[X] My Assistant

The reason why mixing is good is just to balance out your physical and magical mitigation. At low level the weakness of heavy armor is magic, and the most damaging monsters are magical (celestials and sprites). Warding suffixes give more bonus than protection suffix, so it's a waste not to mix in a couple.

I agree that shortsword is better after the patch, comparison with rapier can saved for later. The reason why I feel power is worse after the patch is that monsters die fast enough without it. Yet they do the same damage as always, so it's nice to first tank up with plate, and migrate to power as both player and monster defenses scale up with level.

Scremaz, mostly random encounters (trying to get drops), otherwise about equal amounts of item world and arenas. I do item world on mostly iwbth with some pfudor. I'm extra poor now because doing too much item world and random encounters.

Trying to save up for a weapon purchase, I have no credits just energy drinks. Tried to get that Legendary Ethereal Rapier of Balance we both bid on last auction, for both 1H and DW. I was prepared to bid 300k, but when I saw jplshejeser bid 150k, I didn't want to bid against him. I think I saw earlier he needed a better weapon, too.

Problem would be solved if you soulfused your weapon though.

I don't get the obsession of lower level players trying to get a end-game weapon ASAP to soulfuse. Can someone explain it to me? The opportunity cost seems very unfavorable.

So I've been having a problem where in long arena runs, I level up like 5 times by the end, but the enemies start outscaling me as I level, since I can't raise stats. Is there anything I can do about that?
Also, my leveling pace seems to make my equipment go obsolete really quickly, should I try to soulbind stuff?

No. Unless you find something super good at your level, try to save fragments to soulfuse better stuff once you hit 250-300. Around your level, make do with exquisite or superior. If you found a magnificent, maybe soulfuse it. But don't bother exquisite. Don't buy fragments.

My previous play style was
mixed rainbow mage ( maging with mix of plate and leather armors. And use attacks of all elements ) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/heh.gif)
(It was hell) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/heh.gif)

How do you even?
I can imagine the monsters be like "What's wrong with that weird dude blasting useless shit around, only to be beaten half death by us later"

This post has been edited by as013: Oct 9 2017, 15:21

I can imagine the monsters be like "What's wrong with that weird dude blasting useless shit around, only to be beaten half death by us later"

It was first time in a history of HentaiVerse when monsters died out of pity (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/heh.gif)

By the way, remind me, please, how rainbow mage works? What equipment one should have and what typical attack pattern is? Is that build effective comparing to traditional melee and mage? Or it is more for shits and giggles?

This post has been edited by f4tal: Oct 9 2017, 17:14

lol, what? How it even worked? xD

How do you even?
I can imagine the monsters be like "What's wrong with that weird dude blasting useless shit around, only to be beaten half death by us later"

(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I used to spam tier 3 spells of all elements . By doing it kill or lower the health of monsters below nearly 40 %. Then use my staff to crush all the remaining health of monsters. (Used to crush low health monsters to save MP)
I used to get defeated many times in arenas at normal difficulty. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)
(Difficulty above it was not possible)
And I used mix of leather and plate (so wasn't even able to use ability of any equipments)
It was hell which was full of suffering and evil laughs of monsters.
(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)
It was a cruel place to be in and monsters seemed to be on steroids after level 200

When I had enough and couldn't take more . I got advice from this thread
(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
Now with 1H I am easily able to do pfudor arenas. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

This post has been edited by ALL_MIGHT: Oct 9 2017, 17:45

I don't get the obsession of lower level players trying to get a end-game weapon ASAP to soulfuse. Can someone explain it to me? The opportunity cost seems very unfavorable.

Tbh neither do i. But i guess it is all that reading about dont soulfuse that, it is not worth it, dont soulfuse this it is a waste of fragments and so on. And they believe it, so they dont soulfuse anything that is not endgame gear, because they dont want to waste the fragments. Instead they replace the whole set they are using every weeks because they have outlevel it in a way the stats could be near zero and think, boy good that i didnt soulfuse that stuff. That is at least what i guess does happen.

By the way, remind me, please, how rainbow mage works? What equipment one should have and what typical attack pattern is? Is that build effective comparing to traditional melee and mage? Or it is more for shits and giggles?

it basically relies on casting spells in a cyclic way to exploit explosions and procs.

ie: Fire spell > Cold spell > Wind spell > Elec spell > Fire spell...
or Holy spell > Dark spell > Holy spell...

starting point of your choice. afaik it was the most efficient way to play mage before Imperil came out and made it obsolete. there shouldn't be an actual optimum with EDBs (albeit i guess Redwood may be preferred in the first case and Katalox in the second), and if you rely on T3 spells only it can be extremely expensive. probably T2 was the way

I used to spam tier 3 spells of all elements .

How was MP use? I believe you MP should drain as fast as... you know (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/heh.gif)

Now with 1H I am easily able to do pfudor arenas. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

A bit late, but welcome to the club. Club of slow, but unstoppable and cheap, killer-machines (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

it basically relies on casting spells in a cyclic way to exploit explosions and procs.

All I see. Thanks for clearing it up for me (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Tbh neither do i. But i guess it is all that reading about dont soulfuse that, it is not worth it, dont soulfuse this it is a waste of fragments and so on. And they believe it, so they dont soulfuse anything that is not endgame gear, because they dont want to waste the fragments. Instead they replace the whole set they are using every weeks because they have outlevel it in a way the stats could be near zero and think, boy good that i didnt soulfuse that stuff. That is at least what i guess does happen.

Sounds fair. Agree. Newcomers may and should soulfuse whatever suits them best right now, but they should not waste precious Fragments in trashy equipment. I bet soulfusing nice Exquisite is good idea (soulfusing Superior is waste because they are less effecting as Exquisite , but requires SAME amount of Soul Fragments - 250 per equipment)

---
Also, speaking of Soulfusing. Am I right with following thesis about Soul Fragments (SF)?

Before SF's inflation introduced in one patch, player could buy SF from Bazaar for astonishing 20,000 credits, now they cost only 1,000 per.
Also, before this patch, player could get only 1x SF per Random Encounter, but he gets 5x of them.
And finally, price of soulfusing was changed in said patch. Before it required 50 Soul Fragments to soulfuse Legendary now it costs 500 Soul Fragments to soulfuse equipment with this quality.

If player would buy SF from bazaar to soulfuse Legendary equipment, then he have to spend:

• Before: 50 x 20,000 credits = 1,000,000 credits
• Now: 500 x 1,000 = 500,000 credits

so, buying SF currently is more effective than before.

However, if player would drop SF from Random Encounter to soulfuse Legendary equipment, then he have to battle:

• Before: 50 / 1 SF per RE = 50 REs;
• Now: 500 / 5 SF per RE = 100 REs;

so, dropping SF currently is less effective than before.

Does it mean that game intentionally forces player to buy SF from bazaar, instead of getting them as drops? (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

This post has been edited by f4tal: Oct 9 2017, 18:52

What do I need for 1h to be strong, and how does it deal with multiple mobs? Does it give better defensive stats than dual wield rapier/wakizashi of nimble? DW seems to let me do higher difficulty than 2h because of the speed, evade and parry.

Does it mean that game intentionally forces player to buy SF from bazaar, instead of getting them as drops? (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Sure as sure, until now i did get to fuse everything i wanted to be fused and never did buy a single fragment. So my guess is, SF from bazaar are just planned as a credit sink and nothing else.

What do I need for 1h to be strong, and how does it deal with multiple mobs? Does it give better defensive stats than dual wield rapier/wakizashi of nimble? DW seems to let me do higher difficulty than 2h because of the speed, evade and parry.

At your level, 2h and DW are good choices. At about lv 200 monsters get so strong and hit so hard, you need some more defence to survive. 1h is strong because of block of shield. The higher the block, the better it is. Rapier makes it even stronger, because the parry kills monsters that you are not attacking. And shield stuns them sometimes. And penetrated armor makes them weak. I advice that style for players above lv. 200.

btw, is this your first time here? Then welcome to this forum. If not, then welcome back. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

At your level, 2h and DW are good choices. At about lv 200 monsters get so strong and hit so hard, you need some more defence to survive. 1h is strong because of block of shield. The higher the block, the better it is. Rapier makes it even stronger, because the parry kills monsters that you are not attacking. And shield stuns them sometimes. And penetrated armor makes them weak. I advice that style for players above lv. 200.

btw, is this your first time here? Then welcome to this forum. If not, then welcome back. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Thanks, I've haven't been on forums much, kinda just poked around. Just started putting the levels into hentaiverse.
Do I need a high block shield, or will anything work?

This post has been edited by Deathglass: Oct 9 2017, 19:45

Do I need a high block shield, or will anything work?

The higher the better. Force shield is prefered.

Sure as sure, until now i did get to fuse everything i wanted to be fused and never did buy a single fragment. So my guess is, SF from bazaar are just planned as a credit sink and nothing else.

I rather think bazaar SF as a way of telling you "these things are expensive and not that easy to obtain, don't spend them lightly".

What do I need for 1h to be strong, and how does it deal with multiple mobs? Does it give better defensive stats than dual wield rapier/wakizashi of nimble? DW seems to let me do higher difficulty than 2h because of the speed, evade and parry.

As DJNoni said - at your level 2H and DW are more preferred, because you need to kill enemies as fast as possible to get to higher level quickly.
However as soon as you start playing on higher difficulties you will find that monsters can hit you hard. Very hard.
Shield is a good compromise here - it gives you an extra defense (mitigation), but most importantly, it gives you BLOCK stat.
BLOCK stat serves two purposes:

• It helps you to avoid enemies' attacks (you will block their attack, or nullify them if you will);
• Whenever you successfully blocked (or parried) enemy's attack you will counterattack it back (max 3 counterattack in one turn). Counterattack deals an extra damage to enemy and also stuns it, making it skip next few turns. Also counterattack boost your Overcharge meter a little, make you use Spirit Stance longer. (At some point, One-handed is so powerful that can be in permanent Spirit Stance because he counterattacks a lot);

The best friend of One-handed is rapier, because of two reasons:

• It has Penetrated Armor proc that allows you to cut enemies' defense a little and kill it faster;
• It has a PARRY stat that helps you to avoid attacks and counterattack back;

So as you can see - with good shield and nice rapier, One-handed can avoid lots of attacks (thanks to block and parry stats), kill enemies faster (thanks to Penetrated Armor proc from rapier), deal extra damage to enemies and stun them (thanks to counterattack), and finally be in permanent Spirit Stance (thanks to counterattacks, again).

Also, speaking of which, because One-handed WANTS to be attacked (for making the counterattacks back), he don't need Shadow Veil buff-spell and on later levels he don't need Haste buff-spell either.

However do not jump higher your head - if can't afford rapier, use Shortsword instead. If can't find shield with great block stat, then use whatever you can find.
(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Sure as sure, until now i did get to fuse everything i wanted to be fused and never did buy a single fragment. So my guess is, SF from bazaar are just planned as a credit sink and nothing else.

I rather think bazaar SF as a way of telling you "these things are expensive and not that easy to obtain, don't spend them lightly".

Agreed with both (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Tbh neither do i. But i guess it is all that reading about dont soulfuse that, it is not worth it, dont soulfuse this it is a waste of fragments and so on. And they believe it, so they dont soulfuse anything that is not endgame gear, because they dont want to waste the fragments. Instead they replace the whole set they are using every weeks because they have outlevel it in a way the stats could be near zero and think, boy good that i didnt soulfuse that stuff. That is at least what i guess does happen.

As a still relatively new player, I can confirm that the trend of advice given encourages this thinking. "Soul shards are rare/expensive, don't waste them. Wait until you have something worth spending them on."

Getting something worth spending them on and avoiding the constant "get the next tiny upgrade" is very appealing. Ergo, try to get an end-game weapon ASAP to follow the advice in the most straight-forward manner.

There is very little advice given on how to appraise a piece of gear, even though that really is the core behind the advice given. Appraising a piece of gear involves quite a few different factors, and those factors each matter a different amount. ADB, PABs, crit stats, and so on for weapons, mitigation values, PABs, and damage contributions (Phase/Shade/Power) for armors.

Extended reading, conversation, and figuring things out for ourselves generally tends to reveal the overall community heavy bias towards DPS and Glass Cannon-style builds. Start out 2h/DW for strong DPS until the game gets too hard and you have to scale back to 1H for survival. But keep raising damage on it until you can turn it into a DPS build, and eventualyl drop it for the ultimate glass cannon in the game, Mage. This forms the bulk of the end-game mentality, and like in every game community every, the end-game players' access to all options in the game and the most wealth allows them to play such skewed builds and get the best benefit. Most new players want to do whatever the end-game players are doing, because it is clearly the best.

While there are some formulas listed in the wiki, I don't really see any extensive guides written, tons of data collected and interpreted, and "weight" assigned to various stats. This kind of behavior does happen in a lot of games I've played. While HV has a reasonably complex set of mechanics, there doesn't seem to be very much tinkering, exploring, and sharing of data. Instead there appears to mostly be a whole lot of band-wagon "this is the best" and everyone gravitating towards that.

In most games I've played, critical stats are usually a very hot topic. The debate between base damage and critical stats is one I've seen many times over the years, and in most games it generally results in the answer of "base damage gives the most return low levels, but at high levels, critical stats are crucial for generating the most DPS." So far it feels like this isn't true in HV; base damage is king. End-game is Slaughter, not Balance.

Instead of all that expected "game nerding" going on, there are a few helpful folks who have likely seen scores and scores of noobs (like me) come and go, and are tired of giving lengthy explanations. The wiki seems to be written with a "don't say too much" approach. And there aren't really any guides to give that "lengthy explanation."

Lack of in-depth information, and fairly unanimous advice to follow the community-approved path as well as a lot of cross-game normal attitudes and expectations all contribute to this mindset. Skip the early stuff, rush out of the early stuff, get into the end-game/level cap asap. Do what the top players are doing, and grow into their performance as fast as possible. No one of those things is good/bad/right/or wrong. Changing any of them would still leave the other factors, and some of those factors are impossible to change. They're just the way things are.

*Good critique analyse of the community-driven advice and hints*

Quite good thinking, no jokes.
I agree with you that current community of pro-players are, mostly, gives same advice to newcomers, like
1. Start as light + 2H
2. Switch to heavy + 1H. Look for Slaughter, Rapier and Shield
3. Switch to mage, first dark, then elemental, then holy.
4. The end.
But most probably because at current patch/balance/system, those advice are most effective and less time consuming? Expert are giving them not because of some meta, paradigm and loose mind, but because those setups and builds are tested by lots of players and giving best income (in both credit and time terms).

On other hand, newcomers may play whatever they feel best and nice, but if they are asking their question in "Ask the Experts", they should expect to receive the answers that were tested by lots of players. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

It is true that wiki has not enough in-deep information and analysis apart from lots of formulas, however you can find some good analytic thread in forum itself, for example sssss2's 1H research thread.
The problem here is that lots of good data are scratched and divided between lots of threads (some of them not even English-based). We should, in theory, aggregate all analytic in one-two-three-four threads and keep them clean and straightforward, but lots of players here are guys and ladies with business and problems in RL and they could not afford spending too much time on some porn-forum in aggregating, searching, compilating, parsing and publishing some heavy math-based stuff. Some folks (like me) are not fluent in English and they have some communication and explanation problems, and so on...

As a newcomer (who almost have 300 level (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ), what you want to see at forum and wiki?
What kind of advice, hints, articles and explanations would help newcomers?
What kind of data forum and wiki lack?

This is not engineering at NASA.

if they are asking their question in "Ask the Experts", they should expect to receive the answers that were tested by lots of players

i'd be surprised if this was not the case.

It is true that wiki has not enough in-deep information and analysis apart from lots of formulas

erm... just wondering, what exactly a formula is, if not a summary of a theory/analysis? (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

There is very little advice given on how to appraise a piece of gear, even though that really is the core behind the advice given.

Well, it is actually quite simple. A good weapon just as an example is most of the time a rapier with elemental strike, ethereal just for DW, as 1H you want burden so ethereal dont benefit your fightstyle. And you want it as Slaughter. Or if you want a DW offhand Nimble or balance arent preferet. So that is for the name alone. Most important stats you should look at are damage and parry. And you should watch at the base stats and use this as help.
https://ehwiki.org/wiki/Equipment_Ranges#Rapier

So lets say see a Leg Elemental Rapier of Slaughter you are looking at has 51.02 damage and 18.70 parry. You look at the equipment ranges and notice. Damned this is a good weapon. There stats dont matter that much. They are a nice bonus but no one would buy a weapon with low damage and low parry just because all other stats are high. And that is it more or less what you should do with any other equipment if you want to know if something is good. Take a look at prefix sufix and at the important base stats and you will know what is good and what not.