Hiya KI, I have a problem. when me and my buddies go to farm gear, we often times get gear we don't want, like stuff we already have, stuff we cant us etc. that is OK, that is the catch with farming, it's most times easy, but tedious.

But NOW, here is a different thing, when we farm we often times get gear that is half useless, such as buccaneer only boots that gives 11 strength, 12 armor, and Critical strike lvl 3 for musketeers, now any smart buccaneer will not be wielding guns,( apologies to all those that are) with it, they cant use any of there skills such as Vicious Strike, or epics, like vengeance strike, buccaneers are the the last type that should stay far and shoot the enemies down, with multiple damage buffs they are built to charge into battle shrugging off blows like nothing and doing mediocre damage; dishing out vengeance strikes to those who have the bold to attack them and blade storming off their fallen enemies. with the LOUD talent they attract enemies to themselves giving them more chances to use their epics. besides, if they are at the back of the board shooting, who can they immobilize.

So, my question to you guys is, WHY are is there gear that give skills that require something that will diminish your power more than it will complement it? also another thing is, if they are wielding guns, they will be losing 20+ damage because they wont have a smashy weapon.

now buccaneers are NOT the only case, they are just my example, i (and many other people) have gotten gear that give melee critical strike lvl 3 on a witch-doctor's gear; their type is staying far from the raging hand-to-hand combat and dealing deadly damage from VERY far range, so how will they benefit from a melee critical strike? (other than the stats it give) my friends have also got things like boots for bucks that give canister shot, and i have boots for my swash that give canister shot. there are many other instances. now a swashbuckler can use musketeer stuff, but they have to sacrifice a lot of power to use that one skill

so i ask again, why is there gear that gives skills that are basically use less for the only class that can use it?

Please clarify, thx in advance

Cunning Xavier Veldon

Ratbeard on Mar 14, 2013 wrote:

I'm glad you're asking these questions (it shows you are strategizing!) and I am happy to help you out.

Let's just first look at why you might want to use Canister Shot. I'm not even going to talk about combo-weapons (yet) but let's just say your Buccaneer is armed with a musket.

1) Canister shot is area-of-effect. You can hit more than one enemy with it.

2) Canister shot does energy type damage, which is great against heavily armored opponents-- they don't get to use their Armor, and have to use Resist instead.

3) Your musket shots (even without canister shot) won't set off melee-based epic talents. Your enemy can't First Strike or Vengeance Strike you (among others) if you shoot him. If the enemy is better than you in hand to hand, it might help even the playing field.

4) Canister shot (as an area-of-effect attack) also won't trigger epic talents even from ranged enemies. Your enemy can't Quick Draw or Return Fire against an area of effect attack because he is not being individually targeted by it.

5) Canister shot never misses.

That's all the advantages just from using a musket.

Now consider using a combo-weapon such as a sword & pistol. You can still use the Canister Shot, but you'll also still be considered a melee fighter, so you can still use your own talents like Blade Storm and Vengeance Strike AND you can still use all your own powers as well, like Mighty Charge.

I'd like to mention again, since you gave me an opportunity for it, that in our next big content update we will be supporting combo-weapons for ALL talent types. If you learn Smashy from your own class, you will have access to a Smashy combo weapon with Slashy, Shooty, Stabby, and Staffy. So no matter what class you prefer to cross-train, you'll have options.

First of all, i love your new avatar lol *thumbs up* and yup, i like to strategize thx (but the, chance, is still... neck pulsing ....)

hmm ok, but while you list the complements of a buccaneers using a sword and gun, I'm gonna list the down falls. and dish out points(you get the unhappy face i get the evil one)

1) that is true but, (this is something i am gonna mention pretty often :P) you can only do it ONCE

but anyway that is one point for you

2) that also is true too BUT, since you can only do it once, it isn't worth sacrificing your smashy weapon were you could have probably triggered a vengeance strike for yourself against them. you also dont lose that 20+ damage.

point for me

3)that is true too, but it is essentially bad for a buck, remember, bucks are built to last a mighty long time even in the thick of battle, they need people to first stike them and veangeance strike them, so they can do it back. you can go ahead and first/vengeance strike a buck, but because of all their damage buffs, the damage they do on you compared to the damage you will return to them wont add up, and it would end up being better if the enemy kept their knives to themselves lol

so that is another point for me

that, as well, is true. BUT!.. thats no good for a buck, because if they weren't using guns in the first place, the enemy still could use gun epics on them, and they wont be losing damage or the ability to might/brutal/vicious strike, OR the ability to blade storm ORR the ability to vengeance strike (because remember, if you are using shooty/slashy weapons you cant make yourself shoot unless you have a skill that force you to shoot, regular attacks will instantly be put to melee form.

another point for meh lol

and lastly, true, and i have nothing to say to that except, if they are using pure shooty, they will be losing MUCH more than they are gaining :P

a point for rat beard

last one is true too but i dont think one canister shot for the battle is worth 20+ damage over all

point for neither.

and i DOO cant wait to see that! like a shooty smashy weapon? a BAZOOKA! lol
well just think about it rat beard, would you give your buccaneer a shooty slashy set over a slashy smashy set?

one more thing, what about other things, like crit strike lvl3 shooty for bucks, and what bout the other classes? like cit strike lvl3 melee for witchdoctors only? :P

thx again

Cunning Xavier Veldon