Someone plz tell me what I'm doing wrong here - I am a lvl 45 swash, and right now i'm in mooshu. I am currently using a lvl 44 El Toro with first strike, reposite, and relentess 2, lvl 43 Sara Steele with first strike, riposite, repel boarders and relenless, and a lvl 43 Bison Sheriff with true grit, overwatch, (burst fire? I don't remember). When a companion is defeated I use a lvl 42 Fan Flanders with first strike, and relentess 2. What am I doing wrong? Plz help.

Careless Natalie Evans lvl 45

StormBorne123 on Jan 16, 2015 wrote:

Someone plz tell me what I'm doing wrong here - I am a lvl 45 swash, and right now i'm in mooshu. I am currently using a lvl 44 El Toro with first strike, reposite, and relentess 2, lvl 43 Sara Steele with first strike, riposite, repel boarders and relenless, and a lvl 43 Bison Sheriff with true grit, overwatch, (burst fire? I don't remember). When a companion is defeated I use a lvl 42 Fan Flanders with first strike, and relentess 2. What am I doing wrong? Plz help.

Careless Natalie Evans lvl 45

Try using some buccaneer companions to help take some of the damage so your swashies can finish them off. You need to protect those squishy swashies. Valor's armor and shield along with the Krakens Lament which will do some major shielding. Also plan your crew. If you are going to be fighting witchdoctor or musketeer class then use companions that have high magic resist. If fighting buccaneers and other swashbucklers then use companions that hit with magic like witchdoctors and musketeers cause the enemy will have low resistance to their hits. Same if fighting Swashbucklers, use companions with high accuracy so they won't miss and have the enemy riposte on them.

Wear some gear that has healing so you can recover. Learn some healing from the Privateer teacher. That way, when you need to, you can hide and heal up then finish the battle in good shape.

Mooshu will teach you to start planing and changing how you fight. You will no longer be able to change right in there like you always have. You will need these new strategies a LOT in Marleybone and Aquila. Just check out your enemy first and plan accordingly. Above all, as Ratbeard says: "Protect your squishies"

anecorbie on Jan 16, 2015 wrote:

I don't see anything wrong in your line up, but I'm curious, are these your only companions that are close to your level? What about Subodai, Bonnie Anne or Ratbeard? Who's your Presidio companion? Have you promoted any of them?
Are you using companion management to level companions? How are you equipped? Most importantly, what quests are giving you the most trouble? With that information we may be able to give you a strategy.

actually, no. Bonnie Anne is currently lvl 42, but i don't use ratbeard as much anymore. My Subodai is lvl 40 so im grinding to get more training points. I promoted Steele to swash, toro to champion, bonnie to sniper, subodai to (warrior?) da gear im using was bought in mooshu (can't seem to get gear with card drops) and im using a stabby/slashy cuz im training on privateer too.

StormBorne123 on Jan 16, 2015 wrote:

actually, no. Bonnie Anne is currently lvl 42, but i don't use ratbeard as much anymore. My Subodai is lvl 40 so im grinding to get more training points. I promoted Steele to swash, toro to champion, bonnie to sniper, subodai to (warrior?) da gear im using was bought in mooshu (can't seem to get gear with card drops) and im using a stabby/slashy cuz im training on privateer too.

Try your best to get Subodai promoted to Khan, he really hits his stride then. But that happens at level 46 ( ? ).
You haven't promoted Sarah to Corsair?

Hi StormBorne123. If it is any consolation, I have found that the transition from the end of Cool Ranch to the beginning of Moo Shoo is always rough, and causes you to re-evaluate your choice of crew and tactics (I have run six pirates through Moo Shoo... always a rude awakening when they have arrived). Most recently my privateer Karic Atherton (#7) and his Banana Brigade landed in Moo Shoo, and casualty rates climbed dramatically. In this case, Karic was limited in crew choices (the Banana Brigade uses only primates), so I backed off and began farming Miranda. Captain Blood has some nice equipment drops. It took about 10 days, roughly 20 raids, before I picked up the main thing I was looking for, his coat (one of the best items in the game), but he also drops kit with healing and protective abilities for the various classes. While not actively farming, Karic's crew were brawling to go up levels. When we returned to Moo Shoo things went much more smoothly: if Capt.Blood's Flames of Dooooom come up round one, you are in good shape. With the brawling, Karic's monkeys (and his one ape) went from about level 39 to 42, and interestingly I have found that when the Flames of Doooooooom don't turn up, we still do much better than before - so just those three levels made a significant difference in how frequently the Banana Brigade dodges and hits; of course they all received a new talent at lvl 40. So do try to work your guys up a level or three. Maybe even let them refit and regroup (while they brawl) and run another pirate for awhile.

Something else that might help: the melee samurai generally have first strike 2, so attacking them with your melee dudes gives them free attacks; similarly, their shooters tend to have quick draw. Accordingly, it works best if you have a mix of melee and shooters - have your shooters spark away at their melee guys, and have your melee guys thump on their archers, at least in the early stages of the fight.

Good luck!

-Indigo

Indigo Ring on Jan 17, 2015 wrote:

Hi StormBorne123. If it is any consolation, I have found that the transition from the end of Cool Ranch to the beginning of Moo Shoo is always rough, and causes you to re-evaluate your choice of crew and tactics (I have run six pirates through Moo Shoo... always a rude awakening when they have arrived). Most recently my privateer Karic Atherton (#7) and his Banana Brigade landed in Moo Shoo, and casualty rates climbed dramatically. In this case, Karic was limited in crew choices (the Banana Brigade uses only primates), so I backed off and began farming Miranda. Captain Blood has some nice equipment drops. It took about 10 days, roughly 20 raids, before I picked up the main thing I was looking for, his coat (one of the best items in the game), but he also drops kit with healing and protective abilities for the various classes. While not actively farming, Karic's crew were brawling to go up levels. When we returned to Moo Shoo things went much more smoothly: if Capt.Blood's Flames of Dooooom come up round one, you are in good shape. With the brawling, Karic's monkeys (and his one ape) went from about level 39 to 42, and interestingly I have found that when the Flames of Doooooooom don't turn up, we still do much better than before - so just those three levels made a significant difference in how frequently the Banana Brigade dodges and hits; of course they all received a new talent at lvl 40. So do try to work your guys up a level or three. Maybe even let them refit and regroup (while they brawl) and run another pirate for awhile.

Something else that might help: the melee samurai generally have first strike 2, so attacking them with your melee dudes gives them free attacks; similarly, their shooters tend to have quick draw. Accordingly, it works best if you have a mix of melee and shooters - have your shooters spark away at their melee guys, and have your melee guys thump on their archers, at least in the early stages of the fight.

Good luck!

-Indigo

ok thanks indigo...grinding probs is a good choice to do, and thanks for the info. Definently will try it out!

I find it's not the level your crew members are, but the unbalanced proportion in which Mooshu is. Mooshu enemies seem to be heavily armored and have a better Epic rating then our heroes.

I have several types of Crew Members in the Level 47 - 50 with my Level 50 - 53 Pirates and they still die easily. Especially the main crew members such as Ratbeard, Bonnie Anne, Subadai, the Goat Disciple and (most especially) El Toro. My El Toro, Subadai and Ratbeard were all recently raised (the quest to raise the Goat Disciple is frustrating as the Goat Disciple dies rather fast) and still do not help much and die quickly.

And, the heal spells, they are ridiculously useless as they do not heal nearly enough unless you happen to get lucky in an Epic heal. Even the Eagle Heal is very limited as it MAY heal up to 1/2 of the total health of the dying crew member. 3/4 if Epic heal occurs. And, it's even worse for non-privateers.

insane zane on Jan 19, 2015 wrote:

One attack strategy that might help is to have all your companions attack one target. That way you can kill one off each turn, and that would leave one less person to attack you. One common mistake I've noticed with swashbucklers is that they charge in, on the first turn. why is that a mistake? Because not all of your companions can move as far in one strike, and that leaves those that charged in, alone and surrounded by enemies, in enemy territory. Instead of charging in for an attack on the first turn, a good idea would be to buff. Using companions like el toro and fan give any buckler the advantage because they come with the best buffs for their class (accuracy/dodge, and agility).

The advantages of letting the enemy approach you:
Gives you time to buff or set traps.
In case they have over-watch or repel boarders. By having them come to you, that is one less attack that you will have to face.
Sometimes they spread out, allowing you to concentrate your attacks on one enemy at a time.

How I would play:

My first two companions would normally be El Toro as first mate, and Fan as second. The reason for that would be because of Fan's flanking. Since toro moves first I can always make sure he is where I need him to be to use fan's flanking ability when I move her. Do you think Fan's flanking is weak, and therefore not worth it? I'll tell you why that doesn't matter, because not only do you want to give them as much damage as possible, but also it gives her a better chance to activate relentless or blade storm. I have actually noticed that when fan uses her flanking she is more likely to go through all three of her relentless attacks and get a critical attack to activate blade storm. She alone can take an enemy's health from full to zero in every turn. For the third companion I would usually use bonnie, steele, or any agility companion since that's where my buffs will be focused.

Fan- I set her up with Relentless 2 and blade storm.

Ok! thanks for the advice. But actually, I do take time to buff up so im ok on that part. hmmm...maybe ill try fan flanders again. thanks!

Careless Natalie Evans lvl 45