Weapons Advice: Great Sword

[tdh]

Finally hit DRK59 the other night, after finally buying my Hauby (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/1394). With Lv.60 only 12k EXP away, and hoping to pull that off tonight, I'm looking at updating my Great Sword. I've been looking through a few of the Stickys, and some of them have pretty old information, and either way don't say anything HQ weapons Vs. NQ weapons.

Currently I have a Vassago's Scythe (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/422) and a Darksteel Falx (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/8022) for EXP. Scythe will last me for a few more levels, but the Falx is gonna start showing it's age.

At Lv.60 I'll need to update my Great Sword, and have been looking at NQ and HQ Zweihander (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/512). NQ is about 60k, and HQ is about 800k~1M. DPS over the Falx should be noticable, going from 9.58 on my current Great Sword, up to 10 for NQ and 10.43 on the HQ. I'm curious if there will be any real difference noticed in the two.

Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Zaeeth]

I've messed with both GSwords.... my opinion save your money and get the NQ. Get a better sword as you close on 66.

[ValisOfValefor]

Well, My brother on Lakshimi is at the same point you are. The Zweihander (or +1) should be good till 66 with the Mithril Heart If you don't mind the Dispel. But since the HQ is a good amount more, I'd save the money, and go with the Zweihander

The other Alternative at 62, if your up for abit of NM hunting is the (edit wrong sword) Arondight (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/514)

Other that, either of those two swords should last you till the Balmung (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/522) at 70, Gloom Claymore (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/8664), or Nagan (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/523)

[queenuma]

I'd say stick with the NQ, the expense isn't worth the slight extra damage. I just spoke to a 75drk friend and he highly recommended the Mythril Heart (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/500) when you hit 66. Apparently the dispel kicks in quite often.

[tdh]

Thanks guys! I sold my Falx for 350k and bought the NQ version for about 47k.

The other Alternative at 62, if your up for abit of NM hunting is the (edit wrong sword) Arondight.I saw this option, and the DPS on it is lower than the Zweihander. I may go try it, since I should be able to solo the thing, or take a friend and Duo it just test.

I was thinking about picking up a Lockheart (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/499), but then I saw that the Zweihander (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/512) has higher DPS. So I guess I'll just get the work on raising the gil for my Mythril Heart (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/500). Last I checked, I think it was right around 1M. So after I get my Amemet +1 (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/1946) I'll start saving the gil. I have every Scythe I'll need up to Lv.75, and most of my Great Swords to the top as well. Just missing Mythril, Balmung, maybe Martial GS and I'm complete.

Is the Martial GS (http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/6448) worth the gil?

[Neomage]

How much is the Lockheart on your server? It seemed like you could pick it up easy... and on Midgardsormr, the ingrediants to upgrade it to MH is only 100k, so you could save some gil.

[tdh]

Honestly, I don't remember Onion~dude. Last I checked, the Mythril Heart was 800k~1.1M. I guess I could check into the Lockheart and have somebody craft it for me, but I don't know any crafters in that range, personally. Maybe a LS member knows somebody they trust and I can go that route. But the ingots aren't too expensive, and if the Lockheart is less than 800k, it would be cheaper to have one commisioned.

[Aeni]

Honestly, I don't remember Onion~dude. Last I checked, the Mythril Heart was 800k~1.1M. I guess I could check into the Lockheart and have somebody craft it for me, but I don't know any crafters in that range, personally. Maybe a LS member knows somebody they trust and I can go that route. But the ingots aren't too expensive, and if the Lockheart is less than 800k, it would be cheaper to have one commisioned.

First of all, here's an alternative and with your RDM and a NIN, you can duo this easily enough:

http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/514 (Cancer (http://ffxi.somepage.com/mobdb/1671))

I had a Lockheart for all of one day after getting a drop and I didn't see any improvement over a zweihander. Dispel never proc'd once in 50+ fights (Balmung procs more at roughly once a fight or every other fight) Honestly, you won't miss it. -_-;

Save your money and go get Balmung later on. The damage rating is far superior and like I said, the dispel effect procs more often that a lot of players give credit for (I've had it dispel Genbu twice in a 2 min. span lololorz)

P.S.

If you insist on having this sword out of completeness or out of curiousity, if you get your hands on Frostmane (http://ffxi.somepage.com/mobdb/1701) (You can kill this with a good PT party 68-70 that's leveling off of Mantis) and get the lockheart to drop, go ask Semitry. I believe he has all crafts to 100+3 if I'm not mistakened (He has crafting mules and is rich rich rich beyond words)

[tdh]

Yeah, when I went to do the ZM headstone out there, we saw it and took it down. Just no drop.

I thought I might try Cancer just to have it and test it, just the lower DPS has me shying away. I may just stick with the Zweihander until Mythril Heart though, since I already bought the Zweihander. Tonight I'm going to go Skill Up to cap Scythe, and Great Sword and learn Sickle Moon.

The Guide says that Sickle Moon is pretty nice with SATA, how is it with /WAR? So far I'm liking /WAR sub and the chance to Guillotine though.

[Aeni]

I thought I might try Cancer just to have it and test it, just the lower DPS has me shying away.

You forgot the additional water damage (like enwater) That elemental damage is a straight amount (But could be determined by some stat or just the damage rating on the weapon) In my experience with holy sword and other en-proc weapons, they proc pretty often (In fact, you own several staves, so you should know this as well) Just something to add to the dps is all...

The Guide says that Sickle Moon is pretty nice with SATA, how is it with /WAR? So far I'm liking /WAR sub and the chance to Guillotine though.

http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/dark.knight/59798-before.enetering.drk.should.i-2.html

My post, the 2nd down from that page, covers pretty much (from my experience) the subs and weapons that go with it.

Sickle Moon on sub WAR is decent, but much, much better with a sub THF. I've tested this off of those ugly things in Bibiki Bay (near docks) which seem to have some resistance to WSs. Anyway, with sub WAR and getting the most of out +atk, Sickle Moon paled in comparison to when it was SATA'd. Just imagine this in an exp setting...

[tdh]

You forgot the additional water damage (like enwater) That elemental damage is a straight amount (But could be determined by some stat or just the damage rating on the weapon) In my experience with holy sword and other en-proc weapons, they proc pretty often (In fact, you own several staves, so you should know this as well) Just something to add to the dps is all...I never melee with my staves, since RDM has zero Skill in Staff. But other weapons I've used that had an Additional Damage it didn't fire off very often. Demonic Sword specifically comes to mind. That thing rarely popped off. But maybe with that in mind it is worth acquiring.

http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/dark.knight/59798-before.enetering.drk.should.i-2.html

My post, the 2nd down from that page, covers pretty much (from my experience) the subs and weapons that go with it.

Sickle Moon on sub WAR is decent, but much, much better with a sub THF. I've tested this off of those ugly things in Bibiki Bay (near docks) which seem to have some resistance to WSs. Anyway, with sub WAR and getting the most of out +atk, Sickle Moon paled in comparison to when it was SATA'd. Just imagine this in an exp setting...Just saw that post, and I guess I'll have to test it. I just read through the DRK Encyclopedia when I knew I was close to DRK60. See if I can get a DRG to party with us, and I'll see if I can skillchain with them and test it out. I was toying with SATA Sickle Moon last night with a friend. With Souleater I landed in the 900s each time. I didn't really test it much with out Souleater honestly, but I'll have to test it. I'll miss Berserk, but I pull a little too much hate currently. Maybe it'll help mages and tanks.

[Aeni]

I never melee with my staves, since RDM has zero Skill in Staff. But other weapons I've used that had an Additional Damage it didn't fire off very often. Demonic Sword specifically comes to mind. That thing rarely popped off. But maybe with that in mind it is worth acquiring.

Well, I DRKs don't get skill in staff either, but sometimes when I go babysit my friend with /WHM and equip a light/dark staff and I have to fight off an add or link, it procs very often (1 of every 2-3 or so swings). I figure it should be the same with Aerondight's en-water effect.

With Souleater I landed in the 900s each time. I didn't really test it much with out Souleater honestly, but I'll have to test it. I'll miss Berserk, but I pull a little too much hate currently. Maybe it'll help mages and tanks.

It's up to you. However, keep your options open. If you're not in a static, then you should try to sub WAR when possible, because dps is more important, especially on monsters with high hp. Having double attack will help out with evasive monsters as well. You'll see a lot of that in the 60s (Processionaires, Manticores, Puks, DoR Lizards, Catoplebas, Delk Gigas, Weapons, Pots, Golems, etc.)

Once you get spinning slash, then you're almost forced to sub THF exclusively, although on rare occassions you can sub WAR.

Don't forget Crescent Moon as well. It is wonderful with SATA and can close distortion on Sidewinder (And Slugshot I think) with a RNG at your levels (pre-SS) I've closed distortion on an IT pugil with it in GusT long ago (1,100 total)