Blade Master Main Skill

[Skyisthelimit]

Yes I know there's a class forum but it's dead and I want someone experienced with blade master class to give me a reply soon.

 

So I got to 45 yesterday and got to true profane weapon now. Looking up guides and posts on here, everyone mentions that we should be spamming 'Honed Slash' RMB in draw stance for DPS. While leveling from 1-30ish I was mainly using 'Flicker' LMB but the dps died down due to low critical % and lack of focus regen.

 

I was just doing some dungeon runs and getting out dps'd by other classes with same gear (true profane, etc) very easily. And literally all I was doing was spamming 'Honed Slash' and sometimes I could get in like 10 of them before focus ran out (3 focus each). I did not feel satisfied at all with the damage....doing 4-5k crits and 2-3k normal. I put in some five point strike as focus ran out and flash step when available (x3) and flock of blades etc obviously. 

 

NOW I thought..maybe I should try flicker again because I have focus regen and a higher crit rate (35%). and OMG doing Poh-6, I did like maybe 40-50 flickers in a row? 2.2k crits otherwise 1k-1.3k normal. 

 

 

The reasons i feel like flicker is doing WAY more damage than honed slash are:

 

1) more chance of focus regen proc from the weapon (flicker using 1 focus vs honed slash 3, chance of recovering 1 with crit)

2) flicker is MUCH faster cast if you spec into it

3) you can manage focus better this way if you need some for flock of blades or other skills

4) better dps sustainability because sometimes you have 2 focus left and you can't do another honed slash, so you have to E and LMB to regen, but if you flicker until you are out of focus, you return to basic stance automatically and can start LMB for regen

5) adding to 4), you can save your E for iframe if you need to quickly get out of an attack or dodge it 

 

 

 

ANOTHER FINAL REASON: We are getting a damage increase to flicker tomorrow's patch and change in elemental damage so that might make flicker even more viable.

 

Final Note: I could not out dps an assassin on poh6 (same exact gear as me) but I think it was very close because I could not believe the amount of damage I was doing. And I am sure that when my critical damage gets to 200%+ (180% now) and crit rate gets to (45%) , it will even be more effective to spam flicker than honed slash? Yes the critical chance is the same so the expected return of dps will be the same, but if you factor in the amount of times you can use the skill before your focus runs out or before boss dies or during a phase of boss you need to dps harder, then flicker can potentially give you 10 attacks all 10 crits and give more chance to proc focus regen and spam flicker (no kidding I did like 40-50 flickers on POH, it helped that a destroyed picked her up and held her in one place).

 

 

TL:Dr I kept reading and hearing from other blade masters to spam honed slash, and it made sense while leveling up, but with all this focus regen, I tried flicker and it seems to be doing WAY more damage, and there will be a buff for flicker tomorrow, so has anyone done calculations on this and does anyone have anything to discuss about this? THANK YOU looking forward to an experienced blade master to shed some light

[okitaluc]

I use both , honed slash followed by flicker and like the results, but focus go down super fast. Let's see how it goes  after tomorrow update + hongmoon lvls

[Skyisthelimit]

There is hope for blade masters

 

I am doing crazy damage now with just spamming flicker and using lightning draw when available for the crit rate

[Shar]

If you were just spamming honed slash, you were doing it wrong. Its animation is long, you want to animation cancel it by alternating flicker (5% crit buff) / honed slash / flicker :|

[The Wolf]

Flicker - Honed Slash .. repeat

With awakened siren, i'm tanking everything, whether I like it or not :/

[Thief]

 

 

[Edang]

Your really missing out on your damage

 

I love using draw stance. I deal so much damage

 

My favorite combos

 

C + 4 + LB+ RB + LB + RB + Tab (need 3 points to regen 3 focus if crits 6 focus) could also use 2 in draw stance to get focus. Then switch to Regular stance with E.

 

V (blade call 2 points) + V (focus regen over time) + 4 + LB + RB + LB + RB 

 

Don't always rely on the combo because boss mechanics change so you have to learn your character. There are so many variety of things you can do. 

 

As a blademaster, you want to be changing stance as best but try to get into draw stance to do more damage.

 

 

 

 

[Skyisthelimit]

Okay I did not know that combo like LMB then RMB, I'll try it out and post what I think. I saw a video of something like that earlier but didn't recognize it and I thought that video proved that alternating was slower dps? I'll see for myself now thanks guys

[Skyisthelimit]

my mouse sucks it's hard to alternate between the two lol

[Shar]

42 minutes ago, Skyisthelimit said:

my mouse sucks it's hard to alternate between the two lol

Try alternating R and RMB