Warning: What you're about to read is RAGE material.

What the heck is going on?!?!?!?!

So I just finished a completely bogus match. I'm using a Musketeer, and I go up against a Buck. Now even on my best of days, Bucks make me cringe, but today takes the cake for most pathetic fight ever had in the history of P101 PvP. Now I've farmed for FOREVER to get the gear I have: Tower outfit boots and ring, hat with True Grit and extra base agility, Novablaster, two VF charms, and pet that grants burst fire, so you could say I'm well equipped.

So I get to start off the match. Usually a good sign right? So I start it off by using Barricades to block off one of his paths (so I can lay the other with traps) and he responds by using Shark's Fury and Espirit (from Toro). I figure, he's gonna shield then charge, right? So I begin to set up my units to be two squares away from each other so a Frenzy won't kill more than 1 of them. You know what he does? He charges WITHOUT a shield! Stupid move right? Wrong! So he charges recklessly at Chantal, triggering her Overwatch 3, but she MISSES! You know what happens next? A chain of Bladestorm, Relentless, and Follow through. Long story short, Chantal is dead before she can even hit once. I'm in shock, so I use Sky Spirit and send Nausica to kill pirate (after Bonnie reduces his dodge). As luck would have it, she fires off one or two critcals (including the guaranteed critical) and two Burst Fires. Next thing I know, Quint kills Nausica and his pirate murders Bonnie.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!

In another match vs a Buck, I'm using a Swash, and it seems to be evenly matched for the first half of the round. We both have Toro and Elusive 3, and I have TtT 2 to match his TtT 3. After his Goro takes out my Toro, and his pirate + Pete take out Subodai, I know I'm in trouble, but that can be narrowed down to skill, mostly. The thing that bites me in the rear is that after his Elusive and TtT activate, I can't get a hit on him, but luckily I manage to get Goro and Pete and Bonnie basically kill each other. His Toro runs from the fight and it's just me and him. It's late game so all my protection cards are out, and he seems to not have any in his hand. Looks like an even match, right? It was, but luck doesn't like even matches, so what happens next? He lands a trio of 3 critical hits IN A ROW! What the heck?!

Is it just me or do Bucks have the most luck of any class?

Don't even get me started on Privy vs Musk. A critical, will and mojo buff turn one, two companions killed by turn 3 after he uses bombs that deal up to 1500-3000 damage a drop, but that's not luck based. That's just OP.

Yes, we are devilishly op, aren't we?
Hehehehe...

Alex Hawkins on Jul 1, 2016 wrote:

This is how Buccaneers have always operated. It is not about luck entirely, is about them having so much higher strength than other units that their relentless and criticals are almost guaranteed.

In your first scenario, you said it yourself, he used a Shark's Fury before he charged and Toro's espirit. Chantal missing her Overwatch is indeed unlucky, but not too shocking considering the dodge from Espirit. The rest just seems like very standard Buccaneer stuff. With a strength buff, once they land just one critical, expect their whole chain of bladestorm/relentless to continue. It is enough to destroy any ranged companion. It is probably very likely that if his Buccaneer didn't kill your Chantal, that his Pete or another of his coming was also targeting her ready to finish her off.

In your second scenario, I'm guessing his first critical triggered bladestorm. The thing about bladestorm 3 is that it does not go based off accuracy/dodge, it goes based on your difference in strength whether it hits or not. So it is not surprising at all, and actually expected, that he lands his bladestorm hit. If that bladestorm hit also criticals and chains on bladestorms, then yea that is a bit unlucky, but again not surprising. This is literally how Buccaneers are supposed to fight, relying on their epics and chains.

All in all, always expect to lose a ranged unit (chantal, scratch, etc) if a Buccaneer charges you. Muskets and Witchdoctors have some of the lowest strength in the game, so it makes sense why Buccaneers chain on them so much. I would actually call it more lucky in your part if a Buccaneer doesn't chain on you with a strength buff active.

It just feels like I'm hopeless in the arena. How's a Musk supposed to compete with this? Am I just doomed to never attain the Champion's Rifle? Is that just reserved for the luckiest players? Or is there something I can do to actually stand a chance?

bluba4 on Jul 2, 2016 wrote:

Speaking from the point of a buccaneer only player, I have to admit that right now I rejoice when I see that my opponent is a musketeer. They are definitely lacking something right now. Honestly, I don't know what would be a fair way to improve them. They don't need more traps. They don't need more AoE attacks. They need something different.

I think part of the problem is that musketeers are so predictable. Lay traps/barricades, buff agility, and wait for opponent to rush into your three companions with overwatch 3. By nature, musketeers are not very mobile, so my suggestion would be to create something that gives musketeers the ability to move with some advantage. One way could be to massively improve crossfire. Another way would be to replace "grants quick adjust" on the Valencia Part 2 gear with a useful power. However you look at it though, musketeers need some help.

Yea, but I still see Musketeers with Champion's Rifle. HOW are they getting it? Are they just lucky beyond belief or is there a method I can use? To Musketeers with Champion's Rifle, do you have any tips for me?