I`ve been lurking this forum and reddit for 3 days but i can`t decide on a build.
Don’t do this.
TL;DR: highlander 2 without cleave = ■■■■.
Highlander 2 alone without 0 cd skyliner is weak if you don’t have Barb’s c1 cleave.
I have one fencer like this and besides having a lot of fun on duels vs archers and other swordies and at the 2x2 pvp, this build is very weak for pvm now.
This (pelt 1 hl 2 corsair 1) is my second fencer (my first being the classic pelt 1 barb 3), but I dropped this barb because of how weak barb was since highlander 2 (crossguard, crosscut, skyliner) was stronger than my barb 3 and I wasn’t expecting the 0 CD skyliner to come, but the build did everything that I wanted and was the best for my personal playstyle in that moment. But then… we got massive barbarian buffs on ktos, still not enough to compete with the glorious infinite Skyliner, but even still I already regretted not having barb 1 for cleave, even so, Skyliner was Skyliner and I still had hope with the upcoming “merge”.
But then they did the unexpected: kTOS’s Skyliner got nerfed. My build died.
Seriously, you’ll end up with a limited character that has weak slashing power (very important to cover your piercing attacks weakness), very small utility and 0 buffs to your physical atk. Sure, crossguard is a fun meme for pvp since you can oneshot anything with prep-sept after a block but it still hard to pull in pve, specially with high dex builds (demands shoes swapping and some luck to proc) and you have the meme bleed combo that abuses Coquille’s and Preparation mechanics (I think you already know my bleeding combo video), if not, just check this:
Crossguard + Coquille + Preparation
Or the double bleeding with Keel Hauling + Crosscut:
These combos are fun to pull but they aren’t practical while the other options provides:
Assuming Pelt at R2 because we just love swashbuckler, C guard and Guardian.
Sword 2/3: new concentrate, pain barrier and restrain
Barb: Cleave (+50% slash, +50 critical rate), Warcry: up to 330 extra physical attack on a (now) great uptime is MASSIVE for a high dex build and now with Epee stance this will be as great as it is for Doppel’s Deeds. Lv 5 still does a decent job if you want to fill Corsair in your build and the stuns. never forget the stuns.
Rodelero 2: Slithering and other fun stuff for pvp.
Corsair: Jolly itself and jolly’s attribute, Iron Hook, Dust Devil, possible Corsair 2 at r9 if everything else fails.
Highlander: cartar stroke (strike damage is not really a must for people who main piercing skills, still great lethargy and freeze are involved or a rare rodelero friend) meme bleed, meme crossguard that is not that good for evasion builds, weak skyliner and weak moulinet (If no barb c1), not enough jobs to roll highlander 3 + barb + pelt for skull swing to help this weak slashing guy, can’t fit corsair properly with pelt or barb…
Wanna see how weak they are? Check this:
Venier, Karacha, 680 physical atk and some elemental damage from items and 400 critical rate (very high dex).
Lv 3 Flanconnade, attribute level 20.
Lv 4 Dust Devil, attribute level 20.
Lv 5 Moulinet (attribute level 30)
Lv 5 Skyliner (attribute lv 40).
Bleeding:
It’s fun when they bleed but…
Without bleed:
Skyliner is really one of the most fun and good looking skills in the game, but without cleave and limitless spam, seriously, it falls of HARD. If I could kill this corsair circle for a c1 barb I would probably do it and forget pvp forever but since we can’t, I’m moving back to my old barbarian 3 fencer 1.
Another thing to consider: Fencer 3 very high critical power will benefits a lot from Warcry (as I already said), even a lv 5 Warcry and a few lv 5 Frenzy stacks will help a lot if you still wishes to keep Corsair at your build. And this matters a lot if we confirm that the epee stance effect works only for piercing attacks, stacking atk buffs and utility is the way to go.
I wish I could save my beloved hl 2 corsair Fencer, but Mr Kim is a bad man. If Dust Devil did a similar debuff to cleave or… bah, just forget it.
Sorry about any grammar mistake, it’s a huge ugly post I just wanna help you and the others by sharing my experience.
Nice post.
But Skyliner without Cleave can work if you have it lv10 and/or use Skull Swing as well.
But that doesn’t matter anymore, as it seems that Fencer3 will only use Fencer’s damage skills, relying in the lower Ranks for utilities, buffs and debuffs.
@Miguelmiamp
Here’s a list of good builds:
Sword1>Pelt1>High2>Cors1>Fencer3
Sword1>Pelt1>High3>Fencer3
Sword1>Pelt1>Barb2>Cors1>Fencer3
Sword1>Pelt1>Barb3>Fencer3
If you don’t want Peltasta:
Sword1>High3>Barb1>Fencer3
Sword1>High1>Barb3>Fencer3
Sword1>High2>Barb1>Cors1>Fencer3
With Hoplite:
Sword1>Pelt1>Hop2>Cors1>Fencer3
Sword1>Pelt1>Hop3>Fencer3
Yeah, I was rude up there, but I’m not in a good mood, as I’m rerrolling for the 6th time after testing every kind of combination up to Rank5, having Guardian going to hell and back, and after lots of theorycraft threads here in the forums that generated 3 reasonably big discussions apparently going to waste with the Rank8 Update.
Also, I hate Barbarian, I’ve made 3 of them, got to Circle 3 and can say that only Cleave and Pouncing are good - the rest is useless, clunky, weak, slow, etc, even with the recent Frenzy and Warcry buffs.
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@Palazzo What do you have against Swordsman 3? Concentrate, Pain Berrier and Restrain look like nice buffs at high levels.
I don’t like Restrain because the stun duration is less than a second and the long CD of the skill.
Pain Barrier at lv15 is heavenly.
Concentrate scales really well in STR builds, and Fencers are mainly DEX characters, so, the skill’s full potential wouldn’t be achieved and therefore is not justified picking.
But all that can change if Gung Ho becomes %.
Well, @Lostac is planning on doing a Sword3 someday, he may help you better with that.
It works but you need to give up pelt or corsair to fit this into a Fencer build.
So, what kind utility are you going to bring to your Fencer 3? If we become just a pure piercing machine, skull swing will be “useless” for you, but still something to help allies.
Oh and regarding highlander again, Crown is really a thing, even on my low str, it helps a lot because some bosses (lv 200 Manticen is a good example) tends to resist Coquille / Lunge debuff a lot, using Crown helps since you can cut their SPR.
One more thing to consider: Spear Lunge. Yes, the hoplite skill the demands weapon swap and etc. I thought that since Epee Stance is a rapier only buff, this would give Hoplite-Fencer some headaches but as we know now, Epee Stance has 0 cooldown and a decent duration with means you can Spear Lunge -> Coquille -> Stance -> Preparation -> Stabbing / New Skill / Sept without problems for trillions of damage, stronger than a lv 10 warcry best scenario.
I’m just pointing it out. Right now it’s a no-no for me to go Highlander3 or Highlander2>Barbarian1 for Fencer because of Peltasta and Corsair.
But for someone who doesn’t like one of them, it’s good to know.
I’m still torn between:
Swordsman 3 > Peltasta 1 > Corsair 1 > Fencer
Swordsman 1 > Peltasta 1> Barbarian 2 > Corsair 1 > Fencer
Swordsman 3 bring buffs that may get buffed. Concentrate even with full dex still has a nice +dmg and don’t forget STR equips. Pain Barrier 15 is love. Gung Ho +108 dmg. Restrain for the lulz.
Barbarian 2 has warcry, frenzy and cleave for buffs and helm chopper and seism for stun and AoE
So, let’s talk something completely different here.
I was going to do a Pelta2~3 with some Rode along the Fencer.
I was ready to drop this formation, but I saw those changes on Peltasta and I saw that not only Guardian was “buffed” but also High Guard (50% reduction>15% reduction)
That actually increased my hopes for peltasta in my build. Though I understand that everybody here is DMG focused, my Fencer playstyle is more of a off-tank, that is, take 0 damage while giving any significant damage, that is a wonderful trade off for me. (And I know, this logic shouts MURMILLO)
Also, the Off Tank ideia is to mix things. So, I can mix a CON:DEX build with a DMG focused class build or a STR:DEX build with lots of defensive classes.
What do you think?
Well, those two builds are Lostac’s favourites, so, again, he can detail them better to you.
He plays in SEA, so, 12h difference.
But, think well how your rotation will be: GungHo/Guardian + Concentrate + Restrain + Pain Barrier + Swash Buckling + Warcry + Frenzy > Stacking Frenzy… and then Spam Damage.
One of the things that I don’t like about Barbarian is the long Cool Down skills have and the immense and counter-productive Preparation-Rotation (as exemplified above), yes, I’m remembering now… That was one of the things I disliked the most.
But well, your char, your choices.
I believe Murmillo might fit way better in a Pelt>Rode Build than Fencer. It does wonder, from Tank to Damage. Have a look at those info from R8, I think it’s insane. Unless Murmillo can use Rapiers, there is no way to include Fencer.
@Miguelmiamp: Join me and my build: HL2>Barb>Pelt>Fencer3 goodness
Then I suggest Barb 2>Corsair. Traditional and great. I don’t see points of Lv15 PB unless you favor Str over Dex.
So, in the end the best path I could take for this ideia is making a CON:DEX with offensive classes.
Of course, I’m thinking more on the PVP side. And I’m still seeing Fencer suffering a lot to magic damage and kite on these circumstances. Though there are new elements that works against it, they just don’t seem decisive.
50 critrate is worthless. And trust me cleave debuff isn’t that great like some people says, is good but not godness. When using combo cross cut + cleave + skyliner, you can see the tiny damage boost.
50% from cleave is good only where skill damage has high value.
Pelt2>Rode2>Fencer was a thing for tank until Murmillo and R8 classes appeared. Look at those modifiers Murmillo gives to Pelt and Rode skills, it is INSANE. Too bad, Fencer isn’t going to be a part of Murmillio builds due to weapon restriction.
Now Fencer is going towards DPS route rather than tank like some people used to build. Crit, Crit and more Crit. Magic mobs are still going to be a big problem. Better find a Sage for PvE. Or stack Mdef
Thresh Sword is 1h and pretty good. At lv 75, you get an Arde and start killing stuff very fast just by AA.
Actually:
If using Cafrisun: 1HSword + Arde Dagger
If not: 2HSword
This is something I tested during my journeys. 2HSwords also are better Skill-wise.
help
this fencer 3 skill is too strong, nerf please
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http://www.inven.co.kr/board/powerbbs.php?come_idx=4195&l=81201
Found this on the ktos thread here on the forum. The cd increase might be justifiable. Now I’m even more confused.
And also this :
I’m trying to find Fencer3 videos.