Endeavoring To Awaken --A Guide To Rune Fencer

Epeolatry is so much more than just a tanking tool. With Hasso and capped magic haste, it's incredibly easy to self SC with Aftermath 3 going. I do wish our SC options with greatsword were better, but even being able to make Light like a SAM spamming Fudo is nothing to scoff at. This will reliably kill any CP party or lesser Vagary/Delve enemy solo, and you can burst Lunge if your second Dimidiation honks the first hit.

mes'yohi sword isn't bad per se, it just lacks any real bonuses of note, since the Dispel effect can't proc with runes active. Tunglmyrkvi is kind of an Aettir -1. Ukudyoni literally has nothing going for it unless there's thunder weather or you have a SCH with you.

Also, there is a nibiru faussar and blurred claymore.

I've found the Foreshock sword to be extremely useful when your in situations where your attack is going to be crap.

https://www.bg-wiki.com/bg/Foreshock_Sword

Spinning Slash beats out Dimidiation when your attack is in the drain due to it's 50% attack buff and that sword just exasperates the difference. Was doing D and VD Avatar fights (/DRK D, /BLU for VD) and was actually kicking some a$$ by using Spinning whenever I had 1000TP. I really wish SE would of made it a 60% STR/INT or STR/DEX WS but whatever.

Ah... well then, BGWiki's list of May added items was lacking that one then (and included all of the other Nibiru and Blurred weapons). I now see that their Escha Rewards page does list the Great Swords. Thanks for the correction.

As far as where those two go... unless the Nibiru final augments are absolutely amazing, looks like a well augmented Macbain will still be better.

And fair enough point on Epeolatry's DD relevance. It's certainly still a helpful offensive weapon with AM3 going, and obviously a mega-beast from a defensive perspective. Macbain should still be able to beat it if you can't fully take advantage of spamming light SCs though, plus has an Acc edge depending on your snow augments. My main point was that even for an Ergon RUN, Macbain has an offensive place.

For most of us non-Ergon folks, it's more a question of Aettir's defensive benefit versus the much stronger offense on a Macbain or whatever other DD Great Sword.

I don't see myself working towards Macbain for quite some time... So I'm quite happy Aettir still isn't outdated.

I've started gearing my wife's RUN. Are there any current sets posted? I've searched back a few pages but didn't see much.

There are some decent sets on page 68.

Thanks. Does anyone have Reso and Dimidation sets?

Redoing my lunge/swipe sets, anyone have an updated one to show? Can include Escha gear too ;p

What is the total Store TP needed for a 5-hit build, For Aettir and Macbain? Regardless of sub job?

Saw Rawhide body or Count's body for MAB free bodies, Highwind helm and Nilas gloves for free also...

Here are my current sets for RUN

TP
ItemSet 322254

Resolution
ItemSet 322256

Dimidiaton
ItemSet 332395

Tanking
ItemSet 322257

Lunge/Swipe
ItemSet 322251
The above lunge set is pretty sweet for Sekkenoki > Dimi > Dimi > MB. We'll worth the minor loss of TP. MBed 23k+ on WKR shark soloing it.

This is a good tanking set, but one suggestion to make it even better: if you can manage a decent DT- augment on Evasionist's cape (and/or upgrade grip to Refined/+1 from Voso Unity NM), that can cap PDT without needing hands and free up the slot for Erilaz+1, which is awesome.

Even if you get to only 48-49% PDT- (before weapon), I think it's well worth losing PDT- from the hands in exchange for the benefits of empy hands: 4/5 pieces for the Occ. Absorb Damage set effect, GS skill+28, all status resist+6, even has more STR/DEX than Umuthi. Man, RUN really got such a killer Empyrean set...


On a separate note:
Anyone have RUN experience with Vemosia (Adoulin gates Rafflesia NM in Cirdas Caverns)? Never fought it but my BST friend wants the pants, and it sounded like the kind of fight RUN might be good for, with lots of nasty status effects. Wondering how well RUN does on it with a resist-focused set. Could also go on COR and just buff his BST and let his pet tank it, but where's the fun in that?

I solo'd it on RUN/SAM with trusts, using Epeolatry so I was able to self SC constantly and dish out enough damage before it could rage. I did get charmed at about 5%, but Koru-Moru had Dia III on it so I was able to wrap it up when I uncharmed. Unlike the hippogryph or diremite, it's not especially evasive. I didn't notice too many debuffs beyond what Rafflesias normally use, like maybe Bio, but I only fought it once (got pants first kill).

Oops! I knew I'd forgotten to update one piece on my tanking set. I just recently got nigh perfect augs on the Evasionist's cape. +5% DA, +7 Enmity, +12 Embolden and -4 DT. So yes, I did switch that out.

I'll definitely look into that grip. I'd mentioned it to a friend before but haven't had the chance and go see about getting it. Having 4/5 of the RUN set would be nice. Thanks!

Apparently in addition to the Labyrinth UNM, Voso pops in Escha - Zitah and also drops the NQ and +1 version! I didn't know this until looking at the mob page on BG today. I really want that grip, looks just amazing but I haven't put in the effort to go farm it yet. Soon!

Personally for tanking I prefer a slight variation of the all-purpose set Ruaumoko posted a few pages ago. Capped MDT, 55% PDT, lots of acc and 4/5 Empy.

Aettir / Umbra Strap / ... / Honed Tathlum
Lithelimb / Twilight / Zennaroi / *
AF3 / AF3 / Vocane / Defending
JSE / Flume+1 / AF3 / AF3

In this setup JSE requires 5% DT augment to reach 55% total PDT.
Without Vocane you can use a Dark Ring with 5%/5% (or a patricius) and use Refined Grip +1 in place of Umbra Strap. In this second scenario you only need 4% DT augment on the JSE cape.

In place of * there are several situational things you can use.
* Hearty Earring (status ailments resistance)
* Ethereal Earring (Damage>MP conversion, stacks with body, cancels the -5eva on Zennaroi)
* Sanare Earring (Meva and MDB)

Fought Voso a couple times last night with a friend until I got the NQ version of the grip. Now to get the hides to upgrade it.

Fairly easy fight. Duoed/trioed it with my friend and trusts out (Apururu/that healer-SMN taru/Arciela). He on his BLU with his BRD mule and I on RUN/nin cause I didn't know how much hits might do. Voso is ridiculously evasive, but then again so is RUN. Could probably do RUN/war or /blu and be perfectly fine. The only real damage from him is from his special moves. You definitely want to be in full tanking to take those hits. Blink of Peril can be quite painful. It did kill my friend once with Charge Whisker, pretty funny.

I've been considering grabbing Vocane now that I've capped Smithing, but that new Jelly Ring might take its place. Thoughts?

I'd rather use a Patricius over the new Jelly Ring (+acc!).
Personally I'm staying with my Dark Ring (6pdt, 5mdt, 3bdt).

New Jelly Ring would allow you to use Umbra Strap in place of Refined Grip +1, but I think you won't cap MDT with that.

Got +33 DMG augment on Macbain, giving me a 301 dmg toy to play with :P

Lucky you! Grats.

New avatar fights and their shinies. What are folks' thoughts? Im thinking Lapidary Tunic could make a pretty good Lunge piece, especially because I'm just about over dealing with random augments. I obtained the ring off Diabolos as well, and maybe the +5 enmity could help in some way. Not to mention the DA.

The fights themselves are pretty easy for RUN, as I expected. Nightmare still lands, but with status resist gear it doesn't last long. Fenrir's physical attacks can hit pretty hard, but he really isn't difficult even on D.

I've been duoing these fights, previously with PLD and THF + trust. Last night we decided to switch it up, and I went RUN/WAR and the former PLD was THF. Wouldn't you know, the mobs died a lot faster, and less damage was taken overall.

Question about Futhark Bandeau +1... was there every any testing to determine (a) exactly what the Battuta enhancement is, and (b) whether it needs to remain equipped to take advantage?

My standard tanking set allows me to cap PDT- with only 3% from head, so I'd rather use Lithelimb for TP while tanking for the offensive improvement (or if anyone has alternate suggestions, please share). Just don't really know whether I'm losing something if I only macro the relic head in for initial Battuta use.

FWIW, rest of my default tanking set (not my resist-focused build):
ItemSet 336372
* Cape has max DT-5% augment

When it first came out, I briefly tested it and did notice a boost to spike damage, though it's possible it affects activation rate as well (like say +1% per merit). Going by the spike damage boost, you only need to equip it for activation.

Quick question about a Lunge piece.

Back when RUN first came out, it was determined that Lunge damage was based on MAB and also your Great Sword skill. With that being said, what would be a better Lunge piece? Erilaz +1 hands? Or Nilas Gloves?

Does MAB play a bigger factor in the equation for Lunge? Or would the +28 Great Sword skill overtake the +15 MAB from Nilas Gloves?

Skill of main hand weapon represents your base damage, then it's multiplied by a rune factor then by the number of runes, then by mRatio. MAB raise's your mRatio at the send while +skill only raise's the base MDMG, so I would think that the Nilas are better due to how much base MDMG you already have.

Nilas are better, but Erilaz+1 hands are not a bad option if you don't have stronger MAB hands. They actually beat MAB+7 from Taeon without a MAB augment. Very rough math with a good ilevel Lunge set is something like 1 MAB = 3.something GS skill.

Best in slot damage-wise is Taeon with an MAB augment of 9+ (max snow augment is MAB+20, so max total of MAB+27 gloves), but that does require you to make an MAB pair (and while it's not really a huge deal, Taeon do have Enmity-5 as a slight negative). Personally, I'm drowning in enough Skirmish augmented gear that I'm fine using Nilas.

While I'm sure I could math it out with the formula, I was on RUN so just stepped outside for a quick comparison of unresisted Swipe/Lunge on the Yahse Hunting Grounds mandys near Adoulin. Ionis, no other buffs, trusts, etc.

Lunge (3x Lux)
7032: Nilas (MAB+15)
6882: Erilaz +1 (GS Skill+28)
6810: Taeon (MAB+7 base, no MAB augment)
6616: no hands equipped

Swipe (1x Lux)
1498: Nilas (MAB+15)
1465: Erilaz +1 (GS Skill+28)
1451: Taeon (MAB+7 base, no MAB augment)
1410: no hands equipped

Set used:
ItemSet 336407

***

EDIT: speaking of Lunge and GS skill, I just noticed that May update added two different all jobs grips that are now best in slot if for whatever reason you were really trying to maximize Lunge damage (seems unwise in most scenarios to use over a DT- or more melee oriented grip, but whatever). Both are Escha - Zitah drops.

Willpower Grip: MAB+5 Macc+3 (drop from Cunnast, T1 pop NM)
Forefathers' Grip: HP+20 MP+20 Great Sword skill +7 "Magic Atk. Bonus"+3 (drop from Kamohoalii, T2 pop NM)

@Capuchin
I use Evasionist's Cape as well (because of the enmity+7 augment) but if you're looking at pure damage, Argochampsa is better.
Your set is strange in that sense.
I mean, I'm using Eva in stead of Argo because of the Enmity, but for the same reason I'm using Qaaxo instead of Manabyss.
If enmity doesn't matter to you, since you use Manabyss, then why not use Argochampsa?


Question about Nibiru Faussar. Now that we know the augments, anybody mathed out if any path is interesting?
It seems mostly a collection of strangely mixed augments to me.
Path A could've been a nice DPS option (alternative to Macbain if you're being unlucky or don't want to play with RNG) if only that Macc+15 was actually Acc+15, sigh.
Path D could've been a nice alternative to Aettir if that were PDT II, alas it's not.
Path C is... uh, Eva/MEva are nice, but FC is kinda useless for RUN.
Path B might be decent if the STP is useful for X-hit builds, haven't mathed it out.

I just don't have Argochampsa, which is why it isn't in my set. Agreed that it's slightly superior damage-wise though. While I know my above set is pretty good, I'm not claiming it's the ideal build and I'm sure there are other tweaks too:
- Eschan Stone is a waist upgrade
- Adoulin Ring if you chose that more for other jobs
- Obviously max augmented MAB Taeon is also slightly ahead of Limbo or Shneddick +1 legs, or Manabyss Pigaches for feet slot. Though that's such a minor increase that it's really, really hard for me to justify augmenting Skirmish legs/feet just for Lunge use.

Taeon Gloves are clearly the one slot where RUN would get the most bang for the buck on a MAB augmented piece of skirmish armor, as a max augment is 27MAB compared to just 15 for Nilas. That's pretty tempting the more I write it, but ugh so many Taeon (I have 3 already: TA, DW, Pet... I don't really wanna add more specific to WS/ranged/lunge). I guess Enm-10 difference (+5 Nilas versus -5 Taeon) is a consideration, but I personally think the potential 12MAB difference is a bigger deal.

And yeah, enmity doesn't matter a whole lot to me for Lunge, I just gear it more for damage. If I'm not keeping hate with all the tools at my disposal without a 3min timer JA (and to be fair, also 90sec swipe timer), I just don't find it likely to matter how much enm+ I have on my Lunges/Swipes. In my set, at least Highwing cancels out Manabyss, and Nilas/Friomisi/Evasionist Cape give me a decent bit of positive enmity on each Lunge. That's more a happy coincidence than me intentionally gearing for net Enmity+ though.

Nobody wants to dare sharing some opinion on the reported Rank15 augments for Nibiru Faussar? D: