Is ATP/Elemental the only thing that matters on hunter weapons? 2* and 8* weapons...

[CultOfPersonality]

So my 2* Partizan is like 270 attack grinded, but an 8* weapon I'm looking at, the ラグネアンサラー (Dark Ragne) is 8* and would need a +7 grind to even be equal to the damage.

So 8* weapons offer anything over the 2* counter part except for looks?

[GoldenFalcon]

At +6, they are equal in attack power (274 vs. 275)
Ragne Spear at +10 has 350, that's 75 more. Big difference

[Valymer]

Also there is supposed to be a hidden ability bonus on rares, I believe

[CultOfPersonality]

So unless I managed to get it to +10 then nothing else matters right?

[Heat Haze]

Typically speaking, most rares are only good beyond +8 Grind; which coincidentally happens to be the riskiest part.

[GoldenFalcon]

Yes, if you don't plan on getting a rare past +7, you're better off getting a 3* weapon to +10 with 11-15 grinders, as opposed to hundreds of grinders for a rare

[electrolytes]

I've been buying 4-5* weapons and grinding them to +10, as they go up to 160% base damage instead of 150%, have higher base stats anyways, and are only slightly harder to grind than 1-3*. With a good +30ATK ability (Vol, Fang, Ragne, etc.) attached, they're almost as good as (or better than) many rares for a fraction of the price. If I do decide to grind a rare, it'll probably be after I've finished with the highest 5* weapon and have some money to burn (double/triple grinders, higher risk, higher grind price, and whatnot).

Sources: Weapon List (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Akbdpi65EON1dGRTd2hqNXBQMW1Lak9SOFJKM1Utb UE&gid=3); Grind Risks (http://pso2.swiki.jp/index.php?%E3%82%A2%E3%82%A4%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E5% BC%B7%E5%8C%96)

[Miyoko]

It's much, much easier to get a 50% +10 3* than it is even just a +10 ANY% 9*. I've got a +10 16% Tigredore, and honestly, it only deals about 10 more damage on regular attacks against neutral enemies. I've also seen bigger numbers on my 50% +10 3*s; highest I've seen on a fire weak enemy is 7300, and the highest I've seen on a dark weak enemy is 6200.. I don't know, they kind of fudged rares and made them... Really suck :l

[CultOfPersonality]

how much damage difference after we talking with higher elemental damage?

PSU style or 50-100 damage between 16% and 50%?

[Lostbob117]

7*-9* has a bigger grind % over 1*-3*.

[CultOfPersonality]

How much difference are we talking between (the same Attack power) a 20% elemental weapon and a 50% elemental weapon? Say the 20% is hitting.. 200. Is it an actual 30% more then that?

[Sizustar]

How much difference are we talking between (the same Attack power) a 20% elemental weapon and a 50% elemental weapon? Say the 20% is hitting.. 200. Is it an actual 30% more then that?

No, more like...1~20 more damage?

[CultOfPersonality]

Really? That's terrible....

[Miyoko]

It... SEEMS to come more into play with PAs are taken into consideration, but I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to play around with it more.

Still, as of right now, my experience is that lower but high element stuff is better :l

[DoubleCannon]

ragne answerer is like the weakest 8* partisan sadly, if your wanting a strong 8* Spardion is your answer. I got one and with +50 S-ATK it will be like 471 S-ATK at +10.. that dwarfs your 2* lol. Currently +8 and 421 S-ATK i think?

[Vashyron]

Personally wouldn't bother with 3* Weaponry as the game just hands you some "ok" affixed 5* 2nd tier Weapon types later on the Matterboard, easy to grind to +10.

For the most part they are better than the majority of rares available right now unless you also manage to grind up the few that can outclass them to 10.

[origami21]

do not forget the innate ability/dex bonus that rares have. even if the said rare is numerically weaker, as long as the difference is too far, ex. +10 5star weapon vs. +7/8 rare. assuming the abilities are the same, even if the 5star has more max. damage, the rares will have much more stable damage, resulting in higher overall dps.

(tested with +10 5star orange katana looking vs. vol sword, +10 orange 5star gunblade vs. +8 cruel coffin, and +10 orange 5star partisan vs. +8 lumeria. to be noted is that the 5stars are the longer ones-or the better of the 2 kinds of 5stars there is. on critical hits, the oranges are stronger, but not by much, ex. 400 vs. 390. but because of the terrible damage range the 5star oranges has, the rares ended up outdamage, at least dps-wise, the oranges, even though the oranges are numerically stronger, both in attack power and the percentage.)

just something you might consider. a lot of people seems to be against this innate hidden bonus on rares, though, so it should be taken with a grain of salt. i do, however regret grinding all those 5star oranges to +10.

[youcantcatchtheblue]

ragne answerer is like the weakest 8* partisan sadly, if your wanting a strong 8* Spardion is your answer. I got one and with +50 S-ATK it will be like 471 S-ATK at +10.. that dwarfs your 2* lol. Currently +8 and 421 S-ATK i think?

Spardion was the highest S-ATK partisan for a while, but the last update added a 9-star partisan that is more powerful. It drops from the crystal cataderansa's apparently.

Now if only they would fix those drop-rates on the Floating Islands XD

[MysticSerenity]

I don't see the point in getting any weapon if you're not planning on making it +10. Then again I don't hunt low atp rares.