Rainingfury

Joined 27 March 2024
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(Created page with "{{RequiresAoD}} The following guide is a general overview of barrier combat. It will explain the considerations that go into making a build, a progression path as well as notable drops along the way, then provide some example builds for specific content. Every enemy in this expansion has a Barrier health bar as well as a regular health bar. Enemies health bars cannot be damaged in any way until the barrier is entirely removed. '''Only familiars are able to damage t...")
 
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===Summon Accuracy===
===Summon Accuracy===
Summons use your accuracy rating to determine their chance to hit. '''Include link to combat page explanation of accuracy rating here?''' Your accuracy rating is calculated after combat triangle modifiers, so taking advantage of the combat triangle is more important in barrier combat than other combat scenarios. Accuracy boosting gear such as [[Mithril Gloves]] and [[(U) Red D-hide Vambraces]] are very valuable in barrier combat and you should always attempt to include them in your build. This also means the Attack Style you choose for the weapon you have equipped may also have a large impact on your kill times. For example, ranged weapons can produce higher kill times in barrier combat on Accurate rather than on Rapid. If you are using a melee weapon, always select the highest accuracy style you have available, regardless of what combat stat you're trying to train. Doing otherwise will be a substantial blow to your kill times.  
Summons use your accuracy rating to determine their chance to hit. '''Include link to combat page explanation of accuracy rating here?''' Your accuracy rating is calculated after combat triangle modifiers, so taking advantage of the combat triangle is more important in barrier combat than other combat scenarios. Accuracy boosting gear such as [[Mithril Gloves]] and [[(U) Red D-hide Vambraces]] are very valuable in barrier combat and you should always attempt to include them in your build. This also means the Attack Style you choose for the weapon you have equipped may also have a large impact on your kill times. For example, ranged weapons can produce higher kill times in barrier combat on Accurate rather than on Rapid. If you are using a melee weapon, always select the highest accuracy style you have available, regardless of what combat stat you're trying to train. Doing otherwise will be a substantial blow to your kill times.  
Importantly, [[Diamond Luck Potion]] and similar effects do not affect summon accuracy. These effects do not actually increase the player's accuracy rating, they instead are applied after the accuracy calculation. The summon hit roll does not benefit from this effect applied after accuracy is calculated.  
Importantly, [[Diamond Luck Potion]] and similar effects do not affect summon accuracy. These effects do not actually increase the player's accuracy rating, they instead are applied after the accuracy calculation. The summon hit roll does not benefit from this effect applied after accuracy is calculated.  
Though two handed weapons have high accuracy ratings, their pitfalls continue to affect them in barrier combat: they are slow; most do not have any damage reduction; their damage output is not smooth. This last point is particularly important in barrier combat--if you do not get a swing off before a barrier regeneration tick(covered later) or you roll low on the few swings you get in the window you have lost a large amount damage. Two handed weapons have their niche in barrier combat but in general it is advisable to stick to one handed weapons unless a guide or combat simulator says otherwise.
Though two handed weapons have high accuracy ratings, their pitfalls continue to affect them in barrier combat: they are slow; most do not have any damage reduction; their damage output is not smooth. This last point is particularly important in barrier combat--if you do not get a swing off before a barrier regeneration tick(covered later) or you roll low on the few swings you get in the window you have lost a large amount damage. Two handed weapons have their niche in barrier combat but in general it is advisable to stick to one handed weapons unless a guide or combat simulator says otherwise.
===Summon max hit and barrier max hit modifiers===
===Summon max hit and barrier max hit modifiers===
There are three separate modifiers for the damage your summons inflict against a barrier: Summoning Maximum Hit % modifier (denoted here as SM), Flat Barrier damage added to Summon Familiar (denoted here as FB), and Summoning Familiar damage % added as extra damage to Barrier(denoted here as SB). The whole damage calculation is beyond the scope of this guide, but these three parameters interact in the following way:
There are three separate modifiers for the damage your summons inflict against a barrier: Summoning Maximum Hit % modifier (denoted here as SM), Flat Barrier damage added to Summon Familiar (denoted here as FB), and Summoning Familiar damage % added as extra damage to Barrier(denoted here as SB). The whole damage calculation is beyond the scope of this guide, but these three parameters interact in the following way:
<math>\small{ \begin{aligned} \text{Barrier Damage} ∝ \text{Sum of Base Summon Max Hits} \times ((1 + \text{SM}) \times (1 + \text{SB})) + \text{FB} \end{aligned}}</math>
<math>\small{ \begin{aligned} \text{Barrier Damage} ∝ \text{Sum of Base Summon Max Hits} \times ((1 + \text{SM}) \times (1 + \text{SB})) + \text{FB} \end{aligned}}</math>
As you progress through the expansion, you'll find FB and SB are far more plentiful than SM. The major consequence of this formula is when an SB and SM modifiers of equivalent values are compared, SM is usually more impactful. To see this, consider a build with SM = 0% = 0 and SB = 100% = 1 considering equipping either an item with SM = 10% = 0.1 or an item with SB = 10% = 0.1. Plugging into the formula, we find the SM item results in a 10% increase in Barrier Damage, while the SB item results in a 5% increase in Barrier Damage.
As you progress through the expansion, you'll find FB and SB are far more plentiful than SM. The major consequence of this formula is when an SB and SM modifiers of equivalent values are compared, SM is usually more impactful. To see this, consider a build with SM = 0% = 0 and SB = 100% = 1 considering equipping either an item with SM = 10% = 0.1 or an item with SB = 10% = 0.1. Plugging into the formula, we find the SM item results in a 10% increase in Barrier Damage, while the SB item results in a 5% increase in Barrier Damage.
===(B) Gear===
===(B) Gear===
Users will notice that most base game armors have an upgrade to a (B) variant, for example [[(B) Bronze Helmet]] or [[(B) Dragon Platebody]]. These items are essential to progression in barrier combat past a certain point so we will take a minute to discuss obtaining and using them. All (B) gear requires the consumption of Imbued Bars, such as [[Imbued Dragonite Bar]], and of a small amount of a certain barrier gem, such as [[Barrier Gem]]. In addition, higher level (B) gear also requires the consumption of Shard items, such as [[Barrier Pure Shard]]. Like the upgrades to (S) and (G) gear in the base game, the quantities required rise as the tier of the gear grows more powerful. All AoD dungeons can drop imbued bars from their chests, and all shard items come from AoD dungeons. The imbued bar drops are usually supplemental sources of imbued bars, but if you don't have the smithing level to make the bar you need, a dungeon can be used as your sole source.
Users will notice that most base game armors have an upgrade to a (B) variant, for example [[(B) Bronze Helmet]] or [[(B) Dragon Platebody]]. These items are essential to progression in barrier combat past a certain point so we will take a minute to discuss obtaining and using them. All (B) gear requires the consumption of Imbued Bars, such as [[Imbued Dragonite Bar]], and of a small amount of a certain barrier gem, such as [[Barrier Gem]]. In addition, higher level (B) gear also requires the consumption of Shard items, such as [[Barrier Pure Shard]]. Like the upgrades to (S) and (G) gear in the base game, the quantities required rise as the tier of the gear grows more powerful. All AoD dungeons can drop imbued bars from their chests, and all shard items come from AoD dungeons. The imbued bar drops are usually supplemental sources of imbued bars, but if you don't have the smithing level to make the bar you need, a dungeon can be used as your sole source.
[[Barrier Dust]] is used with a base game metal bar to create imbued bars of the same type. Every barrier enemy outside of a dungeon drops barrier dust, and the amount dropped is proportional to the enemy's health. Acquiring barrier dust is by far the best way to create imbued bars, especially when combined with grinding for a useful item dropped by a barrier enemy. What grinds are useful will be covered later.
[[Barrier Dust]] is used with a base game metal bar to create imbued bars of the same type. Every barrier enemy outside of a dungeon drops barrier dust, and the amount dropped is proportional to the enemy's health. Acquiring barrier dust is by far the best way to create imbued bars, especially when combined with grinding for a useful item dropped by a barrier enemy. What grinds are useful will be covered later.
===(C) Gear===
===(C) Gear===
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===Barrier Regeneration===
===Barrier Regeneration===
In Combat Areas [[Lost Temple]] and after, and in dungeons [[Trickery Temple]] and after, and in all AoD slayer areas, barrier monsters will regenerate 25% of their barrier every 7 enemy attack turns. This regeneration effect can happen before and after their barrier is depleted to 0. In the case of a regeneration event occurring when the enemy's barrier is greater than 75% capacity, the excess is not stored. When the Enemy regenerates Barrier, they will gain a debuff that applies <span style="color:red">+5% Attack Interval</span>, <span style="color:red">-10% Global Accuracy</span>, and <span style="color:red">-10% Global Evasion</span>, stacking up to 4 times. The enemy will continue to regenerate barrier after this debuff is fully stacked.
In Combat Areas [[Lost Temple]] and after, and in dungeons [[Trickery Temple]] and after, and in all AoD slayer areas, barrier monsters will regenerate 25% of their barrier every 7 enemy attack turns. This regeneration effect can happen before and after their barrier is depleted to 0. In the case of a regeneration event occurring when the enemy's barrier is greater than 75% capacity, the excess is not stored. When the Enemy regenerates Barrier, they will gain a debuff that applies <span style="color:red">+5% Attack Interval</span>, <span style="color:red">-10% Global Accuracy</span>, and <span style="color:red">-10% Global Evasion</span>, stacking up to 4 times. The enemy will continue to regenerate barrier after this debuff is fully stacked.
This barrier regen effect imposes a dps check on the player. If the enemy's barrier can not be depleted faster than it is regenerated, the player will never kill the enemy. The dps check is alleviated by the stacking debuff the enemy accumulates, but if you have to rely on that debuff you are probably not geared enough to farm that content. This effect is particularly oppressive in [[Underwater City]] and against [[Underwater Ruins]] monsters.
This barrier regen effect imposes a dps check on the player. If the enemy's barrier can not be depleted faster than it is regenerated, the player will never kill the enemy. The dps check is alleviated by the stacking debuff the enemy accumulates, but if you have to rely on that debuff you are probably not geared enough to farm that content. This effect is particularly oppressive in [[Underwater City]] and against [[Underwater Ruins]] monsters.
==Advanced Mechanics==
==Advanced Mechanics==