Duel Blades or Katana?

[ceto555]

Hi folks,

 

I'm looking to make a Scrapper for solo leveling and doing raids at 50. Which would I be better off with, i'll have Bio as my secondary.

 

Thanks

[Saikochoro]

My personal preference is dual blades. I think both would do well though. 

[Shred Monkey]

Both can perform well but play differently.

 

Katana has a +defense power (divine avalanche) to add survivability.  It has a normal build-up power.  It has has a mix of ST and has 2 AoEs.  Generally, it's a very "normal" set with the defense bonus being it's one special trick.

 

Dual Blades has a combo system that gives bonuses by using it's powers in a certain sequence.  Dual Blades has 3 AoE powers (though it's common to skip at least 1 of them.  Dual Blades uses Blinding Feint in place of it's build-up power so instead of having burst damage from a click power, it can have a smaller boost up all the time (and double-stacked even).  Also it's big "POW" attack is a decent sized cone, so it's pretty common to target a boss with your ST attack chain and see LT's and Minions die from the splash damage.

 

I personally like Dual Blades.  It feels fast and performs well.  But I do hear some people complain that they don't like the combo system or they don't like the over-the-top animations.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Shred Monkey

[Meknomancer]

Definitely dual blades for fun, although i skipped most combos (i think i have attack vitals) and blinding feint which i couldn't fit in. Kat is good dual blades is just more fun 2 swords look better than one 🙂

 

[drgantz]

One thing that I like about Katana is that most attacks give a -Def debuff, while I believe only 1 DB attack debuffs.

On the other hand, I see many Scrappers with DB and few with Katana.

[Wavicle]

The thing to know in order to maximize Dual Blades effectiveness is that it is NOT ALWAYS best to use a combo. Sometimes you should use a combo, sometimes you should just focus on using your best individual attacks.

[Riverdusk]

20 hours ago, drgantz said:

One thing that I like about Katana is that most attacks give a -Def debuff, while I believe only 1 DB attack debuffs.

On the other hand, I see many Scrappers with DB and few with Katana.

 

That might be because until recently the katana was usually invisible to other players. 😁  Half kidding, but that was a weird graphics bug that was recently fixed, at least pretty sure it finally was fixed.  Kind of a pain to test as I don't usually dual box.

 

Guess I'm the only one that prefers katana.  For me I found db more boring because I did feel like I had to use attack vitals all the time.  It also gave me a bit of what I call "sound fatigue" hearing the same sound loop playing over and over from doing the same powers in the same order over and over.  Same issue I have with gravity control.  For some reason katana doesn't give me that, probably because the sounds I feel are short and crisp in comparison.  But I know that is probably just a weird personal thing.

[Koopak]

I personally find DB to lack impact, feeling like its just flailing without reason. That said, i have had a few and enjoyed them well enough. DB has more mastery involved, knowing when to use what combo, or if at all, while Katana can often be simplified down to a rotation or two.

Overall though i tend to lean Katana due to my interest in martial arts and the fact that its the closest thing to "real" sword play in the game. Broad Sword is to sluggish and clubby, and DB is overly stylish.

End the end id say try both and go with the one you like the aesthetics and mechanics of the most in practice.

[Oysterhead]

I both Koopak and Riverdusk's posts have hit on the most important difference, which is the feel, experience and taste for the animations/sound of them 😃

Katana's animations are very well done, they flow together nicely and have an appropriate, efficiency of movement style that seems like what a real katana user would do. That also means its a bit more subtle and subdued compared to flashier sets. Contrast that with Dual Blades, which is practically screaming "Look at me I am amazing I am twirling and swinging and twirling!" with every attack. 

 

I played DB scrapper back in live and loved it. I recently hit 50 on a katana and was less enthusiastic about it, i'm sure the numbers I was putting out were good but it felt less impactful, probably because of the lack of showboaty flailing. DB is on my list to get to eventually again!

Edited May 27, 2021 by Oysterhead

[Elia87]

DB is better on scrappers or stalkers?

[Oysterhead]

1 hour ago, Elia87 said:

DB is better on scrappers or stalkers?

Hmm, depends? DB is very good on stalkers, but mostly only if you ignore most of what makes DB unique. Stalker DB plays best (highest damage) by ignoring the combo system entirely and rotating in its very fast animating assassin's stab (there are more threads on this on the stalker forums). If you want a more intended DB experience with all combos, Scrapper. Or honestly Tanker. Tanker does very well with DB now because it has so many area attacks and tanker does those better. 

[SomeGuy]

What looks cooler? One or two swords?

 

The two sets feel pretty different to me. DB does really good DPS if you ignore the combos. Katana does good DPS. Both have "meh" AOE. Can't go wrong with either.

Edited May 31, 2021 by SomeGuy
yeah

[BrandX]

13 hours ago, SomeGuy said:

What looks cooler? One or two swords?

 

The two sets feel pretty different to me. DB does really good DPS if you ignore the combos. Katana does good DPS. Both have "meh" AOE. Can't go wrong with either.

 

DB does good DPS with Blinding Feint > Attack Vitals > Repeat.  Solo'ed ITF and the AVs for Portal Jockey with no Incarnates/Inspirations, with a DB/WP Scrapper.  I get that DB can do better DPS without the combo, but that also requires a lot more recharge in the build to pull off.

 

Have to say on the animation aspect, DB felt better, but if they ever give Katana the Razor Sword from Titan Weapons (and keep it's size), I'm rolling up a Katana Scrapper again 🙂

[SomeGuy]

1 hour ago, BrandX said:

 

 give Katana the Razor Sword from Titan Weapons (and keep it's size), I'm rolling up a Katana Scrapper again 🙂

 

Right? I've got a WICKED Doomslayer costume that I used to run the giant chainsaw sword with when I would play my TW characters.

[JayboH]

I kinda hope that never happens.  Keep weapons separate as reasons to play a set.

[BrandX]

2 hours ago, JayboH said:

I kinda hope that never happens.  Keep weapons separate as reasons to play a set.

 

Katana and Titan Weapons are two completely different sets with different playstyles, in which someone can like the set of one and not the other.

 

TW would still out do Katana in ST and AOE Damage.

 

I've made a TW Scrapper.  Katana/Regen was one of my first 50's back on live (Claws/Regen was first).   Plus there's just people making alts.

 

The sets are reason to play the sets.  Not (just) the skins.

[Yomo Kimyata]

How do you plan to play the secondary?  If you are going to spend most of the time in Offensive mode, Divine Avalanche from Katana really can help a lot with your survivability.

 

I have very little experience with Dual Blades though, so keep that grain of salt on hand.

[BurningDezire]

On 5/27/2021 at 3:49 PM, Oysterhead said:

I both Koopak and Riverdusk's posts have hit on the most important difference, which is the feel, experience and taste for the animations/sound of them 😃

Katana's animations are very well done, they flow together nicely and have an appropriate, efficiency of movement style that seems like what a real katana user would do. That also means its a bit more subtle and subdued compared to flashier sets. Contrast that with Dual Blades, which is practically screaming "Look at me I am amazing I am twirling and swinging and twirling!" with every attack. 

 

I played DB scrapper back in live and loved it. I recently hit 50 on a katana and was less enthusiastic about it, i'm sure the numbers I was putting out were good but it felt less impactful, probably because of the lack of showboaty flailing. DB is on my list to get to eventually again!

Your thoughts on Katana animations are well on point. Katana's animations and sound effects are PERFECT. Very satisfying. Katana is BEAUTIFUL and LETHAL. 

[Bill Z Bubba]

20 minutes ago, BurningDezire said:

Your thoughts on Katana animations are well on point. Katana's animations and sound effects are PERFECT. Very satisfying. Katana is BEAUTIFUL and LETHAL. 

 

I concur. I get the same crunchy satisfaction from katana that I get from mace. Especially if the gaussian's in bu goes off along with the (edit) critical strikes proc in soaring dragon right before I land Golden Dragonfly. Quite glorious.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Bill Z Bubba

[Triumphant]

No experience with Katana but I love Dual Blades.  I chose Dual Blades over Katana simply because I like the animations better and it fit more character concept.  DB feels like a very fast/active set to me, which can be fun.  Damage is a barrage of little cuts over time.  You sort of nickel and dime the enemy to death.  It's like feeding them slowly into a wood chipper, an inch at a time.  lol

[BurningDezire]

10 minutes ago, Triumphant said:

No experience with Katana but I love Dual Blades.  I chose Dual Blades over Katana simply because I like the animations better and it fit more character concept.  DB feels like a very fast/active set to me, which can be fun.  Damage is a barrage of little cuts over time.  You sort of nickel and dime the enemy to death.  It's like feeding them slowly into a wood chipper, an inch at a time.  lol

Yeah, I can get that. To each their own. For me, I like how I can click Soaring Dragon outside of enemy range and then run past them and suddenly they get knocked up and cut. It's just like you see in samurai animes where the samurai runs past them and there's a delay before anyone realizes what just happened. 

[Triumphant]

Cool.  I may have to revisit that set and develop a concept based on a Ronin type character.  😎

[A Cat]

I have only played stalker DB, but I think I like katana better. DB only has one attack that has a good crunchy feeling (no AS on scrapper, and even then I think it's more beautiful than crunchy per se) and while it feels pretty damn good, it's not Golden Butterfly good. That attack just feels so awesome. I like Soaring Dragon quite a bit too. Having two swords looks cool. But I don't like the actual animations as much.