Venka Analysis (+Stance)

[Kthal]

Surprisingly, I have taken to the Venka despite my strong dislike of the sparring/fist weapons so far. This is due to it's slightly better reach, and downright beautiful animations.

 

Visually, it is perfect. Sheathed, it is inconspicuous. Drawn, they look scarily sharp.

(Colour customisation was fairly easy to get right too.)

 

 

Gameplay wise, the Venka has a few shortcomings.

 

The base attack speed needs to be increased to 1.2. Not a popular idea, my other points still remain though.

In addition to improving the overall feel of the weapon, this would also increase its general dps and cumulative status chance to being mid-high level, roughly where a dojo-research weapon should sit in the power scale. As it stands, the Venka looks fast and light, but handles very slow and heavily.

 

The Venka, both with and without stance, has no reason not to be categorised with the fist weapons.

The animations are almost exactly the same. If the Venka were shifted into the fist category, the fist weapons would gain a good stance and the Venka would have a little more versatility for stances, and be less of a grind for players. (As Nekros, 8 hours in Xini)

 

Slide attack needs rework.

The slide attack for both the Venka and Malicious Raptor needs to be replaced by a small sweep ending in a horizontal lunge. Mechanically, it would do damage in a small radius, but unlike fist weapons so far, not halt the movement of the frame, in other words, copter. This would open the fist weapons (with Malicious Raptor) to those who consider coptering vital, and make the Venka feel more fluid.

 

 

Aside from my observations, the Venka is a great new addition to the game. The stats are good, mid level damage with passable critical chance and a satisfying status chance. The animation sets are near perfect.

 

Malicious Raptor's combos are all fast, branching on the second and third hits, making them fast enough to be usable in combat, and each fulfilling a distinct role. I hope future stances have this balance. 

Edited July 8, 2014 by Kthal

[Janzer]

Please elaborate on the expected need for a higher base speed for the Venka. What about mod cards to modify the speed? Is it raising of the base speed in order to adjust the final output of damage based on not having to place speed modifier cards on the Venka?

 

In other words, giving the Venka speed and damage, making them have less reason to mod anything else other than tacking on damage modifiers?

 

I'm curious so I'm asking what the expectation of usage you're looking for. Should they be able to slice through enemies in one shot up to level 40-60? What range of enemy are you thinking they should work up to?

 

My speed build of the Venka, easily usable up to at least 40ish.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Janzer

[Kthal]

I state that damage is fine.

 

My basis on the speed is that, even with speed mods, it still feels slow and heavy.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Kthal

[APBladeX]

We definitely need a Venka buff, but it should remain in the new claw-weapon category. My speculation is that we'll be receiving a higher-damage Dragon Venka soon, like the Nikana and Dragon Nikana. Many players were hoping for a higher critical chance and critical damage on the Venka to focus around Berserker builds (let's be honest, claws are meant for speed and going berserk). To be honest, the majority of clan-tech weapons are far too expensive, locked behind high mastery ranks, to be where they are now. Sub-par weapons list:

Grinlok

Supra

Dera

Prova

Lanka

Dual Cestras (why do we even need this in research? We can't figure out how to hold a Cestra in each hand by ourselves?)

Nami Skyla (Nami Solo and Han Skyla anyone?)

Nikana (swap Nikana with Dragon Nikana from research to market)

Ignis

Torid

Embolist

Pyrana

Acrid

Djinn

Flux Rifle

Spectra

Helios

[MonkJayn]

speed is fine they look $&*&*#(%& if you attack to fast with them, i tend to run spoiled strike and fury which puts them at a 1.1 and frankly it feels perfect, running berserker is just $&*&*#(%& looking, frankly i find they feel and look realistic at the speed they are, they could however do with a crit chance or multiplier buff to bring them up a bit from the decidedly mid tier to more end game viable as frankly they just feel like they should hit harder atleast on the crits, a weapon of its type would be very good at hitting vital points.

 

laters

 

Monk

[Varja99]

speed is fine they look $&*&*#(%& if you attack to fast with them, i tend to run spoiled strike and fury which puts them at a 1.1 and frankly it feels perfect, running berserker is just $&*&*#(%& looking, frankly i find they feel and look realistic at the speed they are, they could however do with a crit chance or multiplier buff to bring them up a bit from the decidedly mid tier to more end game viable as frankly they just feel like they should hit harder atleast on the crits, a weapon of its type would be very good at hitting vital points.

 

laters

 

Monk

Please just stop

[Monolake]

I like the +block combo, but this weapon cant copter at all thus its useless (unless you play Zeph or maybe Valk)

[Kthal]

I like the +block combo, but this weapon cant copter at all thus its useless (unless you play Zeph or maybe Valk)

 

Absolutely incorrect.

 

While most of the time I utilise coptering, and rely on it heavily, that is only one aspect of melee weapons.

 

The Venka is a decent weapon, and even without coptering is still good, but given the flavour and its relationship with fist type weapons, it needs something else.

 

Incidentally, people rave about the Dragon Nikana... No coptering.

I quite like using Galatine with Volt/Speed... No coptering.

 

 

 

My speculation is that we'll be receiving a higher-damage Dragon Venka soon

 

*Drool*

Good point, maybe Venka doesn't need buff.

 

 

 

Also, Monk. You wrote a near-incoherent wall of text, using the words "retard" and "frankly" twice each. In addition to this you completely disregarded my point that the stats do no need buffing as it is not meant to be end-game content.

The point makes itself.

[Monolake]

Absolutely incorrect.

 

While most of the time I utilise coptering, and rely on it heavily, that is only one aspect of melee weapons.

 

The Venka is a decent weapon, and even without coptering is still good, but given the flavour and its relationship with fist type weapons, it needs something else.

 

Incidentally, people rave about the Dragon Nikana... No coptering.

I quite like using Galatine with Volt/Speed... No coptering.

 

 

 

Cause Dragon Nikana is the top or one of the top DPS melee, while Venka is not even close. 

 

Its a personal playstyle, but I cant play with no mobility tools, you get left behind unless its defence.

[Monolake]

Malicious Raptor is realy sick btw. I have no-forma/potatoe Venka, so it does ~220 damage 2x crit.  But I hit for 2000... what? 

 

 

Hedubutt ~2500 (x1.5)  http://i61.tinypic.com/20zvfdh.jpg 

 

Non-crit finisher on a heavy  - 835  and full flurry is like 8 attacks in a second  hmm  http://i57.tinypic.com/dha69k.jpg

 

crit finisher 3400

[MonkJayn]

yes i used the same 2 words twice, they were appropriate for what i wanted to get across, and its your opinion they dont need a dmg buff, in my opinion they do, (not a large buff however and not to the level of a dragon nikana etc) as how dare i want an awesome weapon to be actually viable option instead of simply a weak weapon you use solely for style, and i still believe swinging weapons at a ridiculous speed ruins the look of the game, as does coptering and sliding everywhere/

 

as for a wall of text or it being incoherent, well i cant help you there personally i dont find ... 5 lines ? a wall of text.

i stand by my points, it attacks more than fast enough, especially with malicious raptor on it, but i guess its a personal taste for more dmg per hit or more hits, and more hits can easily be achieved with berserker and fury pushign the weapon to 2.1ish speed, add on the channelling mod to increase it even further if you really feel it needs to be that fast.

i like to see the animations and aim each hit for the most part so i prefer its speed to remain the same and for it to get a small increase in crit chance and / or crit multiplier.

 

laters

 

Monk 

[Monolake]

Im pretty much convinced that you get  double the crits of what the weapon stats say

[Janzer]

I state that damage is fine.

 

My basis on the speed is that, even with speed mods, it still feels slow and heavy.

 

I can't agree, based on extended usage of the weapon with the stance and my berserker build. I've been using it with my Ash and the combo speed that you hit is extremely fast speed as long as you can find an enemy within half a minute and get a crit (1 out of 4 chances on that).

 

I can put up even more footage of that if you want with my Ash. I'm not sure what speed you're looking for, but if you get any faster with the berserker build, I think you just might warp into another dimension.

 

WITHOUT the stance, yes, the Venka with a Bersker build are still pretty damn fast. Even it's quick attacks are extremely fast when you proc a crit.