Dual Wield Skills and Combo Building by Cypherian

Hello, it's me. I was wondering if after all these months. You'd like to know how I build my combos.

So yeah, most people have been asking me what combos i use. how much does my combo do, how do I use my combo effectively against this boss, or that boss, or any other boss, why do you use this skill on this boss and not on that boss, do you use this combo, do you use that combo, why is your combo different than his, than hers, than that guy or than this guy.

Well it's simple, I don't. Because of the fact i'm a soloist, I tend to build combos based on what i'm fighting and the way I will fight it.
For Example.
In a solo run, i would use high MP Combos often doing Double Smite combos or build a new combo that might make more damage but with less mp.
and in a PT Run, you would only see me doing 100MP Spammable combos which i can easily get back in one attack then situationally use a high mp burst combo.

as for Skills, I'd go only for the active skills that we'll use.

Blade Skills

Hard Hit

Handy starter skill if you wanna flinch the target before you use your combo. Best when used with your All cons combo since you want to order your skills by the way they ramp up in animation, e.g. Hard Hit > Astute > Trigger Slash. Plus when used as a spam skill with Trigger slash at the end. The Motion Speed increases making the combo ramp up in animation speed. Making you flinch targets faster.

Recommended combo placement: Starter only. Why? As DW, you need to use fast casting skills and combos. and Hard Hit without a motion speed boost, you can't do that. You can't have a Fast start that slumps to a slow hit mid-combo.​

Astute

Best Damage skill you have from Blade Skills even without Sword Tech skill. Most likely to be used as a combo starter since the Damage is good when not reduced or can be put on 2nd skill since 10% reduction on damage isn't really noticeable when you look at total damage. Crit buff you get at the start is good so that you can guarantee a crit on all skills that follow Astute.

Recommended combo placement: Starter for that Crit buff on all the skills following Astute, Damage too good to pass up. 2nd Skill on combo, since you can use it on multiple combos with other engage skills. Can be placed anywhere on the combo as long as it is followed by your main damage skill. E.G. Twin Slash, Spinning Slash, Phantom Slash​

Trigger Slash

Best combo ender when used front line. Yes front line, tanking, going head on. But since Shadow Step has came out with similar AMPR boost. Trigger Slash is now used situationally and for that motion speed boost to a save tag combo. Trigger Slash at max deals decent damage. Almost at par with Astute at some point, often hitting 8k-10k on the end of an all cons combo, most likely a 3-4 skill combo. Most used now by Sword Fu to boost motion speed of Triple Kick.
Skills that benefit from Trigger Slash on End are; Spinning Slash, Hard Hit and Cross Parry. Spinning Slash has a High to Low Speed Animation. High at the Start, with a slow animation at the end. Using Trigger Slash Buff on this skills boosts Spinning Slash animation dramatically. Most people who have PT'd with me and saw me spamming Spinning Slash through out the fight can see why I use this certain partnership. Hard Hit partnered with Trigger Slash on End. Makes you an unstoppable breaking machine. Constantly doing flinches fast, often finishing your short combo and an auto attack as soon as the target has recovered from the flinch. Cross Parry is a slow skill, but powerful nonetheless. Tumble, damage can hit double that of Astute, buff that let's you receive reduced damage by 90% of the next attack hit. Partnered with Trigger Slash, it can be used in a powerful survival combo.

Recommended combo placement: Mid combo as Motion Speed booster, End combo for AMPR and Motion Speed Boost on the start of your next Combo.​

Dual Sword Skills

Twin Slash

Every DWs Bread and Butter skill in terms of damage dealing. 200 MP. Increased Crit Damage. Easily a good skill to spam for a Tier 1 skill. Does also Good damage even at all cons combo. Since DW3 came out. This skill is best partnered with Astute as Starter and Mid skill Shadow Step, followed by Twin Slash.

Recommended combo placement: Mid Skill when used in Cons combo, as Filler before Phantom Slash, Ender combo if you prefer damage than AMPR from Shadow Step.​

Spinning Slash

MY Bread and Butter Skill. This is honestly my favorite skill.
Anyways, Good as starter for your combo when used up front. Blind is good for evade. Damage dealt is also good. Can total up to match Astute damage. Good for that mid skill combo for the knock back to put some space between you and the enemy before you use Phantom Slash. Ender skill after Shadow Step is good for that Knock Back utility if you are more the evasive type.

Recommended combo placement: Starter When partnered with Trigger Slash end as mentioned Above. Mid Combo used with Swift for that fast cast, good when utilizing that knock back. Not recommending it for end combo since it has a long end cast delay.​

Cross Parry

Good skill over all, the problem is the long animation it takes. Can't really recommend this for a mid combo skill. as well as an end combo skill. Best when used solo or as starter but partnered with Trigger Slash. It has good damage over all. Can be partnered with Swift if you really wanna use it mid combo. Same mechanics as hard hit.

Recommended combo placement: Start of combo, only to be used with Trigger Slash buff. Can be used Mid Combo or as Ender when used with Swift.​

Charging Slash

Flashy Exit skill or for when you want space from that clingy boss. Good Damage overall. 2 hits. Can Equal Astute damage even at level 5 and still be flashy af. Do not use on Minibosses that have a bit of tanky mobs on the side. You do not want to aggro side mobs.

Recommended combo placement: Mid Skill for making space. Used as Cons or on Smite since damage is good. Ender if you want that Flashy Exit. and if you know that you just need to dodge the target's AOE just in time that the combo finishes.​

Phantom Slash

Not OP as everyone expects it to be. On an average usage. Damage is at par with Twin Slash. Frustrating when Evaded or Guarded. But the invulnerability mid animation is good. Invulnerability only appears after the first 2 hits. SHOULD NOT BE USED WITH INCREASED MOTION SPEED. Unless the target is slow asf. You need to exploit the time you are mid animation so you get most out of the invulnerability. Only OP when used at the right time, and the right place.

Recommended combo placement: Mid combo only. Do not use this as an ender since you need to be invulnerable immediately or as soon as the redzone is mid cast.​

Shadow Step

Best utility skill ingame right now. Instant Gap closer at 12m range at max. Crit Rate buff on the next skill. AMPR at par with Trigger Slash. Positions you behind the enemy, easily usable to evade that crucial red zone that can one shot you. Easily a one combo skill if you can get your ampr to fill up one bar per attack *coughs* so that you can spam it easily. Can be used through bleed and silence. Counts as a normal attack. Can be used as a filler for that Smite combo after the Smite skill since it is not considered as an attack skill so your evade attack from Shadow Step isnt affected by the damage reduction from Smite. Good re-positioning skill. You can use it individually if you wanna make sure the next combo or skill you want to use crits.

Recommended combo placement: Anywhere, Can be used as Starter for those targets you wanna nuke right away after getting close. Mid skill for that quick repositioning if the target has a lot of redzones that target its immediate front and if you wanna utilize the crit buff to ensure the crit from that next skill. Ender if you wanna get back that mp immediately from that auto attack after Shadow Step is cast, utilizing that AMPR Buff.
​

Now with what was stated above. Now you know what I consider when building combos. Most are to get the most damage, most are to get most utility. Most are to get the best way to survive unscathed.

Thank you for reading
Feel free to comment anything that I might not have covered since these are my understandings of how these skills are used and what they do and what the effects are.

-Cypher Out

 

Excellent guide!
You don't just post a combo for people to copy and just explain every skill you can use, and that's a plus! (No sarcasm)
Hope that this helps people understand how DW work and we see more original builds... or it makes people give up on DW and we become the Toram DW hipsters!

 

you are definitely one fast reader. xD
Yes i posted this coz mainly i got tired of explaining why i use this skill and that skill. This is what goes through my mind every time i make a combo. Don't just be damage-y. Be effective.

 

Not the fastest blade, but the sharpest eye
My mindset when making a build/combo is take something that is underused and make it work. Removes a lot of the potential damage, but is compensated by the sheer fun factor.

 

Same, that's why i try to use every skill to its fullest even if its not the strongest to deal damage, but the edge it brings to the battle makes it strong

 

GG if only you made this before I had to quit xD

 

whyyyyyyyyyyyy ;_;

 

It's a secret

 

Sample Skill builds:

Pre - DW3 Skills

Twin Slash Path

Astute > Twin Slash Smite/Swift > Spinning Slash Cons > Charging Slash Cons
Hard hit > Astute cons > Twin Slash Smite > Spinning Slash Cons
Spinning slash > Twin Slash Smite > Trigger Slash Cons
Hard Hit > Astute Cons > Twin Slash Smite/Cons > Trigger Slash Cons

Spinning Slash Path

Astute > Spinning Slash Smite/Swift > Twin Slash cons (if Swift on Spinning Slash) > Trigger Slash /Charging Slash Cons
Spinning Slash > Astute Cons > Trigger Slash cons
Hard Hit > Spinning Slash Swift > Trigger Slash Cons
Astute > Spinning Slash Swift > Trigger Slash Cons/Charging Slash Cons

 

Thanks for all ur work senpai.
m(-_-)m *bow*

 

i am no senpai... i think. but this all the things that i know that i wanted to share to everyone

 

Im been reading ur guild on dw skill & dw lvl3 skill explanation. Its really good how u explain it. Its simple & u put suggestions how to use it effectively. Ty for the hardwork explaining it. I will use it wisely .

 

woah, nc cyp

 

oooh thanks i just wanted to help. some people think DW is weak because of some of the mechanics and how underpowered the skills are so helping them know what when and how to use the skills might make them more interested and make their own build

 

thanks dark :3

 

@Angelie

 

Great info. in terms of dps i believe dw is pretty solid now with the lvl 3 skills. There are some things that dw can do that other classes arent capable of now and it gives it an edge. I've been trying to experiment and have fun with it and this info helps greatly.

 

@Cypherian or others
Can I ask?
Will Flash Blast damage trigger when we use charging slash or shadow step!?

 

no. only when you evade

 

Okay thnkss so...
And 1 more cy
If we have 10% base evasion with lihht amor
With Reflex (+50%)
We have 60% lr 15% base evasion?
What about Light armor + Light armor mastery, we have 10% + 10% evasion or 10% (1+0.1) = 11% evasion?