[Vyuru]

Looking for some info on what subjobs you'll be using as Samurai. I'm expecting /war, /thf, maybe /nin and /drg (/drg for me will never see the light of day most likely). In particular, I remember there used to be a huge deal about /rng, and I was wondering if this is still the case.

Rather curious about the /rng bit actually. I can see it being interesting, but I'd also think that this job combo would have lost quite a bit of it's power after the two handed update and two handers stopped eating sushi.

Also, question on the Soboro. From what I hear it is the weapon of choice from 50-75 until you get a Hagun, thoughts on this?

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Vyuru

Looking for some info on what subjobs you'll be using as Samurai. I'm expecting /war, /thf, maybe /nin and /drg (/drg for me will never see the light of day most likely). In particular, I remember there used to be a huge deal about /rng, and I was wondering if this is still the case.

Rather curious about the /rng bit actually. I can see it being interesting, but I'd also think that this job combo would have lost quite a bit of it's power after the two handed update and two handers stopped eating sushi.

Also, question on the Soboro. From what I hear it is the weapon of choice from 50-75 until you get a Hagun, thoughts on this?

It all depends what you're doing. Very situational.

/drg : Good for TP gain and solo SC

/war: Good for all around damage. I usually sub warrior for just zerg fights, and dynamis where mobs don't live that long.

/rng: I hear soboro + sidewinder is a good combo, but I don't see any practical use to this outside of colibri. Anything that you don't want to feed TP, soboro is not a very good choice.

/thf : Good for placing hate on tanks. Also good for Sneak attack, though I hate attacking from behind and not making use of Overwhelm merits.

/nin: I'd say about 90% of the time, I sub ninja. It's a great subjob to have when I know I'll have to be tanking things. (I'm sorry, but people can argue all they want. Seigan + Third Eye is flaky at best. Sometimes, I'll get lots of shadows, sometimes I'll only have 1 and then I'm screwed). Plus, I'm a tarutaru, so survival is a lot more important to me for tanking fights. ni >> seigan >> third eye >> ichi. I rinse and repeat. Awesome for tanking.

As far as a weapon goes, soboro is fine for leveling up with. However, if you're fighting birds, I would suggest bringing a polearm. As far as higher levels go, pick up a shinsoki/onimaru to replace soboro. Of course, it all depends on what you're going to be fighting, but if you're going to do endgame or anything involving higher tier NM's, pick up a high base damage GK.

[Armando]

Anything that you don't want to feed TP, soboro is not a very good choice.

This never comes into play in EXP though.

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Armando

This never comes into play in EXP though.

Hence why soboro is ok for exp parties (or polearm if you're doing birds)

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by Mog

Hence why soboro is ok for exp parties (or polearm if you're doing birds)

That and firing off 4 sidewinders a fight on average.

[lionx]

Wait so you can use Soboro basically up until 75 for exping..? Seriously? o_O........

I know i will use an Onimaru until i can get a Hagun for everything else but you can use that level 50 GK for exp purposes that long..? *mind is blown*

[Celeal]

Originally Posted by Malacite

That and firing off 4 sidewinders a fight on average.

I had witness SAM/RNG in action in an exp. party... those poor Imps...

SAM/DNC is useful too (if you are open minded, it is just another tool among the other useful subjobs)

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Celeal

I had witness SAM/RNG in action in an exp. party... those poor Imps...

SAM/DNC is useful too (if you are open minded, it is just another tool among the other useful subjobs)

/DNC is great for a lot of situations. However, for higher tier mobs, /dnc wouldn't be practical, unless you're not going to be the one tanking.

[Armando]

Soboro is OK even at 75. I don't know how it stacks up against Hagun but it's probably better than Onimaru.

[tdh]

Originally Posted by Armando

Soboro is OK even at 75. I don't know how it stacks up against Hagun but it's probably better than Onimaru.

Depending on your gear, you may be able to equal the damage output of a Hagun at Mamool Ja Staging point with your Soboro. Basically throwing out 2 or 3 WS on a mob and equaling the damage of one Hagun WS. I still use Soboro in Merits at times depending on the other DD available. Since I normally merit with the same group of people, and we skillchain I can easily open and/or close Skillchains with 3 other DD in our typical 3~4 DD, 2 BRDs, and maybe a DNC set up.

The original idea behind Soboro at Lv.75 was for what I call the SAMwinder build. SAM/RNG with Shigeto+1, but this really requires full Archery Merits and a lot of gear. I've toyed with it a few times and I miss far too many 'Winders to be worth it. I much rather go Polearm and put that piercing skill to use, and doesn't require as much specialized gear.

Weapon wise you can easily use your Soboro all the way to Lv.75, but I would suggest you do everything you can do to buy a Hagun and have it ready once you hit Lv.72.

As far as subjobs, here's how I weigh in.

DRG: Great for a full Haste load out using the Wyvrn Earring. A beast at TP build when you combine all of SAM's existing toys and then add in Jumps.

WAR: Used only for Dynamis or missions any more. Berserk and native Double Attack is awesome, but getting destroyed is not.

THF: Used for events mainly, like Sky or HNM situations, but this can really shine Lv.60 to Lv.70. Using Soboro you can build TP so fast that you can easily self skillchain to solidify hate early; SA WS > TA WS. Especially with Sekkanoki, something I did not have when I leveled SAM to Lv.75, this now viable for non-Soboro SAMs.

NIN: For good or bad, NIN is a requirement. We've abandoned the days of a tank and just avoid as much damage as possible and hope you don't sponge. Remember to cancel your Hasso and Seigan at the start of each Utsusemi cast so you don't destroy your recast and casting time. (Utsusemi will over write 3rd Eye, 3rd Eye will not over write Utsusemi.) With the use of Ichi, Ni, and 3rd Eye you can avoid a lot of damage and survive for quite a while.

Leave it to a SAM discussion to make me post for the first time in like 3 years. *sigh*

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by Armando

Soboro is OK even at 75. I don't know how it stacks up against Hagun but it's probably better than Onimaru.

They parse about evenly. Hagun will drop bigger bomb shells, but Soboro's DoT evens it out (especially if you have merits). If you can somehow avoid losing your Sushi, SAM/RNG with Soboro will destroy Colibri. Wouldn't recommend it against Mamool Ja Savages though.

Also, never, ever, ever use Soboro with /THF. I want to cry when I see SAM do this because Soboro is all about DoT and TP spam, while /THF is meant for dropping huge WS and two don't mix so well.

[VZX]

Soboro /THF is fine in non-merit PT situation. You can always drop 2 WS in 1 fight. 1 for TA in the beginning of the fight, and you can go batshit insane Hasso and SA Gekko at for the rest of the fight.

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by VZX

Soboro /THF is fine in non-merit PT situation.

No it's not either. You don't have Berserk and Double Attack (largely for WS procs) to take advantage of the multi-hit for big DoT, and Sneak Attack is going to be pretty sad with the damn thing compared to Onimaru, Hagun, or any decent GKT.

Soboro is for DNC, RNG and WAR subs.

[Clever Ninja]

If your not using a Soboro, you're gonna want a Polearm leveled for TAoU areas. I have my SAM at 60, and I could have been doing SO much more damage if I had my Polearm leveled and could Penta spam. I'd rather get a Soboro and do some SAM/RNG pwnage, but after the two handed update a SAM with a polearm on piercing weak mobs can wreck face.

[Malacite]

SAM/RNG requires a lot of gear, Archery merits and Sushi though to make up for the C+ skill. SAM at least has a B+ in polearm so that's why it works so well against Colibri.