KFM noticably weak leveling

[Goji]

Don't get me wrong, games still all kinds of easy so not like it matters, but I've gotta say I'm a bit surprised.  The class actually tanks damage WORSE than my Assassin, has no good way to pull individual targets, has no good way to deal with multiple targets, block is incredibly unresponsive, iframes are incredibly unresponsive, class constantly gets locked into animations to a point where you can't defend yourself, damage is poor. 

 

So, just to make sure I'm not wasting my time, what purpose does this class serve endgame?  My take right now is too squishy to be a tank, too low DPS and too exposed to be DPS, no real support skills to speak of.  What does this class do "better" than an Assassin? 

[ShandraManaya]

KFM is an actual tank with great supportive abilities. We can hold aggro with relative ease with the right specs, and we have a ton of iframes and our Counter to avoid taking damage as much as possible while standing still as much as possible. If you don't dodge/Counter, the class is squishy indeed, like all the classes in the game. Tanking in this game is done by proper use of abilities, not by just taking damage and "being tanky" like in tab target games. If you find Counter irresponsive, you're doing something wrong, because it actually cancels anything and is VERY *cricket*ing responsive. Q/E on the other hand, doesn't cancel shit, so you have to actually stop hitting for the brief moment when you want to dodge something, then keep hitting after the animation. It's part of the gameplay, I got used to it, and if you love playing KFM you will too. Our DPS is also very good if you play the class properly, I believe we have slightly better DPS than a Blade Master, while tanking, while giving better party support, and while keeping the boss in place more easily.

When I speak about party support, what should come to your mind is Fighting Spirit, which replaces your Grapple if you spec it down the far right tree. It's one of the best party-wide DPS buff and it's incredibly powerful. Searing Palm also increases the party-DPS but you only get access to it at level 45. Tremor also has critical damage buff for every ally who stands in the puddle if you spec it down either the middle or right tree.

 

TLDR; what does a KFM bring :

 

- Better tanking than a BM, but harder to do because of the smaller block window on Counter and heavier reliance on sustained DPS

- Better personnal DPS than a BM, but harder to do because it heavily relies on ping, proper animation cancelling, and Searing Palm -BM still has way more burst than us tho-

- One of the best party-wide DPS buffs in the game if not THE best thanks to its 1min30 CD (which is low for that kind of party-wide buff). Add Searing Palm and Tremor to that.

- A lot of CCs with not-so-long CDs, wonderful for joint-attacks.

 

BUT all of this relies on the player's skill and actually asks more efforts to be fully mastered than most of the classes. That's why most people say that KFM is the hardest class in the game. If you find yourself having troubles with the class, it's either because your level might still be too low (you didn't mention it in your post), or because you lack practice with the class, like everyone who started playing KFM before gitting gud at it. If you love the class, keep practicing, you'll be rewarded.

[Greeny191]

BM's have more dps cause they can aoe very well. KFM can't. (single target I wil agree with you) but multiple targets BM will own you.

 

BM's are easier to play,  and that alone gives them a +, I am not 100% sure the KFM is better only because it takes a specific player to play it unlike the BM.

[ShandraManaya]

1 hour ago, Greeny191 said:

BM's have more dps cause they can aoe very well. KFM can't. (single target I wil agree with you) but multiple targets BM will own you.

 

BM's are easier to play,  and that alone gives them a +, I am not 100% sure the KFM is better only because it takes a specific player to play it unlike the BM.

 

KFM's cant AoE well ? If you actually need to AoE you can spec some INSANE AoE burst damage as a KFM and very good sustained DPS + self-healing. Comet Strike form 2, Tremor form 2, Tiger Strike + Hellfire Kick, Iron Shoulder form 2 + Hellfire Kick, I don't really know what you need more, all of this with Fighting Spirit = IN-SANE burst damage. Just pull everything, dodge 3 attacks with Q/E (you generally only need to blow one of the two if you pull a LOT of mobs), you're at 100% evasion, pop Fighting Spirit + Tremor, and enjoy Comet Strike spamming. When the evasion buff ends, do the other Q/E you didn't do, and repeat. After that, you can counter -> Iron Shoulder -> Hellfire Kick for insane damage and focus recovery. And if mobs are still alive ? Spam Tiger Strike. BMs have insane AoE burst damage too, but if KFM isn't above them in that domain too, they're at LEAST equal. Plus KFM can get a lot of health back while AoEing and also CC all the mobs with Rising Dragon and Leg Sweep if needed, which means that a KFM will have an easier time surviving a whole army of mobs than a BM when you combine that with the 100% evasion buff.

 

You know what class is bad at AoEing ? Assassin. But definitely not KFM.

 

And even then, during a boss fight, AoEing doesn't matter. What matters is single-target DPS. BM has a very powerful burst rotation, but the sustain after that is very bad. Add the party-support that KFM brings to the equation, and BM just falls behind. If you had to choose either KFM or BM for a group, a good KFM will always be more profitable to the whole party. The only advantage a BM has is that it's a very reliable class. Easier to play, easier to tank with, more defensive.

[Audabon]

i would argue KFM is a better tank.  

 

we can move while countering; counter can be specced for a 1 second invulnerablity to next dmg.  the immobile block of BM which has some duration advantages is ok if you dont have to move, ever.

 

our q/e specced give 1 sec of invuln.  bm cant beat that. 

 

our flurry is specced for full duration invuln.  they get 0.6 sec? lol

 

as for dps, that depends partly on player skill.  however, i feel like i do massive damage with a palm focused build.  while leveling, you may not know palm, but its badass to spec stuff out of normal attacks and into a palm-centric build.

 

edit: oh ya!  the palm build is gonna give you good aoe with tiger strike (+heals too) and hellfire kick, iron shoulder 3.2, and with searing kick the focus is absurd.

[DesertRose]

For leveling, use Swift Strike / Tiger Strike Form 4 (2) and Cyclone Kick / Searing Blow Form 3 Tier 2 (F). Put 3 points into Q/E afterwards as it gives you a 1-second iframe.

Counter (1) and Iron Shoulder (F) dazes multiple enemies 2-3 seconds; save Guiding Fist (RMB) to quickly close the gap, and use Flying Slam (TAB) or Avenging Fist Form 3 (RMB) as your initial gap closer.

Leg Sweep (3) knocks down enemies for 2-3 seconds; use it together with the 1 -> F combo to take out tougher foes without retaliation.

 

Use TAB / 1 -> RMB, 2, 4. Throw in F (Searing Blow) when possible and 1 -> F (Iron Shoulder) before the enemies first attack. Until act 3 I could defeat most enemies this way before they even could hit me once.

[Tsuki no Koibito]

Hi,

 

Agree with Shandra, KFM need training and the "will" to play a KFM. What I mean is that its not tab/click; as IRL martial arts, you have to do the right thing on the the right time.

Can not be suitable to all kind of players; it's not good or bad, it's simply your style or not.

 

"Jet kun do is not for everyone to learn, I think only one person on ten thousand can" - Bruce Lee -

[12o1x]

So I am going on my 70th kill on Junghado with only 401 attk power and a 49% crit chance. There is another fellow on YouTube who has less than that and he can consistently kill Junghado. Junghado is probably your best 1v1 bet vs pve at the moment. If you know how to play your character you will beat him, if you don't, you will die.

 

 

 

As for mobs, tremor feet (with the tier that pulls them together) along with tiger strike (the aoe hp regen) can kill most mobs just by auto attack. If you want to combo that with your F into the Aoe triple kick with shin kick for the left overs. You will desolate mobs.

 

 

As for defense-- I think you have a problem trying to incorporate counter in your combos. If you try to incorporate counter, like actually wait for them to hit you, you really will be a slow mofo-- and the way KFM shouldn't be played in my way at least. I used to use counter all  the time in the beginning levels because it was so fun knocking things back.

 

 

What you have to realize is that bosses will barely get knocked back. Just use your offensive skills and if you think you're gonna get hit then use counter-- other wise don't use it as a "chain" waiting for the monster to hit you-- you will be slow.

 

As for other defensive mechanisms. Spec you Q/R all the way down. 2 secs of invul man--- are you kidding me? You just have to time the attack-- then QorE or both. When slashimi does his aoe trick--- I go one of his stringrays and 1 Q 2 E 3 backstep -- no damage

 

 

Is KFM for "pros" ? I don't know I started BnS with a KFM-- too difficult I thought- it was too much/complicated. A few months into the game and 3 other different level 45's and I have come back to the KFM and mained it.

 

 

*Shrugs*