Noob problem with Race/Type combo... Please help!

[Neomaxim]

I'm new to PSU despite having logged thousands of hours into PSO. I've spent the past two days pouring over these forums, learning mechanics, tips/tricks, etc... but am left with a question I think I need to ask before I get started.

Frankly, it feels almost silly to say, I dislike the way Casts in the game look. I'm familiar with them of course, but never played them in PSO as I felt the utter lack of techs was too prohibitive in a game I spent so much time solo-ing.

Problem is, I really want to focus on a ranger type in PSU. I've narrowed my choices to Gun-Techer, or ForteGunner, and realize, especially for the later, that Cast is far and away the most statistically logical choice.

As i've said, i'd much rather play any other race, and was thinking human, as I like the aesthetics.


I know Humans get a bonus as Gun-Techer. Does this stat bonus put them anywhere near the level of a Cast Gun-Techer? I recognize the fact that a Cast will have terrible TP/MST, but if I went Gun-Techer it is purely because i'd like the ability to self-buff (with the stray resta), so I figure it isn't too big of an issue. Plus, I freaking love how bows look.

So, I suppose the question is... how well do Human Gun-techers hold up against Cast Gun-techers, and if I ever did switch to Human Forte-Gunner, would I be so embarrassingly gimp, that it wouldn't have been worth even trying?


Oh oh, and one tiny question. If I choose a humanoid head as a Cast, can I wear sun-glasses, etc... like other races?

[CelestialBlade]

Human Guntechers rock, Cast is actually not the clear-cut choice for GTs in my opinion. They still have decent attack power, plus their TP is actually respectable (and will be moreso in the upcoming expansion, Ambition of Illuminus). Guntecher is one class where each race can play the class well, but they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Human is probably the most well-rounded choice, there is no aspect of the class they are bad at. Newmen aren't bad at any aspect either, they just err a little more on the Technic side.

You seem to want to use Guntecher because of their Support role, which is a good idea because their Attack technics aren't much to write home about. You're almost better off melee-ing a bullet-resistant enemy rather than use Attack technics, except maybe on a female Newman with a grinded 9* Wand. This may or may not change in AoI.

In short, Human Guntechers are definitely not gimp. You won't have the raw attack power of a Cast, but you have far better Support abilities and better Evasion. Go for it.

[Kimil]

Nice to know some people read up on the info http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

Humans do get a boost as Guntechers, but Casts still will beat humans in everything but Tp (useless for a GT other than Resta and maybe Shadoogs), Evade and MST (being a gunner class though, strafing and dodging will make your defensive stats more or less overlookable. that isn't a word, but you get what I' sayin I hope =)

And yes, you can wear sun glasses with a fleshy cast http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif
It depends on the hairstyle you chose though

[Neomaxim]

Thanks for the tips guys/gals.

For me, the choice of Gun-Techer comes largely from the odd hours I tend to play. I don't usually do my gaming when the average American gamer does, and as a result, I anticipate a lot of time spent solo-ing. That said, self-Shifta/Deband, etc.... is damn near a requirement and the only reason I don't rush straight toward Fortegunner.

Also, I love the SE element of the game, and think its great that flat % things like Virus/Burn at least mean I won't totally gimp out any gunner, so long as I land the occassional ailment.

So that said, solo-ing in mind.... what are your thoughts? I don't necessarily need speed-run style DPS... I just need viable ability to solo stuff when I can't party, and yet be useful to a party when i'm around 'em.

Oh, and where can I find out what hair-styles go with what accessories? I want one of the crazy Bono-esque sunglasses. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif I'd heard AoI does away with linking accessories to specific hair anyway right?

[CelestialBlade]

Guntechers win hardcore at soloing due to their ability to Support and their sheer versatility. They have weapons for any given situation (they can melee, do ranged, AND cast technics), and when the big monsters come along, they are one of the best, if not THE best, in the game at spreading SEs. Guntechers are not the best DPS out there but don't let anyone tell you they're horrible at it, because if you build them right they can dish out competitive damage. Just don't ever expect yourself to be the *best* at DPS.

Burn and Virus are definitely the best DoT you'll have, so make sure you're capable of dishing that out in SE4 form (Rifles are perfect) and SE3 as well (Crossbows, maybe Traps). Easily brings Jarbas, Gol Dolvas, etc. down to your level. Stuff like Silence, Confuse, and Shock are good to spread around as well, but that's more for Party use.

Just keep in mind that your buffs will be sub-par until AoI, when we get level 30 Support technics. At that point we are going to be second only to Acrotechers in the buff department (because we tend to be more mobile than Fortetechers).

[Tetsaru]

If you're just wanting buffs, you can always just hoard up on Agtarides, Defbarides, Zodiarides, and Retarides, which you can buy practically anywhere. You can also look for Megistarides, which give you all four buffs, but causes a poison-like effect for a short time (which you can easily heal if you're not too bogged down). I'm not sure what their strength in level is compared to Shifta, Deband, Zodial, Retier, and Megistar at max levels though... but keep in mind that, until AoI, you'll only be able to raise them to level 10 as a GT, as compared to 30 with a FT. Later on, once AoI splits technics into attack and support, GT's get level 40 support techs, which will be the new maximum. :3

Just from experience though, my main character is a male CAST FG, and I love it. I tried going GT with him once, but my Resta spells weren't helping much. Any FT's in the party would laugh at you, for both support AND damage, lol... but hopefully AoI will change that, since FT's keep 30 as the max for support techs, as far as I know. And there's always AT (dunno much about it, though).

That aside, it's okay to try out both and see which works out better for you. You can always make an alternate character if you wish, or just switch classes as you need. Or, depending on which weapons you like to use, you might want to pick a class that can use S ranks for those weapons. You might also try a Newman GT, since they're great with techs, and have the 2nd-highest accuracy of each race. I never liked Humans, personally... Also, keep in mind that CAST's can use SUV weapons at level 20+, which help tremendously. There are a lot of things to consider.

[beatrixkiddo]

No, in AoI each hairstyle has its own 'set' of usable accessories, just like the current client does.

[mvffin]

i have a cast gt, and it works pretty well, except that i had to use 3* wands up to like level 50 or so. but if you dont like cast, go human. its all about your personal preference. I believe any race can do well as any class, you just have to adapt a little and play it a little differently.

[Neomaxim]

Thanks for the insights all. Just a last question or two if you all don't mind?

1. I've heard, but not fully understood, arguments on burn versus virus as it pertains to large/medium/small targets. Is it the cast that the system is bugged and some SE's don't WORK on certain sized targets, or is it just a number crunch efficiency debate of DoT versus enemy max HP?

2. I've heard Guntecher has a MAJOR weakness when attempting to solo bosses due to a lack of AoE damage, like say launchers. Is this the case? Outside of the launcher, I thought FG and GT had access to the same weapons. That said, do all ranged attackers end up using launchers on all bosses? Can bosses even be hit by SE?

[beatrixkiddo]

The system isn't bugged. Small enemies (with few exceptions) have STA from 10-19. STA is status resistance. This means they can be inflicted with Status Effects that are Level1 and higher. Of course, each individual enemy can have Immunities, but that's how the size system works.

Medium enemies typically have from 20-29, meaning they need Level2 Status or higher.

Large enemies have anywhere from 30-40, meaning some can be inflicted with Level3, while others require Level4. On top of that, many large enemies have a lot of status immunities.

[JAFO22000]

On 2007-10-24 08:17, Neomaxim wrote:
Thanks for the tips guys/gals.

For me, the choice of Gun-Techer comes largely from the odd hours I tend to play. I don't usually do my gaming when the average American gamer does, and as a result, I anticipate a lot of time spent solo-ing.


There are many folks from the UK that play this game too. Odd hours in the US translates to normal hours in the UK. Perhaps you should try hooking up with some of the Europeans? This game is much more rewarding with a group.

[Neomaxim]

I very well may. Most of my family is in Europe. They're non-gamers, but i'm acclimated to their time, and as such would probably have my play time align with Euro gamers as well. Thanks for the tip.

Also, thanks for the info on STA. It is something I didn't find in my studies on the game. Is it fair to say bosses are thus totally immune to SE?

[beatrixkiddo]

Yes, they are. And like I said, there are some exceptions. Most robots, for example, would be considered Medium enemies but have STA in the low 10s, making them excellent choices for SEs, especially since they resist bullet and blade damage (SE damage over time isn't resisted though)

[panzer_unit]

Yep, cut-scene type bosses are immune to SE.

For soloing, I'd suggest Protranser (probably the most human-favorable class) or Fortegunner. The big deal there is access to Virus Traps... statuses can take a while to land on a large monster, especially one that goes on the offensive and makes you dodge around a lot. Virus Traps apply a slow but powerful DOT without any chance of failure, and then you can go straight to proper-element weapons and play your more defensive options like crowd control PA's or high-mobility firearms.

[CelestialBlade]

In regards to your GTs versus bosses question:

Yes, we have a big problem hitting multiple areas of a boss, in that we, well, can't. But there are workarounds for this with every boss and we have strengths that make us useful against every boss.

Dragon-types: You have a couple options here: stand back and assault with a Bow, or ream the head. The head is defensively the weakest part of its body, thus will take the most damage, but Bows ignore natural defense so they can hit the boss anywhere and do the same damage, plus you can stay well out of harms way. But if you want to do some good damage, use Cards on its head (Ice head for De Ragnus). That ends up being some pretty good damage.

Onmagoug-types: Assault the shit out of the wings, and everyone will love you. His wings also happen to be the non-bullet-resistant part of his body. In the air use Bows or Rifles, on the ground you have a few more options like Twin Handguns or Cards, if you're good. You play more of a support role in this fight in that you need to try and ground him, but that doesn't mean you can't do suitable damage of your own. He can take a long time to solo, but you're going to be much, much better at soloing him than Hunter-types or Force-types.

Robot-types: I say stick with either a Rifle or a Bow, you generally want to stay far away from these guys. Aim for the boss's midsection (just find the place where you do the most damage) and fire away until it dies.

Dulk Fakis: Similar strategy to the Robot-types, stand far away with a Bow or Rifle and wail at him. Go directly for his head.

[Neomaxim]

So that said... what ends up being the "boss killing" routine? Is it all about weapons/PA/tech that hit multiple parts?

In PSO I don't ever recall having a hard-time killing bosses with any weapon once I knew how to avoid attacks, etc...

[CelestialBlade]

Once you've learned a boss's attack pattern, it's a matter of how long they take to die really. Just keep Photon Charges on hand if you're going to solo bosses.

[beatrixkiddo]

For gunners, the only weapon that hits multiple targets of a boss (without using multiple bullets) is the grenade launcher. I don't believe Guntecher gets that though, so you'll have to rely on strong single-target bullets such as your Rifles, or Twin Handguns, for bosses.

Cards are also an excellent option as stated, if you can get the aiming down they dish out a lot of damage, and on Maggas Magahna they allow you to continue to attack after his base has broken without going into First-person mode.

[Pillan]

A couple notes:

Don’t worry so much about the stats if you don’t like how the character looks. The output differences between the races on the ranger classes is pretty low, and even lower on GT since human and Newman get a bonus. It’s not worth being slightly more powerful if you can’t stand the way the character looks.

SE 1 can hit everything up to around 24 STA, so you can use mechs on your average medium mobs, but anything with SE 2 will dish out the effect faster. On your tech casters, you want to use SE 3 or 4 if you’re going for an effect, because 24 STA makes SE 3 a lot faster than SE 2. Also your large mobs can only be hit by SE 3 burn, so don’t expect it to work with anything else (burn naturally has a landing rate which is basically 1 SE level higher than it should be). SE 4 burn is currently the only bullet-based SE that can penetrate the 40 STA Junsugun. Also enemies holding a shield or sword and shield have STA so high that nothing outside of traps works on them (they even occasionally ignore stat down effects).

Don’t forget that all large mobs are immune to shock, silence, and confusion. Then some mobs are worse than that, such as Svaltus are immune to everything except DFP down, ATP down, and infection or Grina S which is just immune to everything.

As far as burn vs. infection, burn has a higher landing rate and deals higher damage/time at SE 2 or higher while infection lasts longer (and gets longer and longer with level). Burn 4 is twice the damage/time of infection, but lasts for about one third the time. Infection also has the lowest landing rate of the 6 standard effects. Depending on the situation, infection may be ideal but I find burn works much better in general.

Maggas’ bullet weak point is in the shoulders. Let the hunters break the armor over the midsection before you bother attacking it. Adhana has the midsection weakness throughout though. You’ll still beat your bow damage on the De Ragan with any gun as long as you’re not hitting the feet or tail, so don’t worry too much about missing the head occasionally. De Ragnus is weird, and I’ve never bothered analyzing it.

If you find killing a boss with a gun is too slow, invest in some skills, such as Rising Strike and Hikai (the ult single dagger). They’ll do higher damage than your bullets when you can get the enemy in range, especially with the new Just Attack system effective in 3 or 4 weeks.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Pillan on 2007-10-24 12:02 ]</font>

[Bitey]

2. I've heard Guntecher has a MAJOR weakness when attempting to solo bosses due to a lack of AoE damage, like say launchers. Is this the case? Outside of the launcher, I thought FG and GT had access to the same weapons. That said, do all ranged attackers end up using launchers on all bosses? Can bosses even be hit by SE?

You know, I always find it funny when people try to argue how Guntechers not getting Grenade Launchers is a weakness. Shotguns out damage Grenade Launchers and Crossbows deal just a smidge higher DPS as well...

This is my personal opinion, but Grenade launchers are not a boss weapon at all because there are better damage options and the Grenade Launcher is too slow. So slow that half of the time you are repositioning yourself after the boss walks away. The Grenade Launcher is a crowd control weapon for highly populated mobs in thin areas and for large baddies with multiple hit spots that can be knocked over...

For bosses with my Guntecher I generally use Cards. I can stay far back practically untouchable by all of the bosses attacks, I can hit from any angle with good aim, and I can strafe for any needed mobility. Not to forget the Cards also have incredible PP efficiency so I rarely run out of Photons during the fight. As a lvl 77/10 Beast Guntecher it takes me two Mira-Kikamis and a lvl 23 Reisei-Sou to solo S2 De Ragan in 3-5 minutes. The only drawback is if you cannot get a good target on a non-bullet resistant area (usually the case with the Omnagoug) things take too long.