Why I refused to vial to ______

I remember when I got to TBS level (well, technically, you’re able to do TBS at 50, but I didn’t start until I was 100, and even so, it was a once-in-a-while thing), I was expressing my frustrations doing TBS as an instrument main.  At the time, my gear sucked, at least the gear of my TBS mercs were, my witch’s (henceforth known as Destini) Meteor Strike was merely level 40, and I didn’t know that trap maps existed.

Okay, so I rarely use trap maps to this day to its fullest potential, but that’s because tabbing in and out while doing a TIMED mission isn’t really reasonable.

But anyways, I got bombarded by guildies at the time to vial (price at that time:400 mil, Yvitini’s net worth per week: 70 mil assuming all silver coins) to staff or cannon main.

Why the hell would I want to do that?  Yes, instrument mains don’t have it as easy as a staff (can TBS with craptastic gear) or cannon (range advantage and Devastation Shell), but let’s look at why I chose to be an instrument main in the first place.

It wasn’t because of TBS.

Back when I started this game thanks to my fiance (henceforth known as Esco), I was overwhelmed by the choices I had.  You see, in the last MMO I played, we had 6 classes (now it has 10), but it wasn’t set up like Atlantica is.  There were some mains that were clear-cut (sword uses…swords, staffs are healers), and there was the classic bow class.  And the not-so-classic gunner and cannon.   But I have never seen a game where the weapon was an instrument; a guitar to be precise.  The choice was clear–I knew I wouldn’t enjoy melee classes, I am not a supporter (more on my fail as a staff main in another post), and the idea of putting arrows to the knee (sorry, couldn’t resist) just didn’t appeal to me (and Esco is a bow main himself).

Instrument it was.

Once I understood the mechanics of how certain skills worked, I was loving it.  I didn’t really start enjoying the game until I was about 85-90, but it was because I still had to get used to some things.  When I came back to the game last August, then I learned a bit more about TBS, but was told that it was something reserved for level 100+.  But when I was struggling between IM charges (yes, I IM, what’s it to you?), I had to find something to supplement my income, and that’s when I found videos of Fritz.

I learned a couple of things while watching those videos: the usage of Destini (and the awesomeness that is Meteor Strike) at lower level TBS misions, why my jani and, later sheriff (henceforth known as Achmed and Rydia) would soon replace her, and why an instrument main, while not as easy as a staff main or a cannon in regards of TBS, can fuck shit up just as well.

That, and I’m too stubborn (and I guess you can say cheap) to vial otherwise.

Now, just out of curiosity, I did make both a staff main and a cannon main to see what the hell was so special about them. Both aren’t at TBS level yet (my cannon main is closer), so I dunno yet, but with the alts,  I can see if I want to invest more on either char, but my heart will always be with my first love.  Besides, Ravaging Melody makes shit die faster with a 2-gun TBS set up.  I’m just saying.

Instrument Main Talents (alternatively named: I may have made my decision)

For the first set of talents, I had pretty much made my decision to go half/half on offense and health.  With the new “balance” patch that’s coming soon, and the 15% HP nerf in TBS that’s supposed to come with said patch, I’m thinking to maybe go 70/30 now, with favor to the HP.

However, for the more main-specific talents, I was torn.  I was pretty sure that I was gonna boost up Requiem damage.  And maybe 1 in On Tour.  But then I found out a nice piece of information that swayed my decision otherwise.

<MusicM>
-Requiem explodes 1 turn earlier.
-Haunting Requiem (Talent) Requiem damage improvement from 100%->150%
-Melancholy Melody (Talent) Ravaging Melody damage reduction improvement from 50%->20%
-Reduced Requiem DoT damage by 75%
-Increased Requiem mana cost by up to 400%.

Now…level 42 Requiem (what Yvi’s got enough points for until she levels up more) has a cost of 242 mp.  Ravaging Melody takes a bigger chunk.  According to Atlantica-DB, Requiem with a level 150 main costs 391 in PvE, 789 in PvP, and 374 in TBS (I personally never use this in TBS, but each their own).  This is pre-patch, and assuming level 70 Requiem.  Now let’s add on 400% of each of these values.

400% of 391=1564 (in PvE). Ouch.

400% of 373=1492 (in TBS).  Not as bad as normal PvE, but I really don’t know anyone who uses Requiem in TBS, whether missions or Skirmish.

400% of 789=3156 (in PvP). OW OW OW FUCKED IN THE ASS MUCH?!!

Granted, at level 150, you should have well over 20k mp (might have to ask around for average MP of an instrument main at this level, as I’m only 125 and sitting on just over 8800).  But shit, really? 3100 MP for that skill?  They make it go boom sooner, but outside of talents, is Requiem gonna be any good against, say, Pega +10’s?  Is it worth the 400% mp usage?

So now I turn my focus on On Tour, which would be an awesome defensive talent.  Dunno about you, but I fucking hate having my main up front in PvP then getting AP drained out the ass by a fucking pirate or spear main.  Yes, I do Holy Guard, but HG’s gonna run out somehow, and with my luck, it’ll be right when the opponent gets a chance to ap drain again.  So it’d be nice to dodge those pesky AP drains.  Actually, it’d be pretty fucking sexy.

So, I’m thinking that a maxed On Tour will allow me to frontline (even more) comfortably.  Although, Melancholy Melody is a situational one–depends on how much more RM debuffs.