Why Katana's are not that popular?

I just realize lately that Katanas are not that popular. Most doesn't consider it as a main char and would probably reset it if it was free.. But still there are enthusiast bout it.. There are some points to consider on the downside of it. As I observed:
1. Garyou Tensei isn't unsheathe. Many players want to burst damage so they would rebuild to a not unsheathe build just because of 1 skill. Don't forget that you need to comply the requirements to do the max burst damage.
2. Zantei Settetsu needs aggro or an aoe skill to activate its potential damage. You lose it when they flinch,tumble or stun the boss. Luckily Tenryu Ransei is a savior for us who got low aggro.
3. Investing in UNSHEATHE items means you can't use it to your another char or build new character. (Dual Wield perhaps??) For me its a NO GO.. It sucks and feels outdated, but if DW would have a Lvl4 unsheathe skill it may be a another story.
4. The NERF.. Hasso Happa was gun down and the GodSpeed unsheathe buff was reduced...


As mentioned above the 3rd one is really a heavy factor to consider. But the best part of being a Katana user is the surviving capability to solo.. All thanks to Zantei Sattetsu for the perfect def even for a single hit given by the boss.

Maybe someday Katana users would be dedicated to share ideas in this section to revolutionize the users and inspire newbies here.

 

The reason is simple:
1. U gotta have much spina for a stable build ( whatever the build is).
Compare the spina needed for katana n finale for example.
Its just way too much, only for the same output as finale.
Unless someone really loves katana, he/she will do anything i bet. And i will root for him/her.

2. If you saw hb, mage, bow, tank, support. They can still be used as dex,vit, int, tec bs.
Its not like katana cant be used for bs.
But its very unlikely to be as stable as the classes i mentioned above.

 

The explanation is more simple than that: katana class isn't simple.
Anyone can try making any argument like how DT has 100% Defense Pierce, Finale oneshot bosses, etc. but it was never about those. Most katana skills are complicated and it's frustrating for players that doesn't like complicated playing styles to play them, in comparison every other skills are pretty simple: press this button, enemy dead.

And the complication of katana doesn't end with just how the unsheathes gears are useless to other characters, Zantei need aggros, or Garyou require lots of effort for maximum burst. Have anyone ever tried for once to look at this class in one whole big picture? It's so complicated it's hillarious, try reading this:

Spoiler

You're a katana class, you have an ability to dash out of combat after your attack/skills which will also sheathe your weapon again.
You start with Issen: a skill that had critical rate buffs on your second hit, able to learn Pulse Blade: which increases your target defense (why not just reduce my attack multiplier?) if you're too far away from them and Pommel Strike: that will paralyze your target or stun them if they're already paralyzed because it's fun to have a skill that gives 2 different ailment if its used twice. lmao
On your next level, you can learn Triple Thrust: which instantly moves you to your target cause we don't have Shukuchi already while increases your next skill constant which calculated based on the skill level and your level and Magadachi: which can be used to parry damage and reduces them greatly, negates all ailment, and makes it impossible for you to get oneshot since you will always survive with 1HP, a successful parry also recover your MP which makes this skill only cost 100MP but literally no one ever use it to parry damage cause who cares about a skill that doesn't deals any damage, right?
On the next level you finally have the ability to learn Hasso Happa: a decent area ability thats really good for farming but nobody cares because it used to be an OP skill due to the devs inputting the wrong number, but because it's fixed let's just say the skill is nerfed... it's definitely not a bug thats been fixed. Also one of the most beloved skills of the katana players Zantei Settetsu: an easier to use Perfect Defense which also happen to deals huge damage and negates Flinch, Tumble, Stun or Knockback.
We finally reached the fourth level, which allows you to learn one of the most condition-based skills in the game Garyou Tensei: which have horrible critical rate (unless you have Kairiki buff on), need to stacks up on other skills, and require a successful Zantei for an Armor Break because you never have a party that can do Armor Break for you. Forget that complicated stuffs, meet Tenryu Ransei: the pinnacle of skill spamming, ruiner of physical proration, and savior of Finale spammer. To keep the spam party on going, you need to hit a successful Zantei or don't hit a Magadachi for a Zannou.
Next are the passives, Bushido: straightforward increases your HP, MP, Accuracy, and Weapon ATK. Two-Handed: another increases to Weapon ATK, Accuracy, Critical Rate, Stability, and your attack during critical... not critical damage, it simply increases your attack when you hit a critical which means it doesn't really a critical damage increase but it increases your attack only during critical hit, make sense to you? and this only apply if you have no sub-weapon. Shukuchi: which gives you the cool ability to glide to your target while increasing your AMPR for a bit, you can also use your dash out after attacking with Shukuchi then Shukuchi back then repeat until your MP is full.
Last but not least are the buffs, first we got Meikyo Shisui: which basically increase your crit rate while reducing your DEF/MDEF, and last we got Kairiki Raishin: increases your ATK, AMPR, enhance auto attack, and buff Garyou but make yourself on fire, in case you wonder why katana got ability to both reduce your own DEF/MDEF and HP, it's because the class is supposed to parry all incoming damage which makes us invincible.

What an incredibly complicated design... why can't this weapon be a bit straightforward. QuQ

*PS I'm katana main. owo)b

 

Garyou plain sucks.
You need 10x other skills, raikiri or the skill will NEVER crit, guard breakbreak and maybe mekyo depending on you cri build.
You could pass the guard break, but the dmg would only be slightly higher then zantei.

 

I think, the only real problem is no. 3

 

Soo much win here xdddddd. Like how katana forging is harder than western swords yet performs the same...? Need to commit sudoku to restore honor for this xdddddd

Our men are running from the battlefield! SHAMEFUR DISPURAYYYY!!! -That announcer from that Shogun game

 

The issue lies entirely in the complexity of Garyou. The Hasso nerf barely did jack. Zantei can be cheesed in a plethora of ways. Literally all die to Garyou being a poorly formulated skill

 

I do agree... When times get boring and if theres a book sale.. Most would probably buy.

 

Well opening with Zantei is good.. You deal a great damage if u comply with it then add the Garyou damage and its totally a heavy damage output.

 

Oh yes... Lucky enough Zantei is plausible.. If it aint work we got Tenryu to give..

 

The difference in gears are so vast. Even i ended up bought fullcrit arm 2s so that it can be used for others. The main problems are xtalls. Katana has different set and has little benefit with +atk% xtall. This makes me think twice b4 making katana...

 

Im a katana main myself... Im gona be with it cause i build it unsheathe.. Its quite fun even other class are tempting. I guess its a no Garyou for me... But worth it.

 

Specially when u got all ode in your 2nd slots

 

I like to do solo too.. As with this..

 

Most already has a main that they are comfortable with before Katana is implemented

 

Agree.. But most pick after they explore..

 

True Dat (DW FTW) XD

IMO : If u think katana isnt popular, welcome to the dark club :3, dw is no longer popular at all (at least in higher tier boss fights)

(>-<) don't mind me, just a degenerate dw main

 

I also have katana as my main(lvl 153) and my usual pattern of attacking is first using the combo: pulse blade-flash blast(save)-kairiki(swift)-meikyou(swift) which costs 1 mp, kairiki's ampr buff along with max level shukuchi enables me to regain 1 bar of mp every time I dash and do autoattacks so I can usually regain my max 1100 mp in around 11-15 seconds, after I maxed my mp I use that combo again to reactivate kairiki's buff which also increases my ATK along with flash blast's unsheathe buff, and after doing 1 more dash and autoattack to regain that 1 bar mp I activate tenryuu and then use magadachi immediately after(which deals the same dmg as zantei's final counter(200-300k for me) because of tenryuu's buff) to extend tenryuu's buff to 30 secs, after which I just spam the hell out of tenryuu (which is now costing just 100 mp because of the buff) which deals like 140-240k damage per skill, after I've exhausted all my mp spamming tenryuu I just use my combo again and repeat the dash and auto attacks to regain it all in 11-15 seconds(so i don't need mp charge) and repeat the process again, I actually frequently get the attacker rank this way on boss battles and I only have 2 odelon xtals xD, I kinda regret maxing garyou since I almost never use it, I can do more damage than it by just repeatedly using tenryuu and magadachi zannou and do more than 1m damage altogether after using up all my mp lol. now I'm saving up some spina to get that second slot in the armor and get an ifrid xtal to further extend my tenryuu and magadachi spamming and get moar damage

 

Same hahaha.. Phantom Slash was very promising.. But making it a field skill without the benefit of Long range from shot skill crippled it.. But i saw a dude hitting 28k per PS on DY using elemental main and sub with specific item. It would probably be expensive to have all elements and the worst part is.. Weaps become obsolete fast.

 

Same hahaha.. Phantom Slash was very promising.. But making it a field skill without the benefit of Long range from shot skill crippled it.. But i saw a dude hitting 28k per PS on DY using elemental main and sub with specific item. It would probably be expensive to have all elements and the worst part is.. Weaps become obsolete fast.