PLD XP PT with greatsword???

[DarkDragonRider]

would it ever be accepted or will people always expect a paladin to use a sword and sheild??

[Biterman]

Not really no. There are PT situations, or with certain mobs, where is not such a bad idea.

Some say its a good option once you get Spinning Slash at 69, but it is IMO that if your PT needs you to pick up slack in the DD deparment, then its not really a good PT to begin with.

[Darkedge]

PLD with Greatsword can work against weaker mobs (some Ts) when the other melee start to do even more damage to pull hate.

But basically, PLD are expected to use sword and shield

[Rones]

Some say its a good option once you get Spinning Slash at 69, but it is IMO that if your PT needs you to pick up slack in the DD deparment, then its not really a good PT to begin with.

Its not that you are becoming a DD, but you are supporting/enhacing the party's current DD. If your party doesn't have anyone that can do a dark chain off swift blade or you are fighting mobs strong vs dark like undead, then switching to spinning slash to make an extra light chain you couldn't otherwise do just spamming your ws solo can net you a good 1.5-2k extra dmg depending on your other melees and blms. This also only works if your healer isn't having any probs keeping up.

Any other time though gsd is pretty bad for pld.

[Biterman]

Thats the thing, if the PT needs you to use GS to do a lvl 3 SC then its a bad PT config, IMO.

Think about it, if the other 2 meeles cant SC off your Sword WS or do it between them, what are they good for? Thats why good PT leaders pair meeles that are compatible. :p

[Rones]

I didn't say the party couldn't do a light/dark chain without the pld, I said it would allow them to do an extra one (if the party was completly unable to do one without a pld, then it would be a prob.). Such as this setup, pld, thf, rng. Arching-> Shark creates an excellent light chain, but most rng's get tp faster than thfs. Plus rng and thf is unable to chain with the pld's swift blade (assuming pld doesn't have savage blade yet). So the pld can use a gsd to do spinning slash-> arching arrow for another light chain in addition to the rng-> thf light chain. Like I said earlier, party isn't depending on you to do the chain, but by using the gsd in that situation you could enhance/support them with extra dmg.

[Lyonesse]

Most of the time you'll want to use Sword and Shield but Gsword does have its uses as Rones points out.

[LionhartPLD]

NO.

[imac2much]

99% of the time you shouldn't use GS in XP PT. Your damage output will not be much higher, since you are still using defensive gear and food, so that your ATK will be relatively low compared to the monster's DEF. Since GS is B rating for PLD, your accuracy will also be lower than if you used 1h Sword + Shield. You are also giving up enmity, VIT, and defense from shield (Koenig) plus the ability to totally negate damage with shield blocking. Actually, your DPS will fall greatly post 70 if you use a GS over Joyeuse, even good GS like Nagan, Balan's and Skofnung.

The only redeeming quality is Spinning Slash, which can still do 300-600 damage WITH defensive gear and food. As a reference, my Swift Blades would probably do 100-170 damage with the same TP, gear, food and my Savage Blades would do 50-130.

IMO the only time it is useful to use a GS is when you have ample healing (usually in a RDM+BRD+SMN or WHM PT) and after you get Spinning Slash (69+) but before you get a Joyeuse. Also you should have someone to skillchain with, like a WAR, RNG, DRG, or SAM. BRD should give you Ballad 2 and Madrigal (or 2x Madrigal if you have a RDM for Refresh) so that you can actually hit. Use warcry and/or berserk for your WS's (cancel Berserk after using Spinning Slash)... doing Mistral Axe -> Spinning Slash does about 2-3x more total damage than Full Break -> Swift Blade... same for Spinning Slash -> Tachi: Kasha compared to Swift Blade -> Tachi: Gekko.

Since your GS WS is doing 3-4x more damage than your 1hs WS, your skillchain bonus will also be doing that much more damage generally. Sometimes this increase in damage is worth it if you don't have quite enough damage dealers but you have enough healing and support.

Ideally, however, GS should never be used in XP PT for optimal XP gain, and especially against hard hitting monsters.

At lvl 74-75, if you're not fighting aura statues in sky, everything is VT to you anyway, so you can afford to mess around some. With enough AF2 and adaman, you won't be getting hit hard at all even with GS, so it could be fun to mess around. However, if you have Joyeuse, you'll actually be doing LESS damage with GS even factoring in Spinning Slash. So I guess the only time GS could theoretically be better is between lvl 69 and 70.

[Lostbeatz]

Re: PLD XP PT with greatsword???

Originally posted by DarkDragonRider
would it ever be accepted

NEVER EVA

[LionhartPLD]

I sometimes use GS when im messing around like helpign with coffers or quests or hunting in Sky. Eventually It'll get capped but now im focusing more on getting Spirit Taker with the staff :D

[Aneyeisuponyou]

I exp'd with a PLD using GS in Tree for a few levels, was horrible. ;/

[codezero]

i used GS once in a exp PT.. we were killling weapons @ sky.. it wasn't too bad o.O... my GS was capped.. and spinning slash was doing like 500+ dmg.. (we had a brd)

it was LS PT.. so they didn't mind i guess lol

[Balutix]

i used GS in exp PT from level 28-30. it worked ok since we chained madras like h***. <and that i only had bee spatha +1 before i got centurions>

else i would recomend GS on bcnm or farming.. not for exping. and remember you do not want to give up all that def and shield bash.

[Dragonbro]

Yeah pld can use GS to lvl up, but i find my self only using it in KRT. When skeleton don't deal much damage on me wearing my current equipments. So it possible to use, but only use it if your PT need you to chain on something. The downside of using GS that you can't handle hate as much as swrd/shield and you get hit more. So try to get more chr item's, it help you hold hate longer.