[laicram]

Intro: This guide will briefly touch on the roles of a Warrior based on useful subjobs, at mid-lvls (30-60+). This information is sprinkled within the War forums, but here it is compiled in guide format, along with my own knowledge as a WAR. I just wanna clear up some common misconceptions - without working too hard on it =P


WAR/THF utilizes/abuses Sneak Attack. First, let's cover the properties of Sneak Attack as a sub-thf. Sneak attack is 1) "just" a critical hit that 2) does not miss (when performed correctly) Your role is damage dealer - but more specifically, either "De-buffer" or "Skillchain Closer"

As a Skillchain Closer:, you use Sturmwind to end a Skillchain. The stronger the last WS in the Skillchain, the stronger the Skillchain effect will be. You use Sneak + Sturmwind to add extra damage and to guarantee the 1st hit. Other Weaponskills for closing is SA Raging Axe, SA Spinning Ax and SA/TA Raging Rush. Best DD sub from 30-50, and 60-66.

As a De-buffer: , you Shield Break or Armor Break to "debuff" or "enfeeble" the mob at the start of every fight. You use Sneak + Breaker to guarantee that it lands. Find out what the mob is weak against and use the correct Breaker. Evasion-down on the mob helps your party greatly.

Breaker Info (New!): Okay I guess this isn't common knowledge, so I'll list the Break info here. Thanks to Tongyang who posted it way back in the day.

Shield Break = Ice
Armor Break = Wind
Weapon Break = Water
Full Break = Earth

100% TP = 3 minutes
200% TP = 4 minutes
300% TP = 5 minutes

There are 3 scenarios when a Break WS is performed - Full effect, Half resist, total resist.

1) Total Resist - usually when the enemy is strong against the element of the Break WS itself. For example: Using Shield Break vs Skeleton enemies (they have high resist vs Ice). That means there will be no evade down for the enemy.

2) Half Resist - usually when the enemy has no weakness/strength against the Break WS. This means the time interval of which the Break is valid is halved. For example, Shield Break, if not half resisted, has around a 3 minute window of which evade down is in effect, but if half resist, it only is in effect for 1 minute and a half.

3) Full effect - usually when the enemy has an weakness to the Break WS. For example, Shield Break vs Crawlers. It has full effect in that 3 minutes.

For example, if your enemy is Fly type, Crawler type, use Shield Break.
If your enemy is a Coerl type, you use Full Break.
If your enemy is a Raptor type Orc type, you use Weapon Break.
If your enemy is Bat type, Antican type or Cockatrice type, you use Armor Break.

Lastly, Shield Break begins to lose potency at higher lvls, because it only removes a "fixed amount" of evasion points, not a percentage. In my experience, I was able to use Shield break on crabs up to 58ish effectively.


WAR/NIN can be Tanks or Damage Dealers. I will break down each role.

War/Nin as a Damage-Dealer: War/Nin high damage stems from the incredible blend of Dual Wield II, Double Attack, AF Feet, and Rampage. Unlike War/Thf who gets good at lvl30, War/Nin must wait til 50-55 before it's strengths are unlocked. Because of Utsusemi: Ichi, War/Nin makes are exellent setup partner for Trick Attacks. Utsu:Ichi also helps you avoid damage after a big Rampage (or Mistral Axe). Best DD sub from 50-60, and 66-75.

War/Nin as a Tank: Without help from your PT members, it's difficult to implement Utusemi: Ichi when tanking. In worst case scenarios, use utsu:ichi at the beginning of the fight, and voke from there. At mid-lvls, use def gear and food. Carry Echo Drops for when you get Silenced. Help can be a 2nd voker while you recast, debuffs like slow, blind, stun, etc. If you cannot utilize/abuse Ustu:Ichi, War/Nin is not as good a tank as War/Mnk. Also note, that War/Nin are not De-Buffers, and generally don't get to skill G.Axe in EXP PTs.

For higher lvls, it has been posted (thanks ZQM) that w/Carnage Elegy (BRD59), War/Nin becomes an uber tank in full DD gear=O


WAR/MNK can also be Tank or Damage-Dealer.

War/Mnk as a Tank: The art of being a good War/Mnk tank is constant, well-timed use of all your tools. Voke, Boost + WS, Defender + Beserk (cancel berserk), Voke + Boost, Boost + Dodge... all this busy keeps the monster's hate. Pre-AF, Mermaid ring is recommended. Emnity+ is for every action. With Great Axe, War/Mnk can be both Tank and De-buffer simultaneously. With Axe, Rampage is an exellent hate-keeping tool. A properly equipped War/Mnk tank that spreads his tools is great! Ah well =P

War/Mnk as a Damage-Dealer: Can be played as De-Buffers or Skillchain Starters. Pre-50, War/Mnks have no abusable tools for DD (save Boost), but they can switch to def gear and be a decent tank if needed (very useful in long random exp PTs). War/Mnk's strong DD range is Lvl50+. War/Mnk can alternate between Aggressor and Focus to gain a pema-accuracy buff of +20 to +25. War/Mnk w/Focus is very consistent combo that allows you to skill both axe and g.axe. Don't count War/Mnk Debuffer out! Shield break is very helpful to the PT. ...Ah well =P


Closing + Thanks:

This guide started out quick and dirty but I couldn't leave it alone =P I lvled in a set PT from 52-62, using War/Mnk and War/Thf. Both combos were effective. I was planning on using War/Mnk at 66 to have consistent acc for Mistral Axe, but I'm quitting =O

I didn't play War/Nin. The information I listed to help War/Nins is what I've seen in-game and read in these forums. It's my opinion that War/Nin has the least to offer at 30-50. Dual Wield does NOT make you attack faster until 50. No powerful WS's until Rampage (lvl55). As a tank in mid lvls, you don't have as many hate keeping tools as War/Mnk. Lastly, to abuse utsu-ichi, you require intelligent help from PT members (almost impossible to get in a random exp PT)

Well that's about it . A shout-out to Meimei, whose posts helped me understand the Way of the Warrior. Also, to other key posters on the War forum, who've made learning fun ^^

[Voila!]

I can't say I disagree with anything, but at level 50 War/Nin are more like awesomely strong damage dealers. With the up in dual wield speed and haste, you'll be dealing damage faster then any Dark Knight, and you'll be building up TP incredibly fast. I've been able to deal 500+ damage with Avalanche Axe on some occasions, which I admit isn't the best weapon skill.

Stick on a Sarashi while dual wielding Viking Axes and you're unstoppable!

[ZQM]

Actually, at 50, I felt myself being weaker then the DRK/WAR I PTed w/ regularly at that level. We had basically equal gear, and pre-50 I outdamaged him basically ever fight (expecially at 48 w/ dual viking axes). At 50, with that attack bonus they get, his normal hits went up a lot.

And about WAR/MNK being the most accurate...I'm not sure about that. WAR/NIN Dual Viking Axes misses rarely....very very rarelly.

[laicram]

Hi! I cleaned up the guide a lil. Any chance I can get stickied? =D

[Gumbercules]

I dunno, but I think WAR/THF until L55 for Rampage is the best, but my WAR is only 41, so I can't be an authority.

[Gryff]

Originally posted by laicram
Hi! I cleaned up the guide a lil. Any chance I can get stickied? =D

You'd have to post some pics first.


/hide

/panic

/run away™

[SharMarali]

Lots of excellent info here for those trying out WAR and wanting to know what SJ to use. I'd like to add a little something to the section on "WAR/NIN as a tank."

In my experience as a WAR/NIN tank in the 50's, I found that the best help for utsusemi recast came from the mages. A well-timed stun will GUARANTEE you can recast your utsusemi. Failing that, flash can be extremely helpful as well. The timing for flash doesn't have to be quite as dead-on as it does for stun, since the monster will miss 3 of their next hits when flashed. Dark Knights can also stun, of course, and they tend to be a bit better on the timing than Black Mages are, simply because they're on the front line with you.

[Lmnop]

I LIKE THE GUIDE

[laicram]

Woohoo, sticky get! ^^

This is my last update. I'm actually quitting. But, I do stand by the information I've gathered here - I lived these lvls personally. GL future and fellow Warriors!

[Darkedge]

/farewell thank you for all the advice you've given on the forums and to my warrior.

[Ayrlie]

i still think war/nin as a tank, unless you got an bard in the party with carnage elegay at my level, is gimped until you can use utsusemi: ni. i tried getting my hands of all the evasion and AGI+ gear that i could afford for war/nin setup, and even used jack-o-lanterns as the food - and simply got hit too much (and warriors only having C skill in evasion doesn't even help matters). war/nin at 63 is much better as a SA+TA partner for THF/NIN, which usually happens in that case you likely have an nin/war tank and they want Rampage+Dancing Edge skillchain anyway. Rampage does a good job in peeling the hate away from the ninja tank for the most part.

war/thf with axe is likely not going to happen unless you have a pld tank and a ranger in the pt, and you're 60+. In this case its for Sidewinder+Rampage for distortion. Sneak Attack and Trick Attack stacks with Rampage, and as long ranger stands behind the mob and you stand behind the pld, you can ensure success almost every time. The only time this will fail is if the Ranger misses sidewinder. Sidewinder almost always steal aggro from the tank, and if the thing is set up right, the mob is just setting itself up for a massive SA+TA+Rampage right behind the Paladin that will always put the aggro back where it belong. You won't be doing as much damage as war/nin with 2x axes, but its always going to hit even if the weaponskill does get resisted.

usually war/thf is preferred with great axe and for good reason. Sturmwind and Raging Rush stacks with sneak attack and trick attack. None of the debuffing weaponskills will - i have tried that.

upon shield break tailing off at 58 or so, its around that time when you're going to phase out robber crabs and beetles anyway, and pugils and perytons got so much evasion to start that even though they are also weak to ice and you will get the full effect on them, you are almost going to need all the accuracy stuff in the world for them as well along with a good BLM. by the time you're 55, most of the japanese parties despeartely want a ranger and distortion at the same time, and even when you won't get trick attack until 60, the sidewinder+rampage skillchain will just take a crab, beetle, or pugil to its grave. prior to 60, the placement of rng/nin and war/thf is reversed.

[Blackpanther]

I was a war/mnk in the lower lvls and it was a pretty good mixt i'd say.

[pantherball]

war/nin is an awsome DD i am at level 50 with war/nin and i must say i think it is way more damage then i did with my drk .... but also about war/nin tanking at that level .... i seriou\sly not only HATE it but it's not very good even if u have mages using stun for utsusemi because u can still only cast it every 30 seconds and u take a good amount of damage while its down ..... i've had mnk's tank at this level and i have to say they accually make really good tanks compared to war/nin so keep that in mind people xD

[Kailo]

I actually prefered tanking with my WAR/NIN pre-74. The trick is to get 2 WAR/NIN who trade off each other. It seems to work really well seeing as how both WARs DD as well as tank, plus they're Utsus together prevent most if not all damage done to the PT in battle. This is only so effective until a certain point, however, and since I haven't taken WAR very far at all, I can't say what future lvls would be like.

[Partyboy]

Would War/MNK be good pre level 50? After level 50 I should consider /NIN correct?