[Xrave]

http://www.jpbutton.com/?p=831
http://bluegartrls.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64410

So an interview came out in August with FFXI developers about tier 2 merits. In it this was said about DRK and Desperate Blows:

Question: The increase to Overwhelm for Samurais is capped beyond the 3rd upgrade but there is no limitation placed on Desperate Blows. Can you tell us why?

Answer: The effect from Desperate Blows is only active when you use Last Resort. Also, the effect from Last Resort and Hasso during the same short amount of time is capped at 25%. So a fully merited Desperate Blows at 25% is equal to a Desperate Blows taken to the 3rd level (15%) + Hasso (10%). If you merit Desperate Blows above the 3rd level, using something other than Samurai for a support job is more viable. This is why they are the same up until the 3rd level.

I am reading this as with no other forms of haste you only get 25% haste total from level 5 Desperate Blows + Hasso (the haste from Hasso has no effect).

Effectively making 3 merits in Desperate Blows all that's necessary (unless you're something other than /SAM) and if you use a level 5 Desperate Blows as /SAM you should always have Seigan up instead.

If you have an Apoc, this would mean 4 merits in Desperate Blows is all you need even without /SAM and with no Apoc you would still need 5 to cap haste normally (2x march + haste).

So I guess there is a "JA haste" category and it caps at 25%

[Crisco]

This is great info to know, as I'm slowly bringing up DRK as my next job. (my biggest concern was how to handle desperate blows)

Gogo /DRG

[Kirschy]

I went out and tested with a Relic Scythe. (The 999 Delay one.)

Hasso + Last Resort(Level 5 - Desperate Blows) gave 751 Delay. (24.9% Haste)

Last Resort(Level 5 - Desperate Blows) gave 746 Delay. (25.33% Haste)

The small difference in haste is probably margin of error/lag/whatever. What it shows is that JA Haste definetly caps at 25%.

[richardd]

hmm, i canceled out my 5th DB recently for 5/5 DE but still have 4 active. Does this mean i can use Seigan whenever i use LR?

[Arkley]

If you're always going to have Seigan up with a 2h weapon when you use Last Resort you might aswell remove the 4th merit too, just leave it at 3/5; you'll still get the 25% cap. If you zerg with a KC or Merc Kris, you should prolly consider putting the 5th back in.

[Disclaimer]

If you're always going to have Seigan up with a 2h weapon when you use Last Resort you might aswell remove the 4th merit too, just leave it at 3/5; you'll still get the 25% cap. If you zerg with a KC or Merc Kris, you should prolly consider putting the 5th back in.

Desperate Blows
Game Description: Reduces delay for two-handed weapons when using Last Resort by 5% per merit. ????

[Arkley]

Whoops! I guess I completely misread the JA description.

[richardd]

i think ill still keep my 4th one lol. I do /nin on DRK sometimes to things like Limbus and im not going to be at capped haste at all times anyway. So its good from both ends depending on how you look at it!

[Taint]

Great info. Even with Apoc I'm going to leave DB 5/5, I use /nin enough and don't always have marchx2.

[Venombladex]

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, so feel free to flame but...


Doesn't Last Resort lower DELAY

Not Increase Attack Speed?


Or did I just kind of read that wrong?



If so... it really shouldn't be part of haste cap



?

[Deo2]

The article is saying that it has it's own 'cap' and it's just called a 'haste cap' out of habit.

It's also easier to say than 'delay reduction cap/floor' (negative numbers?).

[XsilentX]

It's called haste because it has the same formula and is figured out at the same time as haste, so it stacks. Things like sword strap etc. do not count towards haste and are figured out after haste is.

[Nameless]

Kinda glad I didn't merit LR recast....

Real question should be where would you put the extra 1 or 2 merits in. I am currently 4/5 DB and 1/5 DS and 5/5 DE. If I want to take out 1 DB merit, I wonder if I should put it in MS since I have SE recast merited.

[Venombladex]

But doesn't a lower Delay lower tp gain?

and Haste does no such thing


Shouldn't they be seperate? or am I totally missing out on something? lol

[Nameless]

that's why it is called melee haste, it doesn't effect spell recast but acts exactly the same way as haste for melee, which means it stacks with haste and does not reduce your tp gain per hit.

[Taint]

Kinda glad I didn't merit LR recast....

Real question should be where would you put the extra 1 or 2 merits in. I am currently 4/5 DB and 1/5 DS and 5/5 DE. If I want to take out 1 DB merit, I wonder if I should put it in MS since I have SE recast merited.

5/5 DB, 4/5MS, 1/5DS
5/5 LR effect, 5/5 LR recast

[Nameless]

Well, I am 5/5 DE, 4/5 DB, 1/5 DS. I don't see myself dropping DE since I don't have that +20 acc on my weapon. So it is most likely going to be 5/5 DE, 3/5 DB, 1/5 DS, 1/5 MS.

5/5 SE recast, 5/5 LR effect. You are going to generate alot of hate through regular swing with apoc, so SE probably isn't for you. But for GS it is extremely useful. I don't see the point of 5/5 LR recast now that JA haste has a cap. Well, unless I don't go /sam, which I can't find a reason to.

[Shinsei]

i think ill still keep my 4th one lol. I do /nin on DRK sometimes to things like Limbus and im not going to be at capped haste at all times anyway. So its good from both ends depending on how you look at it!

I'm personally 5/5 DB and I'm the same way about it. Keeping it, there are other events where I go /nin, which means I still get to abuse LR's true potential + I'm not gonna be having like full haste so it's still nice(read: not double marches). In merit pt's, it just means I can do Seigan + TE during LR.

edit: I used to be 5/5 SE originally but dropped it months ago to be 5/5 LR recast+effect since I generally don't spam SE in merits/events every time the recast is ready anyways....so it became a waste to have it merited 60s off?...when I probably only do it every other 10 or so mins depending on mages MP. I'm too lazy to Drain II every time, I won't deny it lol. I know apoc users tend to spam SE more often though ;z

[Goshtin]

lemme get this right sorry
DB and hasso overlap?
so my effort to /sam with 4/5 DB with 6% gear haste was wasted

15%(haste) + 30%(marchs) + 25%(DB+hasso w/e combination) = 70%
so I would need 10% gear haste to reach cap.. right?
+ more after LR wears off

[Kirschy]

To be technical /w it~

256/1024 (DB + Hasso Cap) + 448/1024 (Haste + March x2 cap) = 704/1024 (~68.75%)

You would want ~12% haste to be comfortably at ~80% Total Haste Cap.

Anyone who used the 4th or 5th DB Merit /w Hasso was not gaining any extra haste~