll likely have to maintain close proximity to capitalize on their mistakes & your effectively executed dodges, back-stabs & combos are the only way to go. If getting close is difficult use L1 swings at the maximum range prior to their roll to cause 150-200 dmg swipes which'll cause them to change their evasive tendencies (else Dash+R1 during a roll to connect for counter-hit bonuses; be ready to dodge). Pros/Cons: “Other than looking great, it has no desirable qualities.” –DS wiki Pros: Phenomenal Range Variety w/ interchangable spell slots Has Both Stunlock/Pushlock Capability Effective vs. Warding Great aesthetics / Relatively original / Humiliates defeated foes / Great fun! Cons: Low damage, split damage; majorly magic damage Tendency to feel 'Holier than thou' Reliance on Buff & Shallow mana pool W/o Acid Cloud build fares poorly vs Jumpers Alteration Choices: 2-Handing Using exclusively two-hand grip saves stats by reducing the strength requirement. I found in general this is a less viable option due to the reduced swing set. The 2H straight sword swing set is very limited & can easily be avoided for the duration of LW buff. I had plenty of victories with a 15 str set-up but against no means of difficult players. Dirty Wizard The dirty wizard was what I had planned on calling my 18 Intelligence + Ring of Magical Nature variation of the build. This set-up would grant a slightly larger mana pool & access to either Fireball, Ignite or a combination of soul-ray, firespray & a cloud spell (I would recommend fireball). However the low intelligence, magic stats & the lack of spell damage buff equipment mean that these spells will be doing far less than their potential. This combined with the loss of foe's or cling ring in soul form make this alteration less viable.. Although those players willing to goto higher soul-levels & playing in body form may consider this alteration more reliable because the additional spell slots can make you a much more versatile & less predictable opponent. Disclaimer: + Expand Disclaimer All levity aside it is important for you to know this build will not be generating the same unstoppable damage that you may have come to expect from the most common builds. Humiliation and greater aesthetics are the primary assets of the build. Additionally I'll mention this is the most hilarious and entertaining build I have PvP'd with as of yet. This build combines a handicapped damage with impressive range & appearance. If you're looking for a challenge (or just to humiliate your friends) look no further.

Comments

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key

m0ose 25 Mar 2011 05:06

Remember to have fun with this build or you'll fail every time.

build discussion is subject to change as I feel out best practices..
recently discovered 1H R1 swipes outrange claymores. <- this is false, claymore tends to out range the penetrating sword & can be possibly the most difficult match-up due to its range & 2hit kill damage.

Below is a comparison of one-handed weapons including the Penetrating Sword & viable alternatives for this build. The Strength is @ 22 for all data & there are two set magic stats of 30 & 40, note that the magic stat effects no physical damage & weapons with two components have been broken into two parts for further assessment. Note: These are NOT FROM THE DAMAGE CALCULATOR & therefore are the correct values.

Table C.1: Weapon comparison @ 22Str,30&40Magic over an array of Dex

@20/30 Sharp weapons will out damage +10/Quality +5 weapons even while two handing (kilij was my test group). If you're set on having an enchant-able backup weapon then a unique or sharp weapon would be your best choice, I would still suggest using a moon or crescent weapon.

Last edited on 08 Jun 2011 14:33 by m0ose Show more

Great Minds Think Alike!

Stealthflame 27 Mar 2011 03:28

Very nice build setup, I myself am on my second LW Penetrator (as you've seen). My stats are a little different than yours, though. I bumped up dexterity to 30 for a pretty good damage increase lit/unlit, but had to put strength at only 15 so I can't 1-hand it unlit. Glad to see I'm not the only one lovin' it!

Re: Great Minds Think Alike!

m0ose 27 Mar 2011 07:34

Initially I wrote this build to be min stats all out magic, but I found very little damage increase in LW after magic stat of 30… Then I was shown how LW scales to Spell Assist not magic stat and decided 30magic would be better… and I had a lot of issues approaching targets with 2handed grip…. I find the ability to switch between 1handed and 2handed grip without massive damage loss to be a greater asset than a little bit more damage but when my buff runs out I need to drop a cloud or execute a backstab so I can get myself buffed again.

Astrichthyes 28 Mar 2011 05:00

The concept is good, except that you aren't dealing a significant amount of damage, even when buffed. The penetrating sword has an A rating with dex, so there's no reason you shouldn't use that. Against a faith build, that extra AR is needed because you won't be dealing very much magical damage. The penetrator's sword is very weak, even with 30 dex, because you fight the penalties of split-damage. If the PS scaled better, this would work flawlessly, but it simply doesn't have that damage potential and often falls victim to parries. The two weapons that take to light weapon better than any other are the BBS (which deals the most magical damage of any weapon when it is buffed) and the MC. The reasoning is that they already deal magical damage and significantly reduce the effect of damage splitting. If you think about simple subtraction (which isn't the actual method for determining damage, but is much easier to explain than logarithms), a dex build has ~120 magdef and 220-230 physdef (which is greater than your actual AR on the PS). 243-120= 123. Now consider the BBS (never used one, so i don't know the specs): >400-120= >280. Now the MC (based on my build that you rated down without saying why you disliked it): 399-120=279. Now, when you scale that up with soul form bonuses, you are left in the dust by these two weapons by a significant margin, both in physical output and magical. My recommendation: lower the soul level to 100, probably even lower, so that the split-damage doesn't affect you as severely. Consider this:

SL 96

40 VIT
15 INT
30 END
22 STR
16 DEX
30 MAG
16 FTH
7 LUCK

So, in the argument of BBS vs PS, you sacrifice a little reach for a huge spike in damage if you choose the former. If I were to improve upon this specific concept while maintaining the SL, i would lower VIT to 45, lower INT to 15, raise dex to 30, and use the hiltless interchangeably (~305 AR in 2 hands with 30 dex, can be buffed, and has a very flexible moveset). Without that option, you are very buff-dependent, which is never a good thing against a solid physical build.

I'm sorry, but it's a -1

m0ose 31 Mar 2011 00:57

Well outright I would avoid using weapons like Hiltless:

• if you're using this build you're avoiding the common selection and hiltless would mean increasing mirror matches from 0.1% to ~30.0%.
• due to their ability to be enchanted you're no longer going to be using the Penetrating Sword voiding the use/originality of the play style.
• If you're looking for a more flexible move set don't pick something as similar to the Penetrating Sword as a katana, rapiers would be my suggestion.

This build is designed to get some fun out of the Penetrating Sword so suggesting to replace it with such a conventional item is a pretty big schlep.

Moving on raising dex to 30 is suggested in another penetrating sword build and I believe it has some valid points including greater unbuffed damage. Consequentially you're going to have:

• fewer spell slots which means:

1. no laughing at a player when you've violated them [demon's prank],
2. reduced variety in battles [clouds/firespray/soulray],
3. lack of defense/offense vs jumpers [acid cloud]

• Less vitality opening greater chances to be OHKO (5 is not a great reduction, but there's still 6 unaccounted points)

• Assuming the increase to 30 (6 points you did not account for) come from Endurance:

1. less strikes in combos,
2. decrease in ability to perform any evasive/offensive or defensive maneuvers.
3. decrease in ability to wear heavy armor (since looking cool is 1/2 this build)

Raising dex to 30 is something I've been experimenting with and was going to provide a comparison in upcoming changes however I haven't had time to complete/compile my trials and tribulations with this primary form & the specific challenges faced while using it. Unbuffed damage can be a turn off and the low damage overall should be expecting if you're PvPing competitively this build isn't for you.

A brief summary of my findings (@ SL:120; 45v,14i,36e,22s,28d,30m,16f,7l):
The reduction in available spells, vitality and endurance was not a suitable exchange for slight damage increase. Although damage is a rare commodity for this build the increased vulnerability and decreased variety in style greatly effected the ability to recast LW. Additionally I find it is important to mention these changes made fighting jumpers a near impossibility which is a great decrease from previously stated stats.

Two handing: Decreasing str to 15 which maintaining higher dex could be considering for 2handing only but the powerful 1H R2 thrust move that gains bonuses to physical damage is no longer available and reduces the effectiveness/reasoning for increasing the dex in the first place. However if you're interested in 2H'ing weapon the 7 stat points would be better spent in any of dexterity / vitality / endurance / intelligence.

What I found is that a moon/crescent offhand weapon replacing ToB once SC has been cast is a much more viable option compared to stacking dex. Particularly Crescent Estoc (+4 was what I tested with) which I found would push players onto their heels and would force a defensive/evasive play style. Once they've changed from over zealous backstab attempts (the commonplace activity when LW fades), to a defensive perhaps turtle or evasive constantly distancing themselves play style, it is very simple to get far enough back to successfully cast LW without being at risk of backstabs.

I have battled vs. WhackurCrack another Penetrating Sword enthusiast who is utilizing 15str 30 or35 dex which allows him greater unbuffed/buffed damage but may only wield the weapon with the 2H grip. I will admit he's won the majority of our few encounters (bp vs host), however all our competitions lasted longer than the LW buff and were close, close matches. Due to the spirit of the fights I would have felt like a total c**t if I had pulled out the estoc to try and get space for another LW, particularly because grassing was never an issue.

The reason I've chosen to put this build up to lvl 119 is so that he maintains some value of shock & awe as well as participating with the players I normally hang about with. I have been successfully achieving a 1:1 kill, death ratio despite a large % of my battles being against jumpers & all around hooligans. I'm glad to announce I have seen one other player using the penetrating sword and that gives me hope.

Last edited on 04 Apr 2011 23:18 by m0ose Show more

this is crap

insert9user9name 04 Apr 2011 03:51

fun build, not even decent for PvP

You're crap

m0ose 11 Apr 2011 09:46

I could roll you 90 times out of a 100.

Re: this is crap

Master Javi 22 May 2011 16:22

I will rock you too with it. Being using it for 2 days and I win 8 out of 10 fights. If you can only play with DBS, BBS,Gaxe,MC and hiltless then this is not your build. It requires skill but if mastered, its very versatile and I say this ´damaging´, yes because of the amount of hits that you get with the great range, the damage output with LW is great. Sure BBSs are more powerful but I get many more hits with Psword.

rofl

xXFlameStalkerXx 08 Apr 2011 20:33

Can't believe you beat me with such low damage but this build is hilarious… I've checked out the other Penetrating Sword builds but this one has variety I like but will be doing super low damage. +1! love that you're trying something new! I'm so sick of polearms…..

Re: rofl

m0ose 08 Apr 2011 20:52

Thanks for the consideration, and it's cool you're checking out the uncommon builds ;P. I'll be posting an edited version of the discussion soon.

You would be surprised at how many tuned builds I beat… I do pretty well and the outcome has to do with my performance &/or how many terrible mistakes I make. Sometimes I lose badly and it has nothing to do with the build just taking CW hits is never a good survival strategy ;P. Let me know when you're done making that dagger build i'd be interested in checking it out. Also send me a msg on PSN for some duels. I'd be interested in dueling with you more often regardless of which build I'm/you're working on. GL HF!

Last edited on 08 Apr 2011 23:38 by m0ose Show more

yes, this...

(account deleted) 11 Apr 2011 15:38

Unfortunately,
I've had the chance in going up against this build(yes, against you Moose) losing and getting his Demon's Prank at the end sound off.
Good build, devastating power.
While I don't like the "humiliation aspect" since that is in my mind trolling, even if it is just for fun, I'll have to say this build is strong.

Sry if it was a crushing defeat

m0ose 11 Apr 2011 19:37

The demon's prank is a waste of 3 (4 if using coronet/silver cat) stats but I was initially using Acid Cloud / Poison Cloud for jumpers. When I first got this build to Pvp level i won the first 5 matches then got jumped ~10 times out of the next 13 invasions. Granted I did manage to take 1-2 guys out but rarely could I take on 3 jumpers at the same time an RFS is a surefire loss.

I'm sorry if you though the humiliation was a bit over the top.. I was beginning to think it was too late for them to hear it when I spammed after they died so this is reassuring and also kind of diminishing. I feel bad that you thought I was trolling but I do believe this build is vastly under powered & I'll elaborate while replying to your next post.

(account deleted) 11 Apr 2011 15:39

Oh, and BTW moose, sorry for double post, but why Demo's Prank if the build is strong.
The fact is it is no laughing build.
I have a quality that uses curse with Penetrator and crushes opponents. It even does great damage with SWS and BTurp.

Penetrating Sword is far from Strong

m0ose 11 Apr 2011 21:28

Thanks again for the input I hope you don't take offense to any of the this,

I'll take the compliment but other than a few token unique weapons the Penetrating Sword is the absolute weakest. Additionally I would like to a address that CW is a bad buff for the penetrating sword due to its low damage. You've probably crushed foes using CW Pen.S because you outplayed them & stunlocked them /w 2H combo. I'll try to provide a little evidence as to why I put a large emphasis on taking advantage of range, utilizing LW & how important it is to be aggressive while buffed or find safe ways to rebuff.

Build may be strong; weapon surely isn't:
The stat requirements of the penetrating sword are absurd making it a very obscure weapon which usually only MC, or Quality builds may wield effectively. Due to the massive stat requirement it makes gouging vit or mana for lw impossible. Using the min req stats & weapon calculator I've produced the table below (Table C.2) which is comparison between a few of the weakest weapons (that may be enchanted) to show how underpowered the weapon truly is. The second part of table shows the same weapons @ the Penetrating Sword's hard cap of 30 dex to show that even with an A rating the damage is pitiful.

Table C.2:

Weapon	AR 1H ( 2H )	AR 1H (2H)
Stats	Base Stats	16str, 30dex
Penetrating Sword	134 ( 139 )	182 (187)
Dagger +10	167 ( 175 )	186 ( 194 )
Shotel +10	179 ( 188 )	200 ( 209 )
Iron Knuckles +10	169 ( 182 )	179 ( 193 )

As you can see Penetrating Sword is about on par with the worst weapons @ their max worst upgrade path. Even claws, shotel & morning star outclasses the Penetrating sword in every category other than range. Other than mercury upgraded weapons & NoEA I don't think anything could be considered more useless for the stat reqs.

Since the damage even with gouged dex is absolutely shocking (bad kind of shocking, like your wife leaving your for a blow up donkey). Due to this terrible output it would be a bad choice to increase damage with a multiplier instead of an addition. BTurps, SWS or even Turps are better choices for buffs, but due the to #Swings/Stambar, range & swingspeed it is an excellent candidate for LW buff. The Addition of Light Weapon buff will be the only way to generate a decent level of AR & therefore be doing enough damage to take out a foe.

Since the damage is so low, you'll want a maximum stamina pool to allow for maximum hits in stun-lock combos & the ability to chase down heavy grass munchers. The damage can be supplemented in most match-ups /w the use of a left moon kat, which can be extremely effective in Push-lock combos.

I'm super glad to hear you've found a grove using CW P.Sword I found it more difficult & less damaging than LW version. Hopefully you'll catch me against playing around with my ridiculous PvP builds.

—> the uniqueness & low AR should be humiliation enough, but just in case I sometimes bring Demon's Prank, in exchange for humiliation I'm missing a mildly damaging firespray/soulray or cloud spell that could be a strategic crutch. I must have been feeling rather confident that day.

Last edited on 06 Jun 2011 23:39 by m0ose Show more

re:

alfieaxel 16 Apr 2011 09:58

I’d be interested in feedback, if anyone feels like beating this to death. :) I’m mostly doing this because it’s become like a giant puzzle to me.

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