Axes

[Vay]

I hit Fortefighter last night, got excited, hit level 34 so I finally go to equip the axe I'd had waiting for me, and....

I was very underwhelmed with it. Sure, the ATP is great, but it's SO SLOW, and with my high eva (I'm a CAST) I often get knocked out of attack sequences with it. That, and the fact that the PA is "bleh" @ combo 1... Will I be expected to be using this as Fortefighter? 'cause I really don't want to. Speed is more my style, and this and the 2h Sword really don't do it for me.

Any of you Fortefighters out there can give a little input on how the Axe PA progresses as you hit level 11, then level 21? Thanks in advance.

[Kitsadoodles]

I dunno, I haven't hit fortefighter yet and don't have the axe, but I know that loads of people use that thing sucessfully, so there must be some nice trick to it! Also, power can be a good thing for those fat enemies that don't do much.

[Vay]

Eh, I don't know. I heard it was slow, but this is ridiculous. lol Just not my style, I suppose.

Although, everybody's been telling me Claws are slow, however, I bought a Single Claw and it has the fastest 3-hit basic attack (non-PA) that I've seen. Currently working on getting that PA to 11, to see if I'd like to have that replace my standard Saber as my "second weapon" behind spear.

[Kitsadoodles]

Oh, the level 11 upgrade for the claw PA is great, it just sends stuff flying. Claws are really great... really.

[Vay]

How about Twin Claws? From what people say, they're unimpressive, but I never hear any reasons why.

[Fabo Craven]

Oh, the level 11 upgrade for the claw PA is great, it just sends stuff flying. Claws are really great... really.

oh great, another way for hunters to screw over forces =(

[Vay]

oh great, another way for hunters to screw over forces =(

I like to think of it as "keeping them safe"

Seriously though, as you play higher and higher rank missions, things die MUCH less quickly, making forces more and more valuable as battles last longer and the massive AOE / single target attacks get their chance to actually have an effect, as opposed to some level 50 running in a De-Ragan C party killing everything in a hit from his pistol. Things do get better, from what I've seen.

[Kitsadoodles]

Okay, well it does screw them over a bit... if the enemies die easily enough! And hey, FOs have single-enemy techs too, and if that's a problem too, then... rangers have it too... ?

[FantasyMeister]

Any of you Fortefighters out there can give a little input on how the Axe PA progresses as you hit level 11, then level 21? Thanks in advance.

Axe's first PA is a knock away (for most monsters) or a knock down (for flying or large four-legged beasties). It can hit up to two targets at the same time.

Axe's second PA allows you to jump onto your prone target and damage it, as well as damaging one other creature if it's standing nearby.

Axe's third PA again damages your target, then knocks it away once more. Again, if another enemy is within range it'll do the same to that one as well.

Axe is particularly useful for bringing down flyers, like Shagreece in Parum. A claw can do this on the first hit as well, but a claw can only follow up with around 800 damage using it's 2nd Photon Art, whereas the Axe does about 500-800 per blow, (over 1000 damage if it criticals at higher levels) plus the added bonus of knocking the Shagreece down again if it manages to get airborne during the 2nd and 3rd of the Axe's Photon Art moves. In a solo setting I tend to opt for the Spear for flyers as it's slightly faster (but annoying when the 3rd PA misses which would normally result in a knockdown), but when the Spear runs out of PP the Axe is next in line.

Using the axe without Photon Arts, it'll usually knock over a Tengogh if you manage to hit it 3 times, particularly handy if you've run out of PP and have two Tengoghs left to defeat as you can keep one 'occupied' whilst your party deals with the other one. Hitting anything 3 times without getting interrupted isn't always easy, but in a party setting you're able to strike from behind more often than you are solo.

The axe isn't so great against worm-type monsters as by the time you activate your first Photon Art they've more often than not dived back underground, I'd recommend the 1h claw if you wish to keep worms disabled for your party to kill.

[Vay]

Great, thanks for the input, that's just what I was looking for.