Favorite Class

[mimas]

Actually DFP gets you KILLED more easily, since you won't get knocked on the floor earlier and when you're playing online you can get hit immediately after.

Even so... I still find it a lot easier to have high DFP, mostly because I don't get hit immediately after unless I'm fighting Sinows. The trick is to use a Dimate immediately after the hit - I time it almost impeccably sometimes.
As for the knocked-on-the-floor business, that doesn't bother me. If I don't get knocked over I can use recovery items immediately, maybe squeeze off a shot or two before getting attacked again. If I got knocked down I'd end up with a Delsaber playing basketball with my character - no joke.

Like I've said before, a good ranger will rarely get hit

Like I've said before, enemies do have ranged attacks...

and even if he does I don't think 82 damage is going to mean death, but if that's the case then you're too weak to even be there anyway.

With a reference to the 82 extra DFP, I don't think HP reduction is calculated directly from ATP minus DFP, there are other factors. As for the weakness stuff, that's not the point, 82 HP can make all the difference between burning a Scape and surviving to use a Trimate.
Plus, I hardly ever get damaged badly enough to lose more than 300 HP anyway (800 if in Seabed or on bosses).

I hope you're joking about finding it hard to hit Gees and Canabins. When you miss on those it's usually because your bullet has physically missed since they move quickly, not because of low ATA.

If that's the case, then why did I miss a PARALYSED Gee with my Snow Queen at a total of 291 ATA? It's not because my attack has physically missed - according to the graphics my shot smacked that Gee straight between the eyes and it still came up MISS.
Ditto with an already-frozen Canabin, and a Zol Gibbon that was unaware of my presence even after I fired four shots at it.

later on the huge ATP advantage will be more useful if you're gonna be hitting with every attack anyway. High natural ATP is also very nice to have, since Shifta only amplifies that.

True, true, but it's wasted power if you don't hit.


On a lighter note:

BTW changing a RAcaseal's head does not get rid of the metallic frock.

I never said it did. There is a way to get rid of it - it's the third row yellow costume. No frock, no bow-tie at the back, nothing that even makes her resemble a Victorian maidservant for a brief moment.