Weapon Switch Theory

[DualAura]

Ok Please hear me out on this...

I thought of this the other day and I may only do this when I level 1-30 on paladin...

The Idea is that any monsters that are IT... I tank with Sword/Shield...
However when someone pulls a VT or T and below (if I have a good party imo) I will Switch to Greatsword...

And I will have the equip changes macroed up so that I don't waste TP

if my puller pulled a Tough, and I just got finished tanking a IT and have 100% TP, I will use the weaponskill first chance I get then hit the macro to change the weapon.

And if the VT starts to get tough, instant switchback....

This way, in theory, I won't have to do any major skill up parties, and also will help with some mobs when I start hitting for 0 damage (crabs for example)...

Thoughts and Comments? No Flames Please... I know you shouldn't tank with Greatsword... And if my party is against it, I won't use Greatsword...

[Aeolus]

I did pld to 57 using GS and sword and shield. You can tank fine with a GS, I found I parried alot more with GS anyway so basically took the same damage. Parties never complained, can't talk for over 57's though
Also if you mean your going to use macro's to switch S,S for GS without loosing your current TP that won't work you'll still loose your TP from weapon change.

[DualAura]

Ya I should've explained that part a little more, I merely meant if my puller pulled a Tough, and I just got finished tanking a IT and have 100% TP, I will use the weaponskill first chance I get then hit the macro to change the weapon. *Added to first Post*

[imac2much]

Unfortunately it doesn't really work as well as you might think.

If you check some of my past threads in these forums, you will know I am an avid GS supporter. But generally, this is only after level 69 when you get use of Spinning Slash, the best WS a PLD can get really.

Power Slash, Hard Slash, Frostbite, etc are not going to be doing much more damage than Vorpal Blade or Swift Blade generally.

Also, no, you do not parry more or whatever using a GS. It may seem like it from pure observations but that is not the case (simple parses can prove this easily).

You WILL take more damage using GS simply because you have no shield. This means less defense + no shield blocking + no shield bash.

The lack of shield bash and the slower swings also prevent you from generating as much aggro. Since you are only fighting VT with GS, it may work, but recall that the B rating PLD have for GS makes more and more of a difference at high levels. At 69 it becomes viable to use GS, esp against VT, but make sure to have a BRD singing minuet for you.

I think many people get a wrong impression of Great Sword after seeing a WAR or DRK using it. You are NOT doing much more damage than an equally leveled+equipped PLD using sword+shield pre-69. You will miss more, your attack is low so the bonuses from weapon base damage do not kick in significantly, so you do the same DPS. Your WS's are pretty crappy. In general you do about the same DPS as sword+shield PLD but you take more damage and cannot hold aggro as well.

At 69 with capped GS skill level, GS will do more DPS than sword+shield because of Spinning Slash. However, if you can get a Joyeuse by 70, that does even more DPS than GS.

I recomment skilling up GS anyway because it comes in handy in many situations. If you don't have Joyeuse, GS becomes the best weapon to farm with (on TWTBW and EP) or when helping people with quests or whatnot. Also, I made a post about how to use GS when fighting Maat... it worked wonders for me.

[DualAura]

This is why I am probably gonna try it during 1-30 and probably abandon it by the time im done with kazham... I dunno, I am doing this mainly so I don't have to spend too much time doing skillups... but nevertheless thanks for the input Imac2much...

And yes I have read the guides and your posts and I agree with you... But sometimes I just wonder when I see some of those other plds usin Gswords in kazham...

Also, before I can even touch Vorpal and Savage Blade, I wouldn't mind throwing some Hard Slash and Power Slash into the mix once in a while for some of those Vt's and T's vs the mediocre Fast Blades and Red Lotus Blades.. (This is pure pre 30 btw and also my own opinion...)


But like I said I will ask my party if I can use it and if they deny I won't use it... but since my shield skill is capped at the early levels, (since I leveled war with axe and shield), I figure it won't hurt too much as long as it doesn't cost the party... as soon as it does I will switch back to sword and shield...

[imac2much]

Ooh... Sorry, I missed the fact you were talking about early gameplay.

I agree with you there. The earlier level you are, the more noticeable the increased damage of GS compared to 1hs + shield. The B rating doesn't amount to much difference in skill if both are capped, so you can hit almost equally well with both. Plus you're right, Hard Slash/Power Slash are sometimes better than Fast Blade and Red Lotus, depending on the defense of the monster. Plus you can open a distortion skillchain with a Thief.