Does Weapons Only Work?

Discussion in 'War Room (Powers, Artifacts, & Builds)' started by SixSigma, Sep 22, 2017.

  1. SixSigma Well-Known Player

    Since the major overhaul, I've been trying to find a weapons only (prec) build that can keep up with the PFT builds out there since everything was supposed to be balanced (ish). But it seems that it doesn't matter how much prec I have (currently around 9600 base) it can't seem to keep up with ANY powers PFT set. I don't want to have to go might just feel useful and I love prec fighting. Has anyone had any luck with weapons only, preferably MA?
  2. VioletSorceress Committed Player

    There is no balance between PftT and Weapons atm!

    Max distance PftT loadouts can deal about twice as much damage compared to playing with a Ranged weapons (clipping or WM).

    If you have about 300 SP+ you can come close to PftT loadouts using Weapon Expert with 1Handed>Dual flurry WM or Bow>Smoke Bomb WM or 2Handed(with 3xhold clipping). Stupid thing is that most PftT builds can do same or better damage with just about 240 SP. Even when you go full Precision, you need at least 60 SP in Power+Might to be able to play comfortably.
    Beside the 3 mentioned combos, no other melee weapons can keep up with Might based builds.

    I think normal weapon combos should be available to players like powers are instantly available past lv30 without investing skill points. Also current weapons formula renders 2/3 of the weapons useless. I was hoping that for once weapons will be close to each other melee to melee and ranged ones to ranged ones but as always there are only 2-3 actually playable weapons and with just 1 good combo.

    Weapon Expert focus or weapons themselves need a slight push/buff.
  3. Black Prime OG Devoted Player

    Actually, weapons can exceed PffT, if you know what your doing. :)

    I've seen gadgets put up crazy numbers being full precision using the bow smoke bomb. It's just not as popular and very, very active.
  4. VioletSorceress Committed Player

    Weapons in general? Why you say "weapons", then mention just 1 particular combo. 1 particular combo doing well equals absolute weapon balance now?

    OP asked about Martial Arts.
    Can you keep up with anything using Martial Arts equipped? Or should you advise OP to just buy Bow and forget about other weapons ?
  5. 9001BPM Steadfast Player

    I get told nearly every day that I should be playing from the tray with full might. :-(
  6. VioletSorceress Committed Player


    Certain things work but you will make your healer and tank nervous when you melee. Deaths will happen more often no matter how experienced you are.

    Major issue for me is how much more SP weapon builds require to work.

    Fully specced weapon with all melee and ranged cross weapon combos requires about 25-29SP which is way too much. If normal weapon combos are just granted to players like superpowers are, we would need to only buy the WM point for the 3 weapons and then up to 4 SP to get the 2 melee and 2 ranged cross weapon combos available for our main weapon.

    7 SP is a lot more reasonable number since as Ive mentioned earlier, Weapon expert players always need something between 40-60 in Power+Might to function properly. With SP max stats caps increasing, Weapon expert players will have to make compromises with maxing out their Precision in favor of speccing enough cross weapon combos or Power. Weapon Expert focus should probably also have Active weapon power regen increased too so it could work without investing much or anything in Power+Might.

    BTW, Weapon Expert players are also in major disadvantage in no troller alerts and 1 troller raids, which is the standard for pug groups. But even with 2 trollers, Might based dpsers are having easier time to keep their power bars full all the time so Im never sure if troller's weapon/precision buff is on me or not.
  7. Black Prime OG Devoted Player

    Buy the bow and forget about other weapons. I'd like sorcery to be fixed to, but we are going into October. Nothing is being said about anything weapon wise being fixed. Adapt and move on. Not trying to be a butt, just the game we play now.
    • Like x 1
  8. Backblock Well-Known Player

    Why can't people keep quiet about weapons? Now Sorcery and mental will be back to crap after the things suggested in this thread takes the nerf. Very smart. :rolleyes:
    • Like x 1
  9. SixSigma Well-Known Player

    No I understand, but that's the problem. I shouldn't have to swap to a weapon I don't like using just to maintain being useful with a full prec build. Otherwise I end up playing from the tray with full might in a way I don't enjoy playing the game. The "play how you want" style is almost there, just not quite it seems. Hopefully the devs can do something about this sooner than later.

    I'm not saying I'm gonna quit or anything, mind you. I'll just continue to play how I want to play and have to put aside the feeling of uselessness, lol.
    • Like x 1
  10. Surtur Well-Known Player

    Yes, this is a big issue for balance IMO. The math to balance weapons with PftT is as easy as it gets. I really do not understand the issue with using basic math to get the weapons issue fixed. A middle school kid could balance weapons using basic math.

    Point a is 60 miles away from point b.


    How long will it take train B to get from point a to point b going 45 mph?
    How long will it take train F to get from point a to point b going 60 mph?

    Which train arrives first?
    How do you make them arrive at the same time?

    This stuff is not very hard at all. I don't get it.
  11. Arwen Skywalker Loyal Player

    One thing I've done with pure weapon spec is they should go hand in hand with buffing powers. I've specced pure weap early on the revamps with gadgets and it's basically Battle Display>Defib then Weapon mastery through out. Currently my mental is pure prec HB>Arrow fling with the same idea.

    Anyway, like the rest has said, it's not competitive against PftT BUT.... If you benchmark the DPS of your weapon choice, you're good in my book.
  12. Streven Dedicated Player

    To answer the question, yes weapons work. They will get the job done. But as a general rule a weapon focus build won't be competitive on the scoreboard by a good bit. Weapons could use some fine tuning still.
  13. SixSigma Well-Known Player

    It seems so... maybe someone with a green name... a Dev perhaps, Mepps, Nerd of Prey, anyone can give us some insight on if this will happen ever?
  14. Saami Loyal Player

    Too often people use same WM combo against group and solo mobs.
    You can get good damage doing just that, but you are still handicapping yourself. Practice dummy and live testing is your friend.
  15. TITAN ephemeral Loyal Player

    thats what ive heard...i think precision is underestimated in this game...i think they should decouple WMs...let any weapon attack WM into any other weapon attack...wouldnt NEED bow to do smoke...maybe even allow WM combos...if you can keep up without breaking your controller or fingers why not
    • Like x 1
  16. Rejoicer1 Well-Known Player

    I have a weapons only build and while it's fun, even at full prec, it is only equal to about a 2nd tier dps which is good enough to run and have fun, but it won't ever be top DPS.

    However one suggestion I have for the devs is to make the top weapon combo's dps = the cross weapon combos dps if you have weapon mastery. There are several reasons for this:
    1. I can actually use the weapon moves I want and do reasonable damage rather than having to end with a weapon I don't want. [And being a staff user I have the issue that there are NO WM cross weapon combos ending in staff]
    2. Less spamming of the same old moves
    3. It makes the WM item more worthwhile as it truly represents weapon mastery with your chosen weapon rather than only saying you are good with other weapons
    4. Due to point 1 it will open up a lot more weapon moves making the weapon expert players happier [ happy players = $ for DCUO]

    In terms of DPS, Weapons only weapon expert, with the appropriate buffs could still use about a 15-20% boost in base DPS