SAM/RNG is lvl 58 too early?

J

Janos

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Apr 14, 2005
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So my SAM is lvl 58. I was thinking of skillig up Archery on my main and going SAM/RNG to xp pts on birds/puks/flies since they are weak to piercing. I have two questions. First, is 58 too low, meaning not enough equipment available to make it better DD then SAM/WAR going polearm on these types of mobs. Second, what gear should I use? My goal is to do the most DD possible. If its better just to go SAM and use polearm I'll do that. But if SAM/RNG can do more DD I'll work on that (seems like it will be a lot of fun spamming WS even faster then I am now with the help of barrage)

Currently I have this gear on my SAM


Weapon - Soboro
Head - Voyager Sallet
Neck - PCC (Gonna get a chiv chain as soon as I get Y/G/K
Body - SH +1 (Hauby +1 at 59)
Waist - Swift Belt, Life belt, sword belt +1
Hands - H kotes (traded in my Okotes cause I'm lvling NIN at same time), Pallas bracers
Back - Jaguar Mantle, Amement +1 at 61
Ranged - RSE satchet, War bow +1, Lighting bow +1
Earrings - Spike Earrings x2
Rings - Rajas/ Woodsman, Victory Ring
Feet - Fumas, Luisant Solerets
Legs - Rk legs
Hands - ? Any suggestions?
Strap - Mithril +1

My SAM/RNG equip for Sidewinder and Barrage will be

Head - Emp Pin
Neck - PCC
Body - Jaridah Peti
Waist - RK belt +2
Back - Amament Mantle +1
Rings - Scorpion Rings +1
Bow - War bow +1
Feet - Leaping Boots
Earrings - Drone Earrings x2
Legs - RK legs
Strap - Mythril +1

So should I go SAM/RNG at 58 when xping on mobs weak to piercing or should I wait till a higher lvl? And what gear am I missing that will help with this? Thanks guys.
 
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Make it simple


No sidewinder = no /rng


edit: idk do sam at lv.58 get sidewinder, but all i see sam with /rng is usally for that WS only
 
I have been thinking about sam/rng as a viable combination for a long time. However I keep being told time and time again that sam/rng is just plain dead. With full archery merits, str merits, and other merits I wonder if sam/rng can out damage sam/war. With sidewinder being such an inaccurate weaponskill I wonder how many, even fully merited, you would land on IT mobs since you are taking away your main weapon accuracy that rangers normally have.
 
A couple things I left out to clarify the root of my question.

1. I love sam/war most of the time. With soboro its absoultely insane. But on mobs that are weak to piercing (colbri and puks for example), my WS aren't doing much damage compared to penta strike with a polearm ( from 52-59 on colbri SAMs dont get Y/G/K so we use Jinpu which we all know is gimp). So I went /war but used a polearm instead and did more damage overall then with soboro.

2. At 58 Sams get Sidewinder. Since that is a piercing WS, I'm sure it will do a lot of damage to these weak to piercing mobs. I think Sidewinder should put out as much damage or more as penta does (on SAM main that is). But with Sidewinder, I can still main soboro so i will gain tp a lot faster then using a polearm while still getting the benefit of a great WS on these types of mobs. Add in Barrage and it should be a no brainer. Unfortunately things aren't always this simple which is why I'm asking for advice from people who've tried it and can speak on experience.

I have no combat merits other then +3 to sword I think. So if max archery merits is a factor I will fail at this.

I have most of the equip already to do sam/rng. I just don't have my archery skill capped yet (currently 124ish). So before I waste my time raising it I wanted to know if it will outdamage a polearm sam on mobs that are weak to piercing.

Or will Y/G/K be strong enough on weak to piercing mobs that I shouldn't bother with anything besdies SAM/WAR with GKAT all the way?
 
Put simply at 58, no.

If you really want a reason for it, then here goes:

At 58SAM/29RNG you lose the benefits of 2 key JA that you would have had you waited to 60:

1. Barrage
2. Accuracy Bonus II

Of course, at 58 a Ranger main will have Acc Bonus III and Velocity shot, as well as higher Archery Skill, higher base AGI, and access to the second best bow available.

Unless you have another job at 75, you won't be able to merit archery, and the better examples of RAcc gear won't be available to you yet, and that isn't even taking into consideration must-have /rng items such as an Amemet mantle +1. (Again relating to your target level of 58 ).

Bear in mind a SAM has natural advantages at wielding 2 handed weapons, so using a polearm isn't that bad an idea, although again there aren't many good examples of that weapon class for Samurai until 70. You will by now (should) understand the benefits of Hasso, and although the difference in skill cap isn't great, Polearm is still the second highest combat skill (as far as weapons go) a Samurai has access to.

A Soboro still has it's uses, and if you are worried about the lower damage, you could always try a cheap alternative such as a Raikiri.
 
just use polearm
 
Sobo has low damage yeah, but with a good tank, you can ws almost non-stop and then some with the new ja. I had gekko and yuk early, so that made it even more fun :).
 
SAM/RNG isn't really too good at that level, as stated, because of the missing accuracy trait and no barrage. Also, We all know Sidewinder is INCREDIBLY inaccurate, even as a RNG. it'll be decent when they become VT-T but if yer trying on ITs and high VTs, you'll have ALOT of problems. Yer better off with yer GKT and stay /WAR. I personally never liked soboro, but that's mostly because it came out after I was 75. If you have a good tank, you'll be popping out WSes like there's no tomorrow, so just stay SAM/WAR for a while.

Also, I found it was a good idea to have Archery capped as SAM regardless if you use /RNG or not. It's nice to have yer arrows hit once in a while on a pull. And regarding using a polearm, just no, don't do it..it'll never really out damage yer GKT, even on mobs weak to piercing. With yer soboro, just put out as many WSes as you can, as fast as you can.
 
Knightblade said:
No. Just no.
Click to expand...

Why not go with polearm for a few levels. Tossing in Penta Thrust into the equation until sams get Yukikaze may not be overly bad. But since you have the soboro you could do several things. Try out sam/drg with the haste earring to really maximize your soboro output. Try everything out and just have fun with whatever. But as was stated earlier, sam/rng wont be that good until at least 60, and even then only against low IT or VT mobs. Purely speculation of course.
 
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I am currently leveling SAM and almost have it to 74 atm, I also have Soboro, But i have been told DO NOT SUB RNG till 75... Plain an simple. the main reason ive been told this is becuase SAMs dont have access to the gear needed to boost archery to where it needs to be to be effecient until 75. Yes PPC is gonna help but without Seiryu Kote and Optical Hat, and the 71 SAM/RNG bow that i forget the name of hitting those Inacuate Sidwinders are gonna be pretty tough agianst high level mobs.

Now as far as Polearms go SAMs get 2 really good polearms in later levels, ?Theses being the Couse lv60 and the Engetsuto 70, Both of these are relativly new additions to the game and are very cool for SAM due to the High damage. But without merits a SAM will need to use sushi to be hitting consitantly agianst the Mire mobs like Imps and Flies. I Ussually bring My engetsuto and my great katana to parties in the mire to give me some options if i get bored. with spaming Kasha, Gekko or Yukikaze.
 
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