stormninja542 on Dec 23, 2013 wrote:

Swashbucklers wouldn't be so weak in pvp if we hadn't received bad powers and epic talents after marleybone and aquila. KI you really need to boost hurl knives, first strike rank 3, and especially gambit of steel. Make hurl knives do times 2 damage instead of times 1. Have first strike rank 3 put a minor accuracy debuff on your opponent. Get rid of the trigger epic side effect on gambit of steel and have it do times 2 damage to all adjacent enemies or, deal times 1 damage to all adjacent enemies and stun all adjacent enemies for 1 round.

some of this is very insulting to the buccaneer class... all buccaneers get are special attacks with accuracy drops to them and by giving swashbucklers accuracy drop cards and stun cards the buccaneer becomes pointless in comparisson.

N1ckee on Mar 13, 2014 wrote:

So we do live in alternate dimensions....

Sigh, did you actually read my post or do you just not understand that 3 melees are viable in PvP?

Feel free to ask around or look for good and seasoned PvP'ers to a battle. While not all will run full melee, there will be some that do. To make things a bit clearer for you, just because you can't find a use or the right strategy for running full melee does not mean it's not used. Try being open to things instead of rejecting anything or anyone that doesn't agree with your opinion, you'll learn more that way...

I haven't played for about 4 months, but it doesn't seem like much has changed. I do think that as time has gone by Swashbucklers have become a little less powerful in pvp. I like pvp so I made a Musketeer and a Witchdoctor and guess what...unless your strategy is sound all classes can fail you. There is nothing wrong with Swashbucklers in pvp. In fact if you battle in an arena within someone's home they are almost unbeatable. However if you are a purist and choose only to pvp in the Spar Chamber or Brawlin' Hall they are still formidable...you just have to be patient and choose your companions right.

DuncanRoland The E... on Mar 15, 2014 wrote:

I've decided to list what I do myself as a Swashbuckler, and feel free to criticize and poke holes in this strategy. I do it a little weird, but it works! I use El Toro, Hawkules, and Bonnie. This is usually just a poke team but it can be deadly efficient. Hawkules is kinda balanced with a 2/3 vengeance strike and a 2/3 relentless ( I run 2 vengeance 3 relentless) since he spams relentless a lot, and bypasses that annoying agility/will and magic resist on ranged companions/players, and more often than not can get them downed in the first time he attacks them. Vengeance strike just covers him against melee and gives a chance to use relentless on said melee. He surprisingly Works against Swashbucklers. No joke. With accuracy, armor, health, and damage maxed of course... Bonnie, I use quick draw 2 and burst 2, so she basically will win a gun fight with the most over used bonnie/zeena/nausica set more often than not. El toro is to buff myself and hawk, give bonnie a nice accuracy cushion and likelihood to actually use stock assault. I have a hat that has call to arms as well, so Elusive users beware... I basically use call to arms when the fighting starts along with Toro using Espirit. Toro can be debatable on epics, but I run 2 riposte 2 relentless, kind of to assist hawk in the quest to knock everything around. I've won using that strategy 99/100 times. My gear is also super stocked and invested in dodge, Including Elusive. and I have an assassin's strike shirt from Mooshu. (I would honestly say where it can be found if I could remember, but I remember getting during the Yakooza quests? So maybe the tax collector.) Then I would just kinda adjust to the opponent's strategy and head from there. Example:against the classic privateer that uses the 3 Over Used muskets, bonnie, zeena, and nausica, I hide behind a pole in brawling hall/spar chamber, wait for them to spam buffs, stall even further via any means necessary, and when forced to fight, call to arms/Assassin's strike (Depending how my specials are liking me) and espirit from toro, and Focus fire with Hawk and Bonnie on the least protected member. in a house arena I simply rush the privateer/most important musket and carry from there. The reason for my Hugely stocked dodge is that a LOT of people try to take the player out FIRST. Won't be that easy when I'm in a whole heap of dodge stats, would it? Hope this helps a few people!

Great training tips here. Perhaps we could convince you to contribute in the PHP thread?

Pickletastik on Dec 20, 2013 wrote:

You're pretty powerful already. Let me explain why you have 3 poison spells one preventing healing. That's a lot of damage over time combined with your Five 2x damage attacks one providing bleeding and assassins strike 3x damage with bleeding. With grand shadow dance for many criticals. If you average 300 damage all those attacks damages combined seemed to calculate to 4800 Not to mention if you got some epic hits in there. Even after all this you still think your weak maybe you need some new gear. Blades of shade from Cadmus are pretty good for swash, And life kamis jewel from water guardian is also pretty good. It gives great juju combine that with blades of shade you will be pretty powerful! Good luck guys hope this helps you realize every class is balanced in pvp! . If you don't think they are leave that to Ki To handle.

I don't think Swashbucklers are necessarily underpowered, but they are at a distinct disadvantage in pvp when facing ranged units. Still, with a good strategy and a little luck I do well with my Swashbuckler. Now if you want to calculate some damage...with Mega Blast my Musketeer can do well over 3,000 damage in one round...not over the course of a battle like you calculate for the Swashbuckler. Add Quick Draw and Double Tap in there and the figure can approach 4,000. Of course with First Strike and Riposte figured in, my Swashbuckler approaches 3,000 damage sometimes in one round and deals high damage much more consistently than my Musketeer. Combined with insanely high Dodge, Swashbucklers are still the undisputed champions of melee units in pve. For pvp, though, I'll stick with my Musketeer and Witchdoctor.

Hello all. I have been seeing all these posts about how bucks are the "worst" or have a huge disadvantage, but I must say that this is just not true. My buck has current gear of 3 assassin strikes, 2 valor fortresses, and a levy. Now I have faced a bunch of musketeers and privateers over my PVP career. I have almost won every single PVP with these classes. Sometimes I don't even need to take my companions out of the starting point! So I must say that any class can beat any class with the right strategy. So It would be nice if all of you players would stop saying buck is the weakest class. Every class can be strong with the right strategy.

Edward Teach

DeathWiz101378 on Nov 30, 2013 wrote:

I'm just realizing how swashbucklers are the 2nd worst pvp class (no offence but i think buccaneers are 1st worst).
We're meant to be the strongest class yet we only have 3 sneak attacks, and most of these aren't strong enough. We die easily when facing witchdoctors, musketeers or even privateers. I know we can cross the board in 2 turns but our companions wont follow.
I have a few ideas on what we should get in the new 15 level (hopefully) update :
Relentless (35% bonus attack when you hit)
Relentless 2 (35% bonus attack when you hit, 3 times per round)
Assassin's Snare (X2 damage poison, prevents powers, 3 rounds)
Excavation (X4 damage plus 3 round bleeding)
Enduring Shadowdance (+3 critical chance, 7 rounds)
Assassin's speed (Dodge next 2 incoming powers -witchdoctor powers, musketeer powers, inferno round powers that cant be dodged etc-)
So what do you think? Sure, it may seem a little op but we really need something good, we dont deal enough damage currently, expecially for the "Rouge class". I know Assassin's speed is kinda op, but it's what we need since we cant dodge powers. Tell me what you think or new powers please, :-)

Merciless Jean Percy, 65

Sheesh. I should stop reading these threads, but they get me so fired to vomit out information.

Wait.



Anyways, we'll start laying out the Swashbuckler and its vastly underestimated abilities.

First Strike
C'mon now. You cannot say a Swashbuckler is underpowered when they have an epic like this under their wing. The ability to hit before your opponent, to get the first laugh, to intimidate those with Vengeance Strike. You cannot deny this as being one of the most useful epics a Pirate can have, and with its Rank 3, you can strike before sneak attacks. Definitely useful when those other pesky pirates try to use a sneak attack on you.

Riposte
Perhaps one of the most beloved epics. The ability to retaliate after deflecting your enemy's hit with even more power. Combine this with the Swashbuckler's high dodge and I can't really see any reason to complain about their strength against melee units. This represents the true finesse possessed by Swashbucklers.

Jump
I love this epic so much. Every ship battle I participate in, I can just glide to the other side, before they have a chance to even get on the boards to my ship. Not only that, but it's useful when Musketeers use their pesky obstacle powers to try and seal themselves from melee units. Definitely another show of Swashbuckler stealth.

Strikes
The most powerful melee attacks in the game. ( In terms of one turn hits ) The ability to do up to 3x your own damage against an enemy. Even a Buccaneer with a Levy Call is going to take some serious damage these hits, especially with a follow up of First Strike and Riposte. And that can also apply to Privateer companions who have these epics. This is also useful in quickly eliminating the enemy Privateer before they dish out the rest of their epics. Even more, Swashbucklers can farm gear to give them even more strikes. Can't get more deadly than that.

Fast
Plain and Simple. The ability to move much farther than other pirates. Combine this with a Levy Call and/or Shadowdance and melee units will be a piece of cake. Your dodges activate Riposte with a possibly chance of a critical, and your Levy Call to help reduce the damage you take if you can't dodge in time. One strategy right there.

Alert and Rough
The ability to reduce damage from traps as well as talents to increase your damage. While Swashbucklers are not meant to have the highest damage, they are meant to have the highest damage output. Buccaneers are meant to hold the title for highest damage, but not always highest damage output overall in battle.

The Hide Series
Definitely one of the coolest and most resourceful powers yet. While it could use a polish in PVP, it is the best in having a couple turns to heal while the enemies wonder where you went. Not only that, but it increases your damage when you strike! And to top it off, you can apply this to your companions! I don't see other classes with this awesome power.

Running out of room here...

Gruesome Richard on May 7, 2014 wrote:

Sheesh. I should stop reading these threads, but they get me so fired to vomit out information.

Wait.



Anyways, we'll start laying out the Swashbuckler and its vastly underestimated abilities.

First Strike
C'mon now. You cannot say a Swashbuckler is underpowered when they have an epic like this under their wing. The ability to hit before your opponent, to get the first laugh, to intimidate those with Vengeance Strike. You cannot deny this as being one of the most useful epics a Pirate can have, and with its Rank 3, you can strike before sneak attacks. Definitely useful when those other pesky pirates try to use a sneak attack on you.

Riposte
Perhaps one of the most beloved epics. The ability to retaliate after deflecting your enemy's hit with even more power. Combine this with the Swashbuckler's high dodge and I can't really see any reason to complain about their strength against melee units. This represents the true finesse possessed by Swashbucklers.

Jump
I love this epic so much. Every ship battle I participate in, I can just glide to the other side, before they have a chance to even get on the boards to my ship. Not only that, but it's useful when Musketeers use their pesky obstacle powers to try and seal themselves from melee units. Definitely another show of Swashbuckler stealth.

Strikes
The most powerful melee attacks in the game. ( In terms of one turn hits ) The ability to do up to 3x your own damage against an enemy. Even a Buccaneer with a Levy Call is going to take some serious damage these hits, especially with a follow up of First Strike and Riposte. And that can also apply to Privateer companions who have these epics. This is also useful in quickly eliminating the enemy Privateer before they dish out the rest of their epics. Even more, Swashbucklers can farm gear to give them even more strikes. Can't get more deadly than that.

Fast
Plain and Simple. The ability to move much farther than other pirates. Combine this with a Levy Call and/or Shadowdance and melee units will be a piece of cake. Your dodges activate Riposte with a possibly chance of a critical, and your Levy Call to help reduce the damage you take if you can't dodge in time. One strategy right there.

Alert and Rough
The ability to reduce damage from traps as well as talents to increase your damage. While Swashbucklers are not meant to have the highest damage, they are meant to have the highest damage output. Buccaneers are meant to hold the title for highest damage, but not always highest damage output overall in battle.

The Hide Series
Definitely one of the coolest and most resourceful powers yet. While it could use a polish in PVP, it is the best in having a couple turns to heal while the enemies wonder where you went. Not only that, but it increases your damage when you strike! And to top it off, you can apply this to your companions! I don't see other classes with this awesome power.

Running out of room here...

Oh really? They aren't so great, let me explain.

First Strike:
Good when facing buccs with low dodge, but when you're up against an el toro or privateer they'll just dodge it all the time, and riposte dealing even more damage due to an epic we can't even control. And with buccs accuracy reductions this becomes even more of a hinderance. Rank 3 is nothing special, only a 25% unnoticable damage increase, affecting sneak attacks is meh, when only 3/5 classes use sneak attacks.

Riposte:
The only really good epic we've got. However, it also becomes a hinderance when the enemy (most notably a privateer) has high dodge and your riposte keeps missing.

Jump:
I posted this thread in the PvP section so our performance in PvE isn't something to be factored in.

Strikes:
Great powers, however, EVERY CLASS CAN GET ALL OF THEM! I'm not shouting at you, it's KingsIsle i'm angry with. They should keep some powers class only, being killed by a privateer using multiple assassins strikes. And the swashbuckler class can only get 3 through gear, whilst privateers can get 3, and buccaneers get 4!

Fast:
It's great, but when every class can train it for a few points, what's the point of us even getting it? Sure, there are 3 ranks and only swash can train all 3, but the 3rd rank only gives a measly 1 movement. It may come in handy in some situations, but it's nothing special.

Alert and Rough:
Alert is quite good. Half damage from traps, and only swash can train it. However rough is (no offense KI) Pathetic. It gives 2, 3, then 5 damage, a total of 10 damage. Whilst other classes are getting lucky (resistance), armored (armor), and other great talents we're stuck with this. It's not benificial whatsoever, 10 damage is NOTHING at high levels.

The Hide Series:
These are actually quite good, however as soon as you use them you'll be hit with a gunnery/inferno shot/mojo storm/poison (by targetting a box next to you).

The Steel Series:
Don't make me laugh, these are almost riddiculously weak for aoes. Maybe using a critical buff they'd do decent damage, but regardless they're too puny. I think Gambit of steel should be X2 damage, and triggering epics is not always great as privateers can outdodge us and outhit us, most other swashbucklers will just exchange dodges with us. It's just ok.

Poisoning Series:
This is the only great thing we've got, actually. I love the poisons and i've got no complaints.

The Hurl Knives: Yeah, i agree with your points.

Gallant Defense: Not really great for PvP As you'll die when taking all the damage from an aoe, and in PvE it's just ok. Nothing special like the poisons.

I agree with you all but I think all those class improvements are a little to much ( Says a swashbuckler ). Kl doesn't want any one class being to strong.

Justin Silver
level 26