Staff for Bones?

[Rubik]

Did a quick search and didn't see an answer. I am sure it is there but probably buried in a topic. Anyhow...

I picked up a staff last night to start leveling my skill. It seems like staff would be a good alternative to lance when fighting bones. I know that we have a B+ rating.

My question is that, as a Mithra with good ACC and ATK, is using a staff on bones going to be more effective than polearm - enough so that I should start leveling staff and try to keep it capped along with polearm?

[TheFerin]

Until you actually fight bones with a polearm, you won't believe how bad the weakness really is. It is horrible and embarassing.

I don't have any real numbers atm, so I'll emulate some. With a properly leveled staff, mind you.

Ok say you are fighting some liches, or Fallen Warriors or something along those lines with a polearm, say they are Toughs. You'll do 30, 40, maybe 50 damage per swing. Berserked and Fooded up. At level 53ish. As you'll come to learn, against other toughs, with food and berserk you'll be doing twice that with a polearm.

Whip out your staff and you'll be doing 50, 70, 80 or more damage against bones.

Like I have posted before: Poke a skeleton with a sharp pointy weapon and it will hit air more than bones. Swing a baseball bat at a skeleton and you'll smash bones more than whiff it.

^~~~~ I made those numbers up, don't hold them against me.

[GSDragoon]

During Genkai 1 I had staff around 120. I was doing maybe around 80 -110 dmg a hit to Liches, depending on if berserk was on or not. My Lance only did 40-60, or so. So, it was very helpfull for then. Now, on some IT mobs, like the undead that drop coffer keys, my non-maxed staff skill was showing. It was still doing nice dmg over the lance, but I was having some acc issues. As long as you keep it leveled decently, I think it's a great idea. What I don't like is the staff WS's. I can't seem to do more than 150 dmg. They all seem to suck.

[Dano]

keep in mind that you will be having a hard time hitting IT stuff wif a B+ weapon

[SolidSnake207]

Yep yep... We definately need to get something else for exping against bones.. Just came out of an embarrasing Gustav Tunnel PT... Normal damage never exceeded 50. Weapon skill damage (although I was using Wheeling Thrust which really bites ass) itself never past the 100 mark. Saying we're 'bad' against bones is almost an understatement.. We're fucking terrible. ><; My staff is like 120 so I wouldn't dare try to hit exp mobs with it. But from messing around with lower level skelletons I've noticed that I can outdamage myself with a 120 staff as apposed to my capped polearm... This is sad. =/

[GSDragoon]

Originally posted by SolidSnake207
Yep yep... We definately need to get something else for exping against bones.. Just came out of an embarrasing Gustav Tunnel PT... Normal damage never exceeded 50. Weapon skill damage (although I was using Wheeling Thrust which really bites ass) itself never past the 100 mark. Saying we're 'bad' against bones is almost an understatement.. We're fucking terrible. ><; My staff is like 120 so I wouldn't dare try to hit exp mobs with it. But from messing around with lower level skelletons I've noticed that I can outdamage myself with a 120 staff as apposed to my capped polearm... This is sad. =/

That right there proves that all DRG's should level up staff for undead.

[Akimatu]

Just dont fight bones, there is plenty of other places to level up. But the only thing is that it limits your invites to PT's that lvl in other places other than bones.

60 - 62 - Valley of Sorrows: Raptors
62 - 65 - Onzozo: Torama
65 - 67 - Boyahda Tree: Processionaires/Steel Crabs/Skimmers
67 - 70 - Boyahda Tree: Elder Goobbue/Darters
70 - 73 - Ro'Meave: Weapons
73 - 75 - Tu'lia: Weapons

DRG should be able to do perfectly fine in these areas. I PT'd with a DRG once while doing Processionaries @ 66. made about 3500-4000 XP Chaining to 5.

Always try to avoid doing bones no matter what, its really not worth gimping the team by doing 40-60dmg with a 2 hand weapon. I do that type of dmg with my PLD to IT mobs.

[Rubik]

Originally posted by Dano
keep in mind that you will be having a hard time hitting IT stuff wif a B+ weapon

I am hoping to make up for that somewhat with +ACC gear, which I need anyhow. I am trying to go about 3 parts ACC to 1 part ATK. This "seems" like a good ratio but I will adjust it as needed.

[Macht]

Bones are an absolute nightmare for any Piercing weapons (Arrows/Spears) they immediatly get a 50% reduction in the effectiveness.

The Weapons that do the best against bones are Staff, Clubs, and H2H. Those 3 will outdamage Arrows/Spears against Undead even if you have a C rating on them they'll do better.

[Rogan]

I think that it would have been sufficient if our accuracy was impaired by skelestons with the hole "poking air" thing and all, that doesnt mean the attacks would really do as good as nothing...thanks for the post on alternative leveling areas, I've been looking out for those for when I get to lvl 60+ (Unless chains of Promathia has a better alternative place)