Tree of Savior Forum

How's this for an alternative non-meta build?

Class and Rank Swordsman
#1

Since we’re getting a rank reset, I’ve been playing around with some builds:

https://tos.neet.tv/skill-planner#1111222ff.233f5f6a82.112c3f617a8195.112a314155

Weapon = 2H spear

Strong slash damage
Strike damage = charged cartar stroke
Armor break
Continuous crown uptime
Pierce damage = goon 2
Pain Barrier 15 + attribute (+5 secs) for sustain
Restrain 10 for cc

Edit: I guess I should explain the build a bit more.

Yes it is more of a supportive DPS build.
IMC intended for Dragoons to be a party support class with its Serpentine debuff, it’s just that they made Dethrone too strong.

This just builds on top of that concept with the support debuffs from Highlander - crown and skull swing. Highlanders actually deal decent damage on its own now, especially if the enemy can bleed. It also covers the weakness of Dragoon against cloth armor by providing slash attacks.

Also one thing to note - Swordsman 3 is not just a PVP build anymore since rank 8 started. Anyone who has gone to the new maps will know how important crowd control is (Spiral arrows hitting 15k damage, Bodhkin arrow bleeding you to death). Restrain actually allows you to solo through content which you cannot otherwise solo by shutting monsters down completely.

As a dragoon 2 I’ve soloed all 5 floors of Tevhrin cave using Serpentine + Dethrone + Restrain with average gear (non-transcended weapon). This build is a PVE variation of the Sword 3 Cata 3 Goon 2 build.

PS. People should stop recommending sw1 pelt 2 rod 3 shinobi murmillo.
Sw3 rod 3 shinobi murmillo is 1000X better, pelt is pretty bad at rank 8 unless u are a tank/support

Help on Highlander 3 Support/DPS build
#2

May I dare to ask…PvE, PvP or GvG?

#3

Seems like a debuffer build -restrain, dethrone, crown, armour break, serpentine melee debuff.

Dethrone crown armour break serpentine works vs boss, so boss debuff build?

No type specific debuffs though (spear lunge, cleave, slithering high kick etc.).

#4

I guess I should explain the build a bit more.

Yes it is more of a supportive DPS build.
IMC intended for Dragoons to be a party support class with its Serpentine debuff, it’s just that they made Dethrone too strong.

This just builds on top of that concept with the support debuffs from Highlander - crown and skull swing. Highlanders actually deal decent damage on its own now, especially if the enemy can bleed. It also covers the weakness of Dragoon against cloth armor by providing slash attacks.

Also one thing to note - Swordsman 3 is not just a PVP build anymore since rank 8 started. Anyone who has gone to the new maps will know how important crowd control is (Spiral arrows hitting 15k damage, Bodhkin arrow bleeding you to death). Restrain actually allows you to solo through content which you cannot otherwise solo by shutting monsters down completely.

As a dragoon 2 I’ve soloed all 5 floors of Tevhrin cave using Serpentine + Dethrone + Restrain with average gear (non-transcended weapon). This build is a PVE variation of the Sword 3 Cata 3 Goon 2 build.

#5

I actualy love Highlander and played it as my first Fencer. With the release i completly had to reroll, cuz without Sw3 or a Corsair for CC, i wouldn´t stand a chance there, also Highlander Skills were sad at R8…:frowning:

Ur build looks kinda interesting.
But some points to take note of:

  • Highlander Skills will fall off, without a proper way to increase slash dmg (e.g. Cleave from Barb or Lunge from Fencer), also not many enemies in R8 content can bleed, tho!
  • Having 1 point in Skull Swing is not that good - Given the fact that each Skill Point increases the duration of this skill (almost full uptime when maxed, not 100% sure but its 5s/invested skill point), If u intent to go for a supportive build its even more a no brainer to max Skull Swing then
  • Ur point With Sword 3 is true, i´ll never make a new Swordman without Sw3…Restrain/Pain Barrier just too good
  • Cartar Stroke is indeed strong, but i suggest u dont go 12 points in it, u have no way to enhance ur strike dmg, tho - and i think u´ll go for Demonas Gauntlats

Changing the build is also kinda hard, cuz Sw3 is almost set in stone. Highlander is imo either C1 or all the way C3 (Going Highlander 1 is mainly for the attributes and for the low Cartar Stroke), and Dragoon should be picked asap.
Bard C1 would also be kinda cool in this build cuz additional Cleave Debuff and free Crit Rate for u - but what to take out of this build…
Lancer also looks interesting cuz of the nice debuffs it offers, u loose out on Serpentine then, tho.
It realy depends if u wanna make that supportive DPS ur main goal or not.
Also Sw2 will loose out on 15s Restrain and 5s PB(soon 10s, cuz af new attribute) - but then Barb 1 could be matched into the build.

#6

Skull swing debuff should be 6s per level right?

1 Like
#7

It’s an interesting one, I’ll say that much.

Charged cartar doesn’t do that much more than uncharged and even then spear lunged pierce attacks will do just as much to plate as strike moves. Lvl 15 gung ho is… ehh… you use 12 extra points to increase your physical attack by 36.

If we’re talking support dps then cross guard gives a great debuff and a manual block if you don’t mind weapon swapping at least. :grin:

#8

Thanks for the insight, kinda sad about the damage falling off. I don’t have a high lv Highlander to test it out.

I’m trying to incorporate Sword 3 into many of the existing builds in order to make soloing possible for rank 8:

  • Sw3 > Hop 2 > Doppel 1 > Dragoon 2
  • Sw3 > Highlander 1 > Barb 1 > Doppel 3
  • Sw3 > Hop 3 > Shinobi 1 > Murmillo 1 (Copy Synchro Thrust, spear lunge to boost cloned kunai)
  • (Sw3 > X > X > Fencer 3 is already the meta build for fencers)
#9

What else to skill Sw3? Concentrate is imo garbage, cuz u have a set limit of buffs u can have, and Concentrate is not good. 36 Physical Dmg can scale pretty good (Take 50% Enhance, a Serpentine and Spear Lunge and its 184 Dmg u deal per hit, without a hit count!)

Also Cross Guard with weapon Swap is not that funny…i tried it out myself on my Fencer…

And @greyhiem - U are maybe right it should be 6s/lvl not 5s as i mentioned!

#10

I like the way how u take the approach to swordman builds.

But sadly with the condition to go Sw3, most builds are meta anyways nowadays xDDD

I´m tempted to reset my old Fencer (currently a Sw-Pelt-High3-Fencer3) into a Sw-Pelt-Hop2-Corsair3-Shinobi…Pirate Ninja! - but im scared that without Sw3 i wont like the build, tho xD

Also if u wanna know my Pike Build for the future, its gonna be a Sw3-Hop3-Goon-Lancer - like i said i highly enjoy the way lancers play, and luckily its not that much played atm. Goon1 is for the attribute mostly, Hop3 for the free crit rate, cuz it wont be my main, and Sw2 - u know why!

#11

I was honestly thinking Sw3-High3-?-Shinobi then I remembered its Rank8, the damage will fall of really bad.

#12

Goon 1 doesnt have serpentine attribute and if u are going lancer, prepare to be very disappointed until rank 9.

#13

In my opinion the most viable Sw3 builds for damage are:

  • Sw3 - ? - Fencer 3
  • Sw3 - High - Barb - Doppel 3
  • Sw3 - Hop 3 - Dragoon 2 / Lancer

Utility/CC has more options, Pelta, Rode, Corsair in any mix or Cata 3.

Highlander is… in a bad position again. I like my Highlander as fun char for the Style. But isn’t really viable for highend content. Even if IMC one day brings high def mobs the AoE is Skull Swing is just bad. Maybe Highlander could be needed for strong Demon Lords one day if IMC slabs something like 10k physical defense on it. :joy:

I guess Sera meant the 20% more damage with 2-handed Spears. It’s not an attribute but hidden. :smirk:

1 Like
#14

I know it won’t make much of a difference, but they really shouldn’t have taken away the 0 cd skyliner spam.

#15

Holy balls that would make a huge difference in damage. Skyliner actually deals enough damage just not enough to kill on bleeding targets at least.

My pretty much ungeared Highlander typically slashes 20k with Skyliner on neutral mobs with Cleave + Crosscut. With more % attributes and without Cooldown it would be a viable option to kill. Skyliner is fast the 3 overheats take 1s at most.

#16

They could also just add Skyliner to Shinobi clones which would open a completely new Path for Swordmen - The Slasher. :smiley:

At the moment the only Swordman we have is the Beyblade which is kind of sad in my opinion given that the Class Path is called Swordman and there is only 1 build that actually uses a Sword.

#17

There’s Murmillo 1H sword & shield. Requires a murmillion $ investment though.

1 Like
#18

Yep totaly.

Hmm, i may be disappointed, but i like Lancer - also my Fencer is done i have my main character and i still like Pike useres, but i dislike how Dethrone works, i find it very boring and i dont like the animation.

Yeah hopefully the bring in Pistol Shot for Clones, i wanna have my own Hunting Squad.

#19

Don’t forget, we also have Fencer, though the pointy kind of swordsman. I too won’t mind additional Sword-wielding options, always been a fan of Swords. They’re probably gonna add more skills to clones, but it really cracks me up that they are pushing hard on a shield-wielding shinobi. :joy:

#20

Murmillo mainly fights with the Shield. :disappointed: